Caleb’s Birthday In Bahrain

Posted on June 24, 2014 by TheJessicaness

 

birthday berry butt gelato

birthday berry butt gelato

5:15 came early again this morning, so I went back to sleep. Caleb woke me up and walked the dogs while I got ready. He grabbed his bag of work stuff to put in his locker on the boat and we got on the road. I dropped him off on the corner and when I got home he let me know that he still hadn’t been picked up for work yet. I wished him a Happy Birthday and he tells me that the duty vans just went to the hotels this morning. It took an hour for him to get picked up, so tomorrow I will drop him off at a hotel so he doesn’t have to deal with that again.

I published a post and then took the dogs out after lunch. Making our way across the parking lot a dad stops his SUV so his wife and four sons can see the dogs. He tried asking me something, but I couldn’t understand – to pet, to take picture? We get to the grass and a car stops to ask if they are for sale – after Sparky just peed all over his own leg – maybe I should’ve named a price, but I said no too quickly. He asked about even for a day and drove off when a truck neared. Then where we turn around a blue Hummer passed and began to back up. I turned around and pulled the dogs with me. If they aren’t for sale, than they aren’t for stealing either.

one of the many rides inside Seef Mall

one of the many rides inside Seef Mall

Up the stairs and the dogs’ fan club is waiting. The man’s sons have their hands and phone cameras ready. It’s windy out and my hair is in my face. I hold Sparky and pet him, but when a hand comes near he growls, so I hold him closer and pet Piggy. They pose with their hands on her while someone else takes the picture. I make their day and maybe an older brother or random guy too that comes upstairs in time to see the action and take a picture. Men are less likely to mess with a woman in a bikini or tight running gear than one covering her knees and elbows while walking dogs.

Caleb texts me that he’s off work and will meet me behind security on base. When I get there he’s telling two guys how they should use their 45 days of TLA (travel money) and stay in the hotel before signing their lease to move in. We go to the NEX to find him a new pair of flip-flops, ones that won’t leave blisters on his feet. We end up getting another pair for him to wear in the shower on-board. I have more trouble finding something, so we decide to go to Lulu’s where the boxes for the shoes aren’t necessarily under the display. I look at the men’s section in both stores with no luck.

they even have bumper cars in Seef Mall

they even have bumper cars in Seef Mall

We were going to go to the City Centre Mall, but tried going in the delivery entrance and passed the parking entrance on our way to Seef Mall. We wandered around with me trying on all kinds of shoes – women’s, men’s, and all sizes. Turns out I’m a size ten here with the heat making my feet swell or they have different sizing, or both. We go into Payless ShoeSource and instead of finding sandals I find a pair of flats with owls on them. Caleb lets me get them – and even the guy behind the counter asks if they are ok with him.

We walk into a random shoe store and I see a pair that I think I will like. They are brown on the bottom with a teal top. I put one on and then the other. I think that if I don’t like them I can always get something else – they are only $40 – who am I kidding. Growing up that would be two pairs of shoes – one for my birthday (that coincided with the start of school) and the other for Christmas because Grandma was buying. I just thought they were $40. Turns out they were BD40, but Caleb didn’t tell me until we had receipt in hand because he didn’t feel like going through another 20 stores where he saw so many options.

cardboard and packing tap on a moving van

cardboard and packing tap on a moving van

Now that we both had two pairs of new shoes we could go enjoy his birthday dinner. We headed to Señor Paco’s – a Mexican restaurant in Adliya where the scenery, hot sauce, and drinks make up for the mediocre veggies and beans. We’re seated in a corner and feeling romantic. There’s a large party gathering in the back. My nose is running with the salsa and I’ve finished my first margarita. The second one, peach flavoured, arrives at the same time five girls do. They sit next to us and order pitchers as I take bites of my food. We filled up on two bowls of chips. Caleb orders tea and gets a mini-pitcher of simple syrup to sweeten it with.

He offers to drive, but I take the wheel. We are headed to base. If we can find that, we can find home, and he’s hoping to buy some Kahlua and Sprite to make me a Mind Eraser when we get home. The liquor store closed at 8pm, 13 minutes before we got there. We are standing in front of the car, I’ve unlocked it, and am pushing the little silver button to get the key part out of the fob when the whole thing slips from my hands, hits the ground very close to a drain, and then bounces into the dark unknown.

Trust Tower, Diplomatic Area

Trust Tower, Diplomatic Area

 

First instinct – scream on the inside. Second – state options: we could get a taxi or just sleep in the car. Luckily as my panic starts to set in the guy that helped us park earlier is here to inquire on our needs. I say key and point to the hole. He runs across the lot, grabs a large metal pole, and pries part of the drain up. With the flashlight on my phone I was able to see the key stuck two feet below in a pile of muck. I go to the base and get through three sets of security and inside the building without showing my ID to ask for a wire hanger. They tell me to go to a store near the KFC on American Alley.

I’m on my way back to the car when I’m abruptly met by Caleb dangling our key in his hand. Then he asks if I have any money on me to give to the two guys that stopped to help us. I know they didn’t have to and they put so much effort into it. I’m glad he thought of it too. I have BD1 and $2 in my wallet – a close split. The key part may still work, but the auto lock/unlock doesn’t. I’m about to freak out again. “How am I going to get into a car without pressing a button to unlock it?!” Perhaps you could put the key in the hole. I’m so grateful for Caleb’s calm response.

the entrance to the courtyard of Señor Paco's

the entrance to the courtyard of Señor Paco’s

Once happily in the car we talk about how long it’s been since I’ve had to manually unlock a car – at least seven years. I feel bad for the rental company. We may not have broken the key part off like the other renters did with the spare, but we’ve broken the fob in another way. Going home is neat. The last time we were out this late I was in the back seat of Master Chief’s car going to the airport to get the dogs. This time I can enjoy the lights: advertising on the bridge, missing on passing cars, and reflecting on the water.

I’m worried about parking when we get on our street but I’m guessing with it not being a weekend we are luckier than we otherwise might’ve been. We get our most common spot – on the other side of the fountain from our room – and the guard comes over to help me with my door. I could get used to this – a country based on friendly service, and so many people to provide it at all hours. I can even handle the heat, but the humidity will stay on the same list as the wind in Chicago and the mosquitoes in the Everglades – the things I can do without list. Happy Birthday Caleb!

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Keeping the Glass In the Sand

Posted on June 23, 2014 by TheJessicaness
kiwi kit from Alosra - love that spoon!

kiwi kit from Alosra – love that spoon!

I woke and went back to sleep while Caleb took a shower. I didn’t think that would take 30 minutes but he said I looked so peaceful laying there that he let me sleep. We took the dogs out and I saw a grocery bag floating in the wind. It landed in the sand where I picked it up and then walked the length of the grass picking up poo, beer bottles, cigarette packs, and anything else that caught my eye. We have to keep the dogs off the sand – part trash can part parking lot – because of all the broken glass. I don’t want to have to worry about the grass too.

Caleb was concerned about being early yesterday to get pictures of the real condition of the boat before others had a chance to clean it before chief would see it. This morning is more relaxed and I pull into the dirt lot to drop Caleb off. On the way home a lane is blocked off. A second of panic sets in as I think I will have to turn left to lost-ville or park and wait for the road to clear. Traffic begins to merge nicely until three cars roll up beside me. The large truck I’m following lets one in front of him and then I notice that we can go straight from the turn lane.

The other side of traffic is blocked because a dump truck somehow managed to get its trailer to hit the driver’s compartment. Yesterday we passed a car with no trunk. I thought they were putting it on the tow truck, but Caleb says that they only tow the ones that are getting repaired. They will send the wrecking truck to pick up the totalled ones to be driven out to their scrap yard that is a distance out of town.

At the hotel I have a kiwi before going to the buffet to try the muesli with raisins and nut shavings, etc. I grab a boiled egg and piece of chicken sausage for the dogs to share. They were getting used to me being gone and depending on whether I get a job or go to school that might not change. Looking into jobs, I can be an office clerk typing in data. I can type 80 words a minute (on a good day). My other two options are helping with MWR or youth programs which requires me to get a flu shot. All these jobs require a résumé, a spouse form, my passport, Caleb’s orders, a form saying I will work for the government, etc.

the way to breakfast at Yamin Jana

the way to breakfast at Yamin Jana

I get to see the houseboy clean my room. He changes the sheets on the bed, exchanges the towels in the bathroom, cleans the toilets, and gives me more mini-soaps when we have our own. I’m starting a collection that I will leave here. The furniture gets sprayed with lemon cleaner and wiped down, the floor swept and mopped, and the dishes washed. Maybe I do want housekeeping when we find a villa. They can come by 2-3 times a week, and they could do laundry too.

I have cereal for lunch and am posting pictures of Earth Day to Facebook when Caleb lets me know that he’s off work at noon. The Prince Khalifah Bin Salman Causeway is lined with the national flag to honour the visit of the Arab League here to discuss humanitarian efforts. Caleb goes by housing to pick up his water bottle that he forgot there yesterday and meets me at the NEX with a form to order dog food. They have a small selection and only one senior brand, so we order that in large bags. Caleb tells me we can pick them all up at once and we can store them in a closet in bulk.

I publish Day One Towards Alaska. Now that I have constant internet and all the writing done, editing words and pictures shouldn’t take long and I will be updated and moving on to more adventures. I get hungry early and we make spinach and cheese tortellini with green chillies, sun-dried tomatoes, and a white Ragu sauce. I notice that we don’t have a can opener and call room service. They tell me there is one beside the fridge – that’s a bottle opener. Caleb stabs open the chillies, I dump them on dinner, and we are eating when the doorbell rings. They are here to tell us that they would have to take it to the kitchen and bring it back.

Tonight will be a double feature. Caleb is feeling sleepy and I give him the options to walk, swim, read, shop, etc. He chooses the TV. We watch War Horse – a story about a boy and his equestrian friend. Laundry is done and we hang our semi-dry clothes among the furniture in the den and second bedroom so they can dry over night. Then we watch Maid in Manhattan – a match between a maid and a guy running for senator. I know there are better ways to spend our time, but we blame our television indiscretions on being in a new country, not having our stuff yet, jet lag, poor lighting in the hotel, and an overall sense to not accomplish too much in this heat.

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Caleb’s First Day Back to Work

Posted on June 22, 2014 by TheJessicaness
2nd floor, rock wall in background

2nd floor, rock wall in background

My alarm goes off at 5:15, I look in the mirror, Caleb is in the other bathroom, and I hop in the shower. He tells me good morning as he shaves. I make sure we both have water, the bags of bottles to recycle, and my book to read while I wait for the housing office to open. I let the dogs downstairs to pee and carry Piggy back. I put on sunscreen, grab my hat, and we are out the door a few minutes past 5:30.

We park in the dirt lot and the buses are already filling with the first group of guys they will take to the other base. We kiss goodbye as I hear the XO telling other officers how she moved into her place but didn’t like the dingy couch and old bed, referencing her grandma’s house. I happen to like all my grandma’s houses and/or apartments. It was easy for her to find a place because she was here for two months during Christmas with her husband and had a two-week start on us. She also gets a government car while she’s here – there are perks to getting a degree and joining the navy.

an interesting read

an interesting read

I go upstairs in the Freedom Souq and find a comfy chair to sit in for the next hour and read Humboldt’s Cosmos. Breakfast is an apple bran bagel with apple cinnamon cream cheese. I decide to eat it under the shade near the housing office and am quickly met with others sitting nearby. I realize I’m first in line. The order won’t stand true once the door opens 45 minutes later, but I’m still the first in the door and to the counter. I’m called back and asked for an address card that I don’t have – some official piece of paper that verifies the address and name of the owner.

I give the lady the address we’re interested in to put in the computer and she can’t find it. That means that no other military person has stayed there yet and the landlord is going to have to jump through hoops so we can. The navy requires a fire extinguisher, gas detector, fire blanket, etc. Some of the things required aren’t even mandatory in the States, but I guess we all shouldn’t model our safety procedures after a country that lets a two-year old bounce around in the front of a car between his mother’s lap and the dash.

my Whataburger shirt, a chain restaurant founded in Texas

my Whataburger shirt, a chain restaurant founded in Texas

She tells me to let the landlord fill out the paper and come back July 2nd when I have another appointment for someone to look over all the required documents I’ll have collected. Then they will have to send someone out to inspect the place and then there will be more paperwork. I don’t mind the delay as it gives us more time in the hotel to save up for our deposit that will be needed when we sign the lease.

From there I go to the NEX to get some more Ramadan appropriate clothing. I find two ankle-long skirts with slips to the knees. I find an elastic-top dress and pick out twenty shirts to try on over the top. I settle on a sheer short sleeve even though I liked a more dressy open one it had a ruffled butt. I don’t think I need to be drawing attention to that, and it looked weird to me. I paid for that and then went back by housing to check on the next housing brief for Caleb so that he can tell the guys at work that are still arriving.

trying to buy this sweet ride I found outside base

someone’s rusty ride outside the base

I get back to the little black car and have trouble opening the door. I put the key in the ignition and stand outside while I wait for the car to cool down below burning. It still hurts to touch the steering wheel when I get in. Luckily Caleb has desert protective gear on order for when our car arrives. I had thought about going by Lulu’s on the way home, but Diana texted me that I could meet with the landlord today. I told her noon.

This is my first time driving alone in Bahrain. I was concerned about construction and traffic coming home from base and Caleb said I could be his chaperone to limit the stress on him. I heard some things aren’t done with quality here, but they sure don’t rebuild roads slowly. There’s an intersection that used to have the left lane closed and now it’s the right. I thought that would leave days or weeks of having to merge with people who don’t care about their cars, but one side is done in two weeks, so it will be a short time before the other side is finished.

pg.1 pre-lease contract

pg.1 pre-lease contract

At home the dogs are sleeping on the couch. No accidents have occurred and they are happy to see me so they can poop and finally get some breakfast. That made me think about the buffet but it’s already past 10am. I will let my clothes air out while I wait on Diana to arrive. I can refill my water and the dogs’ too.

Diana gets here at noon and takes me over to meet Muhammad, the property manager, so that we can finish negotiations while she goes to Carlsbad and La Jolla and Sea World this Friday for a week. She mentions getting the garden done and he says he will have to talk to the landlord. Diana wants to make sure the dogs have a small patch of grass to call their own. They ask what else I need. Water cooler – nope. That’s BD30. Internet – nope, but you can have cable with the TV you don’t have. Oh, we aren’t supplying you with furniture like other semi-furnished places. We’re only giving you a fridge, stove, and some curtains.

topf half of pg.2 pre-lease contract

top half of pg.2 pre-lease contract

I smiled my way through the rest of the conversation. Gave Muhammad the paper for the landlord to fill out and sign and got a ride home. Now I’m debating going to base to get another pre-contract for the other place to ensure we have a place to live. We might’ve gotten more amenities, but he saw that the electric paid by landlord yearly went up. I don’t know the annual rate but I know Caleb and I always use less than our neighbours, but they have to abide by the paperwork. I want this to be a fun process and if it was just Caleb and I it wouldn’t matter so much where we lived, but having the dogs limits the places we’re allowed and that’s convenient to walk them.

I eat some hobnobs and pass out on the couch until housekeeping rings the bell. I tell them no thank you and lay back down until Caleb texts me that he’s getting off work. In the dirt lot an attendant asks if I would like the car washed. When I say no he smears his fingers through the dust to prove that it’s dirty and needs a wash. I notice some guys from Caleb’s crew and wait along the wall in the shade with them talking about finding a place and visiting the Tree of Life. Their bus is going to be another 20 minutes and I’m told Caleb will come from the other side of base so I go through security to wait in the shade under fans.

bottom half of pg.2 pre-lease contract

bottom half of pg.2 pre-lease contract

I talk to another guy that Caleb works with and he’s having just as hard a time getting what he wants. He wants a roommate and the realtor is showing them five-bedroom places – too big for their budget. Caleb finally shows up. I tell him how today went and we walk to the housing office together. We will get the two-bedroom – the first place we saw. It might be small, but it comes with furnishings, amenities, water access, grass, and sidewalks. We will negotiate to get a fence put in so that Piggy doesn’t accidentally go swimming. We will have them empty out one bedroom and put all our stuff there.

We get called back and the lady tells us that we can only have one contract out at a time. Well, looks like I have lots of texting and meetings to do to get things going in the right direction again. We are walking the dogs and I start thinking about the place with the extended living room that would give us more space for all our stuff. Maybe I can set up this contract but look around with another realtor or two and make sure we’ve seen all our options. We’re going to be living in the place for at least a year and a half and I want to make sure it’s comfy for all of us – not having boxes stacked in the bedroom or along the stairs because we couldn’t find a place to unpack them.

a scene from John Carter

a scene from John Carter

Dinner is Ramen with eggs, brie, and tomato. Tonight’s movie is John Carter, a story about a man who gets sent to Mars – not as sci-fi as you would think, but there are aliens in it. I tell housekeeping to come back in the morning, so as to not interrupt our dinner. They might be on a schedule, but I don’t know what it is yet. They’ve come by between us leaving after breakfast and coming back from base, around 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 6:30pm. The lobby is open 24 hours which means constant valet, housekeeping, and room service.

There’s room enough here for us to live, but the weekend raves keep Caleb up. His Senior Chief said we should join the party. Not only is it past curfew, but I’m sure that’s asking for trouble. They do keep someone by the pool at all times – someone to fish out the drunks and squeegee water to help prevent falls. We don’t need to be present when their soccer team loses or maybe even when they win. Or maybe we do. I want to go to a live game to experience the culture and feel the excitement of so many sports fans that follow their teams around the world.

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A Walk Around Arad Fort

Posted on June 21, 2014 by TheJessicaness
Caleb and Piggy

Caleb and Piggy

The alarm goes off, Sparky wants to go out, Caleb and Piggy are still cuddling in bed together. I put his leash on, open the door, and am greeted by a giant roach on his back and a tissue nearby as something to help him on his feet again. I’m so involved in this that when the employee with the mop comes over to knock him into the parking lot I’m surprised. The roach must’ve been too far gone to care, but when I look up I see that I’m being watched by five guys – and they are entertained.

Muharraq across the water

Muharraq across the water

I laugh it off as one of them yells, “NO, NO!” (because of my attack dogs). I point towards the stairs trying to ease his stress and once Sparky is out of view they want to know what he is, they try pronouncing dog, I will have to translate that for later conversations. Then they want to know where I’m from, and the yeller wants me to feel his pounding heart. I was told in indoc that my dogs could be stolen but it won’t be from these guys who make heart shapes with their fingers when I tell them I’m from the States.

Arad Fort

Arad Fort

I say nothing more, walk Sparky, and just smile at the attendants on the way back to my room. Perhaps an abaya is a good idea to get sooner than later, especially for when Caleb has underways, and I will just let the dogs into the backyard at night. I feel bad for Bahrain that gets such a bad reputation on the news, but so do a lot of places in the States. If that’s all any stateside person knew about the States they might not want to visit there either.

reflection of Muharraq

reflection of Muharraq

A lot of locals don’t appreciate the Saudis coming over, getting drunk, and driving like crazy regardless. But MWR has a cultural tour today to see camels of the royal family and drive the Saudi Causeway. Even Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan have their beauty to be seen – if you can look past the violence or be allowed in their country to do so. I look forward to going into the great desert that is Saudi Arabia to see their lifestyle for myself.

Arad

Arad

I play ball with Sparky while waiting for the other two to wake. Then I get to tell Caleb how my morning has gone before he takes Piggy out. Sparky will sit by the door and await their return. Then it’s time for us to go to the forts of Muharraq. We arrive at Arad Fort before 8am and notice another car waiting. We walk down the path between the fort wall and the water and Caleb looks up their hours. They don’t open until 9am. We decide to try the other fort – Abu Mahir – located at the tip of Muharraq. It takes us six minutes to drive there, detour included, to see an active coast guard base with a metal door at the entrance.

boats in the bay

boats in the bay

Maybe we can go back when we have a base pass or maybe we could ask to walk on base. There is a fishing port/city using its beaches next door. We will just drive back and wait in the car or the shade next to the shrimp remains and water bottles, but when we get there the gate is open. I park on the outside of it and we walk in to look at the outside, but it seems they are open early as a man near the information room is waving us towards him.

an egret over the water

an egret over the water

The entry fee is BD1 per person and then he walks over, past the man doing repairs, and unlocks the gate to to the fort to let us in. He will sit outside while we walk around inside. I don’t know how well the fort worked but it looks well built with a moat and nose angled holes for the people inside to shoot out of. There are some rooms and modern stairs. Caleb is cautious to walk along the upper wall and I show him that the rocks are sturdy, it’s the old wooden beams he should be weary of. I’m sure they would snap under a cat’s weight.

mirrored trash art

mirrored trash art

Back at the entrance to the fort I ask about the other buildings inside the walls and the man says yes. We walk over and open random doors to find shelves, beds, and lights inside. One has a car that was cut perfectly in half. I don’t know what these were used for. I had guessed camel stalls at first, but now with the two locked ones that we saw it could be a storage facility. Also in the outer fort walls are a few old boats. Caleb tells me some of what he knows about them – where the captain sleeps and where the crew poops.

entering the fort

entering the fort

We were there for only 25 minutes, but it felt like two hours. I was short of breath going up the stairs and was anxious to get back in the A/C of the car and finish my bottle of water. From here I was ready to go home and rest a while but Caleb reminded me that we needed dog food. We went by Alosra Market but Pet Arabia was closed. We noticed the aviary on the way in – unlike last time when we walked there. It’a a large dome cage full of doves, pigeons, and other gray birds. We went to Lulu’s thinking that a bigger store would have more options. We were wrong. The small store sells five varieties and the multi-storied shopping complex sells Pedigree.

new stairs, old walls

new stairs, old walls

I want to try places out in town. I like the experience but Caleb says we should go to base so we are sure to get dog food and he needs some drops for his contact lens. As we’re walking on base we see a mother holding her son’s hand with her labia hanging out. We are curious if base security will turn her around but they only make faces at each other. Once inside we realize we need more water, some more cooking veggies to go with all the carbs at home, and some eggs.

getting a different view on the 500-year old wall

getting a different view from the 500-year old wall

We are at the register waiting on another guy to finish checking out. The first twenty cases of soda he bought weren’t enough. He has to use all but a dollar of the $150 in 1s and 5s that he was given before going to buy the booze. He says we are healthier than him but I don’t feel that way with all the cans and boxes on the conveyor belt. I will leave Caleb at the roundabout and go to the car with the eggs to come back and pick him up with all the groceries. I trip over a rock in the parking lot and an image of me wearing broken eggs flashes in my mind as I catch my footing, wait at the light to u-turn, then wait for the van to pull past Caleb so I can park beside him.

Caleb's view from the ledge

Caleb’s view from the ledge

Caleb mentions dinner and I think about lunch. I can’t believe it’s only 10:40am in the morning. I feel like it’s 3 o’clock. He tells me the heat will do that, but I am getting better at dealing with the heat as it continually increases as the peak of summer arrives. He will walk the dogs while I put away the food. I feel bad upon his return as Piggy hasn’t quite memorised her walking path yet so she is more than ready to stop while Sparky is more energetic and ready to bounce from shade to shade.

more buildings inside the outer fort walls

more buildings inside the outer fort walls

Both are on the floor tired from the small trip outside. I’m looking through the brochures we got. The MWR one says that the Arad Fort is open on Saturday from 9 to 6 and the fee is 200 fils. The fort’s brochure says it’s closed on Saturday, perhaps that’s why we got charged so much. Oh well, we got to learn a bit about the history of Bahrain. The fort was built by Arabs in the 15th century, captured by the Portuguese, and then seized by the Omanis. Maybe one day we will be able to attend one of the cultural events or shows there.

behind door 2: slumber party setup

behind door 2: slumber party setup

We flip through some channels, mainly 2, 4, and 19 – some are TV shows and others movies. We watch The Chaperone – dad gets out of prison and turns his life around – while I sip on the martini in a 6-inch tall glass Caleb made me. We snack on cheese and crackers. We are waiting for it to cool off so we can take the dogs out and go swimming, but like everyone else that sits in front of a TV long enough their lives will get sucked into it and hours of time will disappear. We take the dogs to the second bridge and back, we don’t eat dinner, and Caleb goes to bed. I prep for his first day tomorrow, he’s already taken a shower, and then I join him.

another row of stables, barracks, storage, and shops

another row of stables, barracks, storage, and shops

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Our Second Weekend Starts

Posted on June 20, 2014 by TheJessicaness
driving the Hyundai i10

Caleb captures me driving the Hyundai i10

Last night we went to bed at 9pm. I got some good sleep before Miley Cyrus came blasting through our window at 3am. Let me clarify – it was her song Wrecking Ball, not her pulling off some Kool-Aid Man stunt. When my alarm went off this morning and I took Sparky out, with Caleb and Piggy still cuddling in bed, there was a car parked on the stairs and three guys dancing and stumbling their way across the parking lot to their car.

ASU - Applied Science University

ASU – Applied Science University – by Caleb

When Sparky and I walked in the other two woke up and we all went outside together. Some of the staff was leaving too. It will be nice to have our own place away from the clubs so that it’s safer to walk to the beach to watch the sunrise and not have to worry about being mistaken for stairs – though here it’s legal to use the sidewalk as a parking space. Last night was the first time we weren’t able to park in the lot up the ramp and our car seems fine this morning after a night in the sand.

gas factory

gas factory, southern Bahrain

Another carb-filled breakfast to energize us for the day. I look at the listings of things to do and a lot is closed on Friday (the local Sunday) so we decide to drive to the Tree of Life. It will take us about an hour to get there. We stop at the BAPCO (Bahrain Petroleum Co.) in Muharraq to get BD1 of gas. Given the option I choose jayyid (91 octane) over the 95 octane mumtaz that’s offered by base next to diesel. Caleb navigates us to King Hamad Highway where I can follow the signs to our destination. We pass the Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) center with pipe lines above ground looking like train tracks with support beams keeping them off the ground.

no camping beyond this sign

no camping beyond this sign on gas company property

I turn right, at 8:30, before Google maps has planned and we go with it. The road starts out paved but curves away from the tree so I take the rocky looking road that is part damaged and dangerous for small cars and part sand dunes that small cars can get stuck in. Caleb suggests that I keep my foot steadily on the gas instead of slamming on it to speed us out of there like I did. We make our way around to the regular road and just park – instead of driving a little further and parking more near the main entrance. At the tree we learn that the ruins at the base used to be houses and a family planted a seed, put some water on it, and then disappeared, but the tree is still here.

a new-to-me sign

a new-to-me sign on the way to the Tree of Life

The security official tells us about the large display around the site with metal plaques on the wall showing other old trees from around the world. He tells us we can come back at night to see the place lit up. It’s a large mesquite tree with pieces of wood holding up some of the branches to keep them from getting buried in sand. My favorite part was watching the tiny birds (size of hummingbirds) fly among the branches. If they were any bigger the amount of water they would require would be too much. There are some guys there posing all over the tree – touching, leaning, standing, sitting. Another family shows up and the heat of the day is arriving. They leave with child in hand and carrying the kid’s shoes.

a branch of the Tree of Life

a branch of the Tree of Life – by Caleb

We head southeast from the tree to get a look at the outside of the Sheik Isa Air Base and catch a glimpse of the water on the other side. It seems longer because the road curves beside it. Next, we go left at a round-about towards Durrat Al-Bahrain – the fancy little shapes in the water that resemble fish and shrimp. There are large houses seen in the distance from the guard shack and this is the furthest south that we can go – unless we make friends with one of the residents and take the smaller road all the way to the tip.

Caleb caught me admiring the tree

Caleb caught me admiring the tree

Leading up to the shack is a winding road surrounding by greenery – palm trees, bushes, and grass, at a level to keep the view of the desert out. We get to see the gardener turn a bush from natural growth into a square of uniform design. From here we can only head north. Our next plan is to go to Um Al Naasan – the large island between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The road to get there must be yellow on the map because there is a lot of graffiti on the walls, but there are also a lot of people selling produce from the back of their truck. I want to stop and get a large watermelon, but there is some pre-sliced offered for breakfast every morning.

the ruins nearby - by Caleb

the ruins nearby – by Caleb

We make it to the last exit and Caleb decides we should turn around. No need to chance getting stuck or in another accident without our passports (while they get our one-year visas) and no CPR card because we need a visa to do that. I’m just happy getting this close to Saudi Arabia. I can wait at least another two weeks for our visas and I still need to go shopping for proper attire over there and let Caleb in the driver’s seat. I’m not concerned with making it to the main land yet, but I was looking forward to seeing the main island, Um Al Naasan, possibly Jiddah, and the Middle Island.

a close-up of the greenery

a close-up of the greenery

We could just turn around and get back on King Fahd Causeway, but I take a left instead towards Flamingo Gardens wondering if the king had some ordered for others to see. Another left turn and it’s either a private residence or an animal resort. We turn right and down the road get to pass the guard sitting on the other side of the large gate – big enough to fit eight of our tiny cars through. We drive a little farther and even though the gate is open (where we could walk in or possibly drive) we turn around to be met with a customs SUV waiting in the road.

looking up

looking up

I pause as I wonder if I’ve gone too far or if they tracked us down from turning around from a security checkpoint earlier. It said there was construction ahead, and possibly not much else, so we turned around instead of bothering with it. Maybe next time. The customs car flashes its lights at me and then waves us around. I almost went too far right but laughed it off as we drove back to the causeway.

gotta keep it together

gotta keep it together

From there we had shopping for swimwear, being touristy at Arad Fort, and going home to walk dogs on the list. Caleb directs us to Seef Mall – a two-story shopping plaza where we arrive at 10:30. The top floor is mostly food – Stickhouse, Spud, and Auntie Anne’s with no jalapeño bagels. We walk into a few clothing stores downstairs and I find my first traditional swimsuit. It has a long top (mid-thigh) with a hood giving you the ability to cover just your head or your face too and long pants to match. I thought about getting one – full purple or orange top with black pants – but I don’t see me wearing the hood.

a tree hat - Caleb's idea

a tree hat – Caleb’s idea

These large shopping centres are all about entertaining kids with a large ball pit, riding large stuffed animals on wheels, and a large bubble to walk around in available at this one. We finish looking around and stop by Stickhouse – gelato on sticks – to get me a mango, kiwi, something stack before we go. The top flavour was like a cherry or other berry with the skin sticking in my teeth. It was delicious. I’m quick to finish it as we get in the car. I’m surprised the heat didn’t have it running down my arm, but it was handed to me with frost on it – colder to last longer. 

the wall of trees

the wall of tree plaques

With no swim trunks luck here we head to base where Caleb has no problem finding two pairs on sale. I tried looking out in town, but the tops are made for smaller women. Then I tried to find bottoms and the sizes are different making it time-consuming in the trial (fitting) room. There are no options on base – maybe some sleepwear or workout gear, until we notice a sales rack in the hall that has two one-pieces. I don’t feel like fighting with the other women to get a look at them. Caleb says I can wear his shorts, but maybe I will brave the booty shorts at the pool – the same pool where women wear tiny bikinis.

the tree

the tree

Now it’s around 1pm and Caleb wants to know if I still want to go to Arad Fort. Not really, I want to go home and cool off. We can go to the fort tomorrow in the cool of the morning – 90 degrees. We will play the take your clothes off and lay on the cold marble floor and make fart noises with your sweaty back game when we are done walking the dogs. Caleb wins of course, but we both had fun cooling off.

north from Darrat Al Bahrain

north from Durrat Al-Bahrain

We have a late lunch of butternut squash raviolis with black truffle oil after I have my dessert from the other day – crème brûlée with lemon grass and a sliced strawberry on top. Definitely better fresh but still good. Caleb makes tea from the four packets of Lipton provided. He fills the water boiler (what I thought was a coffee pot) and has to quickly unplug it before it bubbles over. We throw in the packets and let it cool so that Caleb can reuse one of our tall water bottles and have iced tea later.

somewhere along the route

somewhere along the route to Saudi

Caleb promised the dogs some sausage earlier in the week and we finally remembered this morning. He brought back two pieces and split one before we left and one after they ate lunch. It’s a good way to reward them for not crapping in the hotel – something that’s happened at least three times since we’ve been here – damn jet lag. While we sit here listening to the party outside Caleb shares something he read in the Weekender: Because every week deserves a happy ending. Issue 71. Some guy in the UK has a hot wing challenge: eat ten and win 100 British pounds. Twenty people have tried, some have left in an ambulance, and the maximum number eaten so far is two. Seems dumb to me but it gets Caleb thinking about dinner.

driving through town

driving through town

It doesn’t help that I’m looking through the What’s Up? June edition of MWR Bahrain and the thick booklet they gave us full of restaurant, museum, and shopping ideas. I’m naming random restaurants and Caleb wants pasta, but remembers that I wanted to try the noodle place. We think it would be cool to have it delivered so Caleb calls the Noodle House – a restaurant in the Seef area that tells us The Dragon is too far. Caleb tries to call the correct place – Noodle Factory in the Lagoon, but can’t find a menu.

Flamingo Gardens

Flamingo Gardens

It’s another party night and as we drive over giving up our parking spot I think about how we could’ve walked there and back. We park in front of the parking lot where the road curves in and walk into the plaza. Last time we were there were just employees. Tonight the place is packed with men surrounded by women. Caleb wonders how many are wives, daughters, mothers, and nannies as it seems everyone is out for the holiday.

top half of a burkini

top half of a burkini

We are greeted and seated at the Noodle Factory at 5:45 and choose all but one of their veggie options – the spring rolls with sauce, the Cantonese noodles, and the wok-fried veggies. The other side dish was eggplant. We are also given four dipping sauces – sweet chilli, soy sauce, a chunky orange sauce, and sriracha peppers in oil – our favorite. I’m feeling festive and order a green dragon. It’s a cocktail – just a juice drink with crunchy seeds, a lemon slice, and mint garnish – no alcohol. Caleb checks us in via Foursquare and is rewarded with a buy-one-get-one drink special so I order a jungle nectar too. It’s bright orange and hides the crunchy seeds inside.

cars, trains, and sweets at Seef Mall

a car, train, and sweet stand at Seef Mall

The food was good, nothing fancy. Our waiter is glad to hear it’s our first time and hopes we will be coming back. He hands us a survey of service for a chance to win BD125, and a delivery menu for next time. I enjoy the relaxing walk back to the car. I’m worried about finding parking, but on approach we notice a spot, one that is taken as we turn up the ramp. Just as quickly I reverse to let two cars out giving me a choice of spots though the valet guy was pointing for me to park the Hot Wheels I’m driving under the stairs.

something fishy about this mall

something fishy about this mall

With the car parked, and the leftovers put away, we settle on the couch for another movie night. I look forward to getting household goods so that we have more activities to rely on – like running, reading, and knitting. I will do my blogging during the day while Caleb is at work unless I’m hanging out with other wives. Tonight’s film is Just My Luck with Lindsey Lohan. She’s lucky until she kisses a guy and then the drama ensues.

a green dragon at Noodle Factory

a green dragon at Noodle Factory

When Caleb gave me that look as if to ask ‘are we really watching this?’ I should’ve changed it to a more educational channel like Discovery that plays Inventions that Shook the World or maybe the animal channel, but the movie did its job keeping us up until 9pm. I think the jet lag is over now that we are all sleeping through the night, but we need to get on a more definite schedule of eating and going to sleep. Perhaps tomorrow we can walk the dogs at 7pm, get sweaty without trying, and then go for a swim.

spring roll cigar, anyone?

spring roll cigar, anyone?

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