Indoctrination Day

Posted on June 15, 2014 by TheJessicaness
sunrise through the curtain

sunrise through the curtain

I remember Caleb pouring the Rockstar. I remember taking a sip and trying to turn on the TV. This happened around 7pm and the next thing I vaguely remember was Caleb taking me to bed at 9pm. I slept well until 2:30am. Sparky woke up with me so I took him outside as I wondered about curfew. We’re supposed to be inside by 1am, but what’s the earliest we can come out again – this question will be asked today.

Caleb gets out of bed at three to tell me that he let Sparky out at two. We need to keep him awake during the day with us so that he will sleep at night with us too. We get all our paperwork in order and I start going through photos for the blog, but by five we are getting antsy. I start looking through the pile of magazines available on our coffee table. We put the dogs in the second bedroom so that we can get dishes and cleaning done while we are gone and go to breakfast at 6:58.

Time Out Bahrain magazine

Time Out Bahrain magazine

We are the first ones in there, fill our plates, stuff our faces, and are in the car 15 minutes later. It only takes us 15 minutes to get to the dirt lot in front of base which delivers us to the Freedom Souq 25 minutes early. We walk around a bit and then go inside to a multiple command indoc. I thought this would be another two-hour process, but we are handed a five-day schedule. Luckily two days are not mandatory for us and one day is a voluntary Bahrain culture tour by a local. We hear from the CO and XO and they try to sound professional and prominent, but they just sound pompous to me.

The CMC spoke next and made a nice impression on me. A guy in the back asked a question about something that was already said and got to go to the front and reread the card that they will pass out to the audience. I asked about curfew and was told that I should be inside from 1:00 to 5:00 am – and not to go alone with my dogs as they could be stolen and sold. As many terrorist activities and scary things I’ve heard about this place that was definitely not one of them, but luckily the ropes we are using now can be wrapped around our bodies for extra security.

We hear from the Navy College Office, get fire fighting training from the local department, and hear from four different people about medical and mental health. Guys talk to us about DAPA, NCIS (like the TV show), and a lady from the pet vet’s office about their limited services. The NEX rep talks to us about purchases – outlet transformer, alcohol point system, items offered with price matching and easy ordering of what they don’t have.

another tasty morning at Yamin Jana

another tasty morning at Yamin Jana

Then Mr. Hassan talks to us about what to expect during Ramadan – sadly I can’t go to the procession on the 21st, but I can go into the Grand Mosque and the ceremonial tents. During their holy month they not only abstain from food during the day, but also from drink, sex, smoking, cussing, and bad deeds. He teaches us some greetings – Eid Mubarak (blessed Eid) and assalamu alaikum (peace be with you); and lets us know that restaurants will be closed during the days, bars closed for the month, and other businesses will have shorter hours.

Mr. Hassan tells us when kids will come knocking on our doors – we can either participate by giving them candy and singing along or lock our doors. He finishes with telling us more about the local Bahrain customs and ways we can show respect for their religion and culture – don’t show the bottom of our feet, take our shoes off in their home (so we don’t dirty where they pray), don’t make out in public, dress modestly, and don’t flip off protestors (or a finger is likely to be removed).

sign inside the Freedom Souq on base

sign inside the Freedom Souq on base

And each speaker stresses the importance of safety and security – buy a paper shredder, women can take women driver cabs, this nation is zero tolerance for alcohol in the blood stream while driving, numbers to call if we see something or feel scared, numbers that will text us to avoid riot areas, what the red and yellow zones mean on the map (red not at all and yellow not at night), and don’t participate in human trafficking (prostitutes). You shouldn’t invite locals back to your room and don’t talk to them about politics, religion, pork, alcohol, or sex.

After the brief, we left early because we’d already been to the housing brief, we followed a guy to medical where we were told to go to Bldg. 1 to get the same form we had but with a different name on it. We went by the Inn & Suites to get some copies made and I was enrolled in medical. We decide to take care of dental and visas tomorrow as it’s now 4pm and their offices are probably closed. We were also able to set up a P.O. box during our lunch break. We had some trouble opening the box at first – it has been years since using a spin lock with a three number combo – and then we went to the deli in the NEX for a Texas omelette and veggie omelette on jalapeño cheddar bagels. We went back to the briefing room to eat them.

We went back by the NEX when we were done running errands so I could get some appropriate local attire, but they offer workout gear that’s too tight and ladies blouses that are too big. We can go by the souq tomorrow. We would’ve gone today, but I quickly remembered that the dogs were probably still in the bedroom where they had been for nine hours and they needed out – I was right in my assumption. Amy texts me to let me know that her property manager, Hasan, is available to show us a place and will be at our place to pick us up at six to look at it. I’m so grateful for the helpful people who are making this transition easier.

sunset from The Dragon parking lot

sunset from The Dragon parking lot

Hasan arrives at 6:30 and takes us across the street to view a two-story townhouse with water access from the backyard and a view of the ocean in the front. We loved a lot about it – the water cooler, transformer, washer with separate dryer, large oven, and the living room – but realised we will need a three bedroom place to accommodate four bicycles, a tool box, treadmill, cabinets and bookshelves, and our desks with chairs.

Next door is Jamnis working on his new-to-him jet ski. Caleb worked with him for a while so we walk over to talk and he invites his wife, Reika, out to say hi and we end up talking for at least an hour. She happens to know Amy through her husband’s command. They really want us to be neighbours, but I figure anything within walking, or bike riding, distance will be good too. Before we left there we met Nicole walking her dog with an empty stroller to prepare them both for next month when the baby arrives.

Back home I’m too tired to be motivated and turn on the TV for mindless entertainment to keep me awake. We end up watching the middle of Darjeeling Limited – something about three brothers traveling to see their mother. I decide to walk the dogs when my eyes get heavy. It will be another early night in bed around nine, but I’m setting my alarm for 5:15.

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Trying to Sleep in Twilight

Posted on June 14, 2014 by TheJessicaness
our breakfast at Yamin Jana

our breakfast at Yamin Jana

We waited up until 10pm last night before going to bed. I set the alarm for 7:15 – way more sleep than usually needed but hoping to help recover from jet lag. I got woken up by the club next door and was surprised to hear, “Because all of me loves all of you”. I recalled a dream I had and then went back to sleep. Sparky woke up letting his nails click throughout the place and then coming back to bed to clean the dust off his feet. I knew he had to go outside, but I was tired and didn’t want to get up yet.

houseboys mopping

houseboys mopping

Caleb woke up enough, we got dressed, and carried the dogs across the street at 3:45 am. People around here live like vampires – coming out at night. We are probably being stared at, but we are too blurry eyed to care and most of them are drunk in conversation waiting for their rides. It felt later than it was and I would listen to their music and wait to fall asleep. I woke up at 5am to go to the bathroom and figured I could lay down for two more hours, but when I woke at 6am I got out of bed. We were supposed to get a head start on house hunting, but there is only so far we can go on foot and Master Chief never got in touch with us yesterday like he said he would to show us around and introduce me to his wife and some of her friends – so we wait.

newspaper - pee pads

newspaper – pee pads

Caleb wakes and takes the laundry out of the machine. He put more in there than the dryer could handle so he starts using hangers and drawers and closet space to hang them up. He goes into the den and notices two piles of dried something that we somehow missed the smell of. He picks up the crusted dry poo from the dogs’ makeshift toilet; then remembers that their travel blankets need to be washed and the newspapers that were under them, covered in pee, need to be thrown out.

sign in the wash section of the prayer room

sign in the ablution section of the prayer room

I make a video of Caroline’s visit to the beaches and post it to YouTube and then it’s time for breakfast. We walk over to Yamin Jana and the server asks for our room number – umm, 9 something, 3 something, and a 5. Then we look on the paper by last name and are welcomed into the dining area. The buffet takes up three walls – toast, yogurt, fruit, veggies, cheese, cereal, juice, coffee, beans, mushrooms, boiled eggs… and as we look we are offered a pancake, waffle, or omelette. We choose pancake, load our plates, and take a seat by the window.

one of "The Camels of Unity"

one of “The Camels of Unity”

I got rye toast with orange marmalade, a muffin, triangle of brie, a scoop of labnah (sour cream yogurt), slice of tomato, piece of pineapple and honeydew, pineapple juice, and a pancake that resembled a crêpe. The server sees us watching the cleaning crew mopping and squeegee-ing outside and notes that clean up is very much necessary especially after the weekend parties and says something about the humidity. The sun is hiding behind the clouds for now and it feels nice out. We feel guilty heading back to our room and leaving dirty footprints across their freshly mopped floor.

under construction at The Lagoon

under construction at The Lagoon

I’m not feeling well. I think it’s a mix of sleep deprivation, dehydration, and the labnah – though I didn’t have that much. I haven’t had to taste the same meal twice in a long time but doing so makes me feel better. I lay on the couch for an hour with Piggy while Caleb adds more yarn to his ball. Regurgitation, relaxation, and some fresh air will cure me. We walk the dogs, give them some food, and then head to The Lagoon that is supposed to have a grocery store closer to us. I notice the tiny mop heads in the window of the parking garage and the thin directional arrows in the road.

me in a hanging chair

me in a hanging chair

The mall is three stories – floors G, 1, 2 – with the second floor mostly construction, the first floor mostly restaurants, and the ground floor offering food, furniture, and spa services. There is a building on each side of the water and a round building built over the water, but the janitor can’t tell us what it is, or we don’t know how to ask, but we do point. I find a ladies prayer room and take a peek inside. There is a place for your shoes, a wash area for hands, feet, and face, and then a carpeted room with a bookshelf in the back. We pass a lot of American version restaurants and though I thought I wouldn’t eat there I want to taste the difference. We make our way from one side to the other, find the elevator, and I finish my water. It’s time to find air-conditioning and more water.

restaurant outer decor

restaurant outer decor

Our hands are swollen as we finish our first litre of water at Pizza Express. We order dough balls with three sauces – pesto, garlic butter, and red pesto – as an appetizer. And for lunch we get two pizzas: Giardiniera with red pesto, veggies, and added balsamic; and Melanzane Piccante with aubergine, jalapeños, Mozzarella and Grana Padano cheeses, rocket and added chilli pepper oil. We order another bottle of water and finish half of that at the table and refill my bottle with the rest. As we are leaving a family comes in – father, mother in jeans with an abaya, two kids, and the nanny. Part of me doesn’t see the point in wearing both – it’s meant to cover womanly curves and save you from sand and sun, but wearing it so loosely just looks bad.

the unknown building in the middle of The Lagoon

the unknown building in the middle of The Lagoon

We take our two boxes of pizza and take a short cut home. Caleb thinks about our food allotment money – BD80 a day each – and that even if we go out once a day like we have been we’re only spending BD30 for both of us and will still have enough saved up to pay the large move-in deposit that we will need in 43 days. While we were eating Caleb got a text from Master Chief letting us know that he was going to pick us up in an hour.

hedge sign

hedge sign

When we get to the room I take a shower while Caleb walks the dogs. Master Chief is 30 minutes late and I have no idea where we are going, but I’m sure to bring water, phone, and ID. His name is Francis and we meet his wife, Amy, and their ten-year old son, Nick – a family of talkers. They have a 20-year old son that’s in Japan in the Navy. They take us to a car rental place on American Alley where we can get a good deal – we are to drive the expensive white Nissan tonight and then exchange it tomorrow for the car in our budget.

balls

dough balls at Pizza Express

From there we follow them to base – Caleb’s second time driving in Bahrain. We meet Francis’ XO and they buy things for dinner at their house tonight. Amy is full of recommendations on what brands to buy and where to find the best deals. We stop at Baskin Robbins and I get a Love Potion #31 – ice cream, coffee, and bagels – some of the good treats on base. We go our separate ways at the NEX and buy sunscreen, a red coffee mug for me, a 12-pack of water, Cheerios, and a case of chili Ramen among other items that fit in two bags. On base it’s ok to cart your goods to the gate and then haul them to your car. NEX employees will come by when needed to bring them back to the store.

our rental car from Al Kobaisi

our rental car from Al Kobaisi

We waited to buy more fresh produce on the recommendation of Amy to go to Lulu’s Hypermarket. Caleb seems to drive there with ease only having one car drive in the same lane as us once. We missed a turn, but were quickly able to find our way along narrow streets filled with erratically parked cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and delivery trucks. I think of the restrictions of the U.S. and though they may be for ‘our safety’ here parking is a total freedom unless the lot has attendants and even then people park where space is available.

going up in Lulu's

going up in Lulu’s

We find parking in the garage and make our way inside. My eyes light up at the sight of a human conveyor belt making shopping a three or four-story mall with carts so convenient – and cool with air vents along the belt. I thought we would start at the top and make our way down, but I got caught at the size of the selections of food on the third floor. We grabbed a basket and made our way down every aisle and through the produce section. I look for paneer and settle for the ready-made boxed dinners with it included. To get our cheese fix we buy Mozzarella, Gouda, and Dutch smoked with pepper. We buy some black truffle oil, two flavors of raviolis, milk to go with the cereal, tomatoes, a mango, and some drinks to try.

got rice?

got rice?

On one floor there are kids starting a cake decorating contest. Any place that has air-conditioning is a great place to sell food, have plenty of seating, and events to entertain children while their parents shop. We head back to the car and Caleb hands me the key – so he can navigate. I could get used to this. It’s not so bad when the roads aren’t busy, otherwise it’s like rush hour in Miami. I unpack the groceries and sit down to write. I start to get tired so Caleb pours me a glass of Rockstar.

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What Time Zone Is It?

Posted on June 13, 2014 by TheJessicaness
walking to the store - our hotel behind me

walking to the store – our hotel behind me

We aren’t going to sleep until 3am and I set my alarm for 7am so that I can try to get on a schedule and get over jet lag with shorter naps in the afternoon. I turned the air to 22.5 degrees throughout the rest of the place – the bedrooms have a separate thermometer, and then climbed under the thick and heavy blanket – no sheet – on the bed. I got up again to check on the dogs. Sparky was tucked into a corner of the couch and Piggy was sprawled out on the carpet. I went to bed happy that they were with us and expecting them to join us at some point – and it would happen, but not in a way I had thought of.

The bars don’t close until 4 and it somehow took the drunk people another hour to reach our door. I didn’t know that our room came with a doorbell until I was woken up to the sound of it. I peeked through the peephole to find a couple standing closely to it telling their friends that they will get in. By the time I could call the front desk – only two doors away – it was already being taken care of. Now with the dogs in bed with me I can go back to sleep for two hours and then go to the guest complimentary breakfast, served from 7 to 10, that others have bragged about.

Or I can stay in bed until 10am when the doorbell goes off again, but instead of ring, ding, ding, etc. it’s the houseboys with just one ring to let me know they are here to service my room. As I hold Sparky to keep him quiet I kindly decline this morning. We still have plenty of clean towels, extra soap, another bed to dirty the sheets, and though the floor may be dusty it’s something that I will need to get used to.

Outside the pool is full of boys with their fathers and uncles – some in the pool and others sunbathing. Caleb makes a to-do list while I check my email and then we make a shopping list. I fed the dogs and we’re getting ready to go. Caleb helps Piggy sit on the carpet so that she can barf on the tile. I didn’t measure out their food and she didn’t finish her bowl but she also didn’t chew half her meal so it found its way back up. I feel bad that they spent five days in a crate not eating or sleeping. They are happy for the endless food and air-conditioned sleep.

STOP at Amwaj Avenue

STOP at Amwaj Avenue

Caleb finds a grocery store nearby called Alosra, but his 1km turns into a 1.5 mile one-way trip. It’s ok though; as long as we are in the shade with the wind blowing it feels like a tropical paradise, but there is that reminder when we walk into the sun again that we are at the sun’s vacation resort where it’s only 95 degrees today. As we make our way there I can’t determine if I’m surprised by the lack of trash or that there are so many used water bottles along the route – didn’t know what to expect.

We should travel with water at all times as the instantaneous sweat will leave you swollen, red, and sick, and possibly delusional if you’re lucky, but sooner than you realize. All the signs are bilingual, the license plates too. There are lots of people on bikes carrying rakes, lawnmowers, and groceries. There are crosswalks in the most ‘visible’ areas between turns where sometimes you can stroll across and other times need to run between cars and still get honked at even though you’re now out of the street.

At the roundabout is a construction crew and part of the crosswalk is covered in their equipment. We walk closely to it until we can get back on the sidewalk. The workers are under the shade of the tree enjoying their long lunch break. I don’t blame them as I wouldn’t want to be playing in a hot sand pit under the desert sun in mid-day either. We walk by giant orange pots that are growing trees and then a sidewalk that goes between the water and the road (and more water on the other side) that is surrounded by trees.

We pass a couple other people making use of the shade too, then pass the new security gate in progress to enter Amwaj Islands, and the store comes into view – an air conditioned paradise. We buy me a bottle of Voss water from the deli, and though we’re not into buying artisan water I like the glass. I should buy one with a larger opening. Then we walk around the pet store where they sell rabbits and dog food – possibly the same thing in my dogs’ eyes. Back in the grocery store I get a sample of taro frozen yogurt, a beet hummus sandwich square, and strawberry yogurt.

largest terracotta pot I've seen

largest terracotta pot I’ve seen

Caleb likes the spicy hummus and we get a dish of that. We walk up and down each aisle. The fruits and vegetables department has a man with a scale that weighs and prices your food – that we forget to use for our bananas – that saves time at the register. There are meat, cheese, and bread counters. The food varies from American, to British, to Middle East, to Asian giving us plenty of comfort options to choose from, but also a plethora of new items to tempt our tastebuds. There is also a pork section hidden in the back of the store near the random assortment section.

We buy ass soap, dish soap, laundry soap, and hair soap; Hobnobs and Ribena that remind me of Indo-Euro in Phoenix; bottled water until we can get a water cooler; cheap crunchy peanut butter with rhubarb and ginger jelly on korn bread; Lindt chocolate and a Kinder Joy; some leek-potato soup, Brie cheese, and kiwis with a scoop/peeler included. I help bag our groceries so that I have a bag for each hand and Caleb gets a bag and the water. The sales clerk gets to sit in a chair all day and somehow seem to maintain a figure under their abaya.

The walk back to the room is just as much fun. Caleb is juggling the water as he tried to carry it by the plastic and it broke, but luckily stayed together to hold all the bottles in there – nothing a bag or two wouldn’t fix if we walked back to the store as long as the caps didn’t break on impact. Back at the hotel and our houseboy is at the neighbor’s. He comes over and whistles for the dogs that come to the kitchen to greet us. He wants to gauge their friendliness for when he cleans our room. Piggy says hello and he notices she’s blind. Sparky is either hoping for treats or wishing that he won’t be put in another crate for at least two years.

I write while Caleb reads. We start to feel sleepy so I suggest we turn on the TV. We watch the rest of Love and Other Drugs and get familiar with the popular commercials: one for Sedar Somfy – a curtain remote, one I want to record about the Freez drink, and one about a phone app – a man playing soccer with boys and realizes the ball is being controlled by a boy in the stands. We are watching Fox Movies – spoken in English with Arabic subtitles and when the station goes back to the film it sounds like A’hala Fucks Movies.

second roundabout en route

second roundabout en route

My pants were smelly and Caleb had started a load of laundry. We were waiting for them to finish when an alarm (like on a microwave) went off. Piggy decides to throw up again. I feel bad for them having to put up with jet lag and travel sickness and still need to look up what their plane and room in Amsterdam looked like – not that that will help with their condition. Caleb learned that you have to set the dryer at the same time as the wash – otherwise you have to rewash and ask your wife to wear something else. She puts on her pink, knee-length, dress and slips on her overly used Adidas to go for a walk now that the sun is down.

We walk the dogs first across the parking lot, down the stairs, and to the right behind the apartments in front of our hotel where there are twenty palm trees and a blanket of grass. At the end of the building, from an alley and behind a tree comes this fluffy white dog. Sparky was stealthy about it and there was no blood, but we had to wait for the family to catch up so that we could pass their pet that tried to follow us. The wife told me, “He don’t like that” as she pointed to Piggy’s leash. All other dogs have been on a leash and I don’t know the laws – not that it would matter if I did.

We take them back to the room, then head left from our door through the parking lot to the sidewalk that goes over a bridge. The night is cool at 97 degrees with a slight breeze. One of the floating tables from Yamin Jana are being used and I look forward to us trying it soon. The bridge is just as exciting as I thought it would be. There are lights, and buildings, and people running and walking their dogs… and then we notice the couple in a hot tub that looks like a washing machine exploded with bubbles and a sexual rhythm between them. I can hear the gears in Caleb’s head turning. You’ll know if we get a hot tub if I send out a request for Mr. Bubbles.

We continue our walk past nice compounds and construction sites. Some guys holler, others honk, and one sits in a roundabout to stare. I wonder if the lady that passed us took some video. We walk across another bridge and onto the beach on our return – where there is no fishing or swimming allowed, but on this side of the bridge we notice a float to keep the ocean and bay separate. I think about walking on it some time and we notice two guys using it to get back into their canoe. Then I remember that we haven’t eaten dinner yet and it’s after 7pm.

Caleb on the loveseat

Caleb on the loveseat

We thought we decided on Muju for dinner but when we walked into the sports bar and asked about outdoor seating we were told it was for VIP (referring to the covered area with a personal TV and seating for five), so we sat at the nearest table and were brought menus for Corners. The place is covered in soccer photos, country flags and big screens. The wait staff all have soccer related shirts on. The table next to us is full of women covered in make-up and wearing just enough dressy attire to cover their tits and ass. Usually as an American I would consider this normal, but sitting here I feel like I’m at the Bunny Ranch on lunch break. It makes me wonder how much skin I should be showing.

The first thing I see on the menu is the bar’s ten commandments – one being: Thou shalt not look for eye contact, especially at the opposite sex as they will most likely ignore you. I tell Caleb it’s getting easier to avoid looking at men and not responding to their Good Mornings and How Are You’s. It feels awkward, but they do seem to be directed towards Caleb and I don’t want to make them uncomfortable since I’m a guest in their country.

My advice though – ask someone that’s lived where you’re going what it’s like and what not to do. Don’t listen to the scare tactics that the media or military use, as most people ignore them here anyways – dressing inappropriately and going to the off-limits areas. It’s smart to take it into consideration when not sure or doing research – better safe than sorry.

We order tea that’s sweet, a Greek salad with bread slices, and a grilled veggie sandwich – eggplant, bell pepper, cheese, etc. – with fries and romaine on the side. We dip the fries in Heinz 57 and take half the salad to go. We add that to-go bag to our growing collection under the sink, put the leftovers in the fridge, and it’s off to wink town for us.

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Entering the Desert Where I Shall Dwell: Part Two

Posted on June 12, 2014 by TheJessicaness
3rd bath, in den

third bath, in den

…the first half

We carry our bags into the front office around noon and when our reservation is confirmed we thank the van for waiting before they leave. Our paperwork from base said our room price average was $153 per night. We are getting the military rate at BD56, instead of the regular rate of BD92 for a two bedroom – not just a two bed. Two guys help Caleb with his canvas duffel bag to the second door to the left of the main entrance – room 9803, with a 5 above the door. One guy gives Caleb a tour of the place while I stand in the hallway in pure awe. I’m not looking at a hotel that I’m used to, not even a four-star one that my mother has described. What I see is a fancy apartment.

fridge and bottle opener

fridge and bottle opener

In the living room is a couch, loveseat, and chair with a flat screen on the opposing wall. There is a large window overlooking the pool and ocean that takes up another wall. There is an artsy dining table with four chairs across from a closet. I walk into the first bedroom and the houseboy is showing Caleb things outside another large window – all covered with thick blinds to keep the heat out. The houseboy leaves and I begin to explore.

The master bedroom comes with a large, stiff but comfy, bed and tall closets. The bathroom has standing shower with rain shower-head and a bathtub. The other room has another full bathroom minus tub. In the hallway is a half-bath. To the left of the entrance door is a lounge with a couch and a glass desk with similar looking plastic chair that also has a full bathroom. Across the hall is the kitchen – complete with fridge, washer/dryer machine, and stove.

the rest of the kitchen

the rest of the kitchen

There are mirrors with fancy frames, abstract paintings and macro photos enlarged on the walls, and artistic main ceiling lights with plenty of other bulbs installed to get the amount of mood lighting that you want – each room coming with a set of three light switches or for the bathrooms – two lights and a vent. The walls are white and tan and the floor marbled tile or hardwood except for the closet that comes with a rough tile floor. After the initial excitement wears off – it’s time to take a shower.

coffee table

coffee table

Caleb starts to unpack his bag in the main closet. I can sit by the tub and shave and then use the stand-up shower. I turn the water on – perhaps not to warm it up but to cool it off – and then turn the switch for the rain shower head as there are two in the stand-up. I take one of the glass doors off its track trying to close it to keep the water in. I open it again slightly to reach my hand in. When I step in I realize it was pointed outward, not down.

The shampoo and lotion supplied by the hotel are scented for men – oops. The closets are stocked with cotton slippers and I put a pair on. They can keep our feet warm and free of the dust that is sure to accumulate. Caleb checks the visibility of our sheer living room curtain and all is private in our room. Once we don’t look like we’ve been on a plane for three days it’s time to explore. It’s not yet Ramadan but the three nearby restaurants are closed. There is a woman in a bikini near the pool with her three sons. I walk down to the beach at 1:30 and the water is nice, but I feel too tired to do anything else but go back to the room.

view from the living room

view from the living room

Caleb laid down on the bed – perhaps to text someone or look at the delivery menu. Earlier I had turned the thermostat from 19 to 22 (66 to 72) degrees because I was cold getting out of the shower. I lay down beside Caleb and then wake up three or four hours later, maybe more, and he has turned it up to 23 because he says I was shivering. Now it’s time to eat, so we head to the Lebanon/Afghanistan restaurant – Yamin Jana. Most of the outside tables are reserved, but we find a cozy spot along the wall on a bench and then Caleb notices the women in the back smoking the sheesha.

dining table

dining table

We are offered some, but Caleb declines and orders the bread antake with oven vegetables, fattoosh, and makdus with two teas. Our drinks arrive first in fancy hurricane-style glasses with mint and lemon and the taste is something special. We sip on them for a while and I’m trying to take in everything – the lighting, all the portable air conditioners, and the weaved pattern decorating a support beam. A large table near us is soon filled with men from Saudi Arabia and the U.K. They discuss what different words mean in their languages, talk about Robby Williams – a famous pop-star, and about working less during Ramadan while fasting.

We try the makdus first. The menu said it was stuffed mini-eggplant with walnuts, etc. and the waiter had discouraged Caleb from ordering it at first. I wondered if it was because it was too spicy or to plain, but it turns out it was more pickled than we expected. This didn’t stop us from enjoying it. Next was the fattoosh – veggies with fried chips and Afghan-style naan bread. It was light, refreshing, and flavorful. The fun came when our main dish appeared and I saw the chicken on it staring me in the face. Caleb tried a piece to make sure and verified that it was.

master bath

master bath

I laughed on the inside at this awkward moment as Caleb tried to take care of the ordeal, both of us not wanting to shout out, but not sure if we should approach them, wave our hand, or whistle. I finally got eye contact with one of the employees and motioned him over. Our waiter came and Caleb explained that the menu clearly states antake with EITHER veggie OR chicken – not both. The waiter returned with the menu for clarification and agreed to fix the issue.

master bedroom

master bedroom

I ate with my right hand and put my fork in my left, but noticed that the guys were using both of their hands to tear the bread so there would be less social awkwardness with me doing it too. I think they brought a guy our order and he sent it back too. We ate as much as we could with what was left on the table and then Caleb was ready to go. I heard one of the ladies in the back say loudly, “Excuse Me” and a waiter was quickly at the table. Caleb tried this and then had to slightly raise his hand to separate his voice from all the other men on the patio. He made the sign for box with his hands but asked for the check.

We got the bill while waiting on our corrected order to come out. Bahrain, like Canada, has the portable credit card machine – it makes the States seem so old-fashioned. Had we waited to get ours delivered to the table we would’ve gotten it sooner, but I was ok with the man dining with friends to get his corrected first. I’m hoping that with two mistakes in one night the restaurant may consider amending the menu.

second bedroom

second bedroom

Checks may include a 15% fee and a 5% government levy, but I didn’t see a spot for a tip and we didn’t leave anything on the table. We were given the option to pay in dollar or dinar and Caleb let the waiter choose local currency. I will find out if the exchange rate fee will be the same for paying with credit as getting money from the ATM. A man was seated at the table next to us and Caleb pointed out the bottom of his foot. I wonder if it makes a difference being under the table. We could smell his hookah and then our bag arrived.

second bath, in second bedroom

second bath, in second bedroom

Caleb found the music channel. Some videos have women beautifully dressed playing the piano, others with their butts hanging out playing the harp, and others dancing in tank tops and short dresses behind the man singing. I look forward to finding some new long dresses to wear. The dogs were due to arrive at 9:45 and at 10:22 I’m becoming panicky. It’s the weekend and I’ve been warned about drunk Saudis crashing their expensive cars in intersections. That’s easy to avoid if you stay off the road at night, but if our dogs don’t get to the airport until midnight… We might get lucky in that a lot of the clubs and bars stay open until 4am. In a country with extreme heat they are smart to make the most of the night-time, but we also have a curfew to think about that expires at 1am.

Master Chief texts Caleb at 11pm and says he will meet us outside in 15 minutes. Twice that amount of time goes by – and while we wait we see cars speeding through the one-way parking lot and hear the guys getting rowdy and starting to dance as they celebrate their soccer team on TV. I begin to notice all the different license plates, the employees ask if we want shuttle or taxi and offer for us to sit inside while we wait, and then Master Chief pulls up in a Mercedes-Benz that has a netting over the sunroof opening.

the pool after dinner

the pool after dinner

He’s super friendly and keeps us in conversation during the ride. He gets us close to the airport and then gets directions via phone on how to get to the open side of the DHL building where the dogs are. We give the gate guard our IDs at midnight in exchange for visitor badges and wait inside for ten minutes. The guy handling our paperwork comes back asking for doggy passports and then lets me go outside to see them locked in their crates with zip-ties.

the logo, waiting on Master Chief

the logo, waiting on Master Chief

Caleb and Chief go to the ATM to get cash to finish paying all the import fees while I sit and wait – and realize it’s 1am when my curfew is supposed to expire. The guys are interested in what country I am from and whether those are dogs or cats in the containers. I watch a man with Brazil either shaved or sharpied on the side of his head navigate a fork lift like I have never seen when he drops a box weighing 3,500 pounds. Another man offers me a seat and yet another an industrial fan that I point at the dogs.

They appear in one piece and a bit upset, but Piggy recognizes my voice. The last time they were offered water was at 9:40 and I don’t know if that was morning or night. I get another guy (there are lots that work here) to cut the zip-ties on the cage doors so we have one less thing to worry about. He lets me open the door but reminds me not to let them out. We have to drive the car around to the inside of another gate to pick them up and the man who handled our paperwork hands me a bottle of water for the dogs which Piggy begins to drink immediately.

security badge

security badge

Caleb loads the crates into the car with Piggy beside me in the back seat and Sparky behind her with the seat folded down. I’m glad to have them in the air cooling down and it encourages Sparky to drink. We get dropped off in front, Caleb delivers the dogs to the front door, and I drag Sparky in as he’s releasing Piggy. We put their leashes on, take them outside and down the stairs. We walk past the apartments on the sidewalk, where Caleb gets hit in the face with a piece of paper blowing in the wind and laughed at by the four passing girls, and around the corner to the grass. As we are walking back a guy slowly approaches and I wonder if it’s because Caleb and I are holding hands. He says hi as he rolls away and I realize he either took a picture or a video.

getting a look at the dogs

getting a look at the dogs

Chief was telling us about the exotic feature of dogs in the area and I begin to wonder if it could be what the guy in the car was fascinated with. Back in the room the dogs will drink another few ounces and eat a bowl and a half of food each. Sparky is enjoying rubbing in the carpet and Piggy is cuddled behind Caleb’s legs on the couch – a good spot to type this using the wide arm. Time to let them pee again and then go to sleep ignoring the loud guys at the poolside lounge.

Posted in Animals, Food, People, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Entering the Desert Where I Shall Dwell: Part One

Posted on June 12, 2014 by TheJessicaness
first view of Bahrain

first view of Bahrain

Up in the air at 1am and breakfast is served 45 minutes later. We are given the option of a crêpe or omelette. We decide to get one each and share. I put some cherry jelly on my stuffed crêpe and go to take a bite of the apple that comes with it. I’m disappointed for a moment thinking I got dry apple slices before I realize they are warm potatoes, different but delicious. I also got a Valdiporro plum-cake, a Sterling Vipiteno strawberry yogurt, and a fruit cup with a ginger ale. Caleb’s omelet comes with sausage and mushrooms. I find the eggs off-putting and am satisfied with my first decision of the day.

second view of Bahrain

second view of Bahrain

I read to Caleb for a bit before we decide to watch The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Our screen seems to be the best quality – not losing signal and not too much of one color, though it’s not the biggest either. Those are reserved for the walls, but the picture is fuzzy. It’s such a neat feeling sitting on a plane at 4 in the morning watching the sunrise with people sleeping around you and a space show on TV called Gravity. The guy in front of us is passed out but has his headphones up loud enough that we can hear them. The guy across the aisle has taken advantage of his e-cigarette on this flight and is puffing away.

I put my sweater on to keep me warm but am keeping my shoes off and enjoying the cool air that circulates the smells of the plane. In a couple of hours I will be in the middle of Bahrain heat with no escape plan scheduled. Looking down at the lights in the water it could be Water World down there or tiny islands or floating houses. Some patches are packed brightly and others just little yellow and white lights that could be fishing boats.

a sign under the tent

a sign under the tent

My anticipation builds – as does the possible jet lag. We slept for most of a day, but traveling through time – six hours ahead in a day – makes me part sleepy with all the excitement that is coursing through my body. The sky is starting to light up like a flame on the horizon – from dark red to deep orange to a dandelion yellow to baby blue and finally melting into the royal blue sky. The sun will illuminate Bahrain upon our arrival.

our bags made it!

our bags made it!

What I thought was ocean was the vast sand desert of Saudi Arabia. It does help explain the erratic layout of roads and lights. I get to see a lot of the northern part of the island on our descent – a few buildings (enough to count on my hands), one visible road, and more tan than I’ve ever seen in my life. Then come the shades of tan houses, the fishing boats on the beach, and the few cars on the road at 5:40am. Then I see a patch of grass before we land and know that not all hope is lost.

I think it looks beautiful and has plenty of potential for snorkelling based on the changing colors in the water. We land and roll past the commercial airport and past the cargo terminal to a large hangar. From there we are escorted under a tent while the crew unloads our bags. It’s here that we find Senior Chief Madison who is here to see to his guys and YN1 that hands us invalid hotel reservations to the Golden Pearl – a hotel that doesn’t allow pets, just like all the other hotels that everyone else at the command is staying at.

we made it!

we made it!

A couple receives their dog from the bottom of the plane and he easily goes through a bottle of water and is tired and hot. I’m probably still warming up from being on the plane. Our bags are laid out on the ground and then we are told to clear them out of the road. All the guys are smoking and gossiping. I’m smiling at the local accent from the crew, thinking about today’s plans – getting a place to sleep and getting dogs, and wondering how long the housing brief is that we’ve been volunteered for at 8am – because we need more time to look for pet friendly places.

after customs, but before the parking lot, past the building full of guys with guns

after customs, but before the parking lot, past the building full of guys with guns

We grab our bags and get in line to go through customs – something the people who are going to live on a ship don’t need to do. The guys joke about missing the sand in their eyes and talk about how it’s not even that hot yet. My main concern is not getting a sunburn on my first day here. Inside, I show my passport and, ask and thy shall receive, the official stamps it. I’m excited and others decide to ask for it too. I put my bags on the scanner and then wait for Caleb while noticing they don’t care what’s in my bags and that my visa is only good for two weeks.

As we continue outside, Caleb tells me not to worry about it. That will be another fun process we get to worry about later. We go through a fence, by an office filled with guys carrying guns, to a parking lot with multiple buses and vans – all white – waiting to take all of us, about forty, and our bags to our destination – which will be nearby hotels for everyone but us. We will be going to The Dragon – the only pet-friendly hotel on the island that is still on the authorised list.

sample TLA form at Housing

sample TLA form at Housing

Senior gives Caleb the keys to a van, so we can sit and wait while he gets everyone else through customs and settled on a bus. I didn’t think it was hot outside until I sat under a vent in the backseat and felt something like brain freeze. Then I could start to look around at the dry cleaning on the balcony across the street and count the women that were wearing full dress – abaya (the robe), hijab (covers the hair and neck), and the niqab (covers the face) as they drove by on the dusty road.

a mural on a compound wall

a mural on a compound wall

Senior Chief drops off the navigation officer at his hotel in Juffair and then we head to base. In traffic a lot of the women are fully covered and the vans surrounding us are packed with people sitting three or four men across – carpooling to the max. I try to get some video, but all the buildings are surrounded by tall walls or are not allowed to be photographed – military, police, government, religious. I’m impressed with the sparkling of the water with minimal trash floating at the surf and the tall and shiny buildings in the distance – all the places Caleb never had the time or people to go with and see.

The street lights are arrows and when going from red to green has a flash of yellow in-between. I was already known for being the photographer on the flight and my reputation will follow me here. We park in a rocky dirt lot – really close to other cars ensuring you can practice your turning and reversing skills and learn the size of your vehicle. It makes me nervous. I grab my purse out of the van and join the other van of guys walking towards base. There are parking lot attendants that helped us find a parking spot and then offered to wash the van while we are gone. We decline.

located in the Diplomatic Area of Manama

located in the Diplomatic Area of Manama

Caleb points to a To Let sign on a nearby wall and announces that it’s missing the I. Later at the brief the petty officer giving the presentation will let the noobs know that this means To Rent, not toilet. Approaching the gate is a sentry that checks your ID and makes sure you’re on the military or contractor side of the wall or even allowed on base at all. Then there is a stop sign and you must wait to be called by one of the two sentries that will scan your ID. Behind them is a desk with another guard and to the right is a table where they conduct random bag checks – which I didn’t know at first when I walked over to the table and volunteered my bag only to be turned away.

hotels in Juffair

apartments in Juffair

On the left is a room for contractors and people being escorted on base to give up their ID for a visitor badge and then go through a metal detector. I go through a turnstile and wait for Caleb. We might joke about security in the States, but it seems to be efficient here. We go by the housing office, but it’s not time for the brief yet, so Caleb and I go to the Inn and Suites to make sure our hotel reservations have been updated to accommodate our dogs. While Caleb is doing that I go to the mini-NEX for water, peach tea, and a Rockstar.

With that taken care of, we have time to go to the big NEX with two floors so Caleb can show me around. There are fresh vegetables, a beer cooler, three brands of dog food, aisles of body and house cleaning supplies, a Walgreens-sized greeting cards section, along with sports equipment, camping gear, and car service supplies on the bottom floor. Upstairs is clothing, shoes, and purses on one side and all electronics on the other. There is also a food court, post office, liquor store, movie theatre, two-story gym, a barber shop, etc. in the same building.

living room as seen from hallway

living room as seen from hallway

We walk to the brief and get seated next to the fan on the right side at the end of the table at 8am. The brief was for E-7 and above so they could share the news with the rest of their command, but we were offered a spot so we could get a head start on finding a place that allows pets. The weekends here are Friday and Saturday, so we have the next two days off. It was relaxing to sit in a room of officers and joke with them about neighbors owning lions, not negotiating for a car with the rental lease, and listening to stories from CS1 about what others have done wrong – get everything in writing!

half bath in hallway

half bath in hallway

Two and a half hours later and we have to wait in line to sign-in to be seen by a counsellor who can enter our information into the computer and get our house searching process going. We are given a booklet explaining everything about renting in Bahrain – how much we can afford a month – BD1041 which equals $2,841.93 with internet and electric included. We’re also given two pages of real estate agents to contact during the five days we wait for housing to get back to us, so they can give us a tour of available places.

We will start by looking for villas in Amwaj Islands (where our hotel is), Juffair (near the base), and Busaiteen (recommended by one of the guys that does the security inspection). We go back to the NEX to buy a bag of dog food for the two dogs that should be arriving tonight – good thing their first impression of their new home won’t be in the middle of the day. Back to the dirt lot to get a ride to our temporary home and some of the cars have their windshield wipers up. The guys can’t seem to agree if that’s to show that they were washed and/or to keep them from melting to the windshield.

desk in the den

desk in the den

On return to the van, the attendant asked if we wanted movies. They are pirated, so quality can be questionable. We decline again. Driving through parking lots might be scary, but the roads seem easy enough during the day. There are plenty of arrows on the road and signs letting you know which way (or lane) to drive in. The signs are in Arabic and English, but you need to know which neighborhoods to go through to get to the one you need. We are told to be at the indoc brief on Sunday at 8am when the work week starts.

couch in the den

couch in the den

the second half…

Posted in Art, Education, Food, Media, Military, People, Photography, Places, Travel, Water | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment