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Published: September 17th 2009
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Greetings Folks,
- from Manama, Bahrain - and thanks for all the e-mails and messages received.
Things are going well on our ‘working holiday ( Jude’s working - I’m on holiday ) - we are getting used to the way things work over here and settling in well.
We and all the fellow expats are looking forward to the Eid Ul Fitr (Eid al fitter) which is a celebration marking the end of the month of daytime fasting (Ramadan). This will mean that cafes, restaurants and the like will be open during the day - a chance to go out for lunch or a coffee to escape the hotel room will be welcome.
AND of course the pubs and bars and liquor stores will re open having been closed for a month, which will be cause for much celebration amongst the Crew - especially with about 60 house warmings lined up!! Eid Ul Fitr will take place this weekend - phew!
The Polytech is putting on a special Iftar (breaking of the fast) meal for all the ‘newbies’ - so that should be cool. Then we are off to Dubai for a few days to have an explore
- as we get 3 public holidays as part of the celebrations! Dubai is only a one hour flight away, but cos it’s an International flight, check-in is 2 hours prior - go figure! If anyone reading this has any suggestions as a “must do” in Dubai - please holler!
Success: We opened a bank account with HSBC - it was easy as! You’ve got to celebrate these little successes - in fact, with a letter from Jude employer, we get the red carpet treatment, based on her income versus 97% of the locals, so we can bowl in to the bank with 40 people waiting (I counted them) and cruise up to the “Status Teller” and Ranchod’s your Uncle.
Fail: Meanwhile, I managed to open a PO Box for our mail, answered all their questions, showed my passport, filled out the form, paid up for a year and was then told to come back in a week for the keys! - that’s the short version, but as I say, we’ve been quick to have a laugh about it - there’s no use getting in a stew with some of the local ways.
Some of the driving
is pretty crazy over here - mainly the Saudi’s who drive in over the causeway - easily recognised by their number plates - they drive like crazy race car drivers, carving up the freeway traffic at speeds which must be 30 or 50 km/hr faster than everyone else! I read that there have been an average of 1500 accidents, including minor ones, a week during Ramadan - which is making me think that when we DO buy a car (when the ID cards come thru) maybe we'll buy a solid and not-so-flash!
That’s what not drinking does to you people - be warned. Pretty much every-day I see at least one prang - normally minor, though I did see the nasty aftermath of a Landcruiser versus car this week, both were going in the same direction on the freeway - funny that, - with a group of Burka clad women waiting on the side of the motorway. Their driving is diabolical - more about this later.
You must leave your cars where they stop if you crash, however minor, and the Police come and issue both parties tickets - like a report fee - something like $NZ30 -
though more charges may follow! Insurance companies will not talk to you without the resulting Police report, so there are traffic hold ups all the time, as people try to navigate around crash scenes, tooting impatiently of course the whole way.
I had the pleasure of meeting a Lady who rear ended me in the rental car last week, thankfully our car was unmarked, and any damage hers had couldn’t be recognised amongst all the other scrapes and scratches, so we exchanged pleasantries, - then she invited me home for coffee, - maybe that’s her way of meeting good looking Guys one must ask oneself? (Yeah right lol)
I had cause to pop in to the Souq (traditional market) recently, - without my usual expat Guide - so I got lost didn’t I - as ya do! Actually I ran out of breadcrumbs with which to retrace my steps, - it was a real stinking hot and humid day and I was looking like a finalist in the wet T shirt contest by the time I rescued myself by phoning the shop I was heading to and being collected by their Shop Junior who was sent in search! I
was only 20 or 30 metres away from my destination - but that was irrelevant in such crowded chaos! During my wanderings in here, I witnessed more than one Burka clad driver simply stop their car in the busy single file roadway til a male came along and parked it for them.
On another occasion I turned to see what all the tooting was about -and there was a women with 6 cars behind her, reaching out the driver’s window, inspecting fabric she could reach from a stall she was passing, comparing prices and haggling - all while in the car!
There has been great excitement over here with Bahrain beating Saudi in soccer.
This means they face New Zealand for 2 games, the first of which is in October here in Bahrain - it looks like we are making up a large group from Judes work to go along and support the Kiwi’s. Watch out for us in the crowd - we'll be sure to have a banner - and discussions are underway on who is to streak!
Soccer and cricket is constantly on the TV - and I’ve been stunned to see some local NZ
games on as well - Hawkes Bay playing Canterbury, and then a BOP game yesterday - delayed coverage, but great to see.
Jude and I took a short drive last week, out near the airport to the Arad Fort. Each night during Ramadan, a canon is fired to signal the end of fasting for the day. They use blanks ( it IS near the airport fellas....) but Jude and just about crapped ourselves when it went off a few metres from where we were watching! It was quite a festive gathering of families all there to watch the ceremony.
Last night we joined a Polytech group tour of the Grand Mosque, which is situated diagonally across from the hotel. It is truly a magnificent building, built 21 years ago, taking 4 years to build. The women had to adorn themselves in Abaya's - traditional dress, and shoes off for all. The Mosque is THE Grand Mosque for Bahrain, though there are many many mosques across the city. It can accomodate 7000 worshippers, with women using the mezzanine area only, incase the men are distracted by their presence! The building uses materials from around the world with the
Dusty Cars 017
A view from the top floor of our Hotel 6 metre high doors from India, nearly a thousand hand blown glass lights from France and an incredible chandilier from Austria hanging from the mosque's dome. The dome itself is made of fibreglass as opposed to concrete, but still weighs 48 ton!
Sorry to sound like a tour Guide, but I did leave out the 45 minute talk about Islam!
When it is time to pray, you can hear the 'call' from mosques nearby to where you are - and on the PA system in Shopping Malls. Cars congregate around the various mosques as Muslims gather to pray, sometimes they even park on the motorway and jump over the side barrier to the nearest mosque!
Planning our Christmas hols next week - looks like either Thailand or Goa (I reckon Thailand will be the Goa!) - plenty of nice destinations are so handy from here and therefore very affordable, which is cool - I’ll feel like a change of beach by then!!
We are both hanging out to move in to our apartment, so are pleased we have a few things happening in the next fortnight, so hopefully time will fly by - we’ll post some
pictures as soon as we move in!
- til then take care Boys and Girls, - and KEEP IN TOUCH
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Craig and Sam
non-member comment
Hi Guys
Have just caught up with your blog, sounds like all is going well, great news that Ramadam is now over, must have been a great way to lose weight. Jude you look devine in your burka, you should have had a photo with your burk. We have left your e mail address on our other computer, can you send us your e mail please All the best Sam and Craig