I also plan to partake of the gym and (possibly) pool on this hot and sunny afternoon (only 39C, 102F). The gym here is quite nice, and I usually have it to myself. It’s located on the rooftop, with a limited view of the outdoor pool. They have free weights, machines, and all sorts of cardio equipment. There are two large LCD TVs with cable TV and the a/c keeps the room cool while the wall-mounted air freshener machines spurt out some flowery sent every 10 minutes. The only problem - the entrance doors to the gym are glass, allowing visitors and workers to walk by and peak in. Sometimes they stop and watch … strange culture. The pool is usually frequented by ex-patriots (aka white people), but being on the roof it’s often very windy and, again, people stop and watch.
I’ve spent countless hours attempting to figure out how things work in this hotel room. There are easy items - such as the strange door lock (seen at left) that consumed my time simply due to curiosity , and more confusing items, like the washing machine which requires an artistic interpretation of pictograms and an understanding of light switches.
By far the most hilarious item in my hotel room is the tub. It was not made for a tall girl. Another inch on my hips and I'd be bathing sideways.
So on to describing Bahrain. There is only one thing that can sell Bahrain to tourists: Photoshop.
Above is an image of the Grand Mosque. I’ve driven by it many times and, having seen a number of Middle Eastern mosques, can tell you it’s quite beautiful. Is it as shiny as this picture portrays? No. This country is composed of sand. Not dirt. Sand. Everything is built on sand and of sand. Trees grow in sand. Therefore, it should be assumed that all buildings are covered in a fine layer of sand, including the Grand Mosque.
As for the shopping, I’ve discovered 3 tiers to the economy. First, there are the poor. They sell items in the streets, usually from the back of their bicycles. They’ll try to convince you to buy a knockoff Rolex and won’t take no for an answer. You can’t argue with them, just ignore them. They’ll have a comeback for every excuse you try to give them. “I don’t need a watch” “well, maybe you don’t need a watch, but maybe your father could use a watch, a gift, no?”
Tier two consists of the venders who operate outside shops or in small trailers along the sidewalk. For example, the man trying to sell food out of a hot dog cart. He probably makes enough to live on, but just barely, so he’ll call out to you and try to get your attention, but he’s not going to chase you down wagging a wiener after you.
The last, and highest tier, is made up of everyone that owns their shop. Sure, maybe they rent the space from someone, but their business is their own - rugs, lamps, hookahs, etc. They’ll wait outside and, in a very nonchalant way, ask if you’d like to come in. No pressure. If you move along they could care less. It’s as though this economy's main goal isn’t to make money (unless you’re starving). It’s more for the prestige of owning a shop. You can haggle for anything, and probably purchase it for less than it’s actually worth. A lot of stores along the roads are out of business and closed for this reason.
I have yet to obtain a rental car. For now I have a few co-workers in the area who will drive me and I can save my $500 a month. Today we drove around a bit - I sat in front with the map, so at least I now know about 1/4 of the city. There are traffic rules, though I don’t think you’d get a ticket for breaking any of them. Actually, someone I know DID get a ticket for speeding, but he said it was about $40. Ha! About 90% of the drivers are aware of their surroundings and stop at signs, drive a normal speed, etc. It’s that 10% (::cough:: Saudi’s) that have no regard for anything. They’ll park in the middle of the road, run lights, you name it. I’ve seen about 3 accidents so far - nothing too bad, just people not stopping at signs, so they're mostly minor. Still, it’s a good thing I learned to drive on California freeways.
Hi, Loved the tub picture! That was too funny. Everything sounds slightly strange but not so much so that it's distressing. I liked your description of the street vendor, it sounded like a more desperate cell phone vendor at the mall. Such an interesting economic system. It's hard to believe you live so far away now. I really enjoy hearing about it though.
ReplyDeleteMary