Bahrein

[Safran]

I put up a few photos from my afternoon walk in Muharraq. The album is public, so even if you are not a Facebook user, you can take a look. Muharraq is really nice - it is an eclectic mix of shabby residential areas, touristy bits, the souq, centres of contemporary art. And I felt safer there than in Manama, actually...

https://www.facebook.com/OrientalSafran/media_set?set=a.716788488416195.100002551515780&type=3

 

[Mao]

Thank you so much for sharing the photos and information, Safran! Bahrein is one of the places in the Middle East that both my fiance and I want to visit soon, so your information is super helpful! Would you please share some information for tourists? How do foreigners get treated, what should we watch for, what food should we try...?

 

[Safran]

I don't feel specifically "foreign" here - 49% of the population is made up of people who are not local. And when it comes to tourist attractions (museums, mosques, palaces), I've encountered very friendly and welcoming attitudes. And it has been sincere, not with just the sole purpose of getting money out of you.

Due to the diversity of the population, there is a lot of different cuisines available. I don't know much about traditional Bahraini food (I am eating mostly Lebanese food here due to work , but I do love the way they make coffee here! And then there is the Bahraini halwa, which is a lovely spiced sweet. Oh, and a typical Bahraini breakfast is something you have to try!

 

[Safran]

Here is some traditional Bahraini music for you to enjoy!

[video=youtube;t4LrKc6_SeM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4LrKc6_SeM[/video]

[video=youtube;b1XiOEfLHDI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1XiOEfLHDI[/video]

 

[Safran]

And here is the same concert with a bit of dancing by the boys!

[video=youtube;ZBI6pspFfhI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBI6pspFfhI&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[Safran]

And here is one more video of dancing, where an old guy steps in...

[video=youtube_share;bTDdziUXGYc]http://youtu.be/bTDdziUXGYc[/video]

 

[Safran]

And for a change, here is a bit of me dancing in Bahrain Unfortunately you can not see my musicians, the lights on the stage are set in a weird way.. but at least you can hear them! [video=youtube_share;LhO1-oTC-14]http://youtu.be/LhO1-oTC-14[/video]

 

[Shanazel]

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

 

[Safran]

I'm back from Bahrain now, but when I went through my photos, I wanted to share the diversity of khaleegi dresses I found at the local souks. Before I left for Bahrain, Sabriye told me I would go to khaleegi-dress-heaven, and she was so right!