Exotic Locales, Family, Humor and Iowa
21 Feb 2012 2 Comments
in Note to Self - Lessons Tags: Bahrain, cultural differences, culture, donkeys, english equivalent, give an inch, Nissan Truck, photo, proverbs, sayings
نتركه في وأحضر حماره أيضا.
Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile.
from Apricots Tomorrow
A collection of Arabic sayings and their English equivalent. Compiled by Primrose Arnander and Ashkhain Skipwith
It is interesting how wisdom is the same. But how we express it is based upon our experience and our culture.
19 Feb 2012 5 Comments
in Island Tales - Expatriate Living Tags: Bahrain, buying pearls, cultured pearls, Enkidu, Gilgamesh, Great Flood, Jacques Cartier, natural pearls, Noah, pearls, testing pearls
From Left to Right - Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo, Salman Mattar, Jacques Cartier, Mugbil Al-Tbukair and a pearl expert
Like Jacques Cartier who came to Bahrain in 1921 looking for pearls, the Japanese have recently been to Bahrain on a pearl quest Dr. Ali Safar confided to us.
Dr. Safar, the Director of the Precious Metals and Gemstone Testing Laboratory in Bahrain, was the key note speaker at a Pearl lecture I attended last week.
Why? Today 95% of the pearls sold worldwide are cultivated in China. Even the Japanese who created the cultured pearl industry have given up against the Chinese onslaught. The only market the Japanese can afford to compete in today are pearls larger than 8mm.
Not to denigrate the quality of cultured pearls, for as Dr. Safar said, “experts with a lot of experience” have difficulty differentiating between a cultured pearl and a natural pearl. The real difference between natural and cultured pearls is its essence – was it created naturally, by chance, or has man manipulated nature in his laboratory for commerce.
Bahraini pearls have not only worn by royalty but “al haka” or extremely small pearls that cannot be drilled are crushed and eaten or used in cosmetics because they are believed to hold the secret to immortality.
Bahraini pearls prized status as “Jiwan” (perfect pearls) began 5,000 years ago when the ancient Sumerians wrote about the two-thirds divine, one-third human, King of Ur, Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh after losing his beloved friend, the wild man Enkidu, began to worry about his own mortality. He decided to search for Utnapishtim the survivor of the Great Flood to whom the Gods had bestowed immortality. Gilgamesh traveled to Dilmun (Bahrain) where Utnapishtim and his family lived. After some negotiation, Utnapishtim told him the flower (the pearl) of immortality lay at the bottom of the sea. Gilgamesh dove down deep and found the pearl. But when he fell asleep, a snake swallowed it.
The Epic of Gilgamesh gave Bahraini pearls a special magic. But the reason they are the rarest natural pearls in the world is because of the unique natural phenomenon in the Gulf where fresh water springs burst out into the salt water. Unfortunately even Paradise can only support so many people. The seemingly endless fresh water supply has been nearly used up by modern people and industry. Like the rest of the world’s oceans, the Gulf’s sea beds are polluted and have been diminished by government land reclamation.
Similar to diamonds, a pearl’s value is based on its luster, color, shape and size. The larger the pearl, the more valuable it is. The Bahraini pearl’s incredible luster is based on its unique habitat. In Bahrain where Indian traders dominate pearl wholesaling, pearl descriptions are in Hindi. The Indian scale starts with perfect pearls or Jiwan which means beauty.
“Everyone wants Jiwan but they are very rare,” Dr. Safar assured us.
Shireen is next, meaning “sweet” or having very good luster.
Gholwah means “round pearls” or average.
Badlah means irregular shape.
Sihteet are poor to average luster.
Khaka is kaka – in every language I guess – or the lowest quality.
Bahraini pearls range up to twelve different colors depending on the mollusks. A local diver said she noticed the pearl’s color was dependent on where it formed with the pearl’s body.
“Mollusks are like people,” said Dr. Safar. “Some are white and some are yellow.”
In the Gulf region, the mahar mollusks produce the nabati pearls, cream with a reddish hue, which are favored among the Gulf people. The abyadh (white) and gallabi (white with a strong iridescence) are popular with other buyers. The zinni mollusks found in the shallow waters produce the rare colored, more expensive, pearls.
Pearl buying is like buying a used-car.
“If the salesman figures out what you like, you might pay 1,000 dinars when other people will only pay 100. This is life,” counseled Dr. Safar.
The only way to know how that creamy bit of calcium carbonate was created is to x-ray it – at the lab – after purchase.
Despite their small size, Dr. Safar assured us a double stranded, Bahraini pearl necklace was a better investment than a Rolls-Royce.
“A Roll’s value depreciates,” he said nodding at the two Saudis in their elegant thobes, “but a Bahraini pearl only increases in value.”
Since my blog hasn’t made me enough money to buy either a Rolls Royce or a pearl necklace, I am afraid I will have to wait until I reach Paradise where the Koran says the faithful will be adorned in pearls.
Hmmm, maybe I have a better chance finding that snake.
16 Feb 2012 3 Comments
in When Dragons and Rabbits Make Me Laugh - Humor Tags: Bahrain, Humor, mysterious students, pineapples, playing pranks, school poster, students
Thursdays I read with Mark’s classmates at school. As I waited, I perused the healthy eating posters someone created. Pineapple was this week’s chosen fruit.
Pineapple is full of vitamin C, vitamin B and magnesium for helping our immune system. Bromelain aids digestion. And the poster said pineapple sweetens and improves the taste of seminal and vaginal fluids.
WHAT?!?
I called Mark’s teacher over and asked her whether or not she knew this much about pineapples.
“OH my GOD!” was her response.
She poked her head into Ace’s teacher’s room and called him out. We watched him mouth the words and his eyes widen.
“Someone must have copied and pasted without reading this,” he said.
They scooped up the poster to put in its proper place – in the teacher’s lounge.
I wondered how an adult making a poster for children could have made such a mistake and Googled pineapple. Generally none of the sites touted those benefits. Only when I added vaginal fluid to pineapple did I find articles extolling that particular virtue.
Perhaps the mysterious poster creator did not understand English.
Or perhaps some 10-year old student knew exactly what he/she was doing and wanted to see whether the teachers were paying attention.
14 Feb 2012 2 Comments
in Food for the Mind - Books, Food for the Soul - Poetry Tags: Ali Al Satrawai, Ali Al Sharqawi, Bahrain, contemporary poetry from the Middle East, Hameed Al Qaed, poetry, roses, Valentine's Day
Happy Valentine's Day - cards and flowers from my children
11 –
Let us be together
Hanged by the peg of heart
Beneath the sky we adore
The sky that loves
You are coquetry of the beginning of jasmine
You spread out in my liberty
From a fearful night
From In the Palm of My Heart by Ali Al Satrawai
Pearl, Dreams of Shell
Ali Al Satrawai is a Bahraini poet, writer and journalist. This verse came from an anthology of contemporary poetry, Pearl, Dreams of Shell compiled and translated by Hameed Al Qaed.
09 Feb 2012 2 Comments
in Island Tales - Expatriate Living, Stories from Far Away Lands - Travel Tags: Bahrain, driving in Bahrain, flying in the middle east, sailing in Bahrain, Team Pindar, travel, vacation, winter 2012
Every country has its pluses and minuses.
Living on a small island means the people and places become very familiar and comfortable. It’s cozy. But after a few months when these same people and places become a bit over-seen, we need a break.
The only way to drive off the island is to cross the causeway into Saudi Arabia. Unless you hold a GCC passport, you need a visa to get in there. If the Saudis do allow you in, you have to cut through miles of desert to end up in the same desert under a different government.
We could take a boat.
A successful water escape requires a knowledgeable captain otherwise we might be like the first Bahraini sailboat to participate in an international regatta. A couple of years ago as Team Pindar maneuvered their brand-spanking new “Kingdom of Bahrain” yacht towards Dubai, they cut too far east and ended up getting arrested by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. After being held for a week, the government negotiated their release but the team missed the race.
Even if we didn’t have “evil intentions” to infiltrate Iran, a spyglass is a top ten necessity to scan the sea for pirates. And we don’t have one.
So generally an island vacation requires a flight.
Should we fly one hour and still find ourselves in the Gulf? Different place, same flies.
Should we fly three hours and find ourselves in a regional skirmish?
Should we fly seven hours and find ourselves in freezing cold Europe?
ABOUT BETWEEN TWO SEAS
Photographer Andrew Weaver published a gorgeous coffee table book with many inspired and humorous photos about Bahrain. Between Two Seas can be purchased in the large bookshops or at the Bin Matar House in Muharraq. The great news is it was printed in different sizes so you can tuck one in your handbag for a gift or use it to decorate your coffee table and make your friends at home jealous.
02 Feb 2012 Leave a comment
in When Dragons and Rabbits Make Me Laugh - Humor Tags: Bahrain, bride advertisement, dating ad, decent wife, online dating, relationships, romance, Saudi Arabia, Valentine's Day
Bahrain loves February – the month of Romance.
Middle Eastern dating can be a little difficult. But reading these Bride Seeking ads on expatriate.com, these men won’t have to worry about paying for expensive dinners and roses on Valentine’s Day.
Description: Further discussion will be made upon the seriousness of the interested person. So reply if anyone is serious. In short i am a Banker and M.Sc. Degree Holder.
Between the Lines: “I” was the not the smartest guy in class. I got a job as a banker and am now out of work. I just watched “The Secret” and decided to think positively.
Description: Asalaam-o-alikum , i am saad age 25 from pakistan karachi currently i am living in saudi Arabia jeddah looking for good girl loving between age (16-22) fair color , educated , and my education Inter commerce. My parents living in karachi so u more details please contact my father..
Between the Lines: I am looking for a naïve young woman who barely speaks English – for my father.
Description: I am Muslim man from India in late forties and well settled in Gulf and would like to marry a woman who is simple,homely and religious. No dowry expected simple marriage please write for further details.
Between The Lines: My wife lives in India raising my five kids. I cannot get a visa for a housemaid. I need someone to come to Saudi Arabia to cook, clean and “care” for me and not complain about it.
Description: I am 34 years old Muslim Sunni working here in Bahrain, I got my engineering education in radar and communication from England at British Naval Base port smouth London. Now i m working here in Bahrain Navy as a radar and communication engineer. I don’t have parents thats why i put my add by myself. We are 02 brothers and two sisters all married except me.I am tall and handsome with 5 10″ height and everage build.
Only serious and good people try to contact, or send me e -mail.
I need only a simple and honest lady who give me peace of mind and happy family.Any one interested than i will send my pictures and contact no to them.
thankx.
Rergards
Between the Lines: The Bahrainis know my family and no one will let their daughter marry me. I need a foreigner who knows just enough English to read this email and who does not want to go back to her own country – for whatever reason.
After the above ads I actually appreciate the following men’s honesty.
Description: I am looking for a trusted and smart lady to be a companion and girlfriend in Bahrain. You should be single/divorced and flexible in your approach and willing to spend time with an executive and be a companion.
If you are looking for an opportunity of this type and you are flexible with your approach to life, please send me all your details along with your profile and I will get in touch with you. Discretion is definitely assured. I can also help you with your financial problems.
I will not be able to respond to one line emails. If you are serious and interested, I request you to send me all your details and I will get it touch with you immediately.
Between the Lines: I will pay your expenses and rent an apartment for you/us. You will not work so I can drop in and see you whenever I can sneak away. You have to be smart enough to understand this is a good deal and know not to call me 50 times a day or harass my family on the weekends.
Description: need a friend i am bored to lived alone i need any girlfriend deepness of relation wil be depend upon you………..contact me
Between the Lines: It is what it is.
Description: hello. i am muslim 46 male bussiness man i have bussiness in three country saudiarab,oman,and uae. i am searching female 30 to 35 years old any nationalty any religen. i am living in riyadh i am traveling in all gcc country for bussiness . send me details
Between the Lines: I have tried it all and am tired of paying. All my years of decadent living have taken their toll. Now that I am overweight, smoke too much and have a heart condition I need a woman to take care of me. As soon as I ask my friends how their daughters are doing, they quit taking my calls.
I may have to forward some of these to Jay Leno. Perhaps he will do a segment on them.
14 Jan 2012 4 Comments
in Island Tales - Expatriate Living, Stories about Oman, Stories from Far Away Lands - Travel Tags: Bahrain, Crowne Plaza Muscat, Mairi Thomas, Oman
Arabian Motifs Exhibit at World Beat Fitness Center Saar
Today photographer and designer Mairi Thomas opens her exhibit at the World Beat Fitness Center in Saar.
Mairi has lived in the Gulf and traveled around the Middle for many years. She only moved to Bahrain a few months ago but she has already created a new portfolio of photographs.
View from Crowne Plaza Balcony Muscat Oman
I ran across Mairi’s work last year when my friend Goldi and I visited Oman. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza as it was on the seashore and quite convenient to the sites. The photos decorating the hotel lobby depicted Oman in a modern way that really appealed to me.
Mairi has an excellent eye for design. Looking through her portfolio I can tell she traveled to Dubai, India and China. But her perspective and ability to capture life in the buildings and landscapes is what makes her photos unique.
The opening is 4pm – 6pm on Saturday January 14th. Arabian Motifs will run through February 16th at World Beat.
You can check out Mairi Thomas’ other professional projects at Mairi Designs.
Tales of Dragons, Rabbits and Roosters 