Bahrain Je t’aime – The Land of Many Cultures Celebrates France and Bob Marley

25 Nov 2011 2 Comments

by Eva the Dragon in Island Tales - Expatriate Living Tags: , , , ,

Bahrain Je t'aime Festival - HRH Sheik Nasser addressing the gathering

Bahrain is the island of many cultures and nations.

My Irish friend invited Mojo and I to attend the final evening of the French Festival Week at the Sofitel.  We were accompanied by a British couple who moved to Bahrain last March and love living here.

At the entrance, we kissed hello to our friends from Bahrain, Belgium, France, America, the UK, Greece, Italy and Denmark.

With our group sat two other couples: the House of Designer Shaik founder and his karate black-belt wife and business partner along with two young Bahraini women.  One woman covered with hijab worked for a local bank.  The other was dressed in a knee-length peach-colored suit and wore pearls.  Her accent was American and she worked at the US embassy.

HRH Sheik Nasser stopped by with his entourage to welcome the French Ambassador and the guests.  A British woman emceed the evening.  Seven, young talented French opera singers entertained the champagne-sipping audience.

Bahraini Trio playing Bob Marley for Cocktail Reception during the French Festival

But my favorite part of the whole evening was the Bahraini trio who played Bob Marley during the cocktail reception.

The Art of Making a Flying Carpet

23 Nov 2011 2 Comments

by Eva the Dragon in Eye Candy - Art, Island Tales - Expatriate Living Tags: , , , , , , ,

My Own Flying Carpet created by Giuse Maggi

Italian glass artist Giuse Maggi’ s exhibition is November 25 and 26.   Her pieces sell out quickly so you must get there early.

A geologist by training, like other expats, she discovered her passion for glass artistry when she and her husband left Italy to live in Saudi Arabia.  A decade later she has built up an impressive resume and a huge clientele in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

She is included in the 2000 New Glass Review.  In 2009 she won a CBS Dichroic Glass Award for her multi-layered glass designs.  Both the National Museums of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have exhibited her work.

Giuse teaches her craft to other budding glass artists.  They have exhibited their own work thanks to her.

Although I have my own flying carpet, I go to all of her exhibits.  I love her art and being in her studio.  The exhibit is at the Al Nakeel Compound Villa 28, next to Jawad Dome.  9am-6pm.

Dilmun Makes A Comeback in 2011

21 Nov 2011 1 Comment

by Eva the Dragon in Food for the Mind - Books, Island Tales - Expatriate Living Tags: , , , , , , ,

The Meeting Point by Lucy Caldwell, Dylan Thomas Award Winner

Lucy Caldwell begins her Dylan Thomas Prize winning book The Meeting Point with

The land of Dilmun is holy, the land of Dilmun is pure.

In Dilmun the raven does not croak, the lion does not kill.

No one says, “My eyes are sick, my head is sick.”

No one says, I am an old man, I am an old woman.”

Sound familiar?  If not, refer to Standing Out in Saudi Arabia.

This verse was written on a 4000 year old clay tablet held in the Bahrain National Museum.

Caldwell wrote a lyrical story of an Irish woman who follows her husband to Bahrain.  Ruth dreamed of a new life in an exotic country.  Like thousands of expat housewives before her, Ruth’s life without financial or domestic responsibilities and a husband who is completely absorbed in his new job leaves her plenty of time to wonder – what do I do all day in Paradise?

Confronted by people living normal existences but under a different belief system and unsupported by the cultural walls of their own country,   expats often find themselves asking the existential question – Who am I?

The Meeting Point describes a woman’s unexpected search to find that answer while describing life in Bahrain in beautiful detail.  I was more than pleasantly surprised by the book.

Tourist Climbing Tree of Life featured in Lucy Caldwell’s Book.

I recommend it if you are interested in expat life, Bahrain or enjoy a well told Irish story.

Winter’s Tale Bazar Featuring Tiny Us

19 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Eva the Dragon in Island Tales - Expatriate Living Tags: , , , , , , , ,

A Winter's Tale Bazar Nov 27 and 28

Christmas is coming.  The goose is getting fat

Please put a dinar in the Presence School’s hat.

If you don’t have a dinar, a dollar will do.

If you don’t have a dollar, then God bless you.

Tiny Us will be at Mansoor Garden 6 Villa 38

Nov 27 10-12

Nov 28 9-12 then 6-9

Happy Halloween – An Update

31 Oct 2011 1 Comment

by Eva the Dragon in Island Tales - Expatriate Living Tags: ,

Now - Rockin the Tomb

Ace informed me this evening, “Mom next Halloween you can save your money.  I am not going to dress up.”

My favorite holiday no more?  They grow up so quickly.

Then - Just a pack of cubs

Standing Out in Saudi Arabia

29 Oct 2011 5 Comments

by Eva the Dragon in Island Tales - Expatriate Living, Stories from Far Away Lands - Travel Tags: , , , , , , ,

Starbucks in Saudi Arabia. On the left with the chairs is the men's section. On the right behind the wood panel is the "family" section where women can go. During prayer everyone was asked to leave and the doors were locked.

“You live in Bah-rain,” the Saudi woman whispered Bahrain as if it were a dream, or Disneyland.  “You take my sons,” she declared.  “You take them Bahrain.  Learn English like you.”

I apologized to her saying I had three of my own children to care for and assured her that her husband was a wonderful father and provider for her family.  But this was not the first time a Saudi woman engaged me.

Because I don’t cover my hair, I stand out in Saudi Arabia.  Often when I sat alone, women veiled from head to toe in black approached me.  Sometimes we talked and sometimes they pulled out their phones and took a picture of us together.

To many Gulf citizens, Bahrain continues to maintain its 2300BC reputation.  The Sumerians wrote about Dilmun the ancient name of Bahrain.

“Blessed in Sumer…blessed is the land of Dilmun..

When he settled there, the first at Dilmun, the place where Enki settled with his wife,

this place (became) pure, this place is radiant.”

Although now Bahrain is connected to Saudi Arabia by a 16-mile bridge for many Saudi women Bahrain is still only a legend.

“At Dilmun, no crow cawed

The lion did not kill,

The wolf did not carry off the lamb…

No one with pain in their head said “My head hurts!”

No old woman said “I’m old!”,

“No old man said, “I’m old!”…..

People from every corner of the planet consider Bahrain to be an island paradise where they can dress, live and pray however they want.

In Bahrain, Mojo and I along with 700 other people similarly dressed attended the Think Pink Charity Fundraiser. Women's breast health was highlighted, donations were made and men and women danced together.

Sedusa At Sheik Mohammed’s Camel Farm

23 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by Eva the Dragon in Island Tales - Expatriate Living, When Dragons and Rabbits Make Me Laugh - Humor Tags: , , , ,

Sheik Mohammed's Camel Farm In Janaibiyah

It’s nice when visitors come to town because we take in the local sites.  Inevitably it means more pictures of camels.

Sheik Mohammed was the King’s late Uncle.  Sheik Mohammed maintained the only herd of camels left on the island.  Construction continues as the camels are multiplying.

Famous Medusa Camel

The famous Medusa camel is known to turn adolescent boys into stone.  We did not have a boy with us so did not know whether this was true.

When I visited the farm a few months ago, this guy was one of the camel keepers.

His shirt says "I am still a virgin. Please give me a chance."

My friend and I wondered whether his advertising brought him any success.

A couple weeks later we read a story in our local paper about a man working at the camel farm being arrested for having sex with a pregnant camel and causing her to abort.  The eyewitness claimed it was true and the man was thrown in jail.

When I visited last week I didn’t see the man in the pink shirt.  We think the camels must have been turning him to stone.  Per the manager, there is a camel who is now known as Sedusa.

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