I know it has been a considerable amount of time since I have posted something on this site but I do have an excuse - for half of this month I was living outside of my overseas home and spent time instead with my family for the holidays.
But! I am now back and so are the blog posts. I will endeavor to post more often than I have, so be sure to check back for more posts about life in Bahrain.
Shortly before I left to go home for the holidays, a friend of mine took me to the local souq, or outdoor market, where one needs a guide to find all the good spots and shops that aren't purely for tourists. It was in the souq, down winding alleyways and apparent dead ends which led to more alleyways, that I finally got a glimpse of real Bahraini culture.
One of the first shops we stopped at was a spice shop. It was run by a father and son and offered everything from dried lemons to Spanish saffron. We asked about the price per kilo for unshelled peanuts and promptly received several for our sampling. When our order was bagged we again received several as a 'thank you'.
Our next stop was a more touristy shop which had T-Shirts and other assorted Bahraini paraphernalia for sale. Here as I was deciding which of the items to purchase for family members I was given an effusive "Welcome to Bahrain!" The shop owner relayed his wishes that I would find Bahrain an enjoyable place to stay.
After only two shops I had finally found what I had been looking for since my arrival: Bahraini culture. The specific aspect of culture which greeted me in the souq was warm Bahraini hospitality.
Much of the Middle East is known for its hospitality which dates so far back the concept is no longer merely tradition but is practically a part of the genetic make-up of all Middle Easterners. Bahraini owners in shop after shop greeted me warmly and repeated the wishes of other shop keepers that I would find my stay in Bahrain to be a pleasant one.
On the way out of the souq we took one last stop. It was a jeweler's shop and when we entered, the owner was quite happy to show us his wares and speak to us about aspects of the jeweling trade. Concerned that he might think we were there to purchase something, my friend told the man that we were just looking around and that this was my first trip to the souq. He smiled in understanding, looked at me and said, "Do not worry. You are like my daughter."
Hospitality given by complete strangers, warmth, friendliness, and a short lesson in the jewel trade from a man I had never met: this is Bahraini culture at its finest.
