Bahrain

Assalamu'alaikum,

I'm in Bahrain now with my husband.  That picture is a photo I took from the balcony of our Ritz Carlton Hotel Apartment courtesy of his company.  It's a beautiful hotel and a country with picture-perfect aqua colored water.  We took a stroll along an unofficial beach and it was beautiful, but there were rocks as you got closer to the gulf and we weren't able to get our feet wet.  It's around 70 degrees here...so I'm sure the water is cold anyways.

I haven't really been able to see much.  What's kind of sad about these countries is that the main attractions are malls.  The malls have all the designer stores and American/European stores already know nothing new or special.  Yes...the malls are built to fit into the cosmopolitan lifestyle of these people...but really?  Where are the museums?  Where is the art?  It's really not much.

The only other cool thing that I really want to do is go dolphin/manatee watching.  It costs around $30/adult to go out on a boat.  I'm not sure if this is the season...but I'm hoping we'll be able to give the company a call this weekend.

I've been pretty much cooped up in the hotel room.  My husband had already warned me that during the week he wouldn't be able to take me out to see much.  He goes to work around 8 a.m. and doesn't come home until 9:30/10 p.m.  It's okay.  I try to keep myself busy during the day and I'm just happy I get to see him...even if it's just for a few hours, Alhamdulillah.  It's much better than being stuck at his aunt's house back in Dubai.

Aside from that, I didn't really do much today.  I went to meet him for lunch.  When I got there...he had already bought me a sandwich and told me he wouldn't be able to sit with me because he has a meeting.  So I went to the mall (of course!) located next door to his office building and ate by myself.  I was watching the Bahraini (at least that's what I think they were) women/girls.  I can't seem to understand their hijab style.  Today...I saw the weirdest one.  It looks like they have a beehive underneath their hijabs!  I'm not even joking.  I don't understand why they think it looks attractive.  I really found it quite amusing...though I wonder if they think I look funny.

The only other eventful thing to happen to me today was my husband's co-worker reaching the apartment early (my husband didn't warn me) and he almost walked in on me without my hijab.  Let me explain.  The hotel apartment we are staying in has three bedrooms.  Each bedroom is like a hotel room fully equipped with all the necessities and each with its own bathroom.  One of my husband's co-workers working on the same project as him here in Bahrain is a British guy named Ben.  He is staying in one of the other two bedrooms.  There is a common area in the hotel room.  The common area includes a full kitchen, a bar, a study area, living room, and dining area.  Today, I spent the entire day in front of my laptop and the TV. in the living room.  My husband is supposed to send me an e-mail warning me if Ben leaves work early and is going to beat him home so I can go into our room or make sure I have my hijab on.  Nonetheless, I decided whenever I would go into the common area even though no one is home...I'd just put my hijab around my neck to be on the safe side.  Alhamdulillah!  I heard the door unlocking and I quickly threw on my hijab.  Phewf!!  Alhamdulillah!  He made me so nervous.  Then he actually came over to me and was talking to me...telling me about the facilities.  It was very awkward.  I managed well, though, Alhamdulillah.

Now I'm back in our room with the door locked waiting for my hubby to come home and take me out.