Al-Amn Magazine

sought everywhere from the Far East to Western Europe and the Americas. A pearl forms naturally when an oyster secretes layers of nacre around an irritant such as a grain of sand in its shell. But in the 1930s ‘cultured’ pearling – artificially introducing grit into a shell – was pioneered in Japan so successfully as to knock the stuffing out of Bahrain’s pearl-trading economy. A rich history Qal’at al-Bahrain, commonly known as the ‘Portuguese Fort’, is an up-front example of the country’s history. It is true that the golden-glowing ramparts and turrets were built by the Portuguese during their 16th-century control of the Gulf. However, excavations have revealed the site to be a palimpsest of ruins stretching back 4,000 years to the bronze-age Dilmun civilisation. In the ancient Mesopotamian poem Epic of Gilgamesh, Dilmun features as ‘a heavenly land, a place of everlasting youth; a holy place without illness and death.’ Sublime poetry, I mused while we drove south though sandy scrub strewn with thousands of dun-coloured humps like giant mushrooms. Immortality notwithstanding, these are in fact Dilmun burial mounds and have been preserved as testaments to the aeons-long history of habitation on these islands, with UNESCO declaring them a World Heritage Site in 2019. The Middle East to host a Grand Prix,” said Hassan. The race is obviously a highlight of the Bahraini calendar. However, it seemed to me that if the country is truly shifting towards an economy reliant on tourism, the real allure lies in the soulful history, culture and heritage. All of this, along with some leisurely winter sun amid the country’s laid- back vibe, are what really suggest that Bahrain has a bright future. Sea, sand and souks I was based at the Ritz-Carlton, one of several five-star hotels on Bahrain and Muharraq islands which have their own private marinas and beaches – this one of powdery sand at the edge of a calm, gently lapping lagoon. There are several others on the Persian Gulf shore and around Bahrain Bay, the swish waterfront development of high-rise towers, restaurants, bridges and islands where I had taken to the water on my paddleboard. For a wilder encounter with Bahrain’s sea and sand, I boarded a speedboat to bounce, spray flying and spume fizzing, across the Gulf towards Qatar. It took us 45 minutes to reach a spangle gleaming in the blue with what looked like a mini lighthouse in the middle. This was Jarada Island, where we dropped anchor just as the tide began to recede. Crescents of dazzling white seemed to rise out the water, creating rushing channels that calmed while Jarada multiplied several hundred times in size in an astonishing half an hour. What a place for a barbecue under the shade of a canvas If nature and solitude on a far-flung speck were faces of Bahrain I had not expected, there were more surprises in store. Back in the heart of Manama I discovered, cheek by jowl with the freakish modern buildings, an atmosphere-oozing old souk. At Haji’s Café I sat under an awning stretched across an alley for one of the most memorable breakfasts of my life. Dish after simple but delicious Bahraini dish arrived: cheese- filled flatbreads, foul (bean stew), potato and chili omelette, balaleet (sweet noodles), all with cups of saffron-flavoured milk (acquired taste). Next, I followed my nostrils towards the aromas of turmeric “People from South Asia have been here for 200 years. They are as Bahraini as we Muslim Arabs,” Hussain told me, insisting how much he always looks forward to Diwali and that he also celebrates Christmas with his Bahraini Christian friends. To emphasise the multi-faith milieu, we made our way to the nearby to St. Mary’s Indian Orthodox Cathedral, then past House of Ten Commandments synagogue where a small community of Bahraini Jews worship. The smooth, veined marble which cools floor and parts of the Sufi calligraphy-inscribed walls are Italian, guide Safina told me, while the exquisite central chandelier was designed and made in Austria. Everywhere you look there are carved teak ornaments from India and French hand-blown lamps, while acres of carpet come – surprisingly, to me at least – from Ireland. Despite these extravagances, I left with the feeling that the mosque is less ostentatious than it might be. Rather like Bahrain as a whole, I reflected. From forts to prehistoric burial mounds, souks to temples, and chic waterside districts to desert islands, the soul of Bahrain is a bit like its legendary oysters: it takes a little patience to prise open. By Martin Symington /wanderlustmagazine.com