Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
A dear friend is here visiting, escaping the ongoing cold, snowy UK spring. She spent 20 years in Bahrain so I haven’t had to turn into a de facto tour guide or apologise for the recent dusty days. Instead we have spent the days reminiscing and enjoying the time together, visiting the malls, swimming, and barbequing and doing lots of eating in and out.
The other benefit of having a friend visit you is they bring the most glorious food and other parcels.
After reading the exceptional Birdsong and after spending a few years boarding, I have always had a romantic notion of the food parcel from home, that small but meaningful link to home, a moment of comfort in a foreign land, and goodness my friend did not disappoint. Homemade mixed-berry jam, Waitrose Easter eggs, magazines and bunches and bunches of beautiful yellow spring daffodils.
On the flip side, her two boys have missed the food of Bahrain, the spiced smell of the souk, Baskin and Robbins and McDonald’s delivery. Plus, cheese bread baked from the village, zesty Zaatar bread and not to mention the marvellous humble Shawarma, with the velvety tahini sauce, creamy chicken and just the right amount of pickle. Hopefully, they have all worked their magic and Bahrain feels like home again.
My friend is surprised that on returning back she would feel different, as if time had passed on, that she wouldn’t recognise the roads, the community, the people. Instead, Bahrain has offered its warm hospitality once again, and I’m hoping she won’t leave it so long until her next visit back.
