...in bahrain...2002

text addressed to a friend from middle east...

Yes I had a nice time. And do you know S what I do on fridays? How would you know? I take the longest route bus to discover new areas in Bahrain. And no matter what the destination is - I am bound to get a glimpse of the sea. Unlike India, the sea here is unruffled. So whenever you enter little inside the beach, there is no fear of the sea water trying to submerge the shore, or the waves washing you along with them: another reason why water surfing sport is nonexistent here.

Some fridays I sneak out from the villa and go to Manama (That's the city center), and keenly observe the sea and its surrounding. There is a huge sprawling garden just next to the sea near Manama. One can sit and enjoy the winter sun there. But it is awfully windy. On your birthday when I called to wish you, I was actually in that part of Manama. For the first time I saw Sea Gulls hovering over, and swimming in the sea. They were looking for fish/crabs. There were hundreds of them. People were taking pictures like crazy. It is one of the best captured memory I have of recent years. How I wish I had a camera. I am planning to buy a digital/web camera which I think in long run would be cheaper to take snaps. But right now I am spending money with some wisdom. Hey, visit this Web site www.geocities.com\neemad, this is one of my epals site and she has taken some lovely pictures. You will like them.

There are a lot of beautiful places in this small little country but I think by the time I will acquire a camera to take photographs for future reference, summer will be in full bloom and then it will be terrible to venture out to capture the beauty.

Three days back I was startled and amused when from my big glass window I saw three pigeons perched in a tree just touching the window. White pigeons: a rare sight for me as I have not seen even a crow here. All you have here in abundance are ghettos (not the jewish ghettos, ghetto here means cats!). Big, fat, daddy, mummy, grandpa size cats. And they make sleeping miserable sometimes by their awful sound grrrrrr brrrrrrrrr!!! I have to shoo them at times but their eyes scare me when they shine in pitch darkness. Dogs are quite rare. Anyway, back to my pigeons. Yes, I opened the windows of my room so that I could hear the chirping of the birds. And it was so good. After a long time I heard that sound, so common in India. Ofcourse the birds didn't come for me to see them: maybe till now I was ignorant of their presence. But I doubt that statement.

Don't worry about going to Kerala? I'll mail you pictures of sea from here!! Sea is alike. I too feel of just being in and around nature: mountains, plains, deserts (a bit only): wish I had a vocation of a Tourist Guide or something in that direction.

I can understand how irritated you feel whenever the topic of marriage comes up. Relatives will certainly not miss any opportunity of reminding your parents of their inability (that's how they project their opinion/ideas) to get you married. Often you have to imbibe certain nasty things like that S: and there is no cure for shutting their mouth. Just be ignorant. You know what you want in life. If only it was so easy as I have written. Simple, bitter truths of life in our country of worried parents and over-concerned relatives.

Ok, I think I have written another semi epical mail to you. Suggest me, which type of camera I should look for - since you did an elaborate R&D before purchasing your camera.

By the way, how's every one in the family? How's dady: the angry man - still bothered why girls call his son? And what about mummy? Whatever happened to kannan chettan?