IMAGES OF BAHRAIN

Aromas of fresh fruit intensified by the humid air, an orange falls at my feet from the passing cart.

Verdant palm tree fronds shining in the sunlight, celebrating the breeze.

Two old men curled up on a bench, arguing with their worry beads.

Getting lost in the rat maze of the souq, and not caring; enticing sights, sounds and aromas greeting your senses at every turn.

Tiny fishing boats leaving the shore at sunrise, their poles softly lapping in the warm water, nets still curled up in sleep.

A chorus of minarets singing to the sky, briefly suspending time.

Turquoise water making love to the hulls of dhows in the harbour.

A cat waiting patiently in the alley for the fish-seller’s left-overs.

The scent of an Arabian boy passing in the street; an enticing combination of cologne and freshly-ironed thobe.

Desert exhaling an ethereal blanket of haze.

The aroma of shwarma grilling in the street, announcing: 'Arabia' unmistakably as it wafts towards you on the warm breeze.

A baby camel nuzzling into my hair while I am stroking the softness of his newly emerging fuzz.

Fish eyes staring at me accusingly from their market baskets.

Alleys winding into each other deep in the souq, frustrating the dappled sunlight attempting to search them.

Arabic men doing business on a street corner, dressed like toy dolls in their costumes.

Rusty pipe-lines shimmering in the desert heat, unaware of their treasure within.

A cargo ship in port, trading arriving and departing pieces of lives changed forever.

A cacophony of calligraphy decorating shop signs in the souq.

Pots belching curry in the dim recesses of an Indian restaurant’s kitchen.

A wizened ‘Box Man’ winding his way through an alley, his cargo threatening to topple at any moment.

Minarets lighting up at dusk like an excerpt from a fairy tale.

Gazing out over the Arabian Gulf at sunset, the evening air warm and humid, knowing it belongs to you, and your heart belongs to it. 

The roar of a jet engine taking off, lights of the causeway disappearing beneath the clouds; perhaps they were never really there.