From the Arctic to the Middle East
This not Norway... Al Fateh Mosque in Manama, Bahrain.
Departing Svalbard (Longyearbyen, Norway) I connected on flights through Tomsø, then Oslo and into London for a layover before leaving the next day for Manama, Bahrain. I was eager to get to Bahrain to meet up with Jen, Lucy, and Elizabeth. My flight from Oslo to Heathrow arrived pretty late in the evening and my flight to Bahrain was the next morning. Rather than deal with getting into or out of the city I found a cool hotel in Heathrow’s Terminal 4. Yotel is a pod hotel, which focuses on modern but compact amenities, ended up working out pretty well for what I needed. While I could have ordered food at the Yotel, I went to the Hilton at the airport for some fish, chips, and beer. The dinner was great and the Yotel was comfy, clean, quiet, and convenient. I woke up the next morning and boarded the flight to Bahrain refreshed and ready for some heat.
Taking a picture in my Yotel room at LHR.
Upon landing in Bahrain, I was greeted by Elizabeth trying to get a picture of me walking through customs. The minute we left the building the heat and humidity were incredibly oppressive. Wow! Although I don’t necessarily enjoy heat and humidity I tend to handle it better than most people. Regardless, as we walked from the terminal to Jen’s van, I couldn’t fathom going for a run in such conditions. Especially since, 48 hours earlier, I had been running at 78 degrees north along the Tundra of Spitsbergen Island in the High Arctic. The temp on the last run was right around freezing with a brisk wind and a frozen mist that kept my body chilled.
Like several other occasions on this journey around the world, the rapid transition between climates and countries put in a bit of physiology and culture shocks. Driving from the airport to Jen’s place was a whirlwind. She has been living there for over a year while serving in the U.S. Army and has been able to become familiar with the island and the culture. She was a natural tour guide as we passed by the grand mosque and onto her compound-styled house. At the house I was pleased to meet her dog Lucy whose behavior had improved by leaps and bounds since we had last met in New York. We all went for a swim in Jen’s pool to beat the heat before spending a wonderful evening relaxing in the air conditioning and planning the next leg of the trip.
Jumping into Jen's pool with Lucy
Jen and Lucy staying cool in the Bahrain heat.
The next day we all went for a morning run before the sun rose. After showering and coling down in the air conditioning, Elizabeth and I went to Bahrain’s Al Fateh Mosque. The mosque offers tours to non-muslims which was an excellent way to gain insight into the architecture and function of the mosque in Gulf culture. Our guide at the mosque was incredibly patient, spoke excellent english, and was eager to answer all of our questions. This tutorial proved invaluable as we were preparing to explore a few other countries in the region.
Standing in the main prayer room at the Al Fateh Mosque in Manama, Bahrain.
Elizabeth and I in front of the Al Fateh Mosque in Manama, Bahrain.
