The Fruit Market

One of my best memories of Bahrain is the fruit market. I'm not talking about the new air conditioned structure they have just put up a few years ago... I'm talking about the oooold massive maze of interlocking sheds with these white fans that hung really low from really long stems that made a rumbling hum and shook like a salt shaker. When I was young, I used to go to the fruit market with my father. He used to wake me and my younger brother up early -around 6 -to take us there. The perfect start to a friday morning. i can still smell the mix of apples, orange, watermelons and oh dont forget the mangoes.I get nostaligc whenever i walk into a fruit store. i loved watching my dad, smile and say salaam to every fruit vendor and argue and haggle about prices.Only in bahrain can you return a half eaten 'sharifa' and say its not tasty. I was hardly ten years old. the connection was awesome, people from all sizes, shapes, colors all working together. Not to forget, the guys walking around with chai- everyone was just chilling. my father walked there. i walked with him. Thats my best memory- the fact that my father walked those streets and i smiled with him.


Thajba, 30 years old, Saar

This is my love letter to Bahrain.

The first thing that always pops into my head and my heart when I think of you, is Home. I have been away from you for almost two years now, and I grab every chance I get to come back. Your humidity hits me when I first step out of the airport, but I love it, because its yours. I put the heaters up every day in my apartment to remember your heat. When I'm upset, thinking of your land, and sea, and sand, and great food makes me unbelievably happy. Then I think about your people that you nurture and all the smiles you put on everyone's faces. I think of my family, my special Friday’s, and mom's food. I think of luxury and comfort. I think of MMDDSSR, my true friends. My childhood memories. My school days. The PE uniforms. Waking up early to go to school. How will I ever live without picking up fake 1 dinar dvd's then grabbing some Mino, Merakesh, and Jan Burger! I miss you my love.

For years, we have watched each other grow. I will build myself up for you, and I know you are doing the same for me. Sometimes I think.. what if I was from another country.. Iraq, Lebanon.. perhaps that’s my blood.. but Bahrain, you are the love of my life. Hearing everything that has been happening to you devastates me, especially that I’m not there. I know you are looking after my family and friends. In a way, we are very similar. It seems like we're each falling apart, but believe me we will be stronger and better then we were before. You are a tiny dot on the map that we can barely see, but a great Kingdom that shook the whole world. Coming to you will cure me, and I'm sure to return the favour to you. Home is where the heart is: You are my home Bahrain.

Anonymous

سوق المنامة

في ظل الظروف اللي نمر فيها حالياً كنا بجد في حاجة لمتنفس أو شي يخفف من حدة التوتر الحاصلة بين الناس. لذا حبيت ابدي كلامي بشكر خاص حق "الخباز" اللي بدء هالمشروع وسمح للكل يعبر عن حبه للبحرين.

حبيت أكتب عن "ســوق المنــامـة" حبي حق هالمكان شوي غريب لأن يمكن حبيته بسبب امي إللي كانت تاخذني هناك كل اسبوع تقريبا! تعودت امشي في دواعيسه وادخل دكاكين القماش والجبرات (لغير البحرينيين: دواعيس=ممرات ضيقة / الجبرات=دكاكيك تتكون من 4أعمدة وظلال) وفي كل محل كان راعي الدكان يعطيني حلاوة أو شاكليت طبعا ما انسى بياعين الماي اللي يمشون فالسوق، ومن اشوف واحد اقعد احن على امي حننن (ابي ماي )  فالرجال يسمعني ويفتح لي غرشة الماي ويقول حق امي "اخديها حق الجاهل ومابغى فلوسها" وامي تقوله حجي مايصير وتلحقه، وانا مطننششششه وادور ورا امي بغرشتي  صج اني احصل زفة من امي عقب بس أكون بعد سعيده.والأحلى من ذلك الحجي اللي يبيع الألعاب على دجة السوق، ياسسلاااام عاد إذا أمي اشترت لي سيارة صغيره من عنده اقعد طووول السكة ساكته ولا اسندرها بس عشان السيارة.

وللأمانة انا ذكرت الجزء اللي احبه او يمثل ذكرى جميلة في حياتي، بس السوق كبير وفيه القماش والذهب والعطور والسجاد والثياب. طبعا انا اتكلم عن السوق قبل التعديل لأن اليوم وزارة الثقافة عدلت السوق وجددته، بس على قولة المثل "عتيق الصوف ولا جديد البريسم" 

صج المكان تم تجديده بس الناس تظل نفس ماهي، في بداية السوق بتشوف رجال كبير فالسن قاعد على كرسي خشب عنده شنطة سوده جلد قديمة فيها كل العملات وتشوف وايد من العمالة الاجنبية اللي عندنا حوله عشان يحولون فلوسهم. هالرجل انا اشوفه من كنت صغيرة وإلى فترة قريبة.

صارلي فترة طويلة مارحت هناك واتمنى من كل قلبي يهدئ الوضع في الديرة عشان اقدر أرجع ازور السوق.

بنت البوعينين، 27سنة، المحرق

(الفقع (الكمأة

زمان أول عندما كانت السماء تمطر في شهر نوفمبر، كان ذلك مقدمة لفصل الشتاء في البحرين. وكلما أمطرت السماء وامتلأت الشوارع بالماء‘ كلما استبشرنا خيرا بقدوم موسم الفقع فى الصحراء.

يجول بخاطري عندما كنا صغارا، كان أهلنا يأخذوننا إلى مناطق صحراوية مثل "العمر و رميثة" للبحث عن الفقع ..بأسلوب الكشافة والخبراء. كان علينا البحث عن شقوق طبيعية في الأرض مرتفعة قليلا بحجم كف اليد. وبحذر شديد كنا نحفر حول الشق بسكين صغير حتى نصل في بعض الأحيان إلى الفقع وأحيان أخرى إلى لا شئ. نحفر بشكل دائري حول الشقوق و بعمق حوالي ثلاثة أصابع حتى نصل إلى نبتة طبيعية أنبتتها الصحراء بماء المطر، وقريبة الشبه بالبطاطس.

كنا نأخذ المحصول مهما قل كميته إلى البيت ونقوم بتنظيفه وغسله من التراب عدة مرات ثم نقوم بغليه وأكله بكل لذة وشهية. وكان طعمه قريبا من طعم المشروم هذه الأيام.

كم كانت جميلة التجمع العائلي في الصحراء بحثا عن الفقع.

يوسف، 64 سنه، عالي 

الحلوى الحمرا والرهش

امووووووووت عليهم شعب مثالي طيبين وااايد وحبوبين بدرجة مو طبيعية. اهل هناك يصيرون كل الكرم فيهم صج هالدولة عزيييييزة وااااااايد واحسن شي الحلوى الحمراتينن حدها عجيبة ووو الرهش.

شوقي، 16 سنة ، المحرق.

Meno

I gotta say, for me it's Meno. and not just any meno, the one on the bag it's written bafak nasma, the one that's pink and white.  It's one of my most favorite things in the world to eat and it's only 50 fils a bag!  I love that I could eat 4 bags and not feel full at all, and I've never had it except in Bahrain.  Since I was little I used to leave eating that meno, and I love the fact that when I say the word "meno", people in Bahrain know what I'm talking about even though that's not what's written on the bag.  It's like it's just something that's understood and known about as long as you were Bahraini.  Most Bahraini's say the RIGHT way to eat meno is by pouring Crystal hot sauce on it as well, I myself can't handle spicy food, but I understand that it's SUCH a bahraini thing to do.  And they don't say using any chips, they always say Meno.

Meno really doesn't have any substitutes either, as far as I'm concerned. I remember visiting a friend in the states and having a craving and looking desperately at her and asking "Is there a chance... ANYWHERE here in texas.... that someone has meno?" and although she offered me cheetos, doritos and a bunch of other stuff... I refused them all. It's just not the same.

When my best friend was pregnant, she and I would finish a massive bag of meno.  She'd be satisfying her cravings, and I was just being a supportive friend. 

All in all I gotta say, for me, meno is something that everyone I know who really calls themselves a bahraini knows exactly what i'm talking about when i say "mmm.. i want some meno" and I even feel some kind of...  kinship.

Bahrainia, 29 years old, A'ali

Tikka Al Bahrainiya

One of the most delicious and enjoyable things that I love in our kingdom is "Tikka Al Bahrainiya”!! I am not kidding it is very distinctive and special to me..

You can ask any Bahraini or even foreigner about the Tikka Bahrainiya’s restaurants and they will tell you easily because the restaurants are spread all around the Bahrain.. But if you want the best one, you have to ask me!!

Uniqueness and excellence of those small pieces of grilled meat in hot rods with side onions, lemon,” bagal” and hot 5obez make me feel delighted when I receive the dish in my car!

It’s the first option if not the only one for any family’s gathering in camping in the desert or even regular dinner..

This small and simple thing is another reason for all Bahrainis to feel that our country gives us unique and common pleasure without differentiating unlike what is happening now.

Amira, 28 years old, Riffa

5obez Bahraini

5obez Bahraini… there’s just something about it. A smile spreads across my lips every time I drive up to the khabbaz and it finally settles into a huge grin as I receive my bundle of joy in a tiny plastic bag, fresh and hot and full of promise. And then, with childish delight, I take that first bite and am in kiddie heaven! How can something so simple and so accessible be so delicious? Such a simple pleasure that with every bite I am transported to childhood, sitting at my grandparents’ dining table, munching on the soft round borders of 5obez Bahraini till my belly is full.

El5abbaz, 36 years old, A'Ali