Saturday September 27
Yesterday while Suzanne and I were on base at the gym , Peter and Pete took Nick and Lucas to rugby practice at the British Rugby Club. After practice they all had a British breakfast and the men had a pint.
Last night we went to a wine tasting party hosted by Suzanne's friend Julie, a Naval Commander , Supply Corps Officer. It was a fundraiser for the Supply Corps Foundation, held in a high rise building with a commanding view of downtown Manama. Great dinner of local food served with 4 courses of Italian wines.
The venue was awesome, saw all of their friends from last night and met several more. We met Pete's boss whose wife and daughters live in Virginia and the daughters both attend UVA. Also Meggan and her husband who works for NCIS; we all called him Mark Harmon!! At evening's end, we drove back to Mirisolas followed by the babysitter's parents; Dan, a civilian expert on Naval warfare who works with Pete and Heidi, a friend of Suzanne's. AND they used to live in Prince William County!!! The world does get smaller and smaller!!
This morning we left in a hurry to drive the short distance to the base, NSA (Naval Support Activity) Bahrain, for a morning full of basketball games. At the base we had to relinquish our passports and get visitor passes that stated we must be accompanied at all times. The base is pretty large, all of the buildings are built of sand colored cement but there are green oases, small parks, trees and flowers.
Lucas' game, for 5 and 6 year old boys and girls, was quite good. Not many rules followed but you knew they had the gist of the game. Two baskets by Lucas!! The other 2 games were also coed and were held in the main gym where I walked yesterday. It was almost 1 when the last game ended so we had lunch at the base. Pete, Suz, Peter and I had shawarma, a local treat! Chicken or lamb with veggies, sauce and french fries folded into a pita. Mmmm! Home again where we ALL collapsed for a while.
Temp outside today at 3:
94 degrees!!
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
Friday is our Saturday
Friday Sept 26
Last night we drove to Amwaj, a man-made island, 15 minutes from where Suzanne and Pete live in Juffair. It's a residential area where some military and ex-pats live and where Saudis vacation. We even passed Michael Jackson's former palatial residence!! Suzanne' s friend Julie and her husband Chong live there in a magnificent home on the beach. They are a two Naval officer family. We met several friends, drank wine, chatted and had dinner. Very enjoyable evening!! They are all very interesting people and a wonderful support group. Michelle's husband is a Navy pilot, Rachel's husband is a SEAL and was JUST unexpectedly deployed and Christina, whose husband is XO of the base, has relatives in East Harwich.
This morning, Pete, Peter, Nick and Lucus went to rugby practice while Suz and I went to the base where she taught a spinning class and I walked 3 miles and did 20 minutes of yoga. Did a little shopping afterwards and then went back to Mirisolas for a swim in their pool. Fairly lazy afternoon. No school or work today because it's the Muslim Holy Day
The Mirisola house is quite large, 4000 sq. ft. ? It's in a urban neighborhood with sky scraper apartments across the street The house itself is stucco with a stucco fence around it. Outside the entry is a covered space on the side walk for one car...there's another space inside the entry courtyard for another vehicle. This courtyard itself contains a pool that is 25x20 and a couple of lounge areas with pool furniture. The pool are is covered with a fabric roof. Lots of desert plants are used as accents.
In the house on the first floor are a HUGE eat- in kitchen, laundry room , bathroom, pool room and dining room. Up the center stairway are an office area, 2 large bedrooms with a bath and a master with bath. Up on the third floor are a large family room/ guest room with bath and a roof top deck. WOW!!! The first floor is tiled; the second and third floors are wood. All floors are accented with oriental rugs.
Nice to have some relaxing time. Lucas goes to a birthday party at 3. The adults will attend a wine-tasting party this evening.
Last night we drove to Amwaj, a man-made island, 15 minutes from where Suzanne and Pete live in Juffair. It's a residential area where some military and ex-pats live and where Saudis vacation. We even passed Michael Jackson's former palatial residence!! Suzanne' s friend Julie and her husband Chong live there in a magnificent home on the beach. They are a two Naval officer family. We met several friends, drank wine, chatted and had dinner. Very enjoyable evening!! They are all very interesting people and a wonderful support group. Michelle's husband is a Navy pilot, Rachel's husband is a SEAL and was JUST unexpectedly deployed and Christina, whose husband is XO of the base, has relatives in East Harwich.
This morning, Pete, Peter, Nick and Lucus went to rugby practice while Suz and I went to the base where she taught a spinning class and I walked 3 miles and did 20 minutes of yoga. Did a little shopping afterwards and then went back to Mirisolas for a swim in their pool. Fairly lazy afternoon. No school or work today because it's the Muslim Holy Day
The Mirisola house is quite large, 4000 sq. ft. ? It's in a urban neighborhood with sky scraper apartments across the street The house itself is stucco with a stucco fence around it. Outside the entry is a covered space on the side walk for one car...there's another space inside the entry courtyard for another vehicle. This courtyard itself contains a pool that is 25x20 and a couple of lounge areas with pool furniture. The pool are is covered with a fabric roof. Lots of desert plants are used as accents.
In the house on the first floor are a HUGE eat- in kitchen, laundry room , bathroom, pool room and dining room. Up the center stairway are an office area, 2 large bedrooms with a bath and a master with bath. Up on the third floor are a large family room/ guest room with bath and a roof top deck. WOW!!! The first floor is tiled; the second and third floors are wood. All floors are accented with oriental rugs.
Nice to have some relaxing time. Lucas goes to a birthday party at 3. The adults will attend a wine-tasting party this evening.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Thursday Sept. 25 2014
WE'RE HERE!!!!
We arrived at Mirisolas last night just before 11 PM. Actually we were in decent shape considering we'd been traveling for 24 hours. The Lufthansa flights were uneventful, food okay, seats pretty comfortable. The segment to Frankfurt we sat in a section for 3 and had it to ourselves. The second segment to Bahrain with a stop in Doha, Qtar, we sat in a section for 4 with no one else!l Since they were both night flights, we also had blankets and very comfortable pillows. Again, decent food and free wine!! So, we have been in two of the Arab States that have joined the coalition for air attacks against ISIS (L).
It's very hot and humid here!! The air conditioning in the house helps but it doesn't wash the sand from outside the windows! Pete was home when we arrived just before 11, the first night he'd been home in a couple of days!! We toured their spacious home, had some snacks and wind before retiring at midnight.
This morning we slept until after 9!! Hallelujah!!! The kids had already left for school and Pete for work so we had a leisurely hour before leaving for the Bahrain School and volleyball practice. At the Bahrain School we saw a Navy guard with automatic weapon. We relinquished our pass ports for visitor passes at the entrance, saw Lucas and Serena (big hugs!!),and watched Suz take the kids through drills, I walked and did some yoga in the gym. Met the IB coordinator and had a nice chat.
After practice Suz let us off on American Alley while she picked up Nick at a birthday party. Saw pizza places, a Fudrucker's, Baskin Robbins, Cinnabon McDonald,s and other "American" places. We even saw a couple of Arab men in thobes topped with baseball caps. It was 97 degrees while we sat outdoors and sipped our Starbucks. We met 2 Indians and one Egyptian who worked as barristas, very friendly, very good English. I bought a Bahrain Starbucks mug for a souvenir for 4.000 BDs. Peter's burger and water cost 3,92 BDs at Fudrucker's. We then sat on the shady side of the street and it was still 97 but breezy. Suzanne picked is up at 2, we greeted Nick with hugs all around and went home to relax until our next activity at 4.
WE'RE HERE!!!!
We arrived at Mirisolas last night just before 11 PM. Actually we were in decent shape considering we'd been traveling for 24 hours. The Lufthansa flights were uneventful, food okay, seats pretty comfortable. The segment to Frankfurt we sat in a section for 3 and had it to ourselves. The second segment to Bahrain with a stop in Doha, Qtar, we sat in a section for 4 with no one else!l Since they were both night flights, we also had blankets and very comfortable pillows. Again, decent food and free wine!! So, we have been in two of the Arab States that have joined the coalition for air attacks against ISIS (L).
It's very hot and humid here!! The air conditioning in the house helps but it doesn't wash the sand from outside the windows! Pete was home when we arrived just before 11, the first night he'd been home in a couple of days!! We toured their spacious home, had some snacks and wind before retiring at midnight.
This morning we slept until after 9!! Hallelujah!!! The kids had already left for school and Pete for work so we had a leisurely hour before leaving for the Bahrain School and volleyball practice. At the Bahrain School we saw a Navy guard with automatic weapon. We relinquished our pass ports for visitor passes at the entrance, saw Lucas and Serena (big hugs!!),and watched Suz take the kids through drills, I walked and did some yoga in the gym. Met the IB coordinator and had a nice chat.
After practice Suz let us off on American Alley while she picked up Nick at a birthday party. Saw pizza places, a Fudrucker's, Baskin Robbins, Cinnabon McDonald,s and other "American" places. We even saw a couple of Arab men in thobes topped with baseball caps. It was 97 degrees while we sat outdoors and sipped our Starbucks. We met 2 Indians and one Egyptian who worked as barristas, very friendly, very good English. I bought a Bahrain Starbucks mug for a souvenir for 4.000 BDs. Peter's burger and water cost 3,92 BDs at Fudrucker's. We then sat on the shady side of the street and it was still 97 but breezy. Suzanne picked is up at 2, we greeted Nick with hugs all around and went home to relax until our next activity at 4.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
What a Beginning!!
Tuesday Sept. 23, 2015
WHAT A BEGINNING!!
It's a good thing we decided to give ourselves plenty of time!! We left the Cape on the 4:40 bus to Logan and arrived at 6:30 for a 9:35 departure to London. At the British Airways counter we were told our flight was delayed an hour and we would not make the connection in London for Bahrain. After considering the options we were given, we decided to rebook on a Lufthansa flight through Munich. Now we'll be arriving in Bahrain 3 hours later than the original flight. Instead of arriving at 7 PM Bahrain time, we will arrive at 10:30 PM Bahrain time tomorrow. So all is well......
BUT how to contact Suzanne about the change?? It was then 3 AM in Bahrain!! We decided to call Mike at the Red Nun and ask him to call Suzanne at midnight (7 AM in Bahrain) to tell her of the change. Thanks, Mike!! AND, we're going to get 2 meals instead of just one!!
All's well that ends well!! I hope that's not a premature pronouncement!
WHAT A BEGINNING!!
It's a good thing we decided to give ourselves plenty of time!! We left the Cape on the 4:40 bus to Logan and arrived at 6:30 for a 9:35 departure to London. At the British Airways counter we were told our flight was delayed an hour and we would not make the connection in London for Bahrain. After considering the options we were given, we decided to rebook on a Lufthansa flight through Munich. Now we'll be arriving in Bahrain 3 hours later than the original flight. Instead of arriving at 7 PM Bahrain time, we will arrive at 10:30 PM Bahrain time tomorrow. So all is well......
BUT how to contact Suzanne about the change?? It was then 3 AM in Bahrain!! We decided to call Mike at the Red Nun and ask him to call Suzanne at midnight (7 AM in Bahrain) to tell her of the change. Thanks, Mike!! AND, we're going to get 2 meals instead of just one!!
All's well that ends well!! I hope that's not a premature pronouncement!
Monday, September 22, 2014
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