Though Think and Thin, or Day 124 in Bahrain and Doha

I will say the yesterday was the better of the two days in Bahrain, sights-wise. I woke up and headed to the Bab Al-Bahrain where the tourist office was, hoping to get some suggestions on how to burn another day around the tip of the island.

If Qatar is like Connecticut, I would describe Bahrain like Manhattan Island. I had no idea how true that it, but the width of Qatar is about the height of Bahrain. So... I had already done a lot yesterday.

After the tourist information turned out to be a bit more on the gift shop side of things, I set out to find the Pearl Diving Museum. I passed it a few times, on the busy one-way street that it was on (disregarding the one-way on the bike, of course), had someone point it out to me and still couldn't find the building that housed it. I'm wondering if it closed (or just disappeared).

Today was also the day that I needed to find a swimsuit to replace my lost one. The first mall I tried had Versace, Armani, Coach... nothing helpful.

I biked toward the LuLu Center. I was expected a LuLu's Hypermarket, but instead got a few other random shops, none with swimsuits, though I did spot this top with some pretty funny English. "In this world, you don't need a multitude of friends ALL you REALLY need is one who will stud by you though think and thin."

I was sorely tempted, but decided against buying it.

Behind this mall was the Fish Market and the Central Market. The Central Market is actually a huge and beautiful fruits-and-vegetable market. There were truckloads upon truckloads of watermelon, as well as whatever other fruit tickled your fancy. (I also took this opportunity to apply more sunscreen, since I am beginning to get the first few hints of the raccoon-eye tan from my sunglasses.)

Across the street was the Fish Market. I got a lot of friendly "Fish? Fish? Clam? Squid? Catfish?" tossed at me; I was just admiring the variety that were there.

The fishermen really only keep their fish fresh by sprinkling them down with water. Fresh it is, but a little ripe possibly too?

I finally found a proper mall with a store to sell me swimsuits (though the lady selling them to me turned me trying on 5 different swimsuits into me buying 5 different swimsuits. I got a bit of cash back after she charged me for all of them, and I made, appropriately, a fuss).

A bike back to my host's place, and me, her, and her other surfer went to Ric's Kountry Kitchen, a popular ex-pat hang-out spot, where I kicked back a bit of Mexican food and some drinks.

At Ric's, not only is there writing on the wall, but there is also a board with money stapled to it. Me with my pretty extensive collection now, pulled out a 100-Indian-rupee note, and we took to graffiti-ing poor Gandhi's face before signing it and hanging it up. My little memory that should serve my host and her friends well.

(The quote, "I'd fight Gandhi" is apparently from Fight Club, where they are talking about which historical figure they'd bring to the ring.)

It was a happy flight back to Doha on another huge, empty, 747.

Abdalla picked me up, and we planned more for this "May Trip" that we are coming upon now. It is my second-to-last day in Doha... tomorrow is all of the goodbyes and farewells. And the packing.