Letter from Juffair - 2
I was thinking of posting a picture of Juffair. I figured it would be a great idea to show you how this little corner of Bahrain that I call 'home' actually looks like. However, there are two problems that make this task a little harder than one can imagine.
One, I'm not exactly sure what's the status of Google Earth here in Bahrain because newspaper reports have been saying that the site has been blocked by the powers that be. And since, I can't think of any other solution other than Google Earth for this purpose, I guess, I'll have to wait a little bit longer till some definite answer trickles in my way. The second problem is, somewhat, technical and has to do with Batelco, our dear monopoly ISP provider. Since we no longer have unlimited Internet access - thanks to Batelco's clever marketing 'logic' (for want of better words), I was told by some friends to avoid Google Earth altogether because the program is bandwidth hungry. So that's where things stand as far as the present situation is concerned, but if the fog clears and some favourable answer comes my way... yes, pictures will be posted.
Till then, all you have are words, words, and more words. Gosh. I'm beginning to sound like F. R. David now. Speaking of whom, I wonder where he is now... haven't even spotted him on VH1 Classics. Hopefully Limewire would help?
So what has Juffair been upto in the last one week?
Well, someone wrote in today's paper that while he (has to be a 'he') was in Juffair somewhere, he saw a green light zipping across the sky in a zig zag sort of way that suggested it was no ordinary rock, but a genuine dyed-in-the-wool Unidentified Flying Object. No one else has corroborated this man's story as yet, unless they've been abducted by the little green men for biology practicals! Note to myself: visit the terrace more often, and take your camera with you. Now if this story is true, it would be the second UFO sighting in Bahrain because just a week or so earlier, two separate groups of people reported UFO sightings.
Now I have an open mind as far as UFOs and intelligent life in outer space is concerned because, to begin with, I have serious doubts about intelligent life HERE on Earth itself. The recent war in Lebanon aka the Israeli bulldozing operation is a case in point. But, as usual, I digress. I'm sure some of the stars and planets may be teeming with life but the real question is, why, on earth, have they chosen to visit our dear little island twice in a week? Have they found Bahrain to be far more appealing than all the tourist hot-spots in the Andromeda galaxy or wherever? Is there some secret alien conference taking place somewhere in Bahrain that we know nothing of?
Well, your answer is as good as mine, but as far as I'm concerned... the one thing that has made me a little more relaxed these days is not this extra-terrestrial attention but the early morning peace and quiet in my neighbourhood. Let me explain. Close to my compound, we have five schools, yes, five schools that cause tremendous traffic bottleneck. It would be great if all the kids were all packed in school buses, but no, some parents want to drop them to school in their SUVs, 4WDs and what have you. Calculate five schools, substantial number of parents, one small road that has to be shared by those working in the US naval base, BANZ (a meat processing company), couple of other companies that have offices in and around Juffair... and you can imagine the kind of mess we face in the mornings.
But, hey, it's still summer, and schools will open only in September, and till then, I don't think I should think of the approaching problem. However, it wouldn't hurt if each of the schools decide to meet, discuss this problem and look for a solution... at least, that way, some peace will be restored and chances of road rage are minimised.
I'm waiting.
One, I'm not exactly sure what's the status of Google Earth here in Bahrain because newspaper reports have been saying that the site has been blocked by the powers that be. And since, I can't think of any other solution other than Google Earth for this purpose, I guess, I'll have to wait a little bit longer till some definite answer trickles in my way. The second problem is, somewhat, technical and has to do with Batelco, our dear monopoly ISP provider. Since we no longer have unlimited Internet access - thanks to Batelco's clever marketing 'logic' (for want of better words), I was told by some friends to avoid Google Earth altogether because the program is bandwidth hungry. So that's where things stand as far as the present situation is concerned, but if the fog clears and some favourable answer comes my way... yes, pictures will be posted.
Till then, all you have are words, words, and more words. Gosh. I'm beginning to sound like F. R. David now. Speaking of whom, I wonder where he is now... haven't even spotted him on VH1 Classics. Hopefully Limewire would help?
So what has Juffair been upto in the last one week?
Well, someone wrote in today's paper that while he (has to be a 'he') was in Juffair somewhere, he saw a green light zipping across the sky in a zig zag sort of way that suggested it was no ordinary rock, but a genuine dyed-in-the-wool Unidentified Flying Object. No one else has corroborated this man's story as yet, unless they've been abducted by the little green men for biology practicals! Note to myself: visit the terrace more often, and take your camera with you. Now if this story is true, it would be the second UFO sighting in Bahrain because just a week or so earlier, two separate groups of people reported UFO sightings.
Now I have an open mind as far as UFOs and intelligent life in outer space is concerned because, to begin with, I have serious doubts about intelligent life HERE on Earth itself. The recent war in Lebanon aka the Israeli bulldozing operation is a case in point. But, as usual, I digress. I'm sure some of the stars and planets may be teeming with life but the real question is, why, on earth, have they chosen to visit our dear little island twice in a week? Have they found Bahrain to be far more appealing than all the tourist hot-spots in the Andromeda galaxy or wherever? Is there some secret alien conference taking place somewhere in Bahrain that we know nothing of?
Well, your answer is as good as mine, but as far as I'm concerned... the one thing that has made me a little more relaxed these days is not this extra-terrestrial attention but the early morning peace and quiet in my neighbourhood. Let me explain. Close to my compound, we have five schools, yes, five schools that cause tremendous traffic bottleneck. It would be great if all the kids were all packed in school buses, but no, some parents want to drop them to school in their SUVs, 4WDs and what have you. Calculate five schools, substantial number of parents, one small road that has to be shared by those working in the US naval base, BANZ (a meat processing company), couple of other companies that have offices in and around Juffair... and you can imagine the kind of mess we face in the mornings.
But, hey, it's still summer, and schools will open only in September, and till then, I don't think I should think of the approaching problem. However, it wouldn't hurt if each of the schools decide to meet, discuss this problem and look for a solution... at least, that way, some peace will be restored and chances of road rage are minimised.
I'm waiting.
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