Thai massage ? August 23, 2007

For the last two days we have been driving around to different furniture stores in Manama trying to find some decent wardrobes and drawers for the kids clothes and it has been hard to say the least (since we didn’t know a lot of places close midday and open later). In any case..since I wasn’t driving I have had time to check out the surroundings. Something that struck me is that Manama seems to have a looot of Thai Massage and other massage parlours … So hmm is massage a big thing here? Or is it the equivalent of the Lebanese Super Night clubs and the Cypriot Gentlemens clubs?

I went into a place today called Ramez (think that was the name). As I entered I was shocked to say the least.. I went there to look for red chillies (I had already looked in Muntazah and Geant) and since the place looked like a tornado, a typhoon and a earthquake had hit it, I really couldn’t see where the vegetable section was. I walked up to a youngish man in a suit and asked him where the fruits are. He looked pissed off and said WHAT? I repeated my question and he said -Ok, come here. I followed him as he walked across the shop shouting to someone in a language I did not recognise.. (urdu perhaps). After having crossed the whole bloody shop he speaks another guy and tells him to help me.

I tell the other guy the same thing and he starts walking across the room. I am following but nowhere can I see veggies nor fruits.. – Do you want coal, he goes as he is gesturing with his hands in a shape that resembles a an oval big ball. I am lost and reply back -I want apple (not really but I figured he wouldn’t understand chillies) as I make a gesture of an apple with my left hand.
He goes – Coal???
I go Urrrgh! and just keep following him. As we are walking, I ask him, -Do you speak Arabic (since I can make myself understood slightly in Arabic)? -No, I speak English, he replies a little annoyed. Well if you do speak English sweetheart, why don’t you understand the simple composition – I want apple? It is as basic as it gets no? And if you do speak English, why do you take me to the jucie fridge and point at the fruit juices? I just looked at him and shook my head and left… There was nothing to be done… And oh God, what a messy place. I could probably lose my children in that mess.