Sunday 22 April 2012: Shopping in the Souk

Immy and I went into Manama souk this morning to organise something that she's been angling for for a while - it will be ready tomorrow afternoon so may be the subject of a future blip.

It was not a very pleasant day - again! Flat, dusty and overcast. In fact, a typical Bahrain F1 Grand Prix day. As Immy said, 'What must the drivers think Bahrain is really like?' So this is the most colourful shot I could come up with, snapped in the spice area of the souk (in fact, it's not spices but dried seeds, nuts and pulses - the spices were across the way!). I bought 1g of Iranian saffron as a gift for my mother-in-law in New Zealand. It cost BD3/-, or NZ$9.00, which I think is rather a bargain compared with what she would have to pay there.

As we were leaving the souk, we walked past the flock of pigeons that lives in the trees and rooftops surrounding the Bab Al Bahrain car park area. They were feeding on grain and crumbs that the local taxi drivers put out for them. As they took fright - and flight - we were amazed to spot this unusual one in their midst! I think it had escaped from someone's pigeon loft as it had a ring on one leg. 'Only in Bahrain!' we said to each other.

Immy spent the afternoon hanging out with friends who were let out of school early for the Grand Prix. We watched the start of the race on TV but soon got bored with it - more than an hour of high-pitched whining round and round the track, with Arabic commentary on TV (I'm sure it's more exciting if you are actually there to soak up the atmosphere, and at least two of the Bahrain blippers have covered it today with great shots!). Vettel looked very pleased to be standing on the winner's podium as the German National Anthem was played.

Can't believe that Immy and I are leaving tomorrow - the time seems to have gone by almost as quickly as an F1 race........

• Canon EOS 60D:
• f/4.5:
• 1/3200":
• 29.0mm:
• ISO 1600

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