halabahrain august 2009

HalaBahrain Magazine | August 2009 1

HalaBahrainHalaBahrain MagazineMagazine

Your Local Bahraini Guide!

August 2009 - Volume 2 - Issue 2

RamadanRamadan Things to do during Things to do during

the monththe month

Happenings Happenings

around Bahrainaround Bahrain

We cover concerts, comedy

shows and more!

Places to Go

Things to Do

Events

Tradition

And much more!


HalaBahrainHalaBahrain MagazineMagazine Lifestyle - Technology -

Entertainment - Events ©

A… C...A… C... Dear Readers,

As we dive right into the hottest month of the year (and most

humid), we keep our AC’s on, curtains closed, and fridge full of

cold cold drinks. Yes, August is here, and any chances of doing

things outdoors die out.

We’ve covered a few of the events that went on over the past

month (all indoors of course), and with Ramadan just around the corner, we’ve put in a bunch of suggestions for where to go

and what to do.

For those planning to get away in the last few days before

Ramadan, we’ve got somewhere different than the regular

destinations Bahraini’s end up flying to; Nepal! As two of our

own fly over to check it out, we’ve got the review.

Again, we would love to hear from you about anything; send us

your emails with thoughts about the magazine, letters, ideas,

and let us know what you’re thinking!

Till next time,

Ammar Al-Aradi

Editor In-Chief [email protected]

The Team

Editor-in-Chief

Ammar Al-Aradi

Creative Director

Fardan Raffi

Public Relations

Mazen Madhloom

Copyright Information © All Rights reserved. This

publication may not be

reproduced or transmitted in

any form in whole or in part without the written permission

of the publisher. Liability: While

every care has been taken in

the preparation of this magazine, the publishers

cannot be held responsible for

the accuracy of the information herein, or any

consequence arising it.

HalaBahrain is a fully registered online publication with the

Bahrain Ministry of Information,

under registration number

EQHBH210

HalaBahrain is published

monthly; to view the magazine,

for a free subscription, or to

download a copy, please visit www.halabahrain.com. For

advertising and all enquiries,

please contact [email protected]

www.HalaBahrain.com

[email protected]

Editorial


News, Events News, Events

& Happenings& Happenings A few more weeks till Ramadan! The

Summer Festival still has a few more shows

lined up, so if you haven’t had a chance

to check any of them out, there are still a few more! A display of oriental flamenco is on

at the 13th of August at the Cultural Hall, which promises to be a breathtaking display of Spanish

dance. For something different, check out the Aleppian Sufi Trance on the 20th. Also, on the 17th, Sami Yusuf, the well known Islamic rock star comes to town.

Catch the last SunSet Session and take a ferry to AlDar Islands on the 14th, where you can chill by the

beach all day, and party through sundown. Looking for somewhere to take the kids? The summer

program at BMSA gives the small ones fun games to play and also expand their minds; from chess to

checkers, scrabble, bridge and more. Looking for local musical talent? Check out Seef Mall for the

UrTalent@UrFilez concerts, with Indian music and dance on the 13th, and Arabic on the 14th.

Of course, as Ramadan comes in, all events shift to eating, eating, eating, eating… No seriously,

since everything seems to revolve around food, the typical hangouts seem to be restaurants and

coffee shops! Besides every hotel having one, Ramadan tents also seem to spring up all over the

place. Busy? Probably yes. Overpriced? Definitely. But they do end up being a nice gathering spot,

and some even have live traditional music. Go to at least one before the month is through.

Upcoming

Final SunSet Session

Location: Al Dar Islands

Timing: 10:0am - 8:00pm

Contact: +973 - 39991377

[email protected]

Sami Yusuf

Location: University of Bahrain

Contact: +973-800008089

13 August

Flamenco Orientale

Location: Culture Hall

Contact: +973-17211026

Fawanees Ramadan

Location: Ritz Carlton Island

Timing: 5:00pm-2:00am

Contact: +973-17252670

[email protected]

20 August - 20 September

20 August

Aleppian Sufi Trance

Location: Cultural Hall

Contact: +973-17211026

14 August

Mind Sports

Location: BMSA

Contact: +973 - 17340016

August 15 - 23

17 August

1 - 20 August

Tennis Course

Location: BTF Course

Contact: +973-39441992

13-14 August

UrTalent @ UrFilez

Location: Seef Mall West Wing

Contact: [email protected]


Got something to say? Whatever it is, let us know, email us on: Got something to say? Whatever it is, let us know, email us on:

[email protected]. [email protected]. Best letter of the month wins a Best letter of the month wins a

brand new Apple iPod Nano! brand new Apple iPod Nano!

————

FROM: Anwar SUBJECT: Congrats!

Congrats on the one year

anniversary guys, keep up

the excellent work, quality

and material sure has gone

up since the 1st issues were

released! As for the local

food coverage, simply one

of the best articles I’ve read

in ages! The shawarma and

samboosa reviews are a

work of art! One of our original readers!

Perfect. We’re glad you’ve

enjoyed our ‘works of art’,

and keep your eyes open

for the coming issues, we’re

lining up a few surprises! ;)

————

FROM: Sammy

SUBJECT: Happy Birthday!

HB for HB! Happy Birthday for Hala Bahrain! Well done

guys on a full year of an

amazingly done magazine. HB for HB. Dude, that was

beyond lame.

————

FROM: Sarah

SUBJECT: Samboosa

Hey I want Samboosa :( What do you expect us to

give you, 300 fils vouchers to

redeem from A.Qader? Go

buy some!

————

FROM: Sakina

SUBJECT: SMS Services

Dear Sir/Madam, we can

offer you a frehs pair of eyes to look at yuor business and

help you develop and grow

your businiess no matter

what size or type trough SMS

Services. We don’t mind spam too

much, but come on, at least

try to spell things correctly at

least!?

————

FROM: Alya

SUBJECT: I waaaaaannttt

Abiiii Sambooossssaaaaaaa

I loved the review really nice

now I really want!

We literally got a good 50-60

emails asking for Samboosa.

Maybe we should start a

samboosa shop.

FROM: Ed SUBJECT: YUM!

Your issue had me drooling!

Please please call me next

time you go on another

food hunt +973-36######!!

I’d love to join, and to add, I

need to win that iPod too, so

if any of the HB team need

your cars washed, beds

done up, etc, just let me

know!

Aw dammit Ed, how can we

say no to a free car wash?

We’ve skipped the food hunt

for this month, but we’ll be

going on another one next

issue and you’re invited! Oh,

and say hello to your brand

new iPod!

HalaBahrain MailHalaBahrain Mail Mail

Win me!Win me!

Lette

r of th

e M

onth

Lette

r of th

e M

onth


UrTalent@UrFilezUrTalent@UrFilez Visitors to Seef Mall over the past month were

in for a surprise! Walking through the mall,

loud music was heard coming from the new

section. What was it? As part of the Zain/Seef

Summer Carnival, UrFilez had set up a huge

stage right in the middle of the Seef West

Wing, bringing local performers for live music

and dance.

Events


The line-up of performers included DJ Outlaw,

Flipp & May for hiphop & RnB, The Amigos

Band playing latin tunes, The Legends with

their unique reggae beats, and Cordoba

Band performing flamenco jazz. Make sure to

catch the last weekend of performances on

the 13th of the month for Indian song and

dance, and the 14th for Arabic music night!

For more info check out www.UrFilez.com


Events

Cheb KhalidCheb Khalid The famous Didi Didi singer, Cheb Khalid, came down for a one

night performance at Arad Fort, as part of the Bahrain Summer

of Music. A great night, with a packed Arad Fort as everyone

danced and swayed to Cheb Khalid’s songs!

Photography by: Mohamed Reza Panahi

Tel +973-36331341


Two rounds of the search for the funniest

person in Bahrain are up! Mixing in stand-up

comedy along with think-fast improv sessions,

Aqua Feugo was filled with laughter and

tears as the contestants for the title of

funniest battled it out in random scenarios

(everything from Who Wants to be a Million-

aire; Indian version, to a cooking show with a

cook who couldn’t use his own hands. Next

shows coming up right after Ramadan!

Events

The Funniest Person The Funniest Person

In Bahrain!In Bahrain!


More Swine

Flu Alerts!

Yup, it seems there have been

more swine flu alerts over the past

month than you can shake a stick

at, and magazines warning every-

one to be careful and take care. Sure, we definitively

encourage good hygiene, but we really do believe

swine flu is nothing more than a strong flu, pushed to

scare everyone else by the newspapers, radio and TV.

Yup, there you have it; the first media report actually

telling you not to worry about it!

Wahoo Waterpark

We got the inside scoop

on the waterpark! Sure, it’s

launch date may have

been delayed a time or

two, but we’ve been inside,

seen the park coming up

and almost ready! A little

bird tells us we should be

splishing and splashing there just after Eid! With 30% of the

waterpark outdoors for the sunny days, 70% indoors for

fun all year long, one of the biggest wave makers in the

Middle East, and a bunch of other surprises makes this a

definite go-to spot!

News

Bahrain NewsBahrain News


Ramadan RamadanRamadan The month of Ramadan is here,

and with it come so many feelings

and emotions; some love it for the

peace and tranquility that it brings,

giving them the chance to worship

more and get closer to Allah. Others

enjoy the late nights out, whether that

includes cruising around the local streets,

seeing the shops buzz with people rushing

to get their Eid clothes, or hanging out in

the local gahwa with a sheesha in hand.

Others enjoy the gathering of the family to

eat, watch TV shows and spend time

together.

Not everyone enjoys the month, however;

some hate it for the stress it puts on their

body, others hate the fact that everyone is in

such a bad mood during the day, and some

don't appreciate the fact that they just can't

grab a Big Mac before sunset. Whichever

one of these people you are, we've listed

some of the many things you can do this

Ramadan to make the month more

enjoyable/beneficial, and some tips on

how to pass the hunger during the day.

Iftar Buffets

Sure, Ramadan is all about spending

time with the family right? True, but

don’t let that stop you from sneaking

out to one of the great Iftar buffets

being held around the country at least

once during the month!

There are quite a lot to choose from,

so you’re spoilt for choice. Check out

Novotel for a beach facing iftar meal,

The Banyan Tree Resort for something

far out in the desert, or Ritz Carlton for

a meal that will fill your stomach and

empty your wallet! All major hotels &

restaurants have iftar buffets, so ask

around!

Mall Hopping

Considering the weather isn’t

that great just, hopping from

one mall to another doesn’t

seem like such a bad idea!

And with all the special

Ramadan happenings at most

malls, the ‘going to the mall’

thing doesn’t seem as boring

as it used to.


Ramadan Sheesha

Not that we encourage smoking, but

the month of Ramadan is usually asso-

ciated with going out to a coffee

shop/gahwa, and ordering a sheesha.

The more modern gahwas include all

sorts of food and drinks, and a lively

environment, while more traditional

ones usually mix the whole thing with a

game of cards or dominoes.

HalaBahrain recommendations? The

obvious Veranda & Bandaira in Adliya,

or for a more traditional setting, check

out Beirut in old-town Manama!

Sleeping/Napping

Probably the most popular Ramadan

pastime of all! Shorter working hours

and long waiting times until iftar

means quite a lot of you decide to hit

the bed for a while!

Not necessarily the true meaning of

Ramadan (as you’re supposed to stay

up and feel the hunger pains to get

how the poor feel, eventually leading

to Zakaa), but honestly, who can resist

a nice comfy bed? We’re split on this!

TV Shows

The only time people actually watch

Bahrain TV, Ramadan is filled with TV

shows that people watch over and

after iftar, prompting weight gain from

eating and not moving.

These Ramadan TV shows usually end

up being either dramas full of exag-

gerated tears and sadness, or silly (not

so funny) comedies, and more

recently Arabic cartoons. Lovely.


Ramadan

Fasting Tips:

• When it is time to break fast, do not over-eat; slow

down, take it easy, and don't push your stomach. This

also goes for eating in general during the non-fasting

hours; if you try to keep your stomach as full as

possible during the evenings, it's going to feel

comparatively very empty in the morning, and you'll

just feel hungrier (especially true for over-eating at

Suhoor time). If you try to make it during the day with

not so much food, your body adjusts, and you'll find it

easier to fast.

• Drink lots of water and fruit juices over the non-fasting

period, to adjust for the periods where you aren't

taking in any fluids. Try to cut down on fruit drinks

(which are technically just flavored water and sugar),

soft-drinks (Coke, Pepsi etc), and other non-natural

beverages, which might actually make you feel more

dehydrated the next day (due to excess amount of

sugar and processed content).

• Avoid fatty and fried foods, which give the illusion of

filling you up. They make you heavy, but within a few

hours you're hungry again. Try to eat more fruits/

vegetables, and natural foods that include fiber,

grains and seeds. Especially useful are:

- Dates; which are an excellent source of sugar, fiber

and carbohydrates

- Almonds; provide protein and fiber with less fat

- Bananas; provide potassium, magnesium and

carbohydrates

• Try to cut down/avoid foods with processed sugar

(especially the sweets we find so many of during

Ramadan). Sugar is important, but it is much better

to get natural sugar from dates and other fruits.

• Also try to avoid salty foods closer to Suhoor time.

These will dry you up and you'll end up feeling very

thirsty the next day (Personal experience; avoid Tikka

late at night!)

• Overall, take it easy on the food, don't overstuff

yourself, and use common sense. Try to take in more

natural foods, to cut-down on processed ones, and

just east wisely. Happy Fasting!


Travel Nepal Nepal By: Manaf Alsabbagh

Tamil District

Tamil district lies in th heart of the capital city of Kathmandu,

built in a valley surrounded by the Himalayan mountains, which

are bigger than Jabel Dakhan (but only slightly). Most of the

hotels in the city can be found in the Tamil district. We found

ours by word of mouth, which was easy as English is widely

spoken in the country. It was off season, so we managed to get

a double bed room for 20 USD!

Without a chance of getting settled, the hotel manager tried to

plan our 5 day journey with packages and special offers. Most

tour guides and store keepers will pursue a sale quite aggres-

sively, so make sure to be strong willed and don't worry about

being a little rough! After we commandeered a map from our

hotel we decided to jump into the smoky streets and get lost in

the city.

Bahraini’s typically have the same summer holiday

destinations (Landaan, Iran, Thailand etc). This issue we

highlight a not-oft visited location: Nepal. Seeking thrills

and adventure, two of our brethren head off to lands

unknown. Here is their tale:

AAAA rriving at the airport with our stuffed backpacks after a

tiring five hour flight, we were soon bombarded by

taxi drivers fighting for our fare “One dollar To Tamil district!”

The trip turned out to be a thirty minute cab ride into the

heart of the city, not too shabby for one buck!


Travel Durban Square

Located South of Tamil, Durban is a Massive

collection of Hindu Temples and idols. It takes about

an hour to walk there, two if you get lost, but its more

fun that way (real men don't ask for directions).

The way there was probably as amazing as the

actual site. The little streets of Kathmandu are its

veins, pulsating with the flow of scooters and bikes,

massive crowds of people and even the occasional

goat or cow! At times, the smell of trash and sewage

get overwhelming and you have to just hold your

breath and walk a little faster. The smells were

probably the most unpleasant part of the trip, but at

the actual sites it's fine.

Finally, we arrived at Durban Square to witness a massive

collection of temples and statues . The scale of this area is

incredible and several freelance guides are available to

take you around, for a small fee of course. We decided to

free style, and it still took us two hours to see everything.

Monkey Temple

The monkey temple is a two hour walk from the Tamil district

including a short river crossing. Upon arrival to the base of

the mountain, the temple's dome was just visible at the

peak. At the base of the mountain, a staircase ascends to

the top.


Travel Several stops on the way up allow you to take a break and

spot monkeys in the trees. Once you reach the top, a

breathtaking view of the capital is visible with massive

mountains surrounding the valley in the backdrop.

At the top of the mountain you will find a group of religious

sites as well as a small town which included a group of tradi-

tional Buddhist monks dressed in red and orange robes.

Chitwan National Park

Chitwan is a large national park about five hours bus ride from

Tamil. There are plenty of tour agents around the city and you

can ask your hotel to help arrange a trip for several days.

Our first stop was a traditional village with roaming livestock,

houses made of branches and farmers. Next stop was the

elephant camp; a short river crossing took us to a group of

about fifteen elephants. One baby elephant was let out of its

pen and allowed to play with all the tourists.

The next day we rode an elephant through the forest for a

couple of hours, and then went trekking in the jungle. After

crossing the river the guide told us to watch out for sloth bears

who stand on two feet and prefer to use their claws on your

face when not biting. He also warned us of rhinos and in case

of an encounter we were instructed to run away in zig zags

while stripping our clothes and leaving them as a distraction

for the rhino. This was a little unsettling, however, he told us

after the boat left which was quite convenient.


Travel

What you need to know:

Visa: issued at airport in Nepal, you need US$

30 cash and passport pictures

Cash: our whole trip was about 400BD,

Including airfare (170BD). Take US

dollars, they are widely accepted, but

make sure to exchange at legitimate

exchangers.

Shots: hepatitis A, Typhoid and what-

ever your local clinic recommends a

good two weeks before your trip.

Later that night we went to a traditional

Nepalese dance with a man in an ostrich suit. It

was strange but he pulled it off. The next morning we

traveled back to Kathmandu.

Shopping

On our last day we just decided to buy presents for the

family (OMG, SHOPPING!!!), so we walked around Tamil

looking for cool stuff. One thing to always remember is to

haggle. Shopkeepers will typically raise their prices 2-4

times if they know you are a foreigner, and expect you to

push them down. There were a lot of great places with

authentic souvenirs and jewelry and cashmere shawls.

On the way back we came across a live band playing in a

rooftop bar / shesha / restaurant. It was an surprisingly good

band but I couldn't tell you how to get there. All in all, the trip

was quite an adventure, we got on the plane sleep deprived

and sore, but I had a renewed sense of vitality I hadn't felt in a

long time.

halabahrain august 2009

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