Some of the Aloe Vera flowers are looking rather spent. The bulbuls love their nectar and regularly visit the garden to hang on the Aloe’s stalk while they suck the nectar out. I’m still to get a good picture of this delicate operation…
Regardless, have a wonderful Friday everyone!
We thought we would go to a special and different dinner to celebrate our daughter Amna’s 18th birthday a few nights ago and decided to go to the oldest Japanese restaurant in Bahrain; Sato at the Gulf Hotel. As it was mid-week, it wasn’t difficult to get a table.
We were received on arrival by the maitre d’ and led to one of their Japanese rooms where you sit at the table with your legs in a hole beneath it giving you the impression that you’re actually sitting on the floor Japanese-(or Arab)-style but you’re actually just sitting “normally”.
As the restaurant wasn’t that busy, we were soon attended to and placed our orders. We were all looking forward to a nice quality family night. Unfortunately, Sato’s had other plans.
I must admit that our knowledge of Japanese food is minimal. I prefer some kinds of sushi and teriyaki, but couldn’t tell you the contents nor do I know all the names; however, the minimally explained menu somewhat indicated what we can expect to get. We all stuck to the teriyaki side of the house that night, thinking better be safe than sorry. Amna, probably did the best thing and chose a set menu.
We chatted a bit after placing our order thinking that – as in a normal restaurant of its ilk – the order will take a while to arrive – something I generally enjoy – but I was mistaken. No sooner than the drinks were served then the first course arrived. Amna’s course, that is, while everyone else was left waiting much longer to get theirs. One would have thought that the arrival of food for all patrons at the table would be coordinated; not this one. That mish-mash of mis-coordination was symptomatic of the whole evening, leaving us at various stages of dinner, capped by them forgetting to bring my main course until almost everyone had finished!
That could all be forgiven of course had the food at least been acceptable. It was far from it.
I don’t think you will find me at that restaurant again by choice. If I ever want to enjoy Japanese food again, I would be much better served by picking up a Japanese meal from Al-Osra and enjoy it at my own pace rather than be hurried and harried as we have been at Sato’s. What a disappointment.
As if that was in any doubt whatsoever.
What are they going to achieve is preordained of course; here’s a glimpse:
Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations grudgingly agreed Friday to attend next week’s U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference, despite failing to get any guarantee of Israeli concessions.
See, this is politics, it is the art of the possible and reaching consensus. You give what you’re told and receive nothing in return.
No one can ever accuse us Arabs of not being generous.
Reminds me of that famous haiku poem which went like this:
Good luck guys, may the force be with you.
With our best wishes to Eyad Ebrahim and his fiancée on their nuptials and new life together. May you both bring much joy and security to each other and be blessed with however many children you wish for.
Congratulations my friend and may Allah bless this union.
I had three of these rather unassuming looking (without their flowers that is) climbers which I planted on a trellis on my Northern Border. One died and the other two didn’t seem to be doing anything. But a few weeks ago they “woke up” and this week I noticed that one of them had flowered and only in the last couple of days its buds have started to open. Very exotic indeed and very nice to look at.
I can’t wait for them to cover that wall and have hundreds of these flowers all over it too. I probably have to wait for one or two more years to reach that stage, but I am sure it will be well worth the wait.
Have a wonderful Friday, weekend AND I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving my friends.
Stay in peace.
