sandragahlinger.typepad.com > Hub's Apt in Bahrain

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain living room from front door

This is the view from the very wide front door - much wider than American doors - by about a foot. (I'll have to measure.)

Our entire apartment in Rhode Island would fit into the living room...and I'm not exaggerating. What you're not seeing in this picture is that the living room extends to the left - that's where the dining table sits.

This picture gives a good view of the floors...they are a light colored stone streaked with white. Cool to the touch, and I'm sure designed to keep the heat at bay.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain living room to front door

I keep trying to get photos of the whole room...what I've done is taken separate pictures to try to give you different perspectives.

You can see the dining table - amassed with books at the moment. Both hubs and I like to read...he's a much more prolific reader than I am. (I've always been a somewhat slow reader.)

Just behind the dining table is the balcony.

The sofa is sectional - again, very modern, masculine lines.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain living room view 3

Here's another view of the living room....and a better view of the sofa. The kitchen is to the left in the picture.

The tv - a large, flat screen - was also furnished as was the DVD player.

TV service is also included but hubs has never bothered to hook up the wires so that he can watch it. (I've mentioned before that we don't have tv - and hubs has never had tv service...so it's not a priority for him.)

He watched DVDs instead - current favorites of his are Family Guy and Robot Chicken (definitely boy humor).

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain from living room to kitchen

Here's a view of the kitchen fully furnished with appliances - coffee pot, blender, toaster. Hubs hadn't pulled out any of them until I arrived...got to have my coffee!

The fridge, stove and microwave are all stainless steel. The microwave and oven are over under next to the fridge and the cooktop is a flat top - I find them much easier to clean.

Counters are marble looking, and the cabinets are well-designed. I'll have to take some pictures of the cabinet arrangement...things we don't often see in the US but which I can see are quite practical.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain half bathroom

This bathroom is the first door on the left in the hallway, right next the the living room.

Love all the room around the sink, and I like that the toilet area is separate from the sink and can be closed off with the door.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain BR1

I haven't yet checked the view out of the window in this bedroom.

This is the guest bedroom where friends from hubs' work stay when they're in town.

I use this bathroom to do my make-up as the light is better...the light over the sink in the master bath is out.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain BR2

This bedroom is furnished with a computer and desk - again, both came with the apartment.

Each bedroom, this one included has its own full bathroom - none as large as that of the master bedroom, but it still makes this apartment 3 Br, 3 1/2 bath.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain Hallway

This is a view down the hallway - a wider hallway than you'd typically see in the US.

At the end of the hallway is the living room. You can see the door to the kitchen pantry through the opening at the very end.

On the sides are the doors to the 2 other bedrooms. The brown sliver closest on the left is a partial view to the laundry room door....where the lid to the washing machine is waiting for me to figure out how to open it.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain Balcony view 1

I'm dying to sit out on the balcony and read, write and drink coffee.

On the morning I took this picture - the first morning I was here, it was a bit nippy believe it or not, and that's why I chose to come back inside.

I didn't even check to see how dirty the balcony furniture is.

Judging from the windows in the bedroom, I imagine the furniture will require some hosing down before they'd be fit to sit in.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain Balcony view 2

This si the view to the right from the balcony. The mosque is in this direction.

Lots of construction going on in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The area - or district - where hubs lives - as do many Americans - is called Juffair (joo-fair or juh-fair). The locals call it "little New York" because of all the Americans as for the sky line - it resembles that of NY a bit when viewed from teh causeway.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain enter MBR

This is a view walking into the Master Bedroom. (That's my orange luggge on the floor.) The curtains open up to the building next door. When you see these windows, you can tell how quickly the dirt acucmulates here. The windows on this side are grimy.

I find it interesting that there are no screens. I opened the window last night so I could better hear the call for evening prayers. (The mosque isn't far from here...we'll be visiting it Saturday.)

When I opened the window and stuck my head out, I realized it was a straight drop down...no screen, no safety net. Perhaps they don't open windows here because of the dirt/sand/dust.

It'd be hard to keep clean. (Be kind of like the grime that accumulated in my place in San Diego after the fires...impossible to keep clean, but we opened the windows due to no AC...never needed it in Coronado.)

They have AC in the apartment here...although at this time of year, the temp is comfortable, and in fact, i was going ot sit on teh balcony yesterday morning, but found it too cool in the shade to be comfortable. So, I came back in.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain MBR view 2

The ceilings are at least 15 feet. I love tall ceilings as they provide a sense of open space which I equate with freedom.

That's the reason I like to live in old buildings like our place in Newport....high ceilings. The high ceilings also help to keep things cool as heat rises.

Notice also the closets - or lack thereof. Thus, the armoire.

The decor of the place is very clean and modern...hasa very masculine feel.

The far wall has a dark, taupey beige color and the other three walls have a Tuscan-ish yellow color. I find that the darker wall seems to "disappear" giving the room an even more open feel.

The floors are a beige stone with streaks of white. The floors have a marble look to them. The stone is very cool to the touch - and I'm sure were chosen not only for the look, but also for the ability to keep things "cool".

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain MBR view 3

The bed is a platform bed...the apartment came fully furnished.

Hubs provided some extra bedding and some towels. (I had to go purchase a wash cloth yesterday...didn't come with those. Boys never notice if wash cloths are missing...at least I've noticed that mine doesn't notice.)

I'm currently working on the pile of laundry in the corner...not too bad knowing my hubs.

Actually, I had started on the laundry and am currently at a standstill because I can't figure out how to open the lid to the washing machine. (It was open when I went to the laundry room - which is also in the apartment itself. Like I said, this place is quite large.)

The washer and dryer look the same...just can't figure out how to open that lid.

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain Master Bath

The bathroom is HUGE!!!

I love it!

I love the tile...and I also like that they grout in between the tiles is darker, a grayish brown color....this would make it easier to clean - although I have noticed that the grout around the tub, in the shower area - has white film in places.

Figures - white grout turns gray-brown and brownish grout turns white...grass is always greener I suppose.

The tub is yummy. I went to the NEX yesterday to pick up some candles...there's a flat shelf area around the tub just begging for some candles.

Forgot to get matches - should be easy to get when I pop out today. Smoking seems popular amongst the Arabs.

There's a bidet - think that's what it is. (Hubs was using it to hold his shaving bag...I moved the bag next to the sink.) Teh bidet is clean - never been used as the apartment is brand new. But still, I found it a bit disturbing to have hygenic, self-care products sitting in the bidet.

It's probably just me.

I'll say it again...I'm LOVING the bathroom! (This bathroom would fit three of ours from Rhode Island.)

Hub's Apartment in Bahrain toilet

Hubs finds it interesting to see what I'm interested in...this toilet for example. It may seem strange, but there's a reason why I fancy this flusher.

The reason - aside from aesthetics - is that there's no ridges and folds in the design underneath the bowl. You know the area I'm talking about. It's that area that's a pain in the butt to clean.

The design on this toilet is genius! And it's genius because it's a straigit up and down rectangular design - easy to clean. No ridges.

The only thing I don't like about it is the minimal amount of water inside the bowl. It'd be okay if there were stronger water pressure when flushing. Without the water in the bowl and without the stronger water pressure...how shall I say this delicately - certain things don't get "washed down" appropriately....which leaves "residue" in the bowl. Yuck.

Come to think of it...perhaps that's the reason for the spray hose that's at the side of the toilet.

If you click on the picture, you should be able to see that there's a spray hose to the left of the toilet. I bet that's why it's there!