Page 1493 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1490

1942

reached the town. It was oriental and mediaeval, great walls all round it with towers at intervals & two or
three gates, till a few years ago it was closed at sunset against Arab marauders, on one side of the gardens
& on the other the sea shore. Inside there was a maze of narrow lanes & tall houses, lanes like tunnels
under houses & walking along one stepped in & out of sunshine & darkness. The sook was a long narrow
road with poorly stocked shops, the only road where cars could pass. It was not as dirty as I expected
though many open drains but the people looked unpleasant & unhealthy, every other one had lead eyes
and many were yellow & jaundiced in complexion. Everywhere we were followed by crowds of tiresome
boys all begging & talking American, many greeted Ohliger with "Hello Ohliger" but he didnt seem to mind.

I could have spent a long time there sketching & taking photographs, light & shade effects were fine,
inviting photographs. To my intense sorry all I took turned out dud as I left the back slide shutter open &
the sun got in. We walked all the way round the outside walls always pursued by a crowd. I saw no china in
the shops but feel sure there must be lots there. A wonderful old city. From there we motored on to
Dhammam passing a ruined fortress & lots of gardens. Dhammam is a clean white looking town along the
shore with the remains of a fine old castle on an island in the sea, one walks out over sand at low tide. Had
coffee with Sh Abdulla al Fadl the Govt representative, & his assistant, in a big cool office room overlooking
the sea. Pleasant well bred Arabs & spotlessly dressed in white muslin robes. Sh A was supposed to be
going to Paris as BS's minister. Stayed some time talking to them then drove back along the coast road to al
Khobar, in the evening sun it looked like a stretch of the Dorset coast, still alot of green vegetation &

stretches of pinkish yellow sand, a very pleasant strip of country & a fine oiled road.

The country is very different to Bn, there is none of the stale looking damp soil that one sees in Manama,
sand in most places & stretches of sebukah but a fresh dry feeling in the air. Its a fine country & I should
like to see a great deal more of it.

Saturday 9th August

After breakfast drove with a pleasant young American down into the sand dunes south of Al Khobar, typical
sand desert, curving yellow dunes sharp at the top, occasional scraps of vegetation & palms, no people.
Came to a delightful bay surrounded by sand dunes where the company people bathe & fish, for those who
like me are fond of just sea & desert it is fine country. Came back & did a sort of tour of the camps seeing
kitchens, store & mess rooms & club. Had coffee in the mess hall & then drove down to call on the Amir
who was rather more chatty, but I dont like him. Then to the pier & off by launch taking

2 1/2 hours to Manama.