Hello. Marhaba.

The first half of the team and me have spent already the first week in Bahrain, whose capital city is called Manama. We're five at the moment: the director, Javier as the project officer, a Polish girl, a British guy and me. At the first gate in the airport right after getting off the plane there was already someone from the Ministry waiting for us to sort out our visas and give us the first good impression of the hospitality of this tiny country. A very funny and kind man. We got on the mini bus which drove us along the north of the island and across Manama's financial area. The first impression of the city was magnificent with all the buildings and towers illuminated by impressive colours (it was already dark). We arrived to the house, old and moderately dirty like every archaeologists' house (it's been used by other expeditions), and we had time to just have some dinner and go to sleep. We were here: Bahrain was starting!

The house is located to the north of the island, like 95% of the population of this country, in a small village though not far from Manama at all. The site is in Muharraq, another island where the airport is located. It is in the town, with plenty of shops and bars next door, everything we may need. After only one week, we've already made some friends, locals who are curious, the guy in whose shop we buy the cold drinks, the old men who spend the whole day sitting on the street chatting... Whereas Manama is a modern city with high towers, offices, Westerners, bars, clubs, etc. Muharraq is much more authentic and traditional, dirty, dodgy, dark at night, plenty of alleys... Extremely interesting and exciting. I promise to write more about it. The work on site has already started and we've done some progress in the first few days. We also have already started to explore the city to do some shopping for the site and we want to take advantage of the cars to visit some places but we have hardly started so there is no point in telling you about it because there will be many other chances and more interesting anecdotes the next few weeks as we get to know it better. I know you would like to see photos and I will try to post more than usual as long as I am in Bahrain but I have just settled in, so give me time please.

So far so good. The people are very nice, those from the Ministry are extremely helpful and they make sure that we have everything we need, the society is pretty open and tolerant, the city is less luxurious than others in the Gulf like Kuwait, Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi, more authentic. Bahrain doesn't depend on the oil like its neighbours, but in the finances. However, it is the first country in the area where they drilled the first oil well. If we have to think about a bad thing that's the extremely high temperatures that we are having with the lowest above 30°C and the highest almost as high as 40°C. The air conditioning helps a lot and it is everywhere but on site, where we have few shady areas and have to work most of the day under the sun. Anyway, it is what I expected and I am well equipped to avoid sunburns and sun-strokes. The engines are started, I am just arrived: marhaba Bahrain.