What do you do after such packed days in Manama? Plan another one of course! While we were looking up what to do in Manama we came up on a very interesting idea. Of course, my partner loves doing strange/interesting things. He had to do a lot of research as to where to go exactly, and he also had to plan our next steps after Bahrain, so we are pretty late leaving the hotel. So late that Beit Al Quran is already closed, unfortunately for us Saturdays are the day that it closes earlier than other days. Next time!

So, we have to get to Muharraq Island, and we have two options. Figure out the busses, or walk. Although we love public transit, you can imagine which option my partner took. Off we go! 

So to get to Al Muharraq we have to cross a bridge/roadway, meaning we get another look back at the Bahrain National Theatre (you’ll hopefully remember it from two days ago at night) and then we can look back at “downtown” Manama. 

But in no time we’re on the other side, and I think they rolled out the welcome mat just for us!

Now on to the main show. Welcome to the Pearling Path Visitor and Experience Centre. 

So, why would we come here? Reason one, cause we want to. Reason two, because it’s cool. Reason three (and the reason that validates reasons one and two), it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. But, how could that be? We also wondered the same thing. We had never been to a “path” that was a UNESCO site, so we obviously had to check it out. It’s official name is ‘Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy’. 

From this sign you can gather a lot of information, and it is important that you take a picture of this map if you plan to do the whole path as it is a 3.5 km path that winds through the alleys of historic Muharraq and you want to avoid getting lost. Well… “getting lost” should be pretty hard as the whole path is illuminated by streetlights, or so the sign says. 

We go around the outside of the building, and then realize that the entrance was where we started and it’s a HUGE door. We go inside and look around. Here there’s a lot of information about the Pearling Path and interesting infographics. Let’s try to convey some of the information!

First we will show you this map. We’ve never seen a map like this, but all places must have one. It’s a city plan for Muharraq with all the permitted work that can be done to the different buildings in the area. We know that this is important for the historic area, but it’s also important to ensure you keep your UNESCO status. 

From the map you can tell that they’re taking the conservation of this area seriously, and there are signs explaining each specific conservation effort they’re making. The most interesting to us is the multi storey parking lots because they’re being built on the outsides of the neighbourhood to allow for residents to have free parking while retaining the mainly pedestrian environment within the neighbourhood itself. Why can’t more places do that sort of thing?

Anyway, what actually is the Pearling Path? The Pearling Path is a winding path that goes through Muharraq and connects various aspects of the Bahraini pearling industry together. The pearling industry has been happening in Bahrain for over 7,000 years, with the peak of this trade being captured at several spots along the path (16 historical structures, 400 houses along the path with upgraded façades, 17 public squares, and 2 visitor centres).

The pearling industry was a huge industry throughout the Arabian/Persian Gulf (as we’ve seen and mentioned in other countries) but Bahrain claims to be the regional hub for the industry. People from around the Gulf would come to Bahrain to test their abilities and see if they could earn their livelihoods. Usually when people think of pearling it’s just the divers themselves that are remembered, but a lot more people were involved and depended on the industry; merchants, creditors, boat owners and makers, captains, divers, haulers, and sail makers. And that’s only locally, that doesn’t include everyone in Europe and India that made money off of the pearling trade in Bahrain as pearls were sent to these international markets.

However, as we believe we mentioned in other countries, this all came crashing down when Japan successfully started harvesting cultured pearls in the early 1900s. This brought the economies of many Gulf countries down until they discovered oil (or gas), with Bahrain discovering oil in 1932.

After all of this information we were ready to get going! But then the security guard came to ask us a few questions because they’re collecting statistics on the visitors to the site. He was shocked by the stats we gave him. He was then super, super interested in our travels and also absolutely loves football. We stayed there talking to him for an hour. We told him about our trip so far and our plans to continue the trip, about the World Cup, and all about the countries we’ve been to in the past. He told us about his life in his home country of Kenya and what life was like for him as a migrant worker in Bahrain. Unfortunately for him things hadn’t worked out as well as he had been promised before coming to Bahrain, so he was waiting to finish his contract and then go back home. One of his main pain points was the high cost of living in Bahrain, something we had noticed from the value of their currency and the cost of certain things while we’ve been here. 

All of a sudden he realized how much time had passed while we were talking and asked us what we had already visited along the Pearling Path. When we told him this was our first stop he told us to hurry to the castle because it was closing soon! He took our information, and hopefully he is reading this as it was great speaking to him! 

But with that, we’ve got to run! We take a quick picture at the back of the Visitor and Experience Centre of what we believe to be the Sidayi shops, part of Suq al Qaysariya.

And then my partner started to hurry. We did not follow the Path because we didn’t want to go through any winding alleyways to reach the start/endpoint or else we may not arrive in time. But we did find the lights that will guide us while we walk along the Path. Just like pearls! It’s these little details that we really enjoy while travelling. 

And then we found the walkway to get to our “starting” point. 

It’s already getting late, but we made it just in time. Welcome to Qal’at Bū Māhir!

This fort used to be a four-towered fort that guarded the narrow channel between Muharraq and the main island where Manama is located. It was also used to guard the fresh water source of the people of Muharraq. However, the majority of the fort was destroyed by the British in 1868. We didn’t go inside (not sure if you can) because we were told that it closed at 4:30 pm, and we arrived at 4:18 pm. Instead we entered the visitor centre to read some more about the Pearling Path.

The visitor centre was pretty interesting. It had small models of all of the buildings that you will encounter while on the Pearling Path with descriptions of each. We will try to explain the buildings we’re able to find while we’re walking around. 

Then it was outside to stop number 1 of the Path (the fort is stop number 2), Bū Māhir Seashore. 

Not only is it a panoramic view of Manama, but it also was typically the last solid ground that many pearl divers stood on before embarking for the pearling season, and the first solid ground they stood on when they returned. This made it an important place for the pearling industry and many festivals for the departure (al-rakbah) and return (al-quffāl) of the pearlers were celebrated here.

With stop number one done, we can officially start the Pearling Path. We will follow it along the marked alleyways from here until the end, as long as we don’t get lost. So let’s go for a walk. 

Stop number 2? Of course you know it’s the fort, this time with the sun a little lower. 

Then it’s back across the busy roadway and back into the residential area of Muharraq. 

So we’re walking and walking, we turn this way and that way, but we’re always confident in the way we’re going. We have time, and we have great guides through the alleyways. 

We just keep “blindly” following the lights around Muharraq. Ever advancing more into Muharraq. Sometimes we pass the little parks we had read about before. 

While other times we pass actual landmark buildings, like Al-Alawi House.

This is the house of a merchant that would supply supplies to the pearling dhows. It used to be much, much closer to the water before land reclamations. It is a good example of the wealth of the “middle class” that was derived from the pearling trade. Architecturally the house is interesting because it is one of only two examples of a working wind tower in Muharraq, the big tower above the building used to cool the house below during the hot summer months.

Not only are there lights literally lighting the way to take along the path, you can also follow the above signs. From the Qal’at Bu Mahir the Siyadi Majlis is the end of the Path, so we keep going this way (the opposite direction is also signed).

Next stop? The Murad House and Murad Majlis. 

This house and meeting room (separated by the mosque you can see) belong to the Murad family, a family of pearl traders. They’re the best remaining example of this type of structure in Muharraq (and reminds us of the one we visited in Sharjah). They also show the economic standing of the pearl traders, especially because the meeting room is supposed to be well decorated (we didn’t enter) to host male guests and where pearl sales/purchases are negotiated.

Then we continue and pass through the market and close to the first visitor centre we had stopped at earlier in the day. We didn’t stop to take anymore pictures here, but we did film a bit. Then we continued on until we stumbled across this. 

Not entirely sure what this is… we didn’t notice any signs or anything along the outside, but it seemed like some sort of museum. Who knows. Another 15 minutes of walking and then we saw a bit of street art and a water garden. 

Then we reached a decision point at these pearls. Do we go left, or do we go right? The lights continue in both directions… hmmmm….

Then we clued in to the fact that it was because this was the start of a loop and we could go either way. We went left though. And with that we made it to the end of the Pearling Path by finding the Siyadi Mosque.

The Siyadi family were grand pearl merchants, the top class of pearl merchants. As such they were extremely wealthy and owned their own pearling fleet. As such, they were guaranteed income every season and were able to accumulate such wealth as to build the Siyadi Complex, of which we only pictured the mosque. 

Well, with that we’re done the Pearling Path! As you can tell, it’s pretty dark out now, so we should get moving. As we finish the loop to start going back along the Path we cross our last park of the Path. 

But then we don’t really follow the Path for much longer. Our bridge back to the main island isn’t too far off, and my partner has walked enough for today (or so we thought). So, let’s head back towards the gate with all the Bahraini flags that we saw at the start of the explorations today. On our way back we passed through a colourful parking lot, but that was it that we saw other than some sweet shops. 

Then it was back on the bridge and across to the main island, stopping to look at the skyline and the Bahrain National Theatre, of course. 

Remember how I said my partner had had enough walking for today? Apparently not. He didn’t turn towards the hotel, instead he went north. Where? To The Avenues. 

This is a public space where many people supposedly come enjoy their evenings, and we did see quite a few people enjoying picnics and such, but maybe it’s not so popular because of all of the construction. 

But what they’re building will be epic. It really seems like Bahrain is experience a construction boom right now. 

We won’t get to see it, but we actually came all the way over here just to get this one picture. The Bahrain World Trade Centre. Very impressive. 

But that’s that. With all of the construction we get turned around trying to get back towards “downtown” Manama and end up walking even more than expected. Eventually we will make it back, don’t worry. We can tell we’re getting close when we see a mosque that we recognize from our explorations yesterday. 

Which means we’re close to Bab Al Bahrain again. 

Look at you, you’re recognizing landmarks in Bahrain now. It’s like you’ve been here with us! 

Well… there’s not much left to do today but walk back to the hotel. 

We see some art along the street in front of another church and then we see our last mosque of the day. 

Well… now time for some much needed rest. We take one final look out of our window to see Manama for the last time at night and head to bed for what may be another long (but good!) day tomorrow! You can see how far we walked from the Bahrain World Trade Centre off in the distance. Good night from Manama!