Bahrain trip - June 2015
After working in Saudi Arabia for a 6 month period, our company sent us to Bahrain for a visa run, where we spent a lovely 10 days exploring downtown Manama, the Bahrain fort museum, the Coral Bay corniche, and the marina ... whilst waiting for our visa .... which in the end never came, but nevertheless a fantastic all paid trip in the jewel of the Gulf. Even though it's small, cramped and always bustling with activity, there are many mini hide-outs of peace and calm to escape to on the island. Bahrain is a mixture of modern and old, traditional and progressive, superficial and authentic, a place where everyone can find something to satisfy his or her travel taste buds.
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| Manama Marina |
About Bahrain
The Kingdom of Bahrain is a small island country situated near the western shores of the Persian Gulf in the Middle East. It is an archipelago with Bahrain Island, the largest land mass, at 55 km long by 18 km wide. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway.
King Fahd Causeway & entering Manama
Bahrain is linked with KSA by a series of causeways and bridges that span across the ocean. The four-lane road is 25 km long and approximately 23 m wide.
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| Taking pics while driving on the causeway |
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King Fahd Causeway
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King Fahd Causeway
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| As you enter Bahrain |
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| As you enter Bahrain |
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| As you enter Bahrain |
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| As you enter Bahrain |
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| As you enter Bahrain |
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| Bahrain World Trade Centre |
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| As you enter Bahrain |
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| As you enter Bahrain |
We stayed at the Holiday Bahrain Hotel, which is located in Downtown Manama, about 5 minutes’ walk from the beach. The room is elegantly furnished with air-conditioning a small seating area with a sofa, a flat-screen TV, a wardrobe and a fridge. The hotel has a gym, and there is free Wi-Fi in all areas.
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| Ansu in the gym |
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| Having breakfast |
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| View from our room |
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| Coffee in the lounge |
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| View from our room |
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| Hotel dessert |
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| Hotel dessert |
Bahrain street scenery
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| Downtown Manama |
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| Downtown Manama |
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| Downtown Manama |
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| Downtown Manama |
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| Ansu - Downtown Manama |
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| Downtown Manama |
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| Baskin Robbins - Downtown Manama |
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| Ansu enjoying B & R ice-cream |
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| B & R ice-cream |
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| Ansu enjoying B & R ice-cream |
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| Downtown Manama |
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| Main road - Manama |
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| Street scenery near Holiday Inn hotel - Downtown Manama |
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| One of the many fly-overs |
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| Downtown Manama at night |
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| Manama |
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| Downtown Manama at night |
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| Near our hotel - Downtown Manama |
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| Restaurant near our hotel - Downtown Manama |
Bahrain architecture and skyline
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| Bahrain World Trade Centre |
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| Flashy car |
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| Saudi man getting into a taxi - In front of the Bahrain city center mall |
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| Saudi man getting into a taxi - In front of the Bahrain city center mall |
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| Bahrain skyline |
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| Bahrain skyline |
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| Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain |
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| Bahrain skyline |
The Qal'at al-Bahrain (Bahrain fort museum)
The Qal'at al-Bahrain, also known as the Bahrain Fort or Fort of Bahrain and previously as the Portugal Fort (Qal'at al Portugal) is an archaeological site located in Bahrain, on the Arabian Peninsula. Archaeological excavations carried out since 1954 have unearthed antiquities from an artificial mound of 12 m height, containing 7 stratified layers, created by various occupants from 2300 BC up to the 18th century, including Kassites, Greeks, Portuguese and Persians. It was once the capital of the Dilmun civilization and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 (Wikipedia).
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| Bahrain fort museum - Coffee shop & beach |
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| Bahrain fort museum - Coffee shop & beach |
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| Bahrain fort museum - view of beach |
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| Bahrain fort museum - Coffee shop & fort ruins |
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| Bahrain fort museum - view of beach from coffee shop |
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| Bahrain fort museum - sunset view |
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| Bahrain fort museum - sunset view |
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| Little oasis next to coffee shop |
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| Tea at the Coffee shop |
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| Bahrain fort museum - Coffee shop & fort ruins |
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| Carrot cake |
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| Bahrain fort museum - View of ocean sitting at the coffee shop |
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| Bahrain fort museum - View of ocean sitting at the coffee shop |
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| Bahrain fort museum - View of ocean sitting at the coffee shop |
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| Bahrain fort museum - View of Bahrain skyline towards the back of the coffee shop |
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| Bahrain fort museum - Coffee shop |
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| Bahrain fort museum - Coffee shop |
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| Bahrain fort museum - Coffee shop |
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| Sunset view of ocean through entrance |
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| Sunset ocean view from the coffee shop |
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| Sunset ocean view from the coffee shop |
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| Coffee shop from fort ruin area |
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| Ansu and I - Bahrain fort museum |
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| Ansu - Bahrain fort museum |
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| Ansu - Bahrain fort museum |
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| Ocean view from Coffee-shop |
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| Ocean and beach view from Coffee-shop |
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| Coffee shop seating area |
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| Coffee shop from fort ruins area |
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| Coffee shop & Bahrain skyline from fort ruins area |
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| Coffee shop & Bahrain skyline from fort ruins area |
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| Bahrain skyline from fort ruins area |
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| Bahrain skyline from fort ruins area |
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| Fort Ruins |
Bahrain City Centre mall
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| Mall interior |
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| Mall interior |
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| Ralph Lauren shop |
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| Mall interior |
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| Paul Patisserie |
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| Mall interior |
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| Eating ice-cream at Baskin Robbins |
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| Steak at the Butcher Brothers, a SA franchise |
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| Ansu - Butcher Brothers |
Waterfront development
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| Corniche with the lakeside view |
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| Lakeside view and jetty |
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| Corniche |
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| Girl reading |
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| Jetty |
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| Bahrain skyline |
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| Crossing a pedestrian bridge towards corniche |
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| Corniche jetty |
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| Corniche jetty |
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| Corniche jetty |
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| Bahrain skyline from corniche |
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| Bahrain jetty, ocean & skyline from the corniche |
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| Bahrain skyline from the corniche |
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| Bahrain jetty, ocean & skyline from the corniche |
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| Bahrain skyline from the corniche |
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| The theme park at the corniche |
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| Bumper cars - Theme park at the corniche |
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| At the Corniche beach |
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| Corniche beach |
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| Ansu on the corniche |
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| Corniche beach |
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| Corniche |
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| On the corniche with marina behind me |
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| View of marina and Coral Bay resort |
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| View of marina and Coral Bay resort |
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| Rich and poor - Corniche scenery |
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| Ships model on display - Coral Bay lobby |
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| Coral Bay lobby |
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At Rayes Restaurant - Coral Bay
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| Lebanese food - Rayes Restaurant, Coral Bay |
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| Mint smoothie - Rayes Restaurant - Coral Bay |
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| Lebanese starter - Rayes Restaurant, Coral Bay |
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| Lebanese dish we had - Rayes Restaurant, Coral Bay |
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| Lebanese dish we had - Rayes Restaurant, Coral Bay |
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| Fruit salad desert - Rayes Restaurant, Coral Bay |
Marina walk
One day I decided to explore the area near our hotel on foot. I stumbled upon a marina. I could see that if I crossed the Muharraq bridge I could walk along the marina back to the hotel in a circular route. It was late afternoon and I could take beautiful pics of the setting sun over the marina. The walk took about 3 hours.
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Crossing the Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain
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| On the Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain |
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| Bahrain skyline from Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain |
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| Bahrain skyline from Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain |
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| Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain |
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| Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain |
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| Bahrain skyline from Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain |
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| Bahrain skyline from Muharraq Bridge - Bahrain |
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| Corniche along the marina |
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| Marina scenery with Bahrain skyline in the background |
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| Marina scenery with Bahrain skyline in the background |
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| Corniche along the marina |
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| Corniche along the marina |
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| Marina scenery with Bahrain skyline in the background |
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| Marina scenery with Bahrain skyline in the background |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina at sunset |
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| Marina jetty at sunset |
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| Marina jetty at sunset |
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| Fishing boat |
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| Marina with Bahrain skyline in the background |
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| Marina jetty at sunset |
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| Dhows in the bay at sunset |
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| Dhows in the bay at sunset |
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| Bay & Bahrain skyline |
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| Bay & Bahrain skyline |
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| Bay with Muharraq bridge in the background |
Eating & restaurants
Asian food
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| Enjoying fried dumplings at an Asian restaurant |
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| Korean food |
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| Sushi - California rolls |
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| Fried pork? |
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| Our waitress at the Asian restaurant |
Indian food
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| Indian dish |
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| Indian restaurant menu |
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| Fried fish & seafood |
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| Spring rolls |
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| Indian dish |
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| Done deal |
Moroccan cuisine
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| Moroccan restaurant in Manama we ate at |
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| Ansu at Dar Al Tajine restaurant |
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Lamb chops, Moroccan style
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