Hitting the beach at Amwaj Islands

  Manama, Bahrain
Saturday, May 24, 2008

  So many new islands are being built here, the shape of tiny Bahrain on a map is changing every year.  But yesterday, we were on the hunt for a good beach to take a dip in the sea.  We headed out to the newly man-made Amwaj Islands which is close to the airport and right next door to another man-made island development Kane is working on. 
There was little shelter from the sun, but the water was a perfect temperature and the sand was soft and welcoming.  The view was also stunning as long as you looked straight ahead of you, and not to either side where endless construction and debris taints the view.  Siena was scared of the water, holding my hand the whole time, which was disconcerting to Kane and I since our kids have been beachcombers from birth. 
In fact, both Eva and Sidney have been to so many beaches that they now are quite picky. "Mom, can we go to a beach without any rubbish on it?" Eva asks.  Sidney pipes up, "Where I went last week with my friend was really nice, mum, there was a beach and a big pool too!  Can't we go there?"  Well, of course it was nice honey, it was the Ritz Carlton!
Despite not quite finding a weekend idyll, the kids made the most of being on the beach: searching for elusive crabs, watching schools of fish, swimming and snorkeling.  Even Chloe had her first dip in the sea and she smiled and "gooed" the whole time.  The kids left knackered from the sun and play and we all felt dosed up on some vitamin D!