2:30 am, and we are back at the Bahrain National Museum for the screening of the short films. I dozed off and my partner next to me kept nudging me from time to time to my dismay. I asked her later, why did she do so ? and she replied that she feared the sound of my snoring filling the auditorium.
Next up, the tour of the museum, I had done this before a couple of times, but this time there was someone from the Museum to take us around and show us the important exhibits.
The tour ended and we assembled in Darseen Cafe for the last act, a performance by a Bahraini ensemble “Harmony”. Melodious, sombre and captivating, this act was the highlight of the event. 5 am and I excuse myself to the parking to get my tripod, to be shutter ready for dawn. Glimpsing time to time looking out for the first light and when it finally arrives I am the first out the door. Slowly I am joined by many others marvelling at the beautiful autumn hues.
Back at the cafe, the crowd has moved outdoors with a gentlemen from Egypt playing his morning tunes. We are lucky to catch the last table and serve ourselves some breakfast. Some of the other guests including Dr Ali, an advisor to the Minister of Culture sing extempore. Despite the lack of sleep, we somehow didn’t feel like leaving. Spent another good hour enjoying the random chanting of music, felt like a group of friends sitting together over a bonfire and singing in abandon.
7:40 am we finally make a move, the cleaners are at it shining the museum for another day, they wish us good morning wondering who these visitors inside before the opening time. Our sincere thanks to the Ministry of Culture, Bahrain and all the organisers of this events for making it one of the most memorable evenings. Hope it is a recurrent event every year.