It's come to this...

The definition of "public park" in Bahrain is vastly different from any idea of a public park that I normally have. The few places to walk outside are dirt paths alongside busy streets. So awhile back, I discovered a huge, empty parking lot that belongs to a new amusement park being constructed right now. The amusement park was not yet open, so the parking lot was always empty. In fact, the entrance was barricaded with a guard standing by, but we would park at the gas station across the way and push the stroller over and the guard would let us enter by foot and the three of us would have this parking lot to ourselves-- with the exception of the workers, who thought we were crazy since I know they'd never seen a family in there walking for recreation.

The other day, we decided to walk around there again, since the weather has been comfortable enough to walk out in the open without any shade, but it was a different guard and he was strict! He wouldn't let us in, no matter what.

We were bummed and drove home, since the only other place to walk would have been the mall, but it was the weekend and the mall would be shoulder-to-shoulder crowded. On the way home Jeff said, "Can you believe we're disappointed we can't walk around a parking lot?"

Um no, actually I can't, gee how our perspective (and standards) have changed!