Our 8-day Middle East cruise in the Persian Gulf began on
December 8, 2024. After checking out from our hotel in the morning, we took an
Uber to the Doha Cruise Terminal. It was my first time using Uber, and we had
trouble finding the driver because the location “Souq Waqif Metro Station” on
the map pointed to a huge parking lot. The driver was actually waiting on the
other side of the metro station since he wasn’t allowed to enter the parking
area. Anyway, the 15-minute ride cost me QAR 17.27 (CAD 6.89).
我們的 8 天波斯灣中東郵輪之旅於 2024 年 12 月
8 日開始。早上辦理完退房後，我們搭
Uber 前往多哈郵輪碼頭。這是我第一次叫
Uber，但因為地圖上標示的「Souq
Waqif 地鐵站」面向一大片停車場，我們和司機花了一番功夫才找到彼此。司機其實在地鐵站另一側等我們，他無法進入停車場。總之，這
15 分鐘的車程花了我
17.27 里亞爾（約 6.89 加幣）。
Once I arrived at the Doha Cruise Terminal, I couldn’t wait
to board MSC Euribia, the newest ship I have cruised on so far. MSC
Euribia entered service in June 2023 and is currently the 15th-largest cruise
ship in the world, with a tonnage of 184,011 and a maximum capacity of 6,335
passengers.
Normally, staterooms on new ships are more expensive, but I
paid only CAD 1,072.31 for an oceanview stateroom—about CAD 134 per day. MSC
even upgraded us to a balcony stateroom. However, based on my experience, if
side-by-side rooms are requested, MSC may automatically assign guests to
different decks.
抵達多哈郵輪碼頭後，我已經迫不及待想登上 MSC Euribia 郵輪。這是我目前坐過最新的郵輪。MSC
Euribia 於 2023 年 6 月投入服務，目前是全球第 15 大郵輪，總噸位
184,011，最多可載 6,335 名乘客。
通常越新的船房價越高，但我只花了 1,072.31 加幣就訂到海景艙，每天約
134 加幣。MSC
還額外幫我免費升級到陽台艙。不過以我的經驗，如果需要兩間相鄰客房，MSC
可能會自動把乘客安排到不同樓層。
The first things I saw when I boarded were the stunning
atrium and the Galleria Euribia (the indoor promenade).
登船後，我首先看到的是華麗的大廳與船上的室內步行街 Galleria Euribia。
The ship features elegant Swarovski-crystal staircases. 船上有以施華洛世奇水晶打造的樓梯，非常優雅。
Many new cruise ships now use “destination control” elevator
systems with touchscreens, eliminating the need for interior floor buttons.
Passengers select their destination outside the elevator, and the system
assigns the best elevator automatically. I selected Deck 13 and was directed to
Elevator A.
許多新型郵輪都採用「智慧電梯系統」，電梯裡沒有按鈕，乘客必須在電梯外先選擇樓層，系統會自動分配最適合的電梯，以縮短等候時間。我選了
13 樓，系統讓我搭乘
A 號電梯。
The room was spacious, modern, clean, and looked very new.
房間寬敞、現代、乾淨，看起來非常新。
Behind the Doha Cruise Terminal is Mina Park, which has over
250,000 square meters of greenery—about the size of 30 soccer fields.
多哈郵輪碼頭後方是 Mina Park，綠地超過 25 萬平方公尺，相當於至少 30 個足球場，非常巨大。
On the other side of MSC Euribia was the Mina District (Old
Doha Port), which I had visited earlier. I immediately recognized its
pastel-coloured buildings.
MSC Euribia 另一側則是我前天去過的老多哈港（Mina District）。色彩柔和的建築物讓我一眼就認出來。
Soon after, I had my first meal on MSC Euribia in a main
dining room. Two young ladies joined our table, and they were given a Russian
menu. It was an interesting experience to have lunch with Russian travellers.
不久後，我在主餐廳吃了第一餐。兩位年輕女孩加入我們的桌位，服務員給了她們俄文菜單。第一次與俄羅斯女孩一起用午餐，是個特別的體驗。
MSC is a European cruise line, and most passengers on my
sailing were European—British, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Around 10% were Russian. The December weather in Doha was as pleasant as a
Vancouver summer, so many passengers spent their first afternoon at the outdoor
pool area.
MSC 是歐洲郵輪品牌，因此船上大多數乘客來自英國、法國、荷蘭、義大利、西班牙、葡萄牙，約
10% 是俄羅斯人。12
月的多哈天氣就像溫哥華的夏天，許多乘客下午都待在船上的戶外泳池。
One highlight on MSC cruises is the Jean-Philippe
chocolate shop, created by French master pâtissier Jean-Philippe Maury,
selling luxury chocolates and desserts. All prices onboard MSC Euribia were
listed in euros.
MSC 郵輪的招牌之一是 Jean-Philippe
巧克力店，由法國名廚 Jean-Philippe Maury 創立，販售高級巧克力與甜點。MSC
Euribia 的所有標價都以歐元計算。
This was our 8-day Persian Gulf itinerary. Except for one
sea day, we had a port every day.
這是我 8 天波斯灣航程的路線圖，除了其中一天是海上航行，其餘每天都有停靠港口。
The next morning, we arrived at Khalifa Bin Salman Port in
Bahrain. I originally thought I needed a visa to enter the country, and the
application process looked complicated. Fortunately, the MSC cruise card also
served as an entry pass to Bahrain—no visa required.
隔天早上，我們抵達巴林的 Khalifa Bin Salman 港口。我原以為進入這個國家需要簽證，而且申請流程看起來很複雜。沒想到 MSC 的船卡也能作為巴林入境通行證，因此完全不需要簽證。
Before
reading the itinerary, I had barely heard of Bahrain.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is an island country in West Asia located in the
central-southern Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia and north of Qatar. Its
2024 population is 1,588,670, with 46.6% being Bahraini nationals and 53.4%
foreign residents. It is the third-smallest country in Asia after Maldives and
Singapore. The capital and largest city is Manama.
About 74% of Bahrain’s population is Muslim (CIA World Factbook). Bahrain
became an independent state in 1971 after more than a century as a
British-protected territory. Today, it is one of the wealthier nations in the
Middle East.
This country knows how to promote tourism. As soon as I stepped off the ship, I was offered samples of local snacks and tea.
在看到行程之前，我其實幾乎沒聽過巴林。
巴林王國位於西亞，是波斯灣中南部的一個島國，位於沙烏地阿拉伯東岸與卡達北方之間。2024 年人口為
1,588,670 人，其中 46.6% 是巴林公民，53.4% 是外籍居民。它是亞洲第三小的國家（僅次於馬爾地夫與新加坡）。首都兼最大城市是麥納瑪（Manama）。
根據 CIA《世界概況》，巴林人口約 74% 是穆斯林。1971
年脫離英國保護成為獨立國家，如今是中東較富裕的國家之一。
這個國家很懂得推廣觀光。一下船便有人提供小點心與茶供遊客試吃。
I also received a free henna application. Henna is a dye
made from crushed leaves of the Lawsonia inermis plant. It produces
reddish stains used in body art and has been used since ancient times in North
Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. The earliest evidence comes from
ancient Egypt, where henna was used to dye hair, nails, and even mummies.
我還免費畫了指甲花（henna）。Henna 是由指甲花植物磨成粉製成的染劑，自古以來用於北非、中東、南亞的身體藝術。最早的證據來自古埃及，用於染髮、染指甲，甚至塗在木乃伊上。
I had a list of places I wanted to see in Bahrain: Al-Fateh
Grand Mosque, Bahrain National Museum, The Avenues, Bab Al Bahrain, and Bahrain
World Trade Center.
A taxi driver approached us and offered to take us to these
locations in four hours for USD 150.
我原本想去的巴林景點包括：Al-Fateh 大清真寺、巴林國家博物館、The Avenues 商場、Bab
Al Bahrain、巴林世界貿易中心。
一位計程車司機上前詢問，說可以 4 小時帶我們走完所有景點，價格為
150 美金。
Our first stop was the Al-Fateh Grand Mosque in
Manama. According to Wikipedia, it covers 6,500 square meters and can
accommodate over 7,000 worshippers. Built in 1987 by Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al
Khalifa, it was named in honour of Ahmed Al-Fateh. In 2006, it also became home
to the National Library of Bahrain.
第一站是位於麥納瑪的 Al-Fateh 大清真寺。根據維基百科，清真寺佔地 6,500 平方公尺，可同時容納超過 7,000 名信徒，是世界上最大的清真寺之一。它建於 1987 年，由已故的伊薩·本·薩勒曼·阿勒哈利法人酋長興建，以 Ahmed Al-Fateh 命名。2006 年起也成為巴林國家圖書館所在地。
To enter mosques in the Middle East, a dress code is
required. Both men and women should wear loose-fitting clothing that covers the
shoulders and knees, and women must cover their hair with a headscarf.
進入中東的清真寺需遵守服裝規定：男女都要穿不緊身、能遮肩遮膝的衣服；女性還需戴頭巾。
This was passed 😊
The tall entrance doors are made of teak wood imported from India. 清真寺的大門由印度進口的柚木製成，非常壯觀。
This mosque features one of the largest fiberglass domes in
the world, Italian marble, Austrian chandeliers, and beautiful Islamic
calligraphy.
這座清真寺擁有世界上最大的玻璃纖維圓頂之一，並採用義大利大理石、奧地利吊燈與精美的阿拉伯書法。
This is the main prayer hall. Visitors must remove their
shoes before entering. 這裡是主祈禱大廳，進入前需脫鞋。
He introduced the Quran to us, including Surah al-Fatihah,
the opening chapter. Many visitors were Chinese, so the text was displayed in
multiple languages, including Chinese, Japanese, and Thai.
In English, it means:
In The Name of
Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.
All praise is only
Allah's, the Lord of the Worlds.
The Beneficent, The
Merciful.
Master of the Day of
Judgement.
Thee (alone) do we worship and of Thee (only) do we seek help.
Guide us (O' Lord) on the Straight Path.
導覽員介紹《可蘭經》，包括開篇章 《蘇拉·開端》（Surah al-Fatihah）。因為大約一半的遊客是華人，所以清真寺內展示了中文、日文、泰文等多國語言版本。
I saw a man sitting quietly, deeply focused and peaceful
during the prayer time.
祈禱時間內，我看到一位男子靜靜地坐著祈禱，神情專注而平和。
Suddenly, I felt a sense of sacredness. Many people in Hong
Kong know of the Quran from Jin Yong’s martial arts novel The Book and the
Sword. I wondered how many people in the Middle East know this novel.
突然間，我感到一種神聖的氣氛。香港很多人是因為金庸小說《書劍恩仇錄》才聽到《可蘭經》，不知道中東人是否知道這本小說。
Our second attraction was the Bahrain National Museum,
the oldest and largest public museum in the country. It is located in Manama,
next to the National Theatre of Bahrain.
第二站是 巴林國家博物館，是巴林歷史最悠久、規模最大的公共博物館。位於麥納瑪，毗鄰巴林國家劇院。
The exhibits show Bahrain’s rich and ancient pottery tradition. 展品顯示巴林擁有悠久的陶器製作傳統。
Darseen Café inside the museum looked lovely—I would have
liked a light meal there if I had more time.
博物館內的 Darseen 咖啡館看起來不錯，如果時間多一點，我很想在那裡吃點輕食。
One highlight was a 1932 Buick Model 57S Special Sedan with wooden artillery wheels, chrome headlamps and a mounted spare tire on the side. It was gifted to the museum in 1992 by the late Emir Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
展廳中還展示了一輛 1932 年別克 57S 型特別版轎車，有木製輪輻,鍍鉻頭燈與側面裝了一個備胎。這是巴林已故酋長於 1992 年送給博物館的收藏品。
Our third stop was The Avenues, a waterfront shopping
center along Bahrain Bay. I assume parking must be expensive because the driver
only walked with us along the coastline for about 15 minutes. The first
building that caught my eye was the twisted United Tower.
我們的第三站是位於巴林灣沿岸的濱水購物中心－大道購物中心（The Avenues）。我猜停車費一定很貴，因為司機只陪我們沿著海岸線走了大約15分鐘。第一眼就吸引我目光的是造型奇特的聯合大樓（United Tower）。
Here was another enormous and distinctive building in
Bahrain Bay…
接著又看到另一棟巨大而具有特色的建築……
And another—so massive compared to the surrounding
buildings.
還有這一棟...與周圍大樓相比，巨大得驚人。
Can you believe this giant tower is a Four Seasons Hotel?
How can a hotel be so huge?
With my phone camera zoomed in, I noticed a Bahrain flag at
the center and what looked like a Canadian flag on the right, which makes sense
since Four Seasons is a Canadian company.
你能相信這竟然是 四季酒店（Four
Seasons） 嗎？怎麼會有這麼大、這麼高的飯店！
我用手機放大後看到中央有巴林國旗，右邊似乎是加拿大國旗，想也合理，因為四季酒店是加拿大品牌。
The driver recommended a site not on my list: Qalʿat
al-Bahrain, also known as Bahrain Fort. It was the capital of the Dilmun
civilization for thousands of years and contains layers of settlements dating
from 2300 BCE to the 16th century CE. Because of its long history and
significance as a regional trading hub, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site
in 2005.
The Dilmun civilization was a major trading center in the
Persian Gulf and was described in ancient Sumerian texts as a mythical
“paradise”—a place without sickness, pain, or aging, where animals lived in
harmony. Historically, Dilmun was centered in Bahrain and traded goods such as
pearls and copper.
If I had known this history beforehand, I would have
explored the fort more thoroughly.
司機推薦了不在我行程中的景點：Qalʿat al-Bahrain（巴林堡）。這裡曾是迪爾蒙文明（Dilmun）的首都，擁有從西元前
2300 年到
16 世紀的多層遺跡。因其歷史重要性，2005
年被列為
UNESCO 世界遺產。
迪爾蒙文明是波斯灣的重要貿易中心，在古代蘇美文獻中被描述為神話般的「樂園」——沒有疾病、痛苦、不會衰老，動物也和平共存。歷史上的迪爾蒙以巴林為中心，以珍珠、銅等商品聞名。
Since I don't understand much about the site during my
visit, what impressed me most was the pointed archway.
由於我參觀時對這個遺址了解不多，給我留下最深刻印象的反而是尖拱門。
My favourite view in the Bahrain Fort area, however, was GB
Café. 而整個巴林堡園區中，我最喜歡的景色是 GB Café。
On the way to our next stop, Bab Al Bahrain, I saw a Tim Hortons advertisement in the middle of the road. Since the brand is Canadian, shouldn’t the beverage be called a “Hot Canadiano”?
前往下一個景點 Bab Al Bahrain 的路上，我看到路中央有 Tim Hortons 的廣告。既然是加拿大品牌，那飲料是不是該叫「Hot Canadiano」？
Our driver, wearing sunglasses, led us into the Souq Bab Al Bahrain in Manama. 戴黑超的那位就是我們的司機。
Sometimes when I passed by the shops, the owners would come
out and asked me to take a look.
Souq Bab Al Bahrain 傳統市集裡有些店家會熱情招呼路人進店看看。
The lamps reminded me of the colourful lamp shop I saw in Juneau, Alaska (Inspirational Thoughts: Alaska Cruises in the Summer - Part 2). 看到這些彩色燈具，我想到之前在阿拉斯加朱諾看到的燈飾店。
These are probably the types of garments Bahraini women usually wear. 我猜這些應該就是巴林女性平時穿的傳統服飾。
The phone brands on sale included iPhone, Samsung, Xiaomi,
Oppo, Infinix, and Itel. I didn’t realize Infinix and Itel are Hong Kong-based
smartphone brands.
手機店裡販售 iPhone、三星、小米、Oppo、Infinix、Itel 等品牌。我之前不知道 Infinix 和 Itel 都是香港的手機品牌。
According to the driver, many products—such as toys and
luggage—are made in China.
司機說很多商品——玩具、行李箱等等——都是中國製造。
After pointing out multiple “made in China” items, he
suddenly asked, “Do you want juice?”
指著許多店鋪說「made in China、made in China」後，他突然問：「要喝果汁嗎？」
He listed
banana, strawberry, watermelon (not very special), then mentioned saffron.
Okay—three saffron juices. We had never tried saffron juice before! The driver
paid for them.
我問什麼果汁？他說香蕉、草莓、西瓜（我覺得沒什麼特別），然後他提到番紅花。
好吧，那就三杯番紅花果汁。我們從沒喝過番紅花果汁！司機幫我們付了錢。
The Bahrain flag looks somewhat like the Canadian flag—they
both use red and white.
巴林國旗和加拿大國旗很像，都是紅白配色。
With Western influence, a shop also sells tuxedos and a
restaurant provided afternoon tea sets.
在西方文化影響下，巴林也有禮服與英式下午茶套餐。
This is a traditional bakhoor burner for frankincense. 這是用來焚燒乳香的傳統巴庫爾香爐。
As we left Bab Al Bahrain, I noticed two large portraits on
a building.
離開 Bab Al Bahrain 時，我看到建築物上有兩幅大幅人像。
The driver explained they were the King and Crown Prince of Bahrain. 司機說那是巴林的國王和王儲。
The last attraction on my list was the Bahrain World Trade Center, but the driver didn’t know this building. He asked me to type the name into his phone and it translated into Arabic.
我行程單上的最後一個景點是巴林世界貿易中心，但司機不知道這棟建築。他要我把名字輸入他的手機，然後手機翻譯成了阿拉伯語。
This is the Bahrain World Trade Center—the enormous,
distinctive building we had seen earlier from Bahrain Bay.
When I stood directly in front of it, it was difficult to
capture its size in a single photo. We went inside.
這棟就是巴林世界貿易中心——之前在 Bahrain Bay 遠遠看到的巨大建築。
靠近拍照時反而難以呈現它的高度與規模。我們走進去看看。
Due to limited time, we could visit only one store, and I
chose Bateel, a luxury gourmet date and chocolate shop.
(Luxury Gourmet Dates
and Gifts | Bateel).
時間有限，我們只能逛一間店，我選了 Bateel ~ 一家專賣高級椰棗與巧克力的精品店。
I could immediately tell the chocolates were premium. 一看就知道是高級巧克力。
They also had organic dates—definitely expensive—with
varieties like Medjool, Ajwa, Khidri, Kholas, Wanan, Sokari, and Segai.
店裡也有有機椰棗，肯定不便宜。種類包括 Medjool、Ajwa、Khidri、Kholas、Wanan、Sokari、Segai
等。
It was my first time seeing date-flavoured ice cream.
那是我第一次看到椰棗雪糕。
In Chinese culture, we have red dates, black dates, sweet
dates, golden silk dates, and Xinjiang dates. We like to add dates to soups,
while here dates are commonly added to chocolates.
在華人文化中，我們有紅棗、黑棗、蜜棗、金絲棗、新疆大棗。我們習慣把棗放進湯裡，但在中東，人們常把棗加入巧克力。
The entire tour lasted five hours, and the final price was USD 250. 整趟旅程共 5 小時，最後的價格是 250 美金。
At night, the view of the ship’s outdoor pool felt magical
as MSC Euribia continued sailing through the Persian Gulf.
晚上看著郵輪的戶外泳池，我覺得一切都像魔法一般。MSC Euribia 就這樣繼續航行在波斯灣上。
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