The word ghus is connected with diving, and the house that carries it sits in the old pearling quarter of Muharraq as a quiet counterpart to the grand merchant mansions around it. Behind the display of wealth in the big houses was the work of the divers, who were the men who actually brought up the oysters, and any serious visit to the Pearling Path has to include some thought for them. The merchants made money, but the divers took the risks.
Diving was done without any equipment beyond a nose clip, a stone weight to carry the diver down, a leather glove and a basket. A diver would hold his breath for a minute or two, descend perhaps ten to twenty metres, gather as many oysters as he could, and tug the rope to be hauled up, and he would repeat this dozens of times in a day. The season lasted through the hottest months, with poor food, little rest and constant ear and eye problems, and many divers began their careers as boys. The songs of the sea, the fijiri, were the music of the boats, and Muharraq is still where the tradition is best kept: rhythmic singing with drums and clapping, often performed in the evenings.
Today the neighbourhood is calm and low-key. Walls of coral stone, wooden doors, and shaded courtyards give it the character of an older Gulf. Children play in the lanes, and the light changes by the hour. It is the kind of place that rewards a slow walk with no particular goal, and that is how the heritage trail was designed to be enjoyed.
Riders will find the island easy to reach, since Muharraq is linked to Manama by short causeways, but the streets in the old quarter are narrow and tricky, and parking on the wider avenues is better. Fuel is cheap and easy to find, with stations on every main road. Visit in the cooler months, from November to March, and go in the early morning or at sunset. If you hear drumming from a courtyard, stop and listen, because it may be fijiri, and you will not forget the sound. Finish with a glass of cardamom tea from a corner cafe.