SPRING INTO SPRING

Spring is almost here. The hours of light are growing apace and we can already see flowers blossoming around us. The sky is even bluer and the air conditioners are getting their routine service before it gets really hot.

This is a season of rebirth. A time for change or to re-blossom. Spring is all about good light — everything gets brighter and that calls for you to let go of the dull moments of the past few months and focus on positivity and light. It’s the season that generally makes everyone feel more motivated like experiencing a ‘fresh start’. We’ve looked at special ways to welcome spring around the world. We’ve also got tips on making space for the new season by decluttering your home and going green with seasonal planting. And, of course, we couldn’t forget a round-up of super spring events happening round town.

The coming of spring means many different things to various people around the world, as countries celebrate the beginning of this fruitful season with interesting traditions and festivities. Here are just a few of them.

HOLI IN INDIA
Holi is a major spring-time festival in India with people dancing on the streets in showers of paint and dye. Known as the Festival of Colours and celebrated during the first moon of March, the festival marks the beginning of spring and the end of winter, with Indians promising to remember the good in life and leave the bad behind.

HANAMI IN JAPAN
Hanami, or the famous Cherry Blossom Festival, is one of the most well-known seasonal events in the world. The traditional celebration is held to welcome the start of spring and appreciate the beauty of the Sakura flower, or the cherry blossom, known as the flower of spring. To celebrate, the people of Japan gather to feast under the wonderous pink trees, with picnics and parties scattering the parks. The trees are lit at night in a romantic festivity called Yozakura.

CIMBURIJADA IN BOSNIA
Cimburijada, or the festival of scrambled eggs, is celebrated on the first day of spring in the Bosnian town of Zeneca, either on the banks of the Bosna River or at the city park. The celebration begins with a traditional breakfast of a super-sized bowl of eggs for everyone. It is said that eggs were chosen as they symbolise a new life and a new beginning.

SECHSELÄUTEN IN SWITZERLAND
This celebration might seem more extreme than most. With the onset of spring and the end of winter, people in Switzerland celebrate with the burning of an effigy of a giant snowman called Böögg, made with old clothes and fireworks. They believe that the faster the snowman burns, the warmer the coming summer will be. The event, which lasts two days, includes a host of other activities, including parades and banquets as well as comedy.

MARZANNA IN POLAND
The polish version of Sechseläuten, Marzanna is a celebration of the coming of spring but instead of fire, they use water. Poles gather to make a doll of straw called Marzanna, the Goddess of Winter, Plague and Death, which they carry in a parade and then drown in a river.

SPRING EQUINOX IN MEXICO
Every year, around March 20, in the town of Teotihuacán, a preHispanic archaeological site, people wearing white with red scarves gather in celebration of the coming season, with many climbing up 360 steps to the apex of the Pyramid of the Sun, the largest structure in the area, outstretching their arms to gather the energy from the ball of fire in the sky.

BABA MARTA DAY IN BULGARIA
Baba Marta Day, or Grandma March Day, is a famous celebration in Bulgaria commemorating the beginning of the spring season. Bulgarian folklore suggests that ‘Grandma March’ was a grumpy old woman who always scowled at her two brothers. When she did smile, however, it is said that the sun began to appear above the horizon. Bulgarians today wear a petite white and red yarn accessory called a Martenitsa to mark their wish for good health and their happiness at the coming of the spring. They wear these adornments until the end of the month, after which they tie them mainly to fruit trees for good fortune.

THE NEAT BEAT
The days are getting longer and warmer, and spring cleaning is calling. We absolutely agree that throughout the year we tidy and spruce up certain areas of our homes, but there’s nothing quite like a spring decluttering — a deep clean after winter.
This goes beyond just vacuuming and mopping and actually feels more like letting go. Letting go of items in your closet that you’ve never worn; spotting expired spices and seasonings in the kitchen pantry; changing bed linens; and the introduction of a couple of bins and baskets for better organisation.
It feels a little daunting, but the key is to take one step at a time. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed it’s due to a lack of proper organisation and storage, but we have you covered. We have a couple of tips for you to kick-start the process.
Before we get into it, just remember it’s not about extra cabinets or closets for storage that can make your home look clean, as perfect as a Pinterest photo, it’s just sometimes you need to be better at prioritising certain elements and decluttering. And this is our promise, a decluttered home won’t only look better, but will reduce your stress levels and make you feel better.

ONE STEP AT A TIME
Don’t try to get it all done in a one go. Divide and conquer. First, take everything out of the drawers and off the shelves and surfaces. Then categorise what you truly value before putting everything back. You can classify the items not so cherished or valued anymore in three categories: discard, organise or store. The key is to be strong enough to discard whatever you think you don’t need anymore. This will make your decluttering process way easier. Allot time to each room and task — say two hours for your room, or 30 minutes for wardrobe classification. Find a way to donate anything you don’t need before recycling it.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS
Once you know how many things are going to stay — you’ll be able to acquire storage solutions that truly fit your needs. Don’t buy bins, baskets, racks and hooks before that. There are custom storage solutions for almost everything, explore your options.

ALL THOSE LINENS
The moment you enter a bedroom, the first thing you look at is the bedsheet and comforter. As spring is here, change your throw pillow covers and give your room a low-cost freshen up. If you have pillows that have gotten lumpy, it’s time to replace them. And, because winter throw blankets are too heavy for the spring — it’s time to put them away, perhaps covered and stored under the bed.

KICK OUT KITCHEN MESS
Thoroughly decluttering the kitchen is one of the best ideas since it is the most used space in the house. Keep the countertops clear and organise drawers one at a time. Check your stock of spices to see what needs to be trashed, replaced or has many duplicates. Look for the serving platters and dishes you’ve never used and replace them with the ones you’ve been using year-round. Next: remove anything chipped and any stained and mismatched plastic food storage containers. This is a good way to start!

MAKE A PHOTO FILE
After cleaning thoroughly and classifying your things — record a video or take photos of everything. It’ll give you an easily accessible record of where everything goes. Of course, you can’t photograph and see every single item — but it’ll be useful to give you a general flow of where everything goes and where and how to keep things for the long run.

OH, HOW GREEN!
Al fresco dining has been fun for the past few months and during that time of outdoor dining, what we really enjoyed was interacting with the greenery, plants and garden veggies. If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to begin prepping your summer garden and, with the right tools, and supplies you can have access to latent green fingers this spring, irrespective of whether you have access to a private garden or not. Let’s also be honest that you cannot call it an artistic, unique and well-appointed home without some breathing, growing trimmings. Plants. Gardening doesn’t offer instant fulfillment but it’s well worth the effort and the wait that follow. Here are a few tips for you.

SPACE AND SPOT
We understand that finding outdoor space might be hard but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy fresh air, veggies or herbs perhaps. As long as you have good potting mix, you can grow small herbs in pretty much anything — even a tin but just remember to place it at a spot where it can get some natural sunlight off and on. Old ceramic vases and bowls can be a really good start to plant in as well. But as a general rule, always remember to opt for one bigger size of the container than you think you will need for any plant. If you have a planter large enough, it’ll give the plant space to grow properly and establish its unfurling beautiful leaves more effortlessly. Plant some lilies, since they’re perfect for containers, or dahlias and chrysanthemums can be good choices too. For lilies the best thing is they’re scented and if placed by the front door will make your exit and entry from home so much sweeter. However, if you have pets, make sure to choose non-toxic plants and make sure all containers provide adequate drainage.

GET YOUR HANDS ON HERBS
Edible herbs are the easiest to grow and require little effort. On the top of that, many of them smell pretty amazing. If their pots/ containers are placed in the window of your kitchen they’ll scent the entire space so well. We recommend you start with leafy herbs like basil, mint, parsley and cilantro, which are extremely good to grow in containers, both indoor and outdoor. The best thing about them is that they do not require tons of soil and their growth rate is pretty high — so you can pick and eat them regularly and it’ll encourage your gardening habit.

OUTDOOR SEEDING
You can start many seeds (lettuce, spinach, peas and carrots) outside or in your rooftop garden just about now. Prepare your soil by removing any weeds and topping it off with some fresh organic compost. You can get the seeds from any nursery nearby and plant them according to the instructions on the packet. Use a ruler to get it right and water everything thoroughly after planting. Keep soil moist. The most important thing is to visit them regularly, checking to see if they need water, weeding or anything else.

The Joy of Spring

We love this time of year, there are so many fun activities for you, your friends and family to enjoy as we spring into spring.

Beach day at Marassi – head down to the beach for a fun day with the waves as well as a bit of cycling and a relaxing afternoon with books or a tournament of chess at The People reading lounge.
GO: Call 8009 8888 for more information.

Karzakan Forest – a stroll through this rare sanctuary of green which will leave you doubting that you’re in Bahrain. Bahrain Contemporary Art Association – visit this gallery and attend current exhibitions featuring local artists.
GO: Call 1772 8046 for more information.

Al Fateh Grand Mosque – visit the iconic mosque for a dive into history and Islamic architecture.
GO: Call 1772 7773 for more information.

Fountain Show – Head down to the Mall of Dilmunia to watch the outdoor fountains dance and feel the cool mist in the air.
GO: Call 1330 0266 for more information.

Zallaq Springs – spot the flamingos and enjoy a cool mocktail in this little corner of heaven in Bahrain.
GO: Call 1721 6303 or 3888 9533 for more information.

Jaw Resort–this off-the-beaten-path resort is a haven of relaxation for anyone looking to destress and revive.
GO: Call 7797 9797 for more information.

Heritage Village – for anyone seeking a bit of adventure and history, head to this little village in Asker to learn more about Bahraini traditions and the old way of life.
GO: Call 6634 6344 for more information.

Picnic in Sakhir – as the season turns warmer again, why not head out with the family to the dessert for a day out? Don’t forget to pack some tea, snacks and light lunches. Old Muharraq Village Tour – take a tour of one of the oldest villages in Bahrain with KA Tours as you soak up the history of the island.
GO: Call or WhatsApp 3458 2678 for more information.

Bahrain National Museum – this national landmark is always good to visit, whatever the season. Head down there with the family and delve into Bahrain’s heritage.
GO: Call 1729 8777 for more information.

Isa Cultural Centre – for anyone who wants to connect with the literature of the island, head to the Isa Cultural Centre, the national storehouse of Bahraini literature and culture.
GO: Call 1736 6666 for more information.

Bahrain Fort – arguably the gem of the island, this little paradise and UNESCO World Heritage site is the perfect outing for the family on a spring day and a reminder of Bahrain’s rich past.
GO: Call 1756 7171 for more information.

Vertical Garden – head down to Muharraq to witness the Vertical Garden outside the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre. Take some fun photos with the family.
GO: Call 1732 2549 for more information.

Embroidery Workshop – Check out Al Jasra Handicrafts Centre for an enjoyable afternoon of embroidery for all.
GO: Call 1729 9879 for more information.

Mosaic Art – head to Mosaic House for a fun day of mosaic. Spend your time at this splendid and calm place and take your completed piece home when you are done.
GO: Call 3925 3943 for more information.

Bahrain Pearling Trail – this UNESCO World Heritage site is a prized history trail about the old pearl-diving industry in Bahrain.
GO: Visit https://pearlingpath.bh/en/visitor-information/ for more information.

Bahrain International Garden Show – for anyone enthusiastic about plants and gardening, head to this annual garden show taking place from March 2 to 5.
GO: Call 1717 1620 for more information.

Play tennis – head down to the Bahrain Tennis Club for some fun with family or friends.
GO: Call 1772 9561 for more information.