Kingdom of Bahrain and Kingdom of Saudi Arabi7
November 13 to November 23, 2006
Bahrain is a small island Kingdom with ancient buildings as well as ultra modern buildings. It became a Kingdom when the population approached 1 million residents about 5 years ago. Interestingly there are only about 300,000 Bahrainis. Most labor is imported from India (250,000).
Quickly becoming the financial center of the Middle East. The city is alive with night spots, live entertainment and social events.
Flight over was aboard a KLM charter called "Privat-Air." The 737 was all 1st class seating with chairs that slid down almost flat.
KLM flight to Bahrain traveled just North of Baghdad - surprise!!!
Great porcelain gifts of miniature (3 inch) Dutch houses - but they had gin in them and alcohol is not allowed in Saudi so I had to decline.
Airport in Amsterdam - signs are in English and Dutch. Most everyone speaks English.
Papa John's Pizza, Seattle Best (coffee), and Dairy Queen were in the airport at Bahrain.
Bahrain is under construction with cranes everywhere you looked.
English is a required second language in Bahrain schools (as it is in Saudi).
I stayed at the Crowne Plaza in the "diplomatic" section of town.
Ladies night at the Crowne Plaza Harvesters club was rocking with a live band when I checked in. Every time the door opened, we had to pause at the check in desk - music was too loud to hear each other.
It took the driver three hours to get across the bridge from Saudi into Bahrain to pick me up because of the traffic jam from people leaving Saudi for Bahrain on the weekend to go watch movies, drink and party at the clubs.
I did attend an Arabic show in the "Golden Club" in the Crowne Plaza. Feasting, singing and belly dancing.
Saudi Arabia engenders a different atmosphere than Bahrain. For example, according to the guide books taking photographs is not encouraged, women are not allowed to work, drive, or be in public without the escort of a male relative.
There is no alcohol, no movie theaters, and no social clubs. Most foreigners live in compounds.
The five star hotel is situated on the Gulf of Arabia. Upon entering the gate, the security guard and the soldier looked in the car and the trunk.
Once we got to the hotel the luggage had to pass through security scanning machine just like the airports use.
There were two 20 mm machine guns on either side of the entrance to the hotel. Army personnel had their own area on the west side of the hotel.
I was able to walk along the Gulf on Friday (day of religious observance). Thursday and Friday in the Arab world is the same as Saturday and Sunday in the US.
From around 4 PM until 10 PM there is a tea service in the lobby in the front of the hotel complete with open fire and dates. Abdo (man's name) made and poured tea. He would continue to fill your cup until you shook it and handed it to him.
Across from my hotel were many familiar chain restaurants including McDonalds, Chilies, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, and TGI Fridays.
Saudi Aramco gas pipeline explosion kills 40 and wounds another nine. This pipeline would replace 250K barrels a day of oil and enable them to be exported.
Saudi begins importing diesel fuel.
