Mashtan Manama

Out of the widow Bahrain looks like lots of dust with skyscrapers on. Inside it is a strange mix of Christmas decorations lots of tour groups who look like they might be going on pilgramage, 25k rolexes in duty free, mcdonalds,costa and free internet to keep us amused. We've got 2hrs to kill - body clocks already out of sink! Am going to try and learn some nepalese from a podcast.

... wee hours.<br><br>Well, towards early morning I got into a deep sleep, and when I awoke it was way past 7:00AM, and when I rubbed my eyes, thought AM I IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOLKTALE FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS! Well, the desert looked superb with the view looking somehow infinite but at the same time very defined ( I dont know how to describe that), and it was basically sand, hillocks and scattered shrubs. At this point, I wondered: exactly how far were we from Jeddah?. I mean, I ...

17/10<br>Time to be honest. We're heading home.<br>The last country is a stop-over in Bahrain (for 2 hours) as we fly through the night back to England<br>We wanted to surprise a few folks so have sneaked home quietly.<br><br>Never the less, Bahrain International Airport looked very nice at midnight, all lit up. This small island state lies in the Persion Gulf alongside saudi ...

... out of college (and unfortunately sounded like the best one) and confided that her aunt was the Bahrain manager for Yemenia and had gotten her this job.  She made me promise not to tell anyone, which was no problem (think of what the passengers would demand then!).  The conversation was extremely casual and made easy by her virtually perfect English.  At one point in the conversation, I jokingly touched her shoulder, which made me immediately apologize, but she ignored the whole thing ...

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... subjected to so many news reports that lump all Middle Easterners together; it's easy to start associating the millions of people who live in this region with the few Islamic extremists that make headlines. It turns out, the vast majority of people here are just like us -- they even park their cars on the sidewalks to take their dirty thobes to be laundered... without starch, I'm sure. 3. After hearing me speak, many people have asked me if ...

... us cause it was taking so long for us to get through. It wasn't hard for the customs man to find 2 white women in an airport in the Middle East! hahah! Thank you Paullie! We zipped through and there was Paullie to greet us with 2 red roses - 1 for each of us. Lovely boy! We've arrived in Bahrain right in the middle of ...

... Iran. This entire time, mind you, I was being stared at the whole way, I was the only westerner that had stumbled into this section of the town in a long time. I made my way to the famed Fish Souq and other various markets that surrounded it. Most of them had closed up shop for the evening, but I plan on getting back to them soon. I walked about half way back to my hotel and decided that 3 hours of walking in 105degree heat was enough for one day so I ...

... are only getting one when one is what you want, and learn to say "stop." · It is very easy to get around using English. · People (and not just tourist-related ones) are warm and friendly and helpful. · Anand Bhavan is a great place to eat if you are in the souk area. Tell the owner that you know the crazy "European" who likes it very hot. · If you are here on a Friday in the winter, check into the horse races. (We found out too late.) · Wind towers seem like a great idea. 8-Dec-05 ...

... in Bahrain, while a refugee from Iraq thanked me for my nations attempt to "rescue" his country. It was surreal. Whether or not I agree with what we have done, or are currently doing was immaterial. The fact was that this guy was thanking ME for giving him a chance at life. From the very halting conversation we had, combined with the mix of charades, I think he was the only survivor of his family and he was working in Dubai on a construction sight. I don't know what he was ...