Remembering Bahrain.............. Review on Bahrain, General

I consider myself very lucky, though I had the opportunity to visit Bahrain just for a day. Because we were living in Saudi Arabia at that time, I could make it.

As all the teachers in our school were invited to attend a conference in Bahrain, we made the trip by car. I think, it took just about three hours by car to reach Bahrain from Saudi Arabia. Of course, we had to go through lot of formalities, before entering the country.

The Kingdom of Bahrain is a group of islands located in the Arabian Gulf of the eastern shore of Saudi Arabia. It is a very small place, very near to Saudi Arabia. Apart from local Bahrainis, there are Saudis and other international community living in that place. Actually, expatriate population is more than the local people.

We went there in the morning, attended the conference in the afternoon, and after having our lunch, had just little time to roam around. The place is so small, that wherever you go, you will end up coming back to the same place! The same day, we had to return back to Saudi Arabia. So, unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to visit the historical places there.

Bahrain is also known as the Pearl of the Arabian Gulf. Heard that Bahrain has a history of more than 5,000 years of civilization. We could see marvelous old buildings and modern office buildings and colourful traditional markets.

Being all ladies, we didn’t want to miss out on shopping! We went to the gold souk, which looked exactly like the gold souks of Saudi Arabia. Lots of dress shops, also similar to the ones in Saudi. Since I have lived in Saudi Arabia for thirteen years, I can’t help comparing both the places. Only difference is, everything is in smaller scale here!

Actually, I wrote a review also long back about Saudi Arabia. For those who have missed it, if you wish to read, the link is ,

https://mouthshut.com/readreview/6826-1.html

While relatively small in population, land area and resources, Bahrain has achieved a high level of social and economic development. The road network, international airport, telecommunications, public services, medical facilities and university are all recognized as being among the best in the world.

There are churches apart from mosques. We took some time to worship in our tight schedule. You have freedom to worship as other religions are tolerated.

The weather is very hot and sultry. That is the only minus point about this place. Inside the rooms, you won't feel it, as it will be airconditioned. Only when you come out, you will find the weather humid!

What impressed me was the simplicity of the people and place. The people were very friendly and nice. They had freedom to wear any dress. Women didn’t have to wear the burka all the time, unlike the Saudi culture. I could even see some women walking clad in saris, holding umbrella in hand.

English is widely spoken, along with Arabic. There are lots of Indians in the expatriate community. I was happy to see them living in harmony with the Bahrainis and local Arabs.

I think, if you all get a chance, you must visit Bahrain. It’s such a wonderful place! You don’t need to have work visa to visit Bahrain. It’s a free country, like any other Arab country with the exception of Saudi Arabia. Though my trip was short, I still have fresh memories of Bahrain lingering within me. They are priceless memories!