Bahrain

Once we felt more like ourselves, with some sleep and food in us, we decided to go and explore. The Crowne Plaza Hotel was in the capitol of Manama on the main island, so we started there. There are some amazing buildings there and the architecture of their skyscrapers and mosques is very impressive.

Architecture and Buildings

The Al-Fetah Mosque was huge! Apparently it’s one of the largest domed mosques in the world. It was impressive to see a building that size where people from all over would come to worship. Inside, you could hear the voices echo from the prayers and the sound was enchanting. It’s hard to describe, but it was peaceful. I liked it.

We also visited the Museum of Pearl Diving. It was full of artifacts and information about Bahrain’s history. The building used to be part of their court system, but now houses their heritage. We learned about how their wealth started as a fishing / pearling people. Because of that, they became a center for trade in the area, which brought in more money and people from all over the area. After that, oil was discovered and now they are a center for banking. So money, money, money. . . . .

We also took time to relax on promenades on the waterfront and admire the skyscrapers and buildings across the water. It was peaceful, eating some local cuisine with the salty wind in your face. It was good to relax and take in the view.

Tree of Life

We also took a trip to see their “Tree of Life”, which I mentioned to you in an earlier post.  Their is a lot of history there since the tree is believed to be about 400 years old. They don’t let you get too close on the tour because the tree has been abused, carved, and marked by people, and they are trying to preserve it. There is a small gate around it in an attempt to protect it. It’s kind of crazy, because it’s the only life that you can see around. It’s just a long horizon of desert with this one tree sticking up in the middle of it.

Anyway, that was our first real day in Bahrain. We came back to the hotel tired, but excited. What we saw and experienced there was so different from what I’ve known in the U.S. It was educational and interesting. It was a good day.

Whenever my family has traveled, it has never been second class. I know some people don’t care how they get there as long as they get there, but my family is a bit different. My parents have done well for themselves. They own their own business and work hard to provide above and beyond for their family. So when we travel, they never spare any expense for comfort.

They hired their favorite local Washington Township limo company to take us to the airport. They actually use them a lot, mostly for birthdays, parties, or family get-togethers where we all go out, and pretty much any time we fly. It’s a perk of being in my family. We arrived at Philadelphia International Airport, got all the bags taken care of and checked in. We were pretty early, which I always recommend, but we got through security super fast, so we ended up waiting around for a while. Luckily, we had access to the Premium Lounge for Qatar Airways, so it was at least a very comfortable wait. Not to brag, but it’s way better than waiting in the corridors with everybody else.

We loaded onto the plane, where we had first class seating. If you’re going to be flying for over 14 hours, you might as well be comfortable, and we definitely were. Having the extra space up there is totally worth the price. Yes, the round trip price was about $4,000 / person, but like I said, my family worked hard to be able to splurge on some luxury things.

Continue reading Travel In Style

To be honest, I am a very nervous flyer. I don’t like to travel a lot, especially flying. I know it’s safe, but I still get all that anxiety. In spite of that, this was an important trip for me, so I had to suck it up. Trips like this take a good deal of preparation, from packing to mentally preparing myself for the long flight. I try to start preparations at least a few days in advance so I don’t get stressed out last minute.

Passport

First off, to be able to enter and stay in Bahrain, as a US citizen, you need to have a valid Passport and Visa. If you don’t already have these, I would recommend starting the process a few months in advance. If things are backed up, it can sometimes take weeks to get a new passport. Nothing puts you in a bad mood like not being sure if it’s going to arrive in time for your flight. Save yourself the trouble and get it done ahead of time. If you already have one, then you are good to go!

Packing

The weather is going to be warm to very hot, so make sure to pack clothing accordingly. The big thing to consider here is their religion and culture. There are a lot of restrictions and guidelines concerning how men and women are to dress. So make sure you understand what is considered appropriate and where you might be allowed to dress differently so that you do not offend the locals. They are a very conservative and classy people who like to dress nicely, pretty much all the time.

Continue reading Getting Ready to Travel

To prepare to go to Bahrain, first, it helps to understand a little about its history.

Location

• It is an island in the Middle East. It sits on the west shore of the Persian Gulf, almost opposite of Qatar, if that helps give you a reference point. It is an Islamic state and was declared as a Kingdom back in 2002. They have a flourishing economy that started with an abundance of pearl fisheries and improved since the oil boom. Now they are a center for World Banking and tourism due to the lavishness of the area.

Religion

• The religious and cultural history there was quite varied. It was a melting pot of sorts for a period from Christian Arabs to Jews, Greek and Persian philosophers, and Aramaics. It was a center for trade, so no surprise that it was a gathering place for all the different people that lived around the Gulf in that time. It was converted to Islam in 628 A.D. and has since held on to those beliefs

Self Rule

• Bahrain had a history of always being protected and ruled over by other nations, whether it was the Persians or the Brittish. In 1971, they declared their independence and signed treaties of friendship with the UK, who had formerly asserted their dominance and influence over them. The anti-Brittish sentiment  and riots had become very intense and eventually led to their independence.

Climate

• This is very important when planning to travel. Most of Bahrain is desert. Extreme heat, dust storms, and drought are not uncommon. The best time to travel there is in the winter. It is still warm, but nothing like the incredibly hot summers.

Politics and Religion

• Bahrain is a Kingdom, so as you might have guessed, it is ruled by a King as a monarchy. You must also understand, that even though they are undergoing processes to become more democratic, they are still an Islamic state. They are not very forward thinking of women’s rights or human rights in general. There are human rights groups and activists, but unfortunately, they can only accomplish so much. Torture is still considered and acceptable practice. As in most governments, there is corruption, and unjust treatment of the citizens is what happens because of it.

That is a lot to think about, I know, but it is important. Some of it is interesting, and some of it is kind of scary as well. Even though I could blend in easily, travelling to a foreign country with different beliefs is frightening. I don’t want to somehow end up on one of those shows like “Locked Up Abroad”. Obviously I’m being a little irrational, but those crazy thoughts still creep into my head.

For Tourists

So tourism has been growing there. When you research what is available for you to do, it’s pretty easy to find the local attractions. The capitol of Manama is the center for a lot of business and industry, but also offers a place for visitors to safely stay. That is where I stayed at the Crowne Plaza. Since it is in the capitol, you are surrounded by luxury. Shopping is huge for local tourists. They come from all around the Gulf. The malls and shopping centers are incredible, but since I am not rich, I spent most of my time window shopping. Also, because you are right on the Gulf, water attractions like scuba diving are very popular.

I visited what they call the Tree of Life. It’s a huge tree that grows out in the middle of the desert, with no known water source anywhere around. It’s pretty amazing to know that it can survive out there somehow, almost miraculously. The locals like to mention it to visitors and I would recommend going since it’s not something you would see everyday. Sure, it’s just a tree, but the stories surrounding it are interesting.

Anyway, preparation is a good thing. Learn about your destination before you go so that you are ready when you get there. The people are friendly for the most part, but it sucks packing the wrong stuff or accidentally insulting someone because you weren’t familiar with their customs or culture. It can’t hurt to be a little ahead of the game, right?

A useful website was http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/bahrain.htm if you’re looking for information. It will give you an idea of what is currently going on over there.

This website is about my visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain and it’s most luxurious hotel, the Crowne Plaza. It is a jewel in the center of the diplomatic area. The comfort and accommodations are unmatched. The service was friendly and professional. The stay was very interesting, but the culture was different from living in the US.