I never would have dreamed that I would have a stamp in my passport from Bahrain! We did our homework, and after much discussion regarding the protesting and unrest in the small island nation, we planned a non-stop 2 day adventure.
Bahrain is a fascinating archipelago of 36 islands, with rocky deserts, lush green vegetation and sandy beaches. We really had no idea the vast history we would find. Archeological evidences dates from 50,000 years ago. Bahrain has been visited and sometimes occupied by Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Portuguese and British. WOW!
From 3200 to 330BC Bahrain was the seat of the Dilmun empire. It became a center for trade and commerce, due to it's location with copper and pearls. So much history! Feel free to do your own research, it's fascinating.
Our first day was to be spent dolphin watching, snorkeling & pearl diving, oops......change of plans. On arrival it was far to windy to spend any time on the sea, so we dove right into the cove at our hotel and beached for a couple of hours until our van driver arrived.
We walked all over the Bahrain Fort. It is still in the process of being excavated. Over thousands of years, a fort has been built and destroyed over 4 times, either by harsh elements or invasion, but it still stands today. So many discoveries are still being found. We visited two museums, and the Beit Al Quran, with it's rare collection of Islamic prints and books. We checked out the souqs for some shopping, (just plain crazy), a maze of tiny shops and a lot of people!
We surely packed in a full day of fun! A late yummy Bahraini dinner, glass of wine poolside then off to bed to get ready to do it all again.
Our guide drove us into the desert so we could take in the beauty of the "Tree of Life".
This mature mesquite tree has survived over 400 years in the harsh elements with no apparent source of water. How it survives remains a mystery. Our guide says it is believed to be a descendant from the original Garden of Eden. Truly breathtaking! We spent some time touring a pottery shop, and purchased some of the crafts made in Bahrain. The burial mounds take up over 5% of the island, from a very young age your tomb is being continuously constructed. The larger the mound, the more prestigious the family.
We had a very jammed packed trip, and it was wonderful, from the history, the people and most of all, the company. Thanks ladies and most of all, Karen, for all you hard work making our trip amazing and memorable. One of the first trips I have been on, and I only had to show up. Great job!
Where to next?????
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