Just in time - Bahrain....

So we decided to go and visit Masi Masa in Bahrain... since i was not working then and Z had a 3 day weekend thanks to some national holiday we booked ourselves on the flight to Bahrain..

however as they say "there is many a slip between the cup and the lip"... our visas were rejected twice and it felt like we would not be going as if we were rejected the 3rd time we might be blacklisted...however we decided to take a chance and apply at the consulate in Abu Dhabi and this is all a day before we flew....well I was fasting on that day and Z could not come to drop me to AD...so i went by bus to AD and tried...though i was successful in getting a visa, the visa cost the same as the flight fare for each of us....

Anyways we managed to board our flight and off we went...we arrived late in the night and Masa Masi were waiting to recieve us...after a quick dinner we had a hearty conversation in between of which i dont remember when i fell asleep

Day 1 Museum Mosque and Fort

We woke up to a hearty healthy breakfast and then Masa dropped us to the National Museum of Bahrain. This is the largest and one of the oldest museums in Bahrain. It is constructed near the King Faisal Highway in Manama.  It is a huge place and possesses a rich collection of Bahrain's ancient archaeologyical artefacts and covers 6000 years of Bahrain's history. 

After spending 2-3 hours walking and talking masa decided to pick us up and took us to the
Al-Fatih Mosque.  We were asked to were burqas and cover our heads..A visitor wanting to learn more about Islam could not do better than to visit this grand mosque, with its unpatronising, informative guides. Built on reclaimed land in 1984, Al-Fatih Mosque is the largest building in the country and is capable of holding up to 7000 worshippers. The mosque was built with marble from Italy, glass from Austria and teak wood from India, carved by local Bahraini craftspeople, and has some fine examples of interior design. Nearby the Al Fatih Mosque is the National library building....

We then had lunch at AlAbraaj and decided to rest a bit at home...around 4ish we decided to visit the Arad Fort.  This is one of the first landmarks one could come across on arrival at Bahrain, due to its close proximity to the airport. The illuminated fort, when seen at night, is a sure magnificent sight.

Later we sat in the garden surrounding the fort and chatted away ..We wrapped up dinner at a restuarant in Manama Old City....

Day 2 Oil Well, Tree of life and F1circuit...

We met up with Mustaq Uncle for a heavy breakfast and a had a very good time with him...then since he was working we decided to head out towards seeing the first oil well in the Gulf...The road to reach there was a bit rough and had many troughs but it was quite a journey...Unfortunately the Oil Museum had closed for renovations a day before.. from the there we decided to visit the Tree of life..Standing alone in the desert about two kilometers from Jebel Dukhan, this mystic tree is a welcome shade from the day's heat, though the source of water for the tree still remains a mystery.

From there we went to see the F1 circuit... though it was empty, it was pretty grand....

We had lunch with Masa Masi friends at BBQ delights in Seef Mall...later in the evening we all went to gardens near the airport and the oldies started regaling nostalgic moments and then even started predicting the planes that were landing... :)..

Later in the evening we decided to visit the Bab al - Bahrain...Built by the British in 1945, Bab al-Bahrain, the 'Gateway to Bahrain' was originally designed by Sir Charles Belgrave and was redesigned in 1986 to give it more of an 'Islamic' flavour. Despite having been moved back from the water's edge, the gateway is still aptly named, as goods of various description, people of all nationalities, street vendors, shoppers and workers pass under its arches in a constant pageant of activity in this, the heart of Manama

We then wandered towards the Soukh. It is said that visit to Bahrain would remain incomplete without making a trip to the Soukh, which is full of sounds, aromas and colors. Everything from cloth of colors and textures to jewelry and gold and a traditional array of spices and local produce is available. The Gold Souq consists of contemporary European jewelry and the traditional Bedouin designs and other variety of styles. Z bought me a pearl pendent :) ...lucky me...

Day 3 Half way across to Saudi..

This day we visited the Bait al Qu'ran..  this house has the largest collection of the holy Koran from various era of time and in various calligraphy styles and in various languages...

From there we moved towards  King Fahad Causeway. Opened during 1986, this engineering link that connects Saudi Arabia with Bahrain, is also one of the most expensive bridges in the world. The bridge traverses Umm Nasan Island, a sanctuary for wildlife, and at the halfway point there is a facility area, that comprises a restaurant, which could be visited even if one does not travel all the way to Saudi Arabia

We then visited the Al Jasra Handicraft Centre and picked up small souveniours for near and dear ones... and then we moved towards towards The Barbar Temple.. this is an archaeological site located in the village of Barbar, Bahrain, and considered to be part of the Dilmun culture. The most recent of the three Barbar temples was rediscovered by a Danish archaeological team in 1954. A further two temples were discovered on the site with the oldest dating back to 3000 BC. The temples were built of limestone blocks, believed to have been carved out from the nearby Jidda Island. During the excavation of the site many tools, weapons, pottery and small pieces of gold were found which are now on display in the Bahrain National Museum. The site is on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage

from there we proceeded to Shaikh Isa's House. Shaikh Isa’s house located at the old down of Muharraq, was the home of great grandfather of Amir, Shaikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa. It represents a fine example of local architecture, with a wind tower, wall carving and lattice work, indicating a traditional nineteenth century life.

Finally we picked up these awesome backlavas which i have not found again in uae :)