bored in Bahrain
Nov 16th 2007, 10:08 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: stuck at red
Posts: 1,525
bored in Bahrain
marhaba habibis,
greetings from Bahrain - got in yesterday afternoon for what could be a very geeky conference. yesterday and today relaxing, work starts tomorrow...
first impressions v favourable cf UAE - all 3 of my cabbies so far have been locals! rip-off merchants natch but friendly and being local their conversation isn't restricted to how bad the traffic is or how much/little they managed to send home last month and how my taking them to Sharjah is an evil act...
Main topic today has been Iran. One chap is very unhappy with all Shia' labelling them *all* with some colourful language... he seems to be eagerly awaiting the war. This came up because of the security presence around the palace on the occasion of Ahmedinajad visiting today.
At Bahrian fort I met a young US family - the man is with his embassy here and he had a lot to say about it too, and the last cabby had a picture of one of the Ayatollahs on his dash and was listening to a sermon... managed to catch a few names - Imam Hussein was mentioned many times. So it looks like i had both sides of the political compass. Understandably this man was less gung-ho (insh-allah jang nahi hoga)
The Crowded Planet talks of a mysterious bar known as Hunters Lodge where American sailors play pool. But i randomly met an English QS and his tattooed mate from Plymouth and his American teacher gf last night at the Bab al-Bahrain and his experience is that everyone here is friendly... locals, Asians, Filipinos, except for American naval ratings, and even the naval officers are a bit iffy. It seems he has almost been in 3 fights as a result. Interesting!
Work starts tomorrow, yay!
greetings from Bahrain - got in yesterday afternoon for what could be a very geeky conference. yesterday and today relaxing, work starts tomorrow...
first impressions v favourable cf UAE - all 3 of my cabbies so far have been locals! rip-off merchants natch but friendly and being local their conversation isn't restricted to how bad the traffic is or how much/little they managed to send home last month and how my taking them to Sharjah is an evil act...
Main topic today has been Iran. One chap is very unhappy with all Shia' labelling them *all* with some colourful language... he seems to be eagerly awaiting the war. This came up because of the security presence around the palace on the occasion of Ahmedinajad visiting today.
At Bahrian fort I met a young US family - the man is with his embassy here and he had a lot to say about it too, and the last cabby had a picture of one of the Ayatollahs on his dash and was listening to a sermon... managed to catch a few names - Imam Hussein was mentioned many times. So it looks like i had both sides of the political compass. Understandably this man was less gung-ho (insh-allah jang nahi hoga)
The Crowded Planet talks of a mysterious bar known as Hunters Lodge where American sailors play pool. But i randomly met an English QS and his tattooed mate from Plymouth and his American teacher gf last night at the Bab al-Bahrain and his experience is that everyone here is friendly... locals, Asians, Filipinos, except for American naval ratings, and even the naval officers are a bit iffy. It seems he has almost been in 3 fights as a result. Interesting!
Work starts tomorrow, yay!
Nov 16th 2007, 10:14 pm
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: By the old canal...
Posts: 7,715
Re: bored in Bahrain
marhaba habibis,
greetings from Bahrain - got in yesterday afternoon for what could be a very geeky conference. yesterday and today relaxing, work starts tomorrow...
first impressions v favourable cf UAE - all 3 of my cabbies so far have been locals! rip-off merchants natch but friendly and being local their conversation isn't restricted to how bad the traffic is or how much/little they managed to send home last month and how my taking them to Sharjah is an evil act...
Main topic today has been Iran. One chap is very unhappy with all Shia' labelling them *all* with some colourful language... he seems to be eagerly awaiting the war. This came up because of the security presence around the palace on the occasion of Ahmedinajad visiting today.
At Bahrian fort I met a young US family - the man is with his embassy here and he had a lot to say about it too, and the last cabby had a picture of one of the Ayatollahs on his dash and was listening to a sermon... managed to catch a few names - Imam Hussein was mentioned many times. So it looks like i had both sides of the political compass. Understandably this man was less gung-ho (insh-allah jang nahi hoga)
The Crowded Planet talks of a mysterious bar known as Hunters Lodge where American sailors play pool. But i randomly met an English QS and his tattooed mate from Plymouth and his American teacher gf last night at the Bab al-Bahrain and his experience is that everyone here is friendly... locals, Asians, Filipinos, except for American naval ratings, and even the naval officers are a bit iffy. It seems he has almost been in 3 fights as a result. Interesting!
Work starts tomorrow, yay!
greetings from Bahrain - got in yesterday afternoon for what could be a very geeky conference. yesterday and today relaxing, work starts tomorrow...
first impressions v favourable cf UAE - all 3 of my cabbies so far have been locals! rip-off merchants natch but friendly and being local their conversation isn't restricted to how bad the traffic is or how much/little they managed to send home last month and how my taking them to Sharjah is an evil act...
Main topic today has been Iran. One chap is very unhappy with all Shia' labelling them *all* with some colourful language... he seems to be eagerly awaiting the war. This came up because of the security presence around the palace on the occasion of Ahmedinajad visiting today.
At Bahrian fort I met a young US family - the man is with his embassy here and he had a lot to say about it too, and the last cabby had a picture of one of the Ayatollahs on his dash and was listening to a sermon... managed to catch a few names - Imam Hussein was mentioned many times. So it looks like i had both sides of the political compass. Understandably this man was less gung-ho (insh-allah jang nahi hoga)
The Crowded Planet talks of a mysterious bar known as Hunters Lodge where American sailors play pool. But i randomly met an English QS and his tattooed mate from Plymouth and his American teacher gf last night at the Bab al-Bahrain and his experience is that everyone here is friendly... locals, Asians, Filipinos, except for American naval ratings, and even the naval officers are a bit iffy. It seems he has almost been in 3 fights as a result. Interesting!
Work starts tomorrow, yay!
Keep up the travelogue, ya akhee. Looking forward to the next installment - njoy yr trip.
Nov 17th 2007, 2:08 am
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: bored in Bahrain
marhaba habibis,
greetings from Bahrain - got in yesterday afternoon for what could be a very geeky conference. yesterday and today relaxing, work starts tomorrow...
first impressions v favourable cf UAE - all 3 of my cabbies so far have been locals! rip-off merchants natch but friendly and being local their conversation isn't restricted to how bad the traffic is or how much/little they managed to send home last month and how my taking them to Sharjah is an evil act...
Main topic today has been Iran. One chap is very unhappy with all Shia' labelling them *all* with some colourful language... he seems to be eagerly awaiting the war. This came up because of the security presence around the palace on the occasion of Ahmedinajad visiting today.
At Bahrian fort I met a young US family - the man is with his embassy here and he had a lot to say about it too, and the last cabby had a picture of one of the Ayatollahs on his dash and was listening to a sermon... managed to catch a few names - Imam Hussein was mentioned many times. So it looks like i had both sides of the political compass. Understandably this man was less gung-ho (insh-allah jang nahi hoga)
The Crowded Planet talks of a mysterious bar known as Hunters Lodge where American sailors play pool. But i randomly met an English QS and his tattooed mate from Plymouth and his American teacher gf last night at the Bab al-Bahrain and his experience is that everyone here is friendly... locals, Asians, Filipinos, except for American naval ratings, and even the naval officers are a bit iffy. It seems he has almost been in 3 fights as a result. Interesting!
Work starts tomorrow, yay!
greetings from Bahrain - got in yesterday afternoon for what could be a very geeky conference. yesterday and today relaxing, work starts tomorrow...
first impressions v favourable cf UAE - all 3 of my cabbies so far have been locals! rip-off merchants natch but friendly and being local their conversation isn't restricted to how bad the traffic is or how much/little they managed to send home last month and how my taking them to Sharjah is an evil act...
Main topic today has been Iran. One chap is very unhappy with all Shia' labelling them *all* with some colourful language... he seems to be eagerly awaiting the war. This came up because of the security presence around the palace on the occasion of Ahmedinajad visiting today.
At Bahrian fort I met a young US family - the man is with his embassy here and he had a lot to say about it too, and the last cabby had a picture of one of the Ayatollahs on his dash and was listening to a sermon... managed to catch a few names - Imam Hussein was mentioned many times. So it looks like i had both sides of the political compass. Understandably this man was less gung-ho (insh-allah jang nahi hoga)
The Crowded Planet talks of a mysterious bar known as Hunters Lodge where American sailors play pool. But i randomly met an English QS and his tattooed mate from Plymouth and his American teacher gf last night at the Bab al-Bahrain and his experience is that everyone here is friendly... locals, Asians, Filipinos, except for American naval ratings, and even the naval officers are a bit iffy. It seems he has almost been in 3 fights as a result. Interesting!
Work starts tomorrow, yay!
Totally agree that Bahrain is better than Dubai. It's more 'genuinely Arabic' with a more transient racial mix, which makes people more willing to welcome newcomers etc.
Some expats find it a bit claustrophobic ('everyone knows everyone else's business' etc) but I've never found this. The rugby club is very family-friendly, unlike the Exiles, and a good social focal point.
Haven't heard of Hunters Lodge though - must be within the US military base itself? I never get farther than the Warbler.......
Nov 17th 2007, 6:06 pm
#4
Greying Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Ex-Bahrain
Posts: 254
Re: bored in Bahrain
JVR,
Totally agree that Bahrain is better than Dubai. It's more 'genuinely Arabic' with a more transient racial mix, which makes people more willing to welcome newcomers etc.
Some expats find it a bit claustrophobic ('everyone knows everyone else's business' etc) but I've never found this. The rugby club is very family-friendly, unlike the Exiles, and a good social focal point.
Haven't heard of Hunters Lodge though - must be within the US military base itself? I never get farther than the Warbler.......
Totally agree that Bahrain is better than Dubai. It's more 'genuinely Arabic' with a more transient racial mix, which makes people more willing to welcome newcomers etc.
Some expats find it a bit claustrophobic ('everyone knows everyone else's business' etc) but I've never found this. The rugby club is very family-friendly, unlike the Exiles, and a good social focal point.
Haven't heard of Hunters Lodge though - must be within the US military base itself? I never get farther than the Warbler.......
The Warbler is OK too of course - and JJ's.
You could also check out the Wrangler. My mate went there expecting to see cowboys, but all he found were Indians.........boom, boom.
Nov 17th 2007, 8:55 pm
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 18,187
Re: bored in Bahrain
sounds like fun, jvr...hope the rest of your stay goes well...least you've got a legit excuse for blowing us out on quiz night this week!!
MM, xx
MM, xx
Nov 17th 2007, 9:29 pm
#9
live life to the max
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: third rock from the sun
Posts: 1,989
Nov 18th 2007, 6:35 pm
#14
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,028
Re: bored in Bahrain
I recall a very nice sports bar just behind the Gold Souk in Bahrain popular with US marines with a dodgy health club downstairs and a very lively Filipino rock joint upstairs, where four cuties did a fabulous imitation of Led Zeppelin and I mean they were note perfect...nothing really comparable here.
Nov 18th 2007, 6:49 pm
#15
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 18,187
Re: bored in Bahrain
I recall a very nice sports bar just behind the Gold Souk in Bahrain popular with US marines with a dodgy health club downstairs and a very lively Filipino rock joint upstairs, where four cuties did a fabulous imitation of Led Zeppelin and I mean they were note perfect...nothing really comparable here.
MM, xx
