Bahrain=Freedom, Naval base and The Ritz

We got back today from a weekend getaway in Bahrain. Bahrain is an island country about 4 hours from Riyadh. The two countries are connected via a bridge—a very long bridge. So here’s the story of our trip.
We left on Wed at 1700 and followed some friends to Dahran—they were staying with their friends at ARAMCO and we were staying at Jadawel East (our sister compound). We get to Dahran and go our separate ways. I knew I had to find the corniche and take a left. Lenny (more about him later) had told me to keep going left until I saw the Dahran International Expo Center. Found it—it’s after 2100 (9pm) so it’s dark and I’m a little unsure (but saying my prayers). Take a right and drive to Jadawel East.
At JE we get thru the first security gate—now for the second one. At the second one I have to stop and get out and register. We have a villa waiting—or do we. I have a letter in my hand saying we are authorized a villa. However the guys tell me” No villa.” They have no paperwork on me. Phone calls are made and we get a villa.
JE villa’s aren’t as big as ours are in Riyadh—but hey it’s free! We set our phones for 0600 because we wanted to leave for Bahrain NLT 0715. We got in bed and slept—woke up on time—packed the car again and left on time.
I have never driven to Bahrain and was there once 17 years ago—so we’re kind of doing this blind. We had a map and I had been told to just follow the signs. We followed the signs got on the bridge and started driving over the ocean—that long long bridge.
Then we come to all the check-points—Saudi first and then Bahrain. At one you pay a toll fee…the next you give your passports…then car inspection…then car information…then you buy insurance…then passports again…Laurie and I kept watching the car in from of us trying to figure out what they were handing—we did pretty good and suddenly we were in Bahrain.
Bahrain equals freedom—freedom to watch movies, not wear the abyaa, women can drive and work, you can eat pork, drink liquor, go night clubbing and you can swim in the ocean. Freedom! Oh and during prayer time you’ll hear the call very faint but nothing closes.
There were some other things I noticed—being the driver. The lanes were clearly marked and everybody stayed in their lanes. The horns were mostly silent. The signs were in English. Nobody took two parking spaces. There was no parking on the roads, double parking or triple parking. The cars looked nicer. People obeyed the traffic lights and signs. Driving was amazingly smooth. Amazingly smooth!
We get to Bahrain, find the Grand Mosque—and it is grand—and then get lost (actually we got lost twice before we found the Grand Mosque). We were looking for Ric’s Kountry Kooking—all US expats eat there and rave about it. Somehow we just kept looking and Laurie says “Tim take a right—there it is.” It was across from the Grand Mosque—across a huge sand lot (we had been told a field and were expecting grass, trees, flowers—I don’t know why—after all this is the Middle East). We go in and order. The food was good—the biscuits with sausage gravy were really good. We ate and waited for Lenny and Kay (they were going to be our tour guides—and they were awesome). So Lenny and Kay arrive and tell us that they’ll eat at the Navy base. We leave Ric’s take a right and we’re at the base!
A base! A US base with all the luxuries I’d forgotten about. In Saudi we have nowhere to use our ID card, commissary, BX, movie theater, etc.. But the Naval base in Bahrain has all that. We parked, walked through security and the angels from heaven started to sing…maybe that was prayer call..but anyway it felt like a slice of heaven.
Lenny and Kay went to eat at the food court and pointed us towards the commissary and BX. I thought we were going to go crazy in the commissary. It was just nice to see US prices and pay a reasonable fee for our chips instead of $10 like we do here. I’ve been wanting Noxema—they had it. Laurie bought some woman stuff and Timmie was excited about the S’more pop tarts. It really is the little things you miss. I even bought….hold your breath…real vanilla. You can’t find it here because it has alcohol. AND I bought nutmeg…something you have a hard time finding here because it’s considered an aphrodisiac (but isn’t chocolate one too—and there’s lot of chocolate here in the KSA). Then Timmie and I saw a sign that said an express Taco Bell coming soon. I thought Timmie was going to cry—he really misses his Taco Bell.
We pack up our delicacies and follow L and K to one of the malls. This mall had a
16plex theater…with 16 different movies…14 in English. Timmie and I saw Bolt—loved it-- and the others saw Twilight (Laurie said it was much better than her pirated copy). After the movies we went to the hotel.
We stayed at..... THE RITZ!!! Yes The Ritz. I have never felt so underdressed and so “country” in all my life. We got government rates—less than half what the regular price is. You drive up and it’s valet parking—you can’t park your own car—it’s not allowed. Someone opens your door, the passenger door and unloads your trunk AND takes your luggage to your room..you do not lift a finger. When we walked into the huge, gorgeous lobby a lady came up to register Timmie for all the children activities—and there were a lot. Laurie told her we were only there for the evening—the lady looked disappointed…but she brought us juice.
After we checked in someone took us to our room! She turned on the lights and showed us our room and told us that if we needed anything to let her know.
The room! WOW! The tub was huge. The bed was so fluffy and cozy. The pillows were perfect. The window over looked the pool (lit at night and looked so romantic) and ocean (private with lots of lounge chairs and raked constantly to look nice). It was incredible.
This Ritz is a spa Ritz—but we didn’t have time, or privacy, to enjoy all the Ritz had to offer. However, some friends at the compound have offered to watch Timmie so Laurie and I can take advantage of the Ritz (that doesn’t sound right but I know you all know what I mean).
We rested for a little while—then walked on the beach to take our pictures—Timmie played for a minute on the playground. Then we all loaded up and went to eat at Johnny Rockets (we were supposed to get one here but we heard it was cancelled).
After we ate it was back to mall for another movie. This time our family saw Bedtime Stories—loved it. L and K saw something else. By now it’s late and we’re all tired. Back to The Ritz to snuggle under that comforter, lay my head on that perfect pillow and sink into the mattress…ummmmmmm.
We woke up on Friday, checked out, the cars were brought around the front, doors opened, suitcases loaded for us and off we drove to eat at Ric’s again (the food really is good American food). After eating we loaded back into our cars for the exciting trip through immigration, customs and trying to figure out what to do at each window (I got a stern warning on the Saudi side for not waiting for them to tell me what stall to go to at the customs area..I thought that would mean our car would be searched…but it wasn’t..the guy just signed off on my paperwork…but now I know for next time to wait).
Once we got back into Saudi there was a different feel. It’s home…but there seem to be so many “constrictions.” Yet we love it here…even with the constrictions. Driving back to Riyadh we saw the usual camels, long truck lines, and of course the desert. This time the wind was really blowing so that meant a lot of sand blowing around--less visibilty but we still drove about 75 - 85mph. We got back to our villa safe and sound.
Wow—Bahrain is so close and now that we’ve driven the road, crossed the bridge, made our way through the maze and know what’s on the other side—we’re ready to go on a more regular basis. Hopefully we’ll become repeat customers of The Ritz too!