A tour through the Kingdom of Bahrain
Bahrain World Trade Center, Manama, Bahrain (ISO 100, 40 mm, f/7.1, 1/125 s)
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The Kingdom of Bahrain is a country more known for its holiday style living, as opposed to an oil-producing nation. It is situated in the Persian Gulf off the East Coast of Saudi Arabia and is an archipelago composed of 50 natural and 33 man-made islands.
After being under British control through the 1800s and early 20th century, Bahrain declared its independence in 1971 and is currently classified as an Islamic Constitutional Monarchy. The country has not escaped controversy lately though as the government has been accused of human rights violations.
The country still remains popular however due to its central location in the Middle East, its ‘openness’ to Western tourists, and more liberal stance with regards to alcohol.
My time in Bahrain was accidental; I was invited to a wedding in Saudi Arabia and had planned to fly into Bahrain before traveling into Saudi by car, since a flight there was cheaper. Since I had to take a COVID PCR test before going into Saudi Arabia, I had to wait for the results from the Bahraini authorities before heading East.
Therefore, we had some free time in the Kingdom and these are some of the places we saw…
Qal'at 'Arad or Bahrain Fort or Arad Fort is located near Bahrain’s International airport and was built in the 15th century AD. The fort is square shaped and contains circular towers in each corner and also features ditches around its perimeter that could be filled with water to effectively function as a moat during war time.
As one of Bahrain’s most fortified defense structures, the fort was constructed in line with other Islamic forts at the time. Primarily used as a defensive castle, it was sieged and subsequently taken over by the Portuguese in the 16th century. The brief Omani occupation of Bahrain in 1800 saw it change hands as well. Luckily, efforts to restore the fort to its authenticity were carried out from 1984 to 1987.
The fort is open to visitors for a small fee and not all passages are open, however there are many small alleys and chambers that you can explore on your own. I was not expecting to see such an authentic piece of history in a modernized country like Bahrain, but am glad I was able to experience this piece of construction.
The Sheikh Salman bin Ahmed Fort (Riffa Fort or Qal'at ar-Rifa) is an archeological site that was the residence of Sheikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Fateh Al Khalifa in 1812. Future ruler Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, who ruled from 1869 to 1932, was also born in Riffa fort.
The site sits atop the Hunanaiya valley and was being restored at the time of our visit. It seems as though the interior was closed to visitors at the top with plans to re-open after restoration works are completed.
For a country like Bahrain, there are mosques aplenty, however one that struck my eye had to be the Salman bin Hamad Mosque, located in Awali, Bahrain. I really liked the green/yellow facade on its exterior. I thought it was a more unique looking mosque than the ones I have usually seen in places like Turkey and Jordan.
As a non-Muslim and given the COVID situation, I was doubly not allowed to enter the building, however the outside was just as charming.
The Tree of Life (Shajarat-al-Hayat) upon first glass it really just as the name suggests, an overgrown tree located in the heart of Bahrain. You have to drive past oil fields to get there, which is ironic in itself. The history behind the tree however is more fascinating: it is a nearly 10 meter high Prosopis cineraria tree, found to be over 400 years old.
It’s remarkable in itself that the tree has survived so long under such harsh conditions of high temperatures and little water…I suppose ‘nature finds a way’. There is a theory that the tree’s root system is so long and complex that it is able to scavenge water from springs many kilometers away.
Take caution when driving to this site however; there is fine sand for part of the roadway that leads you to the tree. You can manage in a car if you take it slow and steady. We had no issues and explored the tree’s branches which gave us respite from the sun.
Bahrain World Trade Center, Manama, Bahrain (ISO 100, 65 mm, f/7.1, 1/250 s)
The Bahrain World Trade Center is probably the most recognizable building in all of Bahrain. Located in the capital of Manama, the building stands 240 meters high and is a twin tower complex with three wind turbines built into passageways between the towers. The complex has 50 floors and was constructed by the architectural firm Atkins. It is the 2nd largest building in Bahrain and the turbines together have the potential to produce up to 675 kW of electricity, or about 15% of the building’s usage.
You can get great views of this complex from most areas along the King Faisal Highway. We got coffee at the Bahrain Financial Harbor and took in some good views from there.
If shopping is your thing, you are in luck. There are plenty of malls in Bahrain and in Manama specifically. I won’t list any of them here because they are all around you as you drive through. You can expect luxury brands aplenty.
Lastly, if you intend on entering Saudi Arabia by car, you will have to venture West towards the King Fahad Causeway. This is an island complex that was built by Saudi to serve as a customs station before entering the Kingdom. Seeing as how Bahrain is more liberal with alcohol consumption, it is common for Saudis to go to Bahrain and enjoy such pleasures and return back home to Saudi.
The customs process at the Causeway for a non-Saudi citizen was a bit cumbersome, and involved getting my pre-approved VISA activated, a car search (for alcohol and other prohibited items), and a COVID test. Though there weren’t many signs to direct us what to do or where to go, the customs officials pointed us in the right direction so the process wasn’t all that bad.
Last points…If you intend on going to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in COVID times, be sure to download the applications BeAware Bahrain (for Apple and Android) and Tawakkalna (for Apple and Android) for each country, respectively. These apps will allow you to enter businesses in each country and are the ways the countries can perform adequate contact tracing.
Enjoy!
