Causeway

The King Fahd causeway is about sixteen miles long and connects Saudi Arabia to Bahrain.  Depending on what time you hit it you can breeze right though or sit for hours!   You will have to clear five gates coming and going.  The first gate is to make sure your car is okay to leave.  The second is to stamp you out of either Saudi or Bahrain.  The third then stamps your passport into the other country. The fourth is a car inspection.  The fifth is car insurance.  All of those take place on a small island between the two countries.  Total time without having to wait long at customs is about an hour to make it from Khobar to Manama.  

 I have only seen it this uncrowded once!

 Gate 1

 Gate 3

 Last Gate to Bahrain

 These trucks line the causeway on the Bahrain side.  I have been told that they sit for two days waiting to cross because the Saudi side is only open on certain days.  It is crazy!

 Barhain Police

 

 Saudi Side Gate 2

 Island for customs

 

   

Shamal Storm

We have had numerous shamals blow through but not one that I could photograph and drive though.  A shamal is a sand storm.  You can see them moving towards you and once inside it is very hard to see anything else.  This one is from Bahrain. 

 Driving Towards it.

 The truck is lost inside it.  If you look really closely you can sort of see it.

 Now hidden completely

  Our view while in it.  We even lost the car in front of us!

Bahrain Sailing Club

These are from the Bahrain Sailing Club or Bahrain Martime Sports Association.  It is a small beach, boat launch and docks.  Personally I do not think it is that nice.  It is a very small beach area that is extremly shallow.  I am of the opinion that it is used mainly for launching boats.  There does appear to be a nice public beach to the side of it.  This is just down from the Speedway and Lost Paradise Water park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bahrain Public Beach

Here are some shots taken from the Bahrain Sailing Club.  They are of the public beach and shoreline area on either side of the club. 

I am not sure what this place is.

You can see the speedway in the background here.  This isn't a public beach just an empty area.

Public Beach Area

Buccaneer Beach Day

Buccaneer Beach Day is held at the Half Moon Bay by the Yacht Association.  It is a day dedicated to kids.  They sold out this year with over 600 in attendance.  They had all sorts of games for the kids with prizes for each.  Every kid came home with multiple prizes.  They had tug a war, surf board races, egg toss, water bucket filling, sand castle building, boat rides and so much more.  They ended the day with a buffet dinner and all you could eat ice cream.  It was a wonderful time for everyone!

Buccaneer Day 

Two in a week...

We got another warning from the U.S. Consulate.  This time because of the protest which are happening in Qatif where we were last weekend.  We have been wanting to go to Qatif since last spring but then the Arab Spring occurred and Qatif residents did some protesting.  The government put the town on military lock down.  This is where the majority of Shia live.  They are a minority in Saudi Arabia.  These protest are being blamed on foreign influence, aka Iran.  They seem to be more violent then the ones last spring.  I am thankful we were able to see Qatif as we enjoyed our time there.  I hope for the residents there things calm down and tensions are eased.  I also hope we don't see any more warnings for a while!

Terrorist Threat Warning.....

We received this warning from the U.S. Consulate.  We have received lots of warnings over here but none as specific as this.  All the others have just been generic common sense stuff, watch out for crowds, avoid protest, etc.  This one was a bit unnerving.  It had the effect of scaring my friends and family who live in the States.  Over here we some what ignored it.  What it ask you to do is what you should do in any major city in the U.S., keep your security and situational awareness levels high.  There are crazy people EVERYWHERE!! It doesn't matter if it is a terrorist or just a crazy person the outcome is still the same for the person abducted.  That being said I am glad that they sent it out as I like to know if there are concerns, what I don't like is people thinking this place is some sort of dangerous place.  I personally think I am safer here then any major U.S. city!  Here is statistic to back that statement up: In  2009 there were 287 murders in the city of Houston.  In the year that I have lived here I have only heard of one murder in the Dammam/Khobar area ( a Filipino who was stabbed.)

Qatif

Here are some random photos from Qatif and Tarut Island.  They are of everyday Saudi people and life.  

 

The bottom sign is the one you need to notice.

 No idea what they say

Qatif 

Dareen & Winery

Dareen on Tarut Island is right along the coast.   There are many Dhow fishing boats there.  There is also another ruin of a palace although all that remains is a giant pile of rubble which the fisherman use to make and store their nets.  There is also a winery from many moon ago there.  Someone building a house discovered it.

 

 

 

 

 The Palace

The Winery

Dareen -