Bahrain is a typical gulf story. For centuries, it was a piece of desert, and then suddenly, they struck oil and a rich modern state shot up in only a few decades.
Manama
Manama is the capital and most populous city. Unlike other Gulf countries, when I took a taxi into the city, I was quite surprised to be driven by a local Bahraini. Manama was a ghost town during the afternoons, but everything comes alive in the cool evenings when all the shops are open and the streets are full of people. There's also a bridge connecting Saudi Arabia to Manama. Every weekend, thousands of Saudis drive into Bahrain for debauchery, taking advantage of Bahrain's laxer laws on alcohol.
Al Fateh MosqueRoasted camel and camel milkWorld Trade Bahrain Bab el-Bahrain SouqBab el-Bahrain SouqAl Areen Wildlife ParkRiffa FortThe bridge to Saudi Arabia