Article

2004-07-02 Arabia

Bahrain secures bridge used by Westerners fleeing Saudi Arabia

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Posted by Super Hose 2004-07-02 3:47:40 AM|| || Front Page|| [11134 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Oh, goody.... more policemen to worry about.

Posted by Anonymous4617 2004-07-02 8:28:57 AM|| 2004-07-02 8:28:57 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 A few observations:

1) Bahrain is no longer the nightlife getaway for the Saudis it once was - the "ists" have taken over there, too, and shut down about 80% of the fun. So much for their foray into pseudo-democracy and the amnesty for their wackos. Example, only hotels (officially - there are a very few exceptions) are allowed to have bars - and the hours are now limited, IIUC.

2) The causeway is THE way to get the hell out of the Eastern Province. They closed down Dhahran Airport, which was great, and forced everyone to go to Dammam Int'l - a mutawa-run shithole - or used the causeway and go out via Manama's Bahrain Int'l.

3) When I was last there, at the times of day I used the causeway, the traffic was about 70-30 Saudi / Bahraini to expat. And mostly families going to the malls and movies available there sans a measure of the idiocy. Movies are a big draw - none allowed in SA, of course.

4) If the paperwork is clean, they won't catch anyone. With Nayef / Saudi complicity, that's a done deal. As A4617 pointed out once not long ago, the causeway is highly vulnerable to some bunch whacking a bunch of Westerners - it's one hell of a bottleneck and moves slooooooow in the Bahrain - to - Saudi direction. Not because of security, because of stupidity and lax assholes.

5) I've never seen an Arab, especially a Saudi, searched worth a damn. They do sometimes go after the Westerners with a extensive car search - looking for pork smugglers, mainly. Truth is, a jihadi could prolly smuggle anything short of field artillery through the causeway -- unless they have really changed things, which I doubt.

Posted by .com 2004-07-02 11:11:19 AM|| 2004-07-02 11:11:19 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Movies are a big draw - none allowed in SA, of course.

No movies? Didn't realize that. Graven image deal?

Posted by Shipman 2004-07-02 11:34:34 AM|| 2004-07-02 11:34:34 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Ship - I assume so, but who knows? What day of the week is it, heh?

It's actually hard to remember all of the common things, the little stuff that makes life what it is here, which are not allowed there. Nowhere near as hard as getting by without them, of course. Eventually, you are just worn down to eat, sleep, work. And the one real pleasure left to you, eating, is heavily proscribed, of course. Amazing how limited the menu becomes when you remove pork and all related dishes.

The real remaining reason to go to Bahrain is to eat normally - restoring the one allowed pleasure.

Posted by .com 2004-07-02 11:41:39 AM|| 2004-07-02 11:41:39 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 .com, when I discovered that the Saudis were coming to Bahrain as an excape from the mundane, I knew that I never wanted to visit Arabia. Bahrain ain't no Las Vegas or even Orlando or even Akron ...

Posted by Super Hose 2004-07-02 12:58:30 PM|| 2004-07-02 12:58:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Lol! Excellent observation... everything's relative, eh?

Posted by .com 2004-07-02 1:23:39 PM|| 2004-07-02 1:23:39 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Not Akron?

Damn right SH. The Eastwood Grill, the Outpost and Tall Paul's Disco club - and don't forget Filthy McNasty's over in Kent; you could catch Joe Walsh there with $1 pitchers and no cover. Makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

Life's been good to me sooo farrrr . . . .

Posted by Doc8404 2004-07-02 3:41:24 PM|| 2004-07-02 3:41:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 We used to go to Ray's in Kent - my dad told me that I had to stay out fo the Townhouse. He still teaches and lives in Hudson so we usually drank in Kep's Tavern - the only bar in town - and staggered home.

Posted by Super Hose 2004-07-02 5:08:27 PM|| 2004-07-02 5:08:27 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Doc8404,

I hope that $1 pitcher is of Rolling Rock!

Adding to .com description of this place:
No Movie Theaters
No Symphony
No Play Theater
No sounds of music on the streets.
No sounds of women laughter
No music in restaurants (except maybe Chilis)
No dancing
No real alcohol
No pork
No Museums (in Dhahran)-There is on Oil Exhibit. How many times can you go to it?
No Street Festival
No Ethnic festival
Etc, etc,...

Posted by Anonymous4617 2004-07-03 1:19:26 AM|| 2004-07-03 1:19:26 AM|| Front Page Top

12:05 Sakina A. Walsh
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