Bahrain was a working port, meaning that we had to have a normal workday, and then after working hours, we were allowed to leave the boat. I didn't get to leave the boat until about 1530 (3:30). When I did leave, I went with a couple of co-workers of mine, Walter and Burkett. The first place we went was to the swimming pool. I forgot my suit so I didn't get in, but it was no big deal because it was a lap pool and I didn't want to swim laps anyway. After the pool, we went to the base's ship store to have a look around. It was basically just like a small Navy Exchange back home with some food, drinks, CDs, electronics and things like that. They did have a little bit in the line of local things, but I wasn't too impressed with any of it. It mainly consisted of rugs, some jewelry, and fancy chessboards. We browsed around in there for a little while, bought a couple of things like drinks and a snack, and then we left to go to the main square where they had a thing set up for the people in our battle group to hang out.
At this place, they had a stage set up for a band to play, a bunch of picnic tables, and some vendors that were selling food and alcohol. Most everyone was drinking, but they had it set so you couldn't buy more than 2 cans of beer at once. Most everyone was drinking, and drinking as much as they could. It kind of slowed everyone down since they could only get 2 cans at a time, but it didn't stop everyone from trying. A little while after we got there, the bad started playing, and they actually weren't half bad. They were playing known American songs such as "What's Up", "Wasn't Me", "Bitch", and many other recognizable songs.
I did go up and talk to the band during a little intermission that they had. I found out that they were actually from Vancouver, Washington, and traveled around the world playing at clubs and anywhere else they could get a booking. They were actually here at Bahrain playing at one of the clubs, and got set up to play for us as well for a couple of nights. The one band member that I talked to said he loved it, and after all of this, he would never be able to go back to a normal 9 to 5 job. I couldn't blame him. It sounded like a blast. The band consisted of four guys and a girl who was their bassist as well as sang their songs that had a female part. I got all of their autographs and a few pictures of them, and told them they did a great job, and maybe they could get their own album someday. They said they doubted it, but you never know. I hope to see a CD of theirs on the shelf someday.
We stayed out until 10:00 drinking, talking, and listening to music. It was actually one of the better nights I've had in a while. I had a great time. Unfortunately, we had to be back to the boat by midnight, a little curfew that the boat gave us. Actually, I think the main reason they gave us this curfew was because the base had that curfew, and we would have been taken in if we were out after midnight. Even the people stationed here have to be indoors by midnight.
I actually got off work at around 1300 (1:00), but didn't leave the boat until around 3:00. This time I went out with Reever, another guy that's in my division. We wanted to look around some to begin with. We made a stop by the USO shop, which sold some snacks and more local stuff and was cheaper than the ship's store. He bought a couple of t-shirts, and I primarily just looked around to figure out what I wanted to buy. I didn't actually get anything though.
We took a closer look at the base. I had seen all the Marine's walking around the base with guns and everything the day before, but they seemed to be in more force this time. Nothing had changed from the night before though. The sign outside of the base says that they are in threat condition significant, but it seemed higher than that. The Marine's were patrolling the streets constantly, and we had to have our ID visible at all times. Also, later into the evening, Hummer's were driving down the road with a Marine walking in front as well as a Marine on top manning the big gun. I'd hate to see what this place if they were in an extreme or imminent threat condition. I don't think we would have been leaving the boat if they were in that kind of condition though.
Reever and I took a brief walk off the base also. We were going to see if there was anything within walking distance. I haven't been so nervous walking around since I started this cruise. I don't know what made me nervous. I just wasn't comfortable. On top of that, there was really nothing but housing and such outside of the base. There were a few small shops, but we didn't walk that far down the street. We did walk around the fence to the other side of the base to see if there was anything, but there was nothing but taxicabs trying to get us to take a ride into town. Reever wasn't very interested, and neither was I at the time.
After we got back on the base, we went back to the same square we were at the night before. A different bad played this time though, but I wasn't sitting near them this time either. They seemed to be more of a local band singing American songs once again. "Sweet Child 'O Mine" is one song they sang that comes to mind. Like I said, I wasn't paying that much attention. They were a group of five girls with a backup band though, and that's about all I noticed. I went and sat in another section where a bunch of people from my old division were sitting. Once again, we talked and drank some, and ordered some pizza, which took two hours to get to us. Once again, at around 10:00, we headed back toward the boat.
Security was a lot tighter this time though. Where the previous day they did let us on the pier with an ID check and then a small bag check once we got in, this time they had us get in line to get scanned for weapons or anything else with metal detectors. After that, we lined up against the wall, where they did an extensive baggage search before they let us go through their ID check and onto the pier. I asked if there was something going on, and they said there wasn't, it was just another command running it this night as opposed to the last. It didn't bother me any though.
I got off work once again at around 1300 (1:00). I didn't leave the boat this time until around 4:00 because I was looking around for someone that wanted to go out into town. I wanted to see what all was out there, considering I had spent the last two days on base. Finally, I did find a small group that was going to head out into town. We went to a mall and ate and looked around. I wasn't impressed by anything though. I was actually more board than anything. I began searching shops for shot glasses considering I get one of those at every port, but they seemed impossible to find here, except for the one on base that I found that didn't impress me too much. We walked around the mall twice and didn't see anything even close. They did have a movie theater and were playing a couple of more recent movies, but most of them were movies that came out anywhere between last Christmas to about a month before I left San Diego.
After we got tired of the mall, we got in a cab, and at my request went to the Hard Rock Cafe, where I knew they had a shot glass they would sell to me. Sure enough, they had a couple of different ones. I got those and a T-shirt. I wanted to walk around this part of town a little more, but everyone else I was with wanted to go back to the base, so that's where we headed.
When we got back to the base, I ran to the USO shop real quick and bought a couple more last minute souvenirs, and also went to the money exchanger and got some of their local coins. I then headed to meet with my group again, which were already at the square again, drinking. I wasn't up to drinking this time though, so I just basically sat there and listened to the music that the this time DJ was playing, waiting patiently until someone wanted to go back to the boat. One of them finally did around 9:00.
The procedure to get on the pier was the same as the night before, if not a little more strict. This time I was patted down as opposed to the metal scanner being used, and they took every single thing out of my bag to check it before they let me go back in the gate. It was worse than an airport. I then got back on the boat, and soon after went to bed.
It was time to pull out of Bahrain, and I didn't mind that one bit. This place did not interest me much at all. It was afternoon before we actually got underway.
I didn't spend much time off base, so I'm not really sure what Bahrain is like normally. The main thing that I noticed was society is very different here. I was very uncomfortable when I was out in town. For one, most of the women wore all black, and there seemed to be three ways they dressed, and I'm sure it symbolized something, but I could only guess what. There were the young children who wore normal clothes. Then, it seemed like when they entered teenage years or womanhood, whatever age that might be, they wore the black with their full head exposed. Next, there were women who wore a good and showed only their face. I assume that these women were the ones that were available, or single. Finally, there were women who wore the hood and a veil, showing only their eyes, and it seemed like they tried showing as little as possible. I am guessing that these women were the married ones. In psychology, one thing that I learned was that people who wear black are usually trying not to be noticed, and it seems in full effect here, especially when it came to the ones who only showed their eyes. The only real reason I realized them was because it was highly unusual for me, but it would be very understandable why married women wouldn't want to be noticed. As for as the others go, I imagine that women are not a high part of society here. Where the women wore all black, most of the men wore all white, and those that were covering the top of their head it seemed they were trying more to cool down. So, from viewing all of this, that is how I draw my assumptions. I didn't feel comfortable going up to one of the women and asking about this, and I think that was a good choice.
Also, just from walking around the mall, and the difficulty in finding a shot glass, and not seeing much of anything in the line of a bar, I'm guessing that this isn't a place that has a real alcohol problem, or anything really alcohol related. As South said as we were out, Alcoholics Anonymous probably doesn't do very well around here.
As far as cars and everything went, it seemed just like America. They drive on the same side of the road as we do, and most of them have typical cars. Traffic seemed about the same as a major city. The taxis that we were in all had air conditioning, but it seemed that they prefer to have the windows down, because when we got into the cab, usually he asked us to roll up the windows so he could turn on the air conditioner for us.
I don't know how crime is or anything like that, but like I said, I was very uncomfortable when I was off base, but there could have been many reasons for that. It doesn't seem much like a tourist city either. Their money is worth more than ours, but you could see that from the exchange rate, where three of our dollars equates to about one of theirs.
Due to how uncomfortable I felt, and the lack of finding things to do, I found this port to be very boring. I didn't really look for things to do, and since it was a working port, we couldn't go on any tours to learn about the city. So, I'm not saying that this is a bad city, just that from this trip, I didn't care for it. I was more than ready to leave when we did. But this place seems very strict and expensive. I would almost say that this place appeared to be exactly what everyone was telling me Singapore was going to be like. I wouldn't mind coming back here and giving it another chance, but only if I had an opportunity to take a tour or go out with someone who knew something about the town so I could learn it a little bit. Maybe that wouldn't make it so I was so uncomfortable going out on the town, and I would know things that there was to do around here.
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