Closing another chapter...likes and dislikes

Hello All,

Hard to believe I will have only 10 days left once I return from Jordan.

As a tradition, I close out with likes and dislikes.  I don't want to leave on a sour note so I will cover my "dislikes" first.

1.  Weekends:  I dread weekends.  We get thousands of Saudis descending on the city.  They are rude, have a sense of entitlement, have no respect for the fact people live here, and come here to do all the things they can't do in Saudi Arabia which is often contrary to the religion they practice.  We have a saying in the US which is "what happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.  They have there own saying:  "Allah can't see across the causeway" which is the 12 mile long bridge which connects Saudi Arabia to Bahrain.  Even other non-Saudi Muslims don't like them.

2.  Traffic:  Traffic is always bad and made worse by our "visitors".  Not only is traffic bad, a high percentage of people are very dangerous drivers.  Rules of the road?  Simple...do what ever you want.  Left hand turn from the far right lane?  No problem.  In a hurry (like everyone else)?  Don't bother waiting your turn in the left hand turn only lane.  Just drive to the front of the line and force your way in.  Stop at a stop sign?  Optional.  Take up two parking spots?  Sure, screw you...I have my parking spot.  Stop on coming traffic because you want to make a left hand turn before the light changes?  Why not...I got what I wanted, you will just have to wait on me.

3.  Construction:  Construction is going on everywhere.  Roads and high-rises being build everywhere.  The road construction only adds to the traffic problem and I have no idea who is going to live in all the high-rise apartments being built.  There just doesn't seem to be a current shortage so I assume there will be plenty of vacancies.  The best part of this construction is that it takes place 6 days a week and starts when the sun comes up.  Currently, that means the noise starts at 5:30 am and lasts until dusk.

4.  The "Middle Eastern" culture:  To sum it up...it is getting very tiresome.  I look forward to the day when the world no longer depends on oil.  Everyone in this region can go back to being goat and camel herders like they were 100 years ago.  It will not happen in my lifetime...but it will happen.

5.  Tire fires and tear gas:  You can't keep a popular civilian uprising suppressed forever.  Revolutions have happened throughout history in every part of the world; didn't we have one in America a while back?  It will happen here and in other surrounding counties where it has not happened already.  Of course, the only people with guns is the government.  I can think of a few other countries like that.

6.  Dubbed "the least interesting place I have ever been":  I have been to a lot of places.  This is the least interesting place I have ever spent a significant amount of time in.  Not much to do and even less to see.  Their Tourism Ministry has its work cut out for it.  At least they have a Formula 1 race every year...not that anyone who lives here cares.

7.  Diving:  The water is colder then you would think it would be, visibility is terrible, and there is nothing to see.  What a waste of time.

8.  Food prices:  All food is more expensive here.  In the grocery store, things are slightly to significantly more expensive.  In a restaurant, expect to pay double of what you would pay in the US.

Next week:  "Likes"!

Until then,
Michael

The final countdown...

Hey Whoever is left, lol!

Well...less then a month left of my 1 year tour in Bahrain.  One trip to Jordan left then on that freedom bird home!

As always, not much going on here.  Just biding my time and eager to get home to my family.

Next week, I will do a recap of my time here with a like/dislike of my time here.

I have a lot of thoughts about that but there should not be many surprises.

Until next week....

Michael