Manama, Bahrain
This was the second time I have visited Manama. We stopped here to pick up some mail (I received my Christmas presents) and participate in a brief change-of-command ceremony. There is a big American base here, that has everything a sailor could ever want. There are bars, movie theatres and fast food restaurants as well as a big NEX to shop at. You really get the feeling that the Americans would rather not have their sailors leave the base if they don't have to.
Of course, I like to leave the base. We were only here two nights, so the first night I hopped in a cab and went to a mall to watch a movie (pretty boring). The second day, I walked around the city, taking a few snapshots. There isn't a whole lot to do here, since it is a very small country, but it is fairly comfortable for Western travelers. The highlight was probably the Souk (market), but I didn't really take any pictures there.
This was the port where we stayed at - that's not my ship.
There always seems to be a lot of construction going on here, and many of the newer buildings have the same pastel-coloured appearance. There isn't a lot of green space in the city, and developers tend to build right up to the curb.
The Grand Mosque, as I approached it from the street. I walked all over the city, which is what I prefer when I'm taking pictures.
There seemed to be some minor construction going on, and the main gates were closed. Photography is generally prohibited inside mosques anyway.
... more of the same.
... and from the other side.
The streets are pretty clean, and with the exception of the main arterial roads, they are not too busy. However, this definitely is not a pedestrian-friendly city.
I went to the museum, which was cheap and interesting. Normally I don't take photographs inside museums, but other people were and no one seemed to mind.
There were several of these dioramas in the museum. They are kind of strange, but whatever...