At 5 on Thursday rang the alarm, we wanted to go off at half 6. Since the reservation was not printed, we made a short stop at the company. By 6 clock we were on the highway to Bahrain.

Predicts we realized that we would need about 4 hours, with a fast driver and only one fuel stop we made the route to the border in just 3 hours. At 9 clock we were on the first border post and got a confirmation that we would be entitled to depart by car. At the second house, permission was stamped in the visa. It continued with a Durchwinkstation. So we had to leave Saudi Arabia. On the Bahraini side it went on with the customs station, where we were allowed to pass through it. Next, we received an entry stamp in our passports in the insurance, there was a slight delay as we queued to us initially in the wrong switch.
(It turned out that we still had to pay an insurance policy, so we had back, past the waiting cars, reset, and then finish for 15 riyals a 2-day insurance.)

The last leg to Bahrain was the King Fahd Causeway, a 26 km long bridge between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. By the way, runs the only country on the border of Bahrain heaped border island. Furthermore, the bridge is the only land link.

Without a fixed sightseeing program we were headed to Manama (the capital of Bahrain) center and stopped at the first mall, we could find: the Harbour Mall, located in the stock market. The mall is not spectacular, so we went shortly afterwards on the way to the Gulf Hotel. Passing the Bahrain World Trade Center, which looks like with the three rotors between the towers very interesting.

rocketman80120 / CC License

Since we were there before the official check-in time, we were only offered smoking rooms, which we refused. With the promise to reserve the room for us and that would later be the key ready, we went, armed with a map to explore the city. The next stop should be the National Museum. The architecture of the museum, with three two-story honeycomb, radiating from a large hall, interesting in itself.

The floor of the large hall is printed with a large satellite image of Bahrain. On the walls there are statements about individual points of interest, using colored stripes we are led to large display cases that show locations of replicas. If you press the buttons on the right is illuminated showcases in the showcase, and the stripes on the floor.
In each honeycomb is the life of the Bahraini, shown by a village mosque and a bazaar street. Furthermore, the history of Bahrain, various documents and the grave mounds of Bahrainis before tens of thousands of years, and archaeological pieces will be shown 6000 years of history of Bahrain.

On the way out we saw another exhibition. The guardian of the exhibition was a German woman who greeted us shortly. The artist is the son of Bahrain's prime minister. Currently he paints modern, which may be one. The special feature is the convex canvases. At the exit we were the bystanders Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa presented. His Royal Highness shook hands with us and we chatted briefly about his future plans. Among other things, he plans to continue working with convex screens, in addition to free-standing or hanging in the middle of the room.
She said we should not be a long time now wash your hands. In another interview, she gave us some tips on what we might look at (Bab Al Bahrain, the souq, the great mosque right next to the Gulf Hotel Bahrain and the Formula 1 circuit). She lives for 30 years in Manama and desperate with it, that we could start with the street name that called us nothing.

In their recommendations, we also talked then. From the museum we drove to the Manama Souq, which we entered through the Bab al Bahrain to German gateway to Bahrain. It was now about 2 clock and most shops were closed. Driven by hunger, we walked deeper into these typical Arab bazaar. We found a "tourist restaurant". From the outside, rather repulsive, but forewarned by our museum acquaintance who said that many of the best restaurants outside Pooh hui were inside, we walked into the store. Inside was cooled to about 19 ° C, so we only got you a little shock. We ordered a spicy chicken curry, and there was a plate of rice. Also bread was served with yogurt sauce. At the next table was eaten with the hands, but we were, elhamdulillah given cutlery. For dessert we were served rice porridge. The whole thing cost 500 fils, around 1 €.

Back it went to the parking area where we had parked. The guard wanted to know how long we intended to park before giving us a laugh assigned a seat. Unfortunately he was not found at our departure, so that he went through the fingers of his baksheesh.

Completed by early rising and the heat it took us to the hotel now. Our rooms were in the fifth Floor, with a beautiful view of Manama and the Al-Fatih Mosque. Unfortunately, the discs were more than dirty. The rooms were lifted, there was a control unit for all lamps on the bed.

In addition, of course, in a drawer, an arrow in the direction of Mecca. At 5 we were on our way, this time on foot, to the mosque, which lies within easy reach of the hotel. Frontal them to get around we decided to go left, Murphy joined us. Had we gone to the right would have been an entrance to a few meters, so we walked around the entire complex.

The mosque is Saturday through Thursday from 9-16 Clock open when we arrived at half past six in the input was unfortunately denied us entry, but instead we got two information booklets about Islam put into their hands and were put off until Saturday. We decided to walk back to the hotel and the sightseeing for the day of his leave. Due to a misunderstanding, the toothbrushes were not packed, so we gave the shopping mall in the hotel and bought toothbrushes and postcards. The pool is nicely embedded into a Chinese garden, otherwise quite unremarkable. Significantly, the many weekend tourists who were at the pool and drank beer.

In the hotel there are all sorts of restaurants, from Lebanese, Chinese over to Mexican. Clock for half past seven we had arranged to meet for dinner, we had not reserved a table, but there was no problem to get one. Whether we wanted to hear the live band at half past 10, we were asked, for this would be pp 20 BHD (about 40 €) payable including a meal. But since we wanted to go to the Sherlock Holmes Bar yet, it was eating. This was delicious. On the menu we were invited to the value of 16 BHD per person to order food. With prices of 2-6 BHD appetizers and main course is not easy. So we were all below the required 16 BHD (~ 32 €), but not noticed in retrospect as a problem. In addition there was a delicious bottle of white wine.
The bar was also a tip of the museum lady, priced as athmospheric to German levels. Again, there was a live band, while the rest was the World Cup opening ceremony shown. The bar was decorated with the flags of World Cup capable of participating States. Tired, we ended the evening after just one drink.

As in the compound there was only one large blanket, which leads to fighting for the same. We had started the air conditioning, but the temperature control was probably broken, because the set at 24 ° felt more like 18 degrees. Even turning off led to nothing, because after a few minutes, she jumped up again. So at least the sleep of Andi was disturbed by the noise of the air and the temperature.

The morning buffet was plentiful and very tasty. Of bread and cold cuts from cute little way different than yogurt fruit and granola pancakes and it went to a hearty cooked breakfast, such as scrambled eggs and (bovine) bacon. With 9 BHD (€ 18) Although appropriate but at hotel prices from 70-80 BHD (140-160 €), breakfast in the price would still be allowed to charge.

After checking out we headed to Muharraq, the small neighboring island of Bahrain. Here we investigated the Souq, from which we had been advised not true, but in the absence of other sites, we needed to do. One wants to be not directly as alcohol tourism Toute by the morning at the border.
On the map in the museum, several older homes highlighted where kleinerere museums are located, showing the life of a profession. We were actually the warning signs, but without a directional arrow sign on the house is not enough for Westerners. After ten minutes of wandering around, we decided to return to the air conditioner, because even at 11 am it was unbearably hot.

We operate a little sightseeing from the car. Bahrainis also have a Faibel for traffic calming bump, speed bump in Saudi and also called hump in Bahrain. On the road around the island was one every 200 m hump. And so you can not avoid them, with three posts beside the road. Whether this was a long learning process?

Once we believed to have seen everything we were on our way to the Formula 1 racetrack. Sixteen pure, when the race takes place. Quite plain from the outside. On the way to the track, there were always several attractions signs. We drove on to the Wildlife Park, which, however, had closed at noon and should open a clock again. In the distress of having to bridge a half hours, we went out, the " Tree of Life "look.

On the satellite maps, he was easy to find by car, the search proved more difficult. For he was once again marked only once. Also, the card that we got was not helpful. Some of the country's attractions were drawn in the wrong place. As we drove on the wrong road, we came only to the Oil Museum and the first oil pump in the country. The museum we gave ourselves was always closed by the pump, we made a few pictures to remember a few moments after that it's hot in the blazing sun is back and we tried the air conditioning.

The search had but at least the period covered, so we returned to the game park gondelten. There are in addition to farm animals, sheep, goats, deer, quite exotic animals like camels! The ostriches were curious, the Falcons had to serve for photo shoots, the fennec (desert fox) had too small an enclosure. The porcupines were mistaken for wild boar, slept, but despite this further insult in the shade.

After a short break, we injected back to Manama, where creep is more appropriate. On many streets in Bahrain, the top speed to 80 km / h is limited.
For our lunch we decided to city center mall, there was also a music store where we could look at a Clavinova that got cheaper than Germany was. If it had not been the uncertainty by the Inch, one might almost be weak.

At the border we went back through all the stations in Saudi. First we got a note, confirming well that we had entered the car too. Departure from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia after entry, the customs control and the car make list again. Sounds so simple. But the shock was still to come. Susan's passport number could not be found in the computer of the Bahraini. If they had picked up the men from the airport. With hands and feet, we were told that we should stand on the edge, and Andy would have to pass the matter clarified in an office. No sooner said than done, Andy got out and disappeared from view. Then we noticed that the passports of the men were not returned, light unrest ensued. After waiting 15 minutes Andi came back to the car and had all three passes there. Elhamdulillah! When the territory was under the eintippendem officials run a typo. This could be resolved in the passport office and switch on the car was this fact-checked carefully before the passes were handed out.

The immigration desk at the Saudi had probably need to talk, because he asked three times for 2 minutes after being overheard by the counter-question. At the immigration desk, there were already traffic jams, which lay at the very thorough customs inspection. Each car had to stop, get the men to open the trunk. Was not controlled. Instead, it was a lovely stamp, then you were waved on. Effective! Then you could tell immediately that you had to do it now with Saudi drivers on Saudi soil. Make five tracks from one to the switch, which was evacuated back to find a trace. We had grown fond of the list give the stamp again. Then we were again left alone with the chaotic drivers, the chaotic signs and road layout. Riyadh was of course no signs, so we drove towards al-Khobar. With sooo missing U-turn we turned back towards Riad with a brief refueling stop, and control of a road, we arrived home safely. Being safe in this case is not self-evident. Regular light flashing from a few meters shall mount up with Tempo 180, right at high speed to overtake or even surpass half simply left in the sand. Welcome to Saudi highways when it is dark.

To around 9:30, but then we were back at our Panthers, who welcomed us very happy. All images in the Gallery Bahrain.