البحرين (Bahrain) Today

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Before the oil boom, Bahrain was mainly known for its pearls. Some of the finest pearls came from this area. Pearl diving was the main source of income for Bahrainies before the oil.

From the Wikipedia entry for Bahrain Pearling Trail:

The Bahrain Pearling Trail or Bahrain Pearling Pathway is a serial cultural heritage site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012. It consists of three oyster beds in the Bahrain northern waters, a segment of the coast and the seafront Bu Mahir fortress in the southern tip of Muharraq Island, and 17 buildings in Muharraq historical town connected by a 3.5 km (2.2 miles) visitor pathway. Though the Site was inscribed under the label: "Pearling, testimony of an island economy" by the Bahrain Ministry of Culture, the international media has consistently referred to it as the "Bahrain pearling trail".

Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

All pictures are © Dr. Günther Eichhorn, unless otherwise noted.

Modern Bahrain

View of Manama, the main city in Bahrain. (802k)

Approaching Manama. (667k)

Manama Highrises. (723k)

Manama Highrises. (692k)

Manama Highrise. (631k)

Manama Highrise. (748k)

Street in old Manama with the Al Khawaja Mosque in the background. (740k)

Matam Ajam Al Kabeer Mosque. (1070k)

Al Fateh Grand Mosque. (701k)

Al Fateh Grand Mosque. (734k)

But the USA food industry has reached Bahrain as well. (741k)

Falconry. (831k)

Traditional Bahrain

Shaikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa Mosque in Muharraq. (712k)

Shaikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa Mosque in Muharraq. (659k)

Siyadi House. The house of Ahmed Bin Jasim Siyadi, a former eminent pearl merchant in the 19^th century, is a beautiful example of Muharraq historic buildings. Its three story façade features unique curved corners and beautiful stucco work. The house is part of the Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy. (659k)

Beit Sheikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa. This building was constructed around 1800 and is one of the finest examples of a traditional house anywhere in the Gulf. The chief sitting room downstairs was kept cool in summer by the down draft from the badqeer (wind tower), the shutters on which could be closed in winter. (606k)

Beit Sheikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa. (633k)

Alley in the old part of Muharraq. (573k)

Elaborately decorated door. (396k)

Elaborately decorated door. (491k)

Elaborately decorated door. (754k)

In the Souq Bab Al Bahrain. (767k)

Store in the Souq Bab Al Bahrain. (923k)

Pottery shop in A'Ali. (829k)

The pottery shop is right next to one of the Royal Burial Mounds. (898k)

Weekend in the Desert

Tree of Life in central Bahrain. It gets very crowded on the weekend. (688k)

On the weekend it is a zoo around the Tree of Life. (548k)

Weekend around the Tree of Life. (556k)

One of the tent camps that people visit on the weekend. (597k)

Tent for weekend relaxation. (570k)

Weekend relaxation. (814k)

Sunset. (546k)

Bahrain National Museum

Model of a pearl diving ship. (878k)

Pottery was one of the most important ancient traditional crafts in Bahrain. (840k)

Pottery display in the museum. (861k)

Cuneiform tablets from about 1350 BCE. (760k)

Explanation of the cuneiform tablets from about 1350 BCE. (738k)

Dilmun seal from the early Dilmun period, 2100-2000 BCE. (739k)

Burial in a clay coffin from the late Dilmun period (650-400 BCE). (678k)

Bahrain International Circuit

From the Wikipedia entry for Bahrain International Circuit:

The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 Series and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Beginning in 2006, Australian V8 Supercars raced at the BIC, with the event known as the Desert 400. However, the V8 Supercars did not return for the 2011 V8 Supercar season. 24 Hour endurance races are also hosted at BIC. The circuit has a FIA Grade 1 license.

Bahrain International Circuit spectator area. (623k)

VIP observation tower at BIC. (674k)

View of the race course. (840k)

Race cars. (836k)

Race car. (676k)

Racing motorcycle. (817k)

Oil Fields

Oil field with several pumpjacks. (723k)

Closer view of a pumpjack. There were many pumpjacks that were standing still. My guide said that this is normal. The pumpjack stops working when its quota of oil is reached. The pumpjack that we were watching stopped pumping while we were there. (655k)