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2004-07-03 Arabia

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Posted by Frank G 2004-07-03 09:52|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11130 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Well, other than Dhahran Camp itself, there goes the last refuge for Western Expats working for Aramco. There is a community of people who commute across the causeway every day - and I was always jealous because life was so much better "over there"... King Hamad has really stepped on his weenie since taking over - this half-assed shuffle didn't do diddley. He'll feel this mini-exodus because Bahrain is tiny and these are all well-paid well-heeled consumers.

Posted by .com 2004-07-03 10:18:33 AM|| 2004-07-03 10:18:33 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 .com,
Have you heard anything about a possible gas attack in Bahrain?

Posted by Anonymous4617 2004-07-03 12:33:08 PM|| 2004-07-03 12:33:08 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 It appears to me that since establishing a constitutional monarchy in 2002, the King is trying hard to keep Bahrain on an even keel but there's an Islamist element no one seems to want to confront.

Bahrain has a lot to lose if the jihadis get their way. A lot. (Next thing ya know they'll be wanting to close down the bars...bye bye Sherlock's and Cactus Flower...then where will the Saudis drink?)

Posted by Quana 2004-07-03 1:10:16 PM|| 2004-07-03 1:10:16 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Bahrain has a lot to lose if the jihadis get their way.

Not just the bars, but a whole lot of U.S. wampum. The last sentence of the article says it all.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2004-07-03 2:13:42 PM|| 2004-07-03 2:13:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Quana,

I know where Sherlock's is but where is the Cactus Flower?

Posted by Anonymous4617 2004-07-03 2:19:20 PM|| 2004-07-03 2:19:20 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 A4617 - No, but then I'm not getting regular email from people there - they're all packing up and bizzy setting their affairs in order.

I'll email one guy who has exceptional contacts regards Bahrain and see what he knows. I can't say when he'll respond...

Posted by .com 2004-07-03 2:29:34 PM|| 2004-07-03 2:29:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Quana - they've already closed 80%+ of the bars not in hotels. That happened when they had their little elections - and Islamists won control of their little joke democratic exercise. Gone, bro. Where are you? Are you a Bahrain and/or Saudi vet?

Posted by .com 2004-07-03 2:32:17 PM|| 2004-07-03 2:32:17 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Well, it's been a few years since I was in Bahrain...Cactus Flower used to be just across the hallway kinda cattycorner from Sherlock's...never forget that night dragging in jetlagged and weary...climbing the stairs to the main reception area and hearing the bopping strains of the Cotton-Eyed Joe wafting into the foyer...I think the name was "Cactus Flower"...had a country western theme because I remember the waitstaff having trouble keeping their toystore cowboy hats on top of their heads. They were so cute.

We drank at every restaurant we went in, as I recall. In fact, if they didn't serve alcohol, we didn't patronize them. This was not long before the imposition of constitutional monarchy. I am sorry to hear the islamists have had such an impact although no one I know there has said much about it. Guess they drink in the hotel bars.

Posted by Quana 2004-07-03 2:50:33 PM|| 2004-07-03 2:50:33 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 .com,

Thanks!

Posted by Anonymous4617 2004-07-03 2:53:27 PM|| 2004-07-03 2:53:27 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Quana - Biz travel? Ever have to cross into Lalaland? Ever eat at Rik's Kountry Kitchen?

Posted by .com 2004-07-03 3:41:44 PM|| 2004-07-03 3:41:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 .com you need to do a kountry kitchen website, sounds like something out of the Martian Chronicles.

Posted by Shipman 2004-07-03 3:53:36 PM|| 2004-07-03 3:53:36 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 It was a life raft for a drowning man... You don't forget those who save your sanity, heh. Rik was a cool Cajun - and knew his stuff!

Posted by .com 2004-07-03 4:03:03 PM|| 2004-07-03 4:03:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 .com--
Biz, been to Magic Kingdom only by accident. (if I tell you, I'll have to kill you...ha ha ha...ok! just kidding! No, really!)

Generally, when in that part of the world, I tend to go Arabic, their dishes are almost as good as the Indians.

About that Cajun stuff...I was raised down dere amun dem Cajuns in Lapland...whooee...I tel' ya dis, gar-an-teed, dem folks know how to hanl dee kitchun bidness. Laissez le bon temp roulez!

I like Shipman's idea there...a website for restaurant fare in the middle east.

Posted by Quana 2004-07-03 6:57:15 PM|| 2004-07-03 6:57:15 PM|| Front Page Top

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