Bahrain – Part II

Besides Manama, my friends and I were also able to see other parts of Bahrain. We hired a driver with a black Ford Expedition and visited the following sites in under 4 hours:

This is King Fahd Causeway linking Bahrain with Saudi Arabia. It was completed in November 1986 at a cost of US$1.2 billion and is 15.5 miles (25 km) long. We drove to the middle of the causeway to an island that is shared by both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia:

Then off to Al Alreen Wildlife Reserve which is located in the southern part of Bahrain and spans 8 square kilometers. In the reserve, herds of Arabian mammals such as the Arabian Oryx and the Reem Gazelle inhabit the reserve, which also attracts at least 15 species of resident birds and over 80 migratory species.

At the bird sanctuary, we saw some very friendly crested cranes:

Close-up of the crested crane:

Formula 1 racetrack:

First oil well in the Persian/Arabian Gulf where oil first spurted Oct 16, 1931:

Tree of life. This is a 400-year old mesquite tree in southern Bahrain that is considered a natural wonder because of its age and the fact that the tree’s water source is a mystery as it stands in a place completely free of water: