day 23

Behold! This is as close as I could come to Saudi Arabia. This picture is taken from a tower on a man-made island in the Persian Gulf between the two countries - on the King Fahd Causeway. It was financed and built by the Saudi government to the tune of 1.2 billion dollars. It is a little over 15 miles long and consists of 5 bridges and man-made dikes - with the central border-crossing island. It opened in 1986. I guess this really is the border, there are gates beyond which you cannot pass without the right papers. Trucks are parked everywhere getting inspected (I guess). The tower (in which there is also a restaurant) was little populated. There is an identical tower on the island over on the Saudi side.


We ran into a guy who had actually come across from Saudi Arabia, just to say he had been to Bahrain. He told us that the tower on the Saudi side of the island was really crowded, that it is a popular spot for Saudis to come, apparently it is a big deal to be able to visit Bahrain (or just to get a hazy view of it). He was a visitor to Saudi himself, staying for 20 days. He said that we were lucky to be visiting Bahrain instead of Saudi Arabia. He didn't elaborate, but I'm guessing that Khobar (the city on the Saudi end of the causeway) is not a very happening place. I have been told that Thursday night Saudis start pouring across the causeway in search of a good time - and alcohol. It isn't unusual to see Saudi license plates during the week, either.

So, we wandered around the base of the tower, took a few pictures - I tried to get a picture of Khobar but it was so hazy the pictures really didn't come out. After a little while, we returned to our part of the world and had lunch. It was particularly fitting end to the afternoon that the restaurant we ate at didn't serve alcohol.