One of my GCC bucket list events since I moved to Doha has
been the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix! It seemed that every year the event would pass
without me having realized it but this year I was determined to make it happen!
In a planets align sort of moment we also had two friends from New Zealand,
Mark and Holly, move to Bahrain just a few weeks before the race!
Kristal and I embarked on our 25 minute flight to Bahrain on
Thursday night arriving at around 9pm.
Although such a short distance from
Qatar, Bahrain was noticeably different. The country (believe it or not) was
even smaller than Qatar but also less developed. There wasn’t as much of the
glitz and glamor you see in Doha and Dubai but a more modest approach.
Regulations (specifically around alcohol) were much more relaxed and enjoyed by
the similarly large ex-pat population. In the few conversations we had with
Bahrainis and others living there it was clear that the lifestyles for
nationals were more modest and they experienced a lot of struggles. This accounts
for some of the disapproval with the local governments.
That’s enough politics for now, because Bahrain really
showed its best with the F1 race. Widely considered to be the biggest event of
the year in country, it seemed like everyone had turned out. The raceway had a
festive atmosphere with entertainment that included none other than Mr.
Worldwide himself (not sure how Pitbull got a gig in a GCC country), acrobats,
drumlines, an ice village and more! The race itself was a new experience as
well watching the cars zip around the track. I am admittedly an F1 novice but
was impressed by all the fans in attendance.
Although it was a quick visit to Bahrain I was so happy to
have been able to go. Big shout out to Mark and Holly for hosting us and we
were happy to return the favor as they visited Doha this past weekend! Looking
forward to more adventures to come with those two. For now it is the end of the
academic year in Doha with graduations next week. Looking forward to wrapping
another great work year!
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