We all need a bolt-hole; somewhere we can go and find breathing space when life gets on top of us. But when you live on an island that is only 48km long and 16km wide, and is in the midst of massive development, such places can be hard to find.
Whenever I need a bit of a breather, I head for Qal'at al-Bahrain on the Kingdom's north coast. Although only a stone's throw from the city of Manama, this World Heritage-listed site transports you to another world.
The site is believed to have been the capital of Dilmun, the ancient civilisation on the island which existed as long ago as 2300 BC. In the 16th century, the Portuguese built the fort you see in the photos to protect their trading routes between India, Africa and Europe.
The site has been beautifully restored and has recently been made even better with the opening of a museum and cafe housed in an innovative building on the water's edge -a perfect spot for morning coffee or even lunch.
There aren't many places in today's Bahrain where you can enjoy views of the coast unpunctuated by high rises and highways. But come here, and you can imagine how Bahrain must have been all those years ago when palm trees were plentiful and the developers hadn't hit town.
Just as long as you don't look too far to your right....
Is this progress? I'm not sure.
I know what you mean about progress. Sometimes I look at the highrise in Sydney and bemoan the loss of the old buildings.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are stunning. I can't blame you for heading to Qal'at al-Bahrain for a bit of solace. What an amazing spot. It is so nice to learn about Bahrain through you. I am ashamed to admit I know very little.
I can't take credit for the photos -they are my husband's. Since writing this post, I've discovered that a new development has been approved off the coast by the fort. Why, oh why?? I only hope that the UNESCO World Heritage listing will mean I still keep my view.
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