A Tasking to Bahrain October 2001

To play the national anthem, click the play button. To pause, click pause.

                                                                                                                       

In Oct 2001, I was deployed as part of the Canadian response to the 911 attack. I spent my initial time in Bahrain working at the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain and then I went to Kuwait.

This is Bahrain from a distance

The room where I stayed. This, of course, was not on the base. I had to stay off base.

Supper at a Thai restaurant with a friend Steve Dodd.

The gates of Bahrain

These were the cheerleaders from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I know what you are thinking. Why am I not working?

I am in Logistics, so part of the job is to assess transportation methods...Santa passed!

I went with a navy military person (Yassar) from Bahrain, who helped me in some of my purchases. He also helped me understand the culture.

The ministry of Health in Bahrain

A mosque in Bahrain. In fact, this is Yasser's mosque that he attends. There is a story here. Yasser asked if I wanted to visit a mosque. I quickly agreed. Again, how else to learn than going to the places where one worships.

Once in the mosque, I was instructed on what to do and while there Yasser asked if he could take time to pray. I said no problem. I had asked him if I could take pictures to which he agreed but asked that I not take pictures of him praying. So I took a picture and the caretaker of the establishment came over and started "yelling" at me and told me to leave. I did. No time for an incident. Once Yasser was finished praying, he came and asked me what was wrong. I told him. Yasser was going to go back and talk to the guy. I told him not to, that I would feel bad. Yasser said he would wait until evening pray to discuss with him. He asked me one simple question "would I be happy to go back"? I said no. He explained that this is the reason that he was going to talk with the caretaker. Yasser is a future thinker. He wants people to visit, to feel that the mosque is a place for everyone. I was extremely lucky to team up with this gentlemen.

Every country has many golf courses. This is one that was an hour drive from my base of operations. I went there with a fellow golfer, just to hit some balls and enjoy the greenery. (For tthe golfers out there, I have since stopped lifting up my left foot on the backswing).

Of course, it was also time for some souvenirs.

 

 

A highway in Bahrain leading to Saudi Arabia

 

Entrance to the Souk in Bahrain

So sorry, but that was it. I was always hesitant to take pictures. This was just a month after 911...

But: My arrival back home was exciting...

Now, the more observet of you will be lookiing at the time stamp on the photos. The story here (as I was told) is that my parents had the wrong date and this was the day before I was to arrive. A dry-run as they would say.

Return to Trips click Here