Bahrain - also called the "Kingdom of the Two Seas."

In this article I came to tell you about the wonderful trip to Bahrain.

After a week in Saudi Arabia, our journey to the island of Bahrain followed.

That I spent part of the day in Medinah, I went to the Prophet's Mosque, and then I visited a few places in the region. Towards morning we set off for Bahrain.

After breakfast at the hotel where we were staying, we packed our bags and set off.

I'm sorry I failed to do some of the things I didn't do the night before. We returned to the Mosque to visit that wonderful spiritual wealth of all Muslims.

We left Medinah around noon. It was a long and tiring journey to Bahrain.

From Medinah to Bahrain, it is almost 1303 km by car, almost 13 hours and by plane it takes almost 2 hours.

But you can't see the view from the car on the plane. Traveling by car is more exciting and exciting. See many interesting things and new impressions.

We stopped for lunch, prayed and refueled the car. Because it is a long and tiring journey, it is a challenge to see fascinating things.

Traveling through Saudi Arabia, there were some good and some bad impressions. What I didn't like about Saudi Arabia were some roads broken down by heavy trucks carrying long-distance cargo.

Another impression was the dirt from the gas station where there were dirty toilets, it was not clean in the mosque, as well as in the restaurants.

But not all gas stations and restaurants were the same. All around was deserted, here and there were Bedouin tents that stretched for miles. A few miles away you could see a small town or a larger city.

In some places the streets of the lighted cities were clean, and you could find a place to have lunch or dinner. There were parks to rest.

The journey was a dream. I couldn't believe it was that place and I wanted to extend my stay in Saudi Arabia.

My husband informed me that we would be in Dammam in the morning. We decided to rest and then set off. It's tiring to drive for 13 hours.

On the way, we were able to visit various interesting places, but due to lack of time we did not. Along the way, I saw trucks and cars, but unfortunately I did not have the walls. Due to fatigue and the long road, he accommodated us so that we could rest so that we could cross the customs between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

It was four in the morning when I arrived in Dammah. At the entrance to the city I looked for a cheaper and cleaner hotel. And yet I found it. We stayed, took a shower and went to bed.

It was a long and adventurous journey. We drank coffee and tried to have breakfast. Since we couldn't find it, we set off for Bahrain. I went through Al Khobar customs in Saudi Arabia to customs in Bahrain.

King Fahad Causeway is a series of bridges and roads that connect Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. At 25 km (15.5 mi), the western end of the road is the Al Khour district of Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and the eastern end is Al Jasra, Bahrain.

The five bridges are supported by 536 concrete pillars, with seven embankments in the shallower waters of the Gulf. One of the landslides, known as Middle Island, Al Jazirat al Wustaa has been transformed into a sizeable artificial island with customs and immigration facilities, a mosque and gardens and fast food restaurants. Another island at the end of the road belongs to Bahrain and is simply known as the Mother of Drowsiness.

Between the two countries Dammam and Bahrain, we did almost 2 hours, we also took into account the two customs we passed. I did almost 86 km.

Passing through the customs of Saudi Arabia, I had some pleasant emotions being for me, a land unknown. In front of us was a road that was built on water. It was sunny and pleasant outside.

I passed both customs without any problems. Quick and easy. We had to get to my husband's relatives, who were waiting for us at noon. It was the first time to her husband's relatives.

It was almost 30 km from customs to Bahrain. My husband was with them and he knew the way. Here I met a different society, a different tradition and a different culture.

I didn't know much about Bahrain. I knew she was surrounded by water, if a tsunami comes she can drown everyone.

I will talk about my past experiences and my impressions of Bahrain. I hope that on the next visit, I will get to know her better.

Bahrain spelled in the past and Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, literally the Kingdom of the Two Seas, is an independent and sovereign island country in the Middle East, comprising an archipelago of 33 islands in the southern Persian Gulf.

It has an area of ​​665 km. The main islands are Bahrain, 562 km away, the largest island of Al Muharraq, Umm o Nasan, Sitrah, Jiddah and the Hawar group. The capital is Manama and the largest city in Bahrain. Bahrain was under British control from 1861 until 1971, when it gained independence.

The highest peak, Jabal ad Dukhan: 122 m is located in the central part of the largest island.

I learned from my husband that on the northern coast, where there are karst springs, dates grow and vegetables (tomatoes) and fruits (melons) are grown.

In the past, the entire surface of the country was covered with date forests.

Many have been cut down with the country's industrialization, others have dried up due to falling groundwater levels. The southern part of the kingdom is occupied by salt marshes and deserts. Hot and humid winds blow north-west or warm dry breezes from the south.

I wanted to know more about this wonderful country. We found out during our trip there.

It's past noon. My husband's family was waiting for us for lunch. Because we wandered around the area, we went to the market to get them something.

I had great emotions because I didn't know how to get along with them. I didn't know them at all. We reached them who had been waiting for us for a long time.

I met his family. It was welcoming and warm. We talked, got to know each other and joked. That day, we didn't go anywhere because we were tired and wanted to spend more time with our family. We were served homemade goodies and sweets.

It was a beautiful day when we had a lot of fun. I had no plans for the next day. But we wanted to get out of the house and visit the city.

I wanted to bathe in the ocean and we arranged to go with the girls the next day. I enjoyed their plan, I couldn't wait to go.

It was a day full of joy, when we got closer and became friends. It was like a dream for me. The next day, I drank coffee, my husband went to repair the car. I stayed home with the girls and made lunch.

We waited for him to enjoy the presence of the other. In the afternoon we went with the girls to bathe in the ocean. We took our spare clothes in our backpacks.

I reached the ocean, there was a cold wind, the waves were rough and I was afraid to go into the water. People came with their families to relax and rest by the sea. I sat in the salt water. Almost an hour. I was very happy.

Because it was late and cold, I went home. We went home to Fatima to change from wet to dry clothes so we wouldn't catch a cold. I drank something hot and talked.

Our discussion was interesting and productive. I like to meet interesting people, beautiful at heart and mind.

You have a lot to learn from them, and to charge yourself with positive energy.

After this beautiful adventure, we became hungry. I bought some very delicious snacks, for the first time I ate something like that. Spicy and delicious.

After that we went to dinner at a famous restaurant in Bahrain, the girls said it was popular, but the food was tasty too. I ordered skewers, salad and juice. I felt good in the company of the girls. We had fun and laughed heartily.

We returned home full of energy and full of positive emotions. My husband was waiting for me angrily because we were planning to go together. I calmed him down and promised to go with you the next day.

We went to bed because we were tired. In the morning, the mistress of the house served us breakfast.

After breakfast, we got ready to go out. We planned to spend that day interesting and pleasant.

Our plan was to go with my husband to the capital Manama, to visit some wonderful locations. I had great emotions visiting those beautiful places.

Manama is the capital of Bahrain, located in the Persian Gulf, northeast of Bahrain. It is the largest city in Bahrain with a population of about 155,000, almost a quarter of Bahrain's total population.

Manama has been mentioned in Islamic chronicles since 1345. It was conquered by the Portuguese in 1521 and then by the Persians in 1602. It was held with small interruptions by the Al Khalifa dynasty since 1783. Manama was declared a port in 1958 and 1971 is the capital. Bahrain Independent.

The city was preparing for Independence Day in December. They put up colorful lights and decorated the city with Independence Day flags. Manama's economy is identical to that of Bahrain as a whole, oil, refining, dhow, fishing and diving. Manama is served by Bahrain International Airport on Al Muharraq Island, which is connected by a bridge.

Al Manamah was one of the twelve municipalities of Bahrain, and is now the capital of this country.

The first location I visited was the Al Fateh Mosque, one of the main tourist attractions in Bahrain and one of the largest mosques in the world. More than 7,000 believers could enter it. Al Fateh Mosque is home to the National Library. opened in 2006.

From there we went to the house, the owners were waiting for us for lunch. They prepared the most delicious food, seafood with rice. It was a hearty lunch.

 After resting, we went out into the city to visit other places, and one of them was Fort Bahrain.

The Bahrain Fort was built in the 14th century, but excavations have indicated the remains of a settlement called Dilmun, which dates back to 3000 BC. Named the Qalat Al Bahrain by the Arabs, the fort was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005. The Bahrain Fort is an incredible structure that pays homage to Bahrain's deep-rooted history.

Located in the Seef area and formerly known as the Port of Portugal, Fort Bahrain or "Qal'at al-Bahrain" is built on an area of ​​180,000 sq ft. The occupation of the fort was recorded in 2300 BC. BC until the 16th century. The fort is named after Qal’at al-Burtughal and was located in the capital of the Dilmun civilization.

The excavated style of the fort reveals that the fort was used for residential, public, commercial, religious and military purposes. An archeological excavation has revealed various tools and artifacts; Dilmun Stamp seals, fishing gear, pots used for cooking and transporting food from Oman and Mesopotamia.

After this wonderful trip, we went to the Bahrain Mall, went for a walk and did some shopping. I drank coffee and had dinner. We stayed for a maximum of two hours and went home. Exhausted and happy, we prepared for the next day of adventure.

In the morning we had breakfast, and went to visit the Bahrain National Museum, the Tree of Life and other wonderful places. I was excited and happy.

I had breakfast in Bab Al Bahrain, a historic building located in Customs Square in Manama's central business district. This marks the main entrance to the Manama Souq. Opened in 1949 and designed by the emir's British adviser, Charles Al Belgrave, Bab Al Bahrain once stood on the Manama coast.

The monument itself was renovated in 1986 to incorporate Islamic architectural features. In 2013, a new complete renovation of the facade and interiors was made, the ground floor houses the tourist information office and a craft store. Today, the monument consists essentially of a huge arch, under which passes a road, which is often called the entrance to the souq (square) and 2 side arches are made for pedestrians. The building houses several shops and cafes, including Naseef Cafe, which was the first ice cream shop in the country.

The Avenue District, which runs past Bab Al Bahrain, contains many important banks and business units. The Avenu district is so named because all the offices of the Bahrain government were once housed there. The City of Gold (Gold Souq) is a shopping complex for gold ornaments and is also located on District Avenue.

We walked through the Golden City, bought some snacks and went on to the Al Bahrain National Museum. It was sunny and beautiful outside.

The National Museum of Bahrain presents the natural and cultural history of Bahrain, being one of the most popular destinations in Manama. It was opened in 1988 and is housed in a modern, sea-view building.

Activities such as fishing or pearl picking are carefully presented to best recall the past occupations of the locals. The museum includes 9 main halls where the accumulated heritage of the Kingdom of Bahrain is classified into 6 different sections.

Visitors to the museum can travel through its halls, from the traditional handicrafts section to the customs and traditions hall, the mound and antique documents hall, the manuscript hall, the Tylos hall and the Islamic period hall. At the end of this trip, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of traditional Bahraini dishes and international delicacies from the museum buffet. The museum also has a souvenir shop.

Bahrain is known as the center of the fishing and pearl industry. The museum is a small, Arabic-style building, divided into several halls.

The Pearl Diving Museum is located in the building considered to be the most important historical building in Bahrain, dating back to 1937. Built to house the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs, the building has become the museum that best describes how to fish for pearls. with the tools and costumes used.

In addition, in the museum can be admired various exhibits from ancient weapons, traditional games, musical instruments, to instruments from the past.

The museum has a collection of ancient archeological artifacts from Bahrain, purchased in 1988 and covering approximately 5,000 years of Bahrain's history. The complex includes three halls dedicated to the archeology and ancient civilization of Dilmun, while two other halls describe the culture and lifestyle of Bahrain's recent pre-industrial past. In 1993, another hall was opened, the Natural History Hall, which focuses on the natural environment of Bahrain. This room features specimens of Bahrain flora and fauna.

We only visited the rooms where the artifacts and objects in Dilmum are, and we went outside to take pictures.

Outside in front of us lay an indescribable landscape, low water and tall buildings on the horizon.

After visiting the museum, we set out to see the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life in Bahrain is about 400 years old and 9.75 m high. The tree is a local tourist attraction, due to the fact that it is the only tree that grows in that area.

The tree is visited annually by 50,000 tourists. Because of this, it was vandalized.

 It is believed that the place around the tree is used by various cults to practice ancient rituals.

After visiting the Tree of Life I went home. The evening was very pleasant with the family. Although I had no plans to go anywhere, I persuaded my husband to go out.

The night city was covered in colorful lights and a lot of hustle and bustle. People went out in the evening for fun and spending time together by the ocean, at cafes and restaurants.

The next day my husband took me to Fort Arad. Typical 15th century Arab fortress. For centuries, its defensive role has been exceptional in protecting Bahrain from an external enemy. The building was rebuilt, during the renovations only natural material was used, the building has not lost its uniqueness and historical authenticity.

After this tour through Fort Arad we set off for another destination:

Riffa Fort in Bahrain. An old defensive structure, the former sheikh's residence. The city of the same name was the ancient capital of Bahrain. Inside the fort is the sheikh's palace, with all the furniture. Just like a historical museum with a rich collection of exhibits.

We wanted to visit another location (Al Jasra's House) that was in our plan, but we didn't have time.

We went to the Koran House, which is one of the museums in Bahrain dedicated exclusively to the Koran. The collection is based on handwritten texts of the Qur'an from various parts of the earth. The oldest book dates from the 700's.

The museum has 10 rooms and is open two days a week. The building houses a library that is open to visitors every day.

In the evening we had dinner at an Indian restaurant in the city in an unforgettable atmosphere with our loved one.

We enjoyed the view from the outside, there were restaurants and cafes, people were enjoying each other's company.

It was a wonderful evening for both of us. It was a pleasant memory.

It was the last day in Bahrain and I wanted to spend as much time as possible. My emotions were vivid and indescribable. I'm sorry I'm leaving, I wanted to stay.

The next day, I had breakfast and drank Turkish coffee. We planned to visit other tourist attractions.

The first attraction was Amwaj Island. Juffair District is sometimes considered another urban extension of Manama, but in fact it was a completely different part of Bahrain. One of the main reasons to come is to see how fast this city is developing, as new accommodation towers appear every year. It is an expatriate area of ​​Manama, famous for its bars and fast food restaurants.

After seeing this wonder, we went to see another tourist attraction A’Ali, located between the city of Isa and the west coast of Bahrain, is a small cave village A’Ali. The village is known for being the center of arts and crafts in the region and is particularly famous for its pottery.

One of the best things to do here was to walk to the local bazaar and explore the pottery shops while the local workers who worked on that amazing craft worked.

We took some souvenirs, headed out of town to the famous Dilmun funeral mounds that were nearby and date back 5,000 years.

Coming home, we had lunch, rested, and packed our bags to leave for Qatar.

The girls invited me outside and we went to the Saar.

 Saar is close to Manama, but also far enough away to give a quiet and less hectic atmosphere. The area is known for the summer homes of the rich and famous Bahrain, but it is not the only thing.

The area is also known for its cafes and delicious cafes.

We had a wonderful evening with the girls at the restaurant until late, after which we went home. Everyone gave me presents, they were careful with us. We said goodbye to them.

The next day, we woke up, had breakfast, said goodbye to the mistress of the house, and set off for Qatar.

Leaving the customs in Bahrain, we entered Saudi Arabia to go to Qatar.

But I will talk about Qatar in the next article.

                                                        Written by Elena Boguș

Bahrain – este numit și “Regatul celor Două Mări.”

În acest articol am ajuns va povestesc despre minunata călătorie în Bahrain.  

După o săptămână petrecută în Arabia Saudită, a urmat călătoria noastră către insula Bahrain. 

Că în Medinah am petrecut-o parte din zi, am fost Moscheea Profetului, mai apoi am vizitat câteva  locații din regiuni. Spre dimineața ne-am pornit către Bahrain. 

Dupămicul dejun din hotelul la care am fost cazați, ne-am luat lucrurile și am plecat la drum. 

Îmi pare rău că nu am reușit  să fac unele lucrurile pe care nu le-am făcut cu o seară înainte. Ne-am întors la Moschee să mai vizităm acea minunată bogăție spirituală a tuturor musulmanilor. 

Ne-am pornit din Medinah pe la amiază. A fost un drum lung și obositor spre Bahrain.  

De la Medinah până la Bahrain, este aproape 1303 de km cu mașina,  aproape 13 ore iar cu avionul  faci aproape 2 ore. 

Însă priveliștea pe care o vezi din mașină din avion nu o viezi. Călătorind cu mașina este mai palpitant și interesant. Vezi multe lucruri interesante și noi impresii. 

Ne-am oprit să luăm prânzul, să ne rugăm și să alimentăm mașina. Deoarece este un drum lung și obositor, este o provocare să vezi lucruri fascinante. 

Călătorind prin Arabia Saudită, au fost unele impresii bune și mai puțin bune. Ce nu mi-a plăcut în Arabia Saudită au fost unele drumuri stricate de camioanele grele, care transportau marfă pe distanță lungă.  

O altă impresie a fost murdăria de la benzinărie unde erau toalete murdare, nu era curat în Moschee, cât și în restaurante. 

Însă nu toate benzinările și restaurantele erau la fel. De jur împrejur era deșert, ici colo erau cortutile beduinilor care se tindeau km întregi. La cîțiva km distanță puteai vedea câte un orășel sau un oraș mai mare. 

Pe alocuri strazele orașelor luminate, era curat și puteai găsi un loc unde să iei prânzul sau cina. Erau parcuri unde să te odihnești. 

Călătoria era de vis. Nu-mi vinea să cred că eram acel loc și vroiam să mai prelungim șederea în Arabia Saudită. 

Soțul meu m-a anunțat că v-om ajunge în Dammam spre dimineață. Am decis să ne odihnim și apoi să pornim la drum. Este obositor să conduci 13 ore. 

Pe drum, am putut vizita diferite locuri interesante, dar din lipsă din timp nu am făcut. Pe parcursul drumului, am văzut camioane și mașini, dar din păcate nu am avut perepeții. Din cauza oboseli și a drumului lung, ne-a cazat să ne putem odihni ca să putem trece vama dintre Arabia Saudită și Bahrain. 

Când am ajuns în Dammah era patru dimineața. La intrarea în oraș am căutat un hotel mai ieftin și curat. Și totuși am găsit. Ne-am cazat, am făcut un duș și ne-am culcat. 

Urma un drum lung și cu peripeții. Am băut cafeau și căutam să luăm micul dejun. Deoarece nu am găsit ne-am pornit către Bahrain. Am trecut vama pe la Al Khobar de la Arabia Saudită până la vama de la Bahrain.

King Fahad Causeway este o serie de poduri și drumuri care leagă Arabia Saudită și Bahrain. La 25 de km (15,5 mi), capătul de vest al drumului este cartierul Al Khour din Khobar, Arabia Saudită, iar capătul de est este Al Jasra, Bahrain. 

Cele cinci poduri se sprijină de 536 de stâlpi de beton, cu șapte terasamente în apă mai puțin adâncă a Golfului. Unul dintre tersamente, cunoscut sub numele de Insula Mijlociu, Al Jazirat al Wustaa a fost transformat într-o insulă artificială considerabilă, cu facilități vamale și de imigrare, o moschee și grădini și restaurante fast-food. O altă insulă spre capătul drumului aparține Bahrainului și este pur și simplu cunoscută ca Mama Somnolenței. 

Printre cele două țări Dammam șu Bahrain, am făcut aproape 2 ore, am luat în considerare și cele două vămi pe care le-am trecut. Am făcut aproape 86 km. 

Trecând vama Arabiei Saudită, am avut niște emoții plăcute fiind pentru mine, un tărâm necunoscut. În fața noastră se deschidea un  drum care era construită pe apă. Afară era soare și plăcut.  

Am trecut ambele vămi fără probleme. Repede și ușor. Trebuia să ajungem la rudele soțului meu, care ne aștepta la prânz. A fost prima dată la rudele soțului. 

De la vamă până la Bahrain erau aproape 30 km.Soțul meu a mai fost la dânșii și cunoștea drumul. Aici am cunoscut o altă societate, alte tradiții și altă cultură. 

Nu prea cunoșteam Insula Bahrain. Știam că era încojurată de apă, dacă vine un țunami poate să înece pe toți. 

Am să povestesc despre perepețiile mele petrecute și impresiile despre Bahrain. Sper că în vizita următoare, am să o cunosc mai bine. 

Bahrain ortografiat în trecut și Bahrein, oficial Regatul Bahrain, literal Regatul celor două mări, este o țară insulară independentă și suverană din Orientul Mijlociu, care cuprinde un arhipelag format din 33 de insule din sudul Golfului Persic. 

Are o suprafață de 665 km. Principalele insule sunt Bahrain cu 562 km, de departe, cea mai mare insulă Al Muharraq, Umm o Nasan, Sitrah, Jiddah și grupul  Hawar. Capitala este Manama și cel mai mare oraș al Bahrainul. Bahrainul a fost sub control britanic din 1861 până 1971, când și-a câștigat independența. 

Cel mai înalt vârf, Jabal ad Dukhan: 122 m este situat în partea centrală a celei mai mare insule. 

Am aflat de la soțul meu că pe coasta nordică, unde există izvoare carstice, cresc curmali și sunt cultivate legume (roși) și fructe(pepeni).  

În trecut întreaga suprafață a țării era acoperită cu păduri de curmale. 

Multe au fost tăiate odată cu industrializarea țării, altele s-au uscat din cauza scăderii nivelului pânzei freatice. Partea sudică a regatului este ocupată cu mlaștini sărate și pustii. Aici suflă vânturi fierbinți și umede dispre nord - vest sau brize calde uscate din sud. 

Vroiam să aflu mai multe lucruri despre această minunată țară. Am aflat pe parcursul călătorie noastre petrecute acolo.

Deja trecut de amiază. Familia soțului ne-a aștepta cu prânzul. Deoarece ne-am rătăcit prin zonă, am trecut pe la piață să le luăm câte ceva. 

Aveam emoții mari, deoarece nu știam cum mă voi înțelege cu ei. Nu îi cunoșteam deloc.  Am ajuns la ei care ne așteptau de mult.

Am făcut cunoștință cu familia lui. A fost primitor și calzi. Am vorbit, ne-am cunoscut reciproc și am glumit. În acea zi, nu am ieșit nicăieri, deoarece eram obosiți  și am vrut să petrecem mai mult timp în familie. Am fost serviți cu bunătăți și dulciuri făcute de casă.

A fost o zi superbă în care ne-am distrat copios. Nu aveam planuri pentru a doua zi. Dar vroiam să ieșim din casă și să vizităm orașul.

Vroiam să mă scald în ocean și am organizat cu fetele să mergem a doua zi. M-am bucurat de planul lor, abia așteptam să merg.

A fost o zi plină de veselie,  în care ne-am apropiat și am devenit prietene. Pentru mine a fost ca un vis. A doua zi, am băut cafeaua, soțul a plecat să repare mașina. Eu am stat acasă cu fetele și am pregătit prânzul.

L-am așteptat să ne bucurăn de prezența celuilalt. După amiază am plecat cu fetele să ne scăldăm la ocean. Ne-am luat hainele de schimb în ghiozdan.

Am ajuns la ocean, bătea un vânt rece, valurile erau agitate și mă temeam să mă bag în apă. Oameni vineau cu familile lor, pentru a se relaxa și pentru a se odihni pe malul mări. Am stat în apa sărată. Aproape o oră. M-am bucurat enorm de mult. 

Deoarece era târziu și frig, am plecat acasă. Am plecat la Fatima acasă să ne schimbăm de hainele ude  în cele uscate ca să nu răcim. Am băut ceva cald și am stat de vorbă.

Discuția noastră a fost interesantă și productivă. Îmi place să cunosc oameni interesanți, frumoși la suflet și la minte.

Ai multe lucruri ce învăța de la ei, și să te încarci cu energie pozitivă.  

După această aventură frumoasă, ni s-a făcut foame. Am cumpărat niște gustări foarte delicioase, pentru prima dată am mâncat așa ceva. Picante și delicioase.  

După aceea ne-am dus să luăm cina, la un restaurant celebru din Bahrain, din spusele fetelor era popular, dar și mâncarea era gustoasă. Am comandat frigărui, salată și suc. M-am simțit bine în compania fetelor. Ne-am distrat și am râs copios. 

Ne-am întors acasă cu energia încărcată și plină de emoții pozitive. Soțul mă aștepta supărat deoarece am plănuit să mergem împreună. L-am calmat și am promis că v-om merge a doua zi împreună.

Deoarece eram obosți ne-am culcat. Dimineața, stăpâna casei ne-a servit cu micul dejun. 

După micul dejun, ne-am pregătit să ieșim în oraș. Am avut în plan  să petrecem acea zi interesant și plăcut.

Planul nostru a fost să ne ne ducem cu soțul meu în capitala Manama, să vizităm câteva locații minunate. Am avut emoții mari  vizitând acele locuri frumoase.

Manama este capitala Bahrain-ului, situat în Golful Persic, nord-estul insulei Bahrain. Este cel mai mare oraș din Bahrain cu o populație de aproximativ 155,000, aproape un sfert din populația totală a Bahrainului. 

Manama a fost menționat în cronicile islamice încă din 1345. A fost cucerită de portughezi în 1521 iar apoi de persani în 1602. A fost deținută cu mici întreruperi, din dinastia Al Khalifa încă din 1783. Manama a fost declarată port 1958 și 1971 este capitala Bahrainului indepedent. 

Orașul se pregătea de ziua independenței ce avea să fie în luna decembrie. Puneau luminițe colorate și împodobeau orașul cu stegulețe de ziua indepedenței. Economia Manamei este identică cu cea a Bahrainului ca un întreg, petrol, rafinare, dhow, pescuit și scufundări. Manama este deservită de Aeroportul Internațional Bahrain de pe insula Al Muharraq, de care este legat printr-un pod. 

Al Manamah a fost una dintre cele douăsprezece municipii ale Bahrainului, iar acum este capitala acestei țări. 

Prima locație pe care am vizitat-o a fost Moscheea Al Fateh una dintre principalele atracții turistice din Bahrain și  una dintre cele mai mari moschei din lume. În ea puteau să intre peste 7000 de credincioși. La moscheia Al Fateh se află Biblioteca Națioanală. deschisă în anul 2006.

De acolo ne-am îndepărtat către casă stăpâni ne-a așteptat cu prânzul. Au pregătit ce-a mai delicioasă mâncare, fructe de mare cu orez. A fost un prânz copios. 

 După ce ne-am odihnit am  mai ieșit în oraș să mai vizităm și alte locuri, și una din ele a fost Fortul Bahrain. 

Fortul Bahrain a fost construit în secolul XIV, însă excavațiile au indicat rămășițele ale unei așezări numite Dilmun, ce datează din anul 3000 I.Hr. Numit de arabi Qalat Al Bahrain, fortul a fost înscris pe lista de patrimoniul mondial UNESCO în 2005. Fortul Bahrain este o structură incredibilă care aduce un omagiu istoriei adânc înrădăcinate a Bahrainului.   

Situat în zona Seef și cunoscut anterior dreptul Portul Portugaliei, Fortul Bahrain sau „Qal’at al-Bahrain” este construit pe o suprafață de 180.000 sq ft. Ocuparea fortului a fost înregistrată din 2300 î. Hr. până în secolul al XVI-lea. Fortul este numit după Qal’ at al-Burtughal și a fost situat în capitala civilizației Dilmun. 

Stilul excavat al fortului dezvăluie că fortul a fost folosit în scopuri  rezidențiale, publice, comerciale, religioase și militare. O săpătură arheologică a scos la iveală diverse unelte și artefacte; Sigilii Dilmun Stamp, unelte de pescuit, oale folosite pentru gătit și pentru trasportul alimentelor din Oman și Mesopotania. 

După această călătorie minunată, am plecat în Bahrain Mall, ne-am plimbat am făcut cumpărături. Am băut o cafea și am luat cina.  Am stat maxim două ore  și ne-am dus acasă.  Epuizați și fericiți ne-am pregătit pentru a doua zi de aventură.

Dimineața am luat micul dejun, și am plecat să vizităm Muzeul Național Bahrain, Copacul Vieții și alte locuri minunate. Am fost entuziasmată și fericită.

Micul dejun l-am în Bab Al Bahrain, este o clădire istorică situată în Piața Vămilor din cartierul central de afaceri din Manama. Aceasta marchează intrarea principală în Souq-ul Manama. Deschis în 1949 și proiectat de consilierul britanic al emirului, Charles-Belgrave, Bab Al Bahrain, stătea cândva pe coasta Manamei. 

Monumentul în sine a fost renovat în 1986 pentru a încorpora caracteristicile arhitecturale islamice. În 2013, a fost făcută o nouă renovare completă a fațadei și a interioarelor, parterul găzduiește biroul  de informații turistice și un magazin  de artizanat. Astăzi, monumentul constă în esență dintr-un arc uriaș, sub care trece un drum, care este adesea denumit intrarea în souq-ul (piață) și 2 arcade laterale sunt făcute pentru pietoni. Clădirea găzduiește mai multe magazine și cafenele, inclusiv Naseef Cafe, care a fost primul magazin de înghețată din țară. 

Districtul Avenue, care trece în fața Bab Al Bahrain, conține multe bănci importante și unități de afaceri. Districtul Avenu este numit așa deoarece toate birourile guvernului Bahrain au fost odată găzduite acolo. Orașul de Aur ( Gold Souq) este un complex comercial pentru ornamente de aur și este, de asemenea, situat pe Districtul Avenue. 

Ne-am plimbat prin Orașul de Aur, am cumpărat ceva gustări și am plecat mai departe la Muzeul Național Al Bahrain. Afară era soare și frumos. 
Muzeul Național din Bahrain prezintă istoria naturală și culturală a Bahreinului, fiind una dintre cele mai populare destinații din Manama. A fost deschis în 1988 și este găzduit de o construcție modernă, cu vederea spre mare.  

Activitățile precum pescuitul sau culesul perlelor sunt atent prezentate pentru a rememora cât mai bine îndeletnicirile din trecut ale localnicilor. Muzeul include 9 săli principale unde este clasificat patrimoniul acumlat al Regatului Bahrain în 6 secțiuni diferite. 

Vizitatorii muzeului pot călători prin timp când trec prin sălile sale, de la secțiunea de obiecte de artizanat tradițional, la sala de obiceiuri și tradiții, sala de movile funerale și documente vechi, sala de manuscrise, sala Tylos și sala perioadei islamice. La sfârșitul acestui voiaj, vizitatorii se pot bucura de o mare varietate de feluri de mâncare tradiționale din Bahrain și delicatese internaționale de la bufetul muzeului. Muzeul conține și un magazin de suvenirurii. 

Bahrainul este cunoscut ca un centru al industriei de pescuit și a perlelor. Muzeul este o clădire nu foarte mare, în stil arab, împărțită în mai multe săli. 

Muzeul Scufundătorilor de Perle se află în clădirea considerată a fi cel mai important edificiu istoric din Bahrain, ce datează din anul 1937. Construită pentru a găzdui Ministerul Justiției și Afacerilor Islamice, clădirea a devenit muzeul care descrie cel mai bine modalitatea de pescuire a perlelor, cu uneltele și costumele folosite. 

Pe lângă acestea în muzeu pot fi admirate exponate diferite de la arme antice, jocuri tradiționale, instrumente musicale, la instrumente din timpurile trecute. 

Muzeul deține o colecție de artefacte arheologie antice din Bahrain, achiziționate din 1988 și care acoperă aproximativ 5000 de ani din istoria Bahrainului. Complexul include trei săli dedicate arheologiei și civilizației antice a Dilmunului, în timp ce alte două săli descriu cultura și stilul de viață din trecut preindustrial recent al Bahrainului. În 1993, a fost deschisă o altă sală, Sala de Istorie Naturală, care se concentrează pe mediul natural din Bahrain. Această sală prezintă explemplare din flora și fauna din Bahrain. 

Am viztat doar camerele în care sunt artefactele și obiectale din Dilmum și am ieșit afară să facem poze.

Afară în faţa noastră se întindea un  piesaj de nedescris, ape întine şi clădiri înalte la orizont. 

După vizitarea muzeului, ne-a pornit să vedem Copacul Vieţii.

Copacul Vieții din Bahrain, are o vârstă de aproximativ 400 de ani și o înălțime de 9.75 m. Copacul reprezintă o atracție turistică locală, datorită faptului că este singurul arbore care crește în acea zonă.

Arborele este vizitat anual de 50.000 de turiști. Din această cauză, această a fost vandalizat. 

 Se crede că locul din  jurul copacului este folosit de diferite culte pentru practicarea ritualorilor antice.  

După ce am vizitat Copacul Vieții am plecat spre casă. Seara a fost foarte plăcută în sânul familiei. Deși nu am avut în plan să ieșim nicăieri, l-am convins pe soțul meu să ieșim în oraș.

Orașul noapte a fost îmbrăcat în lumini colorate și multă forfotă. Oamenii ieșeau seara pentru distracție și a petrece timpul împreună pe malul oceanului, la cafenele și restaurante.

A doua zi soţul meu m-a dus la Fortul Arad. Cetatea arabă tipică din secolul al XV-lea. De secole, rolul său defensive a fost exceptional în protejarea Bahrainului de un iamic extern. Clădirea a fost recostruită, în timpul renovărilor au fost folosit doar material natural, clădirea nu şi-a pierdut unicitatea şi autenticitatea istorică. 

După acest tur prin Fortul Arad ne-a pornit către o altă destinaţie:

Fortul Riffa din Bahrain. O structură defensive veche, fosta reşedinţă a şeicului. Oraşul cu acelaşi nume era vechea capitală a Bahrainului. În interiorul fortului se află palatal şeicului, cu toate mobilierele. La fel ca şi un muzeu istoric cu o bogată colecţie de exponate. 

Vroiam să mai vizităm o altă locaţie (Casa lui Al Jasra) care era în planul nostrum, dar nu aveam timp.

Am mers la Casa Coranului care este unul din muzeele din Bahrain dedicat exclusiv Coranului.  Colecţia se bazează pe texte scrise de mână ale Coranului din diferite locuri de pe pământ. Cele mai vechi cărții datează din ani 700.

Muzeul este format din 10 camere şi este deschis două zile pe săptămână. Clădirea găzduieşte o bibliotecă care este deschisă vizitatorilor în fiecare zi. 

Seara am luat cina la un restaurant cu specific indian în oraş într-o atmosferă de neuitat alături de omul drag.

Ne-am bucurat de priveliştea de afară,  erau restaurant şi cafenele, oamenii se bucurau de compania  celuilalt. 

A fost o seară magnifică şi nemaipomenită în doi. A fost o amintire plăcută. 

Mai era ultima zi în Bahrain şi vroiam să o petrec cât mai intens. Emoţiile mele erau vii şi de nedescris. Îmi pare rău că plec, vroiam să mai stau.

A doua zi, am luat micul dejun şi am băut cafea turcească. Am avut în plan să mai vizităm și alte atracții turistice.

Prima atracție la  care a fost Insula Amwaj. Districtul Juffair este uneori considerat drept o altă extindere urbană din Manama, dar de fapt aceasta era o parte complet diferită a Bahrainului. Unul dintre principalele motive pentru a veni este să vedem cât de repede se dezvoltă acest oraș, pe măsură ce în fiecare an apar noi  turnuri de cazare. Este o zonă expatriată din Manama renumită pentru barurile sale și restaurantele fast food. 

După ce am văzut această minunăție, ne-am dus să vedem o altă atracție turistică A’Ali, amplasată între orașul Isa și coasta de vest a Bahrainului, este un mic sat de peșteră A’Ali. Satul este cunoscut pentru a fi centrul artelor și meșteșugurilor din regiune și este deosebit de renumit pentru ceramica sa.  

Unul dintre cele mai bune lucruri de făcut aici a fost să ne plimbăm până la bazarul local și să explorăm magazinele de ceramică în timp ce lucrau muncitorii locale care a lucrat la aceea ambarcațiune uimitoare. 

Am luat niște suveniruri, ne-am îndreptat afară din oraș spre faimoasele movile de îmmormântare Dilmun care se aflau în aproprierea și datează de 5000 ani.

Venind acasă am luat prânzul, ne-am odihnit și am făcut bagejele pentru a pleca la Qatar.

Fetele m-au invitat afară ne-am dus la Saar.

 Saar este aproape de Manama, dar și destul de îndepărtat pentru a da o atmosferă liniștită și mai puțin agitată. Zona este cunoscută pentru casele de vară ale bogatului și faimosului Bahrain, dar nu este singurul lucru. 

Zona este, de asemenea, cunoscută pentru cafenele și cafenele sale delicioase. 

Am petrecut o seară minunată alături de fete la restaurant până târziu,după aceea ne-am dus acasă. Toată lumea mi-a dăruit cadouri, au fost atenți cu noi. Ne-am luat rămas bun de la ei.

A doua zi, ne-am trezit, am luat micul dejun, ne-am luat rămas bun de la stăpâna casei și am plecat la drum către Qatar.

Lăsând în urmă vama de la Bahrain și am intrat în Arabia Saudită, ca să ne ducem la Qatar.

Dar despre Qatar am să vă vorbesc în articolul următor.

                                                                 Scrisă de Elena Boguș

Memories of my journey through Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.

Time passes, as if yesterday I was traveling through Saudi Arabia, Bahrian and Qatar. But for me, this journey has become memorable.

This article will have three parts: The first part will be about my trip to Saudi Arabia, the second part about my trip to Bahrain and the third part about my travels in Qatar.

I wanted to make this trip a long time ago, not being the first trip last year, but for me it was a special one.

The pilgrimage to Mecca and Medihna has been long awaited since I converted to Islam.

 This journey gave me a state of hope, peace and peace of mind. This journey has made a difference in life. Which my husband planned together.

My husband and I wanted to do it only in two, to have a pleasant memory. This trip was a car adventure thousands of miles away.

The trip lasted three weeks, I stayed in each city for a week. The first adventure on this journey was the road to Saudi Arabia.

We have strong emotions and an ecstasy that I could not describe. One of my wishes was to strengthen our relationship.

Due to the pandemic, we postponed this trip because all customs were closed. We could travel if we had the vaccination certificate and the covid test.

In this diary of my trip I will tell where I was, what I saw and what impressions I came up with. It was an unforgettable journey. Each time it was a different journey from which you return better, more solidary, wiser. You understand that you have to live life as it is and cherish it.

We prepared everything we needed for the trip, the essentials and we said goodbye to everyone.

When we left, we woke up at 5 o'clock in the morning, on a Thursday. The luggage was already packed, we were ready for the trip, but we didn't sleep because of the emotions.

I didn't know how long this wonderful adventure would take. But I knew it would take almost 20 or 30 days. I was thinking of having the most fun and enjoying myself immensely.

I was tired and sleepy, I slept in the car. Our trip was planned from home on what routes we took. The first country was Saudi Arabia, Mecca Jedha and Medinah, Bahrian and Qatar and then home.

We left Oman early to arrive in Saudi Arabia in the evening.

I went to customs in Al Buraimi and customs in the United Arab Emirates (Al Ain)

 We drove from Muscat to Al Ain customs for almost 3 hours. We stopped at Peco station for food and coffee. Then we went to Abu Dhabi for about 446 km and from there to the customs with Saudi Arabia.

From Al Ain to the customs of Saudi Arabia, we covered 1,199 km, in 13 hours, we made it to customs.

We made small stops to refuel the car and have lunch at an oil town, Al Ruwais.

Al Ruwais, an industrial and housing complex, was developed by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company as a major contributor to the national economy and is a multi-million dollar investment in the company. a handful of people scratched their seasonal lives, Al Ruwais is today one of the most modern industrial complexes in the Middle East.

We went to the Al Ruwais Mall to pray and exchange money for it in Saudi Arabia. We had lunch and prayed at a nearby mosque. We left on the way to the customs of Al Sila (United Arab Emirates), we arrived in the evening Customs from the Emirates we passed very quickly. And the customs in Al Batha, Saudi Arabia, took about 2 hours to complete all the formalities. It was almost 21:00 when I finished all the formalities. We stopped to eat, pray, and buy the phone cards.

We rested a bit, because the road was long and tiring.

From Al Batha (Saudi Arabia's customs) to the capital Riyadh, we covered almost 606 km in 7 hours, with stops to refuel our car and get our feet wet, drink and buy some more. It was already night, it was late. The road I took was in the desert, there were a lot of trucks and it was dark. The road was not good, in some places it was broken due to cars. And some Peco stations weren't really clean, but some were.

We passed Haradh, a small town on the side of the road. It was 1 o'clock at night. Then I set off.

When I entered Al Kharj, it was three in the morning, it is an industrial area of ​​Al Riyadh. We were tired, we wanted to find a hotel sooner, where we could rest after a very tiring trip. I was excited and tired at the same time. The road moved me.

We entered Riyadh at 4 o'clock in the morning, we looked for a hotel to stay in, closer to the exit of the city to go to Mecca. We searched for the cheapest and cleanest hotel just for one night to sleep.

Our second stop was the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh was very big and bright, spread over a large area. You can easily get lost if you don't orient yourself in space. Everything was new to me.

We only had one day to stay in Mecca on Friday.

The city of Riyadh stands on the central axis of development of Saudi Arabia, along with the cities of Buraida and Al Kharj, throughout the central region. The other areas where the population is concentrated are two coastal regions: the Red Sea around Jeddah and Mecca, and the Persian Gulf around Al Hufuf and Dhahran.

The city is divided into 17 districts under the control of the Riyadh City Council and the Riyadh Development Authority, headed by the provincial governor of the city.

The city is big where we got lost to find a hotel to sleep.

Only in the morning did I find a hotel.

 But we had to go to Mecca, unfortunately we didn't go because we didn't have an appointment. One of the locals helped us.

 In the evening I went out to eat. We drove around town. I've seen many places you can visit. I found out later that Riyadh has many beautiful places to visit.

In my opinion, I think you can see many beautiful places. It just takes time and money. But it's worth a visit.

I would like to recommend some Ryiadh tourist attractions that are worth a visit. But to the recommendation I want to add one more thing about getting a tourist visa in Riyadh.

All visitors need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia. Tourist visas are difficult to obtain, being granted only to selected groups on a limited basis. Everyone who comes here should have a passport valid for at least six months, in addition to the appropriate visas and a return ticket with all necessary documents.

Women must be accompanied, preferably by a male relative. Entry into the country may be denied to any intoxicated visitor, men wearing shorts, women in tight clothing or with their legs and arms exposed, and couples in public.

If you want to know the history of South Arabia, I recommend a location that is one of the most beautiful buildings: Murraba Palace, National Museum, Kingdom Tower, Masmak Fortress in Riyadh. These are some of the attractions of Riyadh. Here I want to talk briefly about them. But there are other tourist attractions that I still don't know about. But I hope to visit them on other occasions when I come to Saudi Arabia.

I found out later that in Riyadh, tourists can visit: Masmak Fortress, renovated in 2008, the brick and earth structure houses an interesting museum; Murabba Palace, which we talked about earlier, is a two-story structure that is also very interesting to visit; The National Museum, opened in 1999, is equipped with the latest technology and is very accessible to visitors, with almost all the information and in English.

Also worth a visit is the Al Mamlaka Center where you can admire amazing architecture. The ruins of the historic city also offer an interesting excursion. Among the lofty, futuristic buildings, shopping malls and wide highways, are the ancient mosques.

The city is guided by a strict Islamic, moral and cultural code, and visitors should abide by the norms while exploring the attractions, both ancient and modern, of this fascinating city. Women have restricted access to certain attractions and sites.

Riyadh has a large selection of restaurants to choose from and one to indulge in. Many tourists will choose to dine at their hotel restaurant, where many of the five-star restaurants are represented by the mastery of famous chefs.

One of Riyadh's famous restaurants does not require advance booking. In Riyadh, there is also a fun area: Zoo. It is one of the most popular leisure facilities in Riyadh.

In the evening, we were invited by a friend of my husband's to dinner at a good restaurant in town. Great atmosphere, great food and reasonable prices for all budgets.

The next morning, we set off for Makkah, but passed Medinah. From Riyadh to Medinah we did it in 8 hours. It was already evening when I arrived in Medinah. Why did we stop at Medinah and not go any further? I'll tell you more. It is not a tradition, but a pillar of Islam. It is mandatory for any Muslim who wants to come to Mecca and Medinah.

The road to Riyadh was long and tiring. We had lunch because we were hungry. We arrived in Medinah to wash and pray for Mecca.

As I drove to Medinah from Riyadh, my husband told me something about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I found out that it was an absolute monarchy, ruled by a king with executive and legislative powers. He held the highest authority in the state, unlike the sovereigns in the constitutional monarchies, who have a rather honorary role. State laws are based on Islamic law (Sharia) and are supplemented by decrees. Saudi Arabia is nicknamed the "Land of the Two Holy Mosques;" it is about Mecca and Medina, the spiritual centers of the Islamic world.

Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.

And from here I will tell you more about the fifth pillar of Islam. Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medinah is important for Muslims around the world.

We left Riyadh at 12 in the morning, we arrived in Medinah at 21:00, the entrance to the Ihram in Mikat (the locations notified on the way to Makkah), important to take a bath (Ghusl). It is important to do it from the heart so that the soul is fully accepted.

After we left for Makkah, it was already late, we were tired and excited.

In our souls we were happy for ourselves that we took this important step for us, in search of the relationship with God.

It is like a holy duty and a blessing.

We walked for 5 hours until 4 in the morning, we arrived in Makkah. Our emotions grew as we approached Makkah. This trip was for the first time. I couldn't see anything around me. The city was asleep.

  We didn't feel tired, everything was beautiful, we were surrounded by mountains and an indescribable view.

We stayed at the hotel, we prayed in the morning, we started to do our rituals. The whole procession lasted about 3 hours of intense emotions and an indescribable happiness.

Why is the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medinah important to Muslims and what does it mean in Islam?

Mecca is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, the cradle of Islam. In the pre-Islamic period (before the 7th century), Mecca was a powerful caravanning and trading center. It was also a place of pilgrimage to the Kaba shrine for idolatrous Arabs who worshiped stones. The Prophet Muhammad transforms the Kaba into a ritual pilgrimage for Muslims.

At the same time, the Kaba is the point to which any Muslim should turn his face during ritual (salad) prayer. The direction, called Kaba (kibla), is marked by any mosque through a niche (mihrab), located in the wall opposite the front door, also called kibla wall, facing those present. Kibla is calculated exactly for each place of prayer.

Kaba (Arabic: cube), an almost cubic 15 m high and almost 12 m wide monument with a “black stone” embedded in the northwest corner, is located in the center of the Great Mosque, Al-Masgid al-Haram ( Holy Mosque), built by order of the Caliph of Oman (634-644). Also inside the Great Mosque is another important place, namely Maqam Ibrahim (Abraham's place), the place where Abraham climbed, according to Islamic tradition, to shatter the idols surrounding Kaba, thus restoring the temple to the original purity of Adam's time.

The community ritual pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and takes place every year between the 8th and 12th of the month of dhu-l-higga, the last month of the Islamic calendar, in Mecca and its surroundings.

What are the five pillars of Islam?

The five pillars of Islam are part of a Muslim life. They are the Testimony of the Faith, of Prayer, of giving Zakat (the support of the needy) fasting during the month of Ramadan and the Pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime for those who are capable.

But I will tell you about the other pillars of Islam on another occasion.

The pilgrimage to Mecca and its surroundings, and Medinah is the fifth pillar of Islam, which is known as the Hajj.

The main stages of the pilgrimage are the entry into the state of sacredness (ihram) which is done by ablution (washing) all, by adopting the pilgrimage attire which consists, in men, in two pieces of cloth (white) without seams or knots, put, one around the waist, the other over the shoulder covering part of the bust, and as shoes, sandals; for women, however, there is no specific outfit other than the traditional Islamic. Men shave their heads, and women symbolically cut a strand. Any difference in social class is thus annulled. The entry into the state of sacredness is done before arriving in Mecca, usually at the airport in Jeddah.

We entered the mosque, prayed before turning seven times around Kabba, the central point of the pilgrimage, with a short prayer to Maqam Ibrahim (Abraham's place), who, in the Islamic tradition, restored the Kaba shrine. initial purity. Both are located in the great mosque of Mecca.

We drank water from the Zamzam spring, which saved the lives of Ismail and his mother, Hagar (or Hagar), who were driven into the wilderness. After I drank the holy water. We set out to cover seven times the distance (394 m) between Safa and Marwah Hills, in memory of the desperate wanderings of Hagar and her abandoned child Ismail in the desert.

After finishing the whole procession, we returned home tired and happy that we had done everything necessary.

In addition to the community ritual pilgrimage, there is also an individual pilgrimage (Umrah), simpler without stopping on Mount Arafat, which takes place at any time of the year. This is what we Umrah did.

Since the farewell pilgrimage of the Prophet Muhammad in 630, Mecca has become an exclusively Muslim town. The presence of non-Muslims is strictly forbidden in and around Mecca. Pilgrims have a special visa attesting to their membership in the Islamic religion. On the roads leading to Mecca there are numerous checkpoints meant to detect possible intruders.

The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for those who are physically and financially able to do so. About two million people go to Mecca from every corner of the globe.

Hajj's rites include circling the Kaaba seven times and crossing the Safa and Marwa hills seven times, as Hagar did while searching for water. Then the pilgrims stay together in Arafa (an area about 15 miles from Mecca) and ask God for what they want and His forgiveness, which is often seen as a preview of Judgment Day.

During these 4 days in Mecca, I performed all the rituals. I saw the city from the car. We didn't go to visit other places in a short time.

On the third day we went to Jeddah, I wanted to see the Red Sea. We set off at about 12:00 for Jeddah. The road to Jeddah is about 2 hours, about 90 km. Very short. We entered the city to see the surroundings. We had lunch on the Red Sea shore. It was beautiful, sunny outside. It was cool.

  I wanted to see more because that's what we see.

  If we stayed in Jeddah overnight we could see: Kingdom Tower, King Fahad’s Fountain, Fakieh Aquarium, Al Rahma Mosque, and many more. But we returned to Makkah for another ritual procession with my husband. It was already 19:00, we had to go back quickly.

After I arrived, my husband left for the procession. And I rested in the room. I wanted to go for a walk. But I waited for my husband to go together.

We had to return to Madinah in the morning after breakfast. We packed our bags and headed for Medinah.

  On the way to Medinah, after three nights in Mecca, we spent the most beautiful moments of our lives. The road was tiring and interesting.

We returned on the same road from Riyadh to Medinah and then to Mecca.

One of the first mosques built in Islam was in Al Madinah Al-Munawwarah by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in 622 AD.

It was a very simple structure made of bricks and stone. Next to the mosque was the modest house of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in which he was later buried with two of his companions, Abu Bakr Al Siddiq and Umar Ibn Al Khattab. The mosque acted as a center for the community, not only allowing learning facilities and holidays, but also distributing faith, writing to other heads of state, and meeting delegates. After the establishment of the mosque, the Muslim community spread around it, so that it became the very heart of the state.

Successive expansions throughout history have made the Mosque of the Prophets a magnificent architectural masterpiece. There is an area inside the Mosque, between the pulpit (minber) and the house of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) called Al Rawda, where Muslims prefer to pray since then, according to the hadith (sound), it is considered one of the gardens of paradise.

We arrived in Madinah, and looked for a place to park. We did the washing ritual to pray. I met an Englishwoman. We prayed in the mosque with some of our relatives.

I talked to them. Then we went to the restaurant for lunch. We found a hotel to stay overnight. I went through another procession. Let's see the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad. In Madinah it was magnificent and quiet, peace compared to Makkah, which is considered the center of shopping, bustle and noise. But beautifully surrounded by surrounding mountains and a select vegetation.

The city of Medina, also known as Madinat Al-Nabi ("Bear of the Prophet"), is located in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia and is the capital of Medina province, the second holiest city in the Islamic world, after Mecca. the place where the Prophet Muhammad is buried.

In the past, this locality was known as Yatrib, its name being changed to its current one in 622, when Muhammad came here from Mecca, fleeing persecution by the authorities (Hejira). The flight of the prophet from Mecca to Medina with some of his followers marks the 1st year in the Islamic calendar.

Later, the city experienced a period of development, with Muhammad as its religious and political leader. After the Prophet's death in 632, Medina was ruled by four caliphs in turn: Abu Bakr, Omar Othman, and Ali. In Medina are three of the oldest mosques in the world, namely Quba, Al-Masjid an-Nabawi Masjid al-Qiblatain. I visited and visited all three major mosques in Medinah.

Quba, the oldest mosque, is located on the edge of the Medina and was built by Muhammad and his followers on their arrival in this city. Over time, there have been several interventions on the building, and in the twentieth century the mosque was rebuilt.

It is built in a square plan, has minarets and includes a series of annexes, including shops, a library, offices and bathrooms. Muhammad himself encouraged the pilgrimage to this place, which is why the mosque attracts Muslim believers from all over the world.

Al-Masjid an Nabawi, or "Prophet's Mosque", is the second largest mosque in the world, after the Al-Masjid al-Haram Mosque in Mecca. It is an important point of pilgrimage in the Islamic world, as it is here that Muhammad and his four successive caliphs were buried.

Originally built in the 7th century, the mosque was a modest brick and wood building covered with palm leaves. Over time, with the growing number of followers of the Islamic religion, it has been rebuilt, expanded and modernized, so that today it has no less than 10 marble minarets, and the interior is decorated with verses from the Koran, impressive mosaics and ornaments from gold.

The Masjid al Qiblatain Mosque is of historical importance to Muslims, as Muhammad is said to have been here when he ordered the change of direction from Jerusalem to Mecca. At first, the mosque had prayer niches, but after the renovation, the one from Jerusalem was removed.

Other points of interest in the area are Mount Uhud, the Main Saleh stone settlement, the Badr Mosque, the Madinah Media Museum, the Old Bazaar Al Noor and Rashed Malls, etc.

Medina is a multi-ethnic city, hosting immigrants from countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan or the Philippines. The majority of the population belongs to the Islamic religion, more precisely to the Sunni orientation, but there is also a minority of Shiites. Like Mecca, access to the Holy Center of Medina is forbidden to non-Muslims, but they can visit the rest of the city.

In the second part I will tell you about my adventures in Bahrain.

     I will continue with part two in the next article.

                                                     Written by Bogus Elena