Scots in Bahrain for St.Andrew's

Thanksgiving in Saudi -- ironically, as Thursday is the start of the Saudi weekend, taking off Thursday is what we do every week, so Thanksgiving is by definition a holiday. We had long ago planned to attend the St.Andrew's Scottish Gala with colleagues -- 8 teacher-couples all told from our school and Cole's school booked hotel rooms in Bahrain for Thursday night. We drove over to Bahrain mid-day, went to (fancy) beauty parlor and (Pakistani) barber shop, then got our hotel minivans to drive us out to the party, on a remote British compound. Very Scottish, indeed...lots of kilts, including the UK ambassador who spoke of his Scottish roots. After speeches and a surprisingly good dinner, a ceilidh band played and all danced for several hours. What great fun...and the hotel van took us home. The next day was easy with some shopping on the way back to Saudi.
We were a bit hesitant about Bahrain, as news of demonstrations is troubling. We saw several police cars, but no overwhelming presence, nor any military troops. Also, the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry just announced its findings on Thursday. The government press noted the independence of the commission and the eagerness of the King to act on their findings of some problems in the police, with excessive force in the previous months. The opposition -- foreign, as internal opposition is muted -- notes the admission that government used excessive force and torture during its crackdown on the spring demonstrations. It seems that the Commission report will result in a few reforms, and will quiet a few people; but the Commission dealt only with the police response to demonstrations, and not to the root cause of those demonstrations. So those remain to fester. We are sorry to see such a clean, bright place as Bahrain so troubled.
On the way back home, we visited some colleagues recently moved to Bahrain -- a lovely house with a nice lifestyle...we could appreciate life there!
One notable difference: Saudi roadsides are strewn with litter. Bahrain is clean.

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