Bahrain

Saturday morning K and I went to the Dubai airport for our flight to Bahrain for ground and simulator training. The other pilots had gone up the day before while we were flying the aircraft to Ras Al Khaimah.

There were some interesting facets to the Gulf Airways Dangerous Goods program that are not covered by US carriers. One good example is falcons. This may appear to just be an Air Force bird to you, but over here they are taken very seriously. Their initial price may be ten to fifteen thousand and go up from there. Be that has it may, you may take your falcon onboard the aircraft with you provided: (1) it is in coach; (2) it is hooded; (3) it must be chained to the seat and a pedestal is provided. However, if the passenger owning the bird sits in first class, the bird will have its pedestal in first class also (VVIP). Apparently about ninety five percent of the flacons that fly in the aircraft are in first class. One Gulf Air Training Captain said it was very interesting to watch the falcon on the pedestal because during takeoff it naturally leans forward and then backwards during landing.

Another example is the ceremonial dagger that an Arab always carries while wearing their long white robes. They are presented to the check-in counter and will be placed in a very nice padded box to be given back at their destination. First Class (VVIP) daggers sometimes are authorized in the cockpit! So much for US security!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we have been here during Ramadan. I’m really not sure of the significance of this lunar month, but it over takes everything. Muslims fast from sun up to sun down. So what this means in this liberal religious bastion is that no restaurants can serve food to anyone during this time, no alcohol can be served anywhere during the month, and you cannot have anything to drink (water, juice etc) during the day. If you are seen in pubic with a cookie or cracker, fines can be received. Muslims are not allowed to work during sunrise to sunset, so very hard to find ANYTHING open or to tour around (no taxis). Everyday is Sunday when we had our Blue Laws.

On initial check-in at the hotel I found a nice oriental rug in the room. It was about twenty four by forty two inches in a royal blue basic color. I soon realized that this was not a great bathmat, it was the prayer rug. I guess the Guidens Society are not very big over here!

The Gulf Air Training Facility did provide us with a private room, with a guard, for us to have coffee, tea, and our hand carried lunches from our flight kits. The glass door and windows to this room were covered over with paper so no one could look in and see us eating and drinking! So, we’ll be out of here next Tuesday and we’ll see how Sharjah celebrates. Always something!