It is amazing how things change so quickly, not only in the NLP sense with people, but countries too.
I used to travel to Shanghai, China to deliver courses practically every month, and was astonished as to the speed roads and bridges were built, how buildings sprang up, of grandiose designs. I would see a new building nearly every visit where once there was just waste ground the month before.
Bahrain, even at this time of the credit crunch is much the same.
New roads, lined with palm trees still wrapped in their protective covering. Shaded temporary structures tor the masses of Asian workers to keep out of the burning sun. Buildings growing from the reclaimed sea, there is construction everywhere.
New construction everywhere in Bahrain, and loads of new palm trees
The skyline will soon be like New York, with high rise offices, hotels and apartments. Some of these buildings are of strange designs and shapes, like the Bahrain World Trade Center, and they add to the modern character of this island. On the outskirts of the main area of Bahrain, vast housing estates are still being constructed, and the University is being expanded.
And yes there are the poorer areas, where I am told there is trouble brewing nearly every night, something I have not witnessed, but getting lost one night being driving home, I did feel somewhat intimidated as we drove through a village, with narrow streets and backstreet cafés packed with men just after prayer time.
I look forward to return in the future to see how much more the Kingdom of Bahrain has expanded, and I know there will be reminders in what I see everywhere of friends and times gone past, even in rare traffic less streets.
Even a road has reminders for me