Three slow sea days again till Bahrain.
And I wondered what experience here I would gain.

But after Mumbai’s demise,
This was really a surprise.

Manama in the Persian gulf in the hot sun and sand
Looks like a fairy tale land.

A ghost town of 1.5 million people were no one seemed home
It was like we were there alone.

There was no traffic by car or walking
No chance to meet locals or be talking

A place of trading and mystery
Dating far back into history

We toured the area and saw the hole were in 1932 they struck oil
Under this arid soil

The wealth we are told was not kept by just a few
But we are told the entire population was able to improved their life too

There is no poverty, no homeless, no baggers no trash
And everyone lives well because of their earned cash

We stopped at the 400 year old “Tree of life”,
Believed to be the spot of the Garden of Eden where Adam lived with his wife

We fed camels on a farm
That were very tall, gentle and caused no harm

The guide told us people from all over the world live and work here in harmony
But little news from here on TV do we get to see

All this news from our Shia Muslim guide who moved here three years ago from Finland
And joined the many Shias who are invited to come from all over to live here under the rule of this Kings hand.

But some of the passengers had a different view
From a taxi driver whose experience was not new.

A bombing yesterday
To stop the Shia Muslim King or as they say dictators way

Of wanting control
Of them all

Riots increasing
And the relationship between Shias and Sunnis not easing.

Basic human rights at risk or ignored for the Sunnis group
Foreign reporters sent home to stay out of the loop

Curfews at night and on demand during the day
To stay away

Or risk being shot.
Or be punished a lot

All this news
Shattered our fairy tale views

That with the US battleship in port
And two smaller ones that acted as our escort

Had cruisers guessing what does this all mean
While customs were more lenient than in other countries we have seen

But a good impression apparently had been planned
For the few travelers that visit this land.

But we do not need to be fools
To recognize here that he who has the gold still rules.

It seems that the people in India who sit and wait
Or the ones here that fight for their fate

Have done so for generations in the past
And their demise will probably last

It is not fair and it is not right
But will remain until leaders have human rights in their sight