Bahrain

November is the month of Thanksgiving in the US and that frequently meant a trip to New England to see Todd’s parents. A look at flight prices revealed shocking costs. Cooper was in Bahrain, so just for grins, airfare was looked up to go there. Crazily, it was cheaper to fly to Bahrain than it was to go to Boston. So, Todd and Donette went to Bahrain for a bit over a week.

Highlights were spending time with Cooper, seeing the historic buildings in the Al Muharraq neighborhood and along the UNESCO World Heritage Site Pearl Trail, which commemorates the historic pearling industry in Bahrain.

On their last day in Bahrain, they rented a car and headed south to see the Dilmun burial mounds, Riffa Fort, Al Jasra House (where the king was born), and other sights. One of Bahrain’s notable attractions is a Formula One racetrack that is part of the international race circuit. Adjacent to this huge racing complex is a go-kart track that is also used for international races. When they aren’t racing, the track is open to Mario Andretti wannabes, who can zoom around the track in very fast go-karts (which the trio did).