Bahrain may have the strongest claim for being the place
where It all started; some scholars say this is the site of the biblical
Garden of Eden. The Babylonian's "Epic of Gilgamesh" mentions
Bahrain as an island paradise where heroes live eternally. Historians
know that Bahrain straddled the trade routes between Mesopotamia and
Asia, which enabled it to grow into a trading empire that lasted for
2000 years. However, Bahrain's aspect has changed from those years.
Any gardens have turned into sand. The trading empire, long since
vanished, has been replaced by oil fields.
Bahrain is a decent place to visit if you're an archaeological
buff. It has ancient temples and tombs left from the days when this
country was an empire and not just a small island nation. Compared
to other Gulf States which can't offer ancient remains, Bahrain provides
a deeper sense of history. Compared to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain is a
more liberal (and therefore, relaxing) place for a tourist to visit.
Highlight: Burial mounds. Over 85000 places of
the dead lay scattered over vast, bumpy fields.
