With almost no information on Bahrain, it took several days to get oriented, as far as the ladies scene goes. I was there with military, so Force Protection had a list of clubs (the list changed daily) of clubs that were off-limits. Some clubs were on the list for more than a week, so I did bot get to experience all of them.

Thais - Manama has more Thai girls than Thailand does. Get a reliable taxi or hotel car, and tell him you want Thai girls. They will bring you to one of the many paprtment complexes, and typically the top floor penthouse is where all the girls are. After you make your pick, you will go down to another floor which is her room. $40-$60 dollars US, depending on the amount of time. This is your value option in Manama - be aware that you will be off the beaten path, and Manama is not the safest place for Americans at the moment. YLMV (Your Longevity May Vary)

Philippine girls: Al Bustan hotel - got the rock club and hear an excellent band called Zebra, and take your pick of girls. Pricier at $120-$150 US. Right around the block is "BJ's," a very popular club, but was on the list of clubs that we couldn't go to.

More Thai girls: Miami Hotel, no take-out service. Same price $120-150 US Dollars.

Made friends with a stunning Ethiopian nubian princess that worked at my hotel (Diplomat) over the course of a few days. After she trusted me, we were in the sack for free, and we did the regular dating thing until I left.

Bahrain notes: The day we arrived, the Bahrain police released two suspected Al Queda (sp)members because they didn't have enough evidence to hold them. They did not kick them out of the country, but showed them the sidewalk. This is why the base Commander employed the list of clubs we were off-limits - they didn't want large groups of Americans in one place off base. The commander also ordered the evactuaion of all non-essential personnel, families and dependants. These guys are still on the street, so be careful.

Thursday and Friday is the Muslim/Islamic weekend, and is when all the Saudis pour into Manama to have fun - expect to pay more on these days for action, or to even be ignored during this time. There are plenty of American, Russian, Lebanese and Egyptian ladies, but expect all but the Russians to charge $300 upwards.

Manama tips: Don't venture into any neighborhoods that have black flags on the top of houses/apartments. Don't go out alone at night. Avoid protests. Try to use your right hand/arm as oppsed to your left, and try not to expore the bottom of your foot or bottom of your sole to anyone in public. Make sure you get change in Bahrain Dinar, as they try to slip lesser value Saudi notes in your change, and they look similiar - so count/look at your change before you leave. Saudi males are the major issue for you in Manama - they are either total 100% assholes or the best guys you'll meet - so find the good guys and make some good, quality friends.

True story:

Force Protection: "Do not pay women for sex."
Defconsul: "I do not pay women for sex, I pay for them to leave."
Force Protection: "Be aware that spys use prostitutes to gather intelligence."
Defconsul: Well, then why do I have to pay them?

They weren't amused.

I lived in Bahrain for a while in 1998-1999. My info is thus dated, but if you like LBFMs don't bother to pay. Just go to one of the pubs in the major hotels - Sheraton, Le Meridian, etc - and just pick one up for free. They hang out to meet Brits and Americans (potential husbands) and when you spot a couple, invite one (or both) over, buy them a drink or two and then offer to take one (or both) out to dinner. This works a solid 80% of the time.

The Anchor was a Filipino bar upstairs from The Warbler, which was the best pub/bar in town. Great ladies night on Mondays.

Keep in mind, those apartment towers over next to the ASU, that's where the Saudi concubines, if you want to use that word, stay during the week. As you've probably seen, Bahrain is a four hour or so drive from Riyad, so on Wednesday nights a ton of Saudis drive down in their Suburbans and Mercedes and the like. They stop off at the big liquor store just after the causeway to the mainland, load up on booze and then head over to see their girlfriend. The girls are totally set up, free apartment, spending money, everything. Basically in return for getting out of Thailand or the PI (or Scotland or Ireland or Eastern Europe or wherever), getting to sit around in the sun all week and basically live a life of luxury, they have to fuck (bareback) their Saudi benefactor on the weekends. Alas, there's never enough money and with all of that spare time, a lot will hook during the week and on weekends when the Saudis aren't around.

It's a great place, too bad they've increased all the restrictions. If you get a chance, head out the Manama Country Club, great food and everything.

Interesting info on Bahrain which I knew was a viable destination but did not realize it was so expensive. I will never venture out to a Muslim country for mongering but if I am there and it is safe then I may go for it. I like to take risk when mongering but not when there is a chance of getting beheaded for having sex.

Westerners don't get beheaded, and besides, Bahrain is quite liberal. Executions are very rare there, women have most freedoms, they don't wear burqas, just scarves or they go bareheaded. Liquor is available for all, all the supermarkets have pork and a lot of western foods. Its actually a very pleasant island to live on, though it does get both hot and humid there.

Well, it is quite liberal by Arab standards, and you won't get beheaded for mongering. But I have to respectfully disagree with Catocony in that there is a first time for everything, and hardliners are giving Bahrain a lot of heat right now because of their hospitality towards westerners - in my opinion, it's only a matter of time before someone's head becomes a training video.

It won't be a white head, not from a judicial punishment. The Shia have had a low-level insurrection against the Sunni rulers for years - for a while in the late 90's, propane tanks were banned on the island because the Shia would take a tank, wrap a car tire around it, light it on fire and roll it into a store. We called them Manama Noise Makers!

Defconsul,

Interesting perspective, but just glad you are back home safe. Think I'll stick with South America.