The new Bapco club smoking area
A lot has changed in Awali since I left on 14.2.21! On my return from Dubai I had to go to the hospital for a medical for my Philippine retirement visa and while waiting for the results I went to the Bapco club for their Business lunch . I was amazed to see all the improvements. They had done the Coffee Shop, Bowling alley, Snooker hall and the Restaurant before I left but now they have refurbished the toilets and the ballroom . For those who have not been to Bapco the club is the centre of life for the 400 households in the Town which was built in the 1940's for the American Oil men. It was rebuilt in 1965 and then hardly touched since, so the makeover has been a long time coming and is amazing. Along with changes to the building they have a new style Brunch ( served at the table) and steak and Seafood nights and theme nights like the Indian Thali Night and Italian night. It even has a new red solar powered bus stop outside ( but no buses!)
If you want to see more of the changes check out our vlog below
The next stop on my tour, and the venue for one of my daily walks, was Princess Sabeeka Park which has been run by one of my former ILM delegates, Hani Fardan for many years now. I reminisced there that I had been in attendance on the day it opened soon after I arrived in Bahrain in February 2010. It is amazing how the plants have matured since then and the lawns are so immaculate in the hot dry climate.
The foundation stone laid by Princess Sabeeka on 21.5. 2009
The Venue for one of our ILM 2 Final presentations
You can see how beautiful the park is now by watching the vlog we made there - which Chester has embedded below
Some things in Awali have changed many times. Back in days gone by the Awali Hall was always active with the Awali Rep Theatre Society (ARTS) regularly staging plays and Pantomimes. Then it became a Training centre and later the Wellbeing centre and then the Oil and Gas Academy Building B ( with my classroom and office) . Now it's back to Awali Hall, and empty!
Awali Hall- formerly Oil & Gas academy, Building BI also had a walk around Awali and saw my old house, now occupied, the Wellbeing centre, Empty, the Gym, and many new houses that have been built or refurbished as well as the imposing Cardiac Hospital , and the various additions to Awali hospital.
Some of the grander new homes that have sprung up in Awali
Some of the old Awali houses minus the doors and widows
The Oil & Gas Academy , formerly the Awali school until 1985, still looks magnificent and I met up with many of my former colleagues there and reminisced about being the first Training Specialist to run courses there when it opened in room 103, and the various offices I occupied. It certainly was a beautiful peaceful place to work ( the gardens I mean, not the toxic atmosphere inside under our previous Managers and Superintendents) .
The beautiful gardens at the Oil & Gas Academy , formerly the Awali school
Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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