When I Titled my Blog "Adventures of the Shurtliff Family" I Didn't Expect THIS!!!

Hello from the craziness in the Middle East. My last report in February wasn't too exciting because the protesting in Bahrain was quite localized and being in my home in Riffa Views I wasn't very close to any excitement, but now things are getting... interesting.
Brian took the following videos on his ipod. The first was on his way home from work on a Thursay afternoon. He called me to say he was on his way at about 4:40 and it usually takes him 20mintues to get home, but this time it took him an 40- as you can see why from the video. the second was from the window of his work place. The crowd was walking down the street to one of the palaces for their protest.




So things kept


So those protests where the extent of things until Sunday. Sunday, as many of you might know from the news the protesters blocked the financial district in the capital. That didn't make people too happy since it disrupted banking and such, so the police took action to break it up. Unfortunately this made people angry and things have gone down hill since. I have some stories to tell...
I had a friend try to pick her son up from school but couldn't get off the highway at her normal exit because there were cars parked there blocking it all. Right when she showed up the police had thrown some fresh tear gas and the people outside her car where coughing and covering there faces. She couldn't go forward or back until someone moved the cement road blocks. She was then able to turn around and go home. She sent her husband who works down the street from her sons school go to pick him up. The school is also in the same compound I live in and about a quarter of a mile away from my house. Right outside the compound there is a round about that they were stopped on and a car pulled out going the wrong way and smashed into an oncoming car. So they high-tailed it out to there soon as they could. They all got home safely. I was already staying home because Brian phoned from work telling me that it was heating up in the financial district, but after she told me about that I was getting a bit concerned. That same day, Brian happened to have to go to Saudi Arabia for some training. I started wondering if he would get back to Bahrain or if they would shut the causeway down. Luckily his boss saw what was coming and told him to come back and he was able to get across to Bahrain (and buy me some milk and eggs before he left), but by this time I had heard from several people that it was becoming increasingly harder for people to get around the island. He tried to take the road that had the clearest path, but about three miles from our home there were people with clubs and bats at the intersections and any way he tried to go he couldn't get through. We had already heard that someone had their car smashed up when they stopped- so he was a bit nervous. He had no choice but to turn around and stay the night at a friends house.
The next morning he was able to get to work and then took the same route home (about 12:30) that he had before and was able to make it with little interference. We hear some more stories from time to time about people walking around with swords (pro-government), and tanks coming, and a soldier was just killed.
Right now the country is under Marshal law and we are all staying home. I have a friend that is being sent back to the states because her husband works for the embassy and they are evacuated all non-essential personnel. A few moments ago I got a text that says that Bahrain is in state of emergency and to stay indoors. I'm going to end this post now and go pack a few bags. I don't know if I will be leaving my home here in Bahrain and if I do if I'll be coming back. But I guess I should go prepare. I don't feel a threat of danger as much as what will happen in the next few days in unknown and how long will I have to live on the food in my house...? I'll post more later if I get a chance. Oh this is interesting!