Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
I was there in December.
Yes and no, is the answer. Social life has returned and people get on with their lives. But that somewhat intangible feeling lingers. It's not a pleasant atmosphere - there is an understandable resentment between the haves and have-nots (in terms of power). You may come across that with younger taxi drivers for example. My perception, which could be wide off the mark, is that trouble could be sparked off again if (e.g.) the police do something stupid. The Arab Spring still has some way to go in my opinion, and not just in BAH. I noticed that expats are returning to BAH, but often single status (leaving their spouses and offspring back home).
That's a pretty fair synopsis, although I've not been for a couple of months. Even at the "height" of the unrest, I never felt unsafe and found the Bahrainis very friendly and welcoming. Rates at the Dip were pretty reasonable at that time, understandably.
Speaking a more "mature" individual, I'd be quite happy to see the Brit ex-pat brats absent from a certain Irish bar
And I actually like the ... err ... how shall I put in sensitively ... slight 3rd world seediness that is lost to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. I'm thinking Wranglers where the US Navy go or Digglers live rock bar, which is like something out of Star Wars
Or the Tiger Bar which is open all night.
Of course, Pearl Square is now a standard intersection with traffic lights.
It's worth following the "UK in Bahrain" on Facebook. They seem to get wind of any expected disturbances and many ex-pats and locals post there.
hth