Kuwait (2009)

Kuwait Hilton

Taas — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 09:14:00 GMT

"Experience the sun-kissed Arabian Gulf from the Hilton Kuwait Resort's mile of private beach. Business is made easy at the Hilton Kuwait Resort with..."

Yeah yeah yeah.... In the week-ends mainly populated by spoiled obese kids, shopping and pillaging restaurants on daddy's credit card. The younger ones accompanied - read followed - by a Philippine nanny, who's treated more like a servant (or serf) than a surrogate mom. Good thing Kuwait is bone dry (officially), there would be no one stopping them from binge drinking aged 10. Irrelevant, as long as the female have a dust cover.

Why am I telling this? It's just another excuse to show a new example of photoshop abuse. The hybrid picture. Black and white with a touch of colour. Though in this case there isn't much to colour...

Grand Mosque in Kuwait City

Taas — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:57:00 GMT

Translation: Grand Mosque

Outside, Inside & a reproduction of the Quran's oldest known handwriting.

Taking a nap

Taas — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:12:00 GMT

A shop owner taking a nap in the Kuwait Suq, before opening shop

Suq (سوق)

Taas — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 08:23:00 GMT

One of the complications with Arabic language, is that translation of names into English is transliteration. Consequently, the word “suq“ can be written as suq, sooq, souq or shuq. The last translation is not preferred, as it is the Hebrew one. The suq is the commmercial district in an Arab city. In the modern Arabic cities, the suq is becoming a relic. Modern Arabs prefer “ the mall“ over the individual stalls where each purchase is negotiated (with a great deal of noise). The traditional market is for the elderly and tourists.

Kuwait has abolished traditional punishment, such as lashings, stoning and cutting of the right hand. Despite that, you can come across situations that you will never see in the western world. During the afternoon - nap time! - businesses in the suq are closed. That doesn't mean that merchandise is under lock & key. On the contrary. At best a sheet covers the goods; in many cases food, household appliances and even watches, remain in plain view during the owner's absence.

There is another rare sight around the Kuwaiti suq: “money exchange offices”. In most of the world, everything involving money is behind bullet proof glass. Not in Kuwait. “Snack-bar style” exchange offices surround the suq. As proof of their capability and good business, they put their currencies on display. Not just a few token bank notes, but bundles of thousands & thousands of Euros, Dollars, Dinars & Rial.

Kuwait (دولة الكويت)

Taas — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:25:00 GMT

"Kuwait's balls" have almost become its national symbol (they are water storage spheres with a restaurant in the top).

Honestly, this is not a country or city you would visit as a tourist.

First of all, Kuwait is bone dry. There is neither water or alcohol to be found. Water is largely produced in desalination plants - without doubt contributing to Kuwait's highest per capita energy consumption in the world - and manufacturing/import of alcohol is strictly forbidden. By the way, its total lack of natural - fresh - water, makes Kuwait unique in the world. But what the heck, the country is the third richest in the world and 'the prohibition' makes for very healthy living.

Secondly Kuwait is much smaller than its map suggests. It is a small country, but the only accessibe area, is a 2 km wide stretch of land along the coast (Dawlat al-Kuwayt actually means 'smallish fortress near water'). All other land is reserved for oil production and considered 'stay out!' area. Consequently, crossing Kuwait takes 1.5 hours max. Kuwait is in fact a city with 3.5 million residents (of which 2 million are non-nationals!)

Despite its unsuitability as a tourist destination, modern Kuwait is a very pleasant place to live and work. Prohibition may suggest differently, but Kuwait is a cosmopolitan and liberal city. Local dress codes are loosely enforced; unlike in Oman for example, many local Kuwaities dress western style when going to work. In general people can forgive the social offences that Westerners unknowingly commit. Invariably the Kuwaiti I worked with, were hospitable, friendly and relaxed people; proud of their country and willing to show its landmarks.