Mahboula, Kuwait

The 40 Theives- # 64

2007-08-02T17:23:00.000+03:00

I recently visited Colorado Springs, Colorado. If you have visited my blog before, you know I love to smoke shesha. I was very happy to find The 40 Theives Hookah Lounge. The atmosphere was chill and relaxing, and the shesha was great! They had one of the brands that I like to smoke here in Kuwait. If you are ever in the Springs, I highly recommend that you visit The 40 Theives to smoke some shesha. Thanks 40 Theives for giving me a touch of Kuwait as I visited the US!!

Below are pics of the manager and others enjoying the tastey treat that is shesha...

Escaping the Desert Heat

2007-05-20T14:00:00.000+03:00

I had to write a descriptive essay for a class, so I wrote about the trecherous heat of Kuwait. Just in case you were wondering what the weather is like here.... well, here it goes:

Escaping the Desert Heat
By Marcia

Kuwait’s summer heat is calamitous. The average temperature is 45 degrees Celsius, but a reading of 54 degrees Celsius is common. The moment one steps outside, the sun’s rays are attacking at full force.

It is difficult to breath. The air is dry, and causes your throat to tighten. The sun is overly coruscating, blinding the eyes. The sun instantaneously depletes your energy, making it difficult to get the motivation to do anything. It’s smart to wear long sleeves to protect the skin, but that only instigates the personal sauna made by your own sweat. Moisture is begging for release, opening every pore in the body. Beads of water escape, trickling down the hair line and small of the back. The level of discomfort has risen; along with being hot, you are now sticky too. Clothing clings to the body. There’d be more room for air to circulate if you’d have painted your wardrobe on that morning.

Across the way, a gentle breeze moves the branches of a palm tree. They sway back and forth as if dancing the hula. Grateful, you anticipate the possibility of cooling down just a little. You quickly regret the invitation to tango with the breeze, as it feels like 17 hair dryers have been set on you. This must be what it feels like to walk through fire.

The next possibility of relief: a glass of iced water. The content of the glass is screaming to get out. As condensation collects outside the sacred H2O holder, it scampers down your arm, and a trail is left where the salty sweat previously resided. In one gulp it’s gone… if only it were a bigger glass. Determined to relieve the sensation of having eaten a package of cotton balls, as mucus collects at the back of the throat, you pour another. The excitement of the cold beverage, or perhaps the quickly depleting hydration, causes some of the content to accidentally spill onto the concrete. It evaporates quicker than sadiki in a dry country. For a moment the water has helped, but only long enough for your pores to release the recently consumed fluids.

As defeat sets in, you realize that you cannot win this battle with the heat, and you seek shelter indoors. Luckily you are just outside your flat… ahh, sweet air conditioning. The only thing that will hurry this cooling process along is a cold shower. Still sweating, the clothing is pealed off. One by one it falls to the floor, much like a wilting flower loosing its petals. As you step into the running water, you notice that you resemble a cinnamon-sugar cookie thanks to the powdery sand and sweat mixture. The foreseen cool down is a let down, as the “cold” water has a burning effect on the skin. Adjusting the water temperature, you learn that the coldest water available is already pouring out of the spout. The water tank is located outside and has had all day to boil its water. The disappointing shower is swiftly finished. You dry off and redress in fresh clothing. Soaking in the air conditioning, you’re finally able to gain relief from the treacherous heat. The current cup of water is much more enjoyable than the last two. With this one, it is not necessary to battle with the sun to consume it before it dissipates.

After relaxing and recouping from the earlier day’s adventure of stepping outside, hunger pains shoot through the stomach. Rounding up what’s left of your energy, and craving the Naif Chicken across the street you are ready to venture out again. The sun has set, so Kuwait’s earth must have cooled down. The elevator ride down twelve flights is stuffy and the fan running inside doesn’t do its only job. The doors open, and you make it across the air conditioned lobby. As you step outside, the heat again takes your breath away. Ten paces are taken before the process starts again. Remembering that the restaurant delivers, you quickly retreat to your frigid oasis. As you open the door, you burn your hand on the sun baked handle- just another reminder that Kuwait’s summer keeps everything blistering hot, even after nightfall. The 20 minute chicken delay is more than worth it!

2007-04-05T11:42:00.000+03:00

Thank you all for visititing my Photo Blog. I will no longer be posting photos daily, but will post periodically. Thanks again for visiting!

New Houses- # 63

2007-04-03T21:03:00.000+03:00

This is a new housing area being built. Each "building" is a house. They are HUGE!! The colored ones are finised.

Strays- # 62

2007-04-02T04:30:00.000+03:00

These are stray kittens that we fed french fries to at Johnny Corino's the other day. They were happy, but when they come back for more fries, I'm not sure the restaurant will be!

Johnny Corino's- # 61

2007-03-31T19:18:00.000+03:00

The other day, some friends and I enjoyed lunch at Johnny Corino's. We ate outside and enjoyed the wonderful weather. In Kuwait, the weather is either freezing cold or scorching hot; right now we are in that nice little two week period where the weather is beautiful.

Kuwait Towers at Night- # 60

2007-03-30T06:41:00.000+03:00

This photo is of the Kuwait Towers at night. They way they are lit, reminds me of the Jetsons cartoon.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I am so sorry I haven't been able to post for the past two days. My computer is rejecting life right now, we are currently in the process of resuscitating it.. so please bear with me till I get it fixed. I will be posting when I can access a computer (hopefully everyday). Again, thanks for visiting!!

Flags- # 59

2007-03-27T07:01:00.000+03:00

This statue is in Salmiya. Its a little rusted, but I like how the flags are wound aroung the pole.

Curiousity- # 58

2007-03-26T09:34:00.000+03:00

Which one is more interested??

Wheely- # 57

2007-03-24T09:52:00.000+03:00

Walking to a restaurant, I came across this boy practicing his wheelies on his bike. He was a sweet kid, and was more than happy to show off for the camera. The road he was on was fairly long; he impresively could ride the entire strip doing a wheely.

Welcome- # 56

2007-03-21T22:47:00.000+03:00

This sign is found in the southern part of Kuwait near the Saudi Border.

Ray of Sunshine - # 55

2007-03-21T22:42:00.000+03:00

No Photo-No Filming- # 54

2007-03-21T22:37:00.000+03:00

Giant Teddy Bears- # 53

2007-03-20T18:18:00.000+03:00

While walking throught the mall, we saw these two kids carrying stuffed bears that were bigger than them. We stopped them for a pic, then were on our way....

Snake for Sale- # 52

2007-03-19T20:30:00.000+03:00

Also at the Friday Market (see previous day's post), was a snake on display to be sold. Another monkey was in the wooden box to the right. I like how interested the men to the left are.

Monkey Dress Up- # 51

2007-03-18T18:45:00.000+03:00

While at Friday Market (like a flee market), my friends and I came across this man painting this monkey's nails. Her toes were already done. She sat patiently in his arms waiting for him to finish. More than likely, his intention was to sell the monkey as a pet.

Arret- # 50

2007-03-17T04:45:00.000+03:00

The stop sign on this bus is not Arabic, and not English... what language is this?

Waterpark- # 49

2007-03-15T04:28:00.000+03:00

This is a waterpark and paintball park that is located next to the Kuwait Towers. This photo was also taken from the top sphere.

Coast Line- # 48

2007-03-15T04:24:00.000+03:00

This is the coast line from the top sphere in the Kuwait Towers.

Carnage- # 47

2007-03-13T18:51:00.000+03:00

This is what I call carnage.... car wrecks like this are not uncommon on the side of the highway.

Seat Belt Sign- # 46

2007-03-12T20:18:00.000+03:00

This seat belt sign is a bit ironic to me. Its there to remind us to buckle up, however, I'm not so sure car seats even exist! Driving down the road, it is common to see children, of all ages, lose in cars and sitting on laps of adults.

Day off- # 45

2007-03-11T21:34:00.000+03:00

A good day off always consists of shesha and mint tea!!

Bumper?? - # 44

2007-03-11T21:09:00.000+03:00

Alright, so... this was a very interesting photo op. Accidents are very common here. They happen daily, and rank from minor to severe all the time. This car was parked outside the mall; its missing the bumper.... well not really, if you look close, you can see it sticking out of the back window! The most comical part of this was that there was a person in the back seat with the bumper. These guys were great sports and we all got a good laugh!

Mall- # 43

2007-03-09T04:31:00.000+03:00

This is a mall (I was told) in Hawalli.

Stunt- # 42

2007-03-08T16:48:00.000+03:00

These two guys were just riding this motorcycle down the street for a while. As I passed them, my friend and I noticed how they were riding.... notice one on the gas tank???

My Brats- # 41

2007-03-07T23:20:00.000+03:00

Here are my brats, Hana and Toby. Hana is the black and white one, and Toby is orange. They were born in the same litter, and I rescued them when they were only 6 weeks old. The are now almost a year and a half, and totally think they are human!

Car Wash- # 40

2007-03-06T17:55:00.000+03:00

Everywhere you go, guys like this one are ready to wash your car. Its rather convenient! :) Remarkably, they can wash these cars with just one little bucket, and they are spotless!

Take a Break- # 39

2007-03-05T07:38:00.000+03:00

This man is takin a break as his sheep graze. He's sitting in the shade his truck has provided for him and eating lunch. This one little sheep sperated from the heard on its own, which worked out perfectly for my pic!! (S)he quietly strolled over to the man, he in turn put his arm around it and looked up. You can't ask for a better subject!!

Fresh Fish - # 38

2007-03-04T04:28:00.000+03:00

Fresh Fish!! We catch 'em.... you buy 'em!

Turkish Coffee Fountain- # 37

2007-03-03T19:16:00.000+03:00

I found this fountain on one of my adventures in Kuwait. Another discover when I got lost in Kuwait.

Crossing the Water- # 36

2007-03-02T10:56:00.000+03:00

This man is crossing the water on a small boat to get to land from a Dhow.

March Theme Day: Men at Work- # 35

2007-03-01T17:30:00.000+03:00

Here are consruction workers disposing of concrete from the top of their structure.

62 Daily Photo sites are participating in the 1st March theme, "Men at work", please use the links to below to visit them. Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.

1 (Greenville SC (USA) ) -2 (Hyde (UK) ) -3 (Tenerife (Spain) ) -4 (Albuquerque, NM (USA) ) -5 (Stayton, OR (USA) ) -6 (Rotterdam (NL) ) -7 (Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) ) -8 (London (England) ) -9 (Richmond, VA (USA) ) -10 (Sydney -Sally (Australia) ) -11 (Newcastle upon Tyne (England) ) -12 (Constanta (Romania) ) -13 (Evry (France) ) -14 (Lubbock, TX (USA) ) -15 (Szentes (Hungary) ) -16 (Villigen (Switzerland) ) -17 (Mumbai (India) ) -18 (Tel Aviv (Israel) ) -19 (Twin Cities, MN [USA] ) -20 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -21 (Houston -Candice & Megan, TX (USA) ) -22 (Budapest (Hungary) ) -23 (Singapore - Zannnie (Singapore) ) -24 (Dubai (UAE) ) -25 (Singapore -Keropokman (Singapore) ) -26 (Madrid -Dsole (Spain) ) -27 (Mazatlan -Kate (Mexico) ) -28 (Nelson (New Zealand) ) -29 (Vantaa (Finland) ) -30 (Kyoto (Japan) ) -31 (Tokyo (Japan) ) -32 (Joplin, MO (USA) ) -33 (Auckland (New Zealand) ) -34 (Sequim, WA (USA) ) -35 (Menton (France) ) -36 (Minneapolis, MN (USA) ) -37 (Istanbul (Turkey) ) -38 (Sydney -Nathalie (Australia) ) -39 (Sharon, CT (USA) ) -40 (Seattle, WA (USA) ) -41 (Anderson, SC (USA) ) -42 (Monte Carlo, (Monaco) ) -43 (Milano, (Italy) ) -44 (Grenoble (France) ) -45 (Wailea, HI (USA) ) -46 (Guelph, ON (Canada) ) -47 (Melbourne - John (Australia) ) -48 (New York City (USA) [Ming_the_Merciless] ) -49 (Cebu (Philippines) ) -50 (Bandung (Indonesia) ) -51 (Antigua Guatemala (Central America) ) -52 (Hamburg (Germany) ) -53 (London -Jonemo (UK) ) -54 (Hong Kong ) -55 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -56 (Paris (France) ) -57 (Naples, Florida (USA) ) -58 (Saarbrücken (Germany) ) -59 (Shanghai (China) ) -60 (Quito (Ecuador) ) -61 (Zurich (Switzerland) ) -62 (Joensuu ( Finland ) ) -63 (Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) ) -64 (Cheltenham (England) ) -65 (Brussels (Belgium)) -

My View- # 34

2007-02-28T06:41:00.000+03:00

This is the view from my balcony....

Happy Kuwait Independence Day!!!- # 33

2007-02-27T04:53:00.000+03:00

First off, I want to appologize for not getting this post up yesterday, my internet was down. That being said, now its time to get to the good stuff....

Yesterday, 26 Feb, marked 16 years since Kuwait was liberated from Iraq by the Coalition Forces in 1991.

A little history for ya:
Modern Kuwait was formed during the course of the 16th century (AD). After being recognized by some Eurpean navigators in the 18th century (AD), it was un-officially established. Kuwait was formed when several clans from Middle Eastern Tribes setteled near what is now Kuwait Bay. These tribes mainly came from Central Arabia (today mainly Saudi Arabia); Northern Arabia (today mainly Syria & Iraq); and Persia (now known as the Islamic Republic of Iran).

By the 18th Century, most local people sold pearls for a living. In the 1930s, pearl diving developed in Japan, deminshing the Kuwaiti market. After WWI, Britain declared Kuwait to be an "independent sheikhdom under British protectorate." In 1953, Kuwait became the largest exporter of oil in the Persian Gulf. The massive growth attracted many immigrant labourers/ foreign workers, thus being the first of the Persian Gulf Arab States to declare independence June 19, 1961. This was challenged by Iraq, but the threat was deterred by the British as they flew troops in. Kuwait was allied with Iraq during the Iraq-Iran War (which ended in 1988). On August 2, 1990, Kuwait was invaded and annexed by Iraq, lead by Saddam Hussein. An American-led coalition of 34 nations fought the Persian Gulf War to remove Saddam's control from Kuwait, which was authorized by the UN Security Council. The fighting lasted 6 weeks. The coalition forced Iraq to withdraw its troops on February 26, 1991. (reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwait)

(top pic)- Kuwait teenagers celebrate with foam spray!
(above)- A young girl stand out of her fathers sunroof holding a Kuwaiti Flag as her (assumed) brother looks out the window.

(above)- The aftermath..... I looked similer to this guy after getting all my pics!
(below)- Two guys hold up peace signs and silly string cans for the camera. They have their faces covered to avoid a face full of foam/ silly string!

Ladies Evening Out- # 32

2007-02-25T04:55:00.000+03:00

Last night, my friend and I took her little girl to get her first manicure and pedicure! She was soo excited! When the lady asked her what color she wanted, she simply stated "Red." As she wanted red on her hands, she went more suttle with pink on her feet. She also picked red for us. LOL

Sidewalk Salesman- # 31

2007-02-24T04:43:00.000+03:00

This is Yosuf. He was selling flags and spray foam to the passer-by's to spray at each other. There was a small language barrier, but luckily he spoke a little English. We ended up hanging out with him, watchin all the celebration action!

I'm Lovin' It!- # 30

2007-02-23T11:48:00.000+03:00

While wandering around Salmiya, enjoying the pre-celebrations for the Kuwaiti Independence day coming up (26 Feb), I came across this group of guys. They were so excited to have their pic taken! They (Kuwaitis) celebrate much different than where I'm from, but it was fun nonetheless. The main road (Gulf Road) was jam packed with cars filled with men, women, and children. Everyone was playing music, and shooting each other with silly string and foam! From the young to the old: People would stop in the middle of the road to dance; on top of cars, hangin out of windows! If you weren't careful and had your window down, you could expect to get a face full of silly string!

2007-02-23T11:41:00.000+03:00

Dhow - # 29

2007-02-22T04:21:00.000+03:00

A little Vocabular for ya:
Dhow: any of various types of sailing vessels used by Arabs on the east African, Arabian, and Indian coasts, generally lateen-rigged on two or three masts.

Here, many Dhows are docked ready for use for the next day.

Bakala - # 28

2007-02-21T18:04:00.000+03:00

This is a Bakala, or corner store. They are everywhere!!!!!

Quiet Sunset- # 27

2007-02-20T05:32:00.000+03:00

Title says it all....

Buttons -# 26

2007-02-20T04:16:00.000+03:00

These buttons were at the checkout counter at the grocery store, ready to be bought for the Kuwaiti Independence Day Celebrations coming up.

Bedouin- # 25

2007-02-18T04:40:00.000+03:00

These bedouins are the camel herders we came across a few days back. The camel pictured is the one we got to ride; you can see his mouth open as he "yells". I don't think he was as thrilled as we were to see him! You can also see that his front legs are tied together. There is enough slack so he could walk, but not run (which I appreciated!) I'm not sure if the people are brothers, or father and son. Either way, they were very kind, and happy to pose! There was a huge language barrier between them and us.... its amazing how people can communicate with out words!

A little Vocabulary for ya:
Bedouin: Derived from the Arabic a generic name for a desert-dweller. This term is generally applied to Arab nomadic pastoralist groups, who are found throughout most of the desert belt extending from the Atlantic coast of the Sahara via the Western Desert, Sinai, and Negev to the Arabian Desert.

Sand Storm- # 24

2007-02-17T06:34:00.000+03:00

Yesterday we had a sand storm. If you have never experienced a sand storm, consider yourself lucky! The background of this pic looks "cloudy" almost, but the air is truely filled with sand. During a storm, the wind is strong, and at times it hurts a little when the sand hits you. Unfortunatly this pic didn't give the sun justice, it looked really cool live. The storms are much worse out in the desert... glad I was in the city for this one! The buildings help break it up a little making it a little less extreme.

Black Sheep- # 23

2007-02-16T10:28:00.000+03:00

While exploring the desert, this lonely herd of sheep was grazing. Among them was this black sheep... (s)he was very cooperitive and "posed" for this pic!

Curious Camel- # 22

2007-02-15T18:04:00.000+03:00

Today we explored the desert, and came across a herd of camels. This one in particular was extremely curious! They were very friendly, and even let us pet them! More to come....

Horse & Carriage- # 21

2007-02-14T16:01:00.000+03:00

This pic was taken at one of the many, many mini amusement parks that are found throughout Kuwait. I haven't seen too many horses here, and was really excited to see this one. I didn't have my camera on me, so I took this photo with my camera phone..l. gotta love technology!!

Mmmm...Pineapple Hooka- # 20

2007-02-13T08:27:00.000+03:00

This is the BEST way to smoke shesha! They turn all types of fruit into hookas, pineapple (pictured), watermellon, and honeydew to name a few. This particular day, I had strawberry shesha with it. Very, very yummy!!

Harsh Reality- # 19

2007-02-12T03:52:00.000+03:00

In this photo, a pile of trash is the main focus, while two women walk past with a little boy. Sadly, this is not an uncommon sight. People litter here all the time, or just pile up trash as seen here. This would be a much more beautiful place if it was just cleaned up.

Bate - # 18

2007-02-11T19:49:00.000+03:00

This man was fishing with his children on the pier. They didn't have fishing pools, so they were just using bate at the end of a line and throwing it in the water. I'm not sure how many fish they finally caught... hopefully their method was effective. He was very kind, I asked him if I could take his photo; he simply nodded, then posed. I fell in love with how it turned out.

Make a Wish... - # 17

2007-02-10T11:02:00.000+03:00

While driving around and exploring Kuwait, I came across this old "wishing" well. After investigating, it looked like it was still functional, now whether it is still used or not is another question.

Ship Wreck- # 16

2007-02-09T17:52:00.000+03:00

The title says it all...

Hooka Store - #15

2007-02-08T06:47:00.000+03:00

One of my favorite pass times in Kuwait it smoking shesha (flavored tobacco) out of a hooka. I was told that this tradition came to Kuwait from Turkey. There are shesha bars everywhere, and it is common to see it in most restaurants. There are many different flavors (mostly fruit flavors), but one of my favorites is mint with lemon. Mmm!! These hookas are displayed in the window at one of the many, many, many shesha stores. To the left, is a fur covered hose (used to suck the smoke out of the hooka). I'm not sure I'd customize mine with fur.... to each their own!

Arabic Door- # 14

2007-02-07T06:25:00.000+03:00

I saw this door a few months back, and loved it. So I went back for a pic. Beautifully carved wooden doors like this one are seen all over Kuwait. I didn't see the man inside staring back until I uploaded the image and viewed it on my computer. I found this very entertaining, which made this photo a little more special!

Sultan Center Sushi!!!! - # 13

2007-02-06T07:19:00.000+03:00

The Sultan Center is a grocery chain here in Kuwait. One of the stores has a sushi bar in it, which is a favorite among me and my friends. Particularly, my old roommate's...Happy Birthday Laurie!!

Friends- # 12

2007-02-05T08:01:00.000+03:00

These two gentlmen are just sitting at the pier, watching children play, and talking.

Serenity- # 11

2007-02-04T04:03:00.000+03:00

The title says it all. This pic was taken at sunset on, actually, a cloudy day. It just looks like such a peaceful moment. I especially liked the reflection in the water.

Scaredy Cat- # 10

2007-02-03T04:14:00.000+03:00

As I was walking the other day, I noticed this little sight, and couldn't resist a picture. Cats are like sand in Kuwait... they are everywhere!!

Hard at Work - #9

2007-02-02T05:11:00.000+03:00

My friend had taken this pic yesterday while we were on an outing. I believe the 'bundle' the man is dragging, is full of fish he caught that day. He's taking them to the market to be sold.

Fishin' - #8

2007-02-01T18:35:00.000+03:00

Four Wheelin' - # 7

2007-01-31T04:46:00.000+03:00

This not an uncommon sight in Kuwait. Here are some locals having some fun. Here, quads and dirt bikes are allowed on the paved roads. This pic was taken on one of the main highways (yes I said highway!). If you've ever been to Kuwait, you know the driving leaves something to be desired.

Volley Ball - #6

2007-01-30T04:01:00.000+03:00

Sunset at the Dock- #5

2007-01-29T17:52:00.000+03:00

Liberation Tower - #4

2007-01-28T03:52:00.000+03:00

Camels Crossing- # 3

2007-01-27T04:35:00.000+03:00

This Pic was taken by a friend of mine in Oct. It's one of my favorites! I've heard of 'cows crossing' but I never imagined I'd see traffic stop for a camel!

My Favorite House- #2

2007-01-26T14:36:00.000+03:00

Kuwait's Interesting Architecture- #2

2007-01-26T10:46:00.000+03:00

Kuwait Towers

2007-01-25T13:28:00.000+03:00

For my first pic to post, this is the Kuwaiti Towers. It is their landmark, so to speak. One serves as a water tower, another as an antenna, and the other has restaurants in it. The highest sphere rotates so you can see 360 degrees if you stay long enough.