Off the Beaten Track in Kuwait

Saturday was supposed to be our day to see Failaka Island but it proved to be a very windy day thus grounding (or porting?) all boats.  We decided to take this unexpected opportunity to travel to the south and the west of Kuwait.  Kheireddine, through his extensive work in these hinterlands of Kuwait, knows it like the proverbial back of his hand.

We first went through the southern suburbs of Kuwait City along the coast.  Here we stopped at an upscale mall with a huge fresh produce and meat market.  This was certainly not American!  Within the same walls are pricey stores and elite restaurants and goat carcases hanging along with caged chickens, not to mention acres of dead fish on ice.

Produce at the food area of the mall

Kheireddine walking through the meat area

Poultry (still alive by the way) was to be found

Seafood, mostly dead but some alive, abounded

Meat (all dead but still whole) was also on display

Some of the fresh fish from the Gulf

We also viewed one of the oil stations on the coast.  Apparently, oil is pumped out throughout the country by machines called donkeys.  It then travels by pipeline to an accumulation station which combines oil from multiple donkeys.  It then goes to a refinery or shipping station.  These facilities are literally scattered all over the country.  The most avid drilling apparently is near the Iraqi border as both Kuwait and Iraq are trying to each get as much oil out of the border region as possible.  With the Saudis things are less competitive and there are agreements as to how much each country takes out near those border areas.

Oil facilities are heavily guarded

One of the flames burning the oil byproducts can be seen to the right.  The air in Kuwait by the way is bad.  As soon as you get off of the plane you can smell it.  But you quickly adjust and your nose doesn't detect the oil pollution everywhere

Boats along the coast - these are traditional fishing designs and still in daily use

Tankers off the coast - these were not to transport the oil but to bring natural gas to Kuwait from another country

Sadok and Randy enjoy the view from a tower next to the shopping center

Alice and Randy are also happy to see Kuwait

Typical street scene near the shopping mall - palm trees and robed men and women

Heading along a good highway (the roads in Kuwait are mostly excellent) we went south to the Saudi border where a furtive picture was taken.  Then we headed west for the only large town in the area, Wafra.  At this time, we were traveling through what could be termed a mini sandstorm.  Sand was swirling throughout the air and across the road.  The area in the south of Kuwait is more sandy than in the north so there is plenty of the stuff to get into the air when the wind whips up.  Less herding was evident in this region where even scrub does not grow.

The Saudi border.  We could see the green flag flying in the distance

The road to Wafra complete with sandstorm

Wafra is really a horrible place.  We stopped at their version of Walmart, a frontier feeling general store.  It was third world personified.  The residents of Wafra are pretty much all oil workers (from abroad naturally - Kuwaitis do not work in such places) and are there temporarily to make money.  So the housing and amenities are basic.  Of course the weather was dismal with sand getting into hair, eyes and mouth, which did not add to Wafra's charm.

The colors on these photos are not faked - the yellow tinge is from the sandstorm and the abundance of sand throughout the air

The Walmart of Wafra - fake classical columns adorned this trash laden supermarket

Inside there were all manner of goods including apples from the U.S.

Alice had requested a camel ride in Kuwait.  This would be seem to be an easy request to grant but not so.  We stopped at a farm west of Wafra (this region is the other farming area of Kuwait) and met the chubby, genial owner.  He showed his livestock including camels but had no saddle.  He was sad that his children did not show much interest in the farm.

The affable owner of the farm near Wafra (on left)

His herd of long eared goats

A baby white camel

A larger camel in the classic pose

Close up of this ship of the desert

Hachemi and Kheiriddine admire the ostriches, imported from South Africa

Afterwards we headed to a new road that was not formally open.  Kheireddine had worked on the entire lighting of this new highway (and it was an impressive project indeed) so we drove on it.  We were not alone - some other cars were also using the route prematurely.  This area of Kuwait had herders and some oil activity.  It was here that we spotted what much be the fauna highlight of our entire sabbatical experience.  Kheireddine noticed an eagle (yes, an eagle) sitting on a sand pile near the road.  The rest of us had missed this.  The eagle obliged us by sitting there until Kheirredine had backed up and we could snap a few pictures.  The bird was magnificent and the largest Kheireddine (who knows these parts) had seen.   Native Kuwaitis of some age who were shown the eagle pictures later had never seen such a sight in all their years in the country.  The bird flew off with a tremendous wingspan and it lazed it way south along the highway looking for prey (there are probably slim pickings in this area).

The eagle on the only non flat thing around

Kheiriddine was in charge of the lighting project seen behind the eagle

A close up of this magnificent creature before it took to flight

We drove back to Kuwait City, thus completing our circuit of the country.  There we visited an outstanding private museum, Tareq Rajab, which specializes in Islamic Arts.  This is housed in the founder's impressive mansion in the city and was a treat.  The handcrafts (jewelery, musical instruments and fabrics) were outstanding.  Countries represented ranged from Morocco to central Asia and from Turkey down to mid-Africa.

The founder of this museum also founded an Islamic calligraphy museum in Kuwait City

Detail near entrance door

Garden area of the museum/home

Second story window in the traditional Arab fashion

Tile detail in garden - very similar to Turkish tilework

Some of the interesting musical instruments with animal detailing

A lion stands guard

Detail of some of the textiles

Both knives and guns abounded in the collection

Some of the museum was devoted to hand written and illustrated holy books

Hachemi and Sadok chill in the lounge area of the museum

Alice and Randy do likewise

As does Rym

Shopping was next up - but not at one of the cookie cutter malls.  We went to the Souk area, near downtown.  This is the historic shopping area and while it lacked the charm or history of other souks in Turkey or Tunisia, it did have an abundance of goods.  We wanted to buy "Turkish blankets."  These are not only from or for Turkey - they seem to be all over the Islamic world and no where else.  They are furry and warm but not overly heavy.  Made of acrylic they are not luxury items but extremely practical.  Our family has been devotees of such blankets since discovering them through visits to Turkey nearly 20 years ago.  We bought two (made in Spain) - one for Casa Smith and one for Casa Prince.

The Souk of Kuwait City - an interesting blend of modern and traditional

Randy and Rym enjoy the stroll in the delightful evening weather

One of the only goods made in Kuwait is scent.  We went to the perfume area of the Souk (the Souk is informally divided into functional areas).  From the "best" store there we tried and purchased a variety of women's perfumes.  The number of available scents is overwhelming and coffee beans were procured to "cleanse the nose" between sniffing.  Dinner that night was at the most famous traditional Kuwaiti restaurant, Mais Alghanim, which had been in business since 1953 (a very long time for Kuwait).  The meal included fresh fish from the Gulf and huge shrimps which were the best we had ever tasted.  The place was filled with mostly locals but it is common to hear American English spoken in Kuwait City and the table behinds ours included at least one U.S. man.

The traditional scent shop that got our business

The proprietor offered countless perfumes to try before purchasing

Serving Kuwait since 1953 with traditional food

Randy and Sadok are ready for dinner

Rym, Alice and Kheiriddine are happy with the efforts of the day

Meze - "Iranian" bread, awesome hummus, eggplant, grilled shrimp, fava beans, etc.

The delicious Gulf fish perfectly grilled

The bread maker at work wit the traditional oven - red hot as you can see

Upstairs the restaurant offered the nargile or hookah in their smoking section.  Kheireddine regarded this as a rare treat and Alice was keen to try it.  A mild mint/apple tobacco was ordered.  Sadok also had a go.  Neither Sadok nor Alice were taken with it but Kheireddine enjoyed his smoke.  Sadok preferred his Oreo cheesecake (yes, another Americanism even in this venerable restaurant).

The waiter prepares to add the coals

This looks so scientific!  The coals atop the tobacco.  While the waiter spreads them about Kheiriddine rearranged them on one side which makes the tobacco last longer

Alice takes tips from Kheiriddine on the art of nargile smoking but still was not converted

Sadok tries his hand

Fun but not nearly as good as his Oreo cheesecake!