The first professional Kuwaiti racing driver Khaled Al Mudhaf is participating in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge this Saturday and Sunday. I found out about him recently and think what he’s doing is very cool. The GT3 Cup Challenge is the biggest motor sport challenge in the Middle East and Khaled will be representing Kuwait with his black Porsche pictured above. The two rounds of the race will be shown live on Abu Dhabi Sports Channel on both free-to-air Channel 2 and Channel 6. Round 1 will be shown tomorrow (Saturday) at 15:25 while Round 2 will be broadcasted at 14:45 on Sunday. I wish him the best of luck.
For more information here is the GT3 Cup Facebook page [Link]
Recently they’ve started putting up new speed cameras on the Gulf Road. They’ve started installing cameras in new locations and they’ve also started replacing some old cameras including the red light cameras and speed cameras with newer models. The new cameras differ from the older ones in that the radar, flash and camera are no longer located all together in one housing (like this) but instead divided into two separate pieces. Currently the large box housing (better pictures below) doesn’t have any openings in the front but I am guessing that’s because the system is still being set up and installed. Judging by the pictures on the manufacturers website, the housing called the TraffiTower can hold all the systems internally including the camera so not sure why they’re installing the camera separately. Also I am guessing there must be something new, a new feature that previously wasn’t available that they will be installing in the housing or else why would they replace the reliable and practical single housing units? I took a few pictures of the new speed cameras which you can check out above and below.
This has to be the greatest find yet, a documentary on Kuwait filmed in 1962. Embedding of the video has been disabled so to watch it you need to click [Here]
The Oil industry in Arab country of Kuwait, Middle East. Film made in 1962, directed by Rodney Giesler.
A young Kuwaiti man visits a typical idyllic English village. The village is Shere in Surrey. Shots of old timber framed houses. He speaks to camera. Another man outside the rear entrance of the Royal Festival Hall on London’s South Bank. Another Kuwaiti man talks seated at an outdoor café in London. They both speak to camera.
Film then switches to Kuwait. Point of view from car of busy Kuwait streets. Construction site and builders. The desert. Gas or oil terminal. Oil tankers. Docks. Arab man with headdress rides in the back of a lorry. Travelling shot of crowded street with American cars. Arab businessman in his office, talks on telephone. Various shops, selling electrical goods, chairs. Shopper plays an accordion. Some stylish modernist buildings. Two men drink from cola bottles. Large American car with fins pulls out and nearly crashes with another (seen from the rear). The ruler of Kuwait at a military parade. Various scenes of doctors, dentists, opticians at work. Small children rushing into school, mainly local but some white children as well. Bottle delivery man helps two schoolboys climb a wall. Children have lessons. School meal. Bakery. Deaf children have lessons at a special school. Little girl learns to speak. Young man writes with a special Braille typewriter. He also reads Braille. The airport, foreign skilled workers arrive, get off Kuwaiti Airlines aircraft. Oil well. Christian church for westerners. Woman in horn rimmed spectacles sits under a hair dryer. Lives of foreigners. Locals learn skills from foreign workers. Pilot lesson. University scenes with students.
Oil industry. Arab men have discussion in a boardroom. Cars drive through a sandstorm. Natural gas. Fresh water plant and delivery lorries being loaded. Delivery to Bedouins. Government experimental farm on land reclaimed from desert. Growing crops, dairy cows. Mosque, man calls to prayer. Grievance settling – men meet with the ruler in an office. Law court. Aerial view of Kuwait city and docks. Busy street scenes. Shots of various people walking in the street. Children play in a school playground.
The documentary is 26 minutes long but really worth it. I love the voice over and music, reminds me of the old Tex Avery cartoons.
Once again, to watch this documentary click [Here]
For those of you who’ve been following the story of the old photographer you will be happy to know he just left to hajj today. As I mentioned in my previous post on the old photographer, a very kind reader offered to help send him to hajj at her expense. Not only did she finance the whole trip but she also helped find a hemla that would take him and she even helped him pack and take him to the airport. I really can’t thank her enough for her kindness, what she did was beyond nice. She sent me a picture of the old man at the airport today dressed in the traditional white cloths with an expression on his face that looks like he can’t believe this is all really happening and not just a dream.
There is another reader I would also like to thank for helping with the Saudi visa. If it wasn’t for his help the old man wouldn’t have been able to get a visa and he wouldn’t have been able to travel. But the old man was lucky since the visa was issued last night which was just in the nick of time because the last group from the old man’s hemla was leaving today.
So thank you to the both of you for making this old man’s wish come true.
Taco Bell is opening up their first branch in Kuwait next Thursday at The Avenues. It’s about time! The list of places still left to open keeps shrinking… Wendy’s, A&W, Five Guys, Jack in the Box, White Castle, Arby’s, Cheese Cake Factory and In-N-Out.
The kid in the video above is an 11 year old young Kuwaiti player who’s currently living in the US. He’s extremely talented and the Daily Intake blog managed to score an interview with him which you can check out [Here]
A new company is bringing Quiznos back to Kuwait and this time they’re planning on opening up 15 branches. I heard this time its going to be the proper deal. [Link]
Thanks desertgirl and Husayn
Update: The company that’s bringing back Quiznos just emailed me to tell me that they will be opening their first branch in December/January in Salmiya Salem Mubarek Street opposite Olympia Mall. The new owners of Quiznos are the same owners of Buffalo’s Cafe.
KUWAIT CITY, Nov 2: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has activated decision No. 614/1967 which allows foreigners, who enter Kuwait on tourist visas and stay in five-star hotels, to consume alcohol, reports Al-Shahed daily. Sources said alcohol will be served in specially allocated places and the guests will not be allowed to drink in public places. MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei reacted to the report, saying “it is either a joke or certain parties are testing waters to see if the idea will work.” Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Al-Tabtabaei said “the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has denied all such reports and added that it did not issue any such circular in 1977.” [Source]
Just found out about this 15 year old Kuwaiti female motocross rider called Ghada Al Faraj. While trying to find out more about her I realized The Adrenaline Fix had already interviewed her so you can check out that post by clicking [Here]
A reader emailed me a picture he took of his neighbors house where they’ve installed two wind turbines. I find that pretty strange honestly. It’s good of course that they’re thinking green but I would have guessed solar power would work great in Kuwait and not wind. I mean how many days of the year is it windy in Kuwait?
To mark the the launch of GulfRun6 and the new GulfRun website; GulfRun is giving away a brand new Scorpion EXO 1000 Motorcycle Helmet to the readers of 248am. The winner will receive a exclusive GulfRun Helmet; custom painted with the GulfRun theme in their size. All you need to do to win this giveaway is to leave a comment below and it will be open until Thursday November 4th when a winner will be chosen using random.org.
Make sure to check out the GulfRun Carshow on Jan 14/15 in Kuwait and GulfRun6 on Jan 27/28 in Bahrain. Stay tuned to the GulfRun website for more information and updates leading up to GulfRun6.
Rules: You need to put your proper email in the email field while commenting since the winner will be contacted by email. You also need to respond to my “You Won” email within 24 hours or we will have to make another draw and choose another winner. This giveaway is open to local residents in Kuwait only. You can only comment once, anyone caught commenting more than once will get disqualified.
Update: The giveaway is over, we will be compiling the results and choosing the winner shortly; Thanks for participating.
Update2: The poll was closed today and the winner is [YouTube]
