2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003
According to the latest Legatum Prosperity Index, Kuwait ranked 35th in the world. We came second only behind UAE in the MENA region although the list missed some important countries like Bahrain, Qatar and Oman due to lack of data. Lebanon ranked pretty low but what’s most surprising is Kuwait ranked better than Lebanon when it came to personal freedom.
You can check out the full list along with more details on the Legatum Index website [Here]
The long building in old Salmiya that housed that likes of Family Bookshop, Waleed Toys, Alamiah and Hardees is getting demolished soon. All the tenants have vacated the building and it’s now been barricaded in preparation to be brought down. It’s sad since I really believe if the building got renovated it would have looked great.
This is a video of all the bikes heading towards the Concours event on Friday for the bike show. It was a never ending line of bikes after bikes. [YouTube]
Thanks Ramez
Over 150 Ferraris took part in the Concours d’Elegance today. In the video above shot by Q8Engineeer you can see a large amount of Ferraris heading towards Marina Crescent on the Gulf Road. Very cool. [YouTube]
The Concours d’Elegance is now over but Brake Banzeen has taken the liberty to document the cars that took part in the event. His first post is on the classics that took part in the event and you can see them all [Here]
This new school is designed to promote experimental teaching, to branch away from the rote memorization model of learning that ensures that most Kuwaitis have zero knowledge of their agricultural history. To implement a more hands on approach, the designer created plenty of outdoor space at grade and even on the school’s roof.
An interesting project designed by Perkins + Will but like all the other cool projects popping up I hope this one gets built as well. Note the sheep on the roof. [Link]
The entire project consists of 69 stations (16 per cent underground) with total length of 160 km. PTB is currently focusing on delivering phase 1 of the project which will include the construction network of roughly 50 km, with 28 new stations, 30 per cent of which will be underground.
The article doesn’t mention a start or end date but I guess it’s the thought that counts. [Link]
Update: Work on the Doha Metro starts in 2013 [Link]
Run Kuwait is a 240KM run from the very north of Kuwait to the very south. It’s taking place on the 25th of this month and is estimated to take 50 hours. Six runners are taking part an effort to promote the Aymstrong message of empowerment by creating a sense of determination, and unity within local society and amongst Kuwait’s youth. For more information click [Here]
If you’re experiencing internet slowdown then you’re not alone. An undersea cable near Egypt was cut and it’s now effecting internet all over Kuwait. I guess the sharks are back…
Yesterday there was a very depressing article in Kuwait Times about how dogs are being poisoned to death in Kuwait deliberately. The poison isn’t killing only stray dogs but it’s also killing peoples pets since the poison is being placed all around the parks without any warning to pet owners. Here are some excerpts from the article:
“After a walk in the local park, my dog began foaming at the mouth and shaking. I remembered that he had run towards something that had taken his interest in the park, and realized he had ingested poison,” recalls a French expatriate. “His legs were dragging on the way home and for once he was not pulling on the leash, but I did not realize what was wrong. By the time we realized it was too late, but there is no emergency animal hospital here so there was nothing I could do but watch him die,” she added.
“I cannot let my dog run freely around the park anymore because of this. I caught him eating a pellet of poisoned food, and luckily it was not enough to harm him,” said Khaldi. “Since they are unwilling to stop placing poison in the parks, I asked that they at least put up signs to warn pet owners. They even refused that, insisting that it would be too much effort to place a sign every time they planted poison.” Unknowing pet owners have suffered the consequences as a result. “My friend’s dog ate the poisoned food and died because of it. It’s not even humane euthanasia: the dog died over the period of an hour, foaming at the mouth. It is a slow, painful death.”
You can read the full article [Here]
I find this news extremely disturbing. I have a dog myself which I take to the park every so often but there is no way on earth I would take him again. The fact they’re placing poison in parks without any warning is very dangerous. How safe is it to come in contact with these poisons considering people have picnics there? I’m gonna end this rant with a video of a puppy being saved after being trapped in a pipe overnight. Hopefully someone from the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources watches it.
[YouTube]
I passed by this morning to the Concours d’Elegance to check out the cars but they wouldn’t let me in because they were closed. I managed to sneak in past the lax security but got caught inside and turned away. Turns out today they’ll only be opening at 7PM for VIPs only but I was told there might be a possibility that they’ll let the public in at 9PM. Below are some pictures of the cars that are on display around Marina Crescent and not in the main Concours area which is closed off from the rest of Marna Crescent.
Lightning McQueen and the other two characters from the Disney movie “Cars” are on display at the Marina Crescent fountain. They’ll be on display at Avenues next week but you can see them right now at Marina.
The incredible Porsche 959 is on display near Pizza Express all alone just like that. Most of the passerby’s will most likely think its just a regular Porsche and wonder why it’s being displayed there.
That’s the Ayrton Senna Williams car.
In the parking lot near Ayyame and Starbucks they have old police cars and fire engines on display. There is also a 4×4 display which includes a gigantic over sized H2 which I’ve actually seen being driven on the Gulf Road previously.
Also the picture on the very top of this post is their Muscle Car display. The whole area is closed off so you can only see the cars from a distance.
Blogger Qabaq was at last night’s Zagato worldwide launch event which was held at the Salwa Al Sabah Hall. Only 150 Zagato’s will be made and each will be priced at KD175,000 which is around $650,000. He took some pictures two of which I’ve posted but you can check out the rest on his twitter page [Here]
The Zagato will be on display at the Concours d’Elegance that’s taking place in Marina Crescent starting today.
Concours d’Elegance will start tomorrow and last for the next four days. I passed by tonight for a peek and it just looks amazing. Aston Martin have a HUGE display which will house the Zagato which was launched earlier tonight at the Salwa Al Sabah Hall. They have a ton of race cars this year including the Ayrton Senna Williams car.
I’m going back tomorrow since everything should be up and ready by then. Below is some information on the event:
Date: February 15th to the 18th
Time: 10:00AM – 10:00PM
Location: Marina Mall interior, Marina Crescent and Marina Lawn
Daily Events
15th – Muscle & Classic
16th – Supercars
17th – Kuwait Bike Show
18th – Enzo Ferrari Birthday (see below)
Muscle Cars Section
69 Dodge Daytona
70 Plymouth Superbird
71 Plymouth ‘Cuda 340 Convertible
67 Mustang Shelby GT500
74 Trans-Am SD
69 Shelby GT500 owned by Carroll Shelby him self!
and many many more.
Hollywood Cars
This year they’re bringing real life sized Pixar/Disney cars including Lighting McQueen, Finn and Mater. They will be on display inside Marina Mall.
Enzo Ferrari Birthday
On the last day of the event, Leonardo Fioravanti the designer behind some legendary Ferrari’s including the 365 GTB 4 “Daytona”, 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer, the 308 GTB and GTS as well as the 288 GTO and the F40 will be giving a lecture at the Concours. His lecture will be on the Ferrari F40 since it’s the F40′s 25th anniversary. The F40 is the last Ferrari he designed and a car many believe to be one of the greatest super cars ever made. Obviously there will also be a Ferrari F40 on display.
– The F40′s nemesis, the Porsche 959 will also be on display at the Concours.
– The first day of the event they’ll be displaying old government vehicles like the old police cars and ambulances etc..
– The last day of the Concours on the occasion of Enzo Ferrari’s birthday, over 150 Ferrari’s will get together at Marina Crescent and then drive towards the Kuwait Towers.
– The Alfa Romeo Bat 11 will be on display.
