2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

I received an email yesterday from a reader who told me that his internet provider had limited his DSL download bandwidth to just 1.6GB a day. He told me that according to his provider every internet provider in Kuwait will be doing the same thing to their customers in the next coming weeks as well. I thought he might have misunderstood and it could have been a problem he was having but I just read in the forum that another person also ran into a similar problem. His internet provider downgraded his speed from 2MB to 512kb because he was downloading on average 3GB a day.

This freaked me out so I called up my provider (Qualitynet) and asked them if they had implemented the same system and according to the customer support guy I spoke to they haven’t. He actually told me I could relax and download the whole Internet if I wanted to and I would be fine.

Anyone have any more information on this?

They’re using some sort of 3D projection system and looks really great. [YouTube]

Thanks Black Swan

Nibaq (he got me into blogging) just posted on his twitter a link to a video of him and his wife camping in Antarctica last November. You can watch the video above in which you can see the Kuwaiti flag planted. I guess that makes them the first Kuwaiti man and woman in Antarctica? [Link]

Thanks to one of my readers, below is a schedule of some of the events happening this weekend including time and location:

Thursday Feb 24th
– Kuwait Towers: Special Forces show at 3:30pm followed by fireworks at 6:00pm
– Marina Crescent: 5000 doves will be released in less then 5 minutes in an attempt to break a Guinness World Record at 3:30pm

Friday Feb 25th
– Anjifa Beach: Classic Car Show at 1:00pm. they will drive on the Gulf Road starting from Anjifa Beach to Kuwait Towers. Other cars can join.
– Kuwait Towers: Big fireworks at 7:00pm. This is a must see

Saturday Feb 26th
– Subiya Road: Military Parade that will include Coalition Forces as well at 10:00am. Subiya Road starts from the end of the 4th Ring Road heading towards Jahra. It is about 25min drive

Sunday Feb 27th
– Gulf Road: Carnival Parade starting from Shaab Park on the Gulf Road (Dunno what time)

Monday Feb 28th
– Marina Mall: Water Show at Marina Mall Beach around noon

Thanks Othman

Gucci opened their kids store at 360 Mall earlier today. The store is the first standalone Gucci kids store in the world. The shop is located on the ground floor around the corner from the main Gucci store. Kids + KD1000 = Gucci Kids

The video above is supposedly a rehearsal for the fireworks show thats going to be held over the weekend. The rehearsal took place on the Gulf Road near the KPC building. [YouTube]

Local blog Tidbit Du Jour currently have a giveaway taking place in which one lucky person will end up winning the cool LunaTik iPod Nano watch band in addition to a silver 8gb iPod Nano. Check out their website for more details [Here]

Speaking of iPods, the website Sheeel is selling the iPod Shuffles today for KD10 (11 with delivery) [Here]

The picture above is of the US military preparing for the 50/20 parade. Someone told me the military parade will take place on the Gulf Road but according to the PDF I downloaded from the Kuwait Fest website, the only military parade that takes place is going to be in Al-Subiya. Does anyone know if there will be one on the Gulf Road? [Link]

My brother has a thing for taking pictures of old and broken down buildings and I’ve posted the last two of his photo-sets on the blog before (here and here). He recently went and shot another building and uploaded a new photo-set on his flickr account. One picture grabbed my attention since it had an old poster advertising a wrestling event. I told him to send me a close up of that poster which he did and which you can see above and below. The poster was on a building that’s soon to be demolished on Fahad Al Salem street.

I don’t know how old the poster is since there isn’t any date on it, my brother thinks it’s the 80s but my rough guess based on a bit of online research would put this sometime in the early 60s. I think it’s very cool and someone needs to preserve stuff like this. Maybe the part of the wall that has these posters can be broken off or maybe just these pictures are enough?

Here is the link to the full set of pictures my brother took [Link]

Update: A reader was able to calculate what year the poster is from based on the day, date and my rough estimation. The best guess to when this poster dates back to is now 1965.

This is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen for sale on Q8Car, it’s a bus that has been converted into a cafe with a small kitchen and seating area. Pretty weird, I wonder where this used to be parked before? Check out the inside and more [Here]

re:kuwait posted an updated map of the yet to be built Kuwait Metro. It seems there were some major changes done to it but nothing that effects me. According to the new map I still have a metro stop 5 minutes from my house in Salmiya and one across the street from my office building in Kuwait City. Should be super convenient except it currently takes me around 15-20 minutes from my house to work every morning and back every evening so I doubt I would use the metro for my daily commute. What I would use the metro for is Avenues on a weekend. Should be more convenient than trying to find a parking spot. [Link]

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Update: I got the following email from a reader, I can’t verify if its accurate or not

Hi Mark,

In relation to the latest post about Kuwait Metro Project, and since your blog gets a lot of hits, i just want to bring to your attention that the information provided by re:kuwait which they got from KOTU is totally not true.

There is a new governmental entity in Kuwait called the Partnerships Technical Bureau established sometime in 08/09 if my memory serves me right to execute a very ambitious development program namely the first IWPP power plan in Kuwait operated by the private sector, the metro project and Failaka Island development.
The below links are proof of what actually is happening now with regard to the metro. There is no map deveopled or finalized everything is still under study and they should finalize it very soon.

1. E&Y kicks off work on ‘Kuwait Metro’

2. Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project in Kuwait: Consulting Services for Transaction Advisor

Anyways just wanted to clear this misunderstanding in Kuwait i know alot of people read your blog.

Anyway great job keep up the great posts.

The video above was created by a blog reader and combines nearly 900 photos. Ahmadi at night looks amazing right now. [YouTube]

Thanks Sinful eye

Bayt Lothan have an event that started a couple of days back and will last every night up until the 23rd. The event showcases craftsmen working like they used to in the past and then at night they have traditional live music hosted by a variety of famous Kuwaiti artist like Basem al Radhan and Ferqat el Television amongst others.

Date: February 19th to February 23rd
Time: 9am to 1pm and 5pm to 9pm
Location: Bayt Lothan

Here is the flier for the event [Link]
Do not miss this!

Update: Here is the music schedule for the next few days
Monday – Laylat Haban
Tuesday – Bassem alRadhan,
Wednesday – Hamad Bin Hussein
They’re playing from 7pm to 9pm

In honor of Kuwait’s National Day, Emirates is going to fly an A380 into Kuwait on the 26th of February. The A380 is the humongous double decker plane that has nearly 400 economy seats, 76 business class and 14 first class. I’ve never been on one before but a friend of mine did and told me it’s incredibly huge, they even have showers on board. Emirates won’t be adding the A380 on their Kuwait Dubai route anytime soon but it’s still a nice gesture from them. The Kuwait Airport has been A380 ready since the end of last year. [Link]

Whoever started this car window sticker trend in Kuwait is a genius. I think I first started noticing them at Marina Mall but now other malls in Kuwait are using it and even universities. Basically how it works is if you park in a place you shouldn’t park (handicap spot, over the curb, black and yellow etc..) you get a sticker stuck on your window telling you not to do it again. Doesn’t sound too dramatic but you can’t really just peel those stickers off your car since they tear apart and look horrible. Because it’s actually pretty difficult to get removed is why this is so smart.

Many people would rather get a ticket than get a sticker which is why I think cops should start using these. Anyone caught speeding? Give them a ticket AND stick this on their window. Car illegally parked? Give them a ticket AND stick this on their window. I think it would work.