2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003We found 911 results for your search.
The Ministry of Interior has set a new validity period for driving licenses. If you’re Kuwaiti the driving license is valid for 15 years while if you’re an expat it’s valid for 5 years. Used to be 10 years before for expats then they decided to make it 1 year for some reason which overwhelmed the traffic departments, 5 years now doesn’t seem to bad and at least we can now get the physical copies again. Link
It’s that time of year where I need to post about a band that’s NOT coming to Kuwait. Last year it was Lana Del Rey, this year it’s Backstreet Boys.
There’s a fake Instagram account pretending to be @thearenakuwait that, at first glance, looks legit. The account posted that the Backstreet Boys are performing in Kuwait on August 7 and they’re selling tickets for the show. When someone sent me the link, it took me a minute to realize the account name was slightly misspelled, which explains why so many people are falling for it. What’s hilarious is that it’s impersonating The Arena, but the concert venue they list is JACC 🤷🏼♂️
The fake account even copied the impersonation warning from the official account, and their posts are a mix of stolen content and made-up announcements.
I don’t know why The Arena hasn’t shut their account down yet, it’s not that difficult to report an account impersonating you or copying content from you.
The Traffic Department just selected the Genesis G90 as the official vehicle for ceremonies and protocol duties (source). These won’t replace the current police cars, they’ll only be used for specific situations like transporting high-ranking officials, being part of motorcades or convoys, etc.
In 2021, the G90 was also selected by the National Assembly as the official transportation car for its members.
I’ve seen a couple of the G90 police cars on the roads when they were testing, and although they look nice, I still wish they would have gone with the Volvos they were testing back in 2020. Those looked way hotter.
Nonstop Dan has uploaded one last video related to his experience flying Kuwait Airways, this time the video is regarding the responses he got from Kuwait Airways (and a member of the royal family?). Video thankfully isn’t 30 minutes long but if you want to skip the intro just jump to minute 3:30.
In summary if you don’t want to watch the videos. He got three emails, 2 from Kuwait Airways, and 1 supposedly from a member of the royal family. The emails were apologetic, friendly and wanted to make it up to Dan. So the saga is over, Dan and Kuwait Airways are friends again.
Dan just published part two of his review where he goes into details about what happened with Kuwait Airways.
I don’t watch his videos so not sure if they’re all like this but god he drags things for sooo long. This video could easily have been 5-10mins long instead of 26mins.
In short, nothing surprising for anyone living in Kuwait. Basically he was told he can’t record video onboard and publish it without permission from Kuwait Airways. Obviously that’s not true and the people involved were most likely all old school crew. He was threatened that he would be sued if he did which again is such a normal thing for us to hear, or at least I’m used to this. Eventually when he landed the cops came and spoke to him and obviously nothing came out of it because he hadn’t done anything wrong. Just normal Kuwait drama.
Anyway, that was all of it. It didn’t need a part 2 video, and definitely didn’t need to be longer than an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
The airline YouTuber Nonstop Dan recently flew Kuwait Airways and just published his part 1 of 2 review. The review goes as expected, nice first class seats, but subpar service and poor amenities. But, supposedly he was threatened not to publish the review and police got involved once he landed in Kuwait. He’s publishing the dramatic second half of the review after tomorrow so we will have to see what happens.
Nowadays I don’t believe anything I watch online since everyone is just trying to grab headlines. I don’t know anything really about Dan’s credibility so I don’t know how dramatic he usually is. I’ll have to watch his second video to see if things were lost in translation, or if the police did get involved etc. I guess he’ll be getting my views.
Back in the day when a new console came out, or a new game, you’d find it at Rihab Complex for sale a couple of days before the launch. These days are long gone now. I was there a few days ago asking stores about the Switch 2 and nobody had any idea when they were getting it.
In 2008, of the most eagerly anticipated PlayStation 3 games ever, Metal Gear Solid 4 was released in Kuwait ahead of the official release date in the US by a full 3 days. It was such a big deal that even Kotaku posted about it. In 2017 when the original Switch was launched, it was available for sale at Rehab before the official launch date. Photo below was part of the Kotaku article.
I was talking to the owner of Kuwait Center, one of the OGs in the business. He actually used to be the go-to Nintendo store back in the day and still has a ton of new old stock Nintendo stuff. He had no idea when he was getting the Switch 2. But he also told me that after COVID, with the new electronic systems they implemented for processes, it’s nearly impossible to clear items from customs on the same day which is why we no longer see as many games and consoles for sale before launch. Previously he’d run around getting all the paperwork he needed signed to clear the shipment quickly. Nowadays everything has to be submitted online and requests and approvals take longer.
So far it looks like the only place that was able to get an early shipment of Nintendo Switch 2’s in Kuwait was Game Store. Their shipment arrived on June 3rd and they delivered them already to their customers. A reader told me they sold for KD 240 each which is obviously a lot higher than the market price but not too bad if you just wanted to get the console before the official world launch.
Personally, I ordered my Switch 2 from Amazon.es. According to a recommendation from a reader I originally placed the order for one from Amazon.fr. But I then noticed that if I ordered from the Spain website shipping would be cheaper. I ordered the Switch 2 Console (not the Mario Kart bundle), and a physical copy of Mario Kart World. Both items were shipped to Kuwait with customs and everything came out to 516 euros, or KD 180. Might be a bit less since Amazon tends to refund me a bit back from the import deposit. That’s basically the same as the Nintendo official price for the console bundle in Saudi which is great.
The reason I didn’t order the bundle from Amazon.es is because I found out the European models get a download code for Mario Kart unlike in Saudi for example where you get an actual cartridge. I read the code would only be redeemable in the Nintendo stores of the country of purchase and if that’s true it would mean I would need to create a new Nintendo Spain account which I didn’t want to do. Plus I prefer a physical copy of the game anyway.
The Switch 2 was out of stock on Amazon.es for a few days but this morning they were back in stock. So if you want one just order one from there. If you order today they estimate it will arrive after Eid on June 15. Here is the link.
This morning I read that the actor Jonathan Joss who played Chief Ken Hotate on the show Parks and Recreation was shot and killed by his neighbor.
I hadn’t watched Parks and Rec since the show ended 10 years ago so I decided to look for a video of the Jonathan on the show as a reminder, and oh my god, I totally forgot how hilarious Parks and Rec was. RIP Chief. YouTube
Here’s my 2025 list of pools in Kuwait that offer day passes. This list is strictly “singles friendly,” except for two pools that have ladies-only days or families-only access on weekends.
Arabella Beach Hotel
Telephone: 22277744
Timings: 10am to 7pm
Weekdays 25KD
Weekends Not Available
Argan Al Bida’a Club
Telephone: 22263115
Timings: 8am to 8pm
Weekdays 30KD
Weekends 35KD (Families Only)
Copthorne Al Jahra Hotel & Resort
Telephone: 24590000
Timings: 9am to 7pm
Weekdays/Weekends 10KD
Crowne Plaza
Telephone: 1848111
Timings: 6am to 10pm
Weekdays/Weekends 20KD
Four Seasons Hotel
Telephone: 22006000
Timings: 8am to 6pm
Weekdays/Weekends 40KD (70KD Couple)
Holiday Inn & Suites
Telephone: 25760000
Timings: 6:30am to Midnight
Weekdays 20KD
Weekend 29KD
Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall
Telephone: 23931234
Timings: 8am to 8pm
Weekdays/Weekends 25KD
(Ladies only days on Mondays and Wednesdays)
Marina Hotel
Telephone: 22230030
Timings: 9am to 6pm
Weekdays 35KD
Weekends 40KD
Millennium Hotel
Telephone: 22050505
Timings: 9am to 6pm
Weekdays/Weekends 25KD
Mövenpick Hotel Resort AlBidaa
Telephone: 22253100
Timings: 8am to 8pm
Weekdays 25KD
Weekends 30KD
Park Inn by Radisson
Telephone: 22068500
Timings: 8am to 8pm
Weekdays/Weekends 15KD
Radisson Blu (member invite required)
Telephone: 25673000
Timings: 6am to 11pm
Weekdays 20KD
Weekends 30KD
SVN Club (member invite required)
Telephone: 1876777
Timings: 6am to Midnight
Weekdays 30KD
Weekends 40KD
Symphony Style Hotel
Telephone: 25770000
Timings: 9am to 5pm
Weekdays 20KD
Weekends 25KD
Waldorf Astoria
Telephone: 24774444
Timings: 10am to 6pm
Weekdays/Weekends 45KD (includes 15KD food voucher)
I came across these images of the Kuwait National Assembly by accident. I had recommended a friend buy a book called “Jørn Utzon Logbook Vol. IV: Kuwait National Assembly“, which covers its construction but she told me it was sold out. I started searching for a copy for her online when I stumbled across images of the National Assembly I hadn’t seen before, not even in his book on the project.
If you aren’t familiar, the Kuwait National Assembly was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the same architect behind the iconic Sydney Opera House. His design was well thought out. He organized the main building complex in a way inspired by traditional Arabian bazaars. All the departments (offices, meeting rooms, reception areas, the library, Assembly Hall, and more) are arranged along a central street, similar to the layout of a bazaar. Each department is made up of modules of varying sizes built around small patios or courtyards, all connected to the central street by side alleys. The complex was designed to be expandable at any time by adding new modules, allowing it to grow outward continuously similar to bazaars.
The canopy, or tent-like shade at the entrance that gives the building its distinctive look, came to him after seeing a photo of two Arabs fishing on the shore under a small sail from their boat. The sail was stretched between two poles with a beam across the top, creating a simple shaded area. He loved the way the shadow looked and thought it would be a beautiful idea to use in the building.
Jørn’s Logbook Vol. IV focuses on the Kuwait National Assembly project and includes behind-the-scenes documents, original drawings, stories, and photos of the construction. It was published in 2008, and copies were still available as recently as 2019, but they seem to have sold out since then.
Majority of the photos I’ve shared in this post were taken from the Utzon Archive, the rest are from my copy of the book. If you want to check them all out and get access to the hi-res images, click here.
The photo above is the one I think inspired him since it was included inside his book.
The video above is also from their archive, I like it because if you forward around 2 minutes in you get to see a full 360 of the city from above. I think the video was shot from the old Kuwait Airways building.
© Utzon Archives / Aalborg University & Utzon Center.
This week I started watching a bunch of shows:
Bad Thoughts
Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace
Toast of London
Zero Day
Darkplace and Toast of London both star Matt Berry. Darkplace is hilarious, the whole thing is shot and acted like a cheap old tv show and I love it. Bad Thoughts was fine, most of the funny stuff I had already watched as TikTok clips. Zero Day I’m two episodes in and don’t really like it but trying to stick to it.
I also started rewatching Transparent again, used to really love the series and it still holds up really well. Super easy to binge watch as well.
Have you watched anything interesting lately? Let us know in the comments.
Movies at the Cinemas
The English movies below are now showing at the local cinemas:
New This Week:
Lilo & Stitch (7.3)
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (7.6)
Other Movies Showing:
A Few Good Men (Classic) (7.7)
A Minecraft Movie (6.0)
A Working Man (6.8)
Heart Eyes (6.1)
Home Sweet Home: Rebirth (4.7)
Hurry Up Tomorrow (5.9)
Final Destination: Bloodlines (7.1)
Pet Investigators (6.1)
Sinners (8.0)
The Accountant 2 (7.2)
Thunderbolts* (7.8)
Valiant One (5.2)
Until Dawn (6.0)
The numbers in brackets refer to the IMDB rating at the time of publishing.
Can we talk about Andor? I just binge watched the last 3 episodes of the second season last night and I’m so sad the series is over. It’s by far my favorite Star Wars series/movie/anything. It also feels like the least Star Warsy Star Wars and I think it’s because of the amount of depth, seriousness and grittiness the series has. The main hero also doesn’t have a light saber, he doesn’t have a cool outfit or anything out of the ordinary, he’s mostly just a normal person.
This is also probably the only Star Wars that also makes you empathize or fall in love with Imperial characters. The show is just so insanely good.
Then you also have the beautiful visuals and the incredible music like in the Mon Mothma dancing scene above. I think I actually might rewatch the series from the start again so I can enjoy it without all the anxiety and suspense. And then I’ll probably rewatch Rogue One since it takes place right after Andor in the Star Wars universe. If you haven’t watched it yet, please watch it.
Have you watched anything interesting lately? Let us know in the comments.
Movies at the Cinemas
The English movies below are now showing at the local cinemas:
New This Week:
Final Destination: Bloodlines (7.1)
Home Sweet Home: Rebirth (4.7)
Hurry Up Tomorrow (5.9)
Pet Investigators (6.1)
Valiant One (5.2)
Other Movies Showing:
A Few Good Men (Classic) (7.7)
A Minecraft Movie (6.0)
A Working Man (6.8)
Heart Eyes (6.1)
The Amateur (6.7)
Shadow Force (5.2)
Sinners (8.0)
The Accountant 2 (7.2)
The Legend of Ochi (6.3)
Thunderbolts* (7.8)
Until Dawn (6.0)
The numbers in brackets refer to the IMDB rating at the time of publishing.
Last night I found out that Smashing Pumpkins are going to be performing in Bahrain in October. For those of you who’ve been following my blog from the start you might already know they’re my favorite band. My first blog template even included “Breathing under water and living under glass” in the heading which is from their song Thru the Eyes of Ruby.
Presale tickets went on sale this morning, there were only two kinds available, General Admission and something called Premium Package which what I understood is the same but includes free beverages and canopies. No idea if beverages includes alcohol or just soft drinks so I got the General Admission tickets.
But, I really really need to find a way to get backstage access, so if anyone can help me out I’ll owe you one!
The last time I saw them live was 10 years ago when I was in LA as part of the The End of Times tour with Marlyn Manson. I shot the video above at that concert.
This is totally random but, a couple of weeks ago I read an article about an F-18 fighter jet that fell off a US Aircraft carrier, it was semi going viral because it sounded ridiculous and then this morning I saw another headline about another jet falling off the same aircraft carrier. Turns out both jets fell of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft, the same aircraft carrier I was invited to visit back in 2016.
I was going through all the photos I took that day and realized I didn’t really share much so I decided to do a photo dump. If you want to check out all the photos I took that day they’re now in Flickr and you can check them out here.
I took a few short videos that day which I merged into one longer video and I uploaded that to YouTube which you can watch below.
Last week I transferred one of my cars from my friend’s name to my name using Sahel. The process was super easy, like I can’t believe it was that easy. From start to finish it took less than 5 minutes using the guide in the video below.
But, now I need to get a physical copy of the car registration since I need to send my car abroad. Does anyone know what the process is?