Search: “kuwait”

I just found out from local blog Brake Banzeen that Valentino Balboni, the famous Lamborghini test driver was in Kuwait during the Concours d’Elegance. I also found out Wayne Carini from Discovery Channel’s Chasing Classic Cars was also there. Not sure how I missed them since I was there that day. Luckily Brake Banzeen spotted them and you can check out his two posts below:

Chasing Wayne Carini on Brake Banzeen
Valentino Balboni at Concours d’Elegance

I just found out there is a website dedicated to the golden jubilee of the independence of the State of Kuwait. The website has a downloadable PDF of ALL the events that are taking place this month, for example did you know that tomorrow the 2nd Kuwait National Arabian Horse Championship will be held under the Patronage of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait or that tomorrow in Mubarek Al Kabeer there will be a Sports Day and Entertainment Festival? I didn’t.

Here is the link to the PDF [Link]
Here is the link to the website [Link]

Thanks Franklin

PechaKucha Night #7 will be held tomorrow, Wednesday the 16th of February. 20 images x 20 seconds will be presented by:

Najiba Marafie
Bader Al Bassam
Haider Al Mosawi
Monira Al Qadiri
Naif Al Mutawa
Mohammed J. Aldhubaib
Najwa Marafie
William Schuilencerg
Ola Alrefai

Date: Wednesday, February 16th 2011
Time: 7:30 pm
Place: Open air ampitheater at Gulf University of Science & Technology campus, West Mishref
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.pecha-kucha.org/cities/kuwait-city
Facebook: Pecha Kucha Kuwait

Update: Just corrected the dates above, it’s February 16th NOT 17th

Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons will be opening up in Kuwait. Back in 2004 I took the picture above in Salmiya, supposedly Tim Hortons was opening up there but Dunkin Donuts ended up opening instead. [Link]

Thanks Omar

A reader emailed me awhile back asking me if I could use this blog and my readers to help me create a list of places that are open 24 hours in Kuwait. I thought that was a good idea so I’ve started the list below with some places I know of that are open 24/7. If you know of any place that’s open 24/7, post it in the comments below and I will add it to the list.

Places open 24/7 in Kuwait:
• Burger King – Bneidar Gas Station 1, Bneidar Gas Station 2, Farwaniyah, Fintas, Hawalli, Khaitan, Messilah, Plajat, Sadiq South Surra and Salmiya opposite Sultan Center.

• Caribou Coffee – King Fahad Road (towards Chalets)

• Coffee Republic – King Fahad Road (towards Kuwait City)

• Co-op – Al Adan, Al-Faiha, Al Qousor, Al Qurain, Dasma, Mishref, Qurtoba, Salmiya and Yarmouk

• Costa – Dar Al Shifa Hospital, Hawalli

• Debenhams – Airport

• Dunkin Donuts – Amman Street (Salmiya) and Fintas

• Fedex Kinkos – Fahad Al Salem street, Kuwait City

• Geant Easy – Salmiya

• Hardees – Khaldiya, Rumathiya and Salmiya (opposite Fanar)

• KFC – Kuwait City, Salmiya (opposite Fanar)

• McDonalds – Al-Qosour, Al-Rai, Bayan, Bnaider, Fintas, Gulf Road, Jabriya, Surra and Yarmouk

Pizza Hut – Faiha, Fintas, Hawalli, Mishref and Salmiya City Center

• Platinum Gym – Salmiya and Kifan

• Prime & Toast – Seef

• Subway – Khaldiya

• Sultan Center – Dajeej, Fahaheel, Hawalli, Jabriya, Mangaf, Al Rai, Salmiya, Salwa and Souk Sharq

• Viva – Airport

• Wataniya – Airport

• X-Cite Electronics – Al Rai, Fahaheel and Hawalli

• Zain – Airport

A Kuwaiti architect called Omar Al-Rajhi decided to start a new hobby after graduating from Kuwait University. He decided to recreate Kuwait City in 3D bit by bit. So far he has already has gone ahead and created 3D models of some of the most famous buildings which you can see on the projects FaceBook page.

It’s a painstakingly slow task and he currently doesn’t know what this could be used for once he’s done (maybe commercial or educational purposes) but for now he’s focusing on remodeling the whole of Kuwait City and once he’s done he’ll see what he can do with this data he is creating. Personally I think this could probably mean we could finally get 3D navigation like some of the main cities in the US. Here is the link to his projects Facebook page [Link]

This is just a reminder that the deadline to submitting your film for the Kuwait Young Film Contest is March 10th which is less than a month away. If you need more information about the contest, its rules, regulations and details on how to submit your film then visit their website [Here]

They’ve also set up a YouTube channel with tip and tricks to film making [Here]

[YouTube]

CNN has two videos on golf in Kuwait. The first video talks about how golf came about in Kuwait and the Golf Me store located in Muthana. The second video is about the Sahara Country Club and the rising stars of golf in Kuwait. Here are the links to the videos:

Kuwait’s slow rise to world golf scene
The future golf stars of Kuwait

Last month I posted an email by a 27 year old Kuwaiti girl who wrote about how the one thousand Kuwaiti Dinars grant would make a difference in her life. The girl has a birth defect (severe overbite) and she was saving up to get the operation done because she wasn’t able to get any help from the public health care since no one knew what to do with her and they just kept bouncing her around in a circle from one person to the other. Well thankfully a dentist working in the government sector read her message and was able to contact her, diagnose her and send her to the right doctor. She is now scheduled for two operations and this is the update she emailed me:

First of all i would like to thank Mark for posting my story and thank everyone for their support, the comments were so overwhelming and made me cry.

I have been contacted by a doctor who is not a doctor at all but an angel, he helped set up a meeting with a surgeon and he even came with me and took care of everything.

The boring details are that my case is so bad that they need to break both of my jaws, not only one, and I will be needing a pre-operation to help set up my condition for the main operation. All of this will take months of work, but at least I am on the right track now.

I don’t like to talk much because each time I do everything comes out of my mouth wrong, I prefer writing instead and this puts me in awkward situations many times and I hope I don’t offend anyone or say rude things especially to the kind amazing doctor who is helping me now. He is being so sweet and kind and giving me some of his time to help me get through this.

There were times where I felt like a burden, and wanted to call it off just because I don’t want to get anyone involved and annoyed by my condition, but I need this, I really need this. I am suffering almost everyday and I want it to stop.

I really appreciate everyone who tried to help me and everyone who emailed Mark. Thank you so much. AlI I need now is your prayers for this pain to stop and for my operations to be easy and painless.

Thank you so much.

In case you missed the original post here is the [Link]

I thought Brett Jordan had finished scanning and uploading pictures his parents took when they were in Kuwait back in the 60s but I just noticed that he is still adding new pictures to his Flickr account. Check them out [Here]

Found the video above on the His & Hers blog. [YouTube]

From the cover of the tape, this film “explores the rapid social evolution and economic transformation of Kuwait from a small pearling and trading community in the 1940s, to a country now occupying a pivotal position in world affairs.”

Kuwait a Dream Suspended is a rare documentary film about Kuwait in the 80s. I haven’t had the chance to watch it all yet but from what I saw it looks interesting. [YouTube]

Thanks om3ali

The Kuwait Riders are holding their first bike show ever this coming Friday at the Marina Crescent parking lot. There will also be a competition between 19 categories of custom, classic and sport motorbikes, here are the details:

Date: February 4th, 2011
Location: Marina Crescent
Time: 1pm to 5pm

There will be plenty of activities as well. For more information visit their Facebook page [Here]

This video isn’t new but I just saw it for the first time today. The comedian Kathy Griffin came to Kuwait and thought it smelled like crap so she put it in her monologue. Do you find it offensive or funny? [YouTube]

Thanks Cajie