Kuwait, General

Kuwait is beautiful place

Kuwait is high in all currency in the world

The law is very strict .

Kuwait amazing place to live

Cold temp it goes beyound - 1 degree

Police are very strict

Beautiful cars all sports cars and bikes .kuwait sheik ppl are strict all country ppl stay there philippinesand other country ppl too.

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

A place where the sea meets the desert….Kuwait definitely looks like a dream. Kuwait is an exquisite country situated in the middle east and is my home away from home......The country is modern as well as traditional, middle eastern as well as western, conservative as well as liberal....It's a fantastic place that is modern and secure but not unsophisticated .

Kuwait has a GDP (PPP) of US$138.6 billion and a per capita income of US$60, 800, making it the third richest country in the world. Kuwait has a highly cosmopolitan society and you can almost find all kinds of people here...., Kuwait has a diverse and vibrant culture. However, the influence of Islamic and Arab culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle is prominent. Western-style clothing is also extremely popular, especially among Kuwait's youth.

The country is still ruled by the kings and no one has to pay any tax to the government and this is definitely a privilege enjoyed by everyone who lives here. Constructions are going on all over Kuwait and a lot of eye-catching architectural works can be seen here. The main attractions in Kuwait are the Kuwait towers, cobra tower, liberation tower and the majestic avenues, marina and souk shark malls situated near the seashore, the malls have an appeasing ambiance due to their location near the beach side. The roads in this country are spick and span and people can be seen hitting the streets with classy and luxurious automobiles.

Though it's a desert, greenery can be seen everywhere as trees have been planted with artificial methods. The country also has some exotic hotels like Hilton, Sheraton, J.W Marriott and Hawthorn. There are some fabulous beaches where people do barbecue parties quite often on the weekends, besides that Kuwait also has a scrumptious cuisine and some stunning palaces. Summer in Kuwait starts from March-April and lasts till the end of October, winter lasts till the end of February, the country experiences frequent squalls and almost no rainfall throughout the year.The only thing I hate about Kuwait are windstorms.

Other nationals are subject to strict rules of entry and registration as foreigners under the sponsorship of Kuwaitis or Kuwait companies or as dependents of foreigners under who already enjoy residence under Kuwait sponsorship. There are two basic types of visa, a visit visa and a residence visa. A foreigner whose country without a visa abolition treaty with Kuwait, ie a treaty permitting Kuwait to enter their country without a visa, may be granted reciprocal rights in the Kuwait. These persons however may require an entry permit.

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

Dear friends

this review is not for the tourist mainly. it is for people who has got an offer from kuwait company or ministry .

for tourism ---hardly anything --- maybe kuwait tower . etc. but nothing very unique which u dont get in other arab countries .

for job --- u have to know many things . here it is not a bad place like nigeria etc but not a fascinating place either . let me explain :

first of all : for a bachelor if you are a pious muslim and has come here to earn money and dont mind compromising your freedom ---kuwait is OK . so many mosques . prayer times are respected . But there is no nightlife or discos, alcohol is prohibited .

for family man : biggest problem is the beaureaucracy in bringing family . A salaray cut off of 250 KD below which u cant bring your family. So solitary confinement . And calls to indi are expensive --- 45 rs per minute . their telecommunication is not as competitively developed so for a kuwaiti no problem as within country is free but for expat its very bad as outgoing is expensive .

they treat indians as second class citizens : one rule for indfian another for kuwaiti .

kuwaiti clerk may get double that of indian engineer . but if it is a high paying oil company and u dont mind this no problem . locals are not very friendly but are not hostile either .

but the beauraucracy is very very bad. in india by giving money we may be able to circvumvent it . but here notthing works and they mess things up ..everything is very slow .

i will stop by citing another example of kuwaiti life : traffic . in india we have bad roads and relatively slow tarffic . so accidents occur but less fatal . In Kuwait they have US style roads and very fast US cars going at 250 kmph. but they drive carelessly (extremely ) and police do not monitor much so horrible accidents occur. also expats are blamed if accuident occurs ,but they are usually innocent

depends on you : but only if you get a good salary come here : ask for accomodation as a single bed room flat is 150 kd that is half your salary . if you get a good salary like 500 + KD and company accomodation come here. else forget it .

please leave ur comments :)

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

This is a poem I did with my cuzins.. hope you like it..;)

Oil, Pearls, it's all in Kuwait

Lots pf physical and human features

The sea and the desert

And many weird creatures

One Legged spiders

And eleventh grade teachers

All found in schools

Sitting on bleachers

The weather in Kuwait

Is always hot

Is it sometimes snowy?

I think not!

Our boiling deserts

Are gigantic

They are so big

Bigger than the atlantic

Our resources are not many

Only oil and palm trees

Like mice, countries want our land

As if it's high class cheese...

Arabs, Kuwaitis

Make different types of food

All are kind-hearted

And always in a good mood

In cafes, you see people

Whispering and talking

In chalets, you see people

Swimming and walking

Not to mention, the restaurants

from eating to flirting

and if there is a fight

they don't stop cursing..:P (not real)

When going to malls

You see ferraris on the street

They are so annoying

You want to spray them with fleet...

Our love to Kuwait is endless

It's like looking at the sea

We're the children of this county

And are proud to be....

.........:) Thank you for reading it.. and please tell me if it's nice or not...

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

Hi everyone, I live in kuwait. So I thought I can first start with writingabout Kuwait. In this review, I’ll tell u all abt kuwait and tell u abtall the touristic places. People have a general impression that kuwaitis not a touristic place---which is partly true, but you can have a lot of fun here if you about the right places to go.

Tourism

Though there are not many historical places in kuwait, u will be surprised at how many things u can do in such a small country! Let’s get started with the places to see:-

1. The Kuwait towers- The symbol of kuwait. The kuwait towers consist of 3 towers with pointed spires. From the top u can see an amazing view of the city. There is a restaurant and some shops. Notmuch to do in it but it is the symbol of the country and is very beautiful.

   
   




2. Liberation towers:- Rumoured to be the highest communication bldg in da world. Again, u can go up and see a view ofthe city.

   
   
   
   
   
   1. The Entertainment City:- This is one of my favourite places in kuwait. It is a HUGE entertainment park having great rides and is a very fun place. It is a must to see wen u come to Kuwait. You need atleast one whole day to check out the whole place
   
   
   

4.Shaab garden:- Again another entertainment park. Its also extremely nice but I find Entertainment city better. If u have time, u can checkit out.(By the way, there are many entertainment parks in kwt but theseare the main.)

1. Scientific center:- This is also one of myfavourite place in kuwait. It is TOTALLY AWESOME. website:- http://www.tsck.org.kw/ This place is located beside the sea. It has 5 main attractions. The I-MAX 3d theatre (biggest in gulf), aquarium (biggestin mid east again) , discovery place, dhow harbour and gift shop alongwith restaurants like burger king etc. The imax 3d is totally cool.

I cant really say it in words. You’ve gotta check it out yourself! Then there is the aquarium, there are no walls,only glass filled with water and fishes of all kind, Even sharks! Itslike u r walking in a sea. Then there are the rock caves and humid jungle where the temperature and atmosphere are changed to resemble those of the caves and jungles. They r also very nice. Then there isthe dhow(arabian ship). The biggest one in the world! If u come to kuwait, the scientific center is a MUST!

Museums:- Check out the national museum, Tareq al rejab etc. etc.

Ihave one tip for u guys, when u come to kuwait, PLEASE TAKE A COPY OFKUWAIT ZOOM. It will give u all the info u need abt kwt. The rest allplaces to see are shopping malls which are really nice and other thingswhich I will tell you now.

Shopping:- Shopping is amazing overhere. For clothes, you can visit the numerous no. of malls in kuwait. My favorite is Marina mall. You can get jeans for abt 2.5 Kd in places like Sana,landmark and lulu (the clothes they have are very gud).

If youwant branded ones like gap or something, you can get them for abt 18-19bucks, but in sale, u get them for only 7-8!! Rest all clothes are verygood also. There are many shops for anything u want, for home items, I would recommend Safat alghanim, homes r us, ikea,true value etc. etc.

Failaka Island:

You can just check it out with friends. There is an old greek temple there and it was place visited by ancient sea travellers to trade.

Ahmadi:

Thisis the place where I live in. It is wonderful. There are loads of gardens and it looks nothing like a desert. It is the greenest place inthe whole of kuwait and its beautiful. It is a truly spectacular placeto visit if you come here during the end of feb because the lighting they put up for the liberation day is spectacular.

Fahaheel:

Thereis the al-kout mall to visit and the beach. It is filled with all types of shops and is more useful to people staying here than tourists.

Salmiya:

This is the place to visit. Loads of things to do and loads of malls tocheck out like Marina, fanar etc. The people here are extremely westernso u don’t have to worry about the clothes that you are wearing.

Mosques:

The grand mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world and is spectacular. So are many other mosques.

Thereare many other things like ice skating. The olympic size rink issituated in kuwait city. Beside it are the 4th largest musicalfountains in the world. You can check that out also. Plus there are desert camps and safaris organised every now and then. Mesilla beach is a very famous beach in kuwait. There are many different kinds of watersports facilities available in many different places.

Hotels:

Thereare many hotels like the hilton in fintas, crowne plaza near salmiya,holiday inn in the middle of kuwait city, mariott in kuwait city,radisson sas, safir international, etc. but the more affordable onesare Downtown sheraton, New park hotel, Continental hotel, safir airporthotel, carlton tower, ritz, oasis, downtown holiday inn, courtyarmariott.

I hope this review has been useful, please feel free to contact me for more information.

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

One of the worst nightmares could be when reality defies expectation. I had to experience one, when I got an oblique view of the country from the airplane, with lots of preconceived images in mind. What was in front of my eyes was a barren land embellished by fine sand and with no sign of inhabitants.

With wild thoughts running in my mind nudging me to catch the next flight back home, I was watching through the window with the glimpse of hope that the scene in front of my eyes will change. Struggling to accept reality, I was expecting the flight attendant to announce the arrival of Kuwait and it is my turn to jump down with my knapsack. The flight descended causing pain in my ear adding to the anguish caused by excessive rumination of my plight. The feeling was much more than a tad disappointment.

The flight landed connoting that the supposedly highflying career of mine is headed to plummet. As the flight touched the tarmac, I could witness flights with ?US Army? written on them sending a chill in my spine.

This being the first overseas destination I am visiting, I had no idea on the immigration procedure and was just waiting to follow the masses path.

I was walking listening to some announcement being made in Arabic, with thoughts about the condition of my baggage which was overstuffed, a sign of love of my relatives. With a sigh of relief to see my baggage in carrying condition, I was sent to the crossroads to decide which herd to follow, I realized that people were taking two different paths. Heeding to the imbecilic forces, I chose to follow the group that had more number of good-looking lasses.

I just ambled along with eyes capturing all that it could glean of the flashy stores and advertisements, eventually leading me to a queue. Presaging all the eventualities I prepared myself with passport and copies of the visa and other documents waiting for my turn. I had to confront a guy who stuttered in English to give my tickets and passport. When I gave him the documents he wore an irritated look and snapped his finger on one direction.

Just when I was looking at that direction musingly, I was told by a white skinned man that this is a queue for those in transit to London. I just trotted towards that direction with no one to lead. As I approached near I was satisfied to see a queue with people who I remembered had traveled with me. This time too it was a guy on the other end, with a xenophobic look. Every one headed towards the exit, while I was directed to a bunch of burqua-clad women, because I just had a photocopy of the visa and the messenger who is to pick me up was suppose to remit the original.

As I approached the women, one of them glanced my name and politely asked me to wait. I sat for a little more than half hour with impatience insinuating and my mom calling on my mobile every other minute to find out what is happening with me. I had a very little balance in my mobile, the call being on international roaming and with lots of things running in my mind, one could understand how comfortable I made my mom who was conspicuously worried. I made a call to the HR department of my prospective employer and realized that the office isn?t open in the wee hours. Seeing my growing impatience one of the corpulent women took pity and accosted me and asked my name. She rummaged through the scattered documents and I was delighted to see my visa, which was foisted, when I was waiting. I got through the immigration check, with a great sigh of relief.

I headed to the exit wasting no time and was enraptured to see my name in one of the placard. I was greeted by the guy asking me ? where you sleeping inside??

With a nightmarish first impression here I go, giving you a glimpse of Kuwait.

Kuwait is just a blip in the world map, affluent with oil, supplying to one tenth of world?s oil consumption. The country?s population is a trifling 2.2 million with expatriates dominating the percentage. The oil-induced sloth is the reason for the disproportionate ratio The Egyptians, Indians and Filipino?s constitute major share of the expatriate population. While a few Indians hold strategic positions in companies or perform a duty that warrants technical expertise, the masses work as housemaid or cheap labor or in administrative jobs. A tax-free salary and duty free goods are the benefits that accrue to the expat community.

The affluence can be witnessed from roads, which are broad, and neatly maintained with cars like Mercedes, Cadillac, BMW seen in every other road. Vehicles travel on the right hand side cruising at speeds ranging from 80 ?180 Kms per hour breaching the maximum limit of 120 Km per hour. Brands like Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubhishi are ubiquitous

The main contributors to the GDP are oil, investments out of Oil returns and trading. As the place is devoid of natural resources other than oil, everything is imported from pin to aeroplane. The major supplier of perishables is from the bonhomous neighbor Saudi Arabia while other things are imported from places where they are best. Being the home for opulent citizen and the proletariats, the place offers the best for all the classes. The best of best things, like Swiss chocolates, brands like Gucci, Versace and et all meet the needs of high-end people and equal choices are given to the bourgeois class.

The next most important thing is the entertainment for the people. If you are a person who hangs out in a pub every weekend, then survival in Kuwait could be as agonizing as a fish out of water. Even uttering the word alcohol or liquor is a taboo in Kuwait. Added to the list of taboos is pornography and prostitution. If your are carrying a bottle of champagne please gulp, all in one swig before you land and if you are carrying any pornographic stuff, please draw its attention to inviting dust bin, unless you have the audacity to face any dire consequences. Just as people derive pleasure by infraction of law right from Adam and Eve days, all the taboos are very much prevalent and there is a tacit approval from the law protectors.

One of the main sources of entertainment for Kuwaitis being the Diwaniya, where people meet and discuss any topics ranging from entertainment to US politics. The concept of annual vacation is a must and the Kuwaitis travel to Europe or US during the peak summer time. A house/flat in Spain or London is very common among the local citizens.

The main sources of entertainment for the expatriates are window-shopping of fancy malls, a cool drive on the roads if you have a car or glued to the TV, watching Indian channels provided by the local illegal cable system. The Indian community is dominated by the Malayalis, Goan/Manglorean Christians. People of these communities have various associations, a time killer on the weekends. Starbucks and Costa coffee offer a solace for those who miss the pub scene.

A visit to Ice-skating rink, Parks, Kuwait towers, oldest mosque, a drive to the desert/ beach with a friend who knows about the place a little better, will assist to satiate the initial inquisitiveness and to combat boredom.

A pro US country, trying to synergies and adopt from the policies of the neighbor, as a sign of camaraderie and plagiarizing the policies of US, battling its way to be the 51st state of US.

This place is an El Dorado to the local citizens, who get the best of everything and to the aggrandizing expat who is risk averse and wants to work in sinecure.

If you want to choose Kuwait as a tourist destination, think again there are better places in the Middle East.

Am not sure whether I have given enough insights, would be great if you could drop in your comments.

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

HELLO EVERY ONE....long time since I have writtem some thing on MS..so I thought of writing some thing on the place where I live ''KUWAIT''... I am here for more than a year n half....

HISTORY

actually if we look at the history of kuwait..then some 80 years back or some more, this place was where people were sent for the punishment called ''KAALA PAANI''. meaning a place where u can or u will die of starvation. the people who lived here would usually come to kerala india with fish and take other eatable items, oils and all other nessacities of life in exchange for fish. (no wonder here u will find MALLUs everywhere in kuwait, @#$*)

DISCOVERY OF CRUDE

In late 50's there was an explorer..yaar I forgot his name during his search he discovered crude in IRAQ..as soon he discovered oil there there was some internal quarrel with his bosses over the royalty..so he employed some very good people n carried on the research about the structure of the earth n the conditions here..soon he according to his conclusions said there is oil beneath the earth in this land also (kuwait). soon he made his first drill in north kuwait and lo...there was crude crude every where. just b4 this the so formed kuwait, the king decided to give citizen ship to people so that people start living in this land...so people from iraq, palastine, saudia, iran(a lot of then actualy) took the citizenship..and with the discovery of crude..they had hit gold...

since then the king at that time called some international companies to drill n make further research for crude on a share basis..this gave birth to the company called ''THE KUWAIT OIL COMPANY''. soon the partners were kicked off and given contracts and KOC taking full charge... u will not beleive if I told u that the wells here have a whopping 9000 PSI of crude comming from the oil wells. this type of well is called a high pressure well else a low pressure well is have a pressure of about 60-80 psi. the amount of pressure that the wells in kuwait has is maximum compared to anywhere in the world. as soon as crude comes out of the wells it is sent to ''gathering center'' where crude and gas in it are seperated. there are about 300-500 or even more wells connected to each gathering center, I work in one of such center..we have only 20 wells openened and plzz believe me, we dispatch 1,20,000 barrels of crude PER DAY...230 liters make on barrel!!! can u imagine how many liters a day????

in kuwait there are a max of 28 gathering centers BUT IN IRAQ THERE ARE A WHOPPING 152 GATHERING CENTRES..so now u know why U.S is dying to stay there...this is just crude...i havent told u about the GAS that is dispatched ...u will faint....after processing the crude (i mean removing sand , some water and salt) the crude sent from here has a API garavity of 30 where as in iraq it is 15!!! maan lower tha API purer is the crude..

due to all this factorsthe KUWATI DINAART is the most powerful currency in the world I dinaar= 155 rupees (now may be 153)...

PLACES

kuwait actually was very small as compared to the one present today..saudia gave apart of it even iraq did many many years ago when they were all friends here..if u remember kuwait was the best ally to iraq in the iraq iran war. today there are a lot of towns, u can call them, in kuwait. AHAMADI (this is where KOC headquaters are), KHAITAN, SALWA, FARWANIYA, JAHRA, DOHA, MURGAB..and many more..in murgab u will find tall and grt building of commerce...mostly banks...

LANGUAGE

the basic language here is arabic...very few people know other than this...english..now even some arabs know hindi as well..here even today there is not much importance given to education and even now a lesser amount of people study...but with times they r changing as well. kuwait government gives huge loans to kuwaitti people n monthly allowance if they dont have job this makes these people a bit lazy...but since recent times they all have started to change.

kuwaitis here r crazy about indian films...salman favourite...people havee seen girls many many of them comming out weeping out of the cinema halls after watching movies like kuch kuch hoota hai and K3G.

FOOD

arabs have a special drink called KAWA.. it is bitter in taste but still has a very unique taste. normally u will have KAWA with dates...the bitter and sweet taste is just grt. they hate FIL FIL (fil fil in arabic means chilly). here there is another specality called the HAMOOS AND FALAFEEL..grt to eat ...must surely try if u get a chance to...HAMOOS with olive oil is just grt...here people like to eat meat and fish cooked with out cutting it in to smaller pieces. they say all jucies are lost if u cut the meat or fish...within a few days u will get used to this taste n then u will not like to have anything else...

PEOPLE

here men normally wear a dress typical to the arabs called DASHA with a head covering scarf called GATRA and a black ring to hold the scarf caleed AGAAL. all most all women here wear gown..if u go to the shops u will be amazed to see some very very beautiful dresses...very very very very costly...women normally wear the burkha and do not like to speak or even look at starangers...some women tough wear western dresses but still avery few... I tell u the girls here r so pretty so pretty and have a golden colour skin...if u though aishwariya had beautiful eyes then u r mistaken...u will forget her...u wont even like to look at her eyes...u get me what I say...but here laws r very strict n if u r caught peeping or if the female complains...then u r saddam hussain n US is after u...

the arabs are said to be the most hospitable humans on earth...even today there are but only a few who can bo told so...rest...the people here nowadays r very harsh n rude especially to expatriates. one thing they r mad about is PERFUMES or ATTAR.. they will shell out any amount of money to get an atter that no one has...one day I was in a attar shop with my friend..soon a lady popped in and asked the rate on one attar kept in one old bottle..shopkeeper said ''ahdaash dinaaar rooba tola'' I thought that I misheard him..she took two bottles and went away...i asked my the shopkeeper again he said '' 11 dinaars for 3mg of attar'' (thats what ahdaash dinaaar rooba tols means). the attars name is OOUD. u can call it a sort of sandal wood perfume..which is very very strong and lasts for days altogather...can u imagine how mmuch they love attar..yaar it is around 1800 rupees for 3mg!!!

but I was proud to know that that attar is fron INDIA...I LOVE MY INDIA:)

ISLAM is the relion follow here n here u can get to see some grt mosques...very very beautiful onces and some very huge..

LANDMARKS

here in kuwait there is not much to see as there r some islands..kuwait towers and a couple here and there..i doubt if the government here spends anything on tourism

CLIMATE

this is after all a desert...so in summer u will find temp soaring up to 59 dec centi...55 is normal in summer here...with very hot winds blowing...in winter the temp drops to 10 deg..10 is normal in winter n I was here last year when it was a chilling 5 deg...the problem is not temp, but the cold ear biting winds that blow...but in feb to april start..the climate is grt..with little rain n flowers everywhere....grt scene...

almost all vegetables and food stuffs r imported from iran, egypt, india,pak,srilanka...and other place...all kinds of fruits r available here...dates grow in pleanty..and if u had a chance to eat a date which has ripned on the tree it self...wah wah ..it is smooth like butter and a very fabulos taste...

if u happen to meet an arab tell him ''SHLONEK..TAMAAM'' means is every thing fine or SABAH AL-KHAIR (good morning)

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

At the outset, let me tell you this - Kuwait is not too inclined to receive tourists and leisure travelers. Before the Gulf War Kuwait absolutely did not issue tourist visas. If you are feeling disappointed, don’t. For, even for the lucky ones who manage to get a tourist visa here, there is hardly anything to see!

Kuwait shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. To the southeast lies the Persian Gulf. A desert landscape gives way to a slightly fertile coastal belt on which Kuwait’s main cities are located

The best time to travel to Kuwait is November-April, when it's a little cooler and rainier (desert wildflowers bloom October-March). In the winter months you will need some warm clothes.

To obtain a tourist visa - : Citizens of the U.S. and Canada need passports (with six months' validity remaining) and visas. Some hotels can serve as sponsors and arrange visitor visas (with the understanding that you will stay at the property). Persons carrying documents indicating recent or planned travel to Israel may be denied entry to Kuwait.

Transportation - Taxis are the best ways to get around Kuwait City. If you are adventurous, and want to save your dinars, you can try and board the local busses. There are currently two bus service operators in Kuwait – KPTC (public) and CityBus (private). I recommend that you always take a City Bus as drivers are helpful and courteous. Like I said, you have to be really adventurous though, to travel by bus because unless you know exactly where to get down, you are going to be totally lost. If you know Arabic or Hindi, you will find it coming in handy in such situations : ). My advice is, if you are a visitor, stick to a taxi service. Its expensive, but you won’t get lost. American visitors can rent cars easily, as the American driver’s license is valid in Kuwait.

Kuwait has a beautiful coast line and good infrastructure. The architecture is good (the Kuwait Towers which we all saw in newscasts during the Gulf War are the most popular tourist destination in Kuwait). Far better, though less visited is the Liberation Tower, which is the 5th tallest structure in the world, taller than the Eiffel Tower. Incidentally, I work in a building just beside the Liberation Tower. Besides this, visit the sea, the desert, drive to one of the ports, drive to Wafra to see the farms which cultivate Kuwait’s local produce, and you are about done! So in a maximum of 4 days, you can see most of Kuwait.

Dining - Eating out is a favorite pass time of both locals and expats in Q8. So you have a great choice of - Indian, Chinese, French and Arabic. The local food is generally spicy and quite delicious. Try the khubus (pita bread), prawns, yogurt, fish dishes and harees (a yogurt, meat and rice dish). Do visit the Arabic joints you see in every street and enjoy the falafel and shawarma rolls. They are really good! You could also drop in at Bombay Chowpatty or Thakkers (both in Salmiya) for some tasty Indian chaat and snacks.

Shopping - Kuwait is not really famous for its shopping. Huge malls dot the country, with shops offering a variety of goods. The up market malls house famous western designer stores. Do visit the souks (marketplaces) found in every city. The oldest souk is located in the heart of Kuwait city. You will find many imported items, local handicrafts etc. To the best of my knowledge, you don’t bargain in Kuwait unless you are in the Friday Market which is something that you could go and visit in Shuwaik if you are there on a Friday. My advice is keep your eyes open, and look around a bit before you decide on buying something you like. And oh, do keep an eye open for beautiful locally-made table cloths. They are beautiful, but they can cost you quite a few dinars.

Official name: The State of Kuwait

Area: 17,818 sq km (6880 sq miles).

Population: 2,189,668 (official estimate 2000).

Population Density: 122.9 per sq km.

Capital: Kuwait City.

Population: 28,859 (1995).

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

''Please limit to one question per question''

-- George Dubya Bush, 27th march 2003, To the press before begining the meeting with his dog Blair

Its been 2 years that I have been to kuwait now. The last time I was in Kuwait was in August 2001 to get my Visa to come here. Since US and Kuwait enjoy a ''over-friendly'' friendship (u dont need a visa to go to kuwait or vice versa if you are british or american), Visa was a piece of cake. Since then, the war clouds and building tension has resulted in me not going to kuwait. I long to go there again and spend time again. Its not your regular place to speak of, but it has its own charm. Interested in knowing more of kuwait, read on!

History

Kuwait has had pretty violent past. First the bullies of last few centuries, british, ruled it for several years. As the british empire fell apart, kuwait was also given to Turkey. After yet another fight with turkey, they became free to become kuwait. Yet another war later with Saudi defined the new boundary between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Around 1900s, Iraq too became free from Turkey. It was when the trouble started. Initially, the Kuwait province was in the areas controlled by then captive Iraqi king. Hence once free, Iraq staked its claim on Kuwait as its own part. However, by that time, Kuwait didnt want to join anyone. Once in 1913, 1932, 1961 and 1963 Iraq argued on taking in Kuwait. People may have two views here that Kuwait did actually belong to Iraq at one point of time, however, it was also granted freedom. Kuwait was always under the greedy eyes of uncle sam, and their slow but growing friendship was visible. Things fell all over the place when Kuwait was captured by Iraq for around 7 months; and the coalition forces came to rescue kuwait after 7 months - strange aint it - that time it was not coalition forces which saved Kuwait...it was America! - this time its not America which is attacking Iraq, its coalition forces!

Kuwait in itself is a very small country. But the amount of oil that country produced was of enviable amount simply put. Without saying, Oil was, is and will always be the chief export of Kuwait. Everything else in kuwait is mainly got from outside world in exchange of oil. Until the late 1950s, the Indian Rupee was an accepted form of currency in Kuwait; both countries enjoy excellent relations. Around late 1950s kuwait dinar was born, which went on to become world's toughest currency. Its valued at around 4 $ for 1 Kuwait dinar, and will stay that way unless uncle sam gets other ideas of liberating them. Petrol or Gasoline is the cheapest in the world. You cannot find it any cheaper anywhere in the world believe me!

Kuwait is ruled by the king - I dont know his name...its too long! However, kuwait also enjoys partial democracy. There is a parliament and a PM too. The rest of the parliament except the PM is chosen through voting. The king enjoys his control on defense and of course oil. PM has more powers than the king, but the king may intervene if he wants to. There are two royal families in kuwait - A single King rules the state of kuwait until he dies. Then, the other royal family appoints a king of their own member and he rules kuwait until he dies. The royal family which does not get the kingship enjoys the post of PM. Kuwait one of the few if not the only country where ''women'' are allowed to vote. Though it created quite a stir in the arab world, kuwait went ahead with its partial democracy idea. Kuwait also enjoys the wrath of arab world because of its over friendly nature with united states.

Interesting Details

There are no income taxes in kuwait - which makes it a very lucrative place to work for. Plus, being the strongest currency makes a person with a good job mint money. If you are in a good position - especially with an american experience backing behind you, then you may get jobs worth 3000 to 4000 kuwait dinars a ''month'' - dollar terms - around 12000 per month. You can get an idea of rich the country really is. Kuwait is also placed around 7th in the world for highest per capital income, way ahead of any of its neighbours, british, or america. For trivia, Iraq too enjoyed it for a while. There are 3 to 4 times more outsiders in kuwait than kuwaitis themselves! Hence to increase the population of kuwait, every child bearing kuwaiti family gets funds from the king for education and upbringing of children. After their secondary education, kuwaitis can go anywhere in the world to get higher education at the full expense of the government. Also, queens who give birth to princesses of kuwait can also go and stay in any part of the world at kings expense. Prince bearing queens are however given even more royal treatment. Kuwaiti citizenship is not granted to any one outside of kuwait...however long he/she may have stayed there. One cannot buy property too in Kuwait unless you are a Kuwaiti or get special permission. There are some strict rules on which kuwait runs on and abides by them.

Kuwait is on the seashore, and most of the country has a long sea line. The most developed offices and buildings are ofcourse on the gulf street only. There are lots of beaches in kuwait, and its one of the few places in arab world where women are allowed to wear one piece swimsuit! Kuwait also has one of the best medicine facilities in whole of gulf. Even though being on the gulf, kuwait enjoys totally dry climate. Its very few days of the year that you will get humidity and sweat - quite a strange fact for a place on a seashore. The summers can get real horrid to about 51 Degree celcius. Winters can be pleasent to quite cold but not drastically cold. The best season to visit kuwait is any time of year other than summer. No special flowers or fruits bloom for anyone to visit there! Nor does kuwait have any uninteresting museums on broken bells to piss you off. All in all, there are few places in kuwait to visit and the country doesnt take any trouble to invite tourists. Those who come fine, those who dont fine!

For the rest of the review please take the trouble of reading part 2 of the review written under the travel destination salmiya which is a small city within kuwait! I couldnt summarise all of what I wanted to say in one review.

''Good Job!''

-- Overheard, Bush to his dog Blair, after the press conferance!

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

Kuwait is probably one on the Richest countries in Middle east, thanks to its Oil reserves and the large population of ex-patriots mainly from India,Bangladesh and Phillipine who do all the work. Do you know the the non-kuwaiti population in Kuwait is more then the kuwaiti's???

What to see

Frankly, there is nothing much to see in Kuwait. Tall bulidings, why go to a place like Kuwait to see them, go to Kuala Lumpur instead. The only good thing to see in Kuwait would be the sunset, over the gulf. Go to the sea-side and watch the beautiful babes passing you, I mean Cars. People buy a Merc with a Credit card.

People and Places

RanjRan's Philosophy : The most entertaining and pleasent thing to see, know and experience in any country are the people.

People make the country and in case of kuwait, people who 'made' kuwait are second class citizens. The Kuwaits (not all, cos I never generalize. I have met many of them in the work place who are ok) are somewhat cocky and rude, and you feel it from the airport. All the security and immigration officers are Kuwaitis (even if Singapore, you can find a odd indian at the immigration counter). They are rude and don't know much english. You will have a tough time in getting out of the place. Only 3 counters are opened and only one is for visitors. The baggage retrieval is also messy.

One funny incident. The arab driver for my car was a friendly chap called Dodi. He bought me some groceries and he always insisted in paying for petty stuff and refused to take money. I told him 'Dodi, I want to take you for Dinner' he said 'No Dinner, I have more money' The conversation went for 10 minutes, I realised that he was offended, then I realized, he thought I wanted to give him four Dinars!! Then I said 'Dodi, you are my friend, I want to buy you DINNER' and explained with sign language, only then the 'misunderstanding' was resolved.

Cabs are in plenty and basically cheat you all the time, for 10 minutes drive they charged me 5 Dinars (15 USD) when the actual fare was only 2 Dinars.

Re-Iterating again. There is nothing much to see in Kuwait, there is the Kuwait Tower, which is not much. There are shopping malls and there are shopping malls. Nothing new about the place, other then at Sultan Center at Sukhsharq (don't know the actual spelling) there is a clock made of water, there are lot of glass tubes with colored water the it shows the current time. The engineering is the one which I appreciated.

Go to this place in the evening you can see people fishing. The evenings are pleasant over here. A Pity that I can't just laze on the beach with a mug of beer. Alcohol is prohibited. Don't travel with a person of the opposite sex alone unless you are married, that's what people adviced me.

Food and Others

Probably the only thing I enjoyed in Kuwait was food. All cusines available, particualrly Indian and Fillipino. Some things called Filafil (Kind of Veg Sandwich with fried cauliflower) and Chicken Shoarma (Like our Katti Rolls ) were my staple diet. There are many mallu joints around where you can get Malabar parotta and chicken curry for breakfast. Biriyani too is very popular.

The sea-side is dotted with american/western eateries, Hardy's, Mac's, TGIF, Chilli's, Domino's etc etc, but remember there is no booze anywhere.

There is no local / traditional / international alcoholic beverage available. Some people make booze in their homes and the 'How to make your own booze' hand-books are in circulation. American embassy rations booze for American citizens, cos they are american's. Remember, all people are equal, but some are more equal than others. The only good thing is that you can bloody smoke anywhere in Kuwait, even in hospitals. Cigerrates are expensive though, a pack of Marlboro cost 450Fils (1.5 USD==150Rs).

What to wear and Where to stay

I trotted around in a T-shirt and a pair of extremely dirty denim's. You can find arab women(who happen to be extremely beautiful) wearing tight jeans and CK T-shirts, as Kuwait is bit better then Saudi in this aspect. Collegues have told me that women can wear even one piece swim suit on the beach.

I stayed at a place called Salwa in a company guest house. Surprised to put on the TV and there were couple of channel which were showing Soft Porn, which highly contradicted with the 'culture'.

I feel if you have to make your own arrangements to stay, stay away from Kuwait. Go to Kuwait only if you have some business, friends or relatives over there, else it would be a waste of money.

What I Feel

Kuwait dissappointed me, it was the first Middle-east country that I visited, and I believe that the first impression is the best impression. If you want to have an exotic and pleasant holiday in the middle east, dont go to Kuwait, go to Bahrain or Dubai instead. But if you happen to go there on Business, or to visit friends, you can spend couple of days roaming around and shopping.

I appreciate the fact that Kuwait came out of the terrible Iraq war devastated but was very quick to spring back on its feet, but along with Infrastructure development, they should have build an entire nation, where people are happy.

Peace

Ranjith

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.

Kuwait is an oil-rich, modernized, cosmopolitan state in the Middle East. It has sovereignty over nine small islands (the largest is Bubiyan and the most populous is Failaka) Although the entire state was mercilessly raped during the Gulf War, Kuwait took a rebirth and today you find tall buildings, the most expensive cars on road, big bungalows/villas of the Kuwaities in Islamic architecture, mega shopping malls and plenty of restaurants. Arabic is the official language but English is widely spoken and understood. Avoid visiting during April – Sept, the heat and humidity will drive you away.

GETTING AROUND - The local Buses are both reliable and inexpensive. However, you will have to navigate the place yourself sans a tourist guide. The orange Chevrolet Taxis, recognizable by red license plates should be avoided since the old drivers are mostly from the nomad clans (Bedouin) and always cheat in the fare. Call -Taxis are popular and reliable and tipping is not expected. Self-drive is also available provided you produce an International Driving Permit.

WHAT TO SEE – The capital, ‘Kuwait City’ is a bustling metropolis of high-rise office buildings, luxury hotels, wide boulevards and well-tended parks and gardens. Shopping is cheaper here as one can bargain with the vendors who are mostly Indians or expatriates. The most dominant landmark of Kuwait is The ‘Kuwait Towers’- which has a peaceful beach around it and lush green lawns. At the entrance inside the tower are blow-up pictures of the Iraqi Invasion and destruction and on top is a lavish revolving restaurant offering buffet dinner/lunch, which is mighty expensive. Advisable to spend on the nearby souvenirs/gift item stalls instead. The ‘Seif Palace’ and The ‘Kuwait Museum’ with its historic artifacts is also open to the public. For those who want to shop till they drop, ‘Salmiya Center’ is a must stop-by. Its similar to Haji Ali in Mumbai. Do not miss a trip to the ‘Entertainment City’ or Doha Village – Kuwait’s mini disneyland and my favourite hangout. Entrance is charged while the rides inside are free on token basis. You only pay for the eats. For beach lovers, there are many clean beaches all around Kuwait. Ladies outta be careful with that swimsuit, you surely gonna get A LOT of attention. Cities like ‘Al Ahmadi’ and ‘Al Jahra’ are oil refineries and at the outskirts. Not worth visiting as they are mini towns compact with theatres, shopping malls etc.

In Kuwait, there are restaurants serving a wide choice of international and Arab cuisine alongwith popular fast food joints almost everywhere (The people here are major foodies) Your choices range from grilled Iranian Kebabs, to Filipino rice caldos, to Indian Mughalai biryani, to Italian Pasta, to American hot dogs to..the list is endless.

DON’Ts – Pork and Alcohol is totally forbidden. Customs will drain out the last bottle if you are caught carrying booze into the country. People here do have illegal locally distilled stuff but no one dare go out on the streets after drinking. You surely don’t want to taste the hospitality of the cops here!

• Always ensure you are carrying all your documents (visa and passport copies) while touring or shopping. The police have regular checks at signals or bus stops and are very rude to expatriates.

  
  




• Do not bargain in big shopping malls. You will only be given a cold shoulder.

  
  




• Don’t expect to find a pub or a disco.High Hopes buddy!!! A big NO here.

  
  




• Don’t expect the locals to be friendly. Majority can’t stand Indians, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and Filipinos.

  
  

A 3 to 4-day stay is advisable, as there isn't lots to see. You could fly to Dubai or Bahrain from Kuwait to make your trip compact.

A few Arabic words would come in handy.

Thankyou = Shukran, Welcome = Ahlan wa sahlan, Please = min fadlek, Sorry = Asfeen, Hi = Marhaba or Halla, Bye = Ma’a Salaam. However, if you want to further equip yourself with some non-veg vocab, feel free to email me :)

• 
  • Flag This Review
  • Irrelevant
  • Fake
  • Junk
• Thank You! We appreciate your effort.