Scientific Center celebrate 12th Anniversary,Q8

The Scientific Center will celebrate its 12th Anniversary on Thursday & Friday, 19th and 20th of April 2012.


An entertaining program have been planned for this occasion. TSCK will also offer a special discount on admission tickets to its attractions. The event program will include:

- Make a greeting card for TSCK where kids can make a greeting card using recycled materials and decorate it
- Competitions with prizes that will be conducted every hour

All activities will take place from 5pm to 8pm in TSCK's Central Court

Ticket prices for Thursday & Friday will be:
Aquarium KD 1.500
Discovery Place KD 1.250
IMAX KD 2.000

Visit to Display Center Ahmadi Q8

After I landed in Kuwait, I made a list of places to be visited. Display Center in Ahmadi was one of them. My hubby is a very eager person when it comes to exploring places but for some reason he was not eager to take me to Display Center. We have visited Ahmadi innumerable times and every time he tells me that there is nothing much to see at Display Center as he had visited it once.


Few days back, he had some work at Ahmadi and I insisted that he drops me and my daughter at Display Center and he had to agree. 

The moment I entered the Display Center, it reminded me of my visit to the ONGC Oil Museum at Dehradun,India. I understood why my husband was not eager to bring me here.As a wife of a person who has been working with oil company's for years, I know the process/story of oil well.


Anyway, I loved my visit to the KOC Display Centre which is a ultra-modern audio-visual museum and the museum is devoted to the history of oil, from geological formation through exploration, drilling, and recovery of Kuwait’s oil industry, past and present.

KOC Display Centre was founded in 1956 aiming to give its visitors the opportunity to have a tour through which they can gain information about the company and its production operations.It was then simply telling the story of oil throught photos, statistics, some maquettes and documentations. the Display Centre was developed, renewed and expanded in 1965, 1978, and 1996 to match the expansion of the company's operations and its increasing production.

In 2008 the Display Center was updated and renewed once again, thus giving a more comprehensive picture about KOC and its Operations, in addition to some idea about the technologies used in oil and natural gas production as well as oil facilities affiliated to the company. The Display Center also includes a section for documenting the events of the defunct Iraqi regime invasion and the biggest environmental disaster it caused in modern history by burning of Kuwait oil fields.

It is open by appointment, tel 2398 2393 / 2398 9111 / 2398 1678. KOC can also arrange for groups to tour the oil fields themselves.

Smaland-IKEA Kids Club,Q8

A perfect place to take your kids.......

    To join simply visit the IKEA store and if your kid is 90 to 130 cm he/she can join IKEA Kids club.Membership fee is 1KD. There are loads of great benefits..... Check for details HERE

Visit to Amghara:Kuwait's favorite scrap yard.

If you want a good bargain on spare parts  of your car, you need to go to Amghara.


While returning from SUBIYA, when we saw a sign board showing the way to AMGHARA, we decided to visit it. Did hear a lot about it , so thought better to have a look at it our self.


Car spare parts are typically expensive or hard to find. But in Kuwait you can get them free or for a low price if you are willing to go a bit out of the way. You can find almost anything in Kuwait's favorite scrap yard.


We were shocked to find huge pile of scrap of cars in different areas . Every where you go, you will find huge heap of scrap.....of cars...bus's... yachts trucks....from manhole covers to scrap from worn-out or damaged vehicles. Things are mostly second hand, parts taken from old cars and vehicles that can never be repaired. The only choice to sell such old cars is to chop them and sell out the parts.There were hundreds of old cars, bus's, vans lying around along with piles of scraps.
 
If you are trying to save money, it's your place to shop for spare parts but if you are not an expert on spare parts/have no knowledge then better take someone who knows about it well.


Amghara is located in the northern part of Kuwait City-about-25 kilometers away and approximately 5-7  kilometers to the south of Jarah City. 


The place is not well-organized so looking for something could take a few hours. In addition, Amghara visitors should be ready to face dusty and rough roads.And remember we found it secluded.


Have a look at the pictures, you will understand better....

See the scrap of old cars

huge heap of scrap

Old unused water tanks

Unused vehicles used while constructing roads

huge heap of scrap

Water tanks

Trucks

Scraps

Old yacht's....100's of them

Metal n Recycling Company

Grand Mosque Tour Q8

AWARE Center has organised a tour of Grand Mosque,the largest and the official mosque in the country of Kuwait on 14April,2012.

Have you visited the Grand Mosque yet? It is a must do while living in Kuwait.Join the tour for a rewarding, spiritual and informative experience. This is a 1 ½ tour of one of Kuwait’s most famous landmarks. 

Ladies are required to cover - long sleeves and long ankle length skirt, otherwise the mosque will provide a cloak. If you have your own scarf you’re welcome to bring it. Camera’s allowed. Children welcome. This tour meets directly at the Grand Mosque at 9.15am.

Directions to the Grand Mosque: Take Gulf Street towards the Kuwait Towers. Pass the Towers with them on your right. Pass Souq Sharq with it on your right. Pass the Dickson House and Ministry of Planning with them on your left. By Seif Palace there is a large roundabout. Take the 2nd exit off the roundabout. The Grand Mosque is now on your left. At traffic lights turn left. Grand Mosque is on your left. To park go down to the roundabout and come back so Grand Mosque is on your right. 

Car Parking - If you are driving you can park at the mosque. The entrance is found by taking the side road between the Al-Babtain library and the Grand Mosque. Then you will see a barrier on your left. Tell the guard you are there for a tour and he will let you in, you follow the road round and can park in front of the mosque.

House of Mirrors Tour,Q8

Join AWARE for a splendid inside view of a most unique Kuwaiti home which has earned its title as the "House of Mirrors.” For a grand display of art from two very dedicated artists. This is an adult only tour for 10 participants. 

Please forward your name, email, place of employment and telephone contact to info@aware.com.kw to register for this tour.

 Advance reservations are required. Cameras are welcome. Further details upon registration. Fee: 4 KD per person.

I visited the wonderful house and cherish our visit. To know more about this beautiful and extra-ordinary house , check out my earlier post on our visit

http://mytravelsmyexperiences.blogspot.com/2010/09/house-of-mirrors-q8.html

Camel Racing In Middle East

Camel racing is a favored sport in the Persian Gulf nations, and it is no different in Kuwait. It is a tradition that is firmly rooted in the culture of these desert nations, where the camels in the past was esteemed as a valuable animal, providing transport, meat and milk. Today amongst the material wealth of these nations, the camel is less important for these purposes, but camel racing is conducted in the present day with undiminished fervor. 

Camel racing is in many ways somewhat different from horse racing, which is practiced throughout the world. Interestingly, racing camels are usually females as the males are considered to be ill-natured and difficult to handle. However the magic of science has reached the world of camel racing and now the finest female camels are induced to produce multiple egg cells, are artificially inseminated, and the fertilized embryos are implanted in ordinary female camels, which will give birth to the champion calves.  

Camel racing is a fervently and enthusiastically followed sport, with breeders expending huge sums on breeding, and devotees of the sport following developments in camel racing with great zeal. Thousands cheer on their race favorites, while on some tracks breeders and other enthusiasts speed alongside in their motor vehicles. 

Thoroughbred Racing Camels are first put through their paces when they are about two years old. Initially the animals are trained to obey basic commands issued by the jockey. Then, a crucial two-kilometer gallop decides which have the ability for racing. To help build their stamina, the camels are made to run certain distances every day, which varies in proportion to their age.

There are two main breeds being raced, the Omani and Sudania which differ in color - the Omani being very light and the Sudania more of a tan color. Traditionally, a racing camel was fed on dates, honey, alfalfa, milk and seeds. They were never allowed to drink the day before a race and were prevented from feeding for the 12 hour prior to a race. With this type of saddle the jockey sits behind the camel's hump.

Camels are often controlled by child jockeys, but allegations of human rights abuses have led to nationwide bans on underage labor in the UAE and Qatar. Children are often favored as jockeys because of their light weight. It has been reported that thousands of children (some reported as young as 2 years old) are trafficked from countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan, and Sudan for use as jockeys in the Persian Gulf States' camel racing industry. Many child camel jockeys are seriously injured by falling off the camels. The child jockeys live in camps (called "ousbah") near the racetracks and many are victims of abuse.Hundreds of children have been rescued from camel farms in Oman, Qatar, and UAE and taken back to their original homes or kept in shelter homes. Many however, are unable to identify their parents or home communities in South Asia or Sudan. Some countries have issued penalties for those who trafficked child camel jockeys and ordered the owners responsibilities for returning the children back to their home countries. However, they report that in many instances the children rescued were those who had been sold away by their own parents in exchange for money or a job abroad. If they were returned, the children would again be sold for the same purposes. Other children did not speak their native languages, or did not know how to live outside the camel farms.

The United Arab Emirates was the first to ban the use of children under 15 as jockeys in camel racing when Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced the ban on July 29, 2002. In 2009 the UAE paid compensation to 879 former jockeys. The UAE now issues penalties such as jail and banning for those found using children as jockeys. However, international observers have reported violations of this ban.In Qatar, the Emir of Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, banned child jockeys in 2005 and directed that, by 2007, all camel races would be directed by robotic jockeys. In Kuwait, it was banned in 2005, due to international pressure. Organizers switched to mechanical robots, fearing allegations with human trafficking.Camel owners were accused of buying light weight and smaller frame jockeys from Pakistan and India.

It is a sport that the people of Middle East can certainly be very proud of. If you were ever thinking about going somewhere for vacation, you could always go over there and catch a race. It would be very interesting to see how the camels get through the races. So if you are ever looking to do something really exciting and fun, sit down and watch a camel race, you might just find it exciting and very interesting. 

Bayt Al-Bader,Q8

Are you interested to know about and see Kuwait’s old architectural creation? Do you want to visit a place which is a perfect combination of traditional and contemporary Kuwaiti architecture? Then the answer is “Bayt Al-Bader”. The house which was built during the years 1838-1848, has been kept as a heritage house, is on the Arabian Gulf Street. The house build from mud and stony rocks, complete with a raised ceiling of wooden baluster, thin rails and palm leaves has many rooms and big private courtyards. The very big drawing room and dining room with pictures of kings and family elders of Bader family and the diwaniya is very impressive. When you visit the house you will notice that the walls are covered with gypsum. The arched entryways and main doors are very impressive. But today the house appears to be deserted was previously the home of Al-Bader family. It is presently used as the exhibitions venue of local handicrafts by the National Museum. You can access Bayt Al-Bader easily through myriad ways, since it is strategically located on the Arabian Gulf Street near the National Museum and the Al-Sadu House.

Whenever we visit the National Museum, most of the time taking family members from India and friends, plan a visit to this heritage house. There is no entry fee. It remains open along with the National Museum as it’s a part of the museum now. But it will depend on your luck to find a guide or caretaker. First time we visited there was no one and we moved around ourselves. We even found some rooms closed though most of them were open. Next few times, we either found a caretaker or guide who took us around.

Next time you visit the National Museum; you can plan a visit to “Bayt Al Bader” and don’t forget your camera.

Discount @ Entertainment city entrance ticket

Good news for people who would like to visit and enjoy at the Entertainment city at Doha during the National and Liberation Day holidays. The entrance fee has been reduced from 3.5 KD to 2 KD on February 25th and 26th as part of its celebrations for the national and liberation days. 

Operations and activities manager of TEC disclosed that the park will be open from 2:00 to 11:00 pm on the abovementioned dates. He also informed that the entertainment city will be closed on Sunday and Monday will be for women only.

Direction for Q8 Zoo

To find out Kuwait Zoo is not  a difficult job.The Kuwait Zoo is a very entertaining place which is often visited by families. Located in Omariya, off the fifth Ring road, this animal kingdom is a major attraction for both, the locals and the expatriate. There was extensive damage done to the premises and to the animals during the Iraqi invasion. However, most of the repairs the zoo needed have been completed and the zoo was again opened after some reconstruction was done and after bringing in some more new animals in February 1993. Though exactly not one of the best zoo, but nevertheless you will find it clean and spacious. It is quite a fun place for the kids especially if the weather is good and a perfect place for a family day out. Not only our 2year daughter enjoyed but it was a nice outing for us.

An article of mine about it, got published in IndiansInKuwait http://www.indiansinkuwait.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=7844&SECTION=25

and I have already written about it in one of my earlier post

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The House of Mirror's, Q8

It was five minutes to 10, when we reached the unique House of Mirrors. We had an appointment with the lady of the house at 10am to have a tour of the house. As we rang the bell, a very sweet beaming elderly lady in a satin laced gown opened the door to welcome us. Just like the house, the radiant smile of the lady fascinated us. She is Lidia Qattan, the creator of this unique house. Born in Italy in 1936 as Lidia Scagnolari , she became Lidia Qattan when she married the famous Kuwaiti artist Khalifa Al-Qattan in 1958. She herself is a painter, sculpture, jeweler and writer.

The boundary wall of her house

Another design in glass on her boundary wall

Her kitchen cum dinning room N drawing room

As we entered the house, we were astonished at the glass work in the walls, passage, doors, windows, ceiling ,furniture even kitchen cabinets etc, in short she has decorated her entire house, inside and outside, with pieces of mirrors. A perfect host as she took us to the drawing room and served us cold drinks, cookies, pastries and chocolates. She took extra care of our 2year old daughter giving her juice and repeatedly asking if she needed anything. We took with us gifts which represents our culture and state – ASSAM which we gifted her. After that she sat down and started her story. Fascinating, gripping and engrossing, it took us to 60’s when she started her first piece of glass work. In 1960, when her husband went abroad for his art exhibition,she felt lonely and decided to decorate the cabinet which prior to his departure her husband had completed and created with his own hands. She had some broken pieces of mirror which she used to make the cabinet shine. When her husband returned he was happy, impressed and dazzled by her work. He inspired and encouraged her to do more. For many of us, we superstitiously belief not to keep broken mirrors at home as it suppose to bring bad luck to the family. But for Lidia a broken mirror inspired her to do something creative and set her upon the journey of a lifetime. Again once during another tour of her husband, when he was away for four days, she decorated the one wall of her drawing room with mirrors making fish, sea animals, Arabic inscription, making it look like a sea. Again after her husband’s return he just loved it and encouraged her to do it on the other walls. Thus began her journey of and transformation as she evolved into an artist into her own right and used her very own home as her canvas. Over the course of several years Lidia has painstakingly ‘bedazzled’ every inch of her home with broken mirror pieces in every shade of the rainbow. Today it is a popular tourist destination and museum with visitors taking guided tours every day.

The fan in her drawing room nicely done with glass

Her Kitchen

Her Kitchen(2)

The door of her study room

Mirror Door

Glass Stair-case

The tour begins in the kitchen, which is called ‘My World Hall’ and features designs relevant to the mystery of science followed by a walk through ‘Planet Earth Hall’, or the living room, which is designed along the lines of our Earth and nature. Next, visitors are led to ‘Zodiac Hall’, which is Lidia’s now grown daughter Jalila’s bedroom, and it is covered with sparkling galaxies, planets and all the signs of the Zodiac. Visitors walk through a hallway with a dual theme. Known as both ‘Shark Hall’ and ‘Corridor of Nations’, the journey of shimmering reflected light goes on to enthrall guests with sharks and other wonders of our world. The tour climaxes with breathtaking designs featured in ‘Sea World Hall’, ‘Universe Hall’ and ‘Knowledge Hall’, which also serve as a bathroom, bedroom and library. In the room of the Universe, there are paintings on the wall done by her and the glass work on the floor of the room are all related to the universe. It begins with the beginning of the Universe, to the consciousness of people on how to spread love and peace. There is also a painting of Koran, which she has decorated with glass.

Bathroom

Bathroom(2)

Glass Window

A part of the wall in the UNIVERSE  HALL

Sea World

Sea World(2)

Then we take the ‘Stairs to Inspiration’. The staircase, which features gilded birds in flight, leads to the first floor that houses separate art galleries for both Lidia’s and her late husband Khalifa’s work. The first big hall is the art gallery for her husband’s paintings, next to it is a small room, where she had kept the things used by her husband while painting very nicely. There are also pictures of Khalifa done by other artist, pictures with dignitaries, certificates by associations and universities in this room. We came to know from her that her husband was a founder member of Kuwait’s National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters. Then we proceed to the next room where there are more paintings by her husband Khalifa. The small place in between the two rooms, there are paintings and jewellery done by Lidia. After that in the other rooms are Lidia’s art….paintings on different canvases, mirror work, sculptures, lamps, jewellery and candleholders.

Glass Staircase

Art Gallery...work of her husband displayed

Another room where her husband's work is displayed

Pictures of Khalifa Al-Qattan done by other artist

Certificates of Appreciation her husband got

Things used by her husband

Things used by her husband(2)

Now again, few of the art by Lidia Qattan which she had done in various medium. Jeet my husband asked her where she took formal training looking at her various form of art. She replied "I never had any formal training. I just tried out the various forms myself". Unbelievable but true. A qualified nurse at the same time a fabolous artist.

The Glass basin in her bathroom

Art Therapy Room

Nucleus of the galaxy Room

Nucleus of the galaxy Room...The Stars(2)

“And now, the star of the show”, she says, leading us to a darkened chamber containing what she calls “art therapy”. With soft music in the background, it has a relaxing environment. Just as the stars of the zodiac glowed in darkness in the downstairs, similarly this room has paintings and few work of light which glow. She left us for few minutes to contemplate. The tour ends with “nucleus of the galaxy”, where she creates satellites, stars, planets on the walls and ceiling. “Look at the sky”, she says."You see them moving".

The Gift Shop where some of her works are for sale

One is indeed fascinated and mesmerized by now. For many people it is the House of Mirrors but to Lidia it is the fulfillment of her dream.

A wall of her house

Another Wall

Ring ahead to request a tour and you should bring a small gift in exchange for the hospitality you will no doubt receive.

With Lidia Qattan and her grand daughter in her drawing room

Address: House of Mirrors

Qadisiya, Block 9

Street 94, House No 17

Phone Number: 22518522


We didnot face any problem finding the house. It was our first visit to the house and also to the area. Anyway you can check the google map before you make a visit to this unique house.



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