Kuwait, the last country I visited, has never really been on my bucket list. On the contrary, I had a slightly negative perception about the place from the largely dull reviews I received from people who have lived and worked there. Eight years back, I was even briefly engaged to a guy settled in Kuwait but the thought of living in a Gulf country as guarded as Kuwait never really had my heart. So when I boarded the plane, except for the natural curiosity that comes with setting foot on foreign soil, my expectations were zilch. All I wanted to do was spend quality time with my brother and his family and get a taste of the life that evaded me, after all.
I landed in Kuwait on the 15th of June, 2018, the day of Eid ul Fitr. On my way home, I could see people proceeding to offer Eid prayers. Surprisingly, my first impression of the capital city was bordering on the positive though I did not exactly fall in love with it. The city blanketed in beige and dusty pink had an evident monotony to it, which I prefer to interpret as coherence in terms of architectural design and cultural preservation. Big words, I know. It's just that you get the feeling that the authorities are rooted in their identity and the way they portray it to the world. That, in a way, compensates for the dearth of vegetation on this part of the globe. It was unbearably hot with summer at its peak and widespread dust storms occurring every other day. So most of what I did during my month-long trip were indoor activities. From baroque malls to canopied souks and boutique restaurants to cryptic museums, I had enough on my plate to get me through a few weeks of sun blaze.
My first outing was to The Avenues Mall, the largest mall in Kuwait and the second largest in the Middle East. With many laurels in its stead, this celebrated space is divided into districts modeled after the premier shopping destinations in the world like the Champs-Elysees in Paris, Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, Times Square in NYC, Ginza in Tokyo and so on. One of the districts called The Souk is a simulation of the traditional marketplace in Kuwait, the get up complete with muted desert colors and narrow alleys with home-grown merchandise on display alongside local restaurants serving authentic Kuwaiti cuisine. At the Avenues, you can find all the major names in global fashion, food, entertainment, and hospitality. The confluence of the very best in the world makes it an epitome of luxury, a go-to place for the city's elite and a tourist attraction for visitors and laymen alike. 360 Mall, Souq Sharq and Marina Mall are some other shopping destinations well worth a visit. The Bay in the vicinity of Souq Sharq, provides a panoramic view of the cityscape in all its grandeur.
Kuwait is a country that lays great emphasis on luxurious living without compromising on its cultural heritage. Alongside an impressive business district replete with elegantly fashioned skyscrapers, rocketing towers sparkling in the night sky and numerous malls sporting the biggest brands in the world, one can also find just as many museums and palaces committed to the cause of preserving the country's nascent history. Bait Al Othman is one such place where you can go back in time to an era before the discovery of the Black Gold, when this desert land was inhabited by nomadic Bedouins. It is easy enough to trace the growth and development of a nation that reaped the maximum out of a windfall that came its way in the form of oil reserves, the collateral damage resulting from its invasion by Iraqi forces under the charge of Saddam Hussein and the casualties of the subsequent Gulf War resulting in the restoration of the Kuwaiti monarchy. One could also visit the Tareq Rajab Museum of Calligraphy and the Mirror House to delve deeper into the cultural treasures of the city.
Souq Al Mubarakiya, one of the oldest souqs in the city, offers a truly traditional shopping experience and a deeper insight into the mercantile practices before the advent of the malls. This is where you pick up a variety of local produce from dates and spices to oud and attar. I went all out and stocked up on Iranian saffron, sumac, za'atar, dried pomegranates, mabooch (homestyle pickle) and even dried lavender before devouring some authentic Iranian kebabs from the shacks.
Another noteworthy experience during my trip was the free guided tour of the majestic Grand Mosque, the central mosque in Kuwait city. Situated opposite to the Al-Seif palace and spread across 20,000 sq. meters, the mosque can accommodate nearly 10,000 people in its main prayer hall heavily ornamented with chandeliers and intricate patterns in blue and gold. Besides being polite and hospitable even with a toddler in our group, our guide was highly informed about the Islamic philosophy, often providing the rationale behind the beliefs from a scientific perspective. He gave us an insight into the elaborate calligraphy in the mosque and the Andalusian tilework used extensively in the Amir's room, where guests are received on auspicious occasions like Eid. We were even offered free refreshments and posters in the lounge.
The tour conducted every day except Friday from 9 to 11 am and 5 to 7 pm, is definitely not to be missed by anyone visiting Kuwait. Not too far from the mosque is Sadu House, maintained by the Al Sadu Weaving Co-op Society and dedicated to the traditional weaving practices of Kuwaiti Bedouins. Kuwait National Museum located adjacent to Sadu House, exhibits pottery, sculptures, coinage, and copies of the Quran from the bygone era.
My tryst with all things Kuwaiti was complete when I visited Freej Swaeleh, a highly rated local restaurant serving the best Majboos (meat and rice specialty), Jarees (meat porridge specialty) and Gehwa (Arabic coffee) in town. With the lamb so succulent and tender, the Pomfret so fresh and flavorful and the rice so fragrant and delicate, it is one of the most satiating meals I've had in a long time. We topped it off with tiny shots of Arabic Qahwa or Gehwa handed around in tiny porcelain cups called finjaan and mint tea served in uniquely shaped glasses called istikana. Our Srilankan cook who has years of experience working in Kuwaiti homes, gave us a taste of Maqlooba, yet another rice-based specialty from this part of the world. I also loved the kebab platter at Canary, a no-frills joint dishing out some delectable Arabic food. Now I must admit that I have a sweet tooth and I went ballistic with all the Baklava and Kunafa that was offered to me. Apart from the traditional fare which includes shawarma (kebab roll) and fatayer (meat pie/flatbread), I also tried the international buffet at Cucina, a fine dining restaurant in Symphony Tower. Though I am not a big fan of sushi, I loved what they had come up with.
The city has well-conceived parks, a beautiful coastline with pristine beaches and picturesque islands for the outdoorsy. I chose to reserve them for my winter break lest I get burned alive in the unsparing heat. However, this time I managed to get an instagram-worthy pic in front of the Kuwait Towers to top all of the above experiences, thanks to my brother who is a seasoned travel consultant running a holiday packages portal called The Kiwi Vacations. One's destination is never a place, but always a new way of seeing things, as Henry Miller put it. Despite our ideological differences, I managed to strike a chord with the persona of Kuwait and find joy in unraveling its cultural fabric. Another reason not to brush a location aside as boring without personally verifying it!
