Hey everyone, welcome to this week’s Happy Hour!  Here’s what we have been up to . . . . . . . . .

We had a 3-day weekend this week, so I enjoyed a day out on a new golf course.  It is still under construction, and currently only 9 holes are open, but it has grass!  I went out by myself, and apparently they only have 4-person golf carts.  Driving the thing around the course was like driving a school bus around.  It was a decent course, and pretty close to our house.  It is located out in the desert, and I saw about 40-50 camels on the side of the road while I was driving there.  Then at one of the tee boxes I looked over, and noticed a bunch of camels at a farm.  It was yet another reminder that we live a pretty cool life!  I mean, how many other golf courses can you stare at camels from the tee box?????

 

We found a new walking trail this week in the suburb of Jabriya.  We were so excited about this one, because it is lined with trees! (which are super hard to find here in the desert).  Every weekend, we have been going on walks in the different areas of Kuwait City.  We usually find a nice area along the beach to walk, but it was fun to find a different area this weekend.  There are not a lot of sidewalks or walking trails here, so unfortunately we always have to drive to find a nice place to walk.  The temps have been in the mid 70s lately, the weather has been absolutely perfect to be outside and enjoying whatever kind of nature we can find.

Here is a quick snapshot of the the Kuwait’s signature water towers.  I’m not sure if all of the Gulf Countries paint them like this, but you can find them on a lot of artwork, postcards, t-shirts, etc.  They are all over the city, and always in clusters of 9.  It is such a nice splash of color in an otherwise brown, and dusty country.  At night, they light up with a bright blue glow.

On Friday night, a group of us went into downtown Kuwait City to view the light show on the Kuwait Towers.  They are located right on the Persian Gulf.  At the end of the month, Kuwaiti’s celebrate their independence and their liberation from Iraq during the Gulf War.  For the entire month of February, there are lots of parties, celebrations, and national pride displayed wherever you go.  The Kuwait Towers have a laser light show every night that is pretty sweet.  The Towers have been closed for renovations for a couple of years, but we have heard rumors that they are expected to reopen at the end of the month.  You can go inside them and view the entire the city, and there is also a restaurant in them.  We are excited to check them out when they open!

 

My 5th grade girls soccer team was supposed to have their first game last Thursday, however it got canceled due to a dust storm!  The girls were pretty bummed, but now we have two games scheduled this week.  Anytime the wind blows hard here (over around 20 mph) dust fills the air.  It doesn’t labor your breathing or anything, they just recommend not doing excessive physical exercise in it.  After a dust storm, it seems like it takes 4 or 5 days to fully clear the air.  I felt so bad for one of my players, because she wore her soccer uniform, new cleats, and shin guards the entire day at school!  From 6am until I told her the game was canceled at 1pm.  I don’t know how she could wear shin pads that long!!!