(this one was so snazzy, i had to snap a picture. i have to admit, i miss the 'eastern' toilets a little. and the bidets. they've been opted out for western ones, and the occasional spray hose.) Today I took pictures of things:
Things around the house...
- kiwi (a favorite childhood snack!)
- our resident gecko. we used to have one I named Charlie
- Kuwaiti Dinar and Fils (aka dollars and cents)
- a prayer rug. 5 times a day, we hear the call from the Mosque
- the front door "Welcome" signs ('ahlan-wa-sahlan' in Arabic= welcome. And 'The Gale's, Home is Where the Heart Is' )
- the catamaran. shortly after sunrise
- the outdoor shower, handy for sandy bodies
- honeysuckle bushes. they smell so sweet!
And shopping things! Mom and I had a shopping spree at the Avenues Mall...it is huge and very classy.
We also meandered around the Iranian souks and the plant souks, and the LuLu Hypermarket (ha!), for beautiful Indian clothes.
I was a little taken aback by the service, once again. We drove up to the plant nursery. Several men came to the window. We could have just stayed in the air-conditioned car and pointed to the ones we wanted while they loaded them in the trunk...but Mom got out to check out the flowers face-to-face and bargain a little. Our driver for the day, Hussein, helped us get "best price". But Mom is a pro. She does well on her own with all the shopkeepers. She knows the lingo to use and the things to look for. She knows when shes getting a deal and when to ask for a discount.
The Iranian souks were a bit torturous for me. Mostly because they were filled to the brim with wood carvings, brass pots, marble statues, wall hangings, luxurious rugs, handmade tableclothes, glass lanterns, and all manner of home-decor uniqueness. I was salivating a little. And playing tetris in my head, trying to figure out how I could fit one of those giant elephants into my suitcase.
The mall was humongous, beautiful and ultra modern. We shopped for hours and still didn't see the whole thing. We had lunch at the foodcourt, at McDonalds (stop, before you judge me. i know what you are thinking. but this is a hobby of mine, I like to try it in different countries to see how each place changes the menu to fit their taste... I ordered a McArabia. no joke. ), and stopped in stores from the U.S. and Europe, as well as local shops. We had to taste some samples at Dean & Deluca, meet Dad for a delicious chinese dinner, people-watch, and try on a billion things.
On the way home we talked about the traffic, and how much Kuwait has grown since we lived here last. The population has grown. The number of registered cars has increased from 1 million to 4 million (makes for crowded highways!). There is such diversity here in this tiny country. We discussed how only 30% of the people in this country are actual Kuwaiti's. Lots of my parents friends sound something like this: Indians from South Africa living in Kuwait.
We talked about work and 'wasta' and how tricky it is to do international business, and how important it is to be able to open your mind and just listen. I am thankful for my wonderful parents who made this trip possible for me. And who raised me to understand the importance of respecting differences and valuing culture.
More tomorrow! I'm tired. I can't hear the waves tonight. The sea must be calm. Time for bed.
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