When I was in Virginia, I went through my collection of old books on Kuwait and the Gulf and found a May 1969 copy of National Geographic with an article about Kuwait. Mark from 2:48 will scan it and post a good quality copy of the article in .pdf on his blog (will provide you with the link later). If you want a not-so great copy now, write to me and I'll send you one (6MB). It is around 34 pages.
Does anyone know where the Gazelle Club was? Kuwait can still be a great country AND have nightclubs! Were people "less religious" then??? Seems to me that God gives you a choice to walk into a house of worship or a nightclub.... Like in Qatar, Bahrain, UAE. Are the Moslems that live in those countries less religious than Kuwait? Just a thought.
A reader sent in this photo from Ahmadi I believe.
It's in Abu halifa; the building still exists.
ReplyDeleteIt's between the residential houses on the beach.
The Gazelle club was at Al-Ahmadi city.
ReplyDeleteThere was 2 clubs at that time the Gazelle and the Sahara club. Both were at same area, after the labration the country has changed to worse, every thing would be islamically illegal, God save this country from people who are not loyal to it.
Me
My dad would tell us about life here in the early 70's and they had a good time. They even had weekly card games and booze and everything. I think I'll wait for Mark's pdf file.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends wrote, "The Gazelle Club, which my friend used to belong to...is near the McDonalds out on the Gulf Road on the way to Mangaf. It's closed now. They say that the Iraqi's put so many landmines in the sea out there. Very sad. My friend has such fond memories of that place."
ReplyDeleteHornet says the Gazelle Club was in Abu-Halaifa and the Sahara Club was in Ahmadi.
ReplyDeleteYour Friend is right, it was on sea side on the way to Mangaf. During 70's there were no much residential areas in Mangaf. It was also a well know club & Weekdays it use to be hang out for lot of Expats & weekend they use to have nite long parties. Just before the Booz could stop in Kuwait it was one of the best place in Kuwait. After that too it was turned in to a full fledge club providing lot of entertainment to the expats. i have no idea what happened after the war. I was even taken over by Iraq during the invasions. but was vacated as there were no much activities happening in that area.
ReplyDeleteI really miss my days in Kuwait. It had everything that a Man can think about. but recent days i have come across so many articles on that little country which are unbelievable.
hi,
ReplyDeleteCan you send me the copy of the PDF on gracianm@hotmail.com
Hi,
ReplyDeletethe Gazelle Club was indeed in Abu Halifa. You know the three triangular building, the Sultan complex? Kind of infront of them to the left side by the beach.
I attended ESF before the invasion, and we had our end of year concert there. In 1990 :o)
In the 90s the building was still there, although deserted. It even had a petting zoo. :o)
there are poker tables in a high ceiling room with marble floors and granite poles something you would only find in Monaco ...there is a secret stairwell from the kitchen in the second floor that leads to it ............
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteIn the late '60s I was member of the Gazelle Club. Really one of the best place for rest, bowling, eating. Kuwaitians, americans, europeans were there, great life was on the fridays. I am really unhappy what happened with that seaside.By the way! Who could send me latitudes to see the area on Google Earth?
A Hungarian
Hi DG, I love to have copy of the PDF of NG about the Gazelle club. I was invited to a New year's party at the Gazelle club just before the horrible invasion. I can send you some photos form the inside hall and outside pools side. A childhood friend whom I met in Beirut in 2005 had them. I moved to Canada and live in Ottawa now. I was there in Kuwait during the New Year 2010. Saeid
ReplyDeleteI played in a band called The Sheila Carter Band We worked in the Gazzelle Club in 1971 for Anwar Al Mulla. Had some wonderful times.
ReplyDeleteMy brother & I practically grew up at the Gazelle club in the very early 70’s.Great place as it had everything kids could ever want. Great friends, Sailing, water skiing, swimming pool, ten pin bowling, tennis, squash snooker etc plus fishing off the pier. I do remember The Sheila Carter Band as I was one of the 11-12 year old kids who use to hang around the band. We must have been a right nuisance :-)
ReplyDeleteI lived in Kuwait in 1977 - in Hawali - and as Americans, we spent practically every weekend there - swimming in the pools, playing games, collecting shells on the adjacent beach, etc. I have very fond memories of the Gazelle Club - it was where we could really let our guard down and be as "American" as we liked. We'd spend hours socializing with my father's coworkers, who were mostly American, English, Aussie and Canadian. The moms would get their weekly 'fix' of female companionship, the dads would laugh and joke (and sometimes complain about work), and we kids would run amok! There was all the fresh fruit, fresh seafood and booze one could ever want! The 7up and Coke were in the little glass bottles. Wow, what memories!
ReplyDeleteWe went to Gazelle Club every weekend for bowling as the students of the Kuwait International School. Who has some memories about this school from 1967-68?
ReplyDeleteThe club was in Abu Hulaifa. It belonged to my uncle Bader, and then passed on to the family. Aunti Moodi ran it with the help of Gazi Hashash who is now living in Lebanon with his family. It is next door to the family beach house and definately not in Ahmadi or anywhere near the Gulf Road
ReplyDeleteVery sad to se what became of it, but it is not possible to rebuild it under all the current restrictions.
There was a facebook group for the club but it has disappeared when Facebook upgraded their group websites.
I would love to receive a copy of the PDF. Would it be possible to receive it at rmaa@kpcim.co.uk
I lived in Kuwait in the late 60s and my dad (Gerry Gerrard) was the manager at the club during then. We got to know the Al Mula family who owned the place. They also had the Plymouth dealerships in Kuwait. Bader (the owner) drove up once in a Plymouth concept car with his girlfriend Yara alongside him. I used to play with his son Aboudi, we were about the same age at the time.
ReplyDeleteWhile that place in the picture may be a Gazelle Club, I don't think thats the one we're talking about. Got tons of photos if anyone is interested.
I'd be interested in a copy of the article too, if possible.
mdgerrard at msn dot com.
Thanks.
If anyone's interested, here's Bader Al Mula's car (the one I saw when I was a kid in Kuwait). Bader died of cancer in I think 69 and the car stayed in Beirut and it made it through the civil war and eventually made its way to the US. http://jalopnik.com/5833543/the-concept-car-that-survived-a-civil-war/gallery/1
ReplyDeletethanks for the awesome article, can i get all the pics and the article everyone has. i want to make a screening. email me at alooy25@gmail.com.
ReplyDeleteappreciate it
Hiya, my Dad worked for Kuwait Airways in the late 70's early 80's We went there a lot when I was a teenager. No one seems to have mentioned the huge downstairs basement with the dj booth with all the 60's records intact, the pool and snooker tables and the original 1960's 10 pin bowling alley made by Brunswick, it even had the original shoes to hire !! It was very creepy down there because it was a time capsule. I wonder what is left of it.
ReplyDeletejaross3@hotmail.co.uk
Ref: Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteI played in a band called The Sheila Carter Band We worked in the Gazzelle Club in 1971 for Anwar Al Mulla. Had some wonderful times.
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I was the bandleader of the Sheila Carter Band ... Great memories of the year or so we spent as resident band at the Gazelle Club ... !! I remember Gerry (manager), Miss Moodi and Ghazi ... Often wondered what became of them and the club ...
Graham Carter-Dimmock
If anyone is interested, there's a Gazelle Club Facebook page and photos are slowly being added. Most if not all the B/W ones are mine. Feel free to tag away if any of the faces are familiar. Oh, and please add any photos that you may have.
ReplyDeleteAlhamdillah that we got rid off that place.
ReplyDeleteHaving clubs in the country is pushing this to its limits, although we don't have clubs but people still have night parties, alcohol and drugs.
Anyways thank Allah for all his blessings upon our country.
Alhamdillah that we got rid off that place.
ReplyDeleteHaving clubs in the country is pushing this to its limits, although we don't have clubs but people still have night parties, alcohol and drugs.
Anyways thank Allah for all his blessings upon our country.
Abdullah al-Namlan:
ReplyDeleteAre you referring to the Gazel Club? Is Allah not present in Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain? US, UK... Earth? He is everywhere.
It is the decision of every individual - with his God-given brain and God-given will to determine which direction in his or her life to take. Individual thinking or willpower is not up to others to judge.
While I appreciate your opinion, I do not agree with it.
Kuwaitis are the least religious Gulf Arabs
ReplyDeleteKuwaiti society is the most liberal society in the Gulf
Omanis, Bahrainis, Qataris and Emiratis are much MORE religious than Kuwaitis
99.9% of Qatari females wear the black abaya and black hijab
99.9% of Emirati females wear the black abaya and black hijab
All Omani females wear the black abaya and black hijab
95% of Bahraini females wear the black abaya and black hijab
In Oman, Qatar and UAE, it is NOT socially acceptable for local women to wear jeans
Many Kuwaiti females don't wear the abaya, it's socially acceptable and common in Kuwait. Among the Gulf states, Kuwait has the highest percentage of local women who don't wear the abaya. In UAE, it's a taboo
Alcohol is illegal in Kuwait because the influential merchants are profiting alot from the black market. The merchants own the black market. The merchants are blocking alcohol legalization.
The merchants are richer than Al-Sabah monarchy. Before oil, the merchants were equal to Al-Sabah
Lived in Kuwait 1965-1969 - Gazelle Club was a great place to go - water skiing, bowling, movies...right on the gulf
ReplyDeleteI wanna this article plz send me the link??
ReplyDeleteI would be grateful if you could email me the PDF too!
ReplyDeleteThanks :-)
Bharani
scleroplex@gmail.com
Hello there, I've been trying to find the source of Mark's photos and I've finally found it. I'm writing a short feature story for the KuwaitTimes Newspaper - to be published next Friday. Will you please allow me to use the photos under your credit and, of course, the original National Geographic?
ReplyDeleteThanks you.
Athoob
Dear Athoob. I think I missed your deadline, but yes. These are not my photos so you can name the blog I guess (?).
ReplyDelete