Security Alert – U.S. Embassy Kuwait - National & Liberation Days

Security Alert – U.S. Embassy Kuwait (Feb 19, 2019)

Location: Kuwait, countrywide

Event: Kuwait National and Liberation Days – February 25 & 26

The Kuwait National and Liberation Day holidays will be Monday, February 25, and Tuesday, February 26.  U.S. citizens should expect festive celebrations, large crowds, and heavy traffic congestion in downtown and waterfront areas.  There will be particularly heavy vehicular congestion and pedestrian traffic from early afternoon through the evening hours on and around the Gulf Road and in Salmiya.  In the past, local police have blocked U-turn lanes and intersections on Gulf Road, forcing northbound traffic to travel the entire length of Gulf Road to turn around as well as restricting travel in the blocks adjacent to Gulf Road.  Many celebrants engage in water gun fights, throw water balloons, and set off fireworks in the affected areas during these national holidays.   

Actions to Take: 

·          Avoid crowds.

·          Be aware of your surroundings.

·          Keep vehicle doors locked at all times.

·          Monitor local media for updates.

·          Carry proper identification, either your U.S. passport with current Kuwait visa or your Kuwait civil ID.

·          Carry a mobile phone at all times.

·          Contact Kuwait Emergency Services at 112 for emergencies.

Whats on in Kuwait Listings

What’s on in Kuwait

Sometimes it is difficult to find out what is going on in Kuwait – even for longtimers like me - because many events aren’t advertised, or perhaps aren’t advertised in English (where 2/3 of the population can understand what is written). 

I’ve tried to put together a comprehensive listing of listings that provide information in English on upcoming activities.  (In no particular order other than “good ones” and “those that really suck”.)

LiveinQ8 (e news for the Kuwait Expat) - http://livinq8.com/calendar.php

Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Cultural Center Performances - https://tickets.jacc-kw.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6tW2qci24AIVxp-zCh3sEAw1EAAYASAAEgIWgvD_BwE

Kuwait International Fair (Mishref Fairgrounds) Events:  http://kif.net/

Kuwait Up2date:  http://www.kuwaitup2date.com/events/

248am.com Blog Events – (the blog also has “what’s on this weekend” events which is helpful.) https://events.248am.com/

Ladies Who Do Lunch In Kuwait Blog Things To Do - http://ladieswhodolunchinkuwait.blogspot.com/p/things-to-do.html

10Times (mostly industry conferences/events):  https://10times.com/kuwait

All Events in Kuwait - https://allevents.in/kuwait/all

And the losers are…..

Kuwait Tourism - http://kuwaittourism.com/events-calendar/  (Pretty updated format contains zero information.  Don’t waste your time.  I just put it out here to be facetious.)

Visit Kuwait - https://www.visit-kuwait.com/events/   Snoozefest.

Hala February – Seriously!  Is there anyone out there who can give me an annual listing of events during Hala February month?!  VisitKuwait.com and Kuwait Touristic Enterprises (the official tourism website of Kuwait) – you are both doing TERRIBLE jobs, year after year. 

If anyone has any listings to add, please feel free to let me know.

Kuwait Souvenirs

From Ms. Kookie Colaso on Expat Mums in Kuwait group on Facebook:

"For all those who asks about souvenirs and mementos of Kuwait, there's a full fledged shop in the Souq (Grand Avenues) called FILS. They have absolutely everything. Magnets, tees, caps, key chains, mugs, mesbah, dhows, snow globes, and lots & lots more. Things are pretty reasonably priced too.  Try parking at gate 12 or 15"

Thank you, Kookie, for this post (and thank you to the owners of the FILS shop for their patriotic interest in promoting Kuwait).  I get asked by readers all the time where they can buy souvenirs from Kuwait and my stock response is to direct them to a little shop in Mubarakia which is hard to explain (very small, and I don't know the name of - you can see my dilema).  I remembered seeing FILS in The Avenues, but my memory aint what she used to be.  The shop is back in the souq section where the little Kuwaiti cafe restaurants are.

One would THINK that the great minds at Kuwait International Airport might have shops – you know, similar to Dubai or Qatar or many other countries in the world where they sell souvenirs of that country IN the airport.  Kuwait seems more interested in selling 5 kilo bags of Tang and cigarettes.  Is that how you represent?   Where is the national pride and identity, Kuwait?  C’mon!

Disclaimer:  As I've stated before, I don't get paid or receive any type of compensation for posts like these.  It is just a public service announcement.