Nescafe and the Kuwait Times. It's literally the only way to start a morning in Kuwait. Today's paper was delivered in the English version so I was spared the search of the lobby to get my paper.
I never really thought I would be happy to be in Kuwait but after Bahrain, it's nice to be in a normal business hotel and have relative calm. Bahrain is a poor country with limited space and natural resources. The US Naval Fleet has a major base there and the country has some industry and business but there is not a long term plan for tourism or life beyond oil.
Bahrain is an open country in the sense that alcohol is permitted, bars are open, and the veil is not mandatory for women. People can wear what they want. At the same time there is a large traditional religious presence and you see both men and women in the traditional robes. The Saudi border is only 15 minutes away so on the weekend the city has an expanded population as the Saudi's come over for the shopping and the bars.
The Kuwait police report for Saturday: Two people died in car crashes, two rapes were reported, a taxi driver was stabbed, and another man was stabbed by his roommate. Only one drug bust occured but it was a gang of 17 Iranians who were unwittingly used by a Pakistani gang. Their group police shot made the paper.
People in the Arab countries are watchful of the happenings in Iran. No one wants to be invaded or have another threat to the developing business and tourism industries in the Gulf countries. Instability in one country impacts all the countries. There are articles about confronting Islamic extremists through education and interpretation of the Koran. Reforms are going on from women at all levels from citizenship, to voting, to legal statues. Jordan, Kuwait, and to some level even Saudi are taking steps forward everyday for women's rights.
Enough of Kuwait. I have a free 30 mintues for math and then the day begins!
I never really thought I would be happy to be in Kuwait but after Bahrain, it's nice to be in a normal business hotel and have relative calm. Bahrain is a poor country with limited space and natural resources. The US Naval Fleet has a major base there and the country has some industry and business but there is not a long term plan for tourism or life beyond oil.
Bahrain is an open country in the sense that alcohol is permitted, bars are open, and the veil is not mandatory for women. People can wear what they want. At the same time there is a large traditional religious presence and you see both men and women in the traditional robes. The Saudi border is only 15 minutes away so on the weekend the city has an expanded population as the Saudi's come over for the shopping and the bars.
The Kuwait police report for Saturday: Two people died in car crashes, two rapes were reported, a taxi driver was stabbed, and another man was stabbed by his roommate. Only one drug bust occured but it was a gang of 17 Iranians who were unwittingly used by a Pakistani gang. Their group police shot made the paper.
People in the Arab countries are watchful of the happenings in Iran. No one wants to be invaded or have another threat to the developing business and tourism industries in the Gulf countries. Instability in one country impacts all the countries. There are articles about confronting Islamic extremists through education and interpretation of the Koran. Reforms are going on from women at all levels from citizenship, to voting, to legal statues. Jordan, Kuwait, and to some level even Saudi are taking steps forward everyday for women's rights.
Enough of Kuwait. I have a free 30 mintues for math and then the day begins!
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