Kuwait Independence / Liberation Fireworks 2011
Wow. Magnificent. Amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it, so creative, so wonderful:
Come back and watch this when you have twelve minutes, and click the expansion box so that it fills your screen. Oh WOW.
Thank you, N, for sending that link. WOW.
Update – Part 2
Al Seif Palace Lights Up
A fabulous video posted on youTube; camera jiggles a little but not so much that you can’t get the full effect of the kaleidoscope effect – MAGNIFICENT!
BRAVO! BRAVO! Magnificent, Kuwait!
Happy Birthday / Liberation Day, Kuwait!
Wishing you only good in the coming years!
Update:
Here is what Ken found at Google.com.kw
How cool is that??
Embassy Posts Liberation Day Warning
Kuwait City, Kuwait
February 23, 2011
To: All American Wardens
From: Consular Section
Subject: Warden Notice 2011 – 4
Please circulate the following message without additions or omissions
immediately to all U.S. citizens within your area of responsibility.
In connection with the Liberation Day and National Day celebrations in Kuwait
February 25-27, the Embassy wishes to share with U.S. citizens the following
information we have received on planned road closures:
Friday, February 25: From 07:00 to noon the 6th Ring Road from the intersection
with highway 60, heading north to the Parade site will be closed in both
directions.
Friday, February 25: Road #206 and the 6th Ring Road will be closed from the
Palace to the Airport due to a reception at Bayan Palace.
Saturday, February 26: Due to a Parade, the Sixth Ring Road will be closed from
early morning until the Parade concludes.
Friday, February 25 – Sunday February 27: The Gulf Road will be closed on
Friday and Saturday from the 2nd Ring Road to the Flag Square. You may wish to
avoid Gulf Road as much as possible during the weekend due to heavy traffic.
Spontaneous and/or planned demonstrations take place in Kuwait from time to time
in response to world events or local developments. We remind U.S. citizens that
even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and
possibly escalate into violence. U.S. citizens are therefore urged to avoid the
areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if within the
vicinity of any demonstrations. U.S. citizens should stay current with media
coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.
For the latest security information, U.S. citizens living and traveling abroad
should regularly monitor the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs
Internet website, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel
Alerts, as well as the Country Specific Information for Kuwait can be found.
Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling
1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside
the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These
numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through
Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
If you are a U.S. citizen in need of emergency assistance in Kuwait, you may
reach the U.S. Embassy by calling +965-2259-1001 and requesting the duty
officer.
U.S. citizens living or traveling in Kuwait are encouraged to enroll in the
Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so that they can obtain
updated information on travel and security. U.S. citizens without Internet
access may enroll directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By
enrolling, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact
them in case of emergency. For additional information, please refer to “A Safe
Trip Abroad”.
This message may be accessed on the Embassy website, http://kuwait.usembassy.gov
Please note that the Consular Section is closed for U.S. and most local
holidays. The current holiday schedule for 2011 is posted on
http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/holidays.html
Today in Kuwait
Oh! I am green with envy! I would love to be at these events!
Imagine what the release of falcons is going to look like!
Qatar National Day 2010
Qatar’s National Day Celebration is December 18th. Qatar has developed a website especially to publicize National Day activities. You can find it here: Qatar National Day – English)
There is an interactive map on which you can click to find ongoing celebrations, and an event schedule:
I suspect this is going to be one fabulous celebratory year, with the win of the 2022 World Soccer Cup event. Wooo HOOO Qatar!
Santa Lucia / Saint Lucy
Today is the feast day of St. Lucy, or, as I was growing up in Alaska, surrounded by Scandinavian fishermen and their families, Santa Lucia. In Swedish families there is a tradition that the eldest daughter, on Santa Lucia day, wears a wreath of candles and brings her parents coffee and special saffron buns in bed. People always make jokes about someone following her with a bucket of water, but I can imagine there were mishaps – imagine, mixing candles and hair. As you can see in the photo, thought, the candles are tall – at least at the beginning.
Never kid yourselves. Children love blood and gore, and love to be a little bit scared. The Grimm Brothers knew this, and if you have ever read their original stories, the hairs on the back of your neck would rise and you would say to yourself “How can these be stories for children??” Think about it – Hansel and Gretel abandoned by their own parents to starve in the woods? Girls with really mean stepmothers, who treated them unfairly?
Back before all the romantic literature on zombies and vampires, we children would stand out in the bus stop (in winter, the sun barely rises during the long Alaskan winters) and tell each other stories of the saints in the bible. Many of them died horrible deaths, and this one ended “and then they took her eyes out of her head, and she was still alive!!!!” I don’t remember ever hearing the miracle of the restoration of her sight, in fact, I thought she was killed, martyred, but here is her story, for those who want to know what Santa Lucia’s day is all about.
LUCY
VIRGIN AND MARTYR, abt. 304
The early Roman lists of martyrs commemorate Lucy, virgin and martyr, on 13 December, and her name, with that of Agatha, appears in the Roman Liturgy as an example of those who have gone before us, in whose company we join in giving thanks and praise to God. Aside from this, little is known of her, except that she lived in Syracuse in Sicily, and probably died around 304. Her name, which means “light,” probably accounts for the story that her eyes were put out and her eyesight miraculously restored, and may be connected with the fact that her feast occurs near the time when (in the Northern Hemisphere) the nights are longest.
In Sweden and elsewhere, the day is observed by having one of the daughters of the house dress in a white robe with a crown of lighted candles and go singing from room to room (presumably followed by an adult with a fire extinguisher) early in the morning when it is still dark to awaken the other family members and to offer them St. Lucy’s Cakes and hot coffee.
Ember Wednesday (of the winter season) is defined as the Wednesday after Lucy’s Day. (An equivalent definition would be: the Wednesday preceding the last Sunday before Christmas.)
The above in dark type is from The Lectionary which publishes daily readings and these stories of the Saints put together by James Kiefer.
Veteran’s Day Tribute
Thank you for your faithful service to your country, and to mankind.
Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus at Macys in Philadelphia
What a great way to start my day! Thank you, Momcat, for this wonderful new cultural random happening, this time at a large Macy’s in Philadelphia. Of course, this music is one I put on if I am feeling down; it lifts me right back up. 🙂
Blue Angels Coming Home to Pensacola
The Blue Angels have had a busy year, and coming up, Pensacola gets a chance to welcome them back home. The Blue Angels Homecoming will be November 11 – 13. You can always learn more at their official website: Blue Angels
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