Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

Qatteri Cat Looks Fluffy

You ain’t fat, Qatteri Cat –

you’s FLUFFY!

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November 18, 2007 Posted by | Diet / Weight Loss, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Health Issues, Kuwait, Lies, Living Conditions, Pets, Photos, Relationships | , | 12 Comments

L’Heure Bleu

One of my favorite times of the day is the magical time when, as the sun is setting in the west, the colors change from the warm golden shafts of late afternoon to the pink and blues of impending sunset, and then gradually into the blues, blue-violets, purples and indigos of nightfall.

It is never the same two nights in a row. I make it a ritual, when I can, to stop and watch the transformation. I’ve tried photographing the changes, but it is the ephemera of the colors that makes it so magical, not any one given instant.

This is just a tiny tiny part of the great, magnificent whole – the sunset fishers.

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November 14, 2007 Posted by | Kuwait, Photos, Weather | , , , | 3 Comments

Everybody Needs Somebody

funny pictures
moar funny pictures

How amazing. How adorable. From today’s visit to I Can Has Cheezburger.com

November 14, 2007 Posted by | Humor, Living Conditions, Pets, Photos | 11 Comments

Sunrise With Clouds

I’ve been watching the sky, watching as the continual haze has gathered into wispy clouds, and then, last night, mackeral clouds. At university, we had mandatory distribution classes – everyone had to take classes out of their field, and I took Atmospheric Science as one of my sciences. For a one-semester class, a lot of it really stuck with me!

One of my commenters, Abdulaziz, mentioned earlier that we could start watching for rain. I am watching! As I looked at the sky this morning, I could begin to imagine that rain will indeed be possible again in Kuwait, one of these days:

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(Kinan, who loves the sunrises as I do, you know this is for you!)

November 14, 2007 Posted by | Community, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Photos, Weather | 7 Comments

A Heavenly Day in Kuwait

Adventure Man and I spent the whole day together yesterday, a true sabbath day, worship and play, and very little work. I hope you had the same kind of day. The weather is perfect for strolling along the Corniche, the beautiful blue sky was perfect for taking photos, and the haze over Kuwait made it a little bit dreamlike.

Hawally Park:
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We love the Marine Science Center – total WOW:

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We think this is place is amazing – we think it might be used for parties, but we don’t know. Anyone?

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Dinner at Al Manshar – on a perfect autumn evening.

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November 10, 2007 Posted by | Adventure, Community, Customer Service, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Photos | 13 Comments

More Mubarakiya Art

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I think this is a total hoot! Along with the Pacific Coast scenery and fish, we have a Swiss Cow, with a bell, and Alpine scenery.

Here is one I love, a genuine Kuwaiti butcher – I love the glasses! Faces and hands are hard to do, and this artist caught his individuality. I wonder if he is still in one of the smaller meat market shops? Also note the bloodstains on the cutting table!

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And here is a treasure, just outside the older section, near the date souk, badly damaged, and someone has strung a power cord across it, but one of the best pieces in the market. Love the colors, and look at the stone entry – the artist truly captured the feeling of stone. Look at the depths in the door and the window, the shadows and highlights. Look at the folds in the men’s thobes. This artist had some training.

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October 28, 2007 Posted by | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Cross Cultural, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Photos, Public Art, Shopping | , | 6 Comments

Mubarakiya Evening

The weather has definitely cooled. We grab out friends and head for one of our very favorite places, the Mubarakiya market downtown, one of the few places still in existence with a flavor of old Kuwait.

We’ve visited in recent months, but the heat defeated us. Last night, our closest 4,000 friends were down there with us, shopping in the markets, having a bite to eat in the outdoor restaurant area (you can only tell which restaurants are which by the different colors of the chairs and tables) relaxing, visiting, just enjoying a beautiful mild weekend evening.

And it was beautful. We have eaten there in the heat, with cooling fans to keep things bearable, we have eaten there in the cold of winter, with little stoves on the table to keep the tea hot and to warm our hands (a little) but this night was utterly perfect. Warm enough, cool enough, and fresh, well prepared local food – it was a perfect evening.

Some new Mubarakiya photos:

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October 26, 2007 Posted by | Arts & Handicrafts, Community, Customer Service, Eating Out, ExPat Life, Friends & Friendship, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Photos, Shopping, Travel | , , | 10 Comments

Early Wednesday Morning

Last night just after I turned out my light, I said to Adventure Man “don’t you love these cold winter evenings?” We had turned the A/C down a notch back when we had all that humidity, and I hadn’t turned it back up, so it feels refreshingly cool. Adventure Man, on the other hand, has his flannel nightshirt on; I was born in the cold winter of Alaska, and he was born in the heat of summer in the hot south. I love sleeping cold, he needs more covers.

Somehow, all these years, we’ve made it work.

I woke up early this morning, not jet lagging or anything, just rested and ready to start the day. It was five. I got my coffee and went out on the balcony – and it was wonderful! It was probably about 68°F – maybe about 20°C – and there was a slight wind blowing and it ALMOST chilly.

The sky was clear, and a deep cerulean blue, and you could see so many stars. Sunrise was still an hour away, but you could see a dim light beginning on the horizon. Oh wow. I love to start the day this way.

Miles to go before I sleep, so need to get through the morning business so I can get on with assorted projects. With this discernible change in the weather, with Kuwait entering the loveliest time of the year, I feel good about being out and about today.

Early dawn – sorry, I jiggled a little so the star isn’t so sharp
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The sun has moved far to the south!
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October 24, 2007 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Photos, Weather | 14 Comments

Moon over Kuwait Towers

Celebrating 100,000 hits:

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(Truly, just a lucky shot, with AdventureMan’s help)

Thank you, friends and visitors, for your visitsm your comments and your insights. Thank you for being a part of my virtual family.

September 28, 2007 Posted by | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Blogging, Building, Community, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Lumix, Photos, Statistics | 12 Comments

Moon Over Kuwait

It’s a magical night, and this is what the rising moon looks like over Kuwait:

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September 27, 2007 Posted by | ExPat Life, Kuwait, Photos | 6 Comments