The Gulf States: Bon appétit!

31 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Editorial, Bon appétit Reading Time:  99 minutes

© Hégésippe Cormier/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Hégésippe Cormier/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Persian Gulf is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Indian Ocean (Gulf of Oman) through the Strait of Hormuz and lies between Iran to the northeast and the Arabian Peninsula to the southwest. The Shatt al-Arab river delta forms the northwest shoreline. The gulf has many fishing grounds, extensive reefs (mostly rocky, but also coral), and abundant pearl oysters. The body of water is historically and internationally known as the Persian Gulf. Some Arab governments refer to it as the Arabian Gulf. Arab cuisine is a cuisine defined as the various regional cuisines spanning the Arab world, from the Maghreb to the Mashriq or Levant and the Persian Gulf. The cuisines are often centuries old and resemble and culture of great trading in spices, herbs, and foods. The three main regions, also known as the Maghreb, the Mashriq, and the Khaleej have many similarities, but also many unique traditions. These kitchens have been influenced by the climate, cultivating possibilities, as well as trading possibilities. The kitchens of the Maghreb and Levant are relatively young kitchens which were developed over the past centuries. The kitchen from the Khaleej region is a very old kitchen. The kitchens can be divided into the urban and rural kitchens. For devout Muslims, there are corresponding dietary rules that are similar to those of the Jewish dietary rules, but not so far-reaching.   read more…

Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai

30 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Dubai, Hotels Reading Time:  6 minutes

Jumeirah Beach Hotel © flickr.com - ADTeasdale/cc-by-2.0

Jumeirah Beach Hotel © flickr.com – ADTeasdale/cc-by-2.0

Jumeirah Beach Hotel is a hotel in the coastal residential area Jumeirah of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotel, which opened in 1997, is operated by the Dubai-based hotelier Jumeirah. The hotel contains 598 rooms and suites, 19 beachfront villas, and 20 restaurants and bars. This wave-shaped hotel complements the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, which is adjacent to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The hotel occupies a location on the beach. Visitors to the hotel have at total of 33,800 square metres (364,000 sq ft) of beach for their use. Beside the hotel is the Wild Wadi Water Park. All guests in the hotel have unlimited access to the waterpark.   read more…

Theme Week Kuwait – Kuwait City

28 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  10 minutes

Kuwait City skyline with the National Bank of Kuwait, Burgan Bank © flickr.com - Jaw101ie/cc-by-2.0

Kuwait City skyline with the National Bank of Kuwait, Burgan Bank © flickr.com – Jaw101ie/cc-by-2.0

Kuwait City is the capital and largest city of Kuwait with a populaton of 2.4 millionen. Kuwait City is the political, cultural and economic center of Kuwait. Kuwait City is considered a global city. Kuwait City’s trade and transportation needs are served by Kuwait International Airport, Mina Al-Shuwaik (Shuwaik Port) and Mina Al Ahmadi (Ahmadi Port). From 1946 to 1982, Kuwait experienced a period of prosperity driven by oil and its liberal atmosphere. In popular discourse, the years between 1946 and 1982 are referred to as the “Golden Era”. In 1950, a major public-work programme began to enable Kuwaitis to enjoy a modern standard of living. By 1952, the country became the largest oil exporter in the Persian Gulf region. This massive growth attracted many foreign workers, especially from Palestine, India, and Egypt – with the latter being particularly political within the context of the Arab Cold War. In June 1961, Kuwait became independent with the end of the British protectorate and the Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah became an Emir. Under the terms of the newly drafted constitution, Kuwait held its first parliamentary elections in 1963. Kuwait was the first of the Arab states of the Persian Gulf to establish a constitution and parliament.   read more…

Theme Week Kuwait – Mangaf

27 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Mangaf © hospitalityonline.com

Mangaf © hospitalityonline.com

Mangaf is a suburb of Kuwait City. It is a mix of old and new. The old is split into two areas; commercial and residential. Government housing from the 1980s formed the area with houses, while the rest was a large collection of residential tower blocks, a limited number of shops and fast-food places. There is a larger concentration of shops in the area locally known as Al Azeeziya. A concentration of mobile phone shops, computers, and more. It also has a branch of the Sultan Center chain. Mangaf now has many fast food chains such as KFC, Hardees along with other famous restaurants such as Minutes, Steek, Bustan Al Turkey Restaurant etc.   read more…

Paphos, European Capital of Culture 2017

27 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, European Union, European Capital of Culture, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  10 minutes

Sheriffing Paphos © panoramio.com - An. Antoniou/cc-by-sa-3.0

Sheriffing Paphos © panoramio.com – An. Antoniou/cc-by-sa-3.0

Paphos is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today at Kouklia, and New Paphos. The current city of Paphos lies on the Mediterranean coast, about 50 km (30 mi) west of Limassol (the biggest port on the island), which has an A6 highway connection. Paphos International Airport is the country’s second-largest airport. The city has a subtropical-Mediterranean climate, with the mildest temperatures on the island. Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of the world’s heritage for its spectacular ancient remains, and was selected as a European Capital of Culture for 2017, along with Aarhus.   read more…

Theme Week Kuwait – Bubiyan Island

26 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Bubiyan Island © Vitor - arz

Bubiyan Island © Vitor – arz

Bubiyan Island is the largest island in the Kuwaiti coastal island chain situated in the north-western corner of the Persian Gulf, with an area of 863 km2 (333 sq mi). The island is uninhabited. The island is mostly flat and low, salt marshes cover most of the coast. There are some intermittent wadis in the center of the island.   read more…

Theme Week Kuwait – Kuwait Towers

25 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

© Paasikivi/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Paasikivi/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Kuwait Towers are a group of three slender towers in Kuwait City, standing on a promontory into the Persian Gulf. They were the sixth, and last, group in the larger Kuwait Water Towers system of 34 towers (33 store water, one stores equipment), and were built in a style considerably different from the other five groups. The Kuwait Towers were officially inaugurated in March 1979 and are regarded as a landmark and symbol of modern Kuwait. The towers were closed for maintenance from March 2012 to 8 March 2016, with a massive fireworks festival commemorating the re-opening. In 1980, the Kuwait Water Towers system, including the Kuwait Towers, was an inaugural recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.   read more…

Portrait: The Reformer Martin Luther

25 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: Portrait Reading Time:  36 minutes

Martin Luther (1529) by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Martin Luther (1529) by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546), O.S.A., was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. Luther came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. He strongly disputed the Catholic view on indulgences as he understood it to be, that freedom from God’s punishment for sin could be purchased with money. Luther proposed an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517. His refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor.   read more…

Theme Week Kuwait – Madinat al-Hareer

24 October 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

© timeskuwait.com

© timeskuwait.com

Madinat al-Hareer meaning “Silk City”), is a proposed 250 km2 (62,000-acre) planned urban area in Sulaibiya, northern Kuwait. Upon construction, it would include the Burj Mubarak al-Kabir, a nature reservation of 2 square kilometres, a duty-free area which will be beside a new airport, in addition to a large business center, conference areas, environmental areas, athletic areas, and areas that concentrate on media, health, education, and industry. The City of Silk will also include numerous tourist attractions, hotels, spas, and public gardens. The city will be built in individual phases with total completion within twenty-five years. The development will cost an estimated 25 billion Kuwaiti Dinars (94 billion USD). In May 2014, the Silk City project was on hold. In June 2014, the Kuwaiti government approved a decree creating a body in charge of developing Silk City and Boubyan Island. Kuwait also signed a cooperation agreement with China for developing Silk City and its economic belt. On June 3, 2014, Silk City’s final masterplan was approved, the new Silk City masterplan replaces previous proposals. The Jaber Causeway (bridge that links Kuwait City to Silk City) is currently under construction.   read more…

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