Around 70% of all Kuwaitis live in the capital, Kuwait City. Kuwait is not one of our dream destinations. Nevertheless, we want to spend a few days here.

Kuwait had a population of around 4.3 million in 2020, of which around 61% were men. Women are therefore a clear minority with a share of only 39%.
In addition, only 33% of Kuwaitis have citizenship. The remaining 67% are foreigners with no prospect of naturalization. They mainly come from Iran, India, Pakistan, etc. The approximately 180,000 Bedouins are also disadvantaged in the country, I read on Wikipedia.
Politically, Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy.

On the journey from the border to Kuwait City, we drive through boring and meaningless desert, interwoven with endless power lines and the tent camps of the Kuwaitis. They use them as a second home or for renting out.
Kuwait is well developed in terms of transportation and so it is no problem to drive through the city by truck.

Skyline

For one night, we drive across the main sea road to a small island with the most beautiful view of the skyline. There we meet the most famous “sheikh” of the overlander scene in Switzerland. But now enjoy the pictures and the time-lapse of the Kuwait City skyline.

Skyline time lapse – Please switch to full screen mode

Kuwait National Cultural District

Today we drive to the National Cultural District , which has a fascinating architectural design. In any case, we can let off steam here photographically – or so we think . But if we get too close to the complex, the security guards are always trying to stop us. We don’t understand at all why you are not allowed to take photos. Is it because today is Friday, the Sunday of the Muslims, or do they fear that we want to spy on something? Unfortunately, the museums are closed today, at least outside.

The entire cultural district has cost over 1 trillion US dollars.

Kuwait Towers

One of the sights in Kuwait are the water towers on the seafront. The largest tower, made of reinforced concrete, is 185 m high and serves as a water reservoir and viewing platform. The second water tower is 145 m high and only serves as a water reservoir, while the third tower is used to light the two towers.

Construction work for beautiful parks is underway around the towers and along the several-kilometer-long sea promenade. That’s nice for future visitors, but not for us, because we spend the night in the dust of the construction work near the towers… (it’s our own fault, it’s voluntary).

After dark (or after the sun comes out?), we take the elevator up to the viewing platform together with Peter and Gabi from Pegasus-Unterwegs, where we enjoy the restaurant’s sumptuous buffet with the most beautiful view.

City tour

Last night was restless. Early in the morning, construction trucks began to drive past us, kicking up dust. Tree engines roared. Good slo that the night is over.

This morning we want to take a stroll through the city. We walk past the marina, then through the fish market and on past the fishing port to the Royal Palace. We enjoy the warm sun and the blue sky. There is little traffic on the roads, as people in the Arab region live at night due to the heat of the day and therefore do not get up very early in the morning. Wonderful, we enjoy it to the full.

Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City

In the west of Kuwait, not far from the border with Saudi Arabia, a Dubai-style residential project is being built. So many canals were dug inland in the area of today’s seaside town that around 200 kilometers of coastline were created along the canals. Around 250,000 people are expected to live here in the future.
The multi-trillion US dollar project is being financed exclusively by private investors. A construction period of 25 years in various phases was estimated. The first construction phase was opened in 2016.
And here we are standing on a canal of an as yet unfinished part of the future city with the intention of entering Saudi Arabia tomorrow.