'The Pale Bedouin' - Tales From The Desert: Failaka Island

Going to Failaka Island was also a great chance to see some wildlife and lots of pretty flowers and plants - this post is mainly us gone crazy taking pictures :-)

(Birds on a signpost as we sail out of the Marina)

(Bar staff waiting to take your order at the swimming pool bar in the Failaka Heritage Village)

Of course no heritage village would be complete without the obligatory camel offering rides for the children:

(Camel rides KD 1 - equivalent of $3.5, €2.5, kr.19)

This couple was looking at the camel for quite a while and it was obvious the woman was trying to convince her husband to pet the camel. He seemed unwilling at first but then finally she convinced him and he stretched out his arm to lightly touch its head. If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you'll see how his pinkie is sticking out..

But really, this was not one of the screaming and teeth-showing camels like the one we saw at the camel race (see earlier post).

(Patiently waiting for the next customer)

(Resting in the sun)

The Failaka Heritage Village also has a very small zoo with goats, deer, chicken, a couple of monkeys and an ostrich.

As we approached the goats, these 4 women were already feeding them. They were laughing and giggling and took turns finding bushes and trees they could break branches and leaves off to give to the goats. My Arabic is too limited to say anything meaningful to them but we had eye contact, smiled at each other and laughed at the goats - no words needed to share that moment. When they had all turned their backs I took the photo hoping that as none of them are recognizable, they will not mind that I published it:

(Women feeding the very eager - and very hungry - goats at the mini zoo of Failaka Heritage Village)

(Taking a nap in the afternoon sun - from the mini zoo)

The heritage village also has stables and the British manager is an avid horse rider herself. No heritage village would be complete without Arabian horses but they also serve to offer rides to children and adults who otherwise may have very few chances to sit atop a horse (unless you join an expensive horse club in Kuwait City)

(Horse at the Failaka stables)

(Horse grinning - and eating the bark off the wooden fence)

Another favorite picture of mine - this beautiful white horse curiously stuck its head out of an opening in the wall to see who we were - and then decided to stick its tongue out. I am beginning to see a pattern here - animals react like that when they see us!!?! (see camel race post for how camels react when they see us)

(White, naughty horse at the Failaka stables)

There is also a small Shetland Pony in the stables:

(Shetland pony in the Failaka Stables - sticking out its head and just exactly reaching above a normally-sized chair)

We also ventured outside of the heritage village and saw these birds sitting on the pier - the one at the far left seems to be doing a pose from 'Karate Kid' :-)

(Birds posing on the pier)

On the pier, flies had found the remains of a shrimp. Their bodies were beautifully green and blue in the sun:

(Feasting on a shrimp, Failaka pier)

(Feasting on a shrimp, Failaka pier - look at the bright red eye of the fly)

I wonder if butterflies always look upset?

(A butterfly on the road, Failaka)

Why fish don't live in the desert:

(Dried out fish and a glove left in the sand)

(A small Failaka inhabitant - actually it was not that small...)

(Cat looking for food in a dumpster outside Failaka Heritage Village)

The flowers and plants were also really beautiful - I have no idea about names and species, though...