One Brave Foot Soldier

I felt brave today and walked alone to the Marina Mall and the Marina Crescent (the Marina that can be seen from our balcony). It's only a 15 minute walk but it was my first time walking anywhere alone. Everyone keeps saying that Kuwait is a very safe place and I am sure that it is but the thing is that women rarely go anywhere on their own and especially not walking. There are somehow always men sitting outside their stores, (male) staff waiting to take curb-side orders or men waiting at the bus stops. I wore my sunglasses, conservative clothes and walked with a determined walk as if I was just going to the shop 20 steps away - and then just to the bakery 20 more steps away - and then just to the parking lot 20 more steps away - and then... Until I was there. Call me a chicken but it takes some time to get used to finding the balance between personal freedom to move around and drawing unwanted attention and sending the wrong signals.

Anyway, I decided to celebrate my small victory with a visit to Starbucks. Although it is largely like entering an American Starbucks, they have made subtle modifications - for example by adding dates to their muffins.


(Enjoying an orange-cranberry-date muffin in the sun at Marina Crescent. The high-rise buildings of Kuwait City can be seen in the far background)

I also finally got to take a picture of the Marina Crescent with its outdoor cafés and restaurants as I mentioned in an earlier post:


(Part of Marina Crescent with cafés and restaurants - it gets particularly busy during the evenings)

It was a beautiful sunny winter/early Spring day. It looks warm but it was actually only 12-15 degrees Celcius today in the midday sun (53-59 Fahrenheit).


(Kids flying their kites on the sandy beach along the Gulf this afternoon)

My absolute favorite picture of the day:


I managed to sneak up on this local couple engaged in a conversation while gazing out over the ocean and the Marina Waves in the background (a restaurant complex). I know it's not nice to sneak up on people but I just had to take the picture... (sorry!)