Temperature is north of 40 degrees again so we decide first to hit the pool. It is simply too hot to do something else. Later in the afternoon we drive to the Kuwait House of National Works: Memorial Museum. This innovative museum encapsulates the horror of the Iraqi invasion and honors the sacrifices that Kuwaiti citizens, the Kuwaiti military and the allies made in the order to beat back Saddam’s forces. The exhibits comprise a set of well-crafted models of the city that are illuminated in time with an audio recording in English. Despite the nationalist propaganda, the experience of walking through the darkened corridors, lit only by simulated gun blasts and mortar attacks, is quite impressive.
A Syrian taxi driver picks us up. He is here for 42 years and not too happy with the Kuwaitis. Foreigners don’t get such a great treatment here obviously. We stop at the Grand Mosque, opened in 1986 and the largest one of the city’s 800 mosques. It boasts Kuwait’s highest minaret (74m) and can accommodate up to 5’000 worshippers in the main hall, with room for another 7’000 in the courtyard. We get a free tour in French; and understand it all! Next stop are the Kuwait Towers, Kuwait’s most famous landmark. Designed by a Swedish architectual firm and opened in 1979,the largest of the three towers rises to a height of 187m, and houses a two-level revolving observation deck and cafe. The lower globe on the largest tower stores around one ill ion gallons of water.
It is getting dark and since there is no alcohol in Kuwait, there is no reason to stay in the hotel for dinner (as a wise man quotes). So it is TGiF which is packed with locals as tonight is the evening before their Sunday (being Friday). There are a lot of more liberal dressed people here - but still: I guess we won’t re-use the crew visa again in the future.

Nominally a province of the Ottoman Empire, ruled from Constantinople from the 16th century until the latter part of the 19th century. In that time Sheikh Mubarak Al Sabah or "Mubarak the Great" (r.1896-1915) enters into an agreement with Great Britain, which effectively established Kuwait as an autonomous British protectorate with a semi-autonomous position for the country.
Mid-1930s Kuwait began the development of its petroleum industry, the basis of the country's modern prosperity. On June 19, 1961 Kuwait gained full independence from Britain and in 1963 it became a member of the United Nations.
Kuwait's sovereignty were critically threatened when Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait on August 2, 1990, claiming that Kuwait was harming Iraq economically by refusing to reduce its oil production. Many Kuwaitis were forced to flee to Saudi Arabia and other countries. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, an international coalition of 30 states, led by the United States began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait has spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.