The Tour of the Grand Mosque

This is looking at the mosque from across the street.

Just a few facts before I share my pictures.  This description is taken from wikipedia.org.  

The Grand Mosque is the largest and the official mosque in the country of Kuwait. Its area spans 45,000 square metres (480,000 sq ft), out of which the building itself covers 20,000 square metres (220,000 sq ft). The main prayer hall is 72 metres (236 ft) wide on all sides, has 21 teakwood doors, and has lighting provided by 144 windows. The dome of the mosque is 26 metres (85 ft) in diameter and 43 metres (141 ft) high, and is decorated with the Asma al-hosna, the 99 names of God. The mosque can accommodate up to 10,000 men in the main prayer hall, and up to 950 women in the separate hall for women. The mosque also contains a 350 square metres (3,800 sq ft) library of Islamic reference books and documents. To accommodate the large number of vehicles belonging to worshippers, the mosque also contains a 5-level car park underneath the eastern courtyard which can hold up to 550 cars. Construction on the mosque started in 1979, and the mosque was completed in 1986. The Minaret of the grand mosque is located in Northern-West of the mosque, resembles the Anadalusian architeure.

The bottom line is that it is big!!!

The front of the mosque, where we entered the actual grounds of the mosque.

When DP and I first arrived, we were asked to cover ourselves in robes that are provided.  My biggest problem through the whole tour was that my head-covering would not stay up and the material was polyester and thus wouldn't breath...and you guessed it.  I was hot.

All ready for the tour

DP and some of the other ladies awaiting the start of the tour.

 

This particular mosque has only 1 Minaret. 

This is looking across the square to the side of the mosque.  The area that I am standing in can accommodate up 10000 people for prayer.  You may notice wires crossing the pictures.  These are lines that mist the people during the hot days/evenings of Kuwait.

One of the doors that lead into one of the smaller prayer rooms.

This is looking down the corridor along side the actual building.  The door from above, would be on the left hand side.

This is inside the smaller prayer room, looking down to the other end.

The arch in the far wall is the mihrab in the main prayer room at the mosque.  A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying.  Since the main prayer is undergoing renovations, we were only allowed to look into the main prayer room.  It is huge!

This is looking to my left in the main prayer room.

This is one of the chandeliers in the main prayer room.  If memory serves me, there are 4 of them, each weighing one ton.  The are very beautiful.

This is just one panel in the ceiling of the main prayer room.

This is the top of the mihrab in the smaller prayer room.  I couldn't get over the ornateness of the walls, ceilings and just about everything else.

This is a smaller dome just outside the Sheik's diwaniya.  Again, the craftsmanship is spectacular.

This is one part of the ceiling in the Sheik's diwaniya.  The part that looks like it is hanging down,was a style that was created centuries ago to mimic stalactites and stalagmites.  The colour scheme in this room is meant to remind people of the sand and water of Kuwait.  The overall sense of the room is one or calmness. 

The chandelier in the room.

An exact duplicate of the original Koran.  In the front of the book are calligraphy tools.

One of the tiled walls.

This is looking up at the ceiling between the stalagmite/stalactite designs.

Above and below are taken from sections of the ceiling.  It was, I believe, all hand carved.

At the top of one of the tiled portions of the wall.

I can't remember exactly what this is, but I remember that it is written in such a way that the writing is symmetrical.

All in all it was a very enjoyable tour.  As I have mentioned before, the architecture and use of colour makes this a beautiful place of worship.  It is definitely a building that any country would be proud of.

What I did with my Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha or "Festival of Sacrifice" commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael, or Isaac depending on your religious background, as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a sheep— to sacrifice instead.  Eid al-Adha celebrations start after the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.  

At the start of this Eid, I knew that it coincided with the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.  I didn't know that it also was to commemorate the sacrifice of Abraham.  I guess that I should have picked up on it a little sooner when sheep began being sacrificed in the parking lots around the buildings where I live.  I gather that after the sheep is sacrificed, it is cut up and the meat is shared with family and friends.  

Now that you know a bit about the holiday, let me tell you how I spent it.

On the first Friday, November 4th, myself and a group of friends went to the PAWS Ball at the British Embassy.  

 Here I am with DP just before we leave for the Ball.

The Ball was a very nice affair.  Sorry I don't have any actual picture during the actual event.  Cameras and cell phones are not allowed to be taken in.  It was an outside event, and the weather co-operated so that it was a very nice evening.

Saturday saw me helping my floor mate LK bring in a mother cat and her 4 kittens.  LK has been feeding this cat since last year. When Sweet Pea had her kittens, LK looked after all of them, feeding and creating a safe place for them until the little ones would no longer stay in the shelter.  Sweet Pea and her kittens are now living in the area outside of all of our apartments.  Once Sweet Pea has weaned the kittens, LK is adopting her and we are hoping to find homes for the kittens.

Sweet Pea and her family just after we brought them up to the 8th floor.

We call this one Colombo.  He is like Christopher Columbus in that he likes to explore.  It's the first time that I have seen a bottle brush for a tail.  Colombo was one of the runts of the litter.

Here they are:  Introducing Apollo, Colombo, Xena, and Apricot.

This is Xena and she is fearless.  Just after the kittens were born, I actually thought that she had died.  Now she is almost as adventuresome as Colombo.

Sunday and Monday I went to school and to try to get my marks and comments done before school starts again.  Everything has to be done by Wednesday, Nov. 16, and since it is partly my responsibility to ensure everyone in my department has their marks done as well, I decided to get mine done.  I also used that time to get my desk and book case organized so that I knew what was actually there.  It is a good feeling to have completed that task.

Monday night saw us going to NB's and DB's apartment to play games.  It was a lot of fun and I certainly had several good laughs that night. I think it was what everyone needed.

Wednesday LK, NB, DP and I went to the fabric souk.  There is absolutely no way that you can see it all in just one day since there is store after store after store after store of fabric and notions.  I didn't realize that there were that many different colours, patterns and types of fabrics around.  It was, to put it as simply as possible, Mind Boggling. I was planning to purchase some fabric for a couple of skirts, but I basically ran out of time.  (All the stores close at 2:00 p.m. and don't open again until 5:00 p.m.)  I did, however, manage to find a gorgeous "bling" dress.  It is red in colour and has "stuff" on it.  I purchased it at an Indian store, so perhaps that might give you an idea of the style - Indian as opposed to being Middle Eastern.  I have promised LK that I will wear it camping this summer or I may just create my own event so that I can wear it.  I will post pictures when I finally do slip it on.  Until then, you will just have to imagine what it looks like.

Thursday evening saw MW, LK and myself attend a Remembrance Day Service at the British Embassy.  The service was held outdoors, in the same area that the PAWS Ball had been held.  The weather was much cooler though and there were several women in fur stoles, coats and wraps of various types.  I must admit that the temperature was very much to my liking.  MW had been asked to lay the wreath for New Zealand so LK and I were able to sit with her in the "dignitaries" section. Besides Britain other countries who laid wreaths included Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Malawi, India, and a few others that I wasn't able to determine.  It was a very nice service and having it in the evening, after the sun went down was different.  Afterwards the 3 of us went to one of the halls at the Embassy and enjoyed an Indian dinner.  All in all, a very nice evening.

Today, Friday, DP and I went to the Science Centre and watched 2 IMAX movies.  The first one was Into the Deep  and the second one was  Haunted Castle.  Both of them were in 3D.  DP and I both enjoyed the first one, but the second one left us a bit puzzled.  I think you have to be much younger to really enjoy it - like about 17.  DP and I want to go back again in order to watch The Fires of Kuwait. It generally plays every Friday at 2:30, except of course for this Friday.  I saw this movie in Calgary when it was playing at the IMAX there. Now that I am here, and have actually seen some of the damage done by the Iraqis, I would like to see it again.

Tomorrow, the last day of the holiday, DP and I are going  to the Grand Mosque.  Having said that, I need to publish this post and get my beauty sleep. More later.
 

The building and buildings of Kuwait.

 The architecture of Kuwait fascinates me.  As I have gone through my pictures of Kuwait, I have found that I have actually taken quite a few, so decided to share them with you.  The country truly is a mix of the old and the new.

I must admit that I have never sign such a large poster as this one is.

This is the top of one of the buildings.  A very different shape than I had seen before.

I can't believe how many of this style of building I have seen - the gentle swirl.  And remember that these buildings are being erected on sand.

Please notice that at the top of the mosque are loud speakers so that people can hear the call to prayer.  And of course, just behind you can see a building being worked on.

This building may not be that unique in it's style, but I managed to catch a picture of 4 of the workmen being taken up to the top of it by the crane.

What I found interesting about this, was that "arm" that is extending out toward me, was actually being swung around by the crane on top of the building beside where I was.  When I first say the arm, I actually thought it was going to hit the building I was in. The picture may not show it, but the arm actually looked very close.

The top of an almost completed building.  No flat roofs here!!

Tour and the history of selected sites in downtown Kuwait City - Part V

The next stop on our tour was this diwaniya called Al-Shamlan Historical Diwaniya.  It belongs to one of the old families of Kuwait.  I feel that it was quite an honour to be able to see the inside of this particular one.  After being there, I can totally see how the men would meet and discuss the problems of the country and determine the direction that things should take.

This is just one of three meeting rooms that are in this building.  In past years, the Emir might have actually joined this particular diwaniya.

From the top of the wall of the diwaniya, this is looking down into the same room.  The coloured windows above the door caught my eye.

And what is behind the diwaniya?  Why of course construction!  I marvel every time I see one of the skyscrapers and realize that it has been constructed in sand. I am not sure what the built up centre section is.  If I am here long enough, I may find out.

And behind this construction site, is a building on the way up.

I believe that the rods that you can see in the ground are used to help "secure" the building. 

And what do you do after going on a tour?  Why eat, of course.  We ate at the Safir Hotel.  The restaurant is at the top of the hotel and has a beautiful view of the Gulf and the skyline of Kuwait.  Not a bad way to finish off the tour!

This is some of the desserts that were set up to admire and then consume.

I just couldn't help myself with the above picture and the next two below.  The flower above is created using a cantaloupe and the two below have used a watermelon.  I think most of the people on the tour took pictures of these beautiful "fruit" flowers.  I can't ever remember seeing centre pieces like these.

You can see the Kuwait Towers in the background from this view.

The Kuwait Skyline

Above and below are pictures of the Gulf, and one of the many marinas along the Kuwaiti coast.

A cargo ship, probably on it's way out from Kuwait to points unknown.