Monday, May 16, 2011

Trivia Quiz on Places to Visit in Kuwait

1. The Dickson House is a great reminder of the architectural style of Kuwait before the influx of oil money. It was named after Colonel Dickson, a British political agent in Kuwait from 1929-1936. Near which Kuwaiti palace can we find this historic building?


a) Seif Palace
b) Bayan Palace
c) Dasman Palace
d) Ahmadi Palace

2. The Red Fort was the site of many historical battles in Kuwait, most notably the defeat of Saudi invaders in the early 20th century. In which area of Kuwait can we find the Red Fort?


a) Fahaheel
b) Jahra
c) Salwa
d) Sabah Al-Salem

3. Kuwait has only one notably, surviving traditional handicraft. It is a special type of weaving with sheep wool, with red being a major color in the finished pieces. What is the name of the museum where you can see samples of and purchase this handicraft?


a) Beit Al-Sadu (Sadu House)
b) Dar Al-Islamiya (Islamic Museum)
c) Beit Al-Qattan (Qattan House)
d) Dar Al-Cid (Museum of Cid)

4. This next place is iconic; a great place to get lunch and see a gorgeous 360-degree panoramic view of Kuwait - without leaving your seat. What is this rotating place to visit?


a) The Liberation Tower
b) Entertainment City
c) Green Island
d) The Kuwait Towers

5. Want to see dioramas of Kuwait in the "olden day"? Then visit this museum on the Gulf Road; it was first opened in the 1950s, but during the Iraqi invasion, it was nearly destroyed and a lot of the traditional artifacts were looted.


a) Tareq Rajeb Museum
b) Dar Al-Cid
c) Scientific Center
d) The National Museum

6. While in Kuwait, visitors really should go to Mubarakiya. What type of place is Mubarakiya?


a) The Emir's palace
b) Largest wooden ship in the world
c) Traditional marketplace
d) The highest point in Kuwait

7. Near Doha, Kuwait, you can spend a day with your friends and family at a theme park. Kuwait doesn't have a Disney park, but with themed areas called "Arab World", "International World", and "Future World", you can find rides and shows to satisfy everyone in your group.


a) Entertainment City
b) Hawalli Park
c) Shaab Park
d) Aqua Park

8. This next museum was created by Lidia Al-Qattan and her artist husband, Khalifa Al-Qattan. Different rooms of the home have different themes, such as "Inside the Sea" (bathroom), "The Hidden World" (the pantry), and "The Universe" (master bedroom). It is in Qadsiya, Kuwait, and has lots of glass on the outside of the home.

a) House of Glass
b) House of Mirrors
c) House of Qattan
d) House of Inspiration

9. Kuwait has a lot of American restaurant chains. Keeping in mind that Kuwait is a conservative, Islamic country, which of the following restaurants is NOT found anywhere in Kuwait?


a) Hooters
b) Ruby Tuesdays
c) Hard Rock Cafe
d) Applebee's

10. Farms in the desert? Of course! In the southern area of Kuwait, near the Saudi border, you can find this area - filled with fields of palm trees, green houses full of growing vegetables, sheep, and even an ostrich farm!


a) Salmiya
b) Surra
c) Rawda
d) Wafra

Answers for Places to Visit in Kuwait.

1. The Dickson House is a great reminder of the architectural style of Kuwait before influx of oil money. It was named for Colonel Dickson, a British political agent in Kuwait from 1929-1936. Near which Kuwaiti palace can we find this historic building?

Answer: Seif Palace

If you make it to the Dickson House, the old Dhow Harbor is opposite on the seaside, a worthy historical visit.


2. The Red Fort was the site of many historical battles in Kuwait, most notably the defeat of Saudi invaders in the early 20th century. In which area of Kuwait can we find the Red Fort?

Answer: Jahra

It is frequently closed for repairs and updates, so make sure if you go, you have time to waste. Unlike historic places in some countries, there are no "facilities", so be sure to make to use the bathroom before you leave home!


3. Kuwait has only one notably, surviving traditional handicraft. It is a special type of weaving with sheep wool, with red being a major color in the finished pieces. What is the name of the museum where you can see samples of and purchase this handicraft?

Answer: Beit Al-Sadu (Sadu House)

Beit Al-Sadu is open from Saturday-Thursday but you should call for special hours, especially during summer or Islamic holidays. The weavings are beautiful and make great souvenirs or gifts.


4. This next place is iconic; a great place to get lunch and see a gorgeous 360-degree panoramic view of Kuwait - without leaving your seat. What is this rotating place to visit?

Answer: The Kuwait Towers

There are 3 towers that are considered "The Kuwait Towers" - the smallest tower is just for the electrical connections; the medium tower has 1 large, blue-ish "ball" on it that is for water storage; the largest tower has 2 large, blue-ish "balls" on it - they are for water storage and house the restaurant and revolving cafe and viewing area (it completes one rotation per hour). There are a lot of photographs on the walls showing the damage done to the Towers during the Iraqi invasion of 1990-1991.

5. Want to see dioramas of Kuwait in the "olden day"? Then visit this museum on the Gulf Road; it was first opened in the 1950s, but during the Iraqi invasion, it was nearly destroyed, and a lot of the traditional artifacts were looted.

Answer: The National Museum

You can see a large example of a traditional wooden dhow ship (used primarily for pearl-diving) outside the museum.

6. While in Kuwait, visitors really should go to Mubarakiya. What type of place is Mubarakiya?

Answer: Traditional marketplace

If you want to see REAL Kuwait, a visit to this traditional marketplace is for you! To shop, you must be able to bargain for a price, as there are no price stickers! You can see traditional clothing, tin work, the gold shops, as well as the fresh fruit/vegetable market, the date market (dates from palm trees), the spice market, and the fish market! If you are lucky, you will stumble across one of the best, traditional fish restaurants in Kuwait - it doesn't really have a name, and you get the catch of the day, lots of bread & rice, and no silverware unless you ask! It can be a fun day - just be warned that there is very little English spoken here, so be ready for an adventure!


7. Near Doha, Kuwait, you can spend a day with your friends and family at a theme park! Kuwait doesn't have a Disney park, but with themed areas called "Arab World", "International World", and "Future World", you can find rides and shows to satisfy everyone in your group!

Answer: Entertainment City

Entertainment City is worth a visit - but best enjoyed if you have children with you. Watch the newspapers for special deals on ticket prices during Islamic holidays and in the summer!

8. This next museum was created by Lidia Al-Qattan and her artist husband, Khalifa Al-Qattan. Different rooms of the home have different themes, such as "Inside the Sea" (bathroom), "The Hidden World" (the pantry), and "The Universe" (master bedroom). It is in Qadsiya, Kuwait, and has lots of glass on the outside of the home.

Answer: House of Mirrors

As this museum is a private home, you would need to call ahead to schedule a tour. Please be reminded of Arab culture - when you visit someone's home, it is considered polite to bring a small gift (sweets, tea biscuits, flowers, etc) and be ready to accept tea, coffee, or other small refreshments.


9.

In Islam, women are to cover their bodies and be modest. Kuwait has changed a lot since the discovery of oil, but I think it will be a looooooooong time before the society relaxes enough to have a group of Hooters-girls working in the country!


10. Farms in the desert? Of course! In the southern area of Kuwait, near the Saudi border, you can find this area - filled with fields of palm trees, green houses full of growing vegetables, sheep, and even an ostrich farm!

Answer: Wafrah

The Wafrah farms area is neat to see - if you can get an invite to a farm, by all means take it!


I hope you liked this quiz by Americanq8ty , if you are in Kuwait or planning on being here soon, make sure you get out-and-about and see all there is to see.


2 comments:

  1. loved the quiz and what it had to offer! feel so guilty of not knowing or visiting most of these places. makes me want to start visiting them immediately! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Go now immediately.. before it gets unbearably hot :O)

    ReplyDelete

Always great to hear from you :O)