Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

because I don't write on here anymore..I am handing this post over to my mother!! Happy Holidays.

Hi Everyone: Bill & I are having fun in Kuwait. We had a long but good flight over. Friends of ours were going back to Scotland for Christmas so we were able to visit with them all the way to Amsterdam.We made friends with a girl from Amsterdam who was going to visit her huband in Kuwait & she showed us where to get our visitor visa. So we were able to get out of there fairly quickly.The 3 Amigos ( Krista, Amanda & Kyla ) were there to greet us with welcoming sign & all. The traffic in this city is crazyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!! Everyone drives anywhere they want & very fast!!!!!! We went to Krista's apartment & unpacked a bit. Met a few teachers & then went for groceries. Guess where ? Yep the Co-op , but I can tell you it's nothing like ours!!!
The next day Krista went to school so she had their favourite taxi driver (Waahid) pick us up.First we went to the Grand Mosque where we were included in a tour with a bunch of military sailors. It was really informative and we really enjoyed it. Waahid & another teachers husband picked us up. They wanted to go to the fish market so we went along. Whew what a smell!!! but we got used to it. There were all kinds of fish & everyone wanted to sell us something.We walked around & then down to one of the boats & the saw how they fill hampers with fish & then auction them off.
Then we went to the Scientific center & toured the aquarium. We got to touch a lizard's horny tail & then pet a hedgehog. We loved the sharks & colorful fish. We sat by the Gulf & waited for our driver , it was just beautiful. We saw some Kuwaiti women with their children & their nanny's. it was something to watch. Krista tutours a boy that each child has their own maid. Can you believe it & some get paid & treated so poorly
Met Krista at her place & then went bowling with some of the teachers for their Xmas party.Then we all went to Ponderosa for supper ( not a great meal)
Next morning Krista, Amanda & us went to Johnny Rockets for breakfast . Then we filled Amanda's car with gas- 26 cents /litre.!!! Sure wish we could bring some home!!! We went to another grocery store, this one has more imported goods.
We went home & picked up Kyla & off we went to the Iraq border. We were supposed to follow Waahid but he took off ahead of us. Along the way we saw Bedouin tents (where families live in tents- but they have solar lighting haha) sheep & their herders,bombed buildings,and lots of sand. We got about 1/4 of a mile from the border & thats as far as we could go. But their were just vehicles coming & going . Didn't see any people or tanks.There was a little store there so we looked around & took pictures. On the way home we stopped at some communication towers that had been bombed but were still standing & some buildings that had been hit. What alot of nice marble & brick just laying there.Boy I'd love to bring some of that home!!!!!! Back to the city & we took the girls out for Lebanese food. Good but different.
Next morning Krista & Kyla made us french toast & Krista's propane tank was empty , oops , so off to Kylas to finish & eat breakfast.We took the bus to Krista's school & showed us around, Bill got to come cuz it was the wknd otherwise men aren't allowed in the girl's school. Amanda picked us up & we went to the Friday market. Here everyone tries to sell there wares , new & used & you barter. Would have been fun if it wasn't all IMPORTED> . Everything here is imported & yes Lorraine lots is from CHINA!!!!!!! Lunch at McDonalds for their McArabia- actually it was quite good. Then off to a very classy - rich mall which has an IKEA. So we looked around for awhile & then back home. We made caramel popcorn for Krista's Christmas gift to everyone here. Then off to Johnny Carinos for supper ( again American food)
Today Krista called in sick. One of the teachers wife Mary & her little guy Daniel took us to the fabric souk. Wow there are so many little stores selling fabric or sewing supplies it makes your head spin. Got 1/4 of a mitre of blue jean material with the Gucci emblem on it. Had to barter -got it for 1 KD which is around $4.00. He wasn't too happy to go that low. Then on to the old Souk which again are little shops with everything from groceries to spices to toys ( but again imported!) We took the bus home. For supper we went down the street & bought Shwarma( which is either shave beef or chicken in a bun or wrap & a kind of a kebob in a bun. Then we stopped & bought a big round freshly baked Iranian bread & came back & put cheese & pesto on it & warmed it again) They were all good & it was fun to eat local food. These guys have" little " shops were they sell this stuff at night only. They never go to sleep here at night . But alot do seista during the day. The construction here is unreal, the buildings just keep going up . The cranes are sooooo high, it's just amazing. But it's also funny to see how slow alot of them work and where one should do the job they have 4 or 5.
We're off to a Christmas supper tomorrow at a teacher's. Pot luck! And the cleaning lady come tomorrow to clean & do our laundry. I might get used to this!!!!!!!!!!1
She's in for a suprize cuz we made Gumdrop cake today & caramel popcorn so the kitchen's a mess.
Well that's all for now but I'll try to keep you all updated. Bye from the travelling Flynn's