Something to do on a Saturday

The Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the country. It is 24 years old.   Its area spans 45,000 square meters.  (it is really really big)   The prayer hall is 72 meters wide on all sides.  It can accommodate up to 10,000 men in the main hall and up to 950 women in the separate hall for women. The dome of the mosque is 26 meters in diameter.  It is decorated with the the 99 Names of God.  Pretty impressive.  There is a 5 level parking garage underneath  to hold up to 550 cars.                                The Grand Mosque of Kuwait

 

                                 

 

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This is our first time to be inside a mosque.  Before entering, women had to put on the abaya and have  our hair covered with a scarf.   The abayas  are provided…if you have your own scarf you may wear that.  Shoes are not allowed inside.  In the mass hallway surrounding the prayer hall are compartments for placing your shoes.  The numbers on the pillars are numbered, to help you remember where you left your shoes.   The prayer hall is fully carpeted, with wide stripes, (where people line up shoulder to shoulder) and distanced enough to bow down in front of  you.  There is no seating.  Women and men are separated. This specific tour of the mosque and souk was sponsored by AWARE.( Advocates for Western Arab Relations)  We were asked to participate in a  “filming tour”  The center is making a documentary about their programs,  interviewing westerners experiences living in a foreign country and how AWARE has been informative and helpful.  So,during this tour eight of us, including John and I were taken aside and interviewed.  Much joking went on amongst us that we are now “celebrities”.  The camera crew followed us all day filming our tour of the Mosque, bargaining at the souk and even then filming us at the luncheon we were taken to after the tour.  We had fun..met some nice folks, and learned a bit more of this middle eastern culture.  We are invited to the “premier” of the film in May where there will also be a Muslim country singer performing from the US.  We have marked our calendars!!!!!