An Adventure to the Towers!

In my travels I have been blessed to see some incredible, breath taking works of structural art, new and old buildings and structures that make a city or a country memorable. I am continuously amazed by architecture and design from all around the world.  

 Like all good Canadian kids I went to CN Tower with my family and with my Grade Five class. I remembering reading about what would happen if a penny was dropped from the CN tower. Later in my life my awe of tall buildings continued as I was traveling in France with my friend Wacky. The first thing we did when we got off our respective planes was head to the Eiffel Tower. It was a glorious start to our vacation as we used our backpacks as pillows and had a nap under the Eiffel Tower. Standing on the observation deck of the tower I was reminded of home as they had signs that told you how far you were to different parts of the world.

The buildings in France continued to be impressive destinations as the next day we hung out at the Louvre in the morning and then went to the Palace of Versailles in the afternoon, which for a long time we ironically understated the beauty of Louis palace by referring to it as some dead French guy’s house. That Louis had a great backyard.

Wearing my turquoise golf shirt and, sometimes, my white Regent/ Radisson shorts I pushed over and held up the leaning Tower of Pisa. One random cruise ship Saturday I raced through the Basilica of St. Peter, The Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum. I stopped long enough to make a wish as I tossed coins in the Trevi Fountain. One day perhaps I will return to Rome and spend more time properly enjoying these places.

 On cruise tours I was overwhelmed by the history of the Parthenon of Greece and spent on spectacular Sunday morning in awe of the Byzantine architecture at St. Mark’s Cathedral. I am also convinced that I will be back in Barcelona in time to see Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia church finally free from construction.

 Sailing under the Brooklyn Bridge on a balcony of the Seven Seas Navigator drinking mimosas the impressive size of this structure made you realize you were coming into a big city. New York buildings from the Empire State Building, to Rockefeller Center are all about strength and power. The attack on this cities buildings and people will be felt forever.

 The buildings of England are grand and regal just like the country. From the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey to the mysterious Stonehenge I was engrossed in the stories and people who had walked these hallowed halls and stood on the grass before me.

 So on the first morning of Winter Break and the first day of Eid Murbarack the call to pray woke me up early. I listen to the rhythmic song and jumped a little with the celebratory gunfire I realized that to truly know this country I needed to see their greatest piece of Kuwait architecture, The Kuwait Towers. 

Located on the Arabian Gulf in the area of Sharq. The Kuwait Towers are one of the main tourist attractions in the State of Kuwait. The towers were designed by a Swedish company and executed by a Yugoslav company. They were built in 1975 and inaugurated in 1979. The plates that cover the balls are fifty five thousand in number. They are made of Chinese steel painted in eight different colors.

They opened to the public in March of 1979. The towers were damaged heavily by the Iraqis during their occupation of Kuwait from 1990 to 1991.

After boarding the tower elevator to the 120th floor it was amazing to see the perfect 360 degree view of Kuwait. The photos on the walls of the towers also highlighted the damage and destruction that had been caused by the invasion. Suddenly I realized that this tower was more then a building it was a sign of hope, growth and strength. Although life in the desert can be challenging for nationals and expats alike this is a country that stands confidently proud and growing rapidly. 

Next week I am off to explore the structures in Egypt. Who knows what mysteries will be found at the great pyramids?

So where in the world is your favourite building and what did you gain from visiting this place?