Doha
Budapest
Buzau
Bangalore
Brooklyn New York
New York
Cochin
London
Ft. Worth
Calgary
Boston
Berkhamsted
Muscat
Las Vegas
Aliso Viejo
Hasselt
Bellevue
Seoul
Conroe
Mountain View
Leeds
Sydney
Regina What is the common in the above listed cities ? Well , I got readers from all of them . About ten days ago I managed somehow to install the stats program on my blog and it is very exciting to see who are clicking on my page .It is one of the great things about blogging .I get the most readers from Qatar though I did not manage to get on the list of qatarliving bloggers however hard I tried . I gave up that and I am trying to reach people through community forums and directories .



It was very hard at the beginning .Sometimes my posts disappeared ,sometimes they could not be published for some unknown reasons .Then I became more confident technically .When I had around 30 posts I submitted my blog to some directories .One of them refused me claiming that my blog is not a quality blog yet . To be admitted I should post minimum three times a week and my posts should be no longer or shorter than 400-500 character .First ,I thought I would try .Then I told to myself : how terrible to write only because you have to . I think the charm of the blogs is coming from their spontaneous ,unprofessional nature . This way I remain an everyday blogger - and wish I could go on with it the next year .

The great surprise that I am not the only Hungarian who is blogging from Qatar .I discovered tunde2006 is also sending posts in Hungarian about the life here and got a message some weeks ago in Hungarian from cowbabies - who is posting in English from here .
I read with pleasure Marjorie 's blog and tall&ginger'blog . Rain in DOha also gave me a lots of practical information .
Unfortunately , I did not have time to study and read all the blogs -and I suppose there are many others worth reading .
THank you for the blogging , the reading !
I wish a very happy blogging year for all of us !

Pizza Places in Qatar

• Pizza Places in Qatar It might be useful to know : Biella cafe-pizzeria -ristorante 4677731 the Mall D- ring road + City Center il rustico ristorante italiano 4385444 rydges hotel al-bida the italian job - ramada hotel c ring road 4281428 papa johns -food center ,al khor + Al Emadi Building, along Ras Abu Abboud, Old Salata Contact Number: 4662161 sbarro - Al Emadi complex ,B ring road tel :4440401 +Royal plaza top floor tel:4477763 + Center point mall .Jawaan street 4477780 yellow cab - Tv roundabout 4888310 Lo Spaguetto -behind the royal plaza tel:4341601 Pizza Express - Villaggio Mall , City Center mall , top floor 4839595 Pizza Hut - American Pizza Ramada Junction 4657744 ,4657733 Pizza Inn tel 4443596 4783357 4817576 PizzeriaFresh Pizza/PastasDoha Marriott Gulf Hotel4432432 Porcine Italian Ritz-Carlton 4848000 Il Foro Romano Ristorante location :Hyatt Plaza tel:4581111 Ristretto location : Villaggio Mall tel:4507208 Romano's Macaroni Grill location : Villaggio Mall tel 451 75 85 Domino's Pizza Location Al Nasser Street and Rass Abou Aboud Street Contact Number: 4340000 My list is not full .A week ago I tasted Sbaro's pizza and it had very fresh ,Mediterranean flavour - I would recommend that to everyone .  

SZABO MAGDA , the much beloved Hungarian writer died some weeks ago . She was ninety and had a very exciting life and carrier .A woman novelist ,a great teacher .I must stop and think about her . WE met 27 years ago . I was a teenage girl she was the famous writer .She came to visit her cousin to the little town where my brother graduated from the secondary school . The form teacher of my brother happened to be cousin with the great writer and she had promised the visit on the farewell day of the class .The school building was from 18 th century , baroque style . It used to be monastery .ON the farewell days in my country all the school buiding is decorated by flowers .The students before the final exams walk along the classes and sing a farewell song .All of it was very romantic .She was there: a very simple person with very simple manners .
How nice to remember her !
IN her last interview she said this sentence : " I have had a deep fear in my soul since my early childhood : if I do not listen to those who want to talk to me then God is not going to listen to me either ."

Part of her great success was that she was a great listener !

learn more about her in English

Christmas story or the ugly book's tale

 1970 was a pretty difficult year .   My father saw no other way to   rise the family's living standard  than going to the capital to study  for a year  in hope of getting a better position   . It made us suffer financially and emotionally as well .  How much I missed  him ! He came home just for a short visit for the weekends . On Sundays he had to leave  us right after our lunch . After kissing him good-bye at the bus station my mum was walking home with grim face – then before arriving home she burst out crying .  Usually , I  could not help  crying with her - we were sobbing in the street . The next door women were laughing at us .” Hey ,are you crazy ? /” He is coming back next week – he didn't go to war , but to college ."

It was hard for my mum .She was left alone with three  little kids and very little money .My father had to concentrate on his studies . We had to suffer for a better future .

Christmas was very near and my mother had very little money for presents . She hoped to get something unexpected : bonus or some money from my father – but nothing came .She had to arrange all the presents somehow on her own means ..
The shops were going to close and remain closed for Christmas time when
my mother ran to the toy shop : she had found a wooden toy car for my little brother and a doll for me – after paying she was left with very little money .” could you suggest something for a nine year old boy ?” she asked „for this money we've a book „ she had pointed to a ugly looking book with grey cover in the shop window . It was meant for summer visitors – a travel book on lake Balaton at discount price .
„ No „ was the first reaction of my mum „ „ it can not be a present for him „
We do not have anything else -and sorry we are closing „ Are you taking the book or not ?”

My mother recognized that she had no other option . She bought an ugly looking discount priced book for her first born son . What will he say when he sees it under the tree? What a life ! How far were her dreams from the reality !

My father arrived  just some hours before exchanging gifts .He was not scared at all  when my mum told him about the book .” I will arrange that „ he had told her with confidence . (They never lied us about the presents – it was always clear for us that they bought it or they prepared them on their own .)

„ My son „ „ You get no toys this winter , because we thought with your mum that you are big enough to have a book instead – and not any book but a book written for adults . I consider that you are smart enough to read it and tell us later about it" 
That was my father's trick .
 And  it worked wonderfully ! My brother was not disappointed but proud !He started to read as soon as he found some free time . And the book  despite its ugly cover turned out to be very interesting : it told stories ,legends on the origin of the mountains and hills surrounding us . We had lived in Tapolca basin surrounded by so many different type of mountains . He had learned a lot about them .First he told these stories only  for us at home . Then he shared his knowledge with his buddies as well .Finally he became famous in the neighbourhood as an expert of mountains -and often even adults stopped him and asked him to tell about the story of this or that mountain .

When they asked amazed:where did you learn all this ?: he answered proudly : from a book I got for Christmas .

Epiloge

My brother is in his fourtiies nowadays and he still knows a lot on that area ,he loves the books and had learnt a lots of different hobbies merely from books wihtout tutors .And of course he still remembers with pleasure to that ugly looking book ...

SPORT CITY has been built recently - in the evenings it is wonderfully illuminated .

santa was at the plaza

a cafe in the plaza

art-deco interior of royal plaza

the city where I live is partly demolished and built up again . It has got some old districts like Bin Mahmoud , which id gradually transformed.Other ones like Rumeila was totally pulled down - only the trees remained four years ago .

festive pattern no2
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almawad

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ROYAL PLAZA FOR ENTERTAINMENT I had never thought that Royal Plaza in the Al- Sadd is more than a boring plaza for luxury shopping .I have never intended to go there .
But when I read about its art-deco cinemas its sapphire ,ruby ,golden halls I decided that I must go there a day .
It was a stunning experience to enter the main hall of the plaza .WE had the feeling that we travelled through the history and space and we found ourselves in the roaring 1930's .The sun entering through the glass dome enlightened the whole plaza .Star shaped windows ,vintage style floor pattern , a huge clock at the top of the elevator ,stained glass lamps - it seemed that everything was wonderfully planned .
WE got surprised when the concierge at the customer service had asked if we wish a fun stroller for our kid .It was for free . Waiting for the elevator we found an automatic shoe-shine machine .Also it was free .The lifts' doors were transparent and the lift-boys were wearing Santa's cap .
AS we came for entertainment we went right to the cafe "Cup&cino" It was again a joy to admire their stylish decor , furniture .
Reef fun-city for kids was our next place to go inside the plaza .For 20 rial there was unlimited access to the Dodgem , soft toys ,huge slides ,craft corner ,let'pretend corner .Our kid had so good time there that we missed the kids chorus performing on the first floor during that 90 minutes that we spent there .
When we got out from there and looked down we saw already Santa sitting there - he was a Filipino Santa - for me it was very special .He was listening carefully to the kids and to their parents .
Another Filipino man made face paintings- extraordinary good ones .It was also the courtesy of the plaza .
When we returned the fun- stroller to the concierge- our kid got a packet of marshmallows and she had the possibility to play the game "guess how many candies in the jar " .Though she did not win - but all in all we left the plaza with the feeling that this is the place where we must come again soon .

SOME THOUGHTS ON TEDDY BEARS:
Teddy bears are soft toys .With their outstretching arms and gentle glamour in their eyes they tend to remind kids to humans .No wonder that they are so popular comforting objects .Kids love to hug the teddies .This toy is a love- substitute ,makes one think about peace ,love , warmth , safety .
It is not an animal ! It is not a pet ! Just a toy ,a comforting object !

One of my fellow Hungarians is struggling with life in Saudi Arabia .Cultural shock ,uprooted life so on ...
She started her blog some weeks ago here .
Good Luck for her !

GIFT IDEAS FOR HIM
some of my designs

sunstripes with water
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almawad

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joyful stripes
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almawad

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light dream
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almawad

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Where are you from ? -asked me the woman at the registration desk .
From Hungary .
Sorry , the computer does not accept that .I can not give you an appointment this way .
Go and register with us again .

Whaere are you from ?
No . the computer does not accept that . Could you spell that ?
H. U. N. G. A R.Y
OK, habibti , now everything seems to be all right - you can ask for an appointment now .

LE PAIN QUOTODIENNE that IS A CAFE- RESTAURANT IN Doha Villagio mall .Friday morning we went to the Aspire Zone playground with the kids .We planned also a breakfast after inside the Villagio.
To our greatest shock most of the buffets were closed -not serving breakfast . Le pain quotodienne was open .We had to wait around 15 minutes for a croissant and a mochacino and a little bottle of Fanta .The hot drinks were served in bowls and the food came on a chopping board .Everything is" organic" there -so every thing is expensive .It is O.K.when about the food . But what makes a little bottle of Fanta cost 8 rial there ?
I saw some British families happy with the place .
I would not choose this cafe as " my daily bread " even if I could afford it .To my taste this place was plain , boring and overpriced .

OUR DAILY BREAD, by Annika
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annikasart

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iphoneis a new internet based mobile- and it is not available yet in Qatar .Still some residents of Doha have it from abroad and the great thing about it is that one can make free calls from some parks and Corniche where the wireless internet is free .
I remember- the first time when my husband came to Qatar and we were still in Hungary- he had spent a real fortune on calling us .Now all this can be arranged for free .The iphone itself is about $600 .
Who has ever thought that such positive changes will take place ?

HEALTH SERVICE TO BE REFORMED In Qatar .As far as I understood the new system would mean that the Qatari gov. stops subsidizing the local health service and for the expats the employers are supposed to pay the costs .
Employers pays=the employees pay .As it is the case about the residence visa .That will be a very big burden - and will probably chase away a lots of people from here .
A C-section delivery for example in normal case nowadays is around QR 200 .In a private hospital it may reach QR 20.000 .

Can it be that Doha will be soon a pleasant place to live- apart from the weather conditions? I read last week that the government soon unveils plans to set up beaches exclusively for families in three different places in Qatar . I hope it will include ladies beaches as well . Qatar is the richest ever country in the world according to the GDP per capita - but it has not a public beach with ladies only days -apart from some clubs - when the women are not tolerated to go to mixed beaches by most of the Arab families . AS a result one can often see that women are swimming in black abbayas .
It was also last week that the barwa housing project accepted applications for the low rated flats in a lovely compound .It is available for families with income :6500 -17.000 QR It could be rather called "reasonably priced " flats than cheap ones for 3000 QR or 3500 for a family with 6500 QR income it is still a burden .
ًًWE got also the right to buy a flat in Doha on the man-made island .It is only 1.1 million Qatari rial .One can get it when paying only 10 % of it - then the rest can be payed in the coming 30 years .Really - it seems to be good : around ten month salary must be payed first- then not bigger amount than the rent would be .And one can live there on the island surrounded by nature and luxury . my only concern is the constant political tension in the region -which is quite discouraging .

Do not worry - it is only a virus

Hearts
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PaulHonatke

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My kid got ill : running noise , temperature , heavy cough .I got her to the emergency Al- Sadd five weeks ago ."It is only a virus . There is nothing to do .Just give her some Panadol that is it ."
Nothing to do ? I was surprised . But why don't they prescribe some vitamins or expectorant ?- I asked myself .
I gave her Panadol . Her temperature dropped .BUt her cough was worse than ever . Actually she vomited every night due to that . After one week I took her back to Al-Sadd . " There is nothing to do . It is just a stubborn virus .” Was the answer again .”Be patient " I tried to be . We could not sleep at night . She had suffered every night minimum one hour by the cough and vomiting .Especially at night . I stopped trusting doctors . I looked for herbal remedy . I found some German ivy syrup . After rubbing her chest with oil - I wrapped her tightly . It helped a little bit .
Four weeks later I begged the doctor to prescribe the spray to stop her cough ."it is only a virus -she had told me - but if you want it so much - let s give it a try -and bring her back after one week "
The cough stopped as we applied the spray . But as soon as we tried to give her less often it came back as heavily as before .One week had gone again .We find ourselves again at the Al-Sadd . The doctor in charge was brave enough to prescribe some antibiotics and he looked annoyed very much when he learnt that she did not have any yet .
Three days later the cough at night stopped . We can sleep at night again . What a difference !
I am only annoyed that I did not care to learn the pediatrician 's name .[For asking his help next time to save myself and my child from the " it is only a virus" doctors .

MY friend CSilla - is a teacher in south Hungary . She had sent me some lovely photos and gave me the permission to publish them here .
BEFORE
AND AFTER the wedding
( 35 years has gone ? OOh)
Happy anniversary !

walking in the morning can be rewarding . the air is less polluted in the city and one can observe such wonderful things :

sunrise by the desert road no1
by

almawad

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sunrise by the desert road no2
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almawad

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sunrise by the desert road no3
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almawad

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This fine weather at the beginning of November reminds me May and early June in Hungary .And talking of that part of the year I remember the day when I became a "little drummer " .Every seven year old kid did so - but I was very excited . WE had to learn by heart the six points and recite the oath at the greatest square of the town .There were hundreds of us standing there .The morning sun of May and the smell of blooming chestnut trees filled our hearts with happiness . WE took the oath of Little drummers -then a good friend of my mum came and I got from her the blue scarf to wear it on around my neck .I was touched to some drop of tears by that great honour . Then I reunited with my family - we walked home and had some cakes on the way .It was a very happy relaxed day .

What happened to the Little drummers ? What happened to our dreams about the idealistic society where the greatest value is human life and not the profit ? What happened to the world ?

Birds of Qatar are so nice . Even that I do not know the most species that can be found around here. But they cheer me with their songs as the hot season is over .I read the other day in GUlf -Times that there is a specie which is threatening local birds and can bring malaria as well. It s singing beautiful and once it had been brought here as pet .
Though Qatar has eliminated malaria - it still sounds worrisome . This silent disease kills yearly ( Horribile dictu !)800.000 children in Africa alone .
I wonder what are the odds of getting malaria in Qatar ?

Walking has always been part of my life .
WE used to live around one and a half kilometre from the school and would walk there and back daily with my brothers and friends .
It used to be a pure delight for us : we either used to stroll along the main street of the green belt or explored the old town's zig-zag streets .There were several way to school and every and each was fun .
For this reason or other daily walking is a need of my every day life .
The other day I walked to the hospital from our home .It was great .The weather was nice .Birds were singing ,my spirit was high , my homesickness disappeared .Cheering the life – I stepped on the zebra crossing at the big junction near the hospital .Suddenly a Qatari looking four wheeler speeded towards me trying to hit me or just to scare me to death .
I escaped safe and sound .And I will keep up walking in this country despite the snob living here .
At the same time I wonder what we could do for the right of pedestrians and cyclists of this country .Have you got any idea ?

Walking Ducks in Washington, DC 1926
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lc_vintagephotos

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My friend Magdi is a wonderful cook . She made some birthday cake the other day for her grandson's birthday .She had shared with me the photo and the recipe .
here it is
BIRTHDAY CAKE a la Magdi
5 eggs I used to make the sponge cake base for the cake .I divided the dough into two half and baked them separately . Both got a little hump -so I cut those humps to use them later on .
I cooked some custard from nearly half a litre of milk and chocolate flavoured custard powder - and Let it cool .
I mixed 200 gr of butter with the same amount of sugar then I added some cocoa powder as well .
I mixed the cold custard with the butter -and saved some of it
for the coating of the cake .
To the rest of the cream I added the cut humps + 1 spoonful of apricot jam + rum aroma .
i filled the cream inside the cake .I managed to cut one of the cake disc
into halfs- so i got three layers of sponge cake .
I coated the cake with the cream previously saved.
For the coating of the top I mixed 15 dkg sugar +3 spoonful of cherry syrup and cooked them and coated the top .
I added some walnuts to the side of the cake .

that is how a traditional fishing village used to look

lampion
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almawad

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this is a traditional lamp at the arab village ,for holidays only

Otherwise it is a lovely place - but at Eid the crowd was to big .

Henna please !

Ramadan has finished - and so did the eid celebrations . we have planned so many things to do - but time proves to be short to realize all of them . this way we did not go to royal plaza cinema theatres to admire its emerald & gold theatres inspired by the roaring 1930's.We found no time to take the kids to the circus or to go to the Midwest restaurant to taste its international meals .
We were at the Jungle Zone- which is a fun fair for kids .We tried to be clever and arrived at 3 pm. But it seemed to be late -as it was already crowded .The second day we visited relatives and wanted to have lunch in a Chinese restaurant at the Center 's area .But it was closed at eid .
So we had not much patience to think about where to go . Simply we were hungry and chose Ponderosa - and the crowd .Our kids were fussy - the waitresses looked at us nervously wondering when we are leaving as so many families were forced to sit at the waiting area .
After having rest we went to the Heritage village .Listened to some Arab music - khaleeje style - tasted some fatiras baked in a traditional oven and simply had good time .
The third day we only wished to find a nice place to eat out quietly .We were here . it was nice for there was no crowd - the service was excellent - the food was quite good - and there was a play area for fussy kids to leave their parents alone while they were having their meals .
it was not bad all in all our eid . Not the most exciting one - it was just simply good .










































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































ras

a

Enjoy Capitalism
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mrfusty

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I found this T-shirt at zazzle .it is so great design .It makes one think about important things and it is funny .

WC report .
The public comfort stations -are important things .Once a German tour -guide had told me the story about them .She was just a beginner .She had prepared on the history of Germany - the princes and dukes there so on -to show the tourist around her country .Then when her first American group arrived she got a question that she was not able to answer :" where is the WC ?"
She had planned to write a WC guide in Europe .I do not know if
she realised it or not .
When someone goes to the plazas and the park -like me - the WC-s seem to be all right .OK in the park it is not as much .The cleaning staff is not so hardworking -but still usable .So up to now I thought the toilets were all right here in Qatar . Our kid started to go to kindergarten . We were shocked to see on the third day that the kindergarten which was otherwise clean had a toilet which was simply revolting .WE told them about .They apologised :their cleaner let them down .So the toilet simply was not cleaned .WE gave them a week . After returning the teacher had shown us into a WC apparently nobody use just our kid .It is fine ... just I do not understand the whole thing ..
I read the blog of one of my compatriot in Qatar .She writes about WC horror at her work . It is an agency and there are a lots of shops and offices inside the building and there is one toilet belonging to all of them .And it is not cleaned .
I just wonder how can it be .I noticed for example in the park - that it is not enough to pay the cleaners -but there should be supervision as well .The cleaners are just hanging around all day boring themselves out of their head .
It is shocking to see that they are coming from very poor countries and and I had thought that they will work hard to keep this job - but they do not
do so .I think that they have a relative in a good position a sri lankan auntie or a kerala uncle and they do not afraid
of losing their job at all ...

fall is here at least in my mind I think often about the harvest time ... about the compulsory pepper harvest organised by the school , the grape picking at my step grandfather's vineyard , the "pick your own" apple picking big family gatherings in south Hungary at my aunts town ...
there is a taste of this month : the sweetness of grape , the frosty mornings and the cold pepper's flavour , the walnut cakes of my grandma , the juice of the fresh apple - all meant for me:September
my design

RAMADAN STORY

HAVE YOU GOT A PEN GIFT ? DO YOU HAVE A RAMADAN STORY TO SHARE WITH OTHERS ? yOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR STORY HERE AND WIN A TV WEEKLY :

It is still hot . It is still difficult to find a taxi . One gets crazy in the sun - but must go out to arrange this or that .And it is exhausting . There are some illegal taxi drivers . They are able to find your house - too bad that they ask four times the price the legal ones do .

For many schoolers transportation is like the hell . Many Indian school buses are not suitable for kids transportation . Kids get sick during the journey - they get asthmatic attack - they faint .Parents pay more and more for tuition and for transport- but the level is just worse and worse .
Transparency is the thing the angry parents ask for when it is about the school's financial affairs .

Some Islam scholars were holding a talk on the Arabic media . They criticised the boring Islam channels . The lack of courage to talk about the social aspects of Islam .
The housemaid who has been in coma for some years died . She came some years ago to work at a Qatari family - but was admitted to hospital with serious injuries due to a blunt object which hit her head
. The Qatari family has to pay 300 .000 Qatari rial as compensation for the family in Indonesia

Poor woman . Finally , she was able to help her poor relatives in her death .
God will judge about the others .

QATAR HAS BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE even for the Qataris . I read in the daily news that new kind of tourism attracts visitors to Saud Arabia .Shopping tourism .
It is the half price there when it is about clothes and food .Qataris ride to the nearest town 250 km from here and shop for a month and enjoy the different climate -as the daily news claims .
I just wonder what kind of enjoyable climate one can find in Saud Arabia .
it is still hot here and humid .

middle east sunrise
by
almawad

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RAMADAN KARIM ! Happy fasting month! Ramadan is here- it is not allowed to eat and drink during daylight for every Muslims for are physically fit for fasting .It is every body's own decision if fasting or not .
Eating publicly is not tolerated here during this month , however not every Muslim country is like that .I heard that in Malaysia for example the restaurants are open all the day .
Ramadan is the name of a month in the Islamic calendar .It is calculated according to the moon and not according tot he sun .So compared to the sun year this fasting month is coming every year eleven days earlier .It started now the 13 of September it started last year on the 24 th of September and so on .
Souhour is the name of the first meal during Ramadan : it is before four o'clock . After hearing the call for prayer someone should not eat or drink . The working hours are shorter . Basically , the life stops in the afternoon .Most Muslims are at home waiting for the time for eating . It is the best time for cyclists to explore Doha .
The parks are full of fathers playing with their kids-this way enjoying the shorter working hours . As the time for eating is approaching more and more families arrive at the park who plan to have a picnic dinner . The dinner is called during Ramadan "ifthar " . After hearing the call for prayer it is allowed to eat or drink .Some families have only a light meal : a salad or soup or just some dates in the first hour . Other families have a full meal at once .
Overeating is a common problem the staff of the emergency must face during this time at hospital .
One must have self-discipline when it is time for eating . After having the meal it is time for relaxing . Watching TV or just sleeping .TV channels try to give the most attractive programs at this time . Comedy theatres , candy camera , competitions and many other programmes can be found on the Arabic channels .
Around seven or eight o'clock many people return to work . The supermarkets start to be full of customers . They are open usually till midnight . Everything is upside down when it is about timing .
It has happened to us that our kid got appointment for vaccination at 9 pm. .
Kids are given food as usual. They are called " Ramadan rats ".However from age nine -ten they like taking the challenge of fasting for some hours or half day .
Schools timing is also shorter .
Some families live during night and sleep during the fasting hours . I know Arab families where the ladies sleep until noon an stay up late until three at night . The Quran does not encourage this lifestyle-- it says clearly that God has created the night for resting and the day for working .
Ramadan is hard . Not only one or two days but a full month of fasting ! But it can be rewarding emotionally, spiritually ...

Mosque in Cairo
by
hakimakarima

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i

Smiling Dolphin
by
GoltsovPhotography

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Dolphins are wonderful creatures - I have always wished to see them . I have just heard that one of my Hungarian friends is selling trips to Oman " dolphin watching tours" where in certain time of the year there are a lots of them . How wonderful !

WHERE ARE YOU FROM ?
asked me an Arab grandma at the pool .
"Hungary ?" " Hada fi Amerika !"

ASK Me
by

almawad

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FOOD POISONING ON THE RISE IN QATAR

There were more than 1600 reported cases of food poisoning in Qatar this year - while some years ago there were no more than 200 cases the whole year .It seems that eating out is not as safe here as it used to be .Just as we arrived in Qatar five years ago we got a terrible diarrhea - but we had thought that we picked that up in Cairo . Once we recovered -we were very cautious -and very rarely we dared to dine out .But everything seemed just fine - and we opt for food from restaurant quite often nowadays.
In Hungary an ill goat had spread viral meningitis last week . It seems so healthy and cool and trendy to drink fresh goat milk for your breakfast - but it is not ...

FOOD SAFETY FIRST FRIDGE MAGNETS by almawad
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Qatar Flag Mousepad
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FlagAndMap

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SEPTEMBER 3 rd .Until recently Qatar has celebrated its independence on this day .Last week I read in the news that the government has changed its mind about it and this date - gaining independence " is not celebrated anymore but another date is chosen .
It was in 1916 that Qatar became a British protectorate.Later in 1971 Britain left the region.
Just some dates to show the road of Qatar :Oil was discovered in 1939 ,and oil production started only in 1949 .The first school of the country opened in 1952 and
first full hospital opened in 1959 .

Mitchell
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Merritt_B

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HAVING ICE CREAM ? It is good. It used to be . The flavour of the vanilla would be simple and tender ,free of any exaggeration , No artificial touch in it .The chocolate ice cream would be little bit bitter .The strawberry one used to be sour a bit.These used to be the real ice creams .The ice creams of my early childhood .The smell of the ice cream used to be mixed with the smell of beer as it was at the drink bar where it had been sold .
It used to be in April that the ice cream parlour reopened after winter .Kids of the area would run around the blocks and shout cheerfully : ice cream .
Some years later the flavours changed .They became artificial . It seemed as we had a great variety of them but in fact the flavours became uniform .God save us from that period .That was the time when small shops were encouraged in Hungary to be opened and their was a great demand on colorful ice creams .These terrible things used to be made of imported ice cream powder ...
Nowadays we have a lots of very good ice cream parlor .They cook the ice cream and natural flavours are preferred in my country .If you happen to visit Hungary and you would like to taste some gourmet ice cream then try Szamos brand .
It is a family business with great fantasy !
And if you ask me what is the Qatari ice cream tastes like then I would say that there is no typical Qatari ice cream , but some of the imported creams are good .. Yeah ,if you ask me what it tastes then I would say it taste mocha almond yes it taste mocha almond

tall and ginger qatari expats fellow-blogger 's site is blocked by qatar censors .I wonder why ?
During the last five years I found that they block things which are difficult to explain why .They had blocked a Hungarian page"taltos" which was about the origin of the Hungarians .Then they had blocked our town 's favourite pizza restaurant's site -I have no idea why .I had my first gallery and still I have on a Hungarian page .
It has been blocked for three years . true ,there are some nudes among other artist's pictures - but my page was free of that . It is very difficult to manage a gallery when it is blocked . Then I decided to open a gallery at the biggest international site .Two month later my gallery had opened that was blocked as well .
I do not know why - but some month later they changed their minds and nowadays it is not blocked at all .

BACK TO SCHOOL is the topic for what I have decorated some notebooks . At the same time I felt I am betraying my inner child who hates this topic at summer .

Summer holidays at my grandma's village - 1960s ,70s

It is hot here and dull . For some unknown reason the summer festival had been cancelled here in Doha . This period of the year make me homesick .
Strangely , it is not our beautiful little town, Tapolca that I miss - but the village of my grandma - what I did not like much in my childhood .....

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 Every year we  made the same journey - coming from Western Hungary to the Great Plain - I loved grandma and her house  but I found some things  in her  village simply horrifying.
The railway station for example:The village station was a building about to collapse .The rails had finished there . It was the end of the world . There was  some terrible smell due to a rubber factory nearby . This village station would have been a perfect scene for Adams family  as the cemetery was also near.It was thrilling and sad .
In this collage you can see the protestant church , the station building , the meditation chair and some houses .
 In  my hometown Tapolca we had a neat building  for railway station with slot machines , vendors , a cute restaurant and so on. 
We left early in the morning from Tapolca , Western Hungary .Then we arrived late at night to the eastern village or rather the day after -as we spent the night at my uncle 's home . He used to live in a posh area of capital .
I saw very different lifestyles around myself during our journey .

In the real  collage of my  memories there is the veranda of my grandma's house , the garden, the big sorghum among which we used to play hide and seek , the raspberry brushes , the carpenter's workshop , the smell of wood , the baker , the smell of flour and fresh bread , maize , cows going home from the village pastures in the evening and blocking the traffic on the road , my cousins skilled in farming , a nearby lake , simplicity , backwardness , the heritage of glorious past - the rights of a"free town " rights which were given by the great freedom fighter Rakoczi ...
And when I think about all that I feel how lucky I am that I had had a grandma for nearly thirty years ...

 It was really something different to be there . We loved very much her  storage loft . It was full of dried corns on the cob - our favorite activity was to  rub it with our little hands to get the kernel off the cob- we enjoyed it so much !

MY ART

in June I have created this abstract design . I offer them as a wedding present, baby shower gift .
Last month most successful item was a simple

yellow t-shirt

with the words "supergrandpa " on it .
It seems that people tend to buy rather common things than original articles .

HOW DO I BEAT THE HEAT IN QATAR ?

I drink a lot . MY favourite ones are : Laban ( some kind of fermented dairy product)

kahwa maa zingibil( ginger coffee) ,jaljeera( cumin water ) karkade( hibiscus flower drink) .

APA
by
visionaryplaces

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Detail from The Birth of Venus by Botticelli Posters by Horsefeathers
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MORE CHEERFUL EVENT was an astronomic one. As we came home in the evening we saw the crescent of the moon with the Venus very near to it . I saw such things only in tales books for kids . It was so much delight to see . Unfortunately my camera was not with me . But you can spot it here .

Link

MURDER AT THE HOSPITAL It was shocking and depressing news . NO details were given ." A man " shot his own wife dead in the woman hospital . She had given birth to a child some days before it happened .
It is especially cruel thing to kill a mother of a newborn - I guess whatever the cause was . A woman who had just given a new life - who is exhausted ,needs protection and support . It is a real coward job .
It reminded me a case in Hungary . Just five years ago - when we left. There was a murder at the maternity ward as well- in the town of Kalocsa .I knew that woman . She was a Gypsy in her forties . Her husband killed her . For she had abortion against his will . She was seriously ill and that pregnancy could have killed her . She had a little baby to bring up . I am against the abortion - but in similar cases I do not know what is the right thing to do .
I knew that woman . Once we visited her with a worker of an American foundation .She was outstanding - soft speaking , intelligent ,poor and full of dignity ...It was really depressing to hear about her death .

A blog claims that this murder in Qatar was from the highest circles . And it was about money ...

Will Gonu cyclone hit Qatar ?

I have just heard that 12 people were killed in Oman by the cyclone .My husband says- he heard at work that the cyclone edges may hit Qatar as well .
I start to get worried .I start to ask myself where is the highest point in Doha- where to escape in case of tidal waves .

Cherry trees are all heavy with their fruits at this time in Hungary . Do not be sad - that you are not at home now . Act as you are there . Go to the supermarket and buy some cherries brought from Lebanon . Sure- there are some left - I mean - not all of them were destroyed by bombs last summer .
You got the cherries and make your own pie .Just get rid of the stones and pour some sugar on the flesh of the fruit s
Do you remember ? As a student you got once a summer job at the local bakery . They used to make cherry strudels and the students were pitting the cherries.What a fun was that to work around yummi cakes and eat as much as you could...
Mix some flour( half a kilo ), butter( quarter of kilo), sugar( a cup ) ,egg yolk ,baking powder and roll the dough into two layers and throw the cherries in between- bake it . During this sing the song "erik a ropogos cseresznye "- and imagine yourself to the cherry harvest into your step grandfather s vineyard where there was a big cherry tree with wonderful big cherries .Smell the nearby lake ,listen to the birds singing .
And do not get sad when you remember that your step grandfather had cut that cherry tree - for its great shade has covered some vine -and gave him less wine ...

horizontal flowers
by

almawad

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Summer dilemma : to go out or not

Summers are hot here . WE have no choice to go out for the most part of the day - but it is possible to bear the sun somehow early morning and half an hour before sunset .
WE may avoid totally to go out- but it may cause very quickly vitamin D deficiency .
It weakens the bone , the teeth , it makes us depressed ,irritated and for the long run it gives one bigger chance for developing any kind of cancer .
So , we must go out . But if we do so - we get wet very quickly - returning to our cooled homes we can get cold easily .Besides, we can get skin cancer when outside .So what to do ?
We must cover our body - look for the shade - drink a lot .What I have learnt about clothing : only cotton and other natural materials are bearable in the heat .Tight jeans are real self-punishment ...

ONCE UPON A TIME there was a city somewhere on the globe. it used to be unnoticed for centuries . until some economical boom which has brought much money and created lots of jobs to that city . foreign workers started to flow into but due to the poor planning there was shortage of accomodation.The suddenly came wealth created crisis in hospitals , and the traffic became chaotic the education simply troubled .

dear reader - you may think i am speaking about our much beloved doha .
oh no . it happened in south argentine in the city of Ushuaia .

WHERE ARE YOU FROM ? - asked me a doctora . She might have been Qatari or something like that .
-From Hungary .
- I am so glad - she told me at the end . This is the first time I meet a Hungarian in person .
You are famous because of your Gypsies !
- Are we ? - I asked back shocked .She nodded .


We are famous for our Gypsies . Not for Irinyi ,not for Kando , not for pick salami , not for cheap nokia made in Hungary - it is for some Gypsie violinists because of what people remember of our existence at all .

LAUGHING


a friend of ours had just returned from india and gave us a laughing brahmin statue . or is it rather a laughing buddha ? he is quite fat - with big belly and is holding honey and butter .It is difficult to understand how buddha could be fat .he had been fasting in the wood ..
anyway, we found some days ago a yoga master who teaches you how to laugh on purpose - to relax and give a massage to your whole body . try it !

MATERNITY is in the air. There are so many expecting mothers around here . The out-patient clinics are painfully overcrowded .The hospital must delay planned c-sections . doctors are busier than ever .
Why all this is like that ?
It is may be due to qatari goverment encouraging local people having more and more kids .Arabian penninsula is underpopulated and this is a way to boost population density .
Another explaination might be the large number of expatriate women . Even Hungarians a re getting babies here every year .We are so few here . And still babies are coming every quarter of a year .
People love having a lots of kids around them here . When I arrived five years ago I had only one kid . When people asked me about the number of my kids -they became embarassed hearing th answer .THey ususally answered :" God will help you " . It is something unimaginable here that someone wishes to have only one or two kids .Someone had advised me to have a test tube baby . It is also available here . Simply I was regarded as the poor infertile woman - just because I had only one kid .
Where someone can deliver the baby ?
Well the answer is : Hamad hospital . It is a governement supported facility and the cheapest way - though not always the nicest .
There is a single private hospital which can provide full service for delivery .I heard - it is half empty .Very expensive .It is like a nice hotel with friendly service and doctors , but it seems that even the qataris prefer Hamad hospital maternity is in the air

my item

a t-shirt , I decorated recently with my own design - a charming pink floral mandala

see other t-shirts by alma wad (aka me)


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HUngarian Food industry is represented solely in Qatar by some kind of hard cheese .
It is called Hajdu cheese .Lately they came out with some new version : smoked one ,with herbs , with chili flavour .They are quite good and affordable ones .
I discovered also BIHAR cheese . It is something similar to Hajdu .BIHAR is the name of a county in Hungary. The same name goes for a state in India . These are the mysteries about us ,Hungarians and our origins ...
I was shocked to discover that the Slovaks came out with a copy of Hajdu .It is called :Hajji .Even they use our tricolor for the design .

All in all I wish there were more Hungarian food products here .When buying food here - only i understand how great is our food at home and how lucky we are to have them there .
I miss the paprika of Kalocsa , tasty fruitful jams of Nagykoros , the white cheese with no flavour (turo) .The frozen dumplings with plum , the chestnut puree .
I do not list Pick salami here because unfortunately it has not got "halal" version .

LETTER TO MY IMAGINARY ARAB FRIEND

DEAR SADIKA ,

I was really shocked to know how much you do no t like us foreigners in your country .When we met last time , you were full of woes : every kind of strange people are coming to this country and they are bringing every kind of strange ideas .You do no t like them -you said.
While your Filipino maid was serving us some tea you had complained to me about the future , about the hotels arising here in Qatar , whom will need revenue , and they will bring just more strange people with strange ideas here .
I was shocked because your country had developed at crazy speed due to these strange people who came here to this strange country ,living here among you strange people , and whom you gave not much right .While skyscrapers are rising and the camels have robot riders my husband has to apply for a permission if he wishes to leave this country . Just like a serf .
Or do you wish that the gene of the bottle jumped out and would build everything around here ?
Dear Sadika , you should have a look at your grandma s generation ,and you would understand - that how lucky you are .
Be grateful for God for all the good things that you had got in life !

middle east sunrise
by
almawad

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