Qatar's National Day
It has been the third year that it was celebrated on 18th December . Before it was at the beginning of September . Then suddenly it was shifted to this date .
A thing that could not really happen in Hungary - I guess .
Seeing the rehearsal was a pure joy : we went to play with the kids to Al-Bida park and saw the show of old boats . Those sailing boats which had been used here for centuries crossed the bay slowly with stylish dignity .There had been around 800 ships in Doha harbour 50 years ago - fishermen's boat ,pearl divers their staff 's boat , merchants' boats and so on ..
After the boat show we could see some 50 camels and riders strolling along the destroyed area of Rumeila district ...Qatar zaman
It was just rehearsal ... No wonder that
we had great expectations for the day itself .Vodaphone and and iloveqatar organized programs in the Aspire park which seemed to be fun ... they promised bouncing castles , sparklers , face painting , dance ,musicians , free local food between 10am -6 pm.
It was raining - but we still went there around 2 pm - there were some bouncing castles that was true - but no sparklers , no face paintings , no dance ,no music ... not even a Qatari flag for the kids , no festive atmosphere ...just crowdy bouncing castles ... and rain .
It was very disappointing ... for some it was even worse ....just read this thread

I think that next year I will make do with the rehearsal ....

Christmas stories from my childhood - my auntie's house

Pretty Vintage Miss by almawad
 We started a new life with my family in a new town . After my father got a better position we lived a more comfortable life than before  but we were not happy at all . In our previous dwelling place everything looked better  and my elder brother and I wished to move back . It was not possible and we had to find to good point in the town . It was not easy ! It had only a few things that we liked and one of those was the house of my auntie ...

Every thing used to be so beautiful at my auntie's house . High ceilings , odd geometric patterned curtains ,fine ceramics ,gorgeous old furniture ... as all the house had been covered by some golden dust of a bygone era .As a little girl I did not know words and notions like art-deco or bourgeois or artistic sense .
Their Christmas tree was so beautiful too - full of interesting decoration which were not available at shops at that time ... her cakes were traditional delicacies spiced up with original ideas . I had always felt that to be with them at Christmas was a great privilege .Our parents were chatting after lunch and we were merrily merrily playing ....Firmly , I believed that all those beauty and charm in their house was due to the fact that they had only one child and that is how they could afford it ! And   I happened  to feel   jealous  and wished our home was filled with luxury and beauty like that !

 But one year - instead of the usual cheer - we found that bad mood reigned in their home when we arrived on Christmas Day  .My cousin did not want to come out and play with us.  He closed himself inside his bedroom . Under the tree there were the unopened gifts .He did not want to open them and refused to taste the wonderful lunch as well .

My auntie was sad .It was very embarrassing to hear her explanation : "Santa does not exit . We had to tell him . He had been longing for a little brother or sister for years and he has been writing letters to Santa to get one .Unfortunately it is not possible . "

When I first heard it I was very much surprised at the fact that he still believed in Santa. Then I remembered how nice that my parents never lied to us about this issue. They had always told us that this was just a game.

All that was sad but we were children . We did not understood the weight of their problem .We were merry as usual with my brothers .This one cheered up my auntie .We appreciated her Xmas lunch , admired her wonderfully decorated tree and were grateful for the presents .We went home sooner than usual .

Our flat was much smaller and furnished at an average level of the 1970's Hungary .There were two old paintings on the wall ,my mother had a porcelain dinner set for special occasions . That was all the luxury we had .Still all that made me very happy at that moment . It was then that I understood how great gift is to have brothers growing up with me !
________________________________

My auntie 's home is still lovely . I live far from her and can not go home for Xmas usually . Luckily their days and their Xmas is always merry - full of laughter and cheers. Their three grandchildren live near them and they make their days very special all the year around .



Read more Christmas Stories

It was nice weather at Messaid at Eid . Families were enjoying sunshine , large waves the sand ... What makes me scared is that nowhere a boat or any other thing to save lives though there are so many people there at every weekend ...
Beaches should have toilets as well for public safety reasons . And where are the beaches with ladies only hours ? It was more than two years ago that I read in the local news that there will be three beaches belonging to the municipalities ? Where are those beaches ? What takes so long ?
They need a fence around the beach , some toilets , some shade or a club house than that it is . They should hire someone to sell tickets , some security guard and some folk should take care of the safety of the swimmers .

It was a nice meeting for Doha Mum's Group . The Indonesian mums hosted a breakfast for the international group . It was held at Al Waab 2 compound 's beautiful and spacious club house .Babies had their own play room. It was really great . I wish we could always have such wonderful facilities !
Are you interested in joining an international Mum's Club in Doha ?
You can do it here

TODAY BEST AWARD FOR MY TIE DESIGN .Star shaped flowers all over the tie .Tiny patterns in cream color against brown background . Wearable fashion by Alma Wad . Great gift for Dad . Award winning design : Today's Best November 17, 2009 in zazzle.com( US site)

star flowers by almawad
Browse more Festive Ties

Visiting Doha Zoo

We were lucky enough to be able to feed the girraffes .















The ducks were in a hurry not to miss the feeding .










The Zebras were having dinner .

Nice designs for little boys

I went shopping yesterday. Some new clothes were needed for a little boy . Great part of the money was left in my pocket.I was completely astonished: skeletons, skulls, monsters - that is trendy nowadays. At least, they want us believe that it is so .
Message for the Designers: I do not want my child to wear the symbols of death and killing !
However,I like colorful fun, cute characters, animals, toys, transport ...
Is this too much to ask?

The Tribeca film festival in 2009 - review

Sunset in Doha Bay by almawad
See more Sunset Posters

The Tribeca film festival really enchanted me .Also I must admit that I saw only one performance : a cartoon about a horse Assilia . The very special thing about it was that it was made in Hungary by an Iraqi -Hungarian director ,Al Zedi .
The way of watching the film was also magnificent .There was a huge screen on the Corniche - thousands of deckchair ... while we faced this cityscape by the sea -palm trees and skyscrapers - we were having some Middle Eastern stuffed cabbage sold by local women in tents around us .
Among the tents huge floral shaped retro style lamps were moving here and there ... there were tents in royal style to sit down and take a rest ....

I heard that the rest of the festival was huge success .. all performances were full of people hungry for films that have something to say ...

Yet the lack of public transport made me stay at home ...though I wished to watch very much other films as well ...

our little venice
Villaggio Mall ,DOHA

It is the number one shopping and entertainment centre in Doha . At weekends it is so crowdy though only families are allowed to enter here .What is so attractive here ? You enter and you get the impression of being in Venice there's a canal gondoles , the faux facade of the buildings ... then it is packed with European cafes , Paul - the French cafe ,Le notre , Columbus as well , Ristoretto Italian , cafe Vergano Italian etc. ... you . Besides the usual places that you would expect from a mall( ice rink cinema complex) there is a part which looks like a palace full of exclusive boutiques where you would not want to spend your hard earned money still it is nice to take a rest at the fountain at the center - or go to a VIP restroom where you are allowed even if you forgot your VIP card at home !

Visit my online shop . You can find bright colored neckties all the year around not only in summer !

Swimsuit shopping in October


Excuse me ! Where can I find the swimsuits ? I remember two years ago you had large selection !

No madame - it is winter -we do not have swimsuit for winter !

It is 38C outside .
What could we do ?WE bought some warm caps . They had really nice selection of that at Sana store .

Doha souq is on fire

When looking out of the window in the morning I saw black smoke emerging in front of us -around 1 km far from al Khaleej street ... then it turned out that it was in the souq Dera near Rawnaq shop ... the faulty A/C is said to have caused the problem and it is still out of control ... more than four hours after it started I still see the smoke but it is smaller

Update :the fire was put out after four hours fighting . Read about the shops which were gutted here .

October Clothes Shopping

orange leaves Cap by alma wad

It is fun to see the warm winter clothes in the boutiques when it is still over 30 C outside at noon . Winter collections are displayed at this time of the year - but they are really wanted only when the temperatures drops under 20 C .
I remember a November which was quite windy and cold and a December when it was 34 C on Xmas Eve .
I remember a year when the cold season did not arrive at all - and we were using our AC -s almost all the year .
But the most probable is that you will need warm clothes in December ,January .
I started my clothes hunt at the Evans - really there were some items that I liked -just they were too short as tops or they were at too vivid colors - and I might wear a carrot colored blouse with a cream skirt in Budapest - but not here where so many women are dressed totally in black ...
Let's see H&M . What a great feeling ! Really I can have these light green and blue hoodies for $15 ? I bought quickly one ... and I am still happy with my choice only I feel sorry that I bought one color only ...
Zara - many nice sets but no one for my size ! Punt .Roma - Oh My so many wonderful designs - that is the place where all my design dreams came true . And they are selling large sizes as well ! I wonder if they were always selling these sizes or only this is a new thing from them ! Finally I bought nothing as they are not cheap at all I decided that I would come back in a month when they might have some sale .
Then I was thinking about the question of sizes . Why is it so difficult to find large sizes ? I am not the only one who needs it on the globe ! And most boutiques offer ridiculously small sizes . My best friend in Hungary is a real petite lady - some say that she is too thin and she must be sick .. She is 150 cm tall .And still she finds items which are too tight for her at designer's boutique :)
Or shall we rather cry ? Read this story on how the fashion industry is trying to label young , healthy and beautiful models as overweight !

Let's see Carrefour .I would like to scream when instead of ladies clothes they offer mammas clothes for my size ! After some kilos we are not ladies anymore ?
But I had no time to think too long on those things . There was a mini man with me who was very much fed up with all the clothes hunt .He was screaming because he wanted a toy Mercedes from the Mercedes shop ( more than 300 rial) .I tried to make him silent by a set of cheap cars and I chose a set of clothes for home mammas size .
This turned out to be the wrong size .I might soak it into hot water then if it shrinks I will give it to my big daughter !
I am totally exhausted .I consider clothes shopping online in the future !

SWINE FLU PREVENTION HOLIDAY


Schools did not reopen as scheduled last week . The local authorities decided to keep kids at home .People arrive here from all over the world . They might bring in the virus . One week is enough to see who is sick or who is not .
It seemed to me a wise decision . Parks were full of kids and parents .We all need sunshine = vitamin D . One of the best prevention !

French breakfast in Doha

Chocolat Chaud by parisbreakfast
See other Paris Cards

Places in Doha to have French Breakfast :PAUL Restaurant 4135508
located at villaggio mall and landmark


LeNotre-PAris4552111salwa road, al Imadi building ,Villaggio Mall, high end section

Swiss-Belhotel Café Mezz 4078888 , Doha Jaber Bin Mohammed Street, Old Slata

Bread and breakfast in Doha
the continental one ...

SUSHI MINTO
Avoiding the crowds during the Eid holidays is not easy in Doha.However the Japanese restaurant was nearly empty .It is a large area . I liked the retro interior with circles and oval shaped mirrors .The waitresses were wearing tie with sushi design on it !
I am not a sushi expert so I opted for a bento .It came in a medium sized box with a selection of sushis , mizo soup , noodles , green salad .It was nice for 55 rials .If you wish to select your lunch or dinner a la carte it is rather pricey but you can chose from a large variety of sushis . If you got QR 200 or more for a single dish then the Japanese chefs will make their dishes in front of you at the counter .
It is wise that they added some non -Japanese items to their menu .This way the kids found also something to their tastes !
A liter of water QR18 ,service 12 % .
It was a nice change !

got sushi by almawad
View other Got sushi T-Shirts

Eid in Qatar 2009

Where to go ? What to do ?
Go to the desert at night

Eid Holiday expected date : 20 ,21 ,22 September

expected weather conditions :High : 38C - 39 C Low : at night 29 C- 30 C wind 14 -21 km/h


Escape the city and go on a worry-free adventure trip through the desert by Gulf Adventures. QR 550 per person. Minimum of at least 2 people. 6 people per vehicle. This includes a buffet dinner and an Arabian breakfast the following morning. For more info, call 422-1888 or visit www.gulf-adventures.com.

Pearl Island

Cultural and Art district ,exhibitions , henna tent ,cafes , shops

Al Sultan Beach Resort
Eid Al Fitr Package - Standard Room

Room rates QAR 1000 - 1100

Room rate includes Eid Lunch Buffet and breakfast.

Room facilities
Minibar, Shower, Bath, Safety Deposit Box, TV, Telephone, Air Conditioning, Bathroom Amenities, Toilet, Bathroom, Satellite TV, Cable TV
Hairdryer, Wake Up Service/Alarm Clock, Bathrobe, Seating Area
Max. persons: 2


Activities
Tennis Court, Fitness Centre, Jacuzzi, BBQ Facilities, Outdoor Swimming Pool

Beach Party at Hotel Mariott

Assi Al Hillani Live in Qatar

dinner party and a night full of music
Date: 09/23/2009
Venue: Dafna Hall, Sheraton Doha
QR 300 to QR 1,500 which include seated dinner and drinks.
For more information, call 537-5374 or 538-5384.


ABSOLUT Bollywood with DJ Aqeel & DJ NYK

Start Time:
Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 7:00pm
End Time:
Friday, September 25, 2009 at 2:00am
Location:
Doha Marriott Hotel Beach
Street:
Ras Abu Aboud
City/Town:
Ad Dawha, Qatar
Tickets (available from 10th September 2009):
IN ADVANCE:
VIP : Qrs. 200/-
Regular: Qrs. 150/-
Ladies: Qrs. 100/-

AT THE DOOR:
VIP : Qrs. 225/-
Regular: Qrs. 175/-
Ladies: Qrs. 125/-

Tickets available at:
Haji Ali - Family Food Center, Airport Road
Tandoor Express - City Center
Bombay Chowpatty - Airport Road
Maharaja Restaurant - Al Asmakh Street
Music Land - Family Food Center, Airport Road
Tandoor Express - Al Meera, Mansoora
Dnata Travel - Airport Road
Saqr Stores - City Center, Landmark Mall, Hyatt Plaza & Al Nasr. Street
NO AGE LIMIT ###

### SEPARATE AREA FOR UNDER 21's ###

NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED - NO ENTRY TO THE PARTY WITHOUT A VALID ID.

Dress Code: It's a beach party! What more do you want us to tell you?

For More Info call 7172731 / 5717447 / 7746007

Once upon a time there was a Hungarian woman who was living far from her country .(aka me) Living in Qatar she started to put her designs at a Californian based company's page to sell things(aka zazzle) . She got customers from remote places . The other day someone bought her necktie from New Zealand ...
Hungary in her heart , Qatar is the place where she creates , California where the idea becomes a true object and someone is enjoying it in New Zealand !

Typical Ramadan Lampard

Typical Ramadan Lampard
Photo taken on the Pearl Island

Do you take photos ?Why do not you join the Ramadan photo competition ?
Prizes seems to be very attractive ! Check out this !!

Iftar at Dunia restaurant Villaggio

Season of Iftar Dinners

Ramadan is here and everything seems to be about eating or not eating .Though harshly criticized by many - public eating during the fasting hours is still forbidden and punished by lashes .
When the sun sets the restaurants are full of hungry expats and locals .. this is the seasons of ifthar dinners .

It is a long meal .Two of us shared one meal and as we expected - it was too large for two of us .Finally the children who had had some junk food before helped us to finish it.It was an extra pleasure for me that they tried something new . We had this iftar at Dunia restaurant , Villagio .
here is what they served for 130 rials :
Hors d'oeuvre : Oven fresh home made khobz ,date (tamr) ,olives , labneh(cheese),
Entree : lentil Soup , hommos , fresh garden salad , oven fresh sambosas ,kebbe ,beef stew with pineseeds
Main course : mixed kebab with three colored rice
Dessert :Cold Rice Pudding with Date sauce

It was a fine dining out with excellent dishes , stylish ways of serving the food and very helpful waiters ...

Only the price of the water leaves some bad taste in the mouth ( water was not included )

read more review on this restaurant

A designer's succes


August brought me many kinds of professional success .First I made the biggest bulk sale of my life .I sold one hundred and one buttons .

Then a mouse pad of mines got the award of AWESOME ZAZZLER .

city life no2 by almawad
Browse other City Mousepads

Soon after a retro floral postage got Today Best Award . Finally it got the Top Ten Postage Views award !
Shower of awards !

abstract flowers yellow orange green by almawad
View other Cheerful Postage

SO Middle Eastern
The direction of Mekka is shown on the mirror of a hotel room in Doha .

Our Great Flat Renovation Experience

The floor of our flat had been sinking for three months when our landlady went on holiday . She ordered her Indian valet/driver to arrange all within a month . We were forced out of our flat( in a way that the rent was payed by us during the renovation) . We had to pack everything within a week and find a temporary accommodation while the floor would be done .
In vain my husband tried to persuade her about her duty to pay for us the accommodation . She was very upset about the request . " You get the flat very cheap from me " was her answer . Right. Her rent augmented only 300 % the last seven years we lived there . That is the landlord ethic in Qatar .
We were searching for a flat which is sublet for a month or two while the lodger is on holiday . We saw terrible things. Whole families living in 20 square metre "furnished appartement"= there were matresses on the ground .Laundry room , shed advertised and let as family accommodation ..

Finally we found that a cheap hotel would be better .WE found one run by Indians and were ready to move when my husband found a bit more expensive suite hotel . Everything was wonderful there - a complete furnished flat in retro style .We could not resist - my husband was offered a bargain by the boss . We payed in advance and enjoyed this temporary luxury. Everything was nice but the boss. He called my husband after two days : You must pay more because we just noticed that one of your child is over 18 years old .
After a heated debate my husband refused to pay more .. Then he threatened him " if your little kids destroy something you will have to pay for that " ... Welcome in Arabia ...
Once I read in an old book that the Arabian hospitality is the best in the whole world .The Hungarian traveler and orientalist Germanus Gyula who travelled all around the Arabian Peninsula seventy years ago wrote about that ... Everything is changing .. the old traditions are forgotten ... quick profit and money is more important nowadays ...

Finally the flat is done ... the brand new toilets are leaking in a terrible way ... the floor was changed but according to my husband description they did not put enough layers of different soils to isolate properly . We count our expenses : accommodation , transport of the furniture , decorating the walls , mending the toilets ...finally we found that more than 6000 rials we had to pay because ten years ago when the house was constructed some people did not isolate properly the floor .
We expect it to be sinking again . We hope that we will not witness it here ... but for this price or a little more we would find a much better place to live next year ...

NUMBERS

Fifteen thousand flats or houses are empty and can not be let in Doha .

Though the rents are going down - it is still very high for the salaries . Still so many families live in shared - substandard accommodation !

A woman finds that she is in for a surprise after being hassled by a cheeky man at City Centre, a shopping mall in Doha. Good commercial with humor and criticism on local outdated customs .

FAREWELL FOR BEST FRIENDS

Two of my best friends are leaving Qatar for good . It is so hard . There are so few of us here Hungarian mums .Our kids were growing up together here in the past years and now it is over .Good Bye ! Good Luck for you and for your kids in your new home !

The Gang - Greeting CArd by DudaDaze
Browse Birthday Cards

Retro style digital painting radiating peace and harmony . This design is a template .Personalize it !

sailing boat by almawad
Choose a business card design at www.Zazzle.com

Some lights

Can you tell me why this campaign to cover up and plans to force people to do so (especially women)leaves a bad taste in the mouth ?

Reading the local news I noticed the view of a Qatari man on the issue :
At least some lights !

Abdullah Hussein — Qatari

“What one wears is one’s own choice. We can’t force people to wear clothes we like. It’s a matter of individual freedom and I believe in personal freedom.”

“I agree that people should respect our social and religious values and traditions, but they should do it voluntarily. We cannot force them. We can only make them aware through campaigns. We can convince them about that and we have to be extremely polite doing that.”

SUMMER WITH KIDS 2009



Doha Expat Mums & Kids: Pool + Indoor Playgroup for 18-36 month old kids (Villagio area)

Date: 06/01/2009 to 07/27/2009
Time: 3pm-5pm

Visit the website for details and to RSVP www.dohaexpatmumsandkids.com

swimming baby by almawad
Browse more Baby T-Shirts

Fun First Nursery this summer

July for 4 weeks Summer Camp, from Sunday 5th July until Thursday 30th July

children up to 6 years old
QR 1800/ per child
contact the Reception at 4110953 between 7am and 2pm

Creative Child Nursery

30/ 3/ 2009

If you are from 2 to 6 years old, join them this summer for a lot of fun! From July 5th to August 20th. Time from 7 am to 1 pm Information and Registration: 479 5916

ICC SUMMER CAMP
THE OASIS 2009

“The Indian Cultural Centre is all set to conduct its Fourth Summer Camp – “The Oasis 2009” involving a wide range of informative, innovative educational and entertaining programs for 6-weeks starting from 2nd Aug.2009 to 10.Sept.2009 at the MIS – DPS school.

The formal inauguration will be held on the 1st.Aug.2009 while the Grand finale on 11th.Sept.2009.

Registration formalities must be completed at the ICC office only. For any further details, please contact ICC reception at 4674845 / 4674891 from 10 to 12am and from 4 to 10pm.

APTECH SUMMER CAMP( COMPUTER EDUCATION)

FROM 1ST OF JULY

REGISTER :4673399




Junior Hotel Academy

Let your child enjoy the summer season and let them feel being a young professional hotelier.

It's open for children ages 6 to 12 years old. Schedules will be every Thursday from July 2 to August 20, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more inquires please call Catherine Vidonia on 496-6511, 496-6600 or email her at catherine.vidonia@movenpick.com

Entertainment Village

Doha Exhibitions Center

children’s rides, ‘extreme rides’ and organised sporting activities in the outdoor area, with entertainment, games, restaurants and shopping areas indoors. Artistes from Europe and Asia will perform live shows, including plays, acrobatics, puppet shows and magic tricks to entertain the young and old alike. An appetising collection of restaurants and cafes will satisfy visitors of all tastes. The Entertainment Village will welcome fun-seekers from 10am to 10pm from Saturday to Thursday and from 4pm to 10pm on Fridays.

SEE COMMENTS ON IT

BEACHES IN QATAR

AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF BEACHES , LOCATION , DESCRIPTIONS



Regatta Summer School - Learn to Sail

5 afternoons, Sunday through Thursday.
Starting of the week 5th, 12th and 19th of July, 2 pm to 5pm.

QR 800 per students per week. Minimum age 6 yrs.

Qualified RYA Instructors, Buoyancy Aids Provided, Safety Boats on hand at all times.

For further details contact 442 4577 / 550 7846

email : regatta/-a-t-/qatar.net.qa

Evolution Soccer Summer Holiday Club


Evolution Soccer will be hosting summer courses.

5th to 9th of July at Doha College from 9 am to 1pm.

12th to 16th of July at Doha College from 9am to 1pm.

Each weeks will cost QR 700.

Children can attend a minimum of one day at the cost QR 150 per day.

For futher info pls call 506 4794 or email evolution_soccer/-a-t-/hotmail.com

CHILDREN COURSES - Dar Al Founoun Art School, Waqif Art Center
Drawing


MONDAYS: 4:00pm ! 5:30pm
Beginning: June 8th, 2009 ! 4 sessions once per week
Ending: June 29th, 2009
QR 650 (all materials included)
Children: age 7 -10 (grades 3-5)
Children will learn to look and reproduce on paper what they see by using
the 5 basic elements of drawing: dots, ovals, straight lines, curves lines,
and angle line. Through a variety of exercises they will learn to draw
abstract designs, animals, faces and objects.

info@waqifartcenter.com
434 09 21

Opera for kids

Hansel and Gretel
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra

Date: 07/13/2009 to 07/23/2009
Venue: Aspire Hall Shows are at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m

QR 25 per child, QR 75 per adult
available at the door or reserved by phone
call 520-6319

MY GYM

498 0099

SUMMER CAMP - 3 TIMES A WEEK
QR 2750 PER MONTH


Café Céramique Summer Camp
on Thursdays , Fridays , Saturdays
QR 95 per day
cooking ,craft , snacks included
tel :4671100

CONTRASTS IN QATAR

an old district in Mammoura,Doha
and the futuristic zig zag buildings in a new district


see my next post about summer with kids in qatar

PLACES IN QATAR


VIP Toilet details : Villagio Mall , Doha

Places in Qatar : Diplomatic Club

It is a common form of entertainment in Qatar -going to recreational clubs .Companies , hotels , villa compounds have their own ones .The cheapest ones were closed down .The least expensive club nowadays have no beach - but swimming pools .
The Diplomatic Club offers no information on their membership fees on their homepage . I have visited it for an event recently .I was all impressed by the decor ... somehow it reminded me a little bit Gellert spa in Buda .

MILESTONES ON MY ONLINE ART BUSINESS

It is time to celebrate ! I got 100 orders till now and the last one was cleared yesterday !I have been member at Zazzle since August 2007

Zen –dream mandala by almawad
make your own business card online using www.zazzle.com

I got my first order from Qatar . Perhaps because of this free shipping special offer !

Cute purple giraffe designed for kids ! The little ones will like Alma Wad's unique mug !

PURPLE Giraffe by almawad
Design custom imprinted mugs on zazzle

Thank You A . from Qatar for the purchase !

Scenes from our life

It felt like we were at home

We were sipping our cappucino in a fast food place .It was our unofficial monthly gettogether , Hungarian expat mums ..
- Alma ,you got new handbag ,wow ! -said Marta
- Special offer ,Carrefour ,it had a junk flower on it which had to be removed - 20 rial( less than a dollar) -I answered
- Then Timi showed off her handbag .What do you think about this ?
Twice but nice shop ,Hungary 50 forint ( 25 cents) ...

Then we burst out laughing .... that was the best laugh I have had in this "you must show off" country where I have been living for almost seven years !

expat life in the world

according to an article in the gulf -times expats earn the best worlwide in japan , russia and qatar

though prices are the lowest in india ,malaysia and china - but in the three above countries one third of the expats earn more than $200.000 per year ...

i made a little calculation - it means 60 - 70 thousand rial per month ...
who are making this big money ?
one third of the population here?????

Lost on a train - my childhood stories

 from my childhood stories

It was a wonderful trip with my father to Budapest .I do not remember exactly why and how but we traveled to the capital and visited my uncle and my cousins . We had great time together and Budapest ,the metropolis was always full of wonders for the little girl who I used to be .
Our two or three days were filled with joy and fun and when the time came then we took the train as usually to ride along Lake Balaton to reach our home hundreds of kilometer far ...Traveling together was pure joy . The beauty of the nature and the kids magazine that dad bought for me on the train made me feel that all the time was very special ! When the  young man who was selling sandwiches and coffee came then my dad bought a coffee for himself .  I asked him to buy for me some chestnut puree which looked so delicious  with some whipped cream on the top . I did not suspect then that this sweet treat  would turn our dream journey into a nightmare .

Summer at lake Balaton Canvas Prints by almawad
Browse more Lake balaton Canvas Prints

It was a very hot day and the whipped cream must have been stale on the chestnut puree ! At least it made me sick soon after I had it  and I threw up the whole  thing . This was just the beginning of the troubles . After cleaning me - my father was looking for potable water on the train -but nobody had any of that . Two hours or more ride was ahead of us and it was scorching heat .
"There is no other solution than getting out of the train and filling your bottle at the tap" said the conductor woman on the train . She consulted her timetables then she added " We will wait 20 minutes at the next railway station - you will have plenty of time to get water "
So my father left the train . I promised him to keep sitting there where I was whatever happens !
I was waiting quietly . One fellow passenger looked out of the window and told me " lots of folks at the tap - you must be patient ,little girl !"
So was I .
Then I heard the sound of whistle soon . Then the train was rolling under me . I could not understand the whole thing ! But one thing was clear : only some minutes passed after my father left the train and he was not back !

As the train started to gain full speed my hope to see my father faded . Suddenly I wished to cry - but I kept telling myself : "Do not cry ! There is no problem ! If you cry then it means there is a problem ! "
A fellow passenger looked up from his magazine "little girl - your father did not come back ?"
"No"
Then he went on reading ...
The conductor woman soon arrived excited ." Little girl ,your father missed the train - but do not worry I will take you home once we arrive " "what is your name address - can you tell me please ?"
Luckily ,my mother taught us well our personal details.Though I was so little but I knew all my personal data by heart .Then the conductor woman was relieved ."so no need to go to the police to find your family" "Do not worry your father is coming soon in the next train "
I looked at her at that moment like a savor !

All these things made me quiet but also made me wonder about other things :" what will my mom say when she sees me with this woman and my father lost ." "what will she say when it turns out that all the problems started because of that chestnut puree because I wanted it so much " 'will she blame me for all that ?"

But I did not have to think about those things for a long time ...
The train started to slow down  and we were approaching another railway station ... The door opened violently and my dad stormed into the compartment .He just hugged me and did not say a word . He was not able to....He was exhausted !

I could not understand anything nor did the other passengers !
Then came the conductor woman and started to yell at him : " You made a terrible thing it could have cost you your life ! It is strictly forbidden to jump on a train while it is moving "
Then my father shouted back and other passengers were angry with that woman who made a terrible mistake when consulting her timetables  and gave wrong information about the time the train would spend at that station.

Finally everything became quiet around me ...And sitting in my father's lap I could listen to his story ....

When it was his turn at the tap then the train started to move . He filled the bottle and was running after the train . He was running more than two kilometers when he managed to jump on the last carriage . All he could do was to hold himself tight while the train was at full speed .He could open the door and enter only when the train was slowing down ...

He knew very well how dangerous all of it was .. But he felt he must do it because all the time a terrible image haunted him : his little daughter opens the train's door wishing to find his dad and falls out of the carriage ...

Since that time I had known that my daddy is a real hero ...

DO you adore trains like I do ? See this Hungarian trainspotting page !

ladybug family by almawad
design your own business card online on www.Zazzle.com

Qatari girls - education and marriage

Numbers
According to a blog written by a Qatari woman 35 % of them suitably aged for marriage are single !

According to the local news in high school examinations girls got 29 out of the 36 top spots ! Even in Maths !

AWARD WINNING DESIGNS

I keep telling you news about my designer boutique here and there . Lately I have got so many awards that it is difficult to tell it one by one .
So I set up a page just for Alma Wad 's designs .
Also I am featuring other designers' work .Come and have a look at my award winning designs . Any feedback is greatly appreciated !

nippon sunrise by almawad
Browse the other posters prints at www.Zazzle.com

See all my awards here !

Mango season

It's mango season here or rather at the trade partner countries of Qatar - the other day I was at the supermarket and there were a lot of kinds of mango for sale : Indian , Pakistani , Yemeni , Brazilian . The Indian was the cheapest around 2.5 US dollars per kilo . I found a site with very good mango recipes . I mixed some thick cream , with fresh mango puree and some yoghurt and topped it with whipped cream . Some gelatin powder would have made it professional looking gourmet dessert - but I could not make out how to use that strange stick which is sold here
for making jelly . It is made in India and there is no any instruction on it - I just guess that it is an algae the agar -agar .

NUMBERS

HOW MANY PERISHED ?


AIR FRANCE 447 01/06 2009 - 228 PEOPLE
GAZA INVASION BY ISRAEL 2008/09 JAN -MORE THAN 1000 PEOPLE
SRI LANKAN governement raid on Tamil Tigers 2009 April/May - around 20.000 civilians

With deepest Sympathy - condolence card by Rainmountain
Browse Condolences Cards

Rita Szarvas; Hungarian; therapist at a Budapest center for children with motor disabilities. Her 7-year-old son was also aboard, but his name was not released.

May they rest in peace !

Why did this young mother have to die with her little son and their friends son ?
Why the modern and safe airplanes are not built though invented some seventy years ago? Why only the military can enjoy that safety and why civil passangers have to fly in outdated models ? Find the answers here !

Zen dream mandala is simple and clear design by me. This was my best selling card last month . This item is a template you need to type your own data to get your unique card ! You can do it online by clicking on the image - you will find yourself on the parent page . Then simply type your data into the boxes ... It comes 100 per pack ..

Zen –dream mandala by almawad
Create business cards on Zazzle

Thank you A. for your orders ! May the card bring you fruitful contacts !

Most welcoming and kindest people ?
What if your business collapses ?
What if you had been a manager for ten days of a company which failed ?
How can you be blamed for all that ?
How a Qatari sponsor can prevent you leaving the country then ?
When you were only an employee ? Not the owner of the company ...
What are your rights when a Qatari is blaming you for something ?
To find the answers on all those questions read the story of the Belgian man ,
Philippe Bogaert .
Hostage in Qatar

Postcards from Doha: Touring Qatar's Capital City

4 minute video on Qatar's landmarks and culture
a professional video made by the Northwestern Qatar - it is a university where media and journalism is taught

" and we have met the kindest and the most welcoming people I could imagine "
the final worlds of this video postcard

Numbers

According to Forbes Fat Index
Qatar ranks 36
Hungary ranks 84
Japan does not have a rank on the list of World's Fattest Countries

UNIQUELY QATAR 2009 COMPETITION WINNER

ALL THE NICE THINGS ABOUT QATAR ....

An amazing abstract not by me but I feel the urge to share it with you . It is so nice to look at it !

marble by BlueStarr
Browse the other posters at www.zazzle.com

Online shopping from Qatar can be very painful . Once I got an item after two months . It is worth reading this .
I got nearly a hundred orders but none of them from here .I still hope that Qatari the market would open in front of me !

Tiny flowers by almawad
View more Business card Profile Cards

People suffering from asthma find relief in the underground cave in my hometown Tapolca , Hungary . The high humidity and the 13C -18 C degree cures many respiratory problems .It is part of the town hospital - actually it is right under the hospital building . Does not it sound like a miracle ? A hospital is built then a cave with healing power is found beneath ?

caves in Qatar

Are there caves in Qatar ?
Look at this video where three young men are exploring one bat cave around here .

A new park in Doha

A new park in Doha behind Hyatt plaza . It has got a pond which reminds me very much my hometown . Have a look at this photo .And to go further the pebbles are also much alike .
My hometown is famous for its cave lake and pond in the heart of the old town . I would not be surprised to see and know that there are caves under us as well here .

Four Seasons hotel got this award the other day . I have got only little experience on hotels in Qatar - but I must say that they deserve the award !
As we entered this place a group of intelligent looking people wondered if they could help us with anything . They were not humbling themselves just they were helpful and kind . I must add that we do not have any VIP look - and during the reception the waiters waitresses were behaving the same way . This is a basic thing - in the service industry that they care about the people they employ ...

But unfortunately this is not so evident around here . I heard complains about famous hotels in Doha where the "cheaper the better " is the main ideology when they are recruiting .
Result ? Difficulty in understanding each other , stupidity , behaving to the guest according to his decision whether you are someone important or not ...
I was at la Cigalle for example - I thought I would practice French - but when I asked the doorman about the reception hall then he was not able to answer in French .
I was at the Sharq village - I was amazed by the architecture and the out of this world atmosphere of their cafe - but when we entered an exhibition there - they were behaving as we were not existing . When some American tourists came - they made a big fuss around them - and which was the most annoying is that they were offering them some candy and my child started to scream for candies too - but they went on ignoring us and she got no one candy .... What a stupid way of treating customers !

No more that place for us !

Qatar Entertainment City

The multi-billion dollar Qatar Entertainment City is more than 70% complete . Wow !
Climate-controlled pedestrian walkways,theme parks ,snow dome ,water park ,rain forest and aquarium ! Full of wonders !

Yet I only wonder when will there be a decent ,affordable beach somewhere out of Doha ! The country with 700 km sandy seaside has got beaches belonging to five star hotels or luxury resorts .
Nothing for the middle class !
In a country where it is not tolerated for local or any other muslim women mixing with men - there is not a single beach preserved for ladies !
One can see brave local women swimming in abayas in Al wakra or Messaid !
I wish they cared about that rather than having a snow dome in the desert !

Why we like henna

I love henna. Why? I have several reasons. It is beautiful, it has so many variations that I am never bored with it, and the most important for me is that it lasts only for a short time. So for those who are scared by the thought of having permanent tattoos (like me), henna offers an attractive and easy opportunity. Another advantage of henna is that it is an inexpensive way of decorating one’s body and feeling beautiful.
I saw henna paintings first when I visited Qatar in 2000. I was amazed and I wanted it immediately. Now, that I live in Qatar, it is so natural for me that I almost always have henna paintings on my hands and legs.
The beginnings of henna painting can be traced back thousands of years to ancient Egypt. It always had a special meaning, symbolized female beauty, helped people, gave blessings and protection to them. Patterns always come down from one generation to another. Mankind made symbols representative of each culture and these appear in henna paintings too. In the Middle East, henna is connected to happiness, good wishes, good luck and a beautiful future. In other parts of the world, henna is so popular because it is unique and a kind of mystical. The meaning of the word henna can be different in every continent, but all of them have positive meanings wherever they appear in the world. It means luck, protection, purity, strength, wealth and health; as well as mercy, maturity and honour.
However, henna has been around for a long time and has been used for its colouring and nourishing properties, it is only over the past decade or so that henna paintings have emerged as the coolest accessories in the West. A long time ago henna paintings were made only for women during special ceremonies, while today men discovered henna for themselves too and use it as temporary tattoos. Traditional paintings cover the hands and legs, however we can sometimes see that the shoulders, the face, the navel as well as the whole body can serve as a ground for a unique artefact.

Read more about henna in English:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henna
http://www.hennapage.com/


written by CS. O. Alma 's Hungarian friend living in Qatar




Henna Painting on Feet of Young Girl