SO Middle Eastern
The direction of Mekka is shown on the mirror of a hotel room in Doha .
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
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 ...
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 ...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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