Happy 2011 by almawad
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 The largest cake of the world was made in Qatar the other day .It was part of Qatar National Day celebrations and a five star hotel was involved .The total weight was 1.7 tonnes .New Guinness World Record was set .
Only one question remained unanswered . Who were the lucky ones who ate the cake ?

Qatar National Day

Have a nice weekend . There will be a lots of programs for kids at  the Corniche - near Sheraton park , at a tower building .Fireworks and fountains with laser show ... Military parade and old boats show .

Check the details here .

I am going to attend only morning programs  .In the afternoon things may get out of control - like it was last year .

Doha is full of empty  buildings nowadays .Rents are still high compared to salaries .Many Asian families share accommodation as they can not afford renting a flat just for them .Expats in Qatar fear that with the coming   World Cup in 2022 in Qatar rents would go higher and higher ...

Qatar 2022 -the Celebration

This little country has big dreams . An we are all amazed how theses dreams coming true . Good Luck with the 2022 World Cup ! May it bring prosperity and union for all the area !

You can learn art and you can teach art in Qatar . I took photos at an art exhibition at the Tribeca film festival . This was in the tent of International Academy for Intercultural Development

You can contact them to learn more about their art courses .

middle east sunrise ipad skins

middle east sunrise iphone 3 skins

middle east sunrise iphone 4 case

Falconry in Qatar is an old tradition . These birds can be bought at the souq /bazar .We saw this man with a falcon at the heritage tent at Tribeca film festival

ipad / iphone cases with photos from Qatar
 by Alma Wad
Fully customizable speck cases with a photo background . It was taken in Doha , Qatar in 2009 by Alma Wad.Great gift for architects , for  Qatar expats and for  nationals and for the lovers of modern architecture .
For more details click on the image








According to my experiences it takes 3 -4 weeks to arrive.It comes from the US .If you happen to be in the US it will be only question of days to get it .
And a great thanks to the great number of customers from Texas and recently from Italy who keep buying my photo art on Qatar .It seems to me that they had been living here  a day .

New Beach in Qatar

It looked amazing . Like a dream . Well maintained beach with colorful parasols beach beds and seats - flag systems , slides for the kids in the water and WC and showers and so on . As you were walking at a famous French riviera beach . It was not open yet . It was not clear when would it open . Some signs said that one can use it from 9 am to sunset . It was not clear either if it was for the grand public or it would belong to a club . But the size of it - 2km perhaps or more - makes one think of a public facility . I do not think  it is possible to make a women only day  -as it is by the edge of the Cultural Village -also known Katara . However if it opens for us - ordinary people- it will be a great step ahead .

Important dates

November 16 2010 EID in Qatar and GCC
December 2  2010 the Decision will be revelead on the location of football worldcup 2022

December 18th Qatar's National Day

Happy Diwali - Card by cycreation
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Sunset in Doha Bay by almawad
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Tribeca Film Festival - Family Day 2010


It was the second festival . Last year the free screening and family day was held on the Corniche at the Museum of Islamic art .This year in the brand new Cultural Village in the outskirts of Doha.Oh my so so much concrete ! Last year we were in the city still near the nature .There were enough seats for everyone .This year we were not allowed to see the free screening . No more seats was the answer .The open air theatre was a huge structure - not very kid or family friendly . You had to climb  so many steps and it looked frightening . Last year I bought some Middle Eastern stuffed cabbage from local women .It was cheap and delicious . This year we saw a lots of exclusive restaurants . Nowhere the traditional local women selling their dishes from their hot pots .Last year on the family day there was a Hungarian - Iraqi cartoon on . This year there was a Disney film on .I thought that film festivals are for films which can not be seen too often on tv .Now as they brought this Disney film - you did not have the feeling that you see something special .There were a lots of programs organized to have this festival feel . We managed to see some and they were really good . We got a program guide only there to see that we missed a lots of other performances .
Well guys , you wanted to make this festival and family day very good and perfect event and it was spoilt by your good will - I had this feel .Everything became too posh too artificial .And heard many people asking each other" But where is Adel Imam ?"

Karwa was celebrating itself . I read in the Peninsula . The company is a success story .
Though they know that there are problems .Not everything is solved but they say that  there are enough taxis on the roads .
Are there ?
 Where are they ? Today I had an appointment  .I started to  wait for a taxi in Bin Mahmoud at 8:30 .Hundreds of cars were speeding on the busy roads .  I might have seen five taxis altogether  - none of them were available .Where are the taxis at this  time from the roads ? Are the drivers sleeping ?After one hour I gave up . I had to cancel my appointment . I was irresponsible not ordering 24 hours before a taxi .
Karwa is a success story . Success for who ?

 The other day I had to visit an embassy in the West Bay . The driver was new - and  could not find the place though I gave him exact address which number , what square . We were riding here and there  half an hour in the darkness .Finally we found a jogger who could help us . The cost was nearly double of the expected cost. Guess who had to pay  that !
Yes  be prepared if you ride a taxi in Doha you have to show the way to the driver . They are not educated before sending them to drive . They are new . They has just arrived and might leave soon as Singapore is a more attractive place for a driver .New ones are coming and leaving soon .
On the other hand the roads are full of illegal drivers  offering a ride . I had to turn down minimum ten guys during one hour .I do not dare to ride with them .It is not their beard or their  traditional clothes that disturbs me . Just that they are not registered and can not be controlled .They should get an official rank .They are the ones who know Doha and who are ready to live here .

Red sludge disaster near my hometown

We always loved to draw with those red pebbles and stones when we were children in Veszprem county , Hungary .Now it reminds me to that terrible disaster  which happened a week ago . You must have heard about the alumina factory which reservoir was overfilled and the toxic sludge poured on a village in the hills bellow the alumina plant 5-6kms .The Luck that it happened at lunch time  and not at night , This way most of the villagers had chance -around 20 seconds - to climb on a tree ,rooftops ,fence . Those living in lower part had less chance . Luckily the children were at school which was in an upper area . But the small ones were at home . Some of them died as their parents simply had no time or way to save them .They were drifted by the sludge which was burning their skins ...One mother told she had around 20 second to understand what was going on  and catch her little child put her on the top of a cupboard and then she was already burning  - she was standing  in the sludge until waste . as she was sure  she was going to die - she managed to grab her mobile and called her husband to tell him goodbye and begging him to try to save their kid  who was on the top of the cupboards surrounded by the toxic sludge . It was impossible to enter the village - the husband called the neighbours who rushed to save them . Everybody was saved  - though they pay the price  -suffering of burns ....
 This case was full nice of uplifting stories .Firefighters and policemen working hard to save lives ....
When the sludge dries it will turn into a toxic powder . People of three towns should leave everything behind ... and move and build a new place ....
The managers owners of the alumina plants are millionaires . Their greed caused that disaster .They should pay as soon as possible .They should be forced to pay .
Instead of that  money is begged here and there .I was shocked to see that money is  asked by our consul  here in Qatar for those victims .It is always nice to help however  the greatest help  would be if we Hungarians got rid of those corrupt people who grabbed  important factories ,facilities  20 years ago  then they irresponsibility causes danger  all the time .They are greedy in a revolting   way . Now this was a wake up call for all of us . We have to care about public issues  and not to burry our heads into the sand .
 

Royal Plaza at Eid . I love the look of this art deco structure at any time of the year but their festive image is so uplifting ! Five star for the designer !

Torch Tower in Doha Qatar illuminated for Eid - as I managed to capture that two weeks ago ...

Qatar News Agency

Again a building in good condition is being pulled down ...

Doha Film Institute is currently looking for extras to appear in two projects to be filmed on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. All roles are voluntary (not paid), but they will provide refreshments on the day, and you will be able to see the finished project on 100s of cinema screens around the gulf. If you are interested in being involved, please drop an email to casting/-a-t-/dohafilminstitute.com
It was someone who signed James and posted this  this ad at Qatarliving . It sounds good fun .

So the Eid is over . At least my husband had to go to work .It is still very hot . So we had organized indoor programs . So did the other 1 .6 million people in the country .But we were not surprised . Crowds everywhere . It is just Eid . Not a catastrophe .The special offer rush at Lulu was a little bit too much to handle . We saw an ad about lap tops . Special offer . We arrived at Lulu at 5 to 5 .. Others saw the ads as well .There was a large crowd in front of the mall . Most of them labourers . I do not think that they have no right to enter .They should have a place . And it is Lulu .I felt we were the intruders .We wished to get to the desired item to check it out - but there were too many people staring at them ..reading the details and dreaming .It was hard job to get it then to arrive to the cashier and to pay then to go out from the LuLu. I thanked God that family days exist at other malls .
We took the kids to ice rinks ,amusement parks . We  went to Sealine . Jammed roads .Arriving late at slow pace . The rescue helicopter had just landed near us . We just hoped that it was precaution and everybody survived the holidays .( It reminded me M7 the motorway to lake Balaton .)Being late there we could not see the blue sea -but we saw at night a very special thing in the sky . The moon and the Day Star were in very special constellation .Very close to each other . I kept taking photos - but I do no think that I managed to capture the thing .


While we were eating out we heard Hungarian talk .My kids were all excited but I was too tired to check those people out . I am always happy to meet nice , simple intelligent people . I   am just  tired by many bad experiences in the past eight years.Somebody reading this might think that I am a terrible person .I have a lots of very good friend in Hungary and a few in Doha . I had met in Doha before Hungarian people who are able to hold conversation on their four wheelers and similar topics during hours - speaking Hungarian with a lots of mistake ( an being proud of their ignorance ) and not speaking really any other language thus not being able to understand what is going on around them  but judging very harshly other nations living here . Many of my fellow Hungarians are real Mezga Geza and Paula . I would have never thought before that there was so much truth in that cartoon ...

eid mubarak by akhilesh
Learn how to sell artwork online at zazzle.com

art courses in Qatar         Mme Dhamiya Brandone - watercolor course tel 5563 97 10 or e-mail brandone/-a-t-/qatar.net.qa
 Her workshop is somewhere near Ramada hotel . Her courses are for adults .

Dar al Founoun art school  - Souq Waqif -5519 3224.( not sure if it still working)


Cafe Ceramique  - in case you are interested in ceramic painting
Laurence Hamenthienne drawing and painting workshop 5514 74 24 e-mail: halaurence/-a-t-/hotmail.com

Jannie van der Hagen drawing and painting course 5504 10 57 e-mail : rademaker.vanderhagen/-a-t-/gmail.com  Her courses are held at her workshop behind  Lanmdmark's Carrefour .She is open to teach anyone eager to study art .

The Talents Center Mme Rolande Gerges 5505 63 33
fine art courses for ladies and kids

Visual Art Center
Phone : +974 4467 8864 ext 231
Location : Al Hilal West, Near Mall round-about
Various workshops in painting, drawing, design, ceramics, graphic design and photography

Read more: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/17786#ixzz15tqx6asR

Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar organizes non-credit community classes in art .All classes are open to both women and men and unless otherwise noted are taught in English at the Recreation & Sports Center located within Education City on Al Luqta Street, Doha. More info about  their courses  here .

SPRING 2011

Drawing Basics

Instructor: Jennifer Mock
Sundays and Tuesdays, 4:00 – 5:30 PM
February 6 – March 15, 2011 (12 classes)
Fee: $330 (QR 1200)
Room: 266

Ceramic Mosaics

Instructor: Zaineb Balasem Yasser
Sundays and Tuesdays, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
February 6 – March 8, 2011 (10 classes)
Fee: $275 (QR 1000)
Room: 172

Color in Interior and Fashion

Instructor: Manjulakshmi
Sundays and Fridays, 5:30 – 7:00 PM (12 classes)
February 6 – March 18, 2011
Fee: $330 (QR 1200)
Room: 255

Intro to Fashion Design

Instructor: Manjulakshmi
Monday and Wednesday, 6:00 - 7:30 PM (12 classes)
February 6 – March 17, 2011
Fee: $330 (QR 1200)
Room: 255

Intro to Fashion Drawing - Level 2
nstructor: Don Earley
Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
February 7 – March 9, 2009
Fee: $275 (QR 1000)
Room 241

Clay Sculpture and Pottery

Instructor: Zaineb Balasem Yasser
Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
February 7 – March 9, 2011 (10 classes)
Fee: $275 (QR 1000)
Room: 172

Design Your Home

Instructor: Manjulakshmi
Tuesdays and Saturdays, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (16 classes)
February 8 – April 2, 2011
Fee: $440 (QR 1600)
Room: 255

and more courses Read ABOUT THEM HERE

eat ,sleep .art by almawad
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Ramadan in Qatar

Art Collage by Alma Wad(aka me)

Ramadan in Qatar by almawad
See other ""poster designs on zazzle.com

  This art poster features an intricate Islamic lamp with the view of the modern city in the background at sunset .It shows the modern and traditional side of this country in the Middle East . The poster is available in five different sizes .

 

How was it made ?

Picasa is a free image editor - that you can download at google.com . It can make collages .I chose multiple exposure option  and played with transparency untilI got the desired image.Orignally the photos were taken  on the Corniche and in the Pearl Island .

 

If you are interested in art and photos  you can read in my next post about the posibilites in Qatar .

Petrol Dollars Blessing or Curse ?
Aljazeera tv channel

Giving Birth in Qatar

 The other day there was simply no bed available in the delivery room for mothers in labour ....
 here is what the peninsula qatar writes 

A couple of days ago, procedures at Women’s Hospital, which sees more than 50 births each day, came to a standstill. The emergency services were stuck, the labour room was jammed and the inpatient beds were all occupied.
The reason was that some of the inpatients who had been discharged and were fit to go home were waiting in their beds until their families felt it necessary to move them. Due to lack of inpatient beds, post-natal women had to wait in their delivery beds in the labour room. Since all the delivery beds were thus occupied, women with labour pains could not be admitted and hence delivered in the Emergency Unit.
“Who has to be blamed here? When doctors say patients are fit to go home, we are responsible for them. We are not pushing them; we just need to make space for an equally important patient. Is it not unfair to leave a woman in labour spasm to deliver in the emergency,” asks Dr Halima Al Tamimi, Chairperson, Gynaecology & Obstetrics Department, Women’s Hospital.



I am really worried .One of my friend is expecting a baby ...Will she get a bed for delivery and after ?

Programs for kids during Ramadan :

 It seems to me that at the Islamic Art Museum there is  a program called Treasure Trail for kids between the age 6 -16 ..

You can visit the museum after iftar on Thursdays and on Saturday  between 8 - 11 pm

 Here is more detail about their timing

The Children Treasure Trail Competition will be running during the holy month of Ramadan.

Museum of Islamic Art Ramadan Timings:
Sunday – Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday: CLOSED
Thursday: 10:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m.
Friday: CLOSED
Sat: 10:00 am – 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m.

Please note that Museum of Islamic Art will be closed on the first day of EID.

  Tribeca Film Festival

Volunteer Recruitment and Orientation: September 15 - October 14.
Mandatory Department Training Days: October 9 & October 16
Doha Tribeca Film Festival: October 26 – 30

One of my child was working there last year . The festival itself was great and we plan to visit it again . But this volunteer recruitment and orientation was rather time consuming  and without giving much useful information .
Come here go there  -but it was not understood well what for . So she refuses to volunteer again as she can not  spend so much time on all those  trainings ..However if you do not mind the time then  give it a try ...They distribute promotional stuffs like tees etc . you will be invited to exclusive movie shows and to a party  and the work  itself can be interesting  and emotionally rewarding .I think it is a great adventure after all .

I can’t believe it ! Zazzle sent me the e-mail yesterday that Alma Wad is a pro seller at Zazzle . I am very happy . A thing that I did not hope at all when I started to set up my shop at Zazzle .

For this occasion Zazzle sent me a $30 coupon gift and I can read and discuss at the proseller’s forum .I can use the icon of prosellers . That is all the changes that I noticed for the time being .

I think this blog helped me a lot with the promotion and I hope that it will help in the future !

Intricate Islamic Floor Lamp by akhilesh
See other fine art prints on zazzle

Ramadan Karim

 the fasting month has started on 11th August in 2010

timing at many places change  at this period 

most of the big supermarkets open at 9 am and they close only at 1 am - so they are open all the day - they  have one hour break only  on Fridays
( Family Food Centre  closing at 4 30 pm and reopens only at 7 pm)


Health Centers open at 8 am   and  there is no service in the afternoons   they reopen at 7 pm to close at 11 pm

 boutiques - if you feel like shopping in the plazas during ramadan then you can do it from 10 am till 12 /12 30 am  all the afternoon they remain closed only to reopen  at 7or 8 pm 


post office : from 8 am till 12  in the mornings
 in the afternoons there is no service
 they reopen at 8 pm  to close at midnight


Qtel : from 10 am to 3 pm
          from 8 pm 11:30 pm





P.S. if you need a stock photo for your ramadan posts you can find a lot around here :www.fotonium.com

AQUAPARK IN QATAR

  It is going to open soon  - at least for Eid  . It is a bit far from Doha .  16 km from the Ain Khalid roundabout driving along the Salwa road .What to expect there ? Lazy river ,1,500 square -metre activity area for kids ,giant wave pool where you can surf  ,food court to have lunch .  It costs 100 rial per person .For kids under five it is free .Tuesday is ladies only day   - Friday is for families.

Sounds like  great fun ! :) We have expected  it for so  long .
Update Finally the park opened only after Eid .Friday, 24 September 2010 .Nobody spoke about Ladies only days anymore ...

Can you believe that a taxi drives away with all your shopping bags in the back of the taxi then  after one hour he comes back then he wants you to pay for  that ?
Well , that is what exactly happened to  us . I had just left the  taxi and wanted to open the back of the car when he drove away and left me in  the middle of the road . He forgot the bags obviously . Then I called the karwa supervisors  - they wanted to know all sorts of things about me and my bags  - that had nothing to see with the matter .But finally they found the forgetful driver .

I expected him to apologize but at my greatest shock he wanted me to pay for his coming back .I was furious  I told  him my mind . But he would not get hurt  and would not go away . He was just standing there  in front of our house .


Finally my husband gave him some money .You can laugh at us -but it was so disturbing to see that he was ready to camp in front of our house for the want of 25 riyals . ...


Things like that happen only in Qatar I think .

While I was away from Qatar two important things happened in July .

1. There was an earthquake with the epicenter around 300 km from Doha .It was 5.8 .
It seems to me that very few people noticed that at all .

2 .All telephone numbers changed into 8 digit numbers in a way that you have to add the first digit one more time ... for example if you call karwa then in stead of 458 8888 you have to use 4458 8888 .
  Both landline and mobile phones changed this way .

Perhaps you need a new business card then with this change !:) Here is one of my bestseller:


 

I have not been able to write for a while . There was a bug and I had not been able to post .

I was back to Hungary and I compared the two countries all the time .  
 

It was rather hot there as well and  no AC at most homes . The days were longer even at 9 30 it was daylight . I think  this is the thing I miss the most when  it is  summer  in Qatar . It is early   and it is totally dark at 6 .Mcdonald's in Hungary is selling all kinds of healthy food :  fruit , cheese bars ,grilled chicken breast with salad ,muesli with yoghurt . 
Health service in Hungary is still not very well organized . It is still better in Qatar . It was not a surprise .Just I was shocked when at emergency  my adult child was asked to pay around  $50 for the treatment . I had always thought that emergency is something free everywhere  .

Summer entertainments are numerous in Hungary festivals all the time .
Here I saw no clue having something like that.

Hungarian Vacations by almawad
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It is nice in Qatar that dogs and there owners right is not above humans'. In Hungary you can see so many big ,dangerous dogs  without the prescribed protections .Nobody cares though there have been so many tragedies .
My kids enjoyed seeing frogs , spiders  , fruit on  trees / and my preschoolers noticed that women outnumber men in Hungary while in Qatar just the opposite .












All in all it was a nice holiday and a nice return .I have a nice spacious home  here and  I have  some friends  and we  can work and have a comfortable life .

criminal negligence  of a private mini van driver leaves another little child dead  Dammam , Saud Arabia  June 2010  

It seems that we did not shout  loud enough  when Sarah Gazdhar died in May ,2010 in Doha ,Qatar .
Not loud enough to be heard in  Saud Arabia

I do not wish to fill my blog with such tragic news  - but i can not stay silent when our kids life is so cheap . The story is the same : driver is too lazy to check the rear end of the bus . There is no attendant  -it is not a school van ,anyway .Little Fida Harris was found dead five hours later .


School transportation should be  reorganized  in the area ! Only dedicated drivers should be allowed to drive  kids to school / They should be trained   about the special challenges of transporting kids ! And because  the danger of death is so high in the hot weather those  buses should be checked by three different persons when arriving at the school !

500.000  riyal  fine for the school  where a five year old was forgotten on the bus .

 This happened in October ,2009 . The poor little girl  was sleeping at the rear end of the bus . A driver  was lazy to check that place . A school was too greedy to spend money on a bus attendant . The result  :   she was found in terrible conditions five hours later .Doctors were fighting for her life during days .Luckily she survived . It was October .Not as hot as May .She is still suffering from psychological problems .No wonder .
The driver got two year jail  and fined to 10. 000 riyal  which  is more than  the income of a year for a driver .
Shame on every school  where the life of  our kids is so cheap ! It was the Tunesian  School in Doha .

It was cool the other day in Doha . It was hot in Hungary the other day .It was around 36 C  there and here 38 C.
In Hungary the government warned people to stay inside and listed public places with air conditioning where anybody was free to enter and cool down .Roads were sprayed with water ...Free bottles of water were distributed in the streets .


Here nothing special .It is just June . School buses still come and go for some schools . Their badly working air conditioning  does not disturb the school managements usually .

Good news In Doha

 We happened to go for shopping to the New Lulu the other day . As we came home we noticed that the new motorway is made .It was like flying ... no  traffic jam , no roundabouts no cross  no junctions . We made  two third of our way to home   on that new motorway .  Then we had to  turn into the usual jammed roads . At snail pace !

Museum of Islamic Art by almawad
View other I. m. pei Posters


Museum of Islamic Art is a very interesting building . If you are interested in architecture then the building itself is worth a visit . it is built in a man made island by the seaside promenade called  Corniche around here . The architect had been studying the islamic architecture for years before proposing this building design .  The result is a modern building with traditonal elements reminding one to famous  Mosques . 

It has got court with fountains and arches ... Refreshing and elegant .

court with fountains by almawad
Browse more cards available on zazzle

Turkish Vase by almawad
More Turkish vase Cards

 and it has got a lots of old objects to see ....


if you have not been to the museum yet
 I can highly recommend  to visit it ! 

Sarah Gazdhar , the four year old  , the one who was forgotten on the school bus was burried  in Doha.We just feel so bad and helpless . We adopted her into our heart . It feels a little bit as she was our child .

Many people keep asking why did it happen .So do I .
Answer number one : it can be that drivers or bus supervisors simply do not understand that locking someone into a bus or car in this heat can be very quickly fatal . They should be educated by videos to make them understand  how dangerous it is.

IN this video one can see  how quickly temperature rises inside the car . it is 27 C outside  and after one hour it is  over 50 C .
One can imagine how it is when the outside temperature is over 40 C . Plus children 's body get hot much faster than adult's .
In fact - it is so big danger around here that some minutes is enough and kids are baked inside a locked vehicle .
 The danger is so big  in the heat of Qatar that a system should be  done to be sure that no one will be left there .

 My child  had attended a small nursery  with 70 children and one bus . The place was not perfect but the principal took this issue very seriously . She did not trust the life of kids on untrained drivers and helpers . Every day she checked the bus personally  at arriving and at leaving . She registered personally who arrived and who left .
With big schools this system  does not work .Still there are other ideas  to use .

School Buses in Qatar

 Doha has got  very large number of students . Big ones and small ones .At the same time Doha's expat population is not steady . Many people come and go . So do the drivers   so do the teachers  and  bus attendants.
 When we trust our children on a school we have no option to check the driver  and the bus attendant if they are reliable persons .The school management  should do this job .


But it seems that they are  simply not interested . My child went to DPS MIS school for summer camp . She had a great time there  and  I believed that she is  at  the careful hands of professional adults . It was only after the camp that my six year old mentioned that once she fell asleep on the bus  and found herself alone and closed for some time . Luckily the driver came back  to check something then she was set free . Another time another little boy found himself forgotten in the bus . He managed to jump out through  a window .
He was a little bit bigger . The four year old Sarah Ghazdar was not so lucky . The driver did not come back and she could not set herself free . A little child died . She could have been yours  or ours .


Why ? Because schools are not supervised properly .Because bus drivers do not get proper training on their duties .Because bus attendants   do not care either  and many times simply the school does not  hire any .Because the drivers and attendants come from countries where they are not taught to think independently . They are taught only  to respect and follow ... and their common sense  is simply not working ...


Sorry to say so . But I am angry . I am furious .

A Little Girl who did not return home from school


It was just another school day at the kindergarten . Looking forward to meeting friends and having a day full of fun , singing , numbers,colors , rhyme .

For Sarah Gazdhar it was the last one . Somebody  forgot to check the school bus  after arriving .  A simple one minute job .Sarah fell asleep and was forgotten  there . It was 40 C outside . The bus was closed for four and half an hour . She  must had a terrible death .


That is the story .
It could have been your child or mine .
And the bus will come tomorrow and we will let our kids to school . Praying  that someone will not fail to do this one minute job .Hoping that no child will be left on the bus .

I found a gift shop in Islamic art museum it was selling neckties with patterns of famous traditional Islamic art .As a necktie designer myself I was pleased with their idea. There were also different kinds of  wrap paper with the same pattern on sale in case you like the pattern just do not wish to pay for a tie 130 QAR .

I found some hand painted china in cream color with golden motifs .They are nice presents .Just they are not cheap .  There were also  some cheaper mugs with printed motifs . Not as special as these ones but still they make a nice Middle Eastern souvenir .
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But best of all I liked this oval plate with calligraphy on it . It is a real exclusive piece . If they had a cheaper version I would buy it .







They are offering t-shirts with calligraphy .umbrellas ,posters , cards ,jewels whatever you would expect from a gift shop to sell.


The Museum itself is open between 10:30 and 5 30 entrance is free . It is on the Corniche

Pearl exhibition

It is on at Islamic Art Museum until the 5th of July . You can see a lots of pearls . Natural ones and cultivated ones .Pink , white , cream , golden ,black .From Qatar ,from Panama , from Australia , from the Philippines ,from Japan .The natural ones come in small cups and dishes -the cultivated ones by buckets . The heydays of pearl fishing around here was from 1850 -1940 . The era when the rich Westerner and Indian maharajas all wanted to decorate themselves and their surroundings by pearls . Then the pearl beds were depleted -then came Mikimoto the Japanese inventor with his cultivated pearls . The natural pearls are never as regular in shape as the cultivated ones . You can see a lots of jewels Indian dresses , Coco Chanel 's dress , Indian carpets all decorated by pearls . You can read a lots of interesting things on the pearls . It is rather dark inside the rooms and there is some mysterious music which made my preschooler feel uncomfortable .My bigger kid enjoyed it and found it relaxing .

It was worth the 20 riyal we payed for the tickets - for kids it was free ..

The Building of the museum itself is worth a visit ..but about that I am planning to write another article .

No photos were allowed inside the pearl rooms :(

Casol square silk scarf - Princess Grace Kelly style


Some vintage summer fashion from the era of Grace Kelly when wearing a scarf over the head was not banned in any European countries  from the era when France was not so restrictive and paranoid about a piece of clothes to cover the head  It was simply chic .

O tempora! O mores

!

Alma Wad's neckties for summer



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PLACIDO DOMINGO IN QATAR 2010

According to the official site of the singer the concert will take place at the PEARL QATAR - MARSA ARABIA

DATE : 13 th of May 2010
 TIME -7 pm  - from 6 pm onwards
Tickets : Virgin Megastore   -for more info call 
(+974)  4135823/4135824

online ticket 
350 - 600 -1200 rial 

Event : Antologia de la Zarzuela

Qatar ,the multicultural

This video features an international cultural night at CMU -Q ( an American University in Qatar ) -th performers are not professionals but simple students ..

If you love photography  then just have a look at the submitted images of the photo competition of the British Council .

2044    


is the year when the hatchlings of turtles will return
to the shores of Qatar to lay eggs at the same place where they saw the daylight themselves

Qatar Photo Gifts



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Qatar Airways flew home around 500 passengers to Europe landing in Lyon instead of Paris and in Edinburgh instead of London .
If Paris is not allowed how can Edinburgh be a legal destination these days ?

marine festival 2010 doha

 

we visited yesterday the event .it is a bit far .Somewhere near the hotel intercontinental -but at my greatest surprise the karwa driver knew the place and we arrived there smoothly . it was around half past four still very hot ...
the children were welcomed by a character called Bahoor - a seahorse - they were given buttons ,flags ,sheets to color and pencils .It was a nice beginning . Then there was at the beach this bouncing castle and beautiful sand sculptures and some of the designers were still working on them . I liked all of them - but I found the girl singing with an oud in her lap the best.I also liked a group of camel having rest .
Someone got the idea to sprinkle water on the sand thus our kids were making happily their own sand sculpture . I wish there was someone who does it in the public parks -as the sand is always dry in this country and playing in it is not great joy for the children .


There was a huge screen for movies by the seaside with comfortable sofas and chairs and beanbags to make you feel like home .I like that but the movie that was on was not very special some old Disney movie ...


WE saw kids drawings and painting and also from more professional artists on the
at the exhibition area . There was a tent full of special kind of sea creatures : mostly fishes and crabs . They were nice .I liked the lion fish with its stripes and an orange fish with blue dots .Like they made a fashion statement .:)


The food court was not very special . Everything was reasonably priced - but just the usual fast food meals .There was a small tent on which it was written "seafood cooking competition" -but who was competing with who -and who were the lucky ones who could taste the food -all of these details were not clear ..


It was a nice event without big surprises .Unfortunately the family's camera was not available . Tonight there will be a big parade a carnival on the Corniche.I just wonder the timing from 8 - 10 pm ... It is school tomorrow .. my kids can not get up the next day of they stay up late . Who for this timing was set?

Shopping guide for Hungarians living in the Gulf

It is not possible to find everything we miss -but there are some delicacy that are not well known here .

Sauer Kraut alias  savanyu kaposzta you will find them in 500 g packs in the Megamart
made in Holland by krautboy ...it is at the vegetables counter well hidden among salads and other ready cut veggies - it is very good

Ile Flottant alias madartej it is exactly the same taste  and it is made in France  it is a Carrefour product available at Carrefour supermarkets ...


Raspberry  alias malna at affordable price - nowadays I saw some among the frozen fruits  at Carrefour


Chestnut preserve  -gesztenye pure fele  - I saw sweet chestnut preserves in the Carrefour which is far from our  gesztenye massza but still  tastes to be good for filling cakes ,pancakes  - I saw around Xmas some natural flavored chestnut pure in big yellow tins at  Megamart but the price was putting me off ..

TURO  - if you wish to make something salty then  Almarai labneh will do .Perfect for korozott ,turos retes ,turos pogacs .Yocca cottage cheese tastes like sour cream with turo ...For sweet filling one must buy ricotta ( very expensive ) or you can make at home some turo  within half an hour ... I learned it here how to make turo fast way ....

SOUR CREAM  - alias tejfol . There is  sour cream here . I just write about it because I met some Hungarian housewives here who claimed that there is no sour cream around here ...

Qatar Marine Festival

It seems to be an exciting event full of great programs for kids and adults .
It will close on the 21st of April and events are scheduled in the afternoons at the Cultural Village  .
Sailing demonstration , sand art sculptures , sea food cooking contest , bossa ball and movie night for families ....

find out more

old boats of Qatar by almawad
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Numbers

500 is the number of transit passengers who must stay  in Qatar due to their canceled flights ....

Kurt Vonnegut : Slaughterhouse Five - book review

I do not usually read books on WWII . It is the hobby of my father .I grew up surrounded by those books -photo albums and for years i believed that I knew everything about the horror of that era .
Only when before graduating at secondary school I learned that my father nearly frozen to death in a basement where he had to spend days during the cold winter of 1945 while his village was cluster bombed by the Royal British Air Force .He was six years old then .From that story I knew that not only Jews and Russians were the victims during the war but also Hungarian civilian people died .Somehow they forgot to teach that at school .
We were massively brainwashed and we did not care much about the German civilian victim's stories .They started the war after all .
Only lately I heard some hints about the unfair attack on Dresden .I thought that it was like my father's village -a simple carpet bombing .
So I read the book of Kurt Vonnegut because I wished to know what it was like . Kurt Vonnegut was there .He was an American soldier a prisoner of war . Humiliated and forced to work by the Germans nearly bombed to death by his own people .His personal account interested me much.
It was an interesting reading . It told the story of Billy Pilgrim the young optimetrist student who was captured by the Germans within the first week he landed in Europe .
Billy was dying though survived and through his visions and dreams we could learn more about his past and his future .The tragedy of that beautiful city wounded his soul for life .He escaped to the aliens for comfort . Just to know that time is our four dimension and death is not so terrible if we understand the different time perception of those little green men .
Otherwise the truth about Dresden bombing is too horrible with our Earthling perception of time to be able to live with its memory .It was an open city . Strategically nothing important .Under the protection of Red Cross .Undefended .Full of refugees -as it seemed to be the only safe place in Germany .The war was about its end .
Then out of the blue sky came the planes and attacked the city .Allied forces .First the traditional cluster bombing .Which was bad but most people would have survived that if there was not a second bombing of burning materials which turned the shallow shelters into burning catacombs .Those people who managed to get out from there were rushing to the river which was burning as well .Those who escaped to the squares or public parks got special bombs .Fire tornadoes lifted up people .They burnt into ashes or melted into liquid substance .
Out of 35 thousand buildings only 7000 remain .Nobody knows exactly how many people died as the town was full of refugees . They estimate that more than a million people were residing there .
The author survived only because he was accommodated at a slaughterhouse which had a really deep meat cellar .
They day after the bombing when they came out of their shelters to get some food and water the allied forces were flying so low that they were able to see that some people still alive and were shooting on them by machine guns or dropped on them smaller bombs .
After all the author does not think that all this attack was designed by evil people -just ignorant .They just wanted to hasten the end of the war .
These remarks made me feel that the book was censored . Kurt Vonnegut had a letter published after his death in which he called the Dresden attack obscene brutality
Kurt Vonnegut is easy to read .Humanism is radiating from every page.
He claims that 135 thousand people died .Some claims 25 thousand only . The Russians used to speak about 500 thousand victims. If we see that how big percentage of the buildings were destroyed we have to suppose that similar percentage of people perished as well . The city was home to 600 thousand people and jammed with refugees .But nobody knows how many were there at that inferno .
This was the biggest massacre in Europe .
And it is still not taught at schools .It is not commemorated widely .
Dropping bombs on civilians and refugees is still in fashion not so far from Europe . . .
So it goes .

Slaughterhouse Art Poster by curious_inkling
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A beautiful lotus mandala carved into a watermelon . Typical centerpiece at parties around here .Indian style fruit sculpture in Doha .

I have been living in Qatar for a while and I remember well - those orange cabs . Those folks with big beard and national wear - never telling anything to you -but always taking you to the place where you want to go .. and never cheating you ...

Well nowadays taxi drivers have nice uniform and no beards but they do not know the city well .The other day I came across a driver from Burma who did not know where Villaggio mall was .

Even worse he did not turn when I told him to do so this way he made a tour of Doha with me which resulted in very high bill .

apparently karwa is not training the drivers before letting them work - but why I have to pay for that ? i find it very unfair .

but all these things are not new ... but what is really shocking for me is that last month I stumbled upon a lots of scammy drivers ...every three ..
their way was
1 not switching on the meter - then asking for a sum double than it should be
2 telling that they have no change ( they can not find 4 rials change )
3taking the money not giving back anything and telling that god will bless me ... I think last time a gypsy woman said me so in transylvania when buying forest fruits from her i studpily paid with a a bank note...

I do not think that Qatar should sink to this level .
Nowadays I prepare well with small change in advance against these "allah karim mam" scammers

I give tip with pleasure when I am satisfied .It is usually 15 % . But I get furious when they want to dictate ...
the other day the driver did not turn where I told him to do so ... then I told him three times to turn at the next street - then he yelled at me " no speaking " you speaking once' enough ... when I told him that I m the customer then he answered yes - you customer and you speak once ..he told me with such a male pride that I really felt like giving him a punch
someone really should inform these guys about acceptable manners in qatar

I was invited to a reception . The catering service was provided by the Diplomatic Club .We had some crudites as appetizer . There was a nice but not too big selection of salads as entree . Then we had to wait a lot for the sishtaouk and the kofta - as it was a self service we had to queue for twenty minutes or more ... this was my only concern - somehow they should have organized better this part . Or it might be not their fault at all - but my hosts .
The main dishes were also excellent- though not the number one in Doha ( i know a cheap Turkish eatery where they make better sishtaouk) - they came with samosas and grilled potatoes and vegetables . I tried their tiramisu cake - it was a real gourmet taste with strong coffee flavor . The assorted fruit cake was not my favorite one.It tasted like a cheap supermarket cake .
The drinks were the usual ones - but no fantasy ...orange juice ,sodas ,mineral water .
It is possible to make great cocktails without alcohol as well ...
The waiters and waitresses were wonderful . Helpful ,intelligent but not servile .
That is what I miss at times in Doha . Many times you can meet here unskilled people serving you ... either they are arrogant or servile ... the art of serving with dignity should be taught - I think .
I remember once a Chinese waiter helped me with the kids and bags at a cafe in Doha . When we were already outside the cafe he bowed in front of me at a deep angle .Such things frighten me and I had not returned the place for longtime though it is my number one cafe in Doha .
People coming from far eastern countries should be informed about that bowing is not seen as a form of respect here .Generally one should not bow in front of anybody else than God - according to the Quran's teachings .I know people who do not let their kids go to karate club for this reason .They object the usual bow in front of the karate master .
The main supervisor at the reception arranged for us seats at once as he saw I was standing with a sleeping toddler in my arms . Though it was a standing reception - there were few tables as well ... I liked what he did and how he did it very much ...

Sword dance of Qatar
original video by me

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from February 25, 2010 through March 31, 2010 at 11:59pm PT.

details

Warm up Ladies !

Doha Mini Marathon for ladies only is coming !
20th february( next saturday)
Aspire zone 10 am
4 km jogging race

Learn more abou the event

14th February
Valentine Day in the western world
Tiger year's first day in China
Buso jaras - end of the winter festivities in Hungary !
What a coincidence !

Rydges Hotel in Doha Pulled down


Though I have never been there it was very familiar building for me .. it was not far from our home and i could see it from the window ....it looked a building in good condition ...but it is said to have been built in wrong location .. so it was bought from the owner and demolished ...I have never seen something like that ...our pride is rather to preserve the buildings in Hungary ...

I missed the Doha Food festival

I feel really sorry that I missed this festival . The first one in the city . All the restaurants came together and were offering their dishes for a value price . The most expensive dish was only 15 riyal( less than $5) - and it means five star hotels cuisine .The cheapest ones were 5 riyal - and i guess a lots of tasty things among them . The thing that I like in Doha that everyone can find a restaurant whatever his means are . The inexpensive restaurants offer many times really good dishes .My husband brings meals from such eateries at times and I remember an Indian egg plant dish for breakfast and a kind of grilled chicken pieces with wonderful bread from a Turkish eatery .

Numbers

121 accidents in Qatar on a single day due to a sand storm with wind of 24 knots

14C degrees minimum temperature = winter in Qatar

See my latest designs on Qatar . Great gift for proud nationals or expats who want some keepsake on their years spent in Qatar . All of the items can be customized - you can easily add your own logo , text , initials !

You might not find always the souvenir you like in Qatar's gift shops .In this case you can browse my designs .Fridge magnets are always seen and practical gifts .
Please note : if you order it to your address in Qatar then you should wait at least 4 -5 weeks until it arrives .

See tricks of online shopping in Qatar

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Qatari woman at the taxi station

It was at Villaggio Mall 's taxi station ... there were around three families waiting ... There was a queue . Then came up a Qatari(looking) woman -she stood right to the first place to get the first taxi coming ... The Indian supervisor sent her to the last place - taboor -he said ... the woman did not want to accept ... she could not understand how this Indian guy is sending her to the last place ... after all she is Qatari ...
But the supervisor was firm and sent her to wait ....
I could see through her veil how much she felt humiliated ... she had to wait like a foreigner ..she tried to call her family - but nobody had time .... then she just stood there staring bitterly into the dark parking space ... She must have been thinking about the golden age of Qatar when the Hindi guys served them first and would not dare to tell them taboor...Things have changed .....

Buffet breakfast - Le Notre , Villaggio Mall

Though I was not fascinated by the lunch we had there a year ago - I decided then to try their breakfast . The buffet table's selection were not as big as I expected ...though there were a large selection of cakes - somehow this was not exactly the thing I wished to have for my breakfast .I expected a lots of bakery products , some cereals - but we foud some little croissants and that was all . We were almost disappointed and took some grilled frankfurters and some salads with tiny sandwiches when it turned out that some parts of the breakfast are served for you as it is freshly prepared . In a bowl they served the rolls and bread - which were excellent ... their American coffee was also very good . The selection of drink is only tea or coffee . I expected some freshly made orange juice - but such thing was not included in the price . They served for as an omlette -which was rather a plain thing ,falafel -wonderful and the freshly made fatira stuffed with cheese or vegetables were also five star dish .
As you can notice it was a blend of Arabic and continental morning dishes ...
After all it was not bad - especially if you know what to expect ...The place was half empty - some local families had breakfast there and some western looking ones .. The background music was the jazz hits from 1930's ...The waitresses really were waiting , standing by to take away the plates or to serve you .
You pay 59 QR for that + 12% service charges ...
As not too many places have buffet breakfast in Doha - this place can be called the number one buffet breakfast cafe here ...