Thursday, March 27, 2014

Gloria Huang parents sentenced to 3 years

 Gloria Huang parents sentenced to 3 years . It is trendy now to scream " Oh nooo  , Qatar  is unfair and stupid - let those innocent parents free " " it can happen to anyone of us "
 Certainly if you let your sick child without medical care  for four days - it may happen .

 I do not know if those who are in favor of the " innocent parents" why  not ask themselves ."After all how this child, this five year old African girl died  in the care of their American parents ."

  The facts are simple and sad . Gloria suffered from protozoa and eating disorder  and her parents did not seek medical help for her when she refused to eat  during four days . Though it is free in Qatar . Anyone can take at any time  -any child to the child emergency and  specialists can  help those who are in need .
Anyway  the Huangs were not poor . But they were a kind of snobs . As they did not trust the health care of this country they refused to take their child to doctor . How smart !

Only when the child was in critical condition  they were scared and ran to the emergency .But then it was too late .
My personal view on this case is that they were overconfident snobs who thought they knew better since they were American . Their attitude led to the death of this  child .And three years is  the sentence that they deserve .

 Many people believe  that this is their race , nationality and the religion that led to their sentence .  I think just the opposite is true . They got very little  for their heartless neglect  which led to a  child death that could have been avoided .

______________________________________________________________

My advice to expat parents in Qatar: -Take your child to the doctor even if you do not trust them .You can go to see another specialist, a second one , a third one then you can compare their diagnosis .

 I wish very much Qatar would do more keeping the  good specialists in the country ...Personally  I trust much more the free government  clinics as the doctors there see a  very big number of sick children and they have more experience than those doctors who sit at a posh hospital and see only kids of the upper ten .

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Avoid Salwa Road





thank you for the twitter user for sharing those photos with us

$1m cash prize -numbers in Qatar

One million dollar cash prize was won by a Greek customer of the Qatar Airways .Raffle tickets are sold at the Duty Free Shop of the national airlines .When 5000 tickets sold out then there is a draw . This was the first draw of this year .

 source

Rainy day in Doha - March 2014

I woke up at night when I heard the thunderstorm and the  heavy rain . I was the only one who was up . I   managed to get up and switch off electric devices . Especially the water pump which tends to cause shortcuts when  it rains .
I let my kids to school with worries .It was raining heavily and thunderstorms again .

At daytime when I looked through the window I saw an African lad walking in the flooded street barefoot with his good-looking  shoes in his hands .I understood his point .One has to save his shoes for the dry days .
When my kids arrived home I found that one of them had his socks totally wet . They told me that the schoolyard was totally flooded and it was very difficult to walk to the bus and keeping  their shoes dry . I cancelled school for tomorrow .

 I was looking for a song in Arabic about the rain on the youtube but I could not really find one .No wonder  they  have only 10  rainy days in average per year  .

 Matar  - rain
 Maa -water

  so here is my favorite rainy song
suggest me one in Arabic if you know one


 I

Monday, March 24, 2014

Snow White Ballet - FREE ENTRANCE

Date and time : 25 Mar 2014 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

 Venue :Katara Opera House – Building 16

“Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs” is a classic ballet dedicated to children, it tells the story of Princess Snow White fleeing into the bewitched forest after her stepmother trying to kill, and then she encountered seven midgets and the prince who eventually married her.


The ballet was designed by Russian choreographer Genrikh Mayorov in 1975; he was inspired by ‘’ Snow White’’ movie realized by “Walt Disney”,


Tower Running Grand Prix of Qatar 2014

Tower Running Grand Prix of Qatar 2014


The challenge :  running up to the 51st floor =1304 steps =300 m high tower
 only for those who  have been training before 

World Champion Staircase runners will   participate as well

when  :  on Saturday, 29th March

where :  the base of  Torch Tower

Registration  : http://www.stuweb.co.uk/race/CZ 

Enquiries : Sukhi.Sandhu@aspirelogistics.qa

 source

Aspire Tower Posters
Aspire Tower Posters by almawad
See more Tower Posters at zazzle.com

Qafco Flower and vegetables Show 2014

QAFCO Flower & Vegetable Show 2014

one-day event where local farmers, gardeners and florists exhibit their products
live competitions ,prizes , kids area for playing
Where :Al Banush Club, Mesaieed
When 28 March 2014 - Friday
What time : 9:30 am – 6 pm

 Watermelon carvings from last year's event 

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Cirque Eloize coming to Doha April 2-5




Where Qatar National Convention Center, Doha

When April 2-5 ,2014
2 April 8:00 pm
3 April 8:00 pm
4 April 3:30 pm
5 April 1:30 pm



Director, Jeannot Painchaud

 What to expect ?  "An urban  storyfilled with color, passion and energy"   “West Side story gone hip hop circus”

 Tickets  at the Virgin or online
 they start at QR 95

Food festival on Saturday and the rain

 It was the only day when we had time to go out for the much awaited yearly event  - the Food Festival . It is improving every year . It has always nice atmosphere . I expected  fun time .
 When we arrived there was empty parking space near the MIA park . That was something unusual . It was overcast and dull - it looked it was just about to rain . It did not disturb the people around us enjoying food and entertainment .Korean chefs were drumming on pots and performing on one stage . Then  we found an empty table and while some members from the family were waiting some other members were  hunting food .
 We  had just bought some chicken wrap from Grand Heritage Hotel' tent when it started to rain heavily . Everybody rushed into those posh hotels' tent :) I was a bit worried because  my family disappeared . I was reluctant to use my mobile as I was standing in the rain  -  the pizza show on  stage two went on as nothing happened . Suddenly a lots of empty tables :)After some minutes the pizza show was interrupted by the speaker " Sorry  the rain can be dangerous with electronic devices so we must stop for a while ":  The clown jazz band with jugglers and stilt-walkers were still strolling around when   thunders  were heard .

Ten minutes heavy rain then it stopped .  Then we saw the sun and expected rainbow and better weather but it became dull again . So we decided to  return home . I was terrified to see that during all this storm the  dine in air program went on . A crane lifted an open cabin into the air with people sitting around the table and having their meals .
I am not an expert but it seemed to be very dangerous .Lighting  could have struck that crane .
I am  very much afraid. Some years ago people died and got seriously injured in Budapest during the national day celebrations as a storm came and nobody cancelled the open -air programs .

Rain happens even in Doha .Better to check out the weather forecast before planning an open-air outing .

 This year festival will be memorable  as  the"rainy " one .

 Photos from the Twitter !Thank you for the users to make it possible to use their photos .




Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Happy song by Pharell Williams - Doha version



Who are those people partying in Doha ? Where are the typical Arab , Indian ,Pinoy people ?
This version is not as good as the Egyptian one .

Accident at Al- Waab street this morning



 Drive safe ! Three cars were burning as a result of an accident at Al_waab street near Nasser srteet .The fire was put out .according to the tweet of the Ministry of Interior





 My children reported seeing   much water on the road while   coming home from school .

 According to the Peninnsula daily paper no one died . It was caused by a car crossing when the lamp was red . The vehicles caught fire at once and people jumped out and ran away quickly . All of these happened within seconds .

Monday, March 17, 2014

Fire in Bin Mahmoud area

 As many Qatari twitter user reported there was a fire in Bin Mahmoud ,Doha  -some 7 hours ago . The smoke was very well seen from remote areas .It was a small house in Al -Jazeera street - not far from the Red Lobster restaurant .Luckily no one was hurt and the fire was put out quickly .


Happy in Egypt




There is not much to be happy about right now in Egypt but this song is magic, and brings a smile to every face.Happy in Egypt by Pharell Williams .

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

a funny save the date card

Save the Date Funny Announcement Postcards
Save the Date Funny Announcement Postcards by BastardCard
Add your photo to postcard designs from Zazzle.

 this is the funniest save the date card I have ever seen - I think it is great for any occasions
especially on the Middle East  for anybody who loves the wordplays 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Top ten salaries in Qatar in 2014

According to the 2014 Gulf Business Salary survey


 monthly averages


  1. CEO/MD, multinational– $30,708 = QR 111,826.25
  2. CEO/MD, local company – $21,927
3. Banking, treasury manager – $14,055
4. Construction, project manager – $12,871
5. Information Technology, manager – $12,179
6. Real Estate, manager – $11,623
7. Legal, lawyer marketer/manager –$10,686
8. Human Resources, manager – $10,536
9. Banking, branch manager – $10,501
10. Finance & Accounting, manager – $10,229 = QR 37,249.93

scenes from our life in Qatar

Living in the center of Doha there is always a construction  very close to us .Behind us ,next to us buildings were completed .It was not a dream  to hear  from so close how a building is made .  But they were made and for some years there was silence . Then in front of us the old villas were destroyed  and a six-story  building   was erected  ....nearly completed when the local  authorities caught them . At least I think that is why they stopped . I was always afraid to go out  when they were working . No one worker was wearing safety ropes - I was simply afraid that they would fall on us  a day .
 Since that time  when I try to feed my picky eater at lunch time and I am sitting near the window I see Faza Police  passing by and  checking out the building  from their  car . My little child who refused the lunch one day got scared from the word "police' - he was hiding under the table in fear they would catch him :)

________________________________________________________________

 Going to the Al-Sadd emergency with a sick child is not  fun  but I am always grateful to see how much child centered they are .Nowadays they employ  someone whose  job is just to guide the new-comers around  . This is very nice . Yet there was  one thing I found very strange . CCTV - the Chinese news channel was on at the waiting lounge .In the country of Baraem , Jim channel why on the earth we must watch Chinese news ?

___________________________________________________________

During the recent diplomatic tensions the big and powerful neighbour allegedly threatened Qatar with closing the borders and not supplying  the country  with their food products anymore .I was thinking about it . No more Al-marai  labneh ,laban and cheap custards ?No more Sunbullah paratha ?  How can we make do without  them ? Will there be shortage of  dairy products and poultry ?And if so then which country will happily bring its products here ? Turkey ?France ? Any other idea ?

Monday, March 10, 2014

the death of a Hungarian stunt pilot in Al -Khor , Qatar

It was  quite depressing news  . I heard it Saturday morning .It's a short story - he was flying at an airshow in Qatar upside down very close to the ground . Then a little mistake - and he crashed . No chance to survive .
Even his family was there at the show watching with horror  the end of their loved one .

 Captain Tamas Nadas was a person  who used to fly in the town where I lived in  Hungary .Actually he nearly died there when the wheel of his plane broke into small pieces when he was performing at an airshow in 2006 ."God was with me " he told to the reporters when they asked him how he survived .

Then his fate brought him to Qatar . He came very happily .That was the second airshow of that day for him .In some Hungarian papers it was written that the Qatari people have never seen an airshow before .He might have believed also that no stunt were seen before here  . He might have died due to this misunderstanding - wishing to show some really dangerous stunts .

 He chose a dangerous hobby . He had taught himself . He got to the top being world champion . Then he died early at the age of 44 .

Rest in peace  Nadas Tamas




Saturday, March 08, 2014

Police chasing smuggler truck in KSA






This took place in Saudi Arabia.
Police is chasing a smuggler but they couldn't catch him until a simple Saudi citizen ran after the truck and jumped into it . He forced the driver to stop by punching him .
Like in a movie .

Thursday, March 06, 2014

kayaking on Aspire Lake

kayaking on Aspire Lake


Date : : Mar 7 -22 , 2014
Event includes :  

  • introduction to Kayaking course
  • basic paddle skills of sit-on-top tandem kayaks
  • life jackets
fully qualified instructors

Age : above 14
Registration : aspirekayak@csm.com

 source

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

mysterious blast inside a car at Muntazah health center



It happened on 5 March around seven o'clock .A Landcruiser with an Indian driver and three Qatari teens parked near Muntazah health Center .The driver left for a short time then when he was returning he heard a big bang then pieces of the glass window were flying in the air .
The boys had a lucky escape from the blast with minor injuries .They were also lucky that it happened near a Health center so first aid arrived very quickly .

But it is still a mystery what caused the explosion . The Peninsula daily newspaper mentioned air conditioner's gas which got in contact with flammable materials .


Ambassadors recalled from Qatar

Saudi Arabia , UAE , Bahrain is recalling their ambassadors from Qatar .
This step is something very unusual since these countries are all members of the GCC.
The countries claim  this step is made  for protecting their security .

From what I heard and understand of the politics around here behind the scenes is the Egyptian political situation .Those countries above support the man who made a coup-d'etat  - while Qatar does not .

Bartok concert on Saturday at the Opera house of Katara


Music director Han-Na Chang rehearses Bela Bartok's Divertimento for Strings and Gustav Mahler's First Symphony in preparation for Saturday's concert.
 I am always thrilled when I see famous Hungarians in the highlight abroad .

When   Saturday - March 8, 2014
At 07:30 PM - Doors open at 07:10 PM
 Where :Katara Cultural Village, Doha - Opera House Seated.
 What to expect :
Han-Na Chang, music director

BelaBartók: Divertimento for String Orchestra, Sz. 113, BB. 118
Gustav Mahler: Titan Symphony No. 1 in D Major

Age limit: Audience members 6 and over are welcome at the Philharmonic concerts.


-Latecomers cannot be seated during the concert.


Tickets : can be bought at The Virgin  of Landmark or Villaggio
 They are priced between 75 – 300 QR


Sunday, March 02, 2014

Artistic Gymnastics World Cup 2014 26 to 28 March -- Aspire Dome ,Doha




37 countries confirm their definitive participation.

General Competition Schedule:


26 Mars 2014: Qualifications event.
First Session
* 14:00 - 16:30: Qualifications for Men`s Apparatus Finals (FX - PH - SR)
* 14:00 - 16:30: Qualifications for Women`s Apparatus Finals (VT - UB)
Second Session
* 17:15 - 19:30: Qualifications for Men`s Apparatus Finals (VT - PB - HB)
* 17:15 - 19:30: Qualifications for Women`s Apparatus Finals (BB - FX)

27 Mars 2014: Apparatus Finals
* 17:30 - 20:30

28 Mars 2014: Apparatus Finals
* 17:30 - 20:30


Entry Card Would be given on demand...If there is still free places, you will be able to join the event on venue. Ask your entry card at the Qatar Gymnastics Federation Right Now!
Please contact
 franck@ qatargym.com 


Numbers in Qatar - 2,116,400

 2,116,400 is the population of Qatar .It has never been as high as that .

 source

Saturday, March 01, 2014

CHI AL SHAQAB equestrian festival and competitions 2014

CHI AL SHAQAB equestrian festival and competitions 2014

  when : : 10 -15 March
  where : Al -Shaqab - see map here
  what to expect :

  •  free festival  


  •  competitions of Jumping, Dressage, Endurance and Vaulting with national and international riders for cheap tickets
  •  Fun Area for the whole Family
  • Commercial Village for Fashion & Horse enthusiasts
  • Hospitality for everyone in the public food Court and Restaurants
  • Luxury Catering in  VIP Lounges and Restaurant on request
Tickets for the competitions :Day tickets are priced at QAR 35 for adults , QAR 15 for children
 you  can buy them at Virgin Megastores Villagio and Landmark (or online), and starting from 10th March at the main ticket booth in the AL SHAQAB Spectator Plaza

Outdoor Ladies only fitness sessions at the MIA park

Have you ever dreamed to work out in Qatar's wonderful parks without having to bear the presence of the countries vast male population ? This dream came true for ladies who can pay for it . Every Tuesday the  MIA park is closed for public -but the Bootcamp's ladies are training hard .

It is 800 QR /12 session -not the cheapest way to loose extra weight

 I wish there were something cheaper or even free !

Jazz in the Park March 2014

Jazz Poster
Jazz Poster by AHDITY
Look at more Poster templates and designs online at Zazzle
  where : MIA park
  when : 19 March,2014
   what to expect : world-class jazz concerts 
  tickets : free

Jazz Band Print
Jazz Band Print by miasmicmind
Browse Digital Posters online at Zazzle.com

Qatar International Food Festival March 20-23

Four days of gastronomic festival - luxury hotels and simple eateries are offering their menu at the tents at moderate prices.Eating, drinking  is a must .You can learn new tricks of cooking  from internationally renowned chefs  like Chef Ramzi Choueiri or Aysha Al Tamimi. You can expect   family fun and entertainment - live musicians, light shows and food artists to perform throughout the four-day event.  You can eat in the sky ( if you can afford it ) or having your meal in small round shaped boats called BBQ donuts / The 5th Qatar International Food Festival is hosted by Qatar Museums Authority, Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar Airways.Healthy eating and Brasilian  cuisine will be the  other highlights of the festival .

 Where : at MIA park like last year
 When :  20 - 23 March

  Thursday : 5pm-11 pm
  Friday     :  2pm -11 pm
  Saturday : 2pm -10 pm
  Sunday  : 2pm - 10 pm


 Read more about  last year festival 
expat Qatar