Kinga Szabo - the Hungarian artist had an exhibition here last week . It was just for three short days open .I wished to go - but I was informed that kids are not welcomed .After that I learned that there were plenty of kids there -ad I felt very sorry for this missed opportunity .Especially that her style is very close to Zsolnay's style which is my favourite types of ceramics designs .

pink heart, It's a girl !
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It is difficult to believe but true - postage bearing my designs are used in the USA .Who would ever beileve that it would be like that one day ?
This simple design turned to be the best selling postage at my shop in May .

Romano Macaroni grill restaurant definitely became our favourite .It is kid's friendly -my preschooler is so busy with drawing while we are waiting -that we can relax and talk .
At very few restaurant one can combine fine dinning with children entertainment .
The kids menu is generous : there 's six options 1. grilled chicken with broccoli and pasta 2.fettucine Alfredo -parmesan cream sauce over pasta 3.chicken fingerias with fries or macaroni and cheese 4.macaroni and cheese 5. spaghetti with red sauce or meat sauce + one giant meat ball 6 . Mona Lisa" master pizza
One meal is 18 riyal served with your choice of soda ,apple juice ,orange juice or milk .Free refills .The dessert is also included - and it is a real gourmet one : vanilla ice cream in choco sauce .Kids are given chalk -and they can feel free drawing on the table which is covered by a huge sheet of paper -or they can draw in the magazine - they get .
I had some portobello mushroom soup - it was fine - but as I have never eaten similar before I can't compare it to other portobello soups .
The prawn with spinach and cheese was also excellent -though the amount of spinach was very little in the dish .The mushroom ravioli was sweet a little bit -strange to my taste and that was the thing that disturbed me in the garden salad as well .
Last time I complained about the water that it was too expensive .This time we got water for free .
The most delicious part of the dinner was the lemon cake .It tasted like a Hungarian
cake called bottomless cheese cake ( aljnelkuli turos ) with some lemon mousse and fresh cream on the top .
it is not the cheapest place - we payed 160 riyals - they charge for the service as well .But as we rarely dine out without the kids - it was relaxing experience compared to other places .

Location :Villaggio Mall
tel:451 7585

PLACES IN QATAR - FLORA AT THE ZOO

eye dots
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MY BEST SELLING TIE IN MAY

This is what a Stuffed Cabbage in Hungarian style looks like .A dish that I have never mastered -so this was the highlight when my mom was here and she made it for us .
You need some sauerkraut and cabbage leaves .In a tricky way one has to put the whole cabbage into boiling water and to take the leaves off while it is cooked -then a mixture of ground meat and rice should be stuffed into these leaves turned into rolls .One should not forget the paprika either . Then in a large pot one should layer the rinsed sauer kraut and the rolls and the paprika .Another trick :one should not blend it with spoon ,but to shake it from time to time .
When it is cooked -then you can add a lots of sour cream .

Did you hear ? Recently it was found that those Eastern European women who move to the USA and give up the cabbage in their weekly menu -tend to get breast cancer more often than those who keep eating at least three times a week .
I am great fan of the cabbage and I like almost all dishes with it but the cabbage in tomato sauce .

Stuffed cabbage rolls are important part of Hungarian life .It is more popular during winter when it can be frozen naturally in a closed pot in the garden .The more times it is heated the better it is - people tend to think about it .

GREED

The school buildings collapsed and they crushed or buried alive hundreds of children and their teachers .While other buildings remained standing -most of the parents survived the earthquake .Corruption ,greed -say the parents ... an area as big as Spain is mourning in China .They lost their only kid - their little ,spoilt darling -and they only comfort would be to know that he/she did not suffer a lot ..But none of them can be sure of that .

Greed was the main cause for what a little Hungarian village lost many of their schoolers about 15 years ago.It was a foggy day -the school bus took them to the other village -as the small villages do not deserve a school nowadays .The signal at the railway cross was stolen .It was very common to steal signposts and traffic lights to sell them as melted metal ... Greed .

Would the block where we live collapse in case a similar earthquake ?What about the other buildings ?
I know I live in the least corrupt Arab country .But would it be enough to save us ?

China earthquake
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Some more zebras

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friends
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A SONG FOR THE HOMESICK HUNGARIANS
especially for those who have some nice memories of our capital .

We set off as early as 6am on Friday .We thought that the shore will be calm .How naive we were !
The so called family beach was full of crazy riders of sand buggies .To have a quiet picnic was just a dream -as these vehicles were speeding right next to us .
Mesaid or Umsaid - needs a municipality run affordable and protected family beach .

Persian Cats and American Ladies 1924
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PERSIAN RESTAURANTS - Shater Abbas

Lamb for our weekend picnic lunch ? - we nearly got objected as we do not like it -but when we tasted with my daughter the dish called "riyash " which seemed to be some spicy grilled lamb chops -then we were more than satisfied .It was a half year ago .Then we decided that we have to visit once the Shater Abbas restaurant for we can learn more about the Persian cooking here .

We entered the restaurant and went up the badly designed steps . It was a large place with separated family section -and even with some totally separated compartments . The whole place had some retro touch -and suddenly I felt as I was with my father in a club's restaurant at Lake Balaton as a little girl.Some columns as decoration even added to this feeling with their metallic op-art style .The walls were tiled with yellowish pattern -which was imitating a Persian carpet on the wall .One or two of this pattern was OK but it was repeated too many times all around us and made me feel dizzy . The wooden partition was decorated with art-deco motifs .The tables were large and nice and the chairs as well -they made me feel I am at an elegant place .Then I had to face a large screen on which there was a football match on -and it made me feel as I was at a pub .
I had mixed feeling about the interior design .I thought that the original design was spoiled with some amateur's elements .What a pity !
We opted for the open buffet .The tables were nicely set .The selection of dishes was very big - two long tables were full of main dishes .
A smaller table was dedicated to the hors d'ouvres and salads .
I started with mutabal -which is my favourite anyway - but it was the best I have ever tasted .The baba ganough was also very good .I went on with some soup - the addas was wonderfully spiced and the classic mushroom soup was excellent .
As a main course I chose first some khorma with beef and bean - it was not my plate of khorma .... Then I opted for some chicken biryani -it was very plain - almost supermarket quality .The kofta with potato in tomato sauce was very good .
I was almost full when I ventured for some mashi -in tomato sauce .It was some stuffed green pepper or zuccini - and it was surprisingly similar to the Hungarian dish called "stuffed pepper" ,some spicy roasted chicken was also tasted by me -and I felt sorry that I had not discovered it earlier .
There were too many dishes - and most of them one can't even taste .
The selection of the dessert was too modest compared to the main course selection : some egg custard in oriental style ,baklava ,melon .
The buffet lunch was QR 55 for adults and QR 35 for children .As they did not offer any kids meal we had to pay that for our four year old .It is not fair price for a small kid - I think .Plus we had to pay 17 % service charges though nobody served us .
The toilets were nicely designed with red and white tiles -but badly maintained .The flush was not working and the floor was flooded with muddy water .There was a cleaner who had some tools very 'retro 'besides she had to clean the glasses at the drink bar and even she had to serve some water to the guests .
Most of the customers seemed to be Arabs and Persians .It was full on Friday.

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THE LITTLE BRIDESMAID

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This painting was made by me - based on a family photo .First a freehand pencil drawing was made -then I got it scanned and with this sketch as a base I made the digital watercolor .

I saved that .Then I went on with the work .I made every white spot transparent - then I added this burgundy background . The result was surprising for me : I got a little bridesmaid of African origin !
And look at the skirt - how beautiful it became !

the little bridesmaid
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almawad

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May is a wonderful season in Hungary .Everything is green and blooming . May the first is the Labour Day -it is the day of eating out in plein air -spending most of the day outside -going to fun fair -to river banks .In the past companies and institutes used to set up a tent in the local park -and we used to gather there for a lunch .Nowadays - as there is a big unemployment in Hungary -it became only a nice souvenir from the past .
Mother's day is celebrated this month with a lots of flowers .This is the time for farewell days at schools -when graduating pupils stroll along the school building holding hands -and every class is richly decorated by flowers .In the evenings the same students take a horsed carriage and sing melancholic songs for their teachers as a sign of gratitude for their work .
This is the time when chestnut trees are blooming and fill the air in the public parks with their wonderful smell .
This is the time when I became mother first time in my life .

In Qatar this is the time of the heat .It goes up to forty C -and makes one avoid going out before 5 pm .
There is a film festival on in the Mall cinema on Palestine , in the exhibition center we visited a Wedding Expo with fashion show and we saw lots of nice decorated tables but too many flowers in paper .

My mother returned home after a month stay in Qatar .She was amazed to see the beauty of the blooming country -and was surprised how unpleasant it is without AC especially in the car .

On the other hand : many people expected her to return with a nice tan - and it was difficult to make them understand that one does not go outside day time -as it is too hot .

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artdeco fish no2
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almawad

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This is one of my old designs updated .I love art deco and the era of it .

Antique Carpets of Maktabi and sons
This is a private collection of some people from Lebanon .The exhibition took place at the Sharq village - a beautiful resort by the sea - built in old Qatari style .
There was a large collection of different carpets .Floral and geometrical designs and some"tableau " carpets .
The traditional Persian style to me is too much charged - and I prefer the geometrical designs .
The colors are faded in many carpets and we can only imagine how beautiful the carpets might had been when new .The estimated age of these items are around 100 or 150 years .
Praying rugs and huge "wall to wall" carpets were on display .
The exhibition will be open only some days .

Weekend craziness

We decided to go out on Thursday night .It seemed at the beginning a nice idea .We went to see an antique carpet exhibition to Sharq village .It was nice and it did not draw crowds -we saw many beautiful things .
I wish we had returned home at that moment ! But someone had the idea to go to the Corniche .It was OK - the air was fresh and it was not too crowdy either .As we were leaving there was fireworks then a lots of Qatari youngsters were cheering wildly and throwing firecrackers on the road . It was too late to return we were already heading towards the City Center for a dinner - and we were riding among wildly celebrating fans of Al Sadd Football Club and it was a bit frightening .
After having dinner we got stuck one hour in a traffic jam in the City Center;s parking .The line did not move for one hour .We got no idea what was going on and I felt terribly tired and fed up .
Then we got out and again had to go along the Corniche road which was still full of happy football fans sitting on the tops of their cars or in the window , cheering and throwing the firecrackers .
I decided rather to stay at home at the coming weekends .

THE BOSS COLLECTION for fun and showing off who the boss is .

THE BOSS BROWNY
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THE BOSS BROWNY
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THE BOSS BROWNY
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TAMIL NEW YEAR

I suppose there are so many Tamils living here -but no one big hotel advertised special lunch or dinner on the occasion of the Tamil New year .Only one restaurant offered lunch for this great holiday for 25 rials .
It seems that they are not of the richest ones .
They are mostly labourers fishermen and maids .They get low salaries .But even that is too much for some Sri Lankan officials who accuse Qatar of helping the Tamil terrorism by giving them wages .It might be used later to fight the Sri Lankan government .Deja vue !
I wonder what the solution should be .They should not get their money ?Or Qatar should fire them from here for not to be accused of the support of terrorism ?

Places in Qatar Al Bida Park

If I WERE THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION IN QATAR

I would introduce for every lines families only
buses in the city .I would employ a security guard or something like that to keep non families out .
It might sound expensive but it would ease much more the heavy traffic on the roads .
To give you an idea how hard it is here at times I would mention our trip last year to the ZOO - which took 20 minutes to get there -and coming home was 2 and half an hour !

The buses nowadays in Qatar can be cold "Labourer's buses " .Though they are open for every one - but 99.99 percent of the passengers are labourers .

MATERNITY CLOTHES IN QATAR

Mothers day card
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amazingvintage

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H&M - you can find it at the Villagio Mall - they have a nice selection of maternity trousers ,blouses ,tops - 200 -300 rial will do for a top and a pair of trousers

DOROTHY PERKINS - it is also at the Villagio - they have a corner with nice selection - it is more colorful then H& M and a little bit more expensive you might need 500 -600 rial for a full outfit

ZARA - only some pieces - trousers and tees ,fresh style with affordable price -200 rial will buy you one full outfit

OUMNIA - it is at the Royal plaza .It has unique selection of maternity jeans and cargo pants ,blouses ,tees ,pull-overs .It is the most expensive place that I saw in Qatar .But it is nice - if you have 600-700 rial for a pair of trendy jeans and something like that for a top .

CARREFOUR SUPERMARKET - it has got only some pieces - difficult to spot them - they are not fantastic -but who knows - they might fit in your garderobe -it is the less expensive choice here

Upside Down - Mother's Day CArd
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Childhood - Mother's DAy CArd
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Dudaze is a fellow artist at the zazzle .com ..She is a mother of three and her studio is their dinner table .
Her success story is simple and great : she loved needlework ,cross stitching and so on .
One day she decided to create dolls .When drawing the sketches she noticed that it is easier to draw and paint than making those dolls .Since then she is amazing the world with lovely characters for every occasions .

MOTHER'S DAY is celebrated all over the world on different dates .
For the Arabs March 21 (first day of spring) is Mother day . I read in the newspaper some hotels offering spa and light lunch for mums on that special day . For more than 700 rial at Sharq village - the lucky mother could get some spa ,beauty treatment ,massage ,a light meal .It seemed to be very posh .
For the British it is before Easter .
For the Americans it is the second Sunday of May .
For us - Hungarians it is the first Sunday of May .This day smells lilac in my memories.
It seems to be that after difficulties my mother got visa to visit us .We wanted her to come in February - but she did not get visa then .It is a little hot now here - but it comes with the advantage of being able to celebrate this day together .
I can read for her the story that I had written for her birthday .If everything goes well .
yadiin

WOK OF FAME
It was dizzying mixture of styles . The restaurant is a typical Chinese one .Dark wooden tables -yellow china plates - junk plastic vine leaves .Our waiter was Indian .The mall itself is in Venetian style .
It is located on a bridge over the canal - this way one can watch the Canal street with gondolas .
It was a Friday afternoon and it was packed with Far Eastern looking people .We waited too much -more than half an hour for our sizzling chicken . Our children became fussy .it was not really kids friendly .
The chicken itself was good but not very special .I had already far better sizzling at the Great Wall - at the Center .The size of the meal was very large . Actually it was enough for three persons .It was not expensive around 20 rial .
My fried noodles was disappointing . I expected some kind of Asian noodles -but what i got it was something like tagliatelle in soy sauce .
I recommend it for people without kids - having plenty of time to wait - and prefering the huge meals over the gourmet one .

Qatar
country of records
This country has the highest ever GDP per capita in the world .
It has the worst male -female ratio in the world .( too many single workers -without FAMILY )
It is among the highest per capita diabetes in the world - 16-25 % -like the other GCC countries .( only the tiny Nauru island has higher 100 % )
It has the largest ever hand printed logo - Qatar Gas .
It has served the largest serving of KFC chicken .
It has the sixth highest hotel room per resident ratio in the world .

MISSING STRAY CATS IN QATAR

Potted Black Kitten Notecard from my Original Art!
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A lovely black cat .I used to have similar one in Hungary .The other day I was in the Al -Bida park - and I did not meet any stray cat there .Where are they ?

HAPPY EASTER !

Creating an Easter ambiance here in Doha is difficult .We do not have spring here at this time - it is like summer 21C -31C .After that -there are no tulips or daffodils here -at least I did not ever see those flowers here .Our relatives are not here either : essential thing for a great holiday .Especially that the Great Hungarian Sprinkling Day at Easter requires male relatives who would sprinkle on you some water .( my husband never understands why it is so important for us )
What do we have ? Eggs to dye .Red food color . Internet to keep in touch .Delicious cakes I bought at the Center supermarket .Their bakery is really wonderful and I am a little bit tired to bake .And Duna tv to watch some old American film and other one on the life of Mother Teresa .That's how a Hungarian Easter in Doha .

Daffodil surprise!
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MY BEST SELLING TIE

fresh squares
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almawad

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When I was a little girl I liked those fine dots very much and I always wished to see my father in such tie .But he did not like the idea . I have just designed some ties with dots - and I wanted to know how others like dots in men’s fashion .
I put the question in a discussion forum for ladies and here are the answers I got:
I just don’t think polka dots belong on a tie.
If they are tiny, I like polka dots. But I don’t like the big 70s-style dots.
I’ve got nothing against polka dots in general, but IMO, some of those ties require sunglasses.
I do like the capuccino, cafe latte, burgundy dots, and fine dotted blue. I would never buy the very LOUD plaids and blocks though. But someone out there may like those.
Different strokes for different folks.
I would never buy anything polka dot for a man.
Truthfully, I don’t think I would ever see ties like those on men in my company...not even the gay ones.

This were the answers I got . I wonder what do you think about men wearing necktie with polka dots ?

burgundy polka dots,
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Ides of March is an important date in Hungarian history : it was the date of an uprising in Pest in 1848 which later lead to a Freedom war .When I was in my twenties -we celebrated it in Pest with loud demonstrations - and anti -government slogans - citing the 12 points of those rebels whom we commemorated .
Here ,in Doha the Hungarian embassy gave a garden -party with goulash some years ago - these were nice reunions of the Hungarian living here .
This year there was nothing at all .
A Roman chatholic church was opened with 2000 seats .There is an estimated number of 150 thousand Christians living here temporary - out of whom 100 thousand is Roman Chatholic .
However ,the church was not full at all .

Talmacsi,the Hungarian did not win the Losail race as he had planned .His motorcycle let him down .
However I am very proud of him - and it is a great feeling that one of my compatriots is performing very well here in Qatar .
My male relatives in Hungary were very much excited about this race .They strongly encouraged me to go to Losail to support him .The race took place 10 pm - and I do not know exactly how to get to Losail .The guys of our family could not really understand how I can miss such important event !:)
HAJRA MAGYAROK !

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Balhmabar restaurant
We went there around two weeks ago after visiting the Robot Zoo at the Corniche .As we approached the restaurant we saw somebody going unconscious and the guests of the restaurant all jumping up from their chairs and were standing around the poor woman - who had nobody with her on that sunny afternoon . I kindly asked if she was breathing then they became happy for a moment thinking of me that I was a doctor - and for a moment I really wished I was one .As the ambulance arrived we left the scene to look around the restaurant itself .In the terrace a large shami Arab family was celebrating something with a delicious looking cake .Otherwise there were western looking tourists relaxing there .The waiter was a young Qatari .Real rarity - some people could not even believe me that a Qatari takes up a job where he has to serve other people - especially serving the non - Qatari ! Well- he did not do it with pleasure ! He turned up for a short time then he escaped .As I did not wish to wait for ages _ I entered the restaurant to order some drinks and egg custard .Traditionally built Arab house with thick walls is the restaurant building .Rustic interior design - calm ,quiet atmosphere .Some Qatari families just finished their lunch .There is an open buffet for 100 rial .Otherwise one can not eat much there !
The egg custard was very good - it had some extra oriental flavour added - I think it was rose water - and it was really something special .
When the waiter appeared I told him to bring the bill . Fifteen minutes later I ran out of patience and went inside the restaurant again . He was not busy at all -sitting quietly at his desk - the least caring about my bill. When he saw me he apologised .
Besides this special local way of serving - this place had impressed me very much .We were sitting in the terrace with sea view .The massive structure of the building isolated us from the busy city -and it was very calm there .
I do recommend anyone to sit there but only in case one has plenty of time ...

How I recovered in two days from a bad flu ?
I had been taking care of my ill four year old for a week when the flu attacked me on my turn . Usual symptoms : pain everywhere ,high temperature ,very painful coughing .
It reminded me a similar bad flu which had attacked me 17 years back in my twenties .Then it took me more than three weeks to recover .
Now I remembered what I read about the vitamin C and how to cure ourselves .I took one tablet of vitamin C C(1000 mg) every half an hour until it caused diarrhea .Then I took only one or two in the afternoon .The day after I repeated the vitamin C intake and like a miracle I became much better and I was able to get up from my bed and to do the housework .
So easy ,isn't it ? It is difficult to believe since it is so simple !
17 years ago I spent one week in bed - then another week just lazing around the house .We had a holiday booked in the mountains - I had to go . But I still felt terribly weak at times .As we were riding up and down the hills I had big pain on my ear drums . It was a wonderful Indian summer around us we were living in a villa in the middle of the forest and I was not able to enjoy it at all . Then as we were walking in the forest I found some rose hips _ I collected them. When we were kids we used to have a lots of rose hip tea - but it became somehow forgotten . I ate them fresh I drank some infusion ... It worked like a miracle : half day later all my symptoms had vanished ... and i enjoyed a lot our holidays ...

Rose Hips
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There was a cultural festival in Qatar last week . It started by Placigo Domingo concert and ended by another opera Il barbiere di Siviglia and Demis Roussos concert . There were a lots of events during this one week - exhibitions and theatre plays : fireworks and old boats show .
I wished to go and see it all - but like a typhoon -a virus swept across our house leaving everybody lying in bed with high temperature - so either I was treating my ill family members or I was ill myself - not able to go .

A sentence that has frightened me : "Qatar Airways will be the first airline in the world to power commercial aircraft with natural gas . "

Che Bello ! Romano Macaroni Grill

I have a stomach ache after eating the kids menu''s pasta with cheese . It was very heavy:in thick cheese sauce there was some floating pasta .My child refused to eat it at once . I had some salad and sandwiches - it was good - not fantastic .The service was excellent . The tables are covered with white sheets of paper - our waiter introduced himself and wrote his name on the paper with a chalk .We laughed and liked the idea .Kids were given a magazine and some chalks to color .It was excellent still they are coloring .The white sheet was also attractive I saw others as discovering the artist in themselves and are drawing on the table .So did we .Waiting for the meals was fun .Besides the chalks we got a round bread and some olive oil .It was oven fresh and tasty .If only they gave some water cheaper ! One bottle of water was 10 rial ! The waiters were wearing extravagant ties .Each of them different ones .For we can recognize our one .
The kids meal came with a drink with extra fillings and an ice cream - vanilla one in chocolate sauce - it was excellent .
Lovely place .Little bit pricey : a kids menu was 18 rial , the sandwiches with salad 29 rial .

TALK Of THE WEEK

According to a new law no landlord is allowed to increase the rent until further orders.
Qatar became too expensive - and the inflation became too high .All of it started around four years ago when rents started to go up in price .Officially -it is said that there are more newcomers than available flats -but one living here can clearly see that there are too many new ,empty flats here with terrible high rent .

HAPPY VALENTINE !

Retro hearts by almawad
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its a girl
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MY BEST SELLING DESIGNS AT MY ZAZZLE SHOP
1. THE tee is a funny text design .it makes me happy that it is understood .
2 I have never dreamt in my life that I would be a designer for US post stamps a day-as it happened to me .

Winter is over .Spring is here .Birds are singing happily all the day .The park is full of people "no more cold - everyone is happy " feeling is common .Kids are wearing pullovers but the bold threw it -and wearing t-shirts .

Valentine Day is coming .Last week I saw the Royal plaza with splendid decor for this day .
There is a jewelry fair and expo in the city .Seef hotel invited me and my husband ( comme il faut par ici ) for two nights at the price of one night .Other hotels and restaurants are inviting us for a dinner .
The conservative imams are telling their usual speech : no imitating of westerner is allowed ,no pagan traditions ! The milder imams approve valentine day -but only for wife and husband .
So ,it is just the usual mid-February here .

retro hearts by almawad
Browse Letters Stationery

A SIXTY -FIVE YEAR OLD STORY

It was a very strange evening in Al- Bida park . It was late March - the weather started getting warm . After sunset it became all misty . The fog covered the park not evenly but in patches . When the park 's lights were on -it became even more whimsical .I was watching people walking on the paths - and disappearing in the dense fog then appearing again . Young ,slender girls walked into the mist like serious fairies in their black outfit and walked out of it .
. Pop corn, curry , biriyani , cardamom smell all mixed with the cool air from the sea . The park was loud with happy families relaxing , having picknick ,playing . Apart from the weather -it was a usual Friday night .
We met our friends there . Our children were playing ball and we were having hot tea and samosas and telling stories of our childhood .
Riding home we got stuck in a traffic jam . MY husband started to talk about the new car that we should buy .
And while he went on analysing the different models -I hardly could hear what he was telling .
IN my mind a picture appeared , a blurred but irresistible one . I stared into the lines of car to see he picture sharply :

I saw a woman walking on a country road . She was walking slowly with a big packet on her back . Hopelessly she moved forward . On her back there was a child crying :" Is it still far ?"
" Hush " - she kept answering " Soon we will be at home " - but less and less hope she had .Will somebody would feel sorry for her and take them?..
People in her village did no like what she did . When something started to grow on the neck of her little child
they kept telling her ;" God gave the child God takes her " ""we are not aristocrats , but poor villagers - we can not afford an operation "
But my grandmother had different view on this . She sold whatever she could and went to the town's hospital .
The doctor was rude to her ;" What do you want , Woman ?"
"Please , remove this from her neck " she was pointing to the small ball sized thing growing on her daughters neck .
"Where is your husband ?" " I am divorced ,I have no husband ." The doctor became furious hearing that :
" No husband ? What do you think ?An operation is too much money !!"
"Please ,listen to me ""It is true ,I have no husband -but I do have money ,I sold whatever I could - and if it is not enough I still have some lands to sell "
This way the doctor was ready to examine the little girl .He did not look into the her eyes when he took the money .Only little remained - my grandmother had to pay for accommodation and bought a little ,cheap toy for the five year old with a wound on her neck ...
There was no money left for paying for a bus ticket or horsed carriage ...
She took the child in the morning from the hospital and at sunset still there were some kilometres ahead of them . She had expected to arrive home before midnight . But there were also good men in her village .One of them stopped and took them home on his carriage ...

The next morning my grandmother went to the market to sell her fruit and vegetables and bought pigeons for the little girl .She had fed her by pigeon soup and she was living on bread and water . She was in great mood .She won .In spite of all the talk of the village -she saved her little girl .The doctor told her that type of cancer will not grow back most probably .
And he was right ! MY mum has just celebrated her 70 th birthday !


Slowly we arrived home from the park .We were packing our things and trying to arrange our memories . The misery of 1940 's today is only history in Hungary . But Europe is a long way from here . The distance is painfully big at times !

Mandala of the day .In cherry colors .

UPCOMING EVENTS IN QATAR

Qatar cycling event TOUR DU QATAR from 28th February till
2 February more info

FIRST ARAB STAMPS EXHIBITION
location :Villagio mall
from 30 January to 3 February



Wheels'n heels
cycling ,walking , roller skating all along the Corniche from
the Sheraton till the Village
starting point : Sheraton ,at noon

Sailing Gulf Regatta

from 3 - 9 February
Location: Doha sailing club

Jewelry Fair

CIRCUS
until 15th March
location : Hyatt plaza
from 5.30 - 7.15 every night
at weekends there is one more show from 7.45
tickets : fro: 33 QR to 100QR

CAMEL RACE
location :Al Shahaniya (30 km from Doha )
more info :487 20 28

PLACIDO DOMINGO CONCERT
more info
Tickets can be bought ay Virgin book shop at Villagio

DOHA CULTURAL FESTIVAL
from 28 FEbruary -to 6th March

HOrse race
every TUESDAY at 4 pm till March
more info

NEW RESTAURANTS IN DOHA

La Veranda restaurant + cafe
The largest food court in Qatar .
Location : to the back of Ramada Plaza Hotel
tel: 4411919

private chambers for families
there is a lounge for ladies only

Le Central
Italian ,Japanese + international cooking
location " La Cigale Hotel
tel:

Irish Harp pub , restaurant
location : Sheraton Hotel
tel :974.485.4449

Krispy Kreme for doughnut fans
it opens 1 st February in the villagio

CHe bello

mandala of the day .
one of my golden mandalas .

If I were a cat

If I were a cat I would like to live a healthy ,free life . Perhaps I would like to have the right for reproduction but surely I would like to be cured if I were ill .
I would be surprised very much if those people who catch me to neutralize called themselves my friends . As it is the case here in Doha – and I guess in many other parts of the world .
And worse than that they condemn me to death if I were ill.( they would kill me softly – this makes them think they are great )
If I were a cat I would run far far away from QCC ( qatar cat friends organisation) !

P.S. And for those Qatari residents who would complain on me that I enter the staircase and I make dirt and noise I would send this message : „ do not kill us – just mend your entrance doors „

If I were a cat ...

Kitty Scream Poster
by

donnabellas

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Bobby Fischer died some days ago

DSC_3084
by

MichaelDPhotography

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Telling the truth I have not known too much about him .Thanks to Gulf- times I learnt some interesting facts on his life :
that he lived as refugee in Iceland because his homeland the USA wanted him for his anti- US attitude
having Jewish origins he criticzed the Jews very much
by the age 15 he was the youngest person ever to hold grand master title
at the top of his career he gave up playing
he spent much of the 1990's in Budapest appeared in public baths from time to time -looked like an old hobo ( there are some figures like that in our much beloved capital -and he was right
Budapest is a great place to live especially if one has five million dollars to spend )
he refused to advertise any products inspite of the great sums he had been offered for that
according to him chess as a sport died due to computers
However it is sad I can not feel sorry about that .
Chess will be again a nice recreation and not a political issue .It will be better - I think .

Qpost services

An Indian woman living in Qatar being fed up with te slow post services between Qatar and India -tried to find out why it takes so long .
She went to the main post office in Doha and posted a letter for her own post box which can be found inside the same building .
It took nine days until it was sorted into her post box .

I still did not get my brother's parcel he had posted in mid december .OK , we did not expect it to get here on time for Xmas – but it is really too much !
Once I got a parcel in early June - it had been posted in February in Hungary by ground mail .
It came on foot I guess :))))

Nemes Nagy Agnes , HUngarian poet and essayist works were translated into English and published in London yesterday . The poems were translated by Zollman Péter and Tom Hubbard made a speech on them .
"It is not easy, you know, to insulate the days one from another, to place the date. I'll go and check if asphalt or snow is melting. This is no more than an early-morning botch of time, it will pass. Though not pass completely, for I was just examining a moment ago my five-year-old right knee and its palm-sized purple scab with the fading blue-and-iodine beach. These bruised and battered children's knees are embossed maps of discovery."

(From The Earth Remembers,

translated by Hugh Maxton)

I like her poems for kids very much . One of her books was in my suitcase when we arrived to Qatar It is a pity that they are not translated .

Word of the Day

Word of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day
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Today's Birthday

Today's Birthday
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Would you adopt a horse if you could afford it ?

I was a little bit shocked when I visited the Qatarpets site that besides the usual adoptable cats and dogs they also have a horse in need of a master .

Adopt a horse. Have your own horse in a private Stable. Dana is a 7 year old mare. She was rescued about a year ago, and now she is looking for a family to adopt and care for her. Dana is very calm and sweet natured. She requires a medium to fair skilled rider. See poster for more details.

KHALIL GIBRAN was born 124 years ago as an Arab from Lebanon .Later he emigrated to the USA and wrote his novels in English, in Arabic .


"You ask me how I became a madman. It happened thus: One day, long before many gods were born, I woke from a deep sleep and found all my masks were stolen,—the seven masks I have fashioned an worn in seven lives,—I ran maskless through the crowded streets shouting, “Thieves, thieves, the cursed thieves.”

Men and women laughed at me and some ran to their houses in fear of me.

And when I reached the market place, a youth standing on a house-top cried, “He is a madman.” I looked up to behold him; the sun kissed my own naked face for the first time. For the first time the sun kissed my own naked face and my soul was inflamed with love for the sun, and I wanted my masks no more. And as if in a trance I cried, “Blessed, blessed are the thieves who stole my masks.”

Thus I became a madman.

And I have found both freedom of loneliness and the safety from being understood, for those who understand us enslave something in us.

But let me not be too proud of my safety. Even a Thief in a jail is safe from another thief."

PAUL'S CAFE

I was very disappointed when I found this cafe closed during Eid . Was there a mouse like at the Carrefour in summer ? I have not heard anything - just I saw with sadness that it was closed due to the municipalities order .
This restaurant cafe is so popular and not without merit .
The service is quick and nice .The decor is vintage style - rustic chairs arranged in casual manner.The cakes are tasty ,old fashioned calorie bombs .
When we asked for a kid's meal -first we were given some tasty bread and butter and tapenade .Then came the chicken sandwich which was described as small in the menu - but actually it was large enough for three kids . The ice cream was OK . The cappuccino was a real ,continental hot drink , not a bucket -but a reasonable cup comme il faut .
When sitting at this cafe I got the surrealistic feeling that I just arrived to South France to visit my non-existing French aunt -and this fictive ambiance made me feel so good ..

Cats of Qatar .I like them .I like their aristocratic way as they jump out from the garbage can with pride -as they are lying on the top of cars on some hot afternoons in summer .Friends of all watchmen at sites happiness for us to share with them our daily leftovers .
Learn more about Qatar pets !

Siamese Cat Painting With Butterfly - Multi by JUDERM
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