Famous Paintings in Qatar

The Scream by Edvard Munch Post Card by Ladiebug
color postcard printing by zazzle.com

At the Sotheby's May auction The Scream by Munch was sold at record price-the nearly $ 120 million which was paid by an anonymous bidder.Already in April there was a rumor at various economic news portals that the Qatari ruler's family is going to bid for this artwork by Munch - the only one which was privately owned from the iconic series .The base of the rumor was that Paul Cezanne's painting was bought by the Qatari ruler's family the year before :

The Cardplayers Postcard by ImmortalArtwork
View other Painting Postcards

Art Newspaper understands, in 2007, Ileana Sonnabend collection was bought by Qatar . It was a collection of $ 400 million, including Jeff Koons, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol's works . Advisory representatives of the family are renowned professionals such as Christie's former president, Edward J. Dolma.

still I am Sad

It happens that I can sleep at night . After the Villaggio fire I could not .I was too much upset to be able to do so .Or when I did fell asleep then I saw always the same nightmare ; I am in a public place with my kids  ...  then we lose each other ...and I am desperately crying out their names . And I can hear the fainted noise of their laughs but there are huge walls between us. The huge walls are frightening - I know that I can not reach them and I feel awfully alone . I wake up  and I am sweating and happy to see my kids near me . But the depressing feeling is still in me and makes my days sad .Then I  think of the families of the victims and about the silence that they must bear after loosing their little ones .The sounds of  the cheerful life of the toddlers /preschoolers /juniors who perished in the smoke .They had been noisy kids as all of us were a day -and now it is only silence .Two sets of families lost 3 kids . A toddler who did not want to go that day to the creche lost 3 siblings  those who did go .How much  burden  he has to carry all his life !The memory of three siblings who died .And all of us -we must carry this burden now all our life .

We still suffer very much by the terrible death of those children . With my friends we discuss it all the time .One of my friend says from NZ " I wish we could set back the clock - and go back in the time and make everything for this would not happen "

Becoming a mother makes you the mother of all children. From now on each wounded, abandoned, frightened child is yours. You live in the suffering mothers of every race and creed and weep with them. You long to comfort all who are desolate.

- Charlotte Gray

 

I

I know a mum who was just heading to the Villaggio to leave her kid at the nursery ... She was supposed to be there at the time of the fire but somehow everything went so slow that morning .Finally she was late -the police did not let her enter the mall .Since then  the simple thought that they arrive on time gives her chills .


 I read this here :

 We live one block from Villaggio. So this hit me and my wife very hard, like a sucker punch in the solar plexus hard. My wife mentioned that her friend told me that until you have kids of your own, you don’t understand this kind of emotional impact when something like this happens. Now I do.

A mother from Abu Dhabi wrote .


I try to not imagine the children as the smoke gets thicker and they can not reach for their no cell phones to let mommy know they are suffocating and gasping for air.
I try not to think about the sounds and the screams, but I hear them all so loud, the screams and the sounds.

Things that I still do not understand

Yesterday I was reading the account of a fireman on the nursery tragedy . He claimed that nobody survived . "Mohsen, who described Shahboun as "a leader to us", said that all of the children in the nursery had died - "five in the ambulance, three at the hospital and the rest right at the spot."

Question one : how many kids were there in the nursery ? 

 initially they were talking about 20 kids out of them 13 died .. so it is for me now a total confusion

Question two : How the teachers did not call the firefighters to ask for help and describing their location when they were able to call to the Philippines ?

Question three : How nobody felt necessary to warn the nursery about the fire ...at least by phone

Question four : what was the staircase made of that it collapsed in the fire ? Was not it concrete?

Question five :How nobody felt the urge of informing the firefighters about the existence of a nursery ?


UPDATE

How many kids were there in the nursery ? - it seems that 13
Why did they talk about 20 on the first day ? I think they did not want to admit the ugly truth that everybody died there . It seemed this way as they rescued some

  How the teachers did not call the firefighters to ask for help and describing their location when they were able to call to the Philippines ?
 According to co-workers who should have worked in afternoon shift that day they got call from the teachers in the morning complaining about mild smoke .They were told to call the security who told them the fire was under control. How the teachers did not think they should leave  after all? Nobody likes talking about this topic. They died I know - it is terrible  I know but from what we know  at the moment the teachers were not recognizing  that they should act quickly . 13 kids and four adults / it was not impossible to leave quickly.If every teacher  had picked up two kids 8 of them would have been out .And there were bigger kids as well who can follow orders and leave on their own . Later the teachers called that they can not leave they need help .Why the co-workers who got this call did not call the firefighters ?Why were the teachers texting and calling relatives instead of calling the firefighters ?This question is still very confusing I do not see it clearly .

  There was an article in which someone claims that  there was enough time to leave.After the first light smoke 15 minutes had gone until heavy smoke came and blocked their way .
How those teachers did not feel  without any fire safety training that having even light smoke in a kindergarten is not OK and they should leave as soon as possible ?

How nobody felt necessary to warn the nursery about the fire ...at least by phone    the investigation did not answer  this ....  this was not the first fire in Villaggio  the nursery was not a new  one ... the security just told them to stay where they were... was this call registered ?

 what was the staircase made of that it collapsed in the fire ? Was not it concrete?  - I heard that it was made of aluminum

 How nobody felt the urge of informing the firefighters about the existence of a nursery ? no answer on this  the parents could not reach the firefighters they were waiting outside while trying to inform the policemen outside about the kids in the nursery - but there was the language barrier

  and there are more questions  about the missing floor plan , about the security who claim they did not know about the children  though this was not the first fire in the mall

society of gold miners

I have never thought that Qatar is the land of the idealist .people come here to get rich and not to be a hero . I have known all that.Still I was shocked when I read  about the Villaggio fire .How little the security and other staff was caring about the customers .A man was trying some clothes in the Zara boutique when he came out - there was nobody . Everybody left the place and nobody cared about people in the changing room .As we learn more and more details on this terrible fire it is getting more and more painfully clear to me that the children  and their teachers were left alone in that ill-fated nursery .
It is clear now that the fire started at the Nike shoe shop then it spread to the Puma and the smoke from there flew up to the nursery . How much time was all that ? How much time until the staircase collapsed ? How much time was there to warn the teachers who might have not heard the fire bells at all . There was no one security man who  would run up and do this little thing which could  have saved the life of the little ones .Or a shop assistant who saw the fire or anybody else being aware of the existence of the nursery .
People come here to make money . There is no hope to get a  citizenship here for expats / plus we always hear that we can go away if we do not like something in the country .And as skilled and well experienced people rarely get the salary they would deserve this way a lots of them leave  the country for good .New ones are coming without skills and experience  and  by the time they  gain some they already  left the country .This is the land of the incompetent .Taxi drivers do not know the main sights of the city  and the security guards run away when they  notice the danger - the mall managers can not find the map of the building when it is about trying and saving the life of babies .

And about the firefighters who  died in the incident  - I am really disturbed by that . I had the feeling that they  were sent to the  death .. Did they have gas mask and oxygen ? Are firefighters obliged to go to the sure death ?

Why ? ..............

We have to wait a week until investigations tell us how the fire started and spread to the nursery killing by that 13 kids and 4 teachers and more people .

Until then still there are a lots of thoughts is worth reading :

it turns out that low-cost nurseries have strict rules about fire escape that  they have to follow
"Last year the nursery I work at was ordered to do the following
1. Install all the fire up-to-date equipment.
2. Build/install a fire escape
3. All the classes are to be held on the ground floor of the building.
4. A fully functional water sprinkling system.
5. Practice a fire drill as often as possible
This is a VERY low cost nursery but all this was done ASAP regardless of the cost.
Now how can a nursery as expensive as gympanzies have been running without all that, how and who approved them to operate…

Read more: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/3020224#ixzz1wGOuZIo2

 This nursery was rather expensive .Doha Mums Club was advertising and recommending it/ still  I was reading on their homepage  how safe it was ...:(   Since then they deleted the page ...From this every mum can learn that posh is not surely safe . And  how  little you can trust recommendation of that Club .

another thought about the fire :

"incident yesterday will open all parents and the whole community to more vigilant regarding places or structures where their children go and even the house we live. Awareness is the key word, not fear."

Read more: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/3020224#ixzz1wGT73gBA

"Required teacher trainings/education: Most of our teachers are CPR & First Aid certified and have a minimum of two years of college studies.  There is a Red Cross office downstairs in case of an emergency. "

Tragedy and Horror - 13 kids die at the Villaggio Nursery

I was busy all the day. When afternoon I was chatting with someone then she asked me what do I think about the fire at Villaggio Mall .I thought that it was just the usual fire - it is quickly put out and no problem  .. no deaths ....
And knowing well the Villaggio Mall ..it is a ground floor structure  you simply would not suppose that massive death toll would  come with the fire .Easy to escape - you do not get stuck in the lift etc .
Then when I heard about the death toll I was astonished ... yes  the nursery was really on the first floor . I visited that place  once out of curiosity and I was shocked even at that time that we have to walk on long corridors without windows and the nursery was like a dead end of that long corridor otherwise packed with offices . I had bad feelings ... as many times when I have to be in a closed area . The location itself was a mistake....
I do not know details yet . But you can imagine how bad the  fire was if you hear the death toll and the four teachers and two firefighters who also perished there .As a mother and teacher I can not describe with words what I feel .MY  sincere sympathy to the parents  who lost their kids there whoever they were whatever nationality it is a day of big tragedy for all of us who live and  bring  their kids up in Doha .

more details and pictures here

With deepest sympathy Notecard by CHACKSTER
Create my own card at Zazzle

Cistanche Desert Flower

Cistanche Desert Flower - Qatar Ipad Case by DHSU_Apparel
Create a custom iPad case.

I have just came across this photo of this strange flower . Somebody captured this desert flower in Messaid , Qatar and is selling it on an ipad case at zazzle .Very interesting plant - I have never seen it .I spend mt days in the city .No wonder that I am ignorant when it comes to the life in the desert .

My long lost parcel from mom was found

The ways of  Q -Post are unpredictable . My mom sent us some gifts last year .Exactly a year ago . We did not get it .It was very big disappointment  for all of us . Then at Xmas time she was hesitating  about  sending us a parcel again . Finally we found out a trick . She would address the parcel to the prestigious institution where one of us works and which belongs to a certain foundation ... and our trick worked , my mum's parcel was here within ten days  :)
We forgot about the old  lost parcel . My mum asked me some days or week ago about the kids size . I did not even have time to measure them . Then  the parcel is already here . Thank you mum for the parcel ! - I called her ....Which parcel ? -she asked astonished - I just posted it this afternoon it can't be that it is already there !
So you can guess that it was the parcel from last year . It arrived !Finally . Though we had to throw the chocolates  and the kids have  grown out the clothes mum sent - but it is here .

i love gifts tshirts by almawad
More Humor T-Shirts

dream cars in qatar

dream cars in qatar
rolls royce ad in the pearl island
we were not very much welcomed in their showroom
I think we did not have the impression of "serious buyer"
do not touch for the kids etc .
I decided at once never to buy rolls royce :)

aqua park qatar - practical info

Location :  on salwa road   15 minutes driving from industrial roundabout towards  the Saudi border ( Bu Samra)    - you take exit 29
Open from ten to ten
Fee : 100 QR /per person
 for kids under age three it is free
 Some  slides are for extra 30 riyals ( the huge ones)
Ladies only day : Tuesdays from 2 pm 10 pm
Family day: Friday , Saturday
Dress Code : on Ladies day we got the info on phone " any kind of swimming suit that is allowed for sale in Doha department stores is allowed to wear "
 not quite sure about the other days
Food , drinks : not allowed to take your own
Restaurants ; junk food at double price
Photos, cameras : strictly forbidden on ladies only day
Lockers: ten rials
Mini supermarket : offering snacks and swimming suits and other beach stuff
Lifeguards : there are a lots  but  do not seem to be very professional
 when I asked one of them about the depth of a pool - the answer was " I do not know madam"
Depth of water :  there is no warning about the deep areas  - be very careful especially with children

my personal favorites : wave pool / jacuzzi inside a cave

Cute 3d Penguin sits in Deckchair Iphone 4 Tough Case by Penguinium
Browse other Cool Casemate Cases

water park qatar -ladies only day

My little lad was allowed to enter only because he was under age seven .He enjoyed very much the pool for his age . It was small with shallow water with fancy slides for his size .From every corner elephants were spraying water into . There were three lifeguards inside the pool supervising them .I was just sitting under the trees and watching him .For some reasons I do not trust any lifeguards here  and I prefer watching the kids myself .

My preschooler first did not like the big pirate ship like slides  for the huge bucket in the shape of pirate . In every two /three minutes it poured the water on the steps where  the children were supposed to   go up .So I suggested her the wave pool  shallow part . We were enjoying it very much .She was jumping happily on the waves and shouting "it is Balaton .. mum like Balaton" .Then she was  brave enough  to try the pirate ship slides . When she came down she was all amazed "it is beautifully illuminated inside " like stars on the sky" and she kept sliding down ...

It was dinner time .The park suddenly became crowded .After sunset local  teen girls arrived in large groups .It was not easy to get a meal at the restaurants . We had no choice - only junk food .It was such a great day . I wished to have a gourmet sandwich or a salad /with some kind of premium ice cream . But there   were only fried nuggets .chicken strips , hamburgers .Ice cream of poor quality and all those at double price .I left my small kids with their babysitter sister .I went to swim to deeper water .Though the park was full - it was easy to swim .Most of the teens were interested in huge slides /walking /dancing /sitting by the pools and soaking their feet into the water .I swam into a cave  and enjoyed the jacuzzi there .Then with the kids we tried the lazy river .The slow stream moves  the rubber rings that we were supposed to sit into . Then  my eldest child bought extra tickets for those huge slides -she came down in those tubes which were not illuminated at all  ... total scary darkness ..:) for every age group there was something ...
As we were leaving the park  girls were dancing /sliding /splashing the water ... some carefree mood  I wish there were more places like this in Qatar with more affordable prices .

water park experience -ladies day

For you who do not know  : since the 1st May there is an afternoon for ladies only  .Aqua Park Qatar - the first and only water theme park here .It is built halfway on the road from Doha to the Saudi border .
Ladies only day ?- wondered my husband at the entrance . We saw only men security guard outside .But as we entered all the staff was female .So the arrival is not very welcoming ... the security check is strict and thorough .Your bags  your body all  checked with this scanner . They are looking for cameras .No photos here .
We were worried about the dress code . Some Brits claimed on discussion forums that only t-shirt and knee length  shorts are tolerated . We happily saw that they were wrong .We saw women enjoying the water and the sun   dressed in every style : bikinis ,one piece swimming suits , more conservative styles ...  we saw others walking or sitting at a restaurant in colorful or all white summer dresses ... we nearly had the feeling of being at home at Lake Balaton and I felt like  buying  for myself a nice summer dress with extreme  bright colorful flowers  or a nice white gauze dress with matching hat  -something that   we do not wear elsewhere here in Qatar .
If you want a new swimming suit you can buy one at the small supermarket  close to the entrance .It is around 180 rials .
 There is changing room and lockers .The lockers are extra 10 rials and the staff handles it .You get no key just a piece of paper .For me it would be easier to have the keys than this piece of paper .So we were over all the hassle and then started the fun .
 to be continued


http://yadiin.blogspot.com/2012/05/water-park-qatar-ladies-only-day.html#links

Birds of Qatar

I found in the local daily paper in the Peninsula a photo album full of great bird photos ...

Emiri Cup Qatar 2012

It was 40 years ago that the first  Emiri Cup was organized in Qatar . To celebrate this anniversary  there will be a lots of programs and competitions before the match itself . .
Until the 11th of May, visit one of  the  booths at Villaggio, City Centre, Landmark or Katara, and try to score against electronic goals! Winners will be chosen and given the chance to score at the half-time of the Emir Cup final on the 12th of May for a chance to win QR3,000, QR100,000 or the grand prize of QR1,000,000!

Many more prizes at the final on the 12th of May! Purchasing tickets will enter you for a draw to win: 15 Toyota Lexus cars, 20 motorbikes, 20 iPhones and 20 BlackBerrys. Cash prizes of QR10,000, QR2,000 and QR1,000 will also be given to lucky winners.

many activities planned ahead of the Emir Cup,Stay tuned for more information: http:www.facebook.com/QatarFootballAssociation

Read more: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/2909175#ixzz1uMQiTecQ

Practical advice : You'd better arrive one hour before the match .

Emir honours Hungarian envoy

Hungarian Ambassador to Qatar Szabo Laszlo was honoured by the Emir of Qatar in recognition of his efforts to enhance
relations between the two countries. The Emir wished Ambassador Szabo  Laszlo success in his future
posting and relations between Qatar and Hungary further progress and prosperity.

Good and bad News from Aqua Park

  Where shall I start ?
The Good One : Ladies Only Day :) From Tuesday 1st of May

   every Tuesday from 2pm - 10 pm

The entrance ticket is QR 100 per person so  ladies who do not want to mix with male ones got one afternoon there ...

The Bad One ; an 8 years old little boy drowned in the pool of 139 cm - where were  the lifeguards then ?  Terrible .Watch out your kids if you happen to go there ! If you have a lots of kids rather take  at a time only one or two .

Win a dinner party at a Lebanese restaurant

Dinning in Doha is a gastronomic  page -telling the news of restaurants and rating them .They are also known for organizing online competitions - the winners get usuallly a dinner for two . This month the winner will get a dinner for 14 people. Try you luck !Click here and enter the competition .

the Modern Mexican Cuisine in Doha

Pampano - Modern Mexican Cuisine in Doha

What about our Summer Festivals ?

Qatar is often described in travel books as a sleeping ,boring place . When ten years ago we happened to arrive in Doha we  were pleasantly surprised to see that there was a month long summer festival in the malls .Folk groups ,circus ,play area for the kids . But almost nothing in the last five years or so ...Unfortunately - it seems that this year there won't be any festival either .
I found an article harshly criticizing  this practice.

"While neighbours have been actively promoting their tourism attraction in the country, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has remained silent for months and has not announced any plans for the summer or Ramadan for those not planning trips abroad.

And at a time when schools are closed for summer and kids looking for pastimes. A lot of families are not travelling abroad this time because of the short gap between school holidays and Ramadan. The Arab Spring has affected travel to countries in the region that were usually considered attractive tourist spots.

 I’m convinced that most people working with QTA are on a holiday or spending their summer out of the country because they haven’t lined up any events or programmes for summer here. There are no activities being organised by malls, hotels and other establishments during a season when people have the time and would like to have some fun and relax."

  There are so many kids in Qatar .Local ones and expats . They all deserve some entertainment in the summer months.

 

restaurants ads on the Pearl island

There are plenty of /at the Pearl Island ...

It is hot here -too early heat  -I tell to my relatives  who are in Hungary .
It is  hot too here -they answer  it is 25C ...

It was 46.5 C in  the meter of the taxi which shows the outside temperature ...
How can you survive ? - they ask me from my homeland .
 Really how can we survive ? How could they survive who had lived here for centuries ?Praise to be the one who invented the AC .

 It is going to be hot tomorrow ... then a bit less hot .. then the heat returns ...

glass window with abstract painting in pearl island doha , qatar 

fountain at the pearl island doha , qatar 

ornamental pool in pearl island , doha , qatar

painting on pearl island's yachts

http://www.zazzle.com/yachts_at_the_bay_no_2_canvas-192594855994656578?CMPN=addthis&lang=en&rf=238379705041286148

yachts at the bay no 2 by almawad
Find out more about canvas digital photo printing

PRIVATE YACHTS IN DOHA
PEARL

The international community of the Pearl Qatar also include some real millionaires . The population density of millionaires in Qatar per square kilometer is the 5th highest in the world . :)

Water Taxi in Doha Pearl

It is a nice afternoon program for families . It will take you around the island and it takes around 20 minutes .
You can buy tickets at the office near the concierge at the end of the promenade called Marina .40 Qr/person - children also pay the same amount ...

The festival at the Pearl .It will end on May the 19 th . We went out to see it last night .We were very disappointed .The festival meant a group of eclectic entertainers strolling along the sea every hour/two hours .When they arrived to the stage -then absolutely nothing happened .Everybody expected them to perform on stage but they just took a rest then they returned to their place .What was the stage for ? I can not understand .All the strolling along took 10 minutes .We were there from 5 -8 and we saw no jugglers no clowns no street performers as it had been promised before .There was no festival atmosphere at all .
I left the island with the feel that we were tricked to be there just to increase the traffic of the restaurants and cafes .

Dhows in Qatar by PaulCowan
Create a postcard at Zazzle

Female athletes to the Olympics to London

Qatar has never sent before a female athlete to the Games .It is changing now The International Olympic Committee offered a wild-card invitation for Bahia al-Hamad to air riffle shooter. The swimmer Nada Arkaji and the sprinter Noor al-Malki had previously been given wild cards.

I am very happy for them .

All sports for all people.
Pierre de Coubertin
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_sports.html#AeFM02MvIvBlBRhe.99

Dreamy day in the park -Aspire park in surrealistic way

http://www.zazzle.com/dreamy_day_in_the_park_poster-228171930031131886?gl=almawad&CMPN=addthis&lang=en&rf=238379705041286148

Boycott for Adidas products in the Arab world . Adidas was the only non- Israeli sponsor of Jerusalem marathon .It tried to persuade the organizers to re-route the event and avoid the Eastern part ...But  even  the Eastern part was part of the marathon by this sending the message to the world that all Jerusalem belongs to Israel  “Israel is trying to misguide public opinion into believing that Jerusalem is its capital and that is a violation of all UN resolutions,” Prince Nawaf said

Spring Cleaning and  domestic help . It is not easy to find a part time domestic help in Qatar . There are a lots of live in maids but they are  expensive and not everybody likes the idea of a maid living  in  one's home . I  am one of those who can't feel relaxed while there is somebody/a stranger around  .
I did not have luck with the self-appointed maids so far . Usually they come - then they make faces - they criticize the flat  then they ask for more money , half of their time they spend by chatting on their mobile  and  I had things  that I  have never seen again after/ I had electric devices spoilt by their way of cleaning = pushing hot water into them ...
The other day I came upon an agency  - their prices were affordable ones .. they brought the woman to clean - she was net -wearing uniform . She was nice /polite working four hours continuously ...Finally I am happy...

Did you get used to the those strange flavors while living abroad ? -asked one of my distant relative whom I came across on the skype ? Strange flavors ? -I asked back ...You think we must eat local food day and night ?  For some people it is difficult to make out how one can preserve her identity  included her favorite flavors ..Well,well  the paprika is not the best here so you have to bring you favorite spice from Hungary .But do not think that you have to eat local food here ... in fact it is not easy to find the local food if you dine out ....we buy from the  women who are selling their home made dishes in large hot pots ... that happens at big festivals ... so it is not every day event.
Doha is international .You can find here  a lots of Arab and Indian restaurants  and a lots of junk food from the American chains ...there are some Italian and Chinese ones and a lot more as well ...I f you are like me and loves the experiment in the kitchen then you are in the heaven.. there are so many kinds of fish , spice mix ,green leaves ,vegetables , fruits  in the market that you will  always find something new to try ...
As for the Hungarian flavors : I am great fan of the Hungarian fish soup and stews especially the ones made  with sauer kraut  - but from time to time I find that I  add some curry powder to some dishes ... when I stopped the chatting with my relative I went to the kitchen and served some Hungarian bean soup to the kids and to my plate I added some Indian flavors ...to me those spice mixes are the best ones I have ever tried ...

Exploding bulbs ...This is something that has never happened to me before .Tungsram the Hungarian bulb is/was excellent ... it happened in the 1980's in the city of Budapest that a man living alone died while the lights were on . They found it out only after  years because neighbors had thought he was OK since they saw  the lights on in the evenings . Tungsram bulbs last years though their quality is not as great since the GE bought it up . Still some Hungarians claim that some of their bulbs have been in use for 15 years ! Now here in Qatar the situation is quite different . I have been living  here a for a while but I still do not understand why the bulbs must be changed so often  and what makes them explode eventually . The other day it happened to me  as I switched the lights on in the corridor .. the breaking glass shattered all over  the room and even on my hair . It made me very upset .Then when I talked to some families they said yes it is like that for them too ...sometimes they have to change bulbs daily ....
 Is it because of  the bulbs ( Osram )? Or is it because the isolation is poor and there is leakage from  upstairs ?  Or  the voltage is not even what we receive ?Can somebody tell me please ! I am terrified by the idea that it would explode again and fall all over the kids ...

April is the National Humor Month in the US
See my funny items here

Doha Debate  - the Marriage of first cousins

family marriage from The Doha Debates on Vimeo.

 The Doha Debates  threw themselves into one of the Arab world's most sensitive social issues, arguing the rights and wrongs of inter- marriage between blood relatives and voting overwhelmingly to discourage the practice.

In a lively session that featured geneticists and cultural commentators, speakers grappled repeatedly with the scientific and religious aspects of consanguineous marriage - the union of two biologically-related people, including, most controversially, first cousins.

Girls Sharing an Umbrella by corbis
Buy custom poster online at Zazzle.

It was raining at night with thunders and lightnings then in the morning it is raining silently ...
We felt terribly tired the night before and everybody went to sleep much earlier than usual ...Such days happen only 10 times a year or less often ...The rainiest period  what I saw here was in December 2006 during the Asian  Games ... then it was raining cats and dogs ....

I just wanted to have a cup of usual hot drink when I saw that my usual place was closed down by health authorities for " non compliance with regulations "

I hate to think of the meaning of that .Croaches ? Mice ?

I do not wish anything to drink . Thank You !

 The weather is wonderful birds are singing happily in Doha .
 I like this season  and I am trying to enjoy  every minute of that before the hot season arrives .

I do not see any advertisement for the marine festival this year .
Can it be cancelled ? Due to the sad events in Syria ?
On the other hand there are more and more promising sings that Doha will be a more entertaining place than ever . Somewhere near the Post Office a New Park is being built .On the fences of the construction one can see graphic images of the park which seem to be wonderful ones . The park comes with swimming pools .
The entertainment complex for single workers is also a promising sign .It is great step for the social harmony .It has four cinema halls ,more than 300 commercial outlets ,cricket stadium .They will be able to eat out , shop and find fun without fear . That is for them .
And the man woman ratio inside the city won't seem to be as bad if only families are coming to the malls .

Sunset in Doha Bay by almawad
Begin selling my art online at zazzle.

Ferry Service is coming to Doha within half year .
Brand New ferry ships will carry the passangers between the New Airport and the West Bay .
How great idea to use the sea for the public transport ! It is convenient ,exotic and fun . I can't wait for that starts !

Rachel Hajar’s My Life in Doha: Between Dream And Reality
 published by Strategic Book Group.

 The Peninsula is serialising every week this book . You can read  weekly one new part of it here .

Reading is Fun by almawad
See other Educational Posters

HAT CONTEST FOR LADIES
on March 1 st  2012
 at the Race Track
Click here to register

VINTAGE HAT FASHION by dgpaulart
Join Zazzle's artist affiliate program

The world is not black and white .Not every Jew is the enemy of the Arabs and not every Arab is on the side of his own


people .We can say it for sure when we see the events of the past months - how some leaders are turning against


their own people when it is about losing their power .
All the good people belong to each other . The Jews United Against Zionism are with those who want a free


Palestine who are against the cruel acts against humanity ...


There was an International Conference for Defence of Al Quds (Jerusalem) at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel yesterday in


Doha .


One of the most important message was : do not to equate Zionism with Judaism ,stop calling Zionists as Jews.


It is unfortunate that many people do not differentiate between Zionism and Judaism. This is a success of the


Zionist propaganda. Judaism is religion while Zionism is a nationalist ideology. It is a transformation of Judaism


from religion and spirituality into nationalism and materialism, he added.
Read the full article in the Peninsula :

Palestine: The RIght To Return by kamranistan
Join Zazzle.com's clothing affiliate program

Grungy "Syrian Revolution" Syria Flag by abbeyz71
Join Zazzle's artwork affiliate program

It is getting cold here once again ...we must switch on our heaters again .But what can be  the weather like in the shelled cities of Syria ?At night I was there in my dream . I saw nothing I felt nothing just the emptiness .... a depressing  feeling  in the streets ,  or the people's tired eyes who are trying to survive .... the hopeless face of the aid workers .. they do not get enough help for basic first aid ... putting a bandage and so on ... the dead bodies should be removed ... old Syrian refugees  are walking in the streets of Doha - in their eyes the hurtful doubt - can we return to our homeland ? Shall we see again our friends/neighbours /relatives who remained there ? Or those who were taken away ?
It is  still cold here . Nobody knows the answer .

Barath Vegetarian restaurant Doha , Qatar

It is found in the Food World shopping center - it offers traditional North and South Indian vegetarian dishes . It is cheap .Most of the dishes are written in their original Indian names . It is better to read about them in advance ...to be able to choose the right one ...

Numbers : Qatar  has opened its annual jewelry exhibition . Some of the jewels worth $65 million .( pear shaped diamond )
What a luck that I can not afford that one .What a big headache storing ,guarding an  item which so expensive  !

illustration

Images from the Food Festival . The Indian man offering sweets ,a cheese sculpture ,beautifully set table .
It was so nice to see the tables set  the  artistic way  - it is a real art I think . It was nice to have some German specialties at the Kempinsky's stand ...their service was extremely nice . The W Hotel's sushi was  not so good . Though this hotel's restaurant was called  the best one in Doha ... I must say that I have had much better sushi at  other not so highly rated places - like sushi minto/oishi sushi ... the Japanese embassy's stand was disappointing as well ... when we arrived there nobody  knows anything about the food and the programs to offer ... then we were told there will be sushi /mochi making demonstrations later in the afternoon .. when returning we were offered some algae pudding .. . Take one ! -said a Japanese woman at the stand - it is free -and was smiling cynically into my face ... I would have rather payed for that treat than to see this expression on  her face .... after that I saw there were visitors at their tent and they had nothing to offer and three women were standing there and laughing at the visitors who wished to have some food at the food festival .
The festival was very big with a lots of hotels and restaurant . One is able to taste only a few thing /and what I described here was just a small part of it . Go there next year and taste the dishes on your own !

Today is the first ever National Sport Day in Qatar .It means no working  - and tons of sport  themed programs for families . The main venues are the Corniche ( MIA - Oryx ) -Aspire zone - Katara ...
Do not miss it ...

window shopping in Qatar : fancy lamps

Qatar by Sphinx_N_Phoenix
Start selling my art online with zazzle.

According to the Gulf Times the Wheels and Heels festival took place today at the MIA .I liked very much the idea of riding a bike watching shows with the kids while enjoying the nice spring .The only problem was that we could not find out how to reach the place by car .We tried three roundabouts near MIA to get closer but all of them were closed by police cars .We got into a traffic jam where an ambulance tried to find his way among jammed cars .Suddenly we got this " you should stay at home on Friday afternoon: feeling and we returned home .I learned about this event only when sitting at a cafe at the food festival and I was reading the Gulf Times . So we arrived home with crying kids . But not only the kids I wished to cry as well as we missed a bubble show ,a jazz concert and so much more !We only hope that the spring festival at the souq Waqif will somehow compensate us .

Sand sculptures from Doha 2011Marine festival . A traditional couple from the past .

This murder at New Salata really astonished me .This is something one really does not expect to happen when living in Qatar . Being murdered by an iron rod by some merciless burglar is simply not typical here .It is even sadder that the victim was an old lady -a local one who was over 82 and whose maid was also brutally beaten up .
My sincere sympathy to the family of the victim .

Food Festival in Doha

  It is fun . It will start this afternoon . All restaurants of Doha will go out to the open area behind the Exhibition Center  - they will offer some gourmet dishes and a lots of junk food :) . This year Japan will have its own corner . Let's hope that it will improve that level ...:) Otherwise it is cheap and there will be programs for kids as well.
 Do not expect too much from it - but do not miss it !

graphic bento by almawad
Join one of the largest graphic design affiliate programs

Winners of the Qatar Airways Qatar National Day  photo contest are listed here .I was surprised to see Hungarians among the winners Tamas Kiss/ Bea Kiss . The winners were the ones who got the most public vote /I believed that it would happen only  to Indians , Arabs , Fillipinos .We are so few here in Doha . After all congrats to all  the winners .

retro birds by almawad
Make a customized flyer on zazzle.com

It is like April in Europe . It's cloudy then suddenly comes the sun .Warm winds and cold ones . Capricious weather but it is not winter anymore .
Sales started in some luxurious places . The Center was full of customers the other day . Locals and some westerners . They were happy with their findings and went to relax to the cafe with huge bags .I dared to check the price of a shoe . It was only 800 riyal with 50 % discount . I quickly put it back to the shelf .:) :) :)
Well well even the rich like the bargain ...

I checked out the Blue Saloon as well . They had some real bargain among the perfumes = under 100 riyal after 50 % discount .But the clothes were overpriced . A pair of jeans for a preschooler were 600 riyals after discount .I remembered that some years ago I bought one for 20 riyals for my preschooler in the H&M :) There were some handbags as well displayed as items with huge discount ...there was an orange one that I liked . It was around 1500 USD .Oh my -in some villages in Hungary you can buy a small old house for this price ...How the world is strange !

Museum of Islamic Art by almawad
Get your own customized canvas

Talking about restaurants : a new one is going to open at the top floor of the Museum .My guess is that not going to be a cheap canteen style :)

Ordering takeaway/home delivery  dinner/lunch

there are lots of restaurant offering take away dinner /lunch but they do not have a page on the net for you can select from their dishes .I found a great gastronomic page where the menus of a lots of places are scanned and published .Just click here and find the restaurant's menus

Cold winds are blowing in the coming days in Qatar . Temperature will drop bellow  10C on Saturday night and it can be as cold as 5 C on Sunday night .Prepare your warm clothes , blankets , heaters  .If you have too many of them then share  them with those who  might not have .( just simply put them next to the bins ) think about the stray cats too . Hot tea , a good book  a warm blanket ... it will feel like I am at home .

Which is the best restaurant in Doha ?



 According to the tripadvisor.co.uk  for the time being it is Market by Jean-Georges in the W Hotel is rated the best by their members . It serves gourmet style international and Mediterranean dishes. .

" Presentation and quality are high and the lunch special at 85 QR seems a bargain"
" The striking atmosphere and the waiters are very attentive and the food sublime"

Have you ever been there ? I do not go quite often to five star hotels restaurant  and telling the truth I do not even know the location of this hotel . But they sound to be worth visiting .

French Chef Cook Gifts Cartoon Kitchen Print by Humorous_posters
Find more small canvas prints at zazzle.com

The second best restaurant is also in the W hotel -it is called Spice Market .
It serves Asian gourmet dishes and you can go there for breakfast/brunch, lunch , dinner,even they have after-hours service .If you are ready to pay 89 riyal for a gourmet lunch then go for their set menu called Express Lunch.Your will get 1 Appetizer, 1 Entree and 1 Dessert for that money.
."Reasonably good service, impressive menu, and so-so prices considering it is inside a 5-star hotel"
"This is at W hotel, we went for dinner chose the set menu, it was divine!"

If the five star atmosphere is not exactly is what you long for  then try La Dolce Vita's Italian cuisine .It is rated as the third best place to eat out in Doha .They are much praised for their home-made flavors , large portions and the ambience of a family run restaurant.

view from the Islamic art museum's courtyard to the sea port of Doha and to the Fanar ( twisted shaped ) mosque

A new cafe in Doha - cafe Ducasse .It serves light meals ,sandwiches, salads , cakes and other kinds of desserts and drinks . It is in the Museum of Islamic Art .The building itself is very special . It was designed by I. M. Pei . You arrive to the huge lobby and you find a fountain in the middle . Now the fountain is surrounded by the chic sofas chairs, and armchairs of this cafe . As you go towards the glass wall you can find more seats - it is really very romantic you can watch the sea while sipping your coffee .

It was a Savoy Cake and cottage cheese with chestnut cream that we ordered . The Savoy Cake is a vintage style French pastry and it was good with the cappuccino . The chestnut cream was some kind of thick  chestnut preserve ( like Bonne Maman) and some kind of heavy yoghurt .Ducasse might be considered  as one of the best chef in the world but I have eaten much better chestnut dessert in Hungary ,. Chestnut puree with cream - at any Hungarian cake shop you will find that  in the cities or in the rural areas . A treat that I miss so much here in Qatar .For long time I believed that it is some kind of Hungarian recipe . Recently I have found that it is an old vintage recipe  just somehow it was forgotten in other parts of the world and preserved in my country .   
 So again I learned that when about food and eating not sure at all that you find the best flavours at the top restaurants .It is all about advertising marketing . My grandma's scones and cottage cheese turnovers were far better than any bakery products that I have ever tasted .
Well that is all that I think about  those posh places . It is worth visiting the museum and it is a very special place to sit around   the service is very nice and their drinks and cakes might be delicious  ....but you might have tasted better things somewhere else ...

 The inauguration of the new park seemed to be fun .Though we arrived at three  already there were a  lots of families .The playground was jammed with kids . There was a camel and a horse on the field for ride . We planned to try the horse . It was a nice looking Arabian mare .But before deciding to queue  for the ride we noticed some very bad looking clouds billowing the sky . There was a fire somewhere some hundreds of meters from us .We hurried away from the place - when we arrived to the building of the MIA then the fire was already put out . We could have returned to join more fun but my children were scared then rather we went into the building of the museum .

Trust in dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.
Khalil Gibran was born  129 years ago .


Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/k/khalil_gibran_4.html#ixzz1iT1v7mIk

The Museum if Islamic Art will be opening its public park on Friday  . The celebration and activities will be held between 2-10pm .There will be horse riding , traditional dances ,food tasting  and more  .... a new park in Doha    . It is good news .

Wild mountain honey of Iran ,persian carpets ,Iranian saffron( QR 25,000 per kg) ,quality dates ,herbal scents ,traditional furniture from Egypt ,wood handicrafts, metal and stone works from Kenya ,clothes and women’s accessories and more  if you  are in the mood of shopping after December festivities and  ahead of the  deadline of paying school fees ...
Venue : Exhibition Center
 Open daily : from 11 am
Event :  Doha Trade Fair

NUMBERS

The latest figures say there are 1,271,194 males and 436,562 females in Qatar.

  There are less than half million women in Qatar ! 


 Source : Gulf Times