More Gold medals for the Hungarian Swimmer in Doha

Katinka Hosszu from Baja , South Hungary won four more golds at the Doha   FINA World Cup circuit  .  It seems  that she is the new star  .Eight-meet s ahead of  her yet  ...

steps forward Qatar 2022

 The  cooperation agreements with  five  companies were  signed  finalizing the strategic plan for 2012-2015.

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee  named the companies they are going to deal with when preparing for the Football World Cup . These are  Qatar Rail, Ashghal, Kahramaa, Aspire Zone Foundation and Qatari Diar  . The  signing ceremony  was held  in Doha’s Four Seasons Hotel.  


They are going to build  9 new stadia  and they will expand 3 existing ones . The constructions will start within months .

Soccer ball pattern throw pillows by almawad
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Numbers in Qatar - GDP

Qatar GDP increased 18.8 per cent in 2011 alone

source

Numbers in Qatar

An estimated 15,000 Britons reside in Doha.... and they have hard time finding affordable school with acceptable level .


 source

Good Looking British Shirts by worldshop
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Barwa Village

This was the first time I saw this commercial and residential  district .  It is somewhere between Doha and Al-Wakra though officially it belongs to Al- Wakra . I saw low-rise buildings - shops , restaurants on the ground floor and apartments on the first and second floor . We saw a medical center and an Indian school and Centerpoint plaza .Small town atmosphere and everything is very well kept . I liked that . If only  there were some areas for kids to play ! It was built for 13 thousand  people and we saw no play area ! It happens in the downtown as well - but why to move outside the city when you find no benefits for kids ?That is very nice that everything is in walking distance .It is far from the city's noise ... They say only the airplanes noise is disturbing ...
I do not understand either how can someone rent a flat there . Is it only for low-income families ? 

Hungarian Swimmer In Dubai

This Hungarian swimmer won  Gold in the 800m free, the 200m free and the 200 IM, and Bronze in the 200m backstroke.

There was  a Swimming World Cup in Dubai last week .

Katinka Hosszu is a 23 y. old Hungarian Swimmer from South Hungary , Baja .
(My niece  learnt to swim at the same swimming pool where  she trains .)
 Congrats Katinka ! All Hungary and especially those in the South is very proud of you !

Grandma's Wall Cloth

grandma's wall cloth poster by almawad

Browse Wall cloth Posters

This decoration had been  above the stove on the wall of the kitchen .At Grandma's house everything used to be so simple and this was nearly the only thing decorating the wall . It sends a clear message for girls ." the Ones who can cook and bake well will marry easily "  I also remember  the school report of grandma   -  in this booklet we found also some advice on the lifestyle of protestants girls . They were advised to cook simple dishes - using simple ingredients  .Showing off  the wealth by cooking and baking sophisticated and costly dishes is not the style that girls should follow .

Why most of the top chefs are male ?

Light Chef Girl Print by girlscantwhat
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Can anybody tell me  please  why most of the top chefs are male in the world ?

Top Chefs for Qatar Airways

- Ramzi Choueiri is Lebanese chef .In 1998, he published the first volume of his culinary encyclopedia which reached record sales in the Arab world. • He was recognized as the top chef in the Arab world by important organizations such as: New York Times, Herald Tribune, Associated Press, L’Express, Le Courrier International, La Presse (Montreal), B.B.C., Radio Monte Carlo, Radio France Internationale, CNN. I remember there was a time when this chef's ready dishes were sold in the supermarkets frozen food sections . But they dissapeared - I wonder why ... Vineet Bhatia is the multi-award winning chef and owner of the Michelin starred Rasoi - Vineet Bhatia, located in London Chelsea.His light and imaginative dishes display a clever balance between innovation and an immense respect for the history of Indian cooking.
Tom Aikens and Nobu Matsuhisa as well will be in the team of top chefs working for Qatar Airways . I loved their dishes very much . There is no problem with that and I hope that it would be even be .

Vintage Middle Eastern Images

These are reprints on postcards from Zazzle . Click on the image and you can see the details .


Street scene from Istanbul with barbers and their clients a from the 19th century . They are wearing red hat the fez .The richly colored image looks like photograph but it is actually a photochrom print an ink-based photolithographs . Courtesy of Library of Congress .

Street cook in Istanbul from the 19th century .

Vintage Istanbul cityscape with moonlight .It features a mosque - the sea and some boats . The moon is half covered by the clouds . It has some exotic real Middle Eastern feel . It is courtesy of Library of Congress .The richly colored image looks like photograph but it is actually a photochrom print an ink-based photolithographs .

Arabian breakfast - The lentil soup

The lentil pottage with freshly baked Arabian bread is a perfect match .Many cheap restaurants / and some luxury hotels will offer in their breakfast menu . This is so much filling and so much healthy that one should try to eat in Arabian style minimum twice a week .
It is full of iron, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium .It helps in maintaining energy, a strong nervous system and a properly working metabolism.Though it is low in calories -it is filling your stomach and gives energy for a half day . As for me - I am not able to have my usual lunch if I had lentil for breakfast .
 It is lentil, onion , garlic ,cumin and salt cooked for 15-20 minutes .

  See a recipe on the youtube

If you suffer from favism - then it is better to avoid it .

Views on the leaked documents

" it is an inherent trait of Zionist culture to plant many lies within one truth"

"I despise the regime in Syria and often write against it...... There's no motive and too outlandish, too implausible to believe! Bashar is a brutal dictator, but he isn't an idiot."


"I suggest the relatives of the victims with financial backing from the Qatari government should start legal proceedings against Bashar al Assad personally for conspiracy to kill innocent civilians "

"I think the west is very capable in falsifying documents"

"Setting fires is a skill which Assad and Co. clearly have. Look at the Aleppo market, too!"

 source


"rumors will always circulate to fill the void of real information"

"I'm afraid that this is fact, it has been well known amongst certain circles for some time, the evidence was clear from the start. But I am still surprised to see it in black and white."

"This NOT fact. It just a cheap sensationalist media outlet trying its best to desperately get some ratings against more respectable channels."

"We pray that Qatar may never see such a dark day, ever again."

"It's not below the Syrian government to kill people for policital gain, but I'm skeptical about this."

 source

Syrian dictator behind the Villaggio Mall fire in May?

Was Bashar the Syrian dictator behind the Villaggio Mall fire ? Al_Arabya  tv channel claims so  -it has leaked documents which proves  -yes indeed  -they were .They are citing telegrams  between the  ambassador of Syria and the Bashar  government ...

They are talking about punishing Qatar  - and about the VIllaggio blaze .
 The Villaggio blaze ! I had always thought that these cover operations are made by using coded language   and not calling the things on their names . Am I a  naive ?

 My theory is the  following : it was a deliberate act . I do not know who - but someone wanted to scare the expats in Qatar .There was the Doha Mum Club advertising itself and the  Gympanzee  nursery  - there were some moms who were talking on the youtube about their life in Qatar praising the possibilities they can have here when upbringing a child . Like they offered themselves as a target  - I am sorry to say that  - I have been living here for a while  and  observing the events and the reactions and the news  and I know that there are some background powers which hate to hear anything good about  any Arab countries .Youknowwho!

I must think back  about another incident - in another country .
In 1994  there was a ferry catastrophe  where nearly a thousand  Scandinavian people drowned into the cold  stormy sea. They just announced it as a neutral piece of news and then they were talking a lot about Titanic ... I saw how people can be influenced so easily ...they just did not think deep about that nearly one thousand people died  a terrible death ..like 5 passenger plane crashed at the same moment .... then later it turned out that there was some military secret smuggled on the ship  and the Russian  wanted the Estonia to turn back  - so they made a small explosion and then  the ship turned to be in so bad condition that it sank .What if somebody just tried to warn Qatar then everything turned to be so badly organized that the warning turned into a terrible  tragedy .
So- it is just a theory   based on  the facts that  became public . There might be hidden facts  and the truth can be something  totally different .

Villaggio Mall witnessed crowds

I was really sad when reading that the  plaza where a terrible tragedy happened  attracts visitors in such a large number .It seems that people were not interested in the fact that  justice was not served yet in this case .It seems that the consumerist attitude overwrites the sympathy ....
Or people are just not well informed about the issue ...

Breakfast in a cheap restaurant

We were bored by the usual breakfast restaurants in Doha .We headed towards Al-Wakra and we were randomly looking for places to eat . We did not like  the selection and finally my husband decided to take us to a cheap-looking eatery .Surprisingly ,it did have family section upstairs and not only tables and chairs -but we could opt for the traditional Arabian style little rooms . That was really something unexpected  to have breakfast while sitting on the ground leaning on a sturdy pillow and  enjoying a Arabian breakfast . That was the best lentil sauce (adas)  I ever had . And the fresh flatbread (khobz ) was a perfect match with it . The bean puree with cheese was interesting( foul maa gubn) -and the  scrambles (shakshouska) were all right .
We were sitting on clean carpet and enjoying the polite service and the home-like atmosphere . I only had two things that I did not like ...the melamine plates  and the toilet . There was strong smell there and a    naked wire in the wall . That makes me crazy here n Qatar -  when I stumble upon naked wires at unexpected places and I  am there with two little kids ,

I should name here the restaurant - but I I can not remember .It had a long name  and Bukhari was within .

No nuclear physics for girls - my thoughts on the Iranian ban

Stay  at home and   be satisfied of being a housewife . This was the message that I understood from the  Iranian authorities  ban  for women from so many universities .  Iranian women are well educated ones  . Some think they are too  much educated  and confident  They were marching against the regime in the front lines in 2009  Now 30 universities banned  80 courses for them  - they can not study for example engineering, nuclear physics and computer science, English literature, archaeology and business.
I feel so sorry for those girls -   not everybody can send her daughter abroad and it is totally unfair to deny education from someone talented and  enthusiastic  just because she is a  female .
 It is not good for the society either  -  when a gifted  woman 's talent is wasted .
 But Iranian women are not shy bunnies - they are confident and outspoken  girls  - I hope all the best for them ....

 While you might think that it is typically Middle Eastern thing   I can say that something similar happens in Hungary  as well. A campaign against female education .careers .  Our politicians are not able to improve the financial situation in the country  and people refuse to have a lots of children . Now they started to blame us /women . The birth rate is so low because women are so individualistic  and they do not think about the interest of the Hungarian nation and  about the interest of their political leaders ." Stay at home for 20 years and  realize your dreams after that " was the  sentence  by one of our  politician that made  women so angry . In fact these are not the women who are so  selfish  -  divorced women  stay alone with children financially unprotected so  many times . The father can deny paying   child support for their own kids  as the black and grey market of  companies help them to hide their revenues . Women in Hungary are simply realistic  - they might find themselves alone with kids ,

Qatar Japan friendship

It is an unexpected friendship . Japan with its cultivated pearls destroyed Qatar's main business , the ancient tradition of pearl fishing some sixty years ago . Now they are the best friends / though culturally and geographically they are very far from each other . This friendship is not based on the individual attraction of their people like the Hungarian Polish friendship .Japan is the best client of Qatar  , they  are buying the local natural gas . It is just the beginning of our friendship    - it is claimed in this video
 One can guess that  Japan is going to help Qatar in preparing for the World Cup 2022 .

 On the other hand we can not feel too much  Japanese influence here . There are some sushi restaurants - in some supermarkets one can buy imported Japanese food .In the  Hyatt plaza there is lovely Japanese shop selling Japanese knickknacks  - I can browse  things there for hours .

A simple secret to control your sugar

While  half of the world became diabetic and especially   here in the Gulf  ... there are online help forums claiming silently that there is a simple way to control your sugar level with diabetics 2 . That is the apple vinegar  or the lime juice . How to do it ? Simply prepare around one liter of water mixed with two table spoons of apple cider vinegar( organic)  ... or the same amount of lime juice then sip it  during the day . Then check your  fasting blood sugar after two weeks .

It might not work  for everyone but why not to give it  a try ? It  has only one side effect  -  destroys the teeth  -so it is  better to  drink it with a straw  .

Lime Time Card by FreemanDesigns
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Numbers in Qatar - 28 thousand QR per student

The Qatari government grants 28 thousand QR per student( nearly 8 thousand USD ) for the education of the local kids from this year . They can spend it school fees /bus transport fees/books . There are around thirty private schools who can accept the educational vouchers issued by the educational authorities .

On the long run it is well spent money for sure . But it can cause hike in the fees and longer waiting lists at private schools .

Villaggio reopens partly

Villaggio Mall reopens partly this week .
 I have never wished that it was destroyed or closed forever  - but I wished that it would reopen only when the guilty are behind bars . But  many persons who had responsibility  in  the fire tragedy which killed 13 little children  are still at large .  They simply did not turn up  when the court hearing took place .

Still I am sad .

No more Nudity even in Scientific textbooks

No more  nude pictures are tolerated in Qatar schools -even in scientific text books it is prohibited - writes the Peninsula about the strict rules imposed by the Supreme Educational Council . Whatever nation operates that school - their license  can be cancelled if they keep using textbooks with nude illustrations .Parents are encouraged to report on the hotline if they find a school still using textbooks ...
Still it is not clear for me if they can teach about reproduction  or not . So if they can  then how they can teach about the respective organs without illustration ?
I guess some Indian schools must throw their science text book .When my child was around nine grader they got very informative lessons with a lots of illustrations .

Banana Flowers - strange veggies in our supermarkets

photo source

Banana flowers - this dark red purplish thing that looks like a corn cob with its leaves has got a lots of banana

embryos inside  .If you like the artichoke then you will love the flavor of this as well .You can eat it raw in a salad or cooked in a curry .Here is a short video tutorial to learn how to clean  it and get the edible parts ready for consumption .

Back to School with Unique Bags

All these messenger bags/sleeves ,wristlets are from my Zazzle shops .Neon colors are trendy this year at school too .You can customize my items with words /initials/names .See more neon fashion accessories here .

Qatar among most competitive countries in the world

 Qatar is number 11 in 2012 among a total of 144 countries covered by this year’s  Global Competitiveness Report (GCR).

Mabrouk Qatar !

balloons, I am excited for your future. Congrats! Post Cards by mimnastix
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grim statues in Katara

It was in August that I took this photo on the seaside promenade in Katara .Grim statues made of metal scrap .I was not in the mood to publish them until now .
This 911 attack on the Libyan embassy / the cyber attack on Al-jazeera made me remember all the nightmare of eleven years ago .Arabs and Muslims must be portrayed as savage brutal people -ungrateful for the help that they got ... some background power wants to .provoke.. by their films and cartoons .... I think such films and cartoons should be simply ignored ... when they get heavy reactions from the Muslim world they get some big advertisement ... otherwise very few people would be interested in those "creations" .
So what is the message of these statues in the Qatar Cultural Village ? memento mori ?

witchcraft charges in Qatar ?

I have just read a disturbing article in the Gulf Times .It is about a  maid who had just started to work for a local family when their child turned seriously ill .The family decided that the maid was a witch - there was a doll under  her pillow- they refused to employ her and even they  notified the police .
I am not surprised that some people still do not understand basic psychological terms like projection of our  negative feelings on somebody else ... I am not surprised that they have not heard about the incubation period of some disease . I am just shocked that they  informed the police as well about their allegations .
  Can somebody be charged in Qatar with witchcraft ? This is the  disturbing question I keep asking myself since I read this little piece of news .

School of Information Technology, CNA-Q hosts NRO-Qatar and WRO-Arabia

School of Information Technology, CNA-Q hosts NRO-Qatar and WRO-Arabia

a virtual garden

the garden of contemplation was ( is ?) a fun exhibition at the Katara in summer . There were huge projected pictures of some grass /weeds genlty moving in the virtual wind ....it was nice to enter and cool down .. it had a real zen atmosphere

Jellyfish - I hate you

Everything seemed perfect Friday morning at the beach . The weather was much better than two weeks ago - there was definitely  less garbage on the shore and no one jellyfish was seen . The water was transparent and clear .So when my little boy was screaming and pointing to his tummy I did not think that it was a jellyfish bite . It was a long scratch and I speculated that it was an old wound that became sore in the salty water .Then   comforted with a hug and some kisses he went back to play . Our other kid was floating on the water surface -so happy with it  as she has just learned how to do it .Then she was the one who screamed but it was very painful scream . Her wrist had shown clearly the sign of bite .It was burning weird feeling .It looked like nettle stings .She was crying very much .No one sea creature was seen in the water .

Some local young men told my husband "kandil al bahr"   "pour bibsi on it " ...
WE found some Red crescent staff on the beach ....they applied some vinegar  on it .They confirmed that it was a jellyfish bite .

Luckily  the kids did not show any allergic reaction .
But they refused to go back and play -even  in the sand . Now they are afraid from the sea and they refuse even the idea of  going to the beach again ...
I know so little about the sea and its dangers  -but  for this time I only feel that I hate those jellyfish ...

I will never go to the beach without vinegar and antihistamin .

Doha Zoo is Closed for maintenance

Doha Zoo is Closed for maintenance - I learnt about it only during Eid holidays .It is going to be transformed into a world -class facility with much bigger spaces for the animals . I liked the retro feel at the Doha Zoo .The fountains , the old big trees , the zebras and some other animals who really had nice big yard there . But it is true that some animals were kept in a sad ,small cage and seeing them depressed there was not a much uplifting experience .

spotted antelopes in the zoo stretched canvas prints by almawad
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Flamingos at Doha Zoo Stretched Canvas Prints by almawad
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Indian elephant at the zoo gallery wrap canvas by almawad
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zebra profile canvas print by almawad
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Modern art inspired by Arabic calligraphy

Modern art by Moza Al-Kuwairi .Untitled acrylic on canvas . Calligraphic inspiration .
Exhibited at Katara .





Abstract art by Hessa Kalla . Mixed media on canvas .



Colorful and dynamic abstract painting by Mubarrak Al-malik . Title : Calligraphy 2
Acrylic on canvas

Modern Art Exhibitions at the Katara 2012 August

Daniel Weil modern art clocks were /are exhibited at the Katara Cultural Village .





The Sun is the celestial time settler Inspired by Cezanne .... Contemplating Cezanne's the Card Players painting , the configuration for this clock emerged ..




The clock is built of five separate elements . This does not explain time , but in a way it simply exposes its mysterious essence .

Should we blame a building ?

Should we blame a building for a terrible tragedy ? Is the building of the Villaggio Mall which should be punished  and destroyed or the mentality that lead to the tragedy ? People who do not care /managers who do not practice fire drills ,who  do not contact the firefighters and inform them about the existence of a nursery ,authorities giving permission to the minister's daughter to run a nursery in a backroom without emergency exit ...teachers who do not rush out of the place with kids when they smell the smoke first but  they call here and there to get orders because they  got used to obeying and not used to take  their own decisions ... will the new  fire protecting instruments be really working when employees are so  uncertain about   their duties in case of an unexpected situation ? Just a little example . Some days ago  my child was waiting for a game 20 minutes in an overcrowded amusement park .That went out of order and she got stuck in the middle of the line not being able to come out .The staff did not know what to do . The crowd was bigger and bigger and it took the staff 10 minutes or more to decide that the game was not working and instruct the kids to turn back and walk out without pushing each other . Ten minutes or more  so many kids who wanted to leave got stuck among the bars and other kids ...awful experience ...and it could have been avoided with telling two words ..." Sorry -it is out of order -turn back kids and walk back " 
We can not avoid another tragedy until "the cheaper the better" policy is the main trend when hiring work force here and not the competence is the important .

Messaid Beach at Eid and after

The weather is hot but bearable -we arrived a bit late in the morning of the first day of the Eid . Crystal clear water .Some medusa in it ..Cleaners at the beach ...working continuously .Only some cans ..neat look ...wonderful time with the kids ....Five days after Eid ... we arrived earlier than before but the weather is already too hot ... the car sank in the sand ...bibsi cans, gulfa bottles ,marlboro boxes ,slippers ,t--shirts ,plastic bags, a sofa cushion in the water ,we can't believe that it is the same beach ...who left that tons of garbage there ? ... where are the cleaners ? ...why the para glider is flying over our head -just missed our sank car ...why the four wheelers are venturing up the dunes which are apparently too steep ... why the shore is full of medusas and other dead sea creatures ...let's go home /sweet air-conditioned home ...this Friday morning was the most unpleasant beach experience here ...we should forget about beaches for some weeks ...until the weather gets milder and the beach will clear up ...will it be cleaned before next Eid again?

Tricky Seafood restaurants in Qatar

Some of the seafood restaurants were selling cheap Vietnamese fish from the mekong delta( yuk!) as local hamour fillet .They closed temporarily these ones :

Favorite Fish Restaurant (New Mirqab)
Quick Fishes Restaurant (Airport Area)
Estacosa Restaurant (Bin Mahmoud)
Little Sailor Restaurant for Sea Food (North Muaither)
Golden Fish Restaurant (Al Sadd)
Al Adid Restaurant for Fish and Grill (North Muaither)
Arab Bukhari Restaurant (Al Khor)
Al Karwan Restaurant (Al Markhiya)


I have never tried any of them .Have you ?

iftar buffet at the Al- Khaima restaurant or Fight For Your Food

It was some years ago that my husband had a company iftar dinner there . He had liked the place and decided to take us out the other day .
We had reservation and clearly stated that we were coming with small kids . We were happy to see that they have a big hall just for families . But when we entered we were less happy to see that it was way too much crowded . In fact one of our kids had to use the toilet and it was so painful until we got to the place - there was not much room for left for the aisle and we had to disturb people while they were having dinner .
I saw a lots of Arab expat families but no one local .
The second shock came when I noticed that they were smoking at the next table . When my husband went to the staff to complain he got the information that it is allowed to smoke at the family section. Family section -can you believe that ? It has a smoking area !
We had no chance to get another table .Do we have any excuse for not leaving at once ? Only that we were hungry at the end of the fasting day .Otherwise we would have left .

The third shock .
My parents always told me to avoid big crowds/pushing each other -it is simply not our style . So somehow even after living here for so many years it is deep in my soul -I rather wait .Ten minutes after that the voice of the muesin gave sign for iftar time - there were barely any food left on the buffet table .
So if you happen to go there for buffet dinner you have to stand and wait and push and take as much food as possible on your plate ... literally you are supposed to fight for your meal .

Finally I had some salad which is a healthy dinner but asking 70 riyal for that is a daytime robbery .I booked for an open buffet dinner which included there grilled fish/grilled chicken cubes /grilled lamb - but I did not get any .
I did not ask for nicotine and our clothes are still smelling the smoke .

This restaurant is for you of you got used to this type of fighting for your food dinner.
I have been to many restaurants with buffet dinner but I have never seen this unfair practice that I witnessed here . I think they should refill their buffet table if it runs out of food within ten minutes ...
For us "never again "

Vintage Swirls - Eid Mubarrak Business Card

Vintage Swirls - Eid Mubarrak Business Card by almawad
See other Happy eid Business Cards

Vintage swirls with glowing letters against dark background.Text in Arabic with transliteration .Eid Mubarak means Pleasant Holiday !Stylish business card to give to your Muslim customers/ friends and co-workers/business partners at the end of the fasting month .Design by Alma Wad .Easy to customize it with the details of your company .



This thick 100lb card stock has a pretty iridescent pearl finish.

Chubby size , 3.5" x 2.5", 100 /pack

The Secret of the Hungarian success at the Olympic Games

I set up a page to tell the world about the success of my country's sport men and women .Then I check my statistics and I see that  so many visitors of my page want to know the secret of the Hungarians .
Well  , you might have heard that Hungary with a population of 10 .million got 17 medals at the Games .8 of them were GOLD !
This way our rank at the medal per capita list is : the fifth     - number five of all the countries in the world -if we compare the number of gold medals to the population .

I do not think that there is a special secret of that , Hungary is not a bunch of stupid /low performing people -as  a lots of media report suggests . I know also that there is a vast anti-Hungarian propaganda world-wide  showing only the negative aspects of the Magyars life .At the Games where the numbers talk for themselves  the success  can not be ignored .

hungary necklace by almawad
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Once when I was working as a tour-guide an American tourist asked me " Can you read and write ?"
and without waiting for the answer " your country will be better off if the next generation will go to school" Well ,you really need to keep cool when doing this job .

I tried to be polite when answering " yes, I know  how to read and write  and even my great -great grandmothers knew it . Hungary's  law on public education dates back to the 19th century . One of my grandma was a teacher with college degree .My other grandma had made four grades at the elementary school -as that was the minimum  required compulsory   level for every child in the 1920s .

Our first gold medals are coming from the 19th century Athene Games .Doing sport /competitions have more than 100 year old tradition .My little hometown has an Olympic champion .Some of my friends were working hard to be able to go to the Olympics . Though they did not manage to do so they keep organizing events for other ladies /housewives and for kids .The tradition of doing sport is kept this way .
The other thing is the policy of the country . When I was at the secondary  at the PE lessons twice a year we had to perform various activities .We had to  high -jump ,long jump ,sprint , running 600 meters . Teachers had to send the records to a center where they could  find easily the talented ones .

Most towns have sport clubs .Our town  had  football /chess /karate /athletic /wrestling/kayak/canoe /swimming/shooting/gliding clubs . The trainings were free or nearly free .For the poor kids sport can be often a way to break out from the poverty( yes , we have gypsies performing wonderfully)  -and for the wealthy this my be a question of prestige .

So  there are many factors .After all I do not think that any of these things are so special  - we love our country  -as other people love their own .Money has little if any importance at this .What do you think ?

Total Medals per capita -Qatar number 20

Qatar with its two bronze became the  20th in the list of countries where the medals are compared to the population .
Well  done -it is a great rank ! Mabruk Qatar !

photo source

city by night - business card template

the city by night business cards by almawad
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Beautiful painting with an illuminated city by nigh .Original art by Alma Wad featuring the skyline of Doha , Qatar . Easy to customize this business card with your own details .It comes 100 /pack .

Remote Control Cockroach Roach bug

I love the self-irony of the Japanese . It seems that they have a cockroach problem in their country especially in the countryside ... Now instead of denial they made a robotic version of their pest and sell it and they play with it ... this is how they advertise it ..."They say that everything's small in Japan. Well, everything except the roaches, known in Japan as gokiburi. Yep, come summer the country is literally crawling with them and they are big, black and mean critters. So, what better creature to turn into a remote control toy, you might ask! Well, that's what JTT has done!"

It was ten years ago that I saw the first cockroach in my life . I know that they are spread all over the wordl but somehow I  had been lucky enough not to meet any before ... I heard the there are some in the city  of  Budapest but even there I did not see any ..   I guess that in the eighties  when I was living there the pest control was highly organized .Then we moved to Qatar . The first thing that I saw  in the middle of the room was this insect -it was dead . With  my child we believed that it is a cricket  and we felt sorry for it ....then we learned that we have to fight them ...  you can find a lots of sound advice here about this fight . When I go home to Hungary my mom wonders why I  follow her to the kitchen and cover every dish so nervously ....

Closed facilities during Ramadan

GRHHH  I can not tell how angry I am ! It is Ramadan and fasting month . Everything is open at different  hours .We got used to that . So  the club where we usually go announced its Ramadan timing ,. It was fine we could go after iftar and  swim with the kids one hour or so . Every year  it is like that .The second week of Ramadan we found a notice "swimming pool is closed for a week for maintenance " ... OK one week is OK - no swimming for a week kids . Or we could go to the Aquapark they have got fun timing from  8pm-to2 am and big discount ... then I realize that aquapark  cancelled its ladies only days during Ramadan - it is logic not ?   - this is a holy month you should swim mixed ... and based on their survey they won't even make a ladies only day for Eid .
OK one week has gone and we return to our club just to be informed that the swimming pool will be closed for all Ramadan " for maintenance " and as for Eid   they do not usually open during those festive days ...
It is Ramadan . I have to work . I have to keep my  kids entertained here . My husband has to work . The great Ramadan timing for them is that they have to work only eight hours a day opposed to the twelve /so why other facilities management think that it is Ok to disregard the needs of their customers ?

white spotted antelopes at doha zoo

spotted antelopes in the zoo stretched canvas prints by almawad
Get your own canvas transfer prints

White spotted antelopes in the zoo of Doha , Qatar . They came quite close to me when I was watching them from an elevated area . Great for animal lovers /Africa fans . Original photo by Alma Wad .

Iftar Dinner with set menus - affordable places

There is life in Qatar even beyond the five star hotels .The proof of that is that some places offer iftar dinner with set menus  and they wont cost you so much .So leave the posh places for the millionaires and for the corporate show-off  and find a place where they are ready to offer a set menu  for ordinary people  when the sun sets .

Royal Tandoor   -  set menu  QR 50   between 5 -8 PM
 reservation : 4444 6151


Applebee's Iftar Buffet - unlimited soups , salads , appetizers with selected main course QR 55


Sukh Sagar , Pure vegetarian restaurant  - Weekend Dinner Buffet  QR 35    Tel : 44319172


Merweb Hotel  -Al  Sadd Doha
Tiffany's restaurant   Iftar Buffet QR 65 Lebanese  dishes
 reservation :4447 1017

Shawarma Grill House(Woqod Station, Al Rayan,) - Ramadan Special all you can eat QR59 including drinks  - children  eat at half price
reservation 4411 9920

in case you got   a  large family and you are minimum 30 people when you dine out then you may also consider Bombay Chowpatty


 for QR 39 you can get traditional Indian  iftar meal 
Tel :55712757


finally if you are a pizza fan then you may have a less traditional iftar meal at Papa Johns where you can have  pizzas ,  cheesesticks , breadsticks , potato wedges ,pepsi -all you can eat style ... for QR19

update : I found a restaurant offering dinner for much more expensive than they advertised ... also I found that all places are very busy with customers so it is better to call them in advance and book a table /ask about the price 

Iftar Custom Invites by almawad
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For those who are longing for the Hungarian trapista cheese

Hungary's most popular cheese the Trapista is not imported to Qatar .Those who miss it try the  Hajdu kashkawali cheese but it is something different ,. I  admit that I am one of those who wish to have some real Hungarian trapista . Then  I started to read about this cheese . It turned out that it was brought to Hungary centuries ago by French monks and it is very much similar to the French Port Salut cheese .
So I rushed to the Megamart to see if they have any and behold  - for 116 QR/kg I got a piece only to say that it was really  like our much beloved trapista and  it disappeared from our fridge very quickly .
So I am sharing this with you -  you might try it and like it .

Port Salut Cheese Posters by clarachandler
Find additional posters for sale at Zazzle

Qatari Bronze in London

Congrats Qatar !

Shooter and rally driver Nasser Al Attiyah  won the bronze for Qatar .  It is a great thing ! Go Qatar Go !  He became the third in skeet shooting .In fact this was the first medal for Arabs at this Games . What more curious is that he is a rally  driver first of all . His great love  the rally   left him  no much time to practice shooting during  the year . Only ten days of practice and he became the third .

Iftar in Qatar

Where did you have iftar tonight ? At home ? In a restaurant ? At the office ? At the hospital ? In a wonderfully decorated tent like this at W hotel ? Or did you get your food from rich locals ?Where ever you had it -we are all united in the fasting or taking iftar together .Wishing you blessed Ramadan !

Beautiful Dresses from a local designer

Carnations at Texture Boutique
Location: Al Amir Street next to Laduree Salon ,Doha Qatar
Tel: 44322231



A beautiful blue dress with golden floral motifs and golden belt .From a Qatari designer - ROQAYA AL THANI

Hot Summer Topics

We are now in the middle of the HOT QATARI summer .Many people are looking for summer camps for their kids .I had written lists of places to send children  to but t his year because of the tragedy  in May in a nursery I do not feel I want to recommend any camp at all . However these are my feelings only and you can find the lists here .....


How to  beat the heat in Qatar ? My favorite drinks here .  -you may try  them as well .


Looking for beaches in Qatar ? Here is an excellent description of places - how to find them  and what to expect .

A most bizarre inicident

It is certainly something very strange and unexpected ,. You are  jogging peacefully in the Corniche of Doha at six am when a bull is running towards you and it is not   Pamplona  -but you have to run for your life ....Or you are sitting peacefully in the building of a ministry as a security guard then suddenly a bull is breaking through the window and you have to save your life somehow .
Luckily nobody died but two joggers and a security guard were badly injured .Where did the bulls come from ? It seems that they were  just about the be shifted from a vessel to a truck when they managed to break free .Three of them were caught alive one of them had to  be killed . How very strange . He wanted to go to the toilets of the ministry ....


Source 

bull's head fountain
by almawad

Sentences for Sarah Gazdhar death case

The sentences in the Sarah Gazdhar Case were the most disappointing ones. 

She passed away two years ago.

The youngster was only four years old.

She dozed off in the minivan that was transporting her from home to school. She was then forgotten there. She died inside the locked minivan in the sweltering heat. It occurred two years ago.

The sentences are as follows: the driver who did not check the minivan before locking it received only a few years suspended = nothing... the transportation manager who should not have allowed any vehicle to run without an attendant was allowed to flee to India. So was Mattu, the principal, who was unconcerned about the dangers in her school's transportation system. Other children had previously been forgotten there but  they managed to escape, but she did not listen to the parents when they complained and warned her.

The school must pay a fine of 50 thousand QR, which is equivalent to four students' school fees...

It's a joke...it was a murder caused by their carelessness and  they could get away with....the other schools won't care...there will be buses without attendants again...

New Beaches in Qatar

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Urban Planning has opened four beaches in Wakrah,
Al-Khor, Semeisima and al-Kharayij (in Umm Bab district) after revamping the facilities in collaboration with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal). All the beaches have been cordoned with steel railings and have an adequate number of toilets, raised platforms for barbecuing, play areas for children, playgrounds for football and volleyball, beach umbrellas and canopies.


It is good news

BUt what about the ladies only hours or the ladies only beach they had promised? Again women will be just sitting in abaya in the beach ?

love and sea pendants by almawad
Design your own photo necklace online at Zazzle.

strange fruits and veggies in doha supermarkets -part 2 the AMLA

 Indian gooseberry or Amla .When I saw it first time in Doha I told to myself ;"Look -they have gooseberries like we have at home  in Hungary " Then I remembered nice evenings spent at village relatives and picking gooseberries and their sour taste  -some of them was hard and sour others were sweeter ... but when I tried Amla I simply was not able to eat it . I  could not beleive that it was for human consumption .
But now that I read about its benefit for our health I will try to find out the way I am able to eat it ...Phyllanthus emblica promotes longevity, and traditionally to enhance digestion  -it treats constipation ), reduces fever purifies the blood  reducces cough , alleviates asthma , strengthens the heart , benefits the eyes , stimulates hair growth , enlivens the body, and enhances intellect ^{..I guess I should eat it raw for all these benefits ....}In rats it significantly reduced blood glucose, food intake, water intake and urine output in diabetic rats compared with the non‐ diabetic control group -according to wikipedia .

Qatar Airways the best airline in the world

Now that Qatar Airways won again the best airline award I remembered our travel with them eight years ago .We went to Frankfurt with them  then to Doha .Flying to Frankfurt  was simply terrible . We got sits near the partition wall between the economy and first class . plus we had to sit in the two seats in the middle surrounded by solo traveler men .Behind us there was a couple with a lovely little girl who was crying all the time .The Asian air hostesses( Pinoy look) were caring only about the  single American men around us  - the smell of alcohol was too much to bear ..When asked for water they pretended they did not hear us . Their reaction was the same to a  Qatari mother ... The food was excellent but the air hostesses simply forgot one snack to give us and  ignored us  while they were super kind to the male solo travelers . After hours of flying the  gourmet lunch was served .Then the little girl threw up behind us .That is why she was crying all the time -her stomach was upset . Finally she stopped crying and fell asleep .But somehow we could not enjoy the lunch .On the return flight we were more lucky -we had British air hostess and no drunken passenger around us .It was fine  -but I still do not rate them the best airline service ... to me Air France seemed to be far better ...if I were the manager of the airline I would employ only people with above average IQ . Customers tend to rate a service according to the human factor .I do not care as a customer what the waistline is of an air hostess .I expect her to do her job and to be kind to every passenger and helpful with kids .This selective kindness  I experienced  at QA is putting me off .
We had to change the plane in Frankfurt . I found myself with my kids in Lufthansa cheap flight .We were very warmly welcomed by the staff and my kids got some  gift at once .( On QA only the first class kids were given gifts )  The Food was very basic -some sandwiches and  soft drinks  -but still we were happy as the  air hostess came to us several times asking about our needs/ offering blankets and telling some lovely words to our kids .
As an economy passenger I felt much more comfortable at Lufthansa than at QA .QA might be the best  in the world with the first class passengers  -but they did not offer anything special for  us at the economy class (.I am not interested in drinking alcohol at all . )The gourmet lunch was  the only real special thing there .
 Thanks God we arrived safe and sound and after all that was the most important ...

Doha Airport, Qatar Post Card by Cartai
Make postcards from photos online at zazzle.com

Valentino Fashion House bought by Qatar

Now that the Valentino fashion house was bought by Qatar many people are guessing what the brand will be like in the future .Valentino's super feminine transparent clothes are not fitting into the line of modest public  wear   . They are in fact very far from what is expected from us to wear and about what we are taught by local women . Will they change style ? Or they won't care because business is business ?
I think that they will keep it mainly western line ...perhaps  they try to add some oriental touch or some modesty to it . "Qui vivra verra "

chopsticks restaurant - Grand Regency Hotel

Many good reviews have been written about this place . So as we were celebrating several special occasions last weekend then I decided to reserve a table there . It was terribly windy outside .Even there were warnings  on the news that the everyone should stay indoors as the wind lifted up parts of buildings and threw them on the roads/streets . It might be due to this that we were the only customers  in the restaurant .
First I was surprised how small the place was . So was the open buffet .There were only about five main dishes and three kinds of garnishes , Ten kinds of salads and three kinds of sushi and around ten kinds of desserts .
The sushi was  OK - I might have eaten better ones in a Japanese restaurant . The Thai shrimp curry was so tasty that we opted for a second portion of it leaving no room  for the other Thai/Chinese dishes .The salads were also delicious . The desserts were very special ones .I have never eaten before sweet pink caviar looking dish ... then white pudding with corn on the cob ...rice pudding topped with cooked beans . The beignet  of bananas were not as tasty as I had at the Indonesian mums party some years ago .
The buffet was not big but special and delicious and healthy .
We payed only for the adults though children above the age six should pay half price .The kids were the guests of the restaurant  -they told us  when we were considering taking a la carte menu .It was a good reason to opt for the buffet .It was very nice from them ..
All in all it was a special experience for a special occasion We were happy with it .Hopefully we will find another  special occasion to  return a day ,

Sushi Cat Big Fred Posters by CSiravo
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Cheaper tickets to Aquapark

We have discovered that there is a way to buy e-tickets to Aquapark .We tried it and it worked .Though on the page there were not very clear instructions .Now I am trying to explain how to get them .
Step 1 . Go to the Dohasouq page
Step 2 . Register with them
Step 3 . Buy the tickets - you need credit card for that
Step 4 . print the ticket
Step 5 .Go to the Aquapark with your valid Qatari ID
 It is simple and clear  - you get the e-tickets for 65 rials instead of 100 rials .
But if you were not the owner of the credit card which by it was paid  then you must bring the ID or the copy of the ID of the card owner . For us it was the most difficult part .The cashier man refused first to  let us  enter with our e-tickets as it was paid by my husband's  credit card . I showed him the credit card that  the ticket was paid by but he insisted that he needs my husband's ID . Before giving up I asked the other cashier man about the clear rules on this subject . Interestingly - he let us enter . How ? He just had a look at the backside of my ID card and he saw there my sponsor's name written - that was my husband's name . "Why did not you tell me about that ?" told me the first cashier . Frankly I did not know that my sponsor's name is written in Arabic  there . But  he should have been trained properly about this .Then I thought how typical it is . Half  the people working  around here have no enough training and experience ...

Cargo Planes from Hungary to Qatar

I read the other day that according to an agreement between Qatar and Hungary cargo  planes are coming here twice a week .Full of Hungarian goods .It was not sure from the article  if those products would be sold here or would be sent further to Asia and Australia .
Anyhow I started to dream ... to find Hungarian paprika in the supermarkets , the cottage cheese-choco bar ( Turi Rudi ) ,Szamos marzipan desserts ,Trapista cheese and so on ...What about you ?
What Hungarian products do you miss in Qatar ?

Strange veggies in the supermarket

One can see a lots of strange vegetables and fruits in the supermarkets of Doha . Especially at the Indian food section . This strange looking vegetable is called bitter melon .It comes in many shapes and colors .This one which looks like a warty cucumber is the Indian variation . Its health benefits are numerous : it is antimalarial ,cardioprotective , it lowers blood glucose concentrations by acting on peripheral tissues . It is similar to insulin's effects in the brain, it suppresses appetite .
Be careful if you are pregnant - the seeds can cause abortion .Also for those who suffer from favism /Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency -the seeds are extremly dangerous .This G6PDH enzym deficiency is a common disease in the middle east .Be careful when eating from this .

Middle Eastern tribal tattoo style make ups

Have you ever wondered why some Middle Eastern looking women are wearing strange beard like tattoos ? Those geometrical shapes were protecting them from the "evil eyes" ,they gave information about their tribe they belong to ,about their marital status and kids and more . Nowadays one can see less and less of those strange tattoos -but henna body decoration is still very popular .
Read more about this topic here . And watch this video to see how to make a tattoo style make up for yourself .