California Tortilla in Doha

It was during the latest food festival that  I noticed long line  in front of  California Tortilla's tent  so II decided then to visit this place one day  and try the food there .It is easy to find - it is nearly opposite the Chili's  restaurant which is near the Ramada junction -  it is next to the Korean Garden restaurant .
Easy to find the place but the parking is not so easy  though  behind the building there are some chances to find  a place to park  one's car .

California Tortilla  - as its name suggests it is about  Mexican cuisine  with American twist .

I was in a hurry when I ordered  Quesadilla so I asked the  Filipino cashier to suggest me one - and without paying attention to what she told me I took it . What can go wrong with a  quesadilla   - I thought ? Well it was sweet ! It was a  BBQ sauce type ! Oh nooo ! I will never ask a Filipino to recommend me a dish again , They are into sweet sauces on stews -it is something that I can not bear .
 The grilled chicken salad was good . The chicken breast was tender and generous size .The avocado  dip was fantastic  but the salad itself was not very original - some lettuce and tomatoes .It came in a fun eatable bowl .
 The same went for the grilled beefsteak salad . My kids loved the nachos and the kids meal  burrito .

 Prices were less than in the Chilies   but   quesadillas   are more expensive than in the DQ . I must admit that I prefer that  one .

I am not an expert of Mexican food but some 20 years ago I   remember visiting one Mexican restaurant  in Heidelberg , Germany  - it was an open buffet then . It surprised me then how much the dishes  tasted like our Hungarian dishes .
 Here I did not have this experience at all . I would call it not Mexican but " healthy version of American fast food with Mexican inspiration " . Why was there a long queue  at the Food festival at their stall ? The only explanation I found is that there are so many Californians are living among us in Doha . They  must have been homesick .

 Service was  nice and polite / the restaurant was spacious  and clean  and they had even a play area for kids .

 Visit their page 
 See their menu

In mood for French cuisine in Doha

Feel like tasting French flavors in Doha ? You can do  it  in many cafes and restaurants .Here is the list .

Yum Yum – K108 Hotel Doha, Al Ghanim Street | 4433 3000
 read reviews

Paul, Al Waab St. and Landmark Mall | 4413 5507

 read my review
 another review by me
Le Relais de L’Entrecote, Porto Arabia, The Pearl-Qatar | 4495 3876

Fauchon Cafe, Salwa Road and Souq Najd | 4432 4888

Eli France Cafe, Old Ramada Signal; Salwa Road and City Center Mall | 4435 7111, 4435 7222

La Varenne, Level 28, Tornado Tower, Westbay | 4499 0680
read reviews

Lenotre, Suhaim Hamad Street, Al Sadd and Sports City, Villaggio | 4455 2666
 read my review

Hediard, Salwa Road | 4444 1312

IDAM an Alain Ducasse Restaurant, Museum of Islamic Art, Corniche | 4422 4488
 read reviews

Dalloyau, Waterfront, Porto Arabia, The Pearl-Qatar

The World of Goopi and Bagha - free screening

 when :Fri, Apr 11, 04:00 PM,

 where :The Katara Drama Theatre (located within the Katara Opera House) (Building 16) 

Director : Shilpa Ranade

Post by Doha Film Institute.

Contrasts in the Gulf

CAUTION - Camel Crossing.. #UAE #AbuDhabi #Dubai #Doha #Qatar #MiddleEast 🐪 pic.twitter.com/XMW1jWVUtQ
— The Expat Chap (@TheExpatChap) March 28, 2014

Two camels are standing by a luxury sport car on the desert road . This image tells everything about the changes that had happened in the Arabian Gulf during the last 40 -50 years

Numbers in Qatar -17 .000 babies

17 -18 .000 babies are born in Qatar each year  . Most of them are born at the WomenHospital in Doha .
  Qatar has a population of two million people. To understand how big or small  this number is we should know the number of women at child bearing age  around here  . But that is a  thing that they do not like to advertise as it would show the proportion of women and men in this country .
I guess that there are  half million or less women are living here . But that is only my guess . Population is quite young .
Last year even Anna Gedes came to shoot at the hospital .

3 marvelous things came from India

At MIA Doha, inscription: "3 marvelous things came from India: the book Khalila wa Dimna, game of chess, 9 numerals" pic.twitter.com/tVWAlwPDUi
— Tanvi Madan (@tanvi_madan) April 2, 2014

1 . the book Khalila wa Dimna -  animal stories /fables = Panchatantra in Sanskrit =Ibn al-Muqaffa in Persian

2. game of chess

3 9 numerals 

19 MARCH TO 21 JUNE 2014
King and Pawns
Exhibition on board games at the MIA

Summer is here Aqua Park reopened

 What else could prove the fact that summer has arrived  in Qatar than the fact that Aqua Park reopened . Even they are having today  their first Ladies Only Day of the year . .Only female visitors are allowed .Little boys can  enter  with the height limit of 120 cm with their female relatives .Every Tuesday from 2 to10 pm .

Neon pink abstraction sandals by almawad
Shop for more Flip Flop Footwear at Zazzle

Find out how to get cheaper tickets to the park

Gloria Huang parents sentenced to 3 years

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

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

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

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

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

______________________________________________________________

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

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

Avoid Salwa Road

Bit of rain in Doha. No big deal. But, erm, few drains. So it's all gone a bit disaster movie.. pic.twitter.com/eLf00T4sKF (via @jqassim_qatar)
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) March 26, 2014

While Salwa Road is flooded, traffic is backed up across Doha. Use #DohaTraffic for updates! http://t.co/cXCKwfuEyN pic.twitter.com/tRwgm4iafR
— Qatar Living (@qatarliving) March 26, 2014

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

$1m cash prize -numbers in Qatar

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

 source

Rainy day in Doha - March 2014

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

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

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

 Matar  - rain
 Maa -water

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


 I

Snow White Ballet - FREE ENTRANCE

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

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

 Venue :Katara Opera House – Building 16

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

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

Tower Running Grand Prix of Qatar 2014

Tower Running Grand Prix of Qatar 2014

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

World Champion Staircase runners will   participate as well

when  :  on Saturday, 29th March

where :  the base of  Torch Tower

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

Enquiries : Sukhi.Sandhu@aspirelogistics.qa

 source

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

Qafco Flower and vegetables Show 2014

QAFCO Flower & Vegetable Show 2014

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

 Watermelon carvings from last year's event 

Cirque Eloize coming to Doha April 2-5

Where Qatar National Convention Center, Doha

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



Director, Jeannot Painchaud

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

 Tickets  at the Virgin or online
 they start at QR 95

Food festival on Saturday and the rain

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

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

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

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

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

#GrandHeritageDoha celebrates new Turkish delicacies at #Qatar ’s #InternationalFoodFestival - http://t.co/r3YWgj8pt2 pic.twitter.com/RyUj5KuVaM
— Qatar Chronicle (@QatarChronicle) March 18, 2014

Really wanna go to Doha international food festival 2014 . Dinner at the top ! pic.twitter.com/rBuClZ6Mal
— Jas~sim جاسم (@yoursjassim) March 22, 2014

The Women's Sport Center - Future sport developments

Happy song by Pharell Williams - Doha version

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

Accident at Al- Waab street this morning

Car #accident #alwaab street @dohanews @iloveqatar @qatarliving @WGO_Qatar @WeAreQatar #qatar #doha! Drive safe pic.twitter.com/i7OVUsQ0yu
— Bo Fara2sha (@BoFara2sha) March 19, 2014

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

Civil Defence controls fire broke out on February 22 road near to Soudan signal due to an accident between several vehicles.
— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) March 19, 2014

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

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

Fire in Bin Mahmoud area

Fire at disused building in Bin Mahmoud #doha #qatar pic.twitter.com/vPWSPY0jqX
— Hazem Sika (@HazemSika) March 17, 2014

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

Lots of black smoke, but the fire doesn't look very big. Apparently its from/near some apartment blocks. #Doha pic.twitter.com/Lj3Yms1SL6
— Qatar Living (@qatarliving) March 17, 2014

Happy in Egypt

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

a funny save the date card

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

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

Top ten salaries in Qatar in 2014

According to the 2014 Gulf Business Salary survey

 monthly averages

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

scenes from our life in Qatar

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

________________________________________________________________

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

___________________________________________________________

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

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

It was deeply depressing news. I heard it on a Saturday morning.
A short story with a tragic end: Captain Tamás Nádas was flying at an airshow in Qatar, performing upside down, very close to the ground. One small mistake—just a tiny miscalculation—and the plane crashed. There was no chance of survival.
His family was there, watching in horror as the life of their loved one ended before their eyes.

Captain Tamás Nádas had been a familiar name to me. He used to fly in the town in Hungary where I lived. He had almost lost his life once before, in 2006, when the wheel of his plane shattered during a performance. “God was with me,” he told the reporters afterwards.

Life later brought him to Qatar, where he arrived full of enthusiasm. That day, this was already his second airshow. Some Hungarian newspapers wrote that many Qataris had never seen an airshow before. Perhaps he believed it, too—perhaps he thought no one here had ever witnessed aerobatic stunts. Maybe this misunderstanding pushed him to perform something even more dangerous than usual.

He chose a risky passion. He taught himself. He rose to the top and became a world champion. And then, far too early, he died at the age of 44.

Rest in peace, Tamás Nádas.

Police chasing smuggler truck in KSA

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

kayaking on Aspire Lake

kayaking on Aspire Lake


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

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

fully qualified instructors

Age : above 14
Registration : aspirekayak@csm.com

 source

the Pond and the sky painting Print by almawad
Look at another framed print on zazzle

mysterious blast inside a car at Muntazah health center

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

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

Retro KABOOM! Blast - Black & White Stickers by fingerguns
View other Retro Stickers

Ambassadors recalled from Qatar

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

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

Bartok concert on Saturday at the Opera house of Katara

Post by Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.

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

When   Saturday - March 8, 2014

At 07:30 PM - Doors open at 07:10 PM

 Where :Katara Cultural Village, Doha - Opera House Seated.

 What to expect :

Han-Na Chang, music director

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

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


-Latecomers cannot be seated during the concert.


Tickets : can be bought at The Virgin  of Landmark or Villaggio

 They are priced between 75 – 300 QR

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

Post by Doha Artistic Gymnastics - Qatar.

37 countries confirm their definitive participation.

General Competition Schedule:


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

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

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


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

Numbers in Qatar - 2,116,400

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

 source

CHI AL SHAQAB equestrian festival and competitions 2014

CHI AL SHAQAB equestrian festival and competitions 2014

  when : : 10 -15 March

  where : Al -Shaqab - see map here

  what to expect :

•  free festival  

•  competitions of Jumping, Dressage, Endurance and Vaulting with national and international riders for cheap tickets
•  Fun Area for the whole Family
• Commercial Village for Fashion & Horse enthusiasts
• Hospitality for everyone in the public food Court and Restaurants
• Luxury Catering in  VIP Lounges and Restaurant on request

Tickets for the competitions :Day tickets are priced at QAR 35 for adults , QAR 15 for children

 you  can buy them at Virgin Megastores Villagio and Landmark (or online), and starting from 10th March at the main ticket booth in the AL SHAQAB Spectator Plaza

see their page 

Outdoor Ladies only fitness sessions at the MIA park

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

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

 I wish there were something cheaper or even free !

Jazz in the Park March 2014

Jazz Poster by AHDITY
Look at more Poster templates and designs online at Zazzle

  where : MIA park
  when : 19 March,2014
   what to expect : world-class jazz concerts 
  tickets : free

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

Qatar International Food Festival March 20-23

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

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

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


 Read more about  last year festival 

Mortality rate of Indians in Qatar and in their countries -numbers in Qatar

There are around 500 .000 Indians living in Qatar
 The death rate in India is 8 death per year/1000 people
 It is bad but there are countries with worse figures in the world .
 It means that if those people are dying in Qatar at the same rate then it would result in 4000 death per year .

 But there are 250 death per year in Qatar among the Indians .So watching these  figures it seems that in Qatar the mortality rate of Indians is much better  than in their own countries .

This is the fact .
I do not say that Qatar could not do more for improving the conditions and dignity of those  expats who do so much for this country . But from these figures we can guess that  their lives in Qatar /the regular income improves their chances in this life .

death rate world map 
Indians in Qatar

BREAKING NEWS - Explosion near the Landmark Mall

A   restaurant  called Istanbul near the Landmark mall 's petrol station exploded this morning .Most probably because of a gas tank . Minimum 11 deaths .More than 30 injured .
What a Tragedy !

A lots of people women and children  as well in critical condition .
Residents nearby heard a big blast . Then everything shook and windows broke . The Ministry of Interior claims " At the accident scene now: process of lifting the rubble is being completed at the accident site as part of safety measures."

Post by Qatar Television.

more than 30 people injured
 among the dead are two children
the victims were expat Arabs , Asians and one Qatari national  -mostly customers  of close restaurants  as the exploded restaurant itself was not open
what ignited the gas  tank at the restaurant it is still unclear
officially it is an accident
 the 1000 liter gas tank was on the roof top
 it had been refilled by experts just 30 minutes before the blast
 it was not placed there according to safety standards
it should have been placed far from the restaurant with a safety chamber built around it

5 Indians, 4 Nepalis and 2 Filipinos died
among the injured there are 2  females -mother and daughter and 33 males

Hundreds rush to save lives…a view of the @HMC_Qatar blood unit. Everyone can help in their own way. #Doha #Qatar pic.twitter.com/ZCuapyA6i4
— Salman Surti (@Salman_Surti) February 27, 2014

Post by ILQ - iloveqatar.net.

Venus passing the Moon at dawn

What a beautiful morning I had . Just woke up at five to prepare breakfast . When I looked out the window I saw a bright star near the waning crescent moon .

 This event is called occultation  and you can read about  it here  .

 I remember seeing similar celestial event some years ago . How nice that I could search for it in this blog . Yes - it happened 2007 June  .

Have you seen this missing lizard specie ?

This type of lizard has not been seen for a while . If you spot it then report it please : dkumar@moe.gov.qa or dileepvp@gmail.com
Formerly common in gardens and parks in Qatar- he has not been seen for a while and scientists would like to know if there are any recent sightings.
Please keep an eye open for this little creature and if you see him, Dileep Kumar would be delighted to hear from you.

2014 Qatar Total Open Final WTA Highlights

A five minute video of an exciting match - both girls were fighting with great enthusiasm on Sunday's final of Qatar Total Open . Watch Simona Halep defeating Angelique Kerber 62 63.

Contemporary paintings dumped at the car park at Katara

How very sad !
When an artist participates in an exhibition organized by a reputable institute like Qatar Fine Art Association one would think that his artwork is at the best place .However this was not the case . A local artist accidentally found his artwork with other contemporary pieces thrown away into the underground car park of Katara . The paintings were damaged and cut out from the frames . Later it turned out that the above mentioned institute refused to return the paintings after the exhibition saying " they are being stored securely" . It was even more vexing that a painting was sold without the artist's approval .

Some claims that all these sound like criminal acts and I really agree . It seems that someone tried to sell those paintings then with the hope of getting money from the frames tried to sell the frames alone . The person might have escaped and abroad .

I always say that reputable workforce should be appreciated and kept in the country ....


source

Are you Celebrating February 14 ?

Are you celebrating Valentine Day ?
There are a few places in Qatar where you can dine out . Otherwise  traidtionally it is not celebrated  .

 See the list of hotels and restaurants where you can have a nice romantic dinner .Nearly 50  places .If I celebrated I would choose a  roof top restaurant or the Victorian style one at the Grand Heritage Hotel .

Adorable little Girl and Boy Postcard by almawad
Get the best in online postcard printing at zazzle

Our Sports Day Experience - 2014

So I chose the Education City for our National Sport Day .It was nice ,sunny day .There was a  big pitch full of bouncing castles and other rides for free .My kids were first disappointed .They expected games and prizes like at the tent in the Aspire during last Ramadan .Or something like at the wheels and  heels day at the MIA . But finally they were cheerfully bouncing ,jumping and sliding for two hours .
Then we had lunch  -  some restaurant stall was selling American bagels with chips and cookies and orange juice . This was my first bagel of my life . I expected it to be heated but they did not have any oven !

Green apple ,popcorn and board games were distributed for free .
Then we took a  shuttle bus to see the famous Shaqab horse  riding facility . We felt sorry we  had not come earlier .Entertainment was free .But we had only 20 minutes left  - the kids were riding ponies , painting plaster horses and got a painted horse on their face from a very talented face painter .
At the end to our biggest surprise we saw Sheika Mozah appearing among us .That was  really something unexpected that The First Lady of Qatar would come to greet  the visitors but t was a very exciting end of the day .

We saw  a gymnastic display after by little girls and teen ones .Then we took the shuttle and had a rest at a traditional Qatari tent near the Student Center .

 My kids had a very deep and long sleep then at night .

I ,myself was tired too  - that was the first day in my life that I had a bagel (cold one ) ,the first time that I visited Shaqab  and the first time I saw a princess from so close ...

National Sports Day

There are so many attractive programs on the National Sport Day of Qatar this year .Tennis for all ,badminton for all ,family marathon ,free cycling ,yoga for ladies only and so on . It is difficult to choose one while considering the best time for avoiding traffic jams .

National Sport Day is a relatively new event but it is a big hit .People from all walk of the life participate with pleasure in the activities

Have Fun !

SEE the FULL LIST of PROGRAMS and VENUES

Vintage Tennis players

 Flickr.

I found some inspiring images on ladies /girls playing tennis .Enjoy !




May Sutton




Tennis match at Oxford College May Day celebration 1912





Woman models tennis fashions at Burdine's: Miami, Florida ,1929





Wooded lot, girls tennis, probably Peace College, Raleigh, NC, c.1900-1910's. Original glass plate negative is from the J. C. Knowles Collection, PhC.182, State Archives of North Carolina.

Qatar Total Open 2014

Qatar Total Open 2014

 For the lovers of tennis 

 the tournament  will features the best female tennis players in the world
Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka ,nine of the top 10 players on the WTA Tour headline 

 when : February 10-16, 2014
 WHERE :Khalifa Int. Tennis and Squash Complex
 Tickets online

Wheels and Heels Day on Friday

Wheels and Heels Family Fun Day on Friday

Where : at Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park
 When : on Friday from 2pm to 10pm 
Organized by : Reach Out To Asia (Rota)
 What to expect :  1 . jog, walk, cycle or wheelchair the three-km Circuit along Doha Corniche
                                    2.celebrities and sports icons
                                    3.Diabetes Village
                                     4,Kids Zone with bouncy castles /face painting /interactive sports/stamp collecting games for prizes /books /art and craft
Parking : at the MOI building or Qatar Sport Clubs with shuttle buses every 15 minutes

 more facts
10 .000 people expected to visit 
weather expected to be sunny but cool for Qatari standards 11 C - 19 C according to BBC weather
 this event will help  raising fund for poor kids  in Asia

King of the Desert

King of the Desert, a photo by :: Suwaif :: on Flickr.

a lovely shot from the UAE

breastfeeding or not - new law in the UAE

Breastfeeding or not . This is not a question in the UAE anymore .Breastfeeding is mandatory .Women who do not breastfeed their babies can be sued by their husbands.
While breastfeeding is something wonderful   - not every woman is able to do it . It is not clear in the new law who will decide on one's ability of nursing a baby .
 Lactation specialists are hard to find in the UAE .

According to my views  it would serve the baby's interest if  i was not the law which enforces mothers but   proper teaching of the would be mothers by experts /other nursing mothers /lactation specialists .

Nurse the Baby WPA Poster Post Card by vintagepromenade
See more Nursing Postcards at zazzle.com

Numbers in Qatar €78.5m

€78.5m was payed by the Qatar's armed forces for Barcelona's Renaissance hotel . It is a five star hotel in Spain .

source 

Barcelona, a photo by sanfamedia.com on Flickr.

good news and bad news for the sweet-tooth in Qatar

Good  News ; a  French chocolatier just opened his shop in the Gate Mall . L’Atelier du Chocolat  is the brand 's name .It is a famous brand has been in the market for 60 years  which belongs to Serge Andrieu . This is the first outlet in  the MIddle East . Some claim that you won't be able to walk away without  buying from their chocolates  Unlike other chocolate boutiques  they offer free tasting !  Risky visit if you want to loose weight ! Especially if you are the one who prefers the dark chocolates to over sweetened ones .



 Bad news ;  no more home made cookies /cakes or chocolates at  the MIA  monthly park bazaar . Every kind of food was banned .Qatar has  very strict food safety  regulations - they said as explanation .I  understand it from one point of view . During hours  dairy products /  dishes with meat are there in hot pots -only few vendors used  frozen bags . But they should enforce   this usage /  about cookies and other items which  do not need a fridge - I  do not see their point of view ...

chocolate swirls pattern no2 stretched canvas print by almawad
Look for more canvas reproductions on zazzle.com

MIA Park Bazaar on the 1st of February

The coming Saturday  it will be the time for the monthly Park Bazaar . You will find this time  tote bags and cushions made from recycled materials at the stall of the Orientalist Museum . It is part of a project called in Arabic Afrehom = make them happy .The income will be used for charity .

 The MIA park is a fun place anyway but with the stalls  /handicraft /art and ethnic it  is  even more exciting .Do not miss it .It will be on only twice before the hot season !

Spring festival in the Souq Waqif -2014

24 January to 6 February 

 daily shows and performances from 4:30

What to expect ?

 musical shows, parades, street performances, acrobatics, games and art activities

 Winter Wonderland Birds, Static Man, , Sparklers LED, Comedy Waiters, Rope Walkers and traditional bands

 Dino Park  from January 29

20 carnival games where children can play and win prizes by buying a ticket worth QR10 which is good for two games

 children can ride ponies and horses at QR10

Famous Arab singers perform  every night  starting around 8:30

  The weather is wonderful -it s really spring -like 22 C - 25 C - rain is likely on Thursday and Saturday.

However parking might cause a headache  .

All in all it was a nice event Some giant red ants were playing jazz in the streets of the souq ,on other streets traditional Arabic music could be heard -many free activities for kids for free . We missed only one thing from the Spring Festival -it was the Spring itself . Yeah it is cold in Qatar in the evenings at this time of the year .

Top rated Hotels in Doha

According to the site Tripadvisor ....it is an international site where people from all over the world rate hotels /restaurants and other catering services - this rank is based on customers' reviews 

Here is the TOP FIVE  HOTEL
# 1 Hotel Four Seasons
312 people found it excellent

#2 W Doha Hotel and Residences
rated excellent by 526 customers


# 3Liberty Suites Hotel -Doha

89 people found it excellent

#4  Oryx Rotana -Doha

338 people found it excellent

#5 Mariott Executive Apartments  Doha City Center

17 people  rated it as excellent

New Airport in Doha - what to expect and when

One of the most exciting thing to happen in Doha in 2014 is the opening of the New Airport which  is not just a new version of the old airport  where even the public clocks work well
( 6 years ago my mom was shocked to see a public clock not working properly at the airport when she arrived )

 but  it is a huge facility with futuristic /modern technology

  when ? within half year

 Some Facts

 driverless trains will carry 6 000 passangers per hour inside the airport

 making transfer will be fast -  30-minute minimum connect time expected

 Airport City spreads over 10 square kilometres

where estimated 200,000 people are expected to live and work

50 million passengers per year expected

1.4m tonnes of cargo  per year

7,600 parking stalls for vehicles

 69,000sqm Catering Facility  can serve over 90,000 meals per day

19,500 bags per hour will be handled by the baggage handling system

 luxurious facilities like spa, gym, squash courts and a swimming pool as well as a transit hotel 


source

Fencing course for women and children

 New  sport activity in Doha .
  There is a  training for fencing for children from age 7 and for adult women .

 Location :  Lycee Voltaire 
 Coach : maitre  Cristophe  Clement 
 Price : 750 QR / 8 session
 Timings : Monday , Wednesday ,Saturday   one and half an hour per session /week

  It is not very cheap . I have always wondered where one can  enroll his child for a fencing   course . Seeing the success of the Hungarians at the Olympics   I wished very much that one of my child tries himself/herself in this sport .  But I am not sure if I want to pay as much as that .  Remembering my childhood  - my brother used to fence at a small club though we were not  very wealthy .  He says that even in Hungary it is very expensive nowadays .What a pity !

 Doha Fencing Academy 

Good News about family buses

I got an sms from Mowasalat today . It was about a new bus service in the West Bay alone . It sounds super however ! It is for families only .It comes every 15 minutes . From 6 am to the end of the day .And what is unbelievable - it is free !

I hope that this is just the begining and this service will be expanded to other districts as well .It would decrease the traffic and give more comfortable feeling of living in Doha .Many expats like me got used to very high-standard public transport systems in their countries . Yes , Budapest got the first metro in 1896 !

 More info about the West Bay bus service

Bima sinkhole and Dahl Al -Hamam

Bima sinkhole, a photo by AdRikTa on Flickr.

some sinkholes can be found in the area of Arabian Gulf -the largest and the most famous one is perhaps in Oman -Qatar has some smaller ones
I was so much shocked to learn that in the park of Dahl el Hamam there is a sinkhole - now closed for visitors but some people managed to see it before - it is quite big -I am frightened !
Actually dahl in Arabic means  sinkhole  - they never wanted to keep it in secret ! Just we expats are ignorant !

In memory of Roundabouts of Qatar

Roundabouts in Qatar: An Overlooked heritage? from UCL-Q Students on Vimeo.

Roundabout used to be famous and typical in Qatar . Some of my friends were scared to drive because of that in this country . Those thigs are over - everywhere crosses and traffic lights now . This slide show is in the memory of those roundabouts .It is now the past the heritage of this country .

Winter in Qatar 2014

Nights are turning colder and colder .On the BBC weather I have read   values as low as 10 C .For the coming days we can expect rain ,storms , thunders etc .Today it was cloudy but the air was nice and fresh in the early afternoon on the Corniche .However lots of little birds were flying nervously from trees to trees .There were some rather small ones with black heads and black and white tails I have never seen
before .

It is time to get some warm clothes and try that heater !Count the blankets ,luckily caps and blankets are available at low prices at the supermarkets.I hope that nobody gets cold here .
My kids fall asleep easier than ever after  a two hours playground on the  seaside . The blessing of the fresh air !

which countries the millionaires live in highest density

where the millionaires live in highest density


1 .Singapore -  17.1 % millionaire households
2. Qatar         -    14.3% millionaire households
3 .Kuwait –         11.8% millionaire households
4. Switzerland
5. Hongkong
6. United Arab Emirates
7.United States
  see more here

after reading this statistics I feel like listening to some ABBA song

Fifth Qatar International Falcon and Hunting Festival 2014

Winter in Qatar 2014

Winter came back to Qatar .It is 15 C at night with chilly winds at times .It is the time when we seek the sun of the

noon and we are cold when the sun sets .It is the time when I turn my kitchen into bakery with pleasure . It is the

time when we make and drink karak .It is the time when it is nice sitting on the sofa -all of us covered by one blanket

and heated by each other .
I love winter .I always did .Even when I had to shovel the snow from the yard to be able to get out from my home in

the mornings . Even when I had to melt the ice on my roof to prevent the damage on it .Winter was such a fun when I

was child and a challenge later when I grew up.This memory lives strong in me . And all those memories and

feelings mixed in me in a way that it is hard to find the words .Then I listen to this piece of music and I feel that

Vivaldi told everything that is possible to tell about this season .

Numbers in Qatar - 55

VCUQ offers 55 different art /photography /film making /jewelry/painting /textile pattern etc . courses for those

residents of Doha who would like to learn and improve their artistic skills . Prices range between 300QR -1600 QR .

They offer 8 -16 lessons per course . To learn more visit their home page .

A bug on the tennis court - funny, real life humor from Qatar

Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2014 . A cricket or a locust was found on the floor of the tennis court . The first assistant was scared from it then came a brave man who picked it up with his own hands . The you can see that everyone was laughing .


The tournament kicked off on Monday, Dec. 30, and lasts through Sunday, Jan. 5.So this was the last day .

Numbers in Qatar - 33,000

33,000 was the number of estimated visitors from other GCC countries during the week of Qatar National Day celebrations .