Massive Fire at QF construction site

It started at 10:30 Monday and it continued beyond 3 :30 Tuesday .
No causalities were reported but the damage in construction materials was great .
 It happened near Bani Hajer roundabout .

Numbers in Qatar - QR17bn for potable water

Mega reservoirs  are being built to provide potable water for
 the growing population of Qatar .

The project site in Umm Salal Ali  spreads over 1sq  km
 5 mega reservoirs to be set up 
 60,000 truck loads of pipes needed =510,000 tonnes of pipes
  1 reservoir capacity = 500 Olympic standard swimming pools

  3 years of construction expected

 cost expected is  QR17bn = USD 4.67bn

 source

Tomorrow Jazz Concert at the MIA park

Get ready Doha - the last Jazz in MIA Park before summer, Wednesday 13 May, 6pm to 7:30pm. See you there!
Posted by Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha on Monday, May 11, 2015

Free concert in MIA Park. No tickets needed just come for a magical night.

What to expect ? Chantae Cann here from NYC, the JALC Band and some other special guests. Big end to the season.

Beware of the online slimming capsules !

 Some slimming capsules advertised online caused death in  a neighbouring country .It is better not to take any unlicensed drugs - they can be full of harmful chemicals ! Better safe than sorry !

source

Omar is coming to Qatar

Oscar nominated Palestinian masterpiece 'Omar' is finally coming to #Qatar! Join us next week! http://t.co/E47YxejxEA pic.twitter.com/QmlSn5a05B

— Doha Film Institute (@DohaFilm) May 8, 2015

Qatar Airways New Routes 2015 - Zanzibar

Traditional Dhow, Zanzibar, Tanzania Stretched Canvas Print by DanitaDelimont
Create photo to canvas prints

New destination with Qatar Airways : Zanzibar .Coming soon from the 1 July 2015 ,five times a week with an Airbus A320 . It will go will go via Kilimanjaro - the return Kilimanjaro – Doha route served via Zanzibar .

Garbage Monster: a Karagoz Performance

#MC_FABLESGarbage Monster: a Karagoz Performance8 May, 9 May, 6pm Auditorium With The Istanbul Karagoz Puppet...
Posted by Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) on Thursday, April 30, 2015

Numbers in Qatar 40 %

40 % of  the expats' income goes on housing .Rents are going up as more construction starts and more people arrive in Qatar .

Is Qatar water secure ? Science Majlis at Fogue Cafe

What to expect : discussion about the  use of sea water  - with scientists

 Where ; Fogue Cafe  , Grand Hamad street , Mackeen building
 When : May 6 , from 6 to 7 :30 

free entrance /no registration ot rsvp needed

more info  4454 6691

water drop abstraction canvas print by almawad

How the media is reporting the execution of two Indonesian maids

 I am reading the articles in the international news ...two Indonesian domestic workers
  executed in Saudi Arabia .  There is a public outcry in Indonesia .Their family is on the pictures . They are
 victims ...

 It is not mentioned just in the middle of the articles that both women were convicted murderers . One of them killed another woman
  and the other killed a child .Actually she stabbed a two year old ....We do not see how strong the evidence was for sentencing them to death .  They do not write about the motives of the killings .
We do not see the image of the murdered ones . We do not see the grief of their families .We are not supposed to feel with them .About the child who died they write nothing . But we learn a lot about the convicted murderers .We see their family crying for them .

  The way  these cases are reported is a nice example of biased media coverage  !
 They always anger me  - not only that they want to blacken an Arab country  but also  that the criminal is more important  for the media than the victim ...I noticed this tendency in other non-Arab cases as well .

Labour Cities to be built

Labour Cities to be built to provide modern accommodation for those migrant male labourers who come soon to start the construction of  the stadiums for the 2022 football world cup .
Seven cities are planned to house 250 ,000 people .They will be located in the Northern edge of Doha and they must be completed by 2016 .

Will it rain this afternoon ?

We welcome you all warmly in this shady morning of Tuesday, May 05, 2015 and wish a safe and enjoyable day. Motorists...
Posted by Ministry of Interior - Qatar on Monday, May 4, 2015

The weather slightly dusty and partly cloudy with chance of thundery rain at some places. Southeasterly – easterly wind speed may reach up to 25 KT during thundery rain in some areas. The waves may rise up to 4 ft at beaches and 9-10 ft at offshores. Sea goers are reminded to be extra cautious.
Temperature level in the country will be as follows.
Doha 28°C - 37°C, Measieed 29°C - 35°C, Abu Samra 27°C - 39°C, Dukhan 26°C - 36°C, Ruwais 28°C - 33°C, Al-Khor 28°C - 35°C.

Furious Arab female driver kicks and slaps a male one

It happened in Dafna area  . It was nothing serious just she wanted to overtake and she could not . It was the usual traffic jam "zahma " as they say in Arabic around here .She blamed for the "zahma" a special  male driver and she lost her mind.Forced the victim to stop . Then she grabbed him and kicked and slapped so hard the victim could not work for 20 days after .
The court  sentenced both . The victim was also fined for swearing  and using abusive language . 

Hmmm... where was she from ? It is not mentioned but according to the word Arab  -she was not local . This word is used usually for expat Arabs in the news  I guess she was from a North African  country  .

Anyway , some people can not manage their anger  and I think such people should be forced to take part in anger management  courses before letting them among other people .

source

Are women allowed to work in Qatar ?

An inspiring video for women! After all the news about Qatar in the international media for so many years I still get innocent questions from my Hungarian friends and acquaintances " Are women allowed to work at all in Qatar ?"
Yes -women do work in Qatar -one can see it from the first moment one enters the country .I met female officers at the passport check more than ten years ago when we arrived here .I met female security guards and female doctors on my very first days ... and from this video I learnt that there are some female pilots working here as well .

IMAGES OF WOMEN IN 19TH CENTURY IRAN

#QajarWomen: IMAGES OF WOMEN IN 19TH CENTURY #IRAN #QMSpring2015 #QatarMuseums #Doha #Qatar pic.twitter.com/2Quoz6uk0w

— Qatar Museums (@Qatar_Museums) April 26, 2015

Gibran's Prophete in Qatar MAY 7

Coming to #Qatar: May 7, 2015! @NovoCinemasQTR @GibransProphet #Doha pic.twitter.com/a8asz6TIcs

— Doha Film Institute (@DohaFilm) April 29, 2015

Cultural festival at Katara

Come to #katara and explore cultures of 7 Asian Countries in ASEAN Festival 2015 on 30 April in the Cultural Village
Posted by Katara on Monday, April 27, 2015

  The festival will
feature several events and activities
such as musicals, folkloric shows, art
exhibitions, handicrafts stalls and
food from  the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore .

Flights to Katmandu back to normal operation

from the Qatar Airways homepage

"Qatar Airways' flights to Kathmandu airport in Nepal have resumed normal operation. Passengers holding confirmed bookings on the flights which were cancelled on April 25th are being provided with alternative travel options. Larger aircraft are being deployed on the Doha – Kathmandu route to accommodate the back-log of passengers.
Passengers booked on the affected flights are advised to contact their travel agent or Qatar Airways’ 24-hour call centre on +968 2416 2700 or +974 4023 0000 for rebooking options.
Updated: 26/04/2015: 07:30 GMT"

 there are more than 400 ,000 Nepalis living and working in Qatar

The Bank manager who cooked the books

  The name of the bank was not mentioned . Nor the nationality of the  bank manager .He stole QR132,000  and he was sentenced to five years prison and  no more banking here .
  I am shocked . Just like when a half year ago a famous  car's  showroom  was caught selling used cars
 as new ones . They were  forced to close then . I guess the bank  can operate  that is why their name is not mentioned.
 Usually banks offer nice salary  - I guess . Then this amount was ridiculously small  to risk prison .  It seems to me that this guy in question was not only dishonest but very stupid as well .

Kareena Kapoor - Indian actress was in Doha

Photos [HQ] : More candid clicks of Kareena Kapoor Khan in Doha. She's too sweet 😍 pic.twitter.com/7Ve4bzwKZl
— Kareena Kapoor Khan (@KareenaUpdates) April 24, 2015

She came to inaugurate a new jewelry shop . Big draw for the Indian community . Still so many Indians like investing their money in gold .India's gold need for this year is estimated around 9 tonnes !

Doha Festival City to be completed by 2016

You know the place - the big empty area near IKEA - or it might be not empty now I have not been to the IKEA for a while .
By the end of the next year it will be full of wonders . Robotics park , Angry Birds park ,Snow city with new kind of artificial snow /dream of
many kids living in the Middle East to have " snow experience"/space themed zones etc. It is so big that they are building a car park for 8000 cars .

Somehow I am not very much excited . Besides these mega projects every district should have entertainment for kids . I think about old fashioned protected areas
for playing football ,basketball , ping pong ...sandpits , slides and swings . Every district should have a swimming pool .It is so bad to see kids are playing in the streets
as they have no other options . It is not like 30 years ago when cars were much fewer ...it is very dangerous !

I would be excited to see such projects but they do not even talk about that .

this video was uploaded 3 years ago to advertise the facilities

Ezdan Mall Kids Days out

Have a weekend to remember with your kids & join us Today,Tomorrow & after from 4 till 9pm for "Kids Day out" Event pic.twitter.com/SSfmhOzrIa
— Ezdan Mall (@EzdanMall) April 23, 2015

Doha coastline 100 years ago and now

An interesting read on Doha's changing coastline by Dr Colleen from 'Origins of Doha' project. http://t.co/JHLL4iT8Et pic.twitter.com/JJkAV3SDGi
— UCL Qatar (@UCL_Qatar) April 23, 2015

Modern Cityscape Stretched Canvas Prints by almawad

Adoption and responsibility

Adoption of pets or kids is always a big responsibility .
It is so trendy but it is not easy ! The Hungarian short film reminds people about
their decisions and its consequences .


If you can not afford the time or money of adopting a pet then you still
can donate or work for animal welfare organizations . Do not forget ! Qatar has a
No -kill shelter . You can read about them here 

the day of gold wearing - Akshaya Tritiya

Did you also notice that the newspapers are full of  jewelry advertisements  ?  Akshaya Tritiya ( April  21 ) is a special day of the Indian culture  . It is widely believed that buying jewels and wearing them on this day will bring good fortune . So many Indians invest in gold .    Around 800 tonnes of gold is bought per year in India . Mind boggling numbers .

The Hungarian Minister in Doha , the agricultural city project and Hungarian experts

Levente Magyar ,the Hungarian Minister of State for Economic
Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been received by Qatar Chamber (QC) vice chairman Mohamed Ahmed bin Tuwar.
Qatar is setting up an agricultural city project across 130sq km west of Doha .Hungarian companies could play an important role
in this as well as other major projects, especially in the field of agriculture technology.

source

Zaatar W Zeit restaurant - Doha Rayyan

I just happened to be hungry when in Al- Rayyan and  I stumbled upon this small eatery . It had some retro feel -  the waiter offered us to pull down the spring blinds as we were sitting near the windows . The napkins were decorated  with the restaurant's logo .It was printed on recycled paper . Before the food was served we got a little sachet with hand cleaning gel .
 The menu's selection is not very big . Salads /pizzas /wraps /manakesh -desserts .  We had a zooza salad  and a traditional pizza  and finally ktiramisu . The salad came in a large transparent bowl  with a lots of  lollo rosso  , potatoes slices ,boiled eggs ,beans ,tuna ,olives ,tomatoes ... mustard vinegar dressing .It was a good start. The pizza   dough was quite thin - it came with cheese  and sauce  and  some meat and mushroom . It was tasty but not that typical Italian taste - rather like a home  made  one! The ktiramisu came in a little cup -  this is their " heavenly version " of the famous sweet treat . I could not find out why it was different . It was simply good .
All of those reminded me a bit the eateries of the  Hungarian railways in the 60's  when I would travel with my dad . Might be it was because of Lebanon ?I remember I heard a lot about it in my childhood and I always wished to visit it . As I wished to visit other places in the Middle East like   the beautiful ancient  lands of Iraq , Yemen , Gaza ... all are bombed or being destroyed in other ways . My thoughts went far  from this simple  Lebanese restaurant ... where we had a casual , urban lunch ,,,
 I might try their breakfast in the Souq Waqif one day . They got terrace and the weather still allows us to enjoy outdoor breakfasts .

 Did you know ? Zaatar is a spice mix in Arabia .
 Zeit is the name of the olives in Arabic ...

Japanese restaurants in Doha

 1  Oishi sushi - Royal plaza

Ad Dawha, Ad Dawḩah, Qatar

Located In Royal Plaza 

Phone 4442 8989

Website

 I love their bento boxes  - it is a full lunch menu with soup ,salad ,curry  and sashimi . I love their crepe and sesame ice cream too .And the possibility to dine in a  private room !

2 . Sushi Minto

Salwa road, All Muthannna  Complex

Doha ( opposite the Jarir book store )

Phone

4467 5577

 They have a spacious place  with retro style interior .Their bento was quite good and a bit cheaper than  Oishi Sushi . I did not like that they were offering burgers for kids .

3.Megu

6 La Croisette, Porto Arabia, 

 The Pearl-Qatar, 26663 Doha, Qatar Ad Dawha,

Mon - Sun: 

7:00 pm - 12:00 am

+974 449 538 76 EXT: 2101 - Mob: +974 6611 2115

Megu, which means blessing, is a sophisticated and modern New-York based Japanese fine dining restaurant   - their specialities are  Original Crispy Asparagus, Yellowtail Carpaccio, Tuna and Salmon Tartares, Wagyu Kobe Beef Chateaubriand, not to forget house special rolls and the wide array of sushi and sashimi offerings . 

 see their facebook page

4 . Nobu   - at the Four Season Hotel

Soar to new heights and discover Nobu Doha, coming this Friday! #Doha #Nobu #qatar #nobudoha #foodie pic.twitter.com/Ifxj0J82rV
— Four Seasons Doha (@FSDoha) April 16, 2015

Nobu Doha restaurant to open tomorrow

R u ready to experience Doha’s new culinary chapter?Nobu Doha will open on Friday,17 April!For reservations 44948600 pic.twitter.com/YSEvSKLCCo
— Four Seasons Doha (@FSDoha) April 13, 2015

Mysterious Snake Attack

  A man living in Doha somewhere near Al Kesha petrol station complained about snakes / They all suddenly attacked his home . There were a lots of them in different shapes and sizes .Most probably different species  . It sounds not only scary but mysterious . What might have happened to them ? Breeding  period craziness ? Some kind of odd sounds that we can not hear?( loud noises especially at a low frequency can cause a snake to become agitated) their natural habitat was disturbed due to the metro constructions ? Air   or ground vibration ? What do you think ?

  The  victim is still fighting with the snakes  to protect his home ...

Stabbing at the School

How sad !When money matters so much for teenagers that they are ready to kill ! Two high-school students were quarrelling in a Doha school and one of them took a sharp object and stabbed his fellow student .It was about money ! They were Asian students = not Arabs .They might have been Filipinos , Indians , etc .Interestingly ,the Middle Eastern Arabs do not think that they are part of Asia .They refer to people living East from Iran as Asians .
The victim was taken to hospital in critical condition .The attacker was injured as well !

Problem solving should be taught at schools !

 Last year there was a brawl at Al -Mana secondary school !

Princesses and Heroes show coming in May

 Disney on Ice coming to Doha


 | "Enter a world where heroes and hearts prevail. Join Ariel as she yearns to explore the world above the waves and Prince Eric breaks Ursula’s spell to reclaim his true love. See Prince Philip defeat the evil Maleficent as she transforms herself into a fire-breathing dragon in a race against time to rescue Sleeping Beauty’s Aurora. Be there to discover a whole new world with Jasmine and Aladdin as they evade the royal guards in a high-speed marketplace chase! Watch in awe as the dreams of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Rapunzel and Tiana all come true! Then journey up the North Mountain with Anna and Elsa to discover how an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.

The show includes the most exciting moments from the number one animated feature film of all time, Disney’s Frozen. Audiences of all ages will enjoy seeing their favorite characters from the animated film including Anna and Elsa, along with Olaf and Kristoff, live on ice and will love to sing-along with all of the popular songs: “First Time in Forever,” “Love is an Open Door,” “Let It Go,” and “In Summer”.

 When : May 27 ,28 ,29 ,30 - 2015
 Where :
 Qatar National Convention Centre

 Tickets : from QR 150 to 2000

 see more

Songkran festival at Grand Hyatt Doha

Grand Hyatt Doha will commemorate Songkran with a week-long celebration at their award-winning Thai restaurant, Isaan,...
Posted by Grand Hyatt Doha on Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Doha from bird's view

Qatar and Doha (capital) - Witness impressive buildings set in a hot desert landscape. Take an aerial zip-around tour in this short montage video. A good preview if you plan to visit, or if you just want to get a taste of what Qatar is like.

Where to buy cheap clothes in Qatar

v

Well ,clothes are not cheap in Qatar .😒  You can find a lots of very expensive boutiques here . However you can find cheaper items coming mainly from the Indian textile industry .Here are some ideas🙆 about where to go to find affordable fashion items .

Sana Fashion 
Store
Umm Ghuwailina (Ras Abu Abboud St.), Doha, Qatar
family owned business whose history dates back to the retail garment industry to over 100 years in the Gulf region.

my personal comments : avoid it during the top hours - it is heartbreaking to see how some customers  treat the new clothes - but I like coming here to buy pajamas /underwear  - they last long .

☛  let's see the next


Ansar Gallery
location 1 . City Center Mall
location 2 .Al Mansoura, Doha, Qatar
"Established in October 2011, Ansar Gallery at Al Mansoura in Doha is one of Ansar Group's newest ventures in the region. This new addition has been designed to bring its shoppers a wide array of quality products that fall within varied price ranges. Spread over 30,000 sq. feet, the sparkling new Ansar Gallery brings to its shoppers an entire floor of impressive choices in perfumery, fashion wear, foot wear, women's accessories, electronics and much more. Besides that, its consumer-friendly and appealing environment makes spending time here an enjoyable experience."
find out more here 

My personal comment -  I came here sometimes before travelling for cheap oriental gifts or suitcases -some  fashion items are nice but most of them are not very attractive for me ...

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

Lulu Hypermarkets
location 1 - opposite the Hamad Hospital
location 2 - Gharaffa area
location 3 - old airport area
find out more

My personal comment  -  long time ago  we used to like fashion in LULU  - but their style changed very much  - even for the kids we could not find something to our taste  - it is not our cup of tea anymore

☙☙☙☙☙☙☙

New World Center fashion items from
from local textile industry, Turkey, Thailand and China
fashion for ladies, gents and kids with a wide collection of apparel and accessories
plus size men's and women's apparel
find out more 

My personal comment - I have not been here for ages  - not because I do not like their things but simply because they are so much out of our way !




❖❖❖❖❖


Carrefour supermarket;s clothes sections etc .
location 1 Landmark branch
location 2 Villaggio branch
location 3 City Center Mall branch

My personal comment  -  it happens sometimes that I buy here t-shirts ,pajamas ,jogging suits  - but  I beware of their underwears  as according to our past experiences they do not last long and many times wrong size is written on them .

❦❧❧❧❧❧

 RED TAG
  in the Center shopping complex among luxurious boutiques
  you can find a reasonably priced fashion shop 

My personal comment -  I found kids clothes very much to my taste  - ladies shoes were so beautiful  - if only they were with heels !

❦❧❧❧❧❧What about you ? Where do you buy clothes for yourself /your family ?

Tell me about your clothes shopping experiences in Qatar !
�����

LuLu Group just opened a new store called "LOT - The Value Shop" in Barwa Madinatna. This shop has an amazing range of high-quality goods at unbeatable prices. Most of the items are priced between QR1 and QR19. The store sells clothes for men, women, and children, as well as shoes, jewelry, and bags for women.

more info

FINAL CALL – REDTAG MEGA SALE ENDS IN 4 DAYS! 🚨

🔥 Save up to 70% OFF on over 9,000+ designs and products! Don’t miss out on:

👔 Stylish Men’s Wear

👗 Trendy Women’s Fashion

👶 Adorable Kids’ Outfits

🏠 Kitchen & Home Essentials

💄 Beauty Must-Haves

🎒 Accessories & More!

HURRY – Don’t let these savings slip away!

The richest Arabs in the world

The richest Arabs in the world - list by the Forbes Magazin ...

 A Saudi prince is the first - then comes a Lebanoni business man who makes his fortune by banking - in the list of the first ten richest there is no Qatari at all . 54 th is Sheikh Faisal Qassem Faisal Al Thani with an estimated fortune of 837 million dollars from manufacturing .96th is Khalid Al Thani with 167 million dollars from a transportation company .

Interesting reading - find out more here

Souq Waqif Celebrations from 10-17 April 2015

Come join us at the Souq Waqif Celebrations from 10-17 April 2015 to enjoy spectacular events & magnificent shows. For more details visit www.souq-waqif.qa #SouqWaqif15
Posted by Souq Waqif - Doha/Qatar on Saturday, April 4, 2015

Reem island Ghost claims being mentally ill

 The  killer of the Hungarian -American teacher says she is mentally ill  and  evil spirits made her  stab to death  Ibolya Ryan last December in the toilets of a posh shopping center in Abu Dhabi . 
I believe her  . She must have been mentally unstable and those evil spirits  sending messages from the media must have inspired her  .Ibolya  just wanted to help a " disabled lady " who asked for her assistance . Then Alaa Bader al-Hashemi   turned into a  merciless killer ! .A woman is killing another woman  who is ready to help her in the toilet  ! A woman is killing a total stranger just for being American .Had Ilona been less helpful she would be alive today !
Three kids are missing their mom ! ...

 source

Lost and found - QR470,000 worth rings

The cleaner of the toilet in  Qatar national Convention center returned the two diamond rings worth QR470,000 ( USD 130 ,000 ) to the owner who forgot it in the toilet during  Doha Jewelry Exhibitions ..A..Zelekew was honoured for her honesty by the QNCC management  . She was given gratitude by the owner and cash reward by her company .

Best thing for everyone .

Numbers in Qatar - 400,000 Nepalis

400,000 Nepalis are working in Qatar

Every day, nearly 1,600 youth leave
Nepal to work in Gulf countries
 their working conditions  could be easily improved 
1 . their salary should be deposited in bank accounts = no employer can deny salary
2 . agencies  that take extra fees from workers should be blackisted here =no fraud during recruitment
3 . Nepali lawyer  should work at the Labour Department 

source 

Persian -Arabian Gulf - satellite image

Persian Gulf Canvas Print by CorbisCollections

MODIS image from the Aqua satellite of the greenish Persian Gulf in contrast with the surrounding brown desert and mountains. Seven countries sit on the gulf (clockwise from top right): Iran, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq. Part of Oman is on the tip of the peninsula reaching toward Iran. Oman also stretches to the southeast along the Gulf of Oman (bottom right corner). At the top of the gulf, where Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran meet, flow the Euphrates and the | Image ID: 20135854 | © NASA/Corbis

Qatar Red Crescent needs volunteers

QRC is  a member of the International Movement of Red Cross and Red Crescent . They assist and empower communities in need, regardless of their nationality or religion.Currently  they operate in more than ten countries, including Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. They work both locally and internationally  .
If you wish to join then you can apply here  .

Coming soon - Gibran the Prophet in the cinemas

Coming soon! May 7, 2015! #Doha #Qatar pic.twitter.com/3ZAz4eBdLB
— Doha Film Institute (@DohaFilm) April 4, 2015

Exclusive Lunch menu at Idam

EXPERIENCE IDAM WEEKLY LUNCH MENU BY ALAIN DUCASSESTARTING FROM QR200For More information: http://bit.ly/1DxAJRV
Posted by Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) on Sunday, April 5, 2015

New Hypermarket in Doha

The New Hypermarket is situated in Bin Mahmoud area  -opposite of it  the metro is being built .

 It  has got a large parking  area but not enough for that big place .They are called  " Quality  Hyper" They got a large supermarket with  Indian style selection ...something like the LuLu . Cheap hot food  ,curry leaves , Indian vegetables but not a good bakery section  . For my usual gourmet items I still have to go to the Megamart .

It has got a department store upstairs .Mens clothes section is quite large but the Women's fashion is modest  However I found  cheap shoes in nice quality  for myself .It was a big surprise for me who needs  special medical shoes for most of the time  and it is so difficult to find  formal shoes that my feet would accept !
Electronics section  and household items are large too -but so far nothing exciting about their prices .

It has got a flower shop  and two small buffets .Pharmacy is coming soon . No ATM inside or nearby . Cards are accepted   but not in every outlets . We wanted to buy flowers but we could not as we had no cash with us .

I think that every districts needs a hypermarket  like this . Traffic jams would be much smaller then if people do not have to travel far for those products .

Happy Easter

Vintage Easter Eggs with cherry blooms Big Greeting Card by almawad



Easter is a nice spring festival in Europe  -  many thinks here that it is only a religious  festival but t is not .It had been widely celebrated before the Christians came to dictate in Europe . Simply  it was nice after the bleak winter to see the hens laying eggs again and the  seeing  the wonderful blooming flowers .
Catholic church claims that these are his religious symbols but it is not . They just declared  about an old existing yearly celebration as it was theirs .


See how and where to go for Easter brunches ,egg roll parties , egg hunting  here in Qatar 

 It is not official holiday here and many Arab Christians celebrate it later not now as they do not follow the pope in Rome .

Terrible dust storm in Doha

I am sitting in the flat behind closed doors and everything smells dusty  - like when you clean a carpet .. the visibility in my rooms became bad ...and luckily in some rooms it is OK so far ..
 I have never experienced so bad dust storm .

 What can we do to protect ourselves ? 
 switch of fans and AC -es
 put a mask on your face that filters dust or at least a dump bandana
 go to a higher place if you can ... 

 put dump clothes on the window AC -es( switched off)

 -----------------------------
 Saud Arabia announced school holiday for tomorrow
Will there be   no school in Qatar too ?
Some on the FB says that school is canceled for Thursday
_________________________________

_____________

 I just read that the visibility on Salwa road is zero .
_________________________________________

 No school today Thursday April 2!

______________________________________

 we can expect some relief from 10 am today

Massive duststorm envelopes Qatar http://t.co/GnnjdFivD5 pic.twitter.com/RpeakyBAS6
— Gulf-Times (@GulfTimes_QATAR) April 1, 2015h

No Paper Day in Doha

April 4 marks the day for NO PAPER DAY, Wyndham Grand Regency team will be collaborating together to raise awareness!...
Posted by Wyndham Grand Regency Doha Hotel on Wednesday, April 1, 2015

It is getting hot !

  In some parts of  Qatar it may be as hot as 37 C in the coming 24 hours ! Doha and the southern part  will witness sharp rise in the temperature . Some  areas in the North will remain cool !

Bye , bye beautiful spring !

VCUQatar's 16th Annual Fashion Show

Buy your tickets online for VCUQatar's 16th Annual Fashion Show - taking place 14, 15 & 16...
Posted by Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar on Thursday, March 26, 2015

Grand couturier Stéphane Rolland is the guest designer for the 16th Annual VCUQatar Fashion Show. His designs have been worn by celebrities such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Stéphane will showcase his designs on the runway April 15 & 16 at‪#‎VCUQThread‬. Tickets are on sale now at www.qatar.vcu.edu/events

Today's program at the food festival

Posted by ‎Qatar International Food Festival مهرجان قطر العالمي للأغذية‎ on Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Posted by ‎Qatar International Food Festival مهرجان قطر العالمي للأغذية‎ on Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Arabian Welcome

Arabian Welcome Postcards by PaulCowan
Browse Doha Postcards

Francophone Cinema Week

Post by Doha Film Institute.

Again ! Bus crashes at Central Bus Station

 I can't believe it happened again ! The third time !  What 's wrong with buses or drivers  in Qatar ? At the Central Bus station where one drives slowly - I suppose - they lose control of their buses and crash people waiting .
Whose fault is it ? The buses ? The drivers ? The place itself ?
Six injured this time .
Before  some of them died as well .

numbers in qatar -47

47 nations ' students can be found in the Education City's universities
Impressing number however it does not tell  us how many percent of the students are from other countries . Being invited for a graduation ceremony I could observe that most of the students were from Qatar and Pakistan . Even the Egyptians were less than the Pakistani students .  That was a big surprise to me .

Cheb Khaled in Qatar tomorrow

Where : Grand Hyatt, Doha - Beach

 When : Thursday - March 19, 2015

  what time : At 08:00 PM - Doors open at 07:00 PM

  What to expect : Cheb Khaled - Haddaway - Dr Alban - Melissa - PSY cover


 Tickets: FanZone (550QR) including one drink, Regular (350QR) including one drink

 Age limit "  older then 21

New Mosque in the Education city

The new @QFIS_QF building includes the Education City mosque, which is open to the public. #Qatar #Doha #QF pic.twitter.com/lfMxgtoXAf
— Qatar Foundation (@QF) March 17, 2015

 I think - it is the first mosque there  - it has an extraordinary look  .It is open to the public but usually anyone entering the Education city - must have identification with him.her .

The 8th edition of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup

on March 25 to 27

 where ;  Aspire Zone

  what to expect :  World ranking gymnasts ,84 males and 44 females, 
from 34 countries , including Olympic medallists ,

Tickets :
1.free tickets for this event:
- Customer Service: Carrefour Hypermarket (Villagio - City Centre Landmark) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 16:00 to 23:00

- Qatar Gymnastics Federation headquarter (Al Bidda Tower - Al Corniche - 5th Floor) Sunday to Thursday from 9:00 to 12:00 and 18:30 - 20:00 (except Thursday afternoon)

2.VIP tickets online  

Jazz in the Park concert cancelled today

18 March, 6pm - 8pm CANCELLED

The usual monthly concert in the MIA park is cancelled today due to  weather conditions .
There are chances of scattered
rains and strong winds
accompanied by lightning
and thunder this afternoon.


 source

simple weather symbols t shirt by lumirala

Crime in Qatar

A Filipino  woman ,who worked at an unnamed hospital  in Qatar has been sentenced  for seven years in jail  for fraud and money laundering .She got  QR9,405,904, on her bank account .
 Ironically she  was  a sterilisation technician before she got involved in laundering of the money .

  

art, design and craft courses at VCUQatar

Where ?  1 . at VCUQatar in Education City

 2 . at IAID (Academy for Dance, Music & Arts) in the old airport area

 When ? Registration for late spring classes closes April 18th, 2015 .For summer on June 20th .(but as seats sell out early)

 What to expect ? a large selection of art, design and craft courses
 - photo ,painting ,collage ,digital illustration ,fashion design ,silver jewelry design ,paper art ,
Arabic Calligraphy ,Islamic patterns ,Graphic design

Who can apply ? anybody living in Qatar though most
 of the courses are for the bigger ones kids can also find courses

Language of teaching : mostly English , some courses are in Arabic


Prices :  from 500 QAR to 1600  + materials 

see more 

eat ,sleep .art t-shirt by almawad

Hungarians in Qatar

I list here people I stumbled upon on public web pages .
. If you are Hungarian and you are living in Qatar then you can leave a comment here and I will publish your introduction here .
________________________-

--
Dora Kovacs – Trainer

Dora is qualified in personal training, aerobics and TRX. Before moving to Doha Dora was an aerobics instructor, and gym instructor in Budapest, specialising in bootcamp, TRX and functional training.

Dora is the Head trainer  at Dahl Al Hammam family park

 source
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rebecca Bianca  B

teen model

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Peter Kovessy
is an assistant editor of Doha News though he mentions Canadian roots his name sounds Hungarian

source

_______________________________

We're proud to announce that Dr. Istvan Seri has been appointed Division Chief of Neonatology: http://t.co/A0VJkFrcsr pic.twitter.com/Eu9KcR09hN

— Sidra (@sidra) April 7, 2014

 Gulf Times article about him

____________________________

Organic food products in Doha

Post by Monoprix Qatar.

Discover the wide collection of #organic range with exclusive products @MonoprixQatar pic.twitter.com/TaVMIubnuG

— Monoprix Qatar (@MonoprixQatar) June 9, 2017

Congrats to the Students of Education City -climbers of Kilimandjaro

Congrats to  the Students of Education City   ! .Some students reached the top of the 5 891,8 m high mount .

They were selected and prepared for the climb during a special program .

Kilimanjaro and Acacia Trees Posters by corbisimages
Check out more Acacia Posters at Zazzle

street basketball in Aspire Park

Program name : Aspire Jam 

 Where : Aspire Zone 

 When : March 14 

 What time :from 3 PM to 8 PM 

 What to expect : Qatar’s best street basketball players to showcase their fantastic skills and incredible and unique techniques.

Your Name in Solid color fluorescent yellow Mini Basketball Backboard by almawad
View another Mini Basketball Hoop at Zazzle

Jennifer Brown Murder 2012 Update

UPDATE : this is the first time we can read about how the murder happened in 2012 . The American teacher who lived in Al-Sadd area , Doha called the man into her flat to repair something . They somehow started to fight . Why ? It is not mentioned . You can guess why a female alone in her flat with a repair man start to fight .To protect herself .He happened to grab a knife and stabbed her .But she died due to her injuries that she had while being beaten up .
Vey strange story indeed .
http://www.gulf-times.com/pdflinks//PDFs/2015/3/9/Daily%20newspaper_2015_03_09_000000.pdf

The expat curve

funny / interesting video on the emotional roller-coaster of becoming an expat
as for me I was prepared for many things but not for one thing - yes

for me still the biggest shock is the attitude of some Hungarian expats in Qatar

I was shocked when I noticed that many of them came from a very different cultural milieu
thus their values were so much different from ours
still we speak the same language still we have many things in common
it had been a dilemma for years ... shall I keep in touch with people who constantly annoy me
whom I would not make friend in my home country or shall I ignore them
I chose finally the latter ... I have had some nice friends but all of them had moved
we are a small community here and have been observing for years my less educated compatriots habits and
i could write a book on them -yes I observed attitudes that I believed that existed only in jokes ...

finally I found more in common with some non-Hungarians who somehow have similar educational background /profession /life experience

I finally think that there is not so big difference between people with similar educational /social background even they came from different countries .
The difference is much bigger inside one single country's social classes !That is a real cultural shock !

Qatar International Food festival 2015

 24 - 28 March
on the first day : 5pm until 10:30pm
the other days :  1:30  to 10:30 pm Qatar International Food Festival is an annual event that consists of five days of gastronomic alfresco eating, drinking and cooking, as well as family fun and entertainment.
In MIA Park

What to  expect ? 
48 stalls 
international zone (31 stands),
Qatar/Turkey zone (4
stands),
 Qatar/Turkey (3 tents)

 Instagram Market(10 stands).

.....
Welcome and Stage zones 
....
 live cooking zone with Massimo Capra from Italy
Bhatia from India
Nobu from Japan
Qatari chef Aisha al-Tamimi
.....
a high tea lounge zone 
.......
top Qatari chefs demonstration
.....
 water zone , Barbeque Donuts,Dinner on a Dhow
.....
 health zone ,Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar's health truck,

 Al Safwa Farm
 ,organic vegetables
.....
singers , music bands 
....
Dinner in the Sky Zone
Chef
Vineet Bhatia  and  Chef Nobu 's dishes will be served

......
Daad Abu Jaber and Salma Soliman from Fatafeat tv channel
......

Cultural partners :Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage,Qatar - Turkey year of Culture ,MIA , Doha Film Institute ,

Urban legend in Doha

My husband needed the mechanic the other day . He was surprised that he had moved - his garage was destroyed - a new office building was erected instead . He got a notice that he had to leave and his business was over - he could not find an affordable place so far .
"My collegues on the other side of the street were much luckier than me . Qatar rails paid them a hefty 300 .000 Qatari riyals to restart their business - nearly $100 .000 "
I do not know if it is true or not but just imagine what a luck for them ! if it is true that in India many people live on $1-2 per day then these men got enough money for 100 years !
On the other hand if they remain in Doha they must pay this sum to restart a new garage !
Just for the right of usage ! I wonder how many people restart their business and how many will leave for good with that money !

Capricious March in Doha

Weather is capricious this March .Friday came with nasty dusty winds - it destroyed our plans for a badminton party . Then Saturday it was calm and hot like summer  - I got a tan after some hours of walking in the park . It  cured my sore throat - half of the family was down with a viral infection - it was  amazing too see the power of the sun  - those family members who came for a walk got much better and those who chose to stay at home are still struggling with cough and pain .

This morning is cold and dull  - looks like rain ...

Weather symbols hooded pullovers by lumirala
Find other Weather symbols T-Shirts at zazzle.com

marvellous creatures

Post by Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).

This exhibition focuses on the real and mythical animals that appear in the legends, tales, and fables of the Islamic world. Divided into the natural quadrants of earth, air, fire, and water, these marvellous creatures introduce timeless stories such as the well-known and beloved classics: Shahnameh, Kalila wa Dimna and 1001 Nights.

4 MARCH - 11 JULY 2015

"Al Asmakh International Symposium of Art 2015"

Post by Wyndham Grand Regency Doha Hotel.

"Al Asmakh International Symposium of Art 2015" on March 3 and 4, 2015! Experience unique Art pieces from 49 International Artists!At Wyndham Grand Regency Hotel !

Chi Al-Shaqab 2015

"Once again the world's top riders and horses will come to Qatar for a spectacular six day show jumping, dressage, vaulting, endurance and for the first time in Asia, Para-Dressage at Al Shaqab - Member of Qatar Foundation from 2nd - 7th of March 2015.

Don't miss your chance to see Olympic and World Champions and Qatar's leading national riders compete for sporting glory! 

Our festival fun area and brand new interactive equine edutainment tent will complement the competitions - A great family day out for all fans of sport, culture and equine lifestyle. "
you can buy tickets online

or on the spot

 among the riders will be the Hungarian , Balazs Bence – Junior European Champion / Vaulting 

learn more 

Lucie Safarova beats Azarenka

.@LucieSafarova wins 6th career #WTA title & 1st of 2015 at @QatarTennis--> http://t.co/7lpMVcFXGZ #tennis pic.twitter.com/pF7zCA5xNf
— WTA (@WTA) February 28, 2015

 The Czech  female tennis player won the Qatar Total Open yesterday .She beat  the Belarus Azarenka 6-4 .6-3  in the final .