Garangao Challenge - by QNB - City Center

بنك #قطر الوطني يطلق لعبة #تحدي_القرنقعوه للتحميل : http://t.co/BA1BSEBQB4 http://t.co/PjIPy6JgKd أبل ستور / أندرويد pic.twitter.com/sA4BW8UBI4

— مشاريع قطر (@QatarProject) June 26, 2015

You can download the game for iphone and ipad   here


Garangao celebrations by QNB on the 13th and 14th of
Ramadan
3rd floor , City Center Mall

from 7:30 to midnight

expect traditional treats and free download of their game mentioned above

Emirates flight from Sydney to Dubai - emergency landing in Sri Lanka

It happened on Friday the 26 th of July . The A380 was 600 kilometres from Colombo .when smoke was detected in the cockpit .They landed safely with 500 passangers on board .
The airline told the smoke came due to a technical fault .It was an A380 aircraft .

source

Why the New Residence Card

Why the New Residence CardThe new residence card system implemented since 15 June 2015 comes in the framework of...
Posted by Ministry of Interior - Qatar on Sunday, June 28, 2015

Selfie Competition at Aspire

Take a selfie at #FreejAspire and win! صور سيلفي في #فريج_اسبايرواربح! pic.twitter.com/F60LeDi57M

— Aspire Zone (@aspirezone) June 28, 2015

Garangao 2015 - Shaqab

 Garangao  celebration is early at the Shaqab  this year  . It is on the 29th of June from 8pm to midnight   . Be prepared for pony riding , traditional songs and games , sweets  and more . Last year there were free local dishes offered and free photos  taken . But you must know that early arrival is essential . Otherwise the celebration will turn into an endless queueing for sweets and rides  !

Mahlabiya - recipe

Iftar Dinner at the Mercury Hotel - review

 La  Brasserie  - was the name of the restaurant where we went some days ago . How very strange name for taking a dinner at the end of a fasting day - I thought . Luckily ,most  people here do not understand French  - then it did not disturb them .

 We arrived just on time for the iftar  . The receptionist looked on us and  without any  question he told us where to go . How did he know that we were heading to have dinner ? Did we look so tired and hungry ?

We were seated promptly - fruit juices and water on the table  to break the fast .  I am great fan of starters and salads . I was very disappointed when I tasted the lentil soup  -  the adas was cold and the harissa was nearly cold . The salad bar looked mediocre when I noticed the stuffed tomatoes .  I have not had this delicacy for so long time ! Not in  Qatar ! It was wonderful - the spices and the  texture  and the presentation in tiny bowls ! The whole thing !
 The samosa counter  ran out of samosas  quickly . My smallest child was yelling " Samosas  - I want samosas " - It would have been very embarrassing  if he  had been  the only one  - but luckily the restaurant was full of  whining kids . So my one was just one of them ! It took the staff around ten minutes to refill the samosa trays . It is not easy to feed  so many hungry customers !

 There were 5 -6 main courses  . I  went for beef picatta ! It was cold too  - luckily it was tasty even this way - actually I like cold meals   - I just expect the soup to be hot or warm at least ! So I went for  the beef again as it  tasted so good !

   There was some fish stew and rosemary lamb on the buffet tables . Vegetarian dish and tandoori chicken as well . I tasted the chicken just  out of curiosity  . It was excellent - but  by that time no more room in my stomach for main dishes .

 The dessert table apart from the chocolate fountain was very modest -some tiny cups with mousse or Middle Eastern sweet treats like Ummali or Mohlobiya .I liked their mohlobiya  served in tiny cups but   it shocked me that they were not able to provide me a dessert spoon . I had to eat from the tiny cup with a regular  table spoon !

 I know that we came with coupons but somehow organizing this dinner was not so much well done !
 Little things do count !  Hot soups ,dessert  spoon  or providing  tea at the end of the meal would not have cost much money - just some effort !
 Their waiters and waitresses were nice and helpful - the cook made wonderful dishes but the whole thing missed   a conductor  -a  manager who would  have organized  the whole event to be flawless !

 We had some coffee khalejee style at the end  -as there was no tea available and took a family photo at the decorative Ramadan table in the  lounge .All in all it was not a bad dinner -  I think this will be the thing that we will remember - if we look at the photo after some years !

Garangao June 25 for kids at Ezdan Mall

Join us for Garanga'o night this Thursday!! #Ezdanmall #Doha #Qatar pic.twitter.com/QIqP8iZ3LJ

— Ezdan Mall (@EzdanMall) June 23, 2015

Very strange that it is held early on the 7 th day of Ramadan - traditionally it is held on the 15th day ! Either way - it is a fun part of Ramadan ! Kids aged 3 -12 years can register at 8 :30  at Gate 1 !

brewing and selling illicit liquor - two years in jail

Three Asian made and sold some kind of alcoholic drinks for what they were sentenced for 2 years prison and  QR20,000 ($5,500) fine .
  Their bank account showed sudden increase - nearly half million rial  was made by that . They were caught in Al -Shammal .

3rd largest density of millionaires - numbers in Qatar

highest density of millionaires in the world  according  to The Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

1. Switzerland
2.Bahrain
3 Qatar

 source 

Difficulties in travelling this summer

 This summer came with various difficulties . In the USA there was some glitch in the computer system  as a result  the visa applications will be delayed worldwide  . Here in Qatar as well . Italy and Hungary is full of illegal emigrants and there is some chance that the residents anger can turn against tourists .Not very much inviting ! European countries got too many visa applications and they are not able to handle it  - for most of the European countries it is impossible to get visa for this summer .They give appointment only for the end of August  and it takes two weeks to get the visa . If you are preparing for an Eid break in  Europe in September it is time now to apply for visa !

 The only good news is for those Qataris who would like to travel  to France  . They are promised  quick process of their visa application - only two days !

Malaysia is advertising their country  but with their   safety records in the air they are not very much trusted .  Like bad luck is following them ...or like there is a plot .. Two groups of Singaporean kids died on Mount Kinabalu /Borneo / Malaysia some weeks ago when it was hit by earthquake .

Artistic illumination of KATARA FOR Ramadan

Posted by Katara on Thursday, June 18, 2015

Posted by Katara on Thursday, June 18, 2015

Posted by Katara on Thursday, June 18, 2015

If you happen to go out on Fridays to Katara then you can take part in the treasure hunt . Boxes are hidden all over the Katara and one of them has QR 5000 in them .Exciting game after the Tararweh prayers .

School hours change from tomorrow

Schools will start at 9 am from tomorrow to 2 pm  as the fasting month will start . Only a day and a week left from the school year .

sources

working hours of some of the Ministry of Interior departments

As the holy month of #Ramadan is starting on Thursday, June 18, 2015, the working hours of some of the Ministry of...
Posted by Ministry of Interior - Qatar on Wednesday, June 17, 2015

The first Fasting day of Ramadan 2015 is Thursday

يوم الخميس 18/6/2015 هو أول أيام شهر رمضان المبارك 1436هـ / 2015 م تقبل الله صيامكم وطاعاتكم

— وزارةالأوقاف القطرية (@AwqafM) June 16, 2015

The Ministry of Islamic Affair announced that the first fasting day of the Holy month of Ramadan
will be on Thursday - as the  new moon could not be seen tonight .

Family programs/ events during Ramadan 2015

 Hyatt Plaza 

Ramadan festival will take place  in the food court from the 1st to 20th Ramadan from 9pm to 11pm .
you can expect Malaysian Bazaar, and children’s programmes, including Garangao


Fast-a-thon - an event for non- Muslims who would  try fasting for a day

June 26 and 27


Aspire Zone

ASPIRE RAMADAN SPORTS FESTIVAL 2015

 competitions for the youth
 12 different sports
  from the 22nd June till 6th of July 2015
 fantastic prizes /giveaways
 evening matches / after Iftar

   more information  & registration 

Royal Plaza Garangao Festival

Posted by Royal Plaza Doha Main on Tuesday, August 19, 2014

15th Day of Ramadan
from 8 to 10 :30

 sweets , cartoon characters ,facepainting ,henna painting ,ramadan welcome tent ,magician show ,
_______________________________________________
 Create your own Ramadan lantern
 4 th of  July 
 for kids 3 years and above
 food -court Royal Plaza

from 8 pm to 9pm

4413 0000 registration
_______________________________________

Numbers in Qatar -24,554 males and 970 females blood donor last year

To celebrate World Blood Donors Day there was a celebration yesterday at St. Regis Hotel ,Doha
to say Thank you for those 400 regular blood donors who helped to save lives last year .24,554 males and 970 females blood donor
gave blood last year . 85 % of them were expats .

 source

Katara Ramadan Festival

Follow #Katara Ramadan Festival and enjoy a virtual tour to explore #Miracles_and_Inventions pic.twitter.com/FNXxYeXc5I

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) June 14, 2015

Heya Arabian Fashion Show at Doha Exhibition Center

Heya Arabian fashion show promises to be bigger, better http://t.co/sRNfhTRYWe http://t.co/EKrYvJ1lTE @qatar_guide #QTG

— QatarTourismGuide (@qatar_guide) May 31, 2015

@Heya_qa welcomes you till June 15th 1-10 pm for ladies only &June 12th for women & their spouses #Heya2015 pic.twitter.com/SrGxWQH21m

— Qatar Tourism (@Qtourism) June 12, 2015

‫‬Cyclone Ashooba Hits Muscat (Oman)‎

Strong winds and dust can be expected in Qatar on Friday and Saturday !

Numbers in Qatar - 20 %

 20 % is the increase in the number of visitors to Qatar from other Gulf Countries ( GCC )
 in the first 5 months of 2015 - especially the Saudi tourists enjoy Qatar's hospitality 

 source

Qatar's training for the match against Maldives

Pics from Qatar's training for the match against Maldives in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Good luck! #alsadd pic.twitter.com/X2rzG0b45C

— AlSadd S.C Official (@AlsaddSC) June 11, 2015

French Visa for Qatari citizens within 48 hours

 Amazing time ! Only two days . The  Qatari citizens  have to register at this site   for a Schengen visa .All they need for the visa is a completed  visa form and insurance certificate .

France became a popular country among  the local holidaymakers . Last year more than 27 thousand visas were issued .

 If it is not leisure but business trip then Qatari citizens need to visit the office for fingerprints .

  What could we say after reading that ?

Bonnes Vacances !

source page 2

Antibes France Vintage Poster Postcard by FRUITLOOPY
View more France Postcards

new residence cum ID card in Qatar

MoI announces cancellation of residence stickers on passports replacing it with new residence cum ID card. #MoI_Qatar pic.twitter.com/OSwZAeynRq

— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) June 8, 2015

#DREAMsterdam competition by Qatar Airways

Draw/paint/illustrate/sketch your ideal Amsterdam vacation! Image file that are either .jpg or .png will be accepted. The file cannot be more than 2MB in size.
Submissions can be simple pencil drawings, digital illustrations, or a canvas painting. One winner will be selected and will be awarded the following Grand Prize:
Pair of Qatar Airways return tickets from the nearest gateway city to Amsterdam via Doha
A 2-night weekend stay at the Intercontinental Amstel, along with a 3 course meal .

Competition starts

at 8:00 AM Doha Time (GMT+3) on 1st June and ends at 11:59 PM Doha Time on 28th June 2015

 You must be in legal age of majority in one of the State of residence ( no minors can participate ) .

Prizes are eligible for participants residing in the following countries: Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, South Korea, Philippines.

learn more

the best shawarma of the world - prize won by a Lebanese restaurant

The Shawarma at Joseph’s in Beirut has been crowned the world’s tastiest sandwich: http://t.co/ZY8ZJQG7Gm pic.twitter.com/d7UimN3h1t

— FoodieHub (@FoodieHub) May 31, 2015

 Foodie Hub is a London based organisation . Mataam Joseph or Joseph's restaurant was chosen from 4000 competitors  , from 150 cities . Congratulations ! If only he was invited for next year's food festival in Doha !

MIA PARK SUMMER TIMES OPENING from 6 pm to midnight

MIA PARK SUMMER TIMES OPENING  1 June - 1 October / 6pm - Midnight CLOSED Tuesdays and 1 - 31 August  http://mia.org.qa/en/mia-parkPhoto credit - https://instagram.com/p/3T1bnfD9E0/?taken-by=canelita_dolly
Posted by Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) on Sunday, May 31, 2015

Fire at the petrol station - in Oman - video

s


It is very hot in Qatar as well .. So far I believed that fires need a sparkle ... but this was simply caused by the heat... be very careful - they warn !


source

Kuwaiti tourist Bungee Jumping Death in Thailand

His death was caused by the badly fixed rope . When he was bouncing back in the air the straps around the  ankle broke .  The jump was from a crane and bellow there was a safety pond . He just missed the pond when he fell from  a height of 200 feet = as he fell from the 18th story of a tower building . His neck and spine injuries caused his death soon after arriving at hospital .

Later it turned out that the bungee jumping company has been working for years without proper licences .

 more info about this story 

women with moustache or the standard of beauty of the Qajar Iran

There is an exhibition in MIA about illustration of women in Iran in the second half of the 19th century .Women with moustache and strong , fusing eye-brows . Face hair was clearly considered chic at that time . Those who did not have enough of that  hair simply  draw a faux moustache !

 If you are interested in women's world in 19th century Iran then you can browse this online database.

Death of the little Birthday Boy

It happened in a private home in  Hilal , Doha ,Qatar . What was expected to be a great day turned into  a tragedy for an Indian family . The little boy  from Kerala came to visit  his daddy. While his birthday was celebrated he had fallen on the stairs so badly that he died 9 days later in Hamad General Hospital , Qatar .Rest in peace !

____:(

 This case is a warning to parents !

 Being a guest somewhere with a toddler is source of every kind of danger ! I know it . One knows his own home well but in a not well known house  there is a new challenge in every corner for the curious and fast moving  little kids !

source  page 3

Charity Dinner and Auction to support Nepal

when  : Thursday .4  June , 2015
what time : 6:30 - 9:30
where : al-silia ballroom  , grand hyatt doha

 what to expect :celebrity pianist , Sonja Park performing , local and expat artists ,
 cultural shows , kids fashion show , raffle draw ,

 donor pass : for QR 2000 ,1000 , 500
 buy them here  

Tahera Ahmad & the unopened Diet Coke

This is the story of Tahera Ahmad - a young Muslim woman who was humiliated while travelling on board of an American airline .
She was denied an unopened can of drink because she might use it as weapon while other passengers were allowed to have it with them .
Read the story in details bellow as it appeared on the social medias !
Very well done Tahera Ahmed ! Everyone should speak up when experiencing similar incidents for nobody can get away with racist attitude !

I'm asking all of you to let @united know that you are disgusted with this bigotry, that the must act! pic.twitter.com/fHOAE8PvjP

— Suhaib Webb (@ImamSuhaibWebb) May 30, 2015

@united as of now, United has not officially reached out to me @omarsuleiman504 @ImamSuhaibWebb @hsmoghul pic.twitter.com/LmbEg8T3C7

— Tahera Ahmad (@TaheraHAhmad) May 30, 2015

Sunsets over Doha - Photo Prints

Sunset over Doha, Qatar Photo Print by iPictures

Sunset at Doha Fishermen's Port Metal Photo Print
by almawad

Aspire Zone - a nice pick

Aspire Zone has world-class facilities. Know all about it via http://t.co/39JU78xASg #Qatar @aspirezone pic.twitter.com/ETY8hfEd8F

— حكومي - قطر (@HukoomiQatar) May 29, 2015

Blue Salon - Beauty Event

كوني على موعد مع #خبراء_التجميل لمجموعة من المنتجات العالمية, سيتواجدون في #الصالون_الأزرق خصيصا" لك خلال أكبر #مهرجا...
Posted by Blue Salon on Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Al-Khor Family Park

Posted by ‎وزارة البلدية والتخطيط العمراني‎ on Sunday, May 24, 2015

Was that slap an early sign of Alzheimer ?

Omar Sharif -the legendary actor- slapped a fan four years ago in Doha .Was that slap an early sign of Alzheimer ? The Egyptian actor's son claims his father got the disease but he is denying it
He is forgetting basic things from his life - he still believes his ex -wife , the great love of his life is still alive .
He is living in Egypt nowadays . How very tragic for a man who had been known for his excellent abilities in maths !

source

New Brand of Dairy&Juice Products in Qatar

Al Maha a product of Qatar. We have launched "Today" #Qatar #Doha #Almaha #Dairy #Juice #Jive pic.twitter.com/B70wqZ1dsX

— almaha dairy (@almahadairy) May 26, 2015

 They offer milk , laban , flavoured milk  ( dates ,melon , passion fruit ,strawberry ,chocolate , banana , mango flavours )  plain yoghurts and flavoured ones ( strawberry , blueberry ,mango flavours ) and drink yoghurts with strawberry , mint ,melon ,mango flavours .

Advil paediatric suspension - mistake in the dosage instruction

 Advil
paediatric suspension - mistake in the dosage instruction


 the drug is safe to use but there was error in the dosage instruction  - so it is  not sold anymore

 my child had to take it two weeks ago - it was very strange as very little water had to be added
 and my child was crying after the first dosage that it was too much bitter and burning feeling 
 after ...

  the article does not mention what was the actual mistake or what to do in case our child got wrong
 dosage but it is written online " An ibuprofen overdose can damage your stomach or intestines. "


 source

source

Numbers in Qatar 1041 female students

1041 female students graduated at Qatar University Class of 2015
 versus
381 male students

 source 

Indian Maggie - are they dangerous ?

The 2-minute noodles 'Maggi' had lead in excess - in those samples that were collected in  Uttar Pradesh , India .
However the producer Nestle is surprised at the result of the scanes .
 source

 Loss of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting, weight loss, constipation, anemia, kidney failure, irritability, lethargy, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems can be symptoms of lead poisoning .

Warehouse fire Wakra- nobody died

Civil Defence contained a fire at a carpentry workshop in Wakrah without any casualties. #MOI_Qatar

— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) May 23, 2015

 It was a big fire which started  at a warehouse , an upholstery workshop then it spread to a workers accommodation .see images from the Gulf times here .

Skydiving accident in Dubai

A Saudi national was killed in a skydiving accident at Skydive Dubai’s Desert Campus in Margham on Thursday.Every parachuter's nightmare  - the parachute did not open and wrapped around his body !He was 35 years old and considered as a skilled skydiver !

 more details 

  This case  reminds me the death of the poor Hungarian stunt pilot in Doha last year ...

Visit the Oryx Farm

If you are an animal lover & interested in the endangered animals, visit the Oryx Farm @ Al Shahaniya,15 Km from Doha pic.twitter.com/9ON9WfJfHU

— Qatar Tourism (@Qtourism) May 21, 2015

Four people died in Salwa road accident

  A truck and a mini van collided on Salwa road between
Messaid and Wakra . Four workers in the mini van died .



I guess this is  the road where trucks are going in great numbers ! Once accidently
we got there after a Sealine trip and I was praying  all the time for safe return !
The victims  were working for  Imco

Engineering & Contracting Company.



More details about the victims can be read here . God save us on the roads !

Food poisoning worldwide

  I found an interesting article  on Yahoo . It  is about food poisoning and tourism . They asked 2000 people in which country they expect to be sick / 
they were sick by the food they had .  In the answers there are only two Arab country listed  Egypt ( no wonder )  Morocco  .
I got seriously ill  in Egypt after having  a mozzarella salad  in a top hotel . I can not tell you the pain we had in our guts . I have never had before
 or luckily after  something similar .

 Qatari restaurants  are strictly inspected by local authorities  but  food poisonings happen here as well . The last one was in Marmara Istanbul restaurant  in 2014 October .
 People  needed hospital care and a pregnant mother lost her baby due to the strong contractions she had .

 Some weeks ago I read about prominent restaurants using expired materials !

 The best trick to avoid food poisoning or to minimize the effect is drinking something acidic with your meal . At least one of my friend told me that . After a Sunday
meal all the family got salmonella except for the husband who had some acidic drink  with the meal . All of them ate the same stuffed chicken in Hungarian style  which include eggs !

FOOD SAFETY FIRST PINBACK BUTTONS by almawad

Arabic story time at the MIA

#MC_FABLESExhibition Story Telling: Tales from the Islamic World22 May, 3pm and 6pm Special Exhibitions...
Posted by Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) on Monday, May 18, 2015

Al- Jazeera Cafe - you can visit them in Katara

Al Jazeera Media Network has just opened its first Al Jazeera Cafe in its home city of Doha, Qatar. Visit them now at the cultural village Katara

Who will win the Emir Cup 2015 Final

Emir Cup 2015
Who will win the Emir Cup final on Saturday? Predict the score and share this post with your Facebook friends
Posted by Qatar Football Association on Monday, May 18, 2015

________________________________

Al- Sadd players won yesterday the Emir Cup 2015 . Congrats Al -Sadd !

#QatarAirways, official carrier of the Emir Cup, congratulates Al Sadd Football Club on their 2014/15 season win. pic.twitter.com/KdM3T4mo2T

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) May 24, 2015

Crane fell on busy road - at least one dead

It happened yesterday morning around 10 :45 . A construction crane fell on a busy road  few metres before the intersection where the newly-built F-Ring Road joins the Airport Road. One Egyptian worker died and several ones in critical conditions ...No one on the road died or injured .

source

Any news about this accident at the F ring Road signal @dohanews @qatarliving #DOHA #qatar #justnow pic.twitter.com/yJDEDoOg5L

— Hamad حمد ツ (@hamadmajeed) May 17, 2015

Lulu Mango Festival - Grand Inauguration this evening

   Mango Mania Festival 

   Where : Lulu hypermarket , Gharaffa
   What time : 8 pm
    Special guest : Ambassador of India ,Mr . Sanjiv Arora


  What to expect ?  100 types  mango from 18 countries at special prices   for a week

  the cheapest is the Badami mango the most expensive one is  the mango Brazil

Gauguin Woman With A Mango Poster by VintageSpot
Browse for more framed art posters at zazzle

Military Drills and my childhood

I grew up in a place that holds many cherished memories. The landscape was enveloped by mountains . There was a beautiful forest nearby that was within walking distance from our compound and schools.

As a kindergarten student I would walk there nearly every week . We discovered a wealth of knowledge about trees, flowers, and even witnessed wild animals feasting in the glade...  

 

It was truly a remarkable place!We have fond memories of it.There were also two barracks nearby,Our fathers used to work there.

On a beautiful spring day, as we strolled through the forest with our teachers, we unexpectedly encountered a group of armed soldiers!

Our teachers were scared to death !

"We had contacted the army previously, and we were assured that the forest was secure with no ongoing military operations." "Apologies, but the information provided was incorrect." "Leave this place immediately," replied one of the soldiers, as the spring drill was underway.

Turning, we had to run for our lives.

We were reluctant to go to the forest for a while. Then, our teachers would always personally inspect the forest before the usual walk!

I discovered as a young child that the army is an odd place and that it is best to stay away from it!

  
 
 

 

 

  

Military Drills - stay away from the places

Buzzard 4 military drills are carried out in Qatar .The Qatari Armed
forces with 27 friendly countries have been
performing it  since Sunday .It will end on May
26. The public is asked to stay away from places where the army is practicing . For your own safety !

source

Have you ever been here ?

Barzan Olympic Park is the first Olympic-style park in #Qatar It's one of the perfect places for a #family #weekend pic.twitter.com/UngdXyjsY3

— Qatar Tourism (@Qtourism) May 14, 2015

This park is not on our way and somehow I have always missed it when going to IKEA .

Election in Qatar

Good turnout of voters for the 5th Central Municipal Council #CMCelection #MoI_Qatar pic.twitter.com/feBieB6cFW

— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) May 13, 2015

Being an expat I have no right to vote - but I wish the candidate who promised ladies only beaches won !

Ezdan Mall walking

Join #StepIntoHealth event in @EzdanMall, on Saturday May 16th, from 8:30 AM-10:30 AM, Gate number 1. #Qatar pic.twitter.com/PMf82FXtB9

— نمط لحياة صحية (@NamatQA) May 13, 2015

Nizaha Aalaa and Sarah Gazdar

Nizaha Aalaa and Sarah Gazdar were both little kids going to school by bus . Both of them died as they fell asleep and were forgotten in the bus in the scorching heat .Both of them Indian expats ,Both of them died because someone did not do this one-minute job after arriving at school - checking the bus  to be sure nobody left behind .

One died in Doha in May 2010  and the other in Abu -Dhabi on October 7 2013 ....

One was the pupil of DPS-Modern Indian School  in Doha  . The other was pupil of  Worood Academy Private School, Abu- Dhabi .

 The school bus had no bus attendant in Doha and the Pakistani driver did not know he had this duty to check the bus after the arrival . The Abeu- Dhabi school bus had an onboard  helper but she did not do her job . 

The school has to close  in Abu -Dhabi  no licence  for it from September . The school in Doha is still operating .

The bus attendant in Abu- Dhabi got only one year jail ! The principal who allowed the bus  go without attendant got nothing in Doha !  Though parents reported her just weeks before the tragedy that their kids  were forgotten in the bus and  they were just lucky to escape ! She even had a farewell party which was published in local daily .She was allowed to travel before the trial !

 Nizaha Alaa and Sarah Gazdar ...  the victims of negligence   -  it could have happened to any one's kid  and it is important that we raise our voice for the safety of kids !

Online Visa for GCC residents to UAE

New visa system in the Emirates . GCC residents can enter the UAE with a visa that they bought previously online .

 They just visit the website  and apply and pay for their visas .

  So far visa on arrival system was operating after landing . It resulted in long queues ,

 source

Are Iranian Watermelons Safe ?

I  love watermelons , you love watermelons  we all love watermelons ...It helps to beat the heat . We drink less sodas if we have watermelon .. it has all kinds of benefit on our health ... it promotes heart health , blood flow , digestion  ,   it makes  our hair and skin beautiful  ... and this is the  number one fruit  containing  lycopene .

 But what about the Iranian watermelons ? Are their safe enough to be given to our kids ? Such questions came up when Gulf countries of the Arab side are seriously opposed to the Iranian  foreign policy . (see Yemen , Syria ) No wonder that such fears appear . I just wonder that they did not come earlier .  Supermarkets were all selling happily Syrian fruits all these years !

 Now the news about contaminated watermelons spread in the social medias .Officially nothing has been confirmed yet .

 But what  I noticed when having watermelons this year is that they are not ripe enough .Some of them were pale pink and tasted like cucumber .
So we decided to avoid watermelon until better quality is brought from a friendlier country . 

watermelon mandala poster by almawad

Numbers in Qatar - 2.6 bn

Real estate sales   has been worth  2.6 bn lately .( around 714 million USD )

  This sum refers only to one week sale .

  
 Lands, shopping centres, houses, residential complexes and towers were sold and bought  in Qatar .

source

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 ...