Qatar Airways flew home around 500 passengers to Europe landing in Lyon instead of Paris and in Edinburgh instead of London .
If Paris is not allowed how can Edinburgh be a legal destination these days ?

marine festival 2010 doha

 

we visited yesterday the event .it is a bit far .Somewhere near the hotel intercontinental -but at my greatest surprise the karwa driver knew the place and we arrived there smoothly . it was around half past four still very hot ...
the children were welcomed by a character called Bahoor - a seahorse - they were given buttons ,flags ,sheets to color and pencils .It was a nice beginning . Then there was at the beach this bouncing castle and beautiful sand sculptures and some of the designers were still working on them . I liked all of them - but I found the girl singing with an oud in her lap the best.I also liked a group of camel having rest .
Someone got the idea to sprinkle water on the sand thus our kids were making happily their own sand sculpture . I wish there was someone who does it in the public parks -as the sand is always dry in this country and playing in it is not great joy for the children .


There was a huge screen for movies by the seaside with comfortable sofas and chairs and beanbags to make you feel like home .I like that but the movie that was on was not very special some old Disney movie ...


WE saw kids drawings and painting and also from more professional artists on the
at the exhibition area . There was a tent full of special kind of sea creatures : mostly fishes and crabs . They were nice .I liked the lion fish with its stripes and an orange fish with blue dots .Like they made a fashion statement .:)


The food court was not very special . Everything was reasonably priced - but just the usual fast food meals .There was a small tent on which it was written "seafood cooking competition" -but who was competing with who -and who were the lucky ones who could taste the food -all of these details were not clear ..


It was a nice event without big surprises .Unfortunately the family's camera was not available . Tonight there will be a big parade a carnival on the Corniche.I just wonder the timing from 8 - 10 pm ... It is school tomorrow .. my kids can not get up the next day of they stay up late . Who for this timing was set?

Shopping guide for Hungarians living in the Gulf

It is not possible to find everything we miss -but there are some delicacy that are not well known here .

Sauer Kraut alias  savanyu kaposzta you will find them in 500 g packs in the Megamart
made in Holland by krautboy ...it is at the vegetables counter well hidden among salads and other ready cut veggies - it is very good

Ile Flottant alias madartej it is exactly the same taste  and it is made in France  it is a Carrefour product available at Carrefour supermarkets ...


Raspberry  alias malna at affordable price - nowadays I saw some among the frozen fruits  at Carrefour


Chestnut preserve  -gesztenye pure fele  - I saw sweet chestnut preserves in the Carrefour which is far from our  gesztenye massza but still  tastes to be good for filling cakes ,pancakes  - I saw around Xmas some natural flavored chestnut pure in big yellow tins at  Megamart but the price was putting me off ..

TURO  - if you wish to make something salty then  Almarai labneh will do .Perfect for korozott ,turos retes ,turos pogacs .Yocca cottage cheese tastes like sour cream with turo ...For sweet filling one must buy ricotta ( very expensive ) or you can make at home some turo  within half an hour ... I learned it here how to make turo fast way ....

SOUR CREAM  - alias tejfol . There is  sour cream here . I just write about it because I met some Hungarian housewives here who claimed that there is no sour cream around here ...

Qatar Marine Festival

It seems to be an exciting event full of great programs for kids and adults .
It will close on the 21st of April and events are scheduled in the afternoons at the Cultural Village  .
Sailing demonstration , sand art sculptures , sea food cooking contest , bossa ball and movie night for families ....

find out more

old boats of Qatar by almawad
View more Sailing boats Posters

Numbers

500 is the number of transit passengers who must stay  in Qatar due to their canceled flights ....

Kurt Vonnegut : Slaughterhouse Five - book review

I do not usually read books on WWII . It is the hobby of my father .I grew up surrounded by those books -photo albums and for years i believed that I knew everything about the horror of that era .
Only when before graduating at secondary school I learned that my father nearly frozen to death in a basement where he had to spend days during the cold winter of 1945 while his village was cluster bombed by the Royal British Air Force .He was six years old then .From that story I knew that not only Jews and Russians were the victims during the war but also Hungarian civilian people died .Somehow they forgot to teach that at school .
We were massively brainwashed and we did not care much about the German civilian victim's stories .They started the war after all .
Only lately I heard some hints about the unfair attack on Dresden .I thought that it was like my father's village -a simple carpet bombing .
So I read the book of Kurt Vonnegut because I wished to know what it was like . Kurt Vonnegut was there .He was an American soldier a prisoner of war . Humiliated and forced to work by the Germans nearly bombed to death by his own people .His personal account interested me much.
It was an interesting reading . It told the story of Billy Pilgrim the young optimetrist student who was captured by the Germans within the first week he landed in Europe .
Billy was dying though survived and through his visions and dreams we could learn more about his past and his future .The tragedy of that beautiful city wounded his soul for life .He escaped to the aliens for comfort . Just to know that time is our four dimension and death is not so terrible if we understand the different time perception of those little green men .
Otherwise the truth about Dresden bombing is too horrible with our Earthling perception of time to be able to live with its memory .It was an open city . Strategically nothing important .Under the protection of Red Cross .Undefended .Full of refugees -as it seemed to be the only safe place in Germany .The war was about its end .
Then out of the blue sky came the planes and attacked the city .Allied forces .First the traditional cluster bombing .Which was bad but most people would have survived that if there was not a second bombing of burning materials which turned the shallow shelters into burning catacombs .Those people who managed to get out from there were rushing to the river which was burning as well .Those who escaped to the squares or public parks got special bombs .Fire tornadoes lifted up people .They burnt into ashes or melted into liquid substance .
Out of 35 thousand buildings only 7000 remain .Nobody knows exactly how many people died as the town was full of refugees . They estimate that more than a million people were residing there .
The author survived only because he was accommodated at a slaughterhouse which had a really deep meat cellar .
They day after the bombing when they came out of their shelters to get some food and water the allied forces were flying so low that they were able to see that some people still alive and were shooting on them by machine guns or dropped on them smaller bombs .
After all the author does not think that all this attack was designed by evil people -just ignorant .They just wanted to hasten the end of the war .
These remarks made me feel that the book was censored . Kurt Vonnegut had a letter published after his death in which he called the Dresden attack obscene brutality
Kurt Vonnegut is easy to read .Humanism is radiating from every page.
He claims that 135 thousand people died .Some claims 25 thousand only . The Russians used to speak about 500 thousand victims. If we see that how big percentage of the buildings were destroyed we have to suppose that similar percentage of people perished as well . The city was home to 600 thousand people and jammed with refugees .But nobody knows how many were there at that inferno .
This was the biggest massacre in Europe .
And it is still not taught at schools .It is not commemorated widely .
Dropping bombs on civilians and refugees is still in fashion not so far from Europe . . .
So it goes .

Slaughterhouse Art Poster by curious_inkling
Browse the other posters from zazzle.com

A beautiful lotus mandala carved into a watermelon . Typical centerpiece at parties around here .Indian style fruit sculpture in Doha .

I have been living in Qatar for a while and I remember well - those orange cabs . Those folks with big beard and national wear - never telling anything to you -but always taking you to the place where you want to go .. and never cheating you ...

Well nowadays taxi drivers have nice uniform and no beards but they do not know the city well .The other day I came across a driver from Burma who did not know where Villaggio mall was .

Even worse he did not turn when I told him to do so this way he made a tour of Doha with me which resulted in very high bill .

apparently karwa is not training the drivers before letting them work - but why I have to pay for that ? i find it very unfair .

but all these things are not new ... but what is really shocking for me is that last month I stumbled upon a lots of scammy drivers ...every three ..
their way was
1 not switching on the meter - then asking for a sum double than it should be
2 telling that they have no change ( they can not find 4 rials change )
3taking the money not giving back anything and telling that god will bless me ... I think last time a gypsy woman said me so in transylvania when buying forest fruits from her i studpily paid with a a bank note...

I do not think that Qatar should sink to this level .
Nowadays I prepare well with small change in advance against these "allah karim mam" scammers

I give tip with pleasure when I am satisfied .It is usually 15 % . But I get furious when they want to dictate ...
the other day the driver did not turn where I told him to do so ... then I told him three times to turn at the next street - then he yelled at me " no speaking " you speaking once' enough ... when I told him that I m the customer then he answered yes - you customer and you speak once ..he told me with such a male pride that I really felt like giving him a punch
someone really should inform these guys about acceptable manners in qatar

I was invited to a reception . The catering service was provided by the Diplomatic Club .We had some crudites as appetizer . There was a nice but not too big selection of salads as entree . Then we had to wait a lot for the sishtaouk and the kofta - as it was a self service we had to queue for twenty minutes or more ... this was my only concern - somehow they should have organized better this part . Or it might be not their fault at all - but my hosts .
The main dishes were also excellent- though not the number one in Doha ( i know a cheap Turkish eatery where they make better sishtaouk) - they came with samosas and grilled potatoes and vegetables . I tried their tiramisu cake - it was a real gourmet taste with strong coffee flavor . The assorted fruit cake was not my favorite one.It tasted like a cheap supermarket cake .
The drinks were the usual ones - but no fantasy ...orange juice ,sodas ,mineral water .
It is possible to make great cocktails without alcohol as well ...
The waiters and waitresses were wonderful . Helpful ,intelligent but not servile .
That is what I miss at times in Doha . Many times you can meet here unskilled people serving you ... either they are arrogant or servile ... the art of serving with dignity should be taught - I think .
I remember once a Chinese waiter helped me with the kids and bags at a cafe in Doha . When we were already outside the cafe he bowed in front of me at a deep angle .Such things frighten me and I had not returned the place for longtime though it is my number one cafe in Doha .
People coming from far eastern countries should be informed about that bowing is not seen as a form of respect here .Generally one should not bow in front of anybody else than God - according to the Quran's teachings .I know people who do not let their kids go to karate club for this reason .They object the usual bow in front of the karate master .
The main supervisor at the reception arranged for us seats at once as he saw I was standing with a sleeping toddler in my arms . Though it was a standing reception - there were few tables as well ... I liked what he did and how he did it very much ...

Sword dance of Qatar
original video by me

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from February 25, 2010 through March 31, 2010 at 11:59pm PT.

details

Warm up Ladies !

Doha Mini Marathon for ladies only is coming !
20th february( next saturday)
Aspire zone 10 am
4 km jogging race

Learn more abou the event

14th February
Valentine Day in the western world
Tiger year's first day in China
Buso jaras - end of the winter festivities in Hungary !
What a coincidence !

Rydges Hotel in Doha Pulled down


Though I have never been there it was very familiar building for me .. it was not far from our home and i could see it from the window ....it looked a building in good condition ...but it is said to have been built in wrong location .. so it was bought from the owner and demolished ...I have never seen something like that ...our pride is rather to preserve the buildings in Hungary ...

I missed the Doha Food festival

I feel really sorry that I missed this festival . The first one in the city . All the restaurants came together and were offering their dishes for a value price . The most expensive dish was only 15 riyal( less than $5) - and it means five star hotels cuisine .The cheapest ones were 5 riyal - and i guess a lots of tasty things among them . The thing that I like in Doha that everyone can find a restaurant whatever his means are . The inexpensive restaurants offer many times really good dishes .My husband brings meals from such eateries at times and I remember an Indian egg plant dish for breakfast and a kind of grilled chicken pieces with wonderful bread from a Turkish eatery .

Numbers

121 accidents in Qatar on a single day due to a sand storm with wind of 24 knots

14C degrees minimum temperature = winter in Qatar

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You might not find always the souvenir you like in Qatar's gift shops .In this case you can browse my designs .Fridge magnets are always seen and practical gifts .
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See tricks of online shopping in Qatar

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Qatari woman at the taxi station

It was at Villaggio Mall 's taxi station ... there were around three families waiting ... There was a queue . Then came up a Qatari(looking) woman -she stood right to the first place to get the first taxi coming ... The Indian supervisor sent her to the last place - taboor -he said ... the woman did not want to accept ... she could not understand how this Indian guy is sending her to the last place ... after all she is Qatari ...
But the supervisor was firm and sent her to wait ....
I could see through her veil how much she felt humiliated ... she had to wait like a foreigner ..she tried to call her family - but nobody had time .... then she just stood there staring bitterly into the dark parking space ... She must have been thinking about the golden age of Qatar when the Hindi guys served them first and would not dare to tell them taboor...Things have changed .....

Buffet breakfast - Le Notre , Villaggio Mall

Though I was not fascinated by the lunch we had there a year ago - I decided then to try their breakfast . The buffet table's selection were not as big as I expected ...though there were a large selection of cakes - somehow this was not exactly the thing I wished to have for my breakfast .I expected a lots of bakery products , some cereals - but we foud some little croissants and that was all . We were almost disappointed and took some grilled frankfurters and some salads with tiny sandwiches when it turned out that some parts of the breakfast are served for you as it is freshly prepared . In a bowl they served the rolls and bread - which were excellent ... their American coffee was also very good . The selection of drink is only tea or coffee . I expected some freshly made orange juice - but such thing was not included in the price . They served for as an omlette -which was rather a plain thing ,falafel -wonderful and the freshly made fatira stuffed with cheese or vegetables were also five star dish .
As you can notice it was a blend of Arabic and continental morning dishes ...
After all it was not bad - especially if you know what to expect ...The place was half empty - some local families had breakfast there and some western looking ones .. The background music was the jazz hits from 1930's ...The waitresses really were waiting , standing by to take away the plates or to serve you .
You pay 59 QR for that + 12% service charges ...
As not too many places have buffet breakfast in Doha - this place can be called the number one buffet breakfast cafe here ...