Saturday, March 22, 2008

HAPPY EASTER !

Creating an Easter ambiance here in Doha is difficult .We do not have spring here at this time - it is like summer 21C -31C .After that -there are no tulips or daffodils here -at least I did not ever see those flowers here .Our relatives are not here either : essential thing for a great holiday .Especially that the Great Hungarian Sprinkling Day at Easter requires male relatives who would sprinkle on you some water .( my husband never understands why it is so important for us )
What do we have ? Eggs to dye .Red food color . Internet to keep in touch .Delicious cakes I bought at the Center supermarket .Their bakery is really wonderful and I am a little bit tired to bake .And Duna tv to watch some old American film and other one on the life of Mother Teresa .That's how a Hungarian Easter in Doha .


Wednesday, March 19, 2008

MY BEST SELLING TIE

When I was a little girl I liked those fine dots very much and I always wished to see my father in such tie .But he did not like the idea . I have just designed some ties with dots - and I wanted to know how others like dots in men’s fashion .
I put the question in a discussion forum for ladies and here are the answers I got:
I just don’t think polka dots belong on a tie.
If they are tiny, I like polka dots. But I don’t like the big 70s-style dots.
I’ve got nothing against polka dots in general, but IMO, some of those ties require sunglasses.
I do like the capuccino, cafe latte, burgundy dots, and fine dotted blue. I would never buy the very LOUD plaids and blocks though. But someone out there may like those.
Different strokes for different folks.
I would never buy anything polka dot for a man.
Truthfully, I don’t think I would ever see ties like those on men in my company...not even the gay ones.


This were the answers I got . I wonder what do you think about men wearing necktie with polka dots ?

Ides of March is an important date in Hungarian history : it was the date of an uprising in Pest in 1848 which later lead to a Freedom war .When I was in my twenties -we celebrated it in Pest with loud demonstrations - and anti -government slogans - citing the 12 points of those rebels whom we commemorated .
Here ,in Doha the Hungarian embassy gave a garden -party with goulash some years ago - these were nice reunions of the Hungarian living here .
This year there was nothing at all .
A Roman chatholic church was opened with 2000 seats .There is an estimated number of 150 thousand Christians living here temporary - out of whom 100 thousand is Roman Chatholic .
However ,the church was not full at all .

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Talmacsi,the Hungarian did not win the Losail race as he had planned .His motorcycle let him down .
However I am very proud of him - and it is a great feeling that one of my compatriots is performing very well here in Qatar .
My male relatives in Hungary were very much excited about this race .They strongly encouraged me to go to Losail to support him .The race took place 10 pm - and I do not know exactly how to get to Losail .The guys of our family could not really understand how I can miss such important event !:)
HAJRA MAGYAROK !






Balhmabar restaurant
We went there around two weeks ago after visiting the Robot Zoo at the Corniche .As we approached the restaurant we saw somebody going unconscious and the guests of the restaurant all jumping up from their chairs and were standing around the poor woman - who had nobody with her on that sunny afternoon . I kindly asked if she was breathing then they became happy for a moment thinking of me that I was a doctor - and for a moment I really wished I was one .As the ambulance arrived we left the scene to look around the restaurant itself .In the terrace a large shami Arab family was celebrating something with a delicious looking cake .Otherwise there were western looking tourists relaxing there .The waiter was a young Qatari .Real rarity - some people could not even believe me that a Qatari takes up a job where he has to serve other people - especially serving the non - Qatari ! Well- he did not do it with pleasure ! He turned up for a short time then he escaped .As I did not wish to wait for ages _ I entered the restaurant to order some drinks and egg custard .Traditionally built Arab house with thick walls is the restaurant building .Rustic interior design - calm ,quiet atmosphere .Some Qatari families just finished their lunch .There is an open buffet for 100 rial .Otherwise one can not eat much there !
The egg custard was very good - it had some extra oriental flavour added - I think it was rose water - and it was really something special .
When the waiter appeared I told him to bring the bill . Fifteen minutes later I ran out of patience and went inside the restaurant again . He was not busy at all -sitting quietly at his desk - the least caring about my bill. When he saw me he apologised .
Besides this special local way of serving - this place had impressed me very much .We were sitting in the terrace with sea view .The massive structure of the building isolated us from the busy city -and it was very calm there .
I do recommend anyone to sit there but only in case one has plenty of time ...
How I recovered in two days from a bad flu ?
I had been taking care of my ill four year old for a week when the flu attacked me on my turn . Usual symptoms : pain everywhere ,high temperature ,very painful coughing .
It reminded me a similar bad flu which had attacked me 17 years back in my twenties .Then it took me more than three weeks to recover .
Now I remembered what I read about the vitamin C and how to cure ourselves .I took one tablet of vitamin C C(1000 mg) every half an hour until it caused diarrhea .Then I took only one or two in the afternoon .The day after I repeated the vitamin C intake and like a miracle I became much better and I was able to get up from my bed and to do the housework .
So easy ,isn't it ? It is difficult to believe since it is so simple !
17 years ago I spent one week in bed - then another week just lazing around the house .We had a holiday booked in the mountains - I had to go . But I still felt terribly weak at times .As we were riding up and down the hills I had big pain on my ear drums . It was a wonderful Indian summer around us we were living in a villa in the middle of the forest and I was not able to enjoy it at all . Then as we were walking in the forest I found some rose hips _ I collected them. When we were kids we used to have a lots of rose hip tea - but it became somehow forgotten . I ate them fresh I drank some infusion ... It worked like a miracle : half day later all my symptoms had vanished ... and i enjoyed a lot our holidays ...



Monday, March 10, 2008

There was a cultural festival in Qatar last week . It started by Placigo Domingo concert and ended by another opera Il barbiere di Siviglia and Demis Roussos concert . There were a lots of events during this one week - exhibitions and theatre plays : fireworks and old boats show .
I wished to go and see it all - but like a typhoon -a virus swept across our house leaving everybody lying in bed with high temperature - so either I was treating my ill family members or I was ill myself - not able to go .

Sunday, March 02, 2008

A sentence that has frightened me : "Qatar Airways will be the first airline in the world to power commercial aircraft with natural gas . "




Thursday, February 21, 2008

Che Bello ! Romano Macaroni Grill

I have a stomach ache after eating the kids menu''s pasta with cheese . It was very heavy:in thick cheese sauce there was some floating pasta .My child refused to eat it at once . I had some salad and sandwiches - it was good - not fantastic .The service was excellent . The tables are covered with white sheets of paper - our waiter introduced himself and wrote his name on the paper with a chalk .We laughed and liked the idea .Kids were given a magazine and some chalks to color .It was excellent still they are coloring .The white sheet was also attractive I saw others as discovering the artist in themselves and are drawing on the table .So did we .Waiting for the meals was fun .Besides the chalks we got a round bread and some olive oil .It was oven fresh and tasty .If only they gave some water cheaper ! One bottle of water was 10 rial ! The waiters were wearing extravagant ties .Each of them different ones .For we can recognize our one .
The kids meal came with a drink with extra fillings and an ice cream - vanilla one in chocolate sauce - it was excellent .
Lovely place .Little bit pricey : a kids menu was 18 rial , the sandwiches with salad 29 rial .
TALK Of THE WEEK

According to a new law no landlord is allowed to increase the rent until further orders.
Qatar became too expensive - and the inflation became too high .All of it started around four years ago when rents started to go up in price .Officially -it is said that there are more newcomers than available flats -but one living here can clearly see that there are too many new ,empty flats here with terrible high rent .

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

HAPPY VALENTINE !



Retro hearts binder
Retro hearts by almawad
Design a 3 ring binder at zazzle







MY BEST SELLING DESIGNS AT MY ZAZZLE SHOP
1. THE tee is a funny text design .it makes me happy that it is understood .
2 I have never dreamt in my life that I would be a designer for US post stamps a day-as it happened to me .
Winter is over .Spring is here .Birds are singing happily all the day .The park is full of people "no more cold - everyone is happy " feeling is common .Kids are wearing pullovers but the bold threw it -and wearing t-shirts .

Valentine Day is coming .Last week I saw the Royal plaza with splendid decor for this day .
There is a jewelry fair and expo in the city .Seef hotel invited me and my husband ( comme il faut par ici ) for two nights at the price of one night .Other hotels and restaurants are inviting us for a dinner .
The conservative imams are telling their usual speech : no imitating of westerner is allowed ,no pagan traditions ! The milder imams approve valentine day -but only for wife and husband .
So ,it is just the usual mid-February here .

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

A SIXTY -FIVE YEAR OLD STORY


It was a very strange evening in Al- Bida park . It was late March - the weather started getting warm . After sunset it became all misty . The fog covered the park not evenly but in patches . When the park 's lights were on -it became even more whimsical .I was watching people walking on the paths - and disappearing in the dense fog then appearing again . Young ,slender girls walked into the mist like serious fairies in their black outfit and walked out of it .
. Pop corn, curry , biriyani , cardamom smell all mixed with the cool air from the sea . The park was loud with happy families relaxing , having picknick ,playing . Apart from the weather -it was a usual Friday night .
We met our friends there . Our children were playing ball and we were having hot tea and samosas and telling stories of our childhood .
Riding home we got stuck in a traffic jam . MY husband started to talk about the new car that we should buy .
And while he went on analysing the different models -I hardly could hear what he was telling .
IN my mind a picture appeared , a blurred but irresistible one . I stared into the lines of car to see he picture sharply :

I saw a woman walking on a country road . She was walking slowly with a big packet on her back . Hopelessly she moved forward . On her back there was a child crying :" Is it still far ?"
" Hush " - she kept answering " Soon we will be at home " - but less and less hope she had .Will somebody would feel sorry for her and take them?..
People in her village did no like what she did . When something started to grow on the neck of her little child
they kept telling her ;" God gave the child God takes her " ""we are not aristocrats , but poor villagers - we can not afford an operation "
But my grandmother had different view on this . She sold whatever she could and went to the town's hospital .
The doctor was rude to her ;" What do you want , Woman ?"
"Please , remove this from her neck " she was pointing to the small ball sized thing growing on her daughters neck .
"Where is your husband ?" " I am divorced ,I have no husband ." The doctor became furious hearing that :
" No husband ? What do you think ?An operation is too much money !!"
"Please ,listen to me ""It is true ,I have no husband -but I do have money ,I sold whatever I could - and if it is not enough I still have some lands to sell "
This way the doctor was ready to examine the little girl .He did not look into the her eyes when he took the money .Only little remained - my grandmother had to pay for accommodation and bought a little ,cheap toy for the five year old with a wound on her neck ...
There was no money left for paying for a bus ticket or horsed carriage ...
She took the child in the morning from the hospital and at sunset still there were some kilometres ahead of them . She had expected to arrive home before midnight . But there were also good men in her village .One of them stopped and took them home on his carriage ...

The next morning my grandmother went to the market to sell her fruit and vegetables and bought pigeons for the little girl .She had fed her by pigeon soup and she was living on bread and water . She was in great mood .She won .In spite of all the talk of the village -she saved her little girl .The doctor told her that type of cancer will not grow back most probably .
And he was right ! MY mum has just celebrated her 70 th birthday !


Slowly we arrived home from the park .We were packing our things and trying to arrange our memories . The misery of 1940 's today is only history in Hungary . But Europe is a long way from here . The distance is painfully big at times !

Thursday, January 31, 2008



Mandala of the day .In cherry colors .

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

UPCOMING EVENTS IN QATAR

Qatar cycling event TOUR DU QATAR from 28th February till
2 February more info

FIRST ARAB STAMPS EXHIBITION
location :Villagio mall
from 30 January to 3 February



Wheels'n heels
cycling ,walking , roller skating all along the Corniche from
the Sheraton till the Village
starting point : Sheraton ,at noon

Sailing Gulf Regatta

from 3 - 9 February
Location: Doha sailing club

Jewelry Fair

CIRCUS
until 15th March
location : Hyatt plaza
from 5.30 - 7.15 every night
at weekends there is one more show from 7.45
tickets : fro: 33 QR to 100QR

CAMEL RACE
location :Al Shahaniya (30 km from Doha )
more info :487 20 28

PLACIDO DOMINGO CONCERT
more info
Tickets can be bought ay Virgin book shop at Villagio

DOHA CULTURAL FESTIVAL
from 28 FEbruary -to 6th March

HOrse race
every TUESDAY at 4 pm till March
more info

Saturday, January 26, 2008

NEW RESTAURANTS IN DOHA

La Veranda restaurant + cafe
The largest food court in Qatar .
Location : to the back of Ramada Plaza Hotel
tel: 4411919

private chambers for families
there is a lounge for ladies only

Le Central
Italian ,Japanese + international cooking
location " La Cigale Hotel
tel:

Irish Harp pub , restaurant
location : Sheraton Hotel
tel :974.485.4449

Krispy Kreme for doughnut fans
it opens 1 st February in the villagio

CHe bello

Tuesday, January 22, 2008



mandala of the day .
one of my golden mandalas .

Monday, January 21, 2008

If I were a cat



If I were a cat I would like to live a healthy ,free life . Perhaps I would like to have the right for reproduction but surely I would like to be cured if I were ill .
I would be surprised very much if those people who catch me to neutralize called themselves my friends . As it is the case here in Doha – and I guess in many other parts of the world .
And worse than that they condemn me to death if I were ill.( they would kill me softly – this makes them think they are great )
If I were a cat I would run far far away from QCC ( qatar cat friends organisation) !

P.S. And for those Qatari residents who would complain on me that I enter the staircase and I make dirt and noise I would send this message : „ do not kill us – just mend your entrance doors „

If I were a cat ...
expat Qatar