Living Breathing Doha

Thanks for the frienship

2010-07-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to those who made such a difference in my life during my stay in Doha - Laurie & Nicki, Dave & Pat, Chris & Diana, Laisean, KC, Chris & Mark, my colleagues, Faye, the BOSS, Mohamed, and not forgetting the office lads Ahli, Jibhan, Basantha, and countless others who I have met in the course of work, or through friends.

It has been a pleasure knowing all of you, and hope to see you some time, somewhere in the not too distant future!

Cares & hugs...till we meet again, Mart

Eat, Work, Play - Parting Words

2010-07-26T21:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

As I head towards the finishing line, I take a moment to trot down amnesia lane...so, before I say farewell to all my comrades, some thoughts (certainly not the last ones) to share with my fans and followers.

Eat, Work, Play:

Eat - I quite enjoyed the communal makan (eating) sessions. Food always taste better and goes down well when you have good friends to share it with. From the rather posh (W Hotel, Inter Continental) to fast food cum food court fare (Sushi Minto, Butcher's Grill, Applebee's, TGIFs, Bhukari, Marmara, Turkey Central, etc.), there's a meal for everyone. But of all the foods that Doha has to offer, and being Asian (and loving all things hot & spicy), I have to make special mention of a few places that kept my palette going. My top 10 favourites are:

1. Thai Snack (great one meal dish off the menu but too much MSG)

2. Sentral (big Friday hit in an area I like to describe as the "war zone")

3. Restaurant Jarkarta (recently opened, and has good take-aways of tempe, Indonesian snacks, etc. The Bakso is very good)!

4. Wok & Walk (I thank my colleague for finding this gem of a szechuan place, opp. the Qatar National Library @Sana R/A, and the cook is CHINESE!!!)

5. Asian Noodles (more upmarket, in City Centre. The char kway teow is quite good).

6. Taste of Asia (a hot & stuffy cafe near the airport where you can get your "fix" for roti canai and curry)

7. Lagenda cafe (good malaysian fare @Holiday Villa, aka the "Titanic"). Good cuppa teh tarik!

8. Chopstix (also @the Titanic; good selection of chinese fare and the cook is a Malaysian)

9. Beijing Restaurant (just opposite Ramada Hotel. Really good roast duck)

10. Chowking (mix of Filipino and Chinese; food is reasonably priced and the crispy chicken is finger lickin' good).

Work - .......hmmmmm......I have some nice colleagues.........hmmmm.....................but seriously, working conditions are reasonable. You start early (730am) and finish off by the afternoon (330pm), and during the Ramadhan season, working hours are shorter with most government offices closing at about noon, or in my case, at about 130pm. Workers with families find that they get to spend much more quality time with their spouses and their children, which may not be the case in Singapore. I think the kids here have a better and all-rounded childhood experience as they are not so pressurised by school work, or under the strain of peer pressure. Then, there's the leave days which is 37 days for me, not counting another 10 public holidays. The salary package is quite attractive and to top it off, it's TAX FREE! Working in Doha is good. While I've laid bare all things nice and sweet, what about the downside of working in Doha? Well, for starters, you have to have loads of patience; the patience to deal with all things that don't quite move as smoothly as you would like them to perform. You have to expect the unexpected and not assume that you will have certain things completed, delivered, or in working order. Why else would you hear people say "Inshallah"? Some things are bound to go wrong. Sometimes you just have to shake your head and laugh it off. It's best not to lose your marbles over such incredulous situations. Working in a company that's like a united nations post can be quite colourful, but at the same time quite clique-ish. My colleague likes to refer to them as the "mafia", where two or more of the same nationality bond together. My colleagues have varied backgrounds and experiences, particularly my arab colleagues who are a good source to providing insights and wisdom into the teachings of the Quran, and of sharing their stories of their homeland, their culture, their philosophy. I shall miss them very much as some of them have been quite inspiring to work with.

Play - my favourite topic, after eating! :0)

We work 8 hours a day, five out of seven, and sitting down in front of the computer screen, in a room with no windows....well, it just sucks the living daylight out of you! To de-stress, the gym and the swim pool are my main outlets of letting off steam. When friends plan an activity, we get out to catch a movie, go for a walk, or do whatever we need to do to get our hearts pumping, perform some mental gymnastics or just plain staying sane. We have to make good use of the 5-6 months of good weather before the heat gets the better of everyone.

Friends have asked: "...are you sad leaving Doha?"

Most certainly! When I look at my photo albums, and read earlier postings in my blog, I can say I have done so many wonderful and adventurous things. Together, we chat about our lives, loves, hopes, dreams, aspirations, be it over a meal, a snack, an ice cream or a coffee. Yes, we also talk about the weather, whether in Doha, Manchester or in Singapore! It's been an amazing journey, and although I leave Doha to return home (no doubt, very happy), I shall be missing the people who have made a great difference in my life. I am truly blessed to have met them all in Doha, and they shall ever remain close to my heart.

So, many cares to all who have followed me on my Qatar sojourn that has lasted for a year and a half, and as the Islamic greeting goes:

“Peace be upon you” - As-Salaamu ‘Alaykoum السلام عليكم

Till we meet again, Mart

Away, away...from Doha

2010-07-12T01:50:00.000-07:00

I used to think that Bangkok was a good place to start to fly anywhere else in the world for cheap...this still holds true, but if you go by distance, Doha is actually a good base to start from to access middle eastern and european connections. Fares are certainly not cheap, particularly during the high travel season starting from April (Easter), then about late June to August/September (before the start of Ramadhan, 1st eid (Al Fitr) and 2nd eid (Al Adha) and from November, December, and into the new year.

Personally, my 37-days of leave entitlement (when I tell my friends this, it draws envious reactions) allows me to travel out anywhere. But I am such a home-girl; I always choose to return to my crowded little island and spend quality time with my family and friends, and of course, with my favourite pets, whether they be mine or home to others. So I make at least two trips home. Considering that it gets too hot to spend any time outdoors in the summer in Doha or any place else in the Middle East, I would rather be home bringing my mum out, chatting with my friends in the East Coast, going about my exercise routine either by myself or in the company other sweaty bodies, and enjoying my comfort foods of fish porridge, bak chor mee or whatever my tastebud desires.

But I return to Doha... only to leave this place for good. And before I make that exit, I thought I would make a visit or two to other regions of the GCC.

So with my little rucksack, I went on a one-day excursion with some friends to Bahrain, and a solo trip to Dubai.

Bahrain is a charming little gulf state, with a few sights to offer to visitors. In and around the town centre, drop in at the Bahrain National Museum for a bit of history lesson. Then continue on your journey around the old part of town and make your way for something local at the central market where you'll find a good selection local produce of meats, fish, dates, and assortment of fruits and vegetables. Not too far from the town centre, you can also visit the Qala'at al-Bahrain (Bahrain Fort). For a lebanese lunch and a McDonald's softee ice-cream, drive out to the King Fahd Causeway which will take you to the border of Saudi Arabia. Beyond the city limits, make your way to the Bahrain F1 International circuit and the wildlife sanctuary. Drive back into town, and spend your time in one of the large malls, and dine at one of the fancy restaurants and end the evening lounging at one of the cafes to people watch.

By contrast, Dubai is a different gulf state all together, where everything is on a grand scale -biggest malls (Dubai Mall where there's also the largest aquarium ever built in a shopping mall), tallest buildings (Burj Khalifa), grandest hotels (the 7* Burj Al Arab), the tallest flag pole and one oversized national flag; the largest man-made island (The Palms and the World), the tallest minaret (the Grand Jumeirah Mosque), indoor ski resort (Mall of the Emirates)...but all that glitters in this glamourous city is not gold as the powers that be try to find their way out of a colossal debt. As I make my way around the city, I see people on the move, very crowded malls, people spending money, long cab queues, families of all nationalities congregating at the parks, traders loading the dhows with varied goods and appliances, busy souks and people from all walks of like on the abras crossing the creek from dawn to dusk. Doesn't feel like there's a credit crunch...then again, I'm just your solo weekend tourist-warrior enjoying the sights and sounds of Dubai...sitting on a BIG BUS.

Till next time...

About World Cup and Turtles

2010-07-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

Footie virus has spread all across Doha, and turtles have landed at Fuwarit beach!

Let's talk about soccer first. While Singaporeans were fuming over the subscription prices they had to fork-out to watch the once in every four year live matches, many in Doha were content to just pay S$140. There were no boycotts and/or petitions going around the desert. Everyone just got on with life, and we were all about it - I think I've seen more WC fixtures being printed off the laserjet than my agreements! Tea boys, colleagues were happy to relive glorious goal moments and recant flops and guffaws of goalies strikers and midfielders. People were keen to head home early to catch the last few minutes of a game, or stay in on a Friday-Saturday evening at home to watch with family and friends. Bars, food courts, restaurants got in on the action as well, setting up screens of all sizes to draw the crowds. I am quite enjoying it, this seasonal footie flu, of sharing the joy of a goal being scored, or the sadness of my two Mancunians neighbours when England exited from the WC. Sigh.

In the midst of this soccer frenzy, baby turtles were making their way out of the desert-beach @Fuwarit. Managed by Qatar University Environmental Studies Centre, Mr. Shafeek, the guardian over these hawksbill baby turtles, was pleased to let us have an up close and very personal encounter with these sea creatures. No bigger than the palm of my hand, I held one which was all too eager to break free and head...towards the light. I've swam with turtles in Tioman, I've seen mummy turtles lay their eggs on Christmas Day in Sri Lanka, and now, I can proudly proclaim that I've held one in my hand!

If you can’t make it to Fuwarit beach, then check out the satellite tracked turtles in the Gulf at http://www.gulfturtles.com/

Click on Satellite Tracking, then Track the Turtles to see the list of Gulf Turtles. The following are Qatari turtles: Q (adopted by CNA-Q students), 53010, 53011, 53013, and 53015.

Till next time, Mart

How to make friends...and keep them

2010-06-28T07:09:00.001-07:00

I know I am off my schedule for this blog submission, but I had a mental block over the weekend. I knew my topic would be about friendship-relationships, but I just could not find the words to express myself. Then on Monday early morning, sieving through my emails, I received an email from my colleague. “You are cordially invited to a BBQ with my family…” – this was quite a surprise; an invite from a Qatari. I could not decline, as he gave me no option to refuse. Frankly, invitations like these from a native Q is rare. The Q social web is not accessible to outsiders. I have not heard anyone lay claim to a friendly infiltration into Q hospitality. I was rather fortunate.

So how/what was the experience like? Noting the prime address/location, I expected to visit a mansion- or palace-like house, and yes, it was at least a double bungalow! But I did not score quite well on my other assumptions and it all vanished when I was greeted by my colleague dressed down in shorts, Ts and flip-flops, holding in his hand a can of beverage of the spirits kind! What a contrast, as I would normally see him at the office in his traditional arab robe and tuk.

I was quite humbled by the whole experience, of meeting his wife, son and relations, their warmth and sincerity, openness, sharing a simple Arabic BBQ dinner with foreigners, light-hearted banter under an exceptionally and unusually cool summer's evening. This was a picture-perfect setting.

In between servings of yummilicious grilled chicken, homemade hummus, fattoush and other Arabic fare, my colleague shared with me his work philosophy, and his thoughts about people. "...they are assets, yani...but we must treat them well...and what they want to feel...is encouragement...if we don’t manage relations well, they will leave…”. Although he was saying this in the context of work relations, I felt that it held true in any kind of relationship one would chance upon. The friendships I have formed in Doha have been encouraging, and I treasure them very much. Even though I am somewhat sad to leave Qatar, and unable to manage the friendship closely (ie. staying on and bonding together regularly), I take heart knowing that some time, some day, somewhere, in a not so distant future, we would cross paths, and write a new history.

Till next time, Mart

Entertaining Doha...Part 2

2010-06-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

During the winter months in Qatar, locals and expats spend long hours outdoors, enjoying the cool air. It's really nice and you can get quite a lot of things done, recreationally speaking. So from late-ish October till about late March, Doha comes alive with sporting events galore, people enjoying picnics at the beach or on the lawn by the Corniche, camping, catching a camel race, dune trailing, etc. It's also a great time to spend lounging at open air cafes and restaurants. Souq Waqif is a great people watch area in the late afternoon till late night.

Alas, tis summer, and the air is hot and heavy, with temperatures racing towards the 50deg.C mark! Many will take refuge indoors, away from the sweltering summer heat. But life still goes on, and I would still busy myself to find something to do, albeit an indoor activity. Doha doesn't find you, you find it! You just have to make the effort to find it, then get out and do it.

There are things to do in Doha *surprise* aside from shopping and eating. Friends are a good source of finding things to do in town. And having the company of friends to do it with is twice the fun!

Take my recent excursion to Villagio's newest attraction GONDOLANIA - an indoor theme park to cater to kids of all ages. There's a 4-D cinema (that extra 1D lets you feel the thrill and excitement of the movie, including a water-spritz in the face), roller-coaster ride, ten-pin bowling and other usual arcade/fair-like games. But the main attraction for me is the indoor go-cart circuit! For 10-minutes, you buckle up for a good dose of adrenalin-rush, whizzing round a 250m track, being the Schumi, Weber or Hamilton in the bucket seat. You tackle tight corners, controlling the wheels with two foot pedals - one for brakes and the other for acceleration. The air is filled with the revving sound of go-cart engines and the smell of burnt rubber. At the end of it, it's just very happy faces having gone out for a spin on the fast-track.

So, to sum-up, Doha isn't all that boring, well, at least for 5-6 months of the year, but admittedly, you do have to have a circle of friends who take the effort to look up for happenings in and around Qatar, who bother to plan outings, arrange gatherings and include little ol' me in such sessions. Call it "group therapy", as it has surely kept me sane and alive!

Till next time, Mart

Entertaining Doha...Part 1

2010-06-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Sunday to Thursday - in the office grinding away. Come Friday and Saturday, and it's PRISON BREAK! :)
What to do IN Doha? I have to don my thinking cap and think for sometime, particularly during summer months (late March, beginning of April). If you want to plan an excursion outdoors in the summer, you either have to plan it very very early in the morning, or late-ish in the afternoon, just before sunset. In any case, most activities will take place indoors.
There are three over-populated malls in Doha - City Centre, Landmark, and Villagio. So, with a population of 1678568 (1274013 males/ 4044555 females), you can imagine how busy these malls are. Single men have a harder time getting into the malls, and you have very alert security guards policing entrances, making sure only "Families" make their way in. I was told by a friend that some enterprising single ladies will "hire" themselves out to bachelors - these "instant" families are in within the minute, and the affair ends when they are out of sight of the guards. Such family tales do come true in Doha.
I LOVE MOVIES, so die, die I must make my way to the cinema to catch up on the latest - Doha has it all - 2D, 3D, IMAX. I can't really complain BUT, catching a movie in Doha has its ups and downs; downside, you don't get to watch the full content of the movie. Sure, there are ratings, but hey, this is Qatar, so expect some scenes (amorous or not) to be snipped away leaving you in the director's chair to "imagine" the censored bits. More often than not, you get to hear Lady Gaga "singing" in the background, or a couple, just seated a few seats from you, narrating the entire film in Arabic, or four teenage boys deciding that it's far better to play musical chairs in the cinema without parental supervision. Now, that's what I call entertainment!

Stay tuned, folks...I'll be back...

Till next time, M

Episode 3: Food, Food, Glorious Food!

2010-05-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

You only have to say FOOD, and that brings everyone together. I have enjoyed sharing my meals with other passionate foodies. My Tour de Feast begins @7 Pearls to the fancy 5* Hotels @West Bay, and then from Al Saad to the villa compounds of friends and beyond; my food journey in Qatar has been a gastronomic feast of flavours and aroma. My Fridays are spent either on my own or in the seat of friends' cars going on the makan (eating) trail - whether it's visiting regular haunts or checking out new ones after reviews from friends who will tell you it's a MUST TRY makan place. Aside from the restaurant fare, there's a good deal of home cooked food to rave about. You have to have friends who know of other friends who are excellent "house-chefs"! And a meal is only good if you have others to share it with. Will most definitely miss the company more!

Till next time.

Episode 2: BASANTHA, WHERE'S MY CAFFEE

2010-05-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

...bellows my colleague to the Tea boy. Every workday morning, Basantha faithfully infuses the air with the aroma of coffee. He's on his feet, pacing the corridors of our rooms, making sure that we have enough of that black liquid to keep us going.

I shall miss my regular order of Basantha's "Special" tea - ceylon tea with evaporated milk. By about 10am, David, Laurie and myself will nip down Salam Tower to visit Bava in his 5foot container of tidbits/snacks, drinks and shwarma egg rolls.
How I will miss my tea-time delights with my workmates. The idea of sitting in our chairs for 8 hours is a torture both mentally and physically. So we find some form of reprieve by leaving the confines of our "prison cell" to have our tea time at Bava's. I shall miss these people who have made a difference to my work day.

Here's a quote I like from J. Paul Getty:
Going to work for a large company is like getting on a train. Are you going sixty miles an hour or is the train going sixty miles an hour and you're just sitting still?
...and I pose this question to myself every workday.

Till next time

Episode 1: Fetch Rover, Fetch Kia

2010-05-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here's little boy blue and the quicksilver dude
travelling here, there and everywhere.
From a city that's mad to the Max to
West of the Bay,
Helping happy travellers to their journey
Far and beyond

Go Rover, Go Kia
You take me from the pearly gates of seven
rolling steadfast and true
meandering and cornering
over paths of rock, sand and dune

Roll Rover, Roll Kia
wandering with cautious care
at round-a-bouts with your senses all aware
as you greet your metallic crew
of Cruiser, Posh, Lamb and Jag

Park Rover, Park Kia
basking in the sun
ever watchful and waiting
for a spot in the shade
and a blessed shower or two

Good lads, Rover and Kia
little boy blue and the
quicksilver dude

May 23, 2010 - 'Camelicious Camel Burgers'

2010-05-22T22:22:00.000-07:00

DUBAI - 'DON'T miss yummy camel burger' reads the Dubai restaurant's sign, putting a Western twist on traditional fare to entice adventurous tourists into giving camel meat a chew.

Camel meat is eaten throughout the Gulf, but Dubai's Local House restaurant targets visitors who may never have bitten into this edible form of desert transport.

'Most of our guests are tourists from different parts of the world,' says Ramesh, a 44-year-old Indian national who has managed the restaurant since it opened in 2004. He says the restaurant was the brainchild of the owner, a local from Dubai who grew up on camel meat and milk. 'With this restaurant (the owner) wanted to (introduce) that to the world as well. That's how it all started,' said Ramesh, who gave only one name.

Camels, sometimes called 'ships of the desert', are a big part of culture in the Arabian Peninsula. In the United Arab Emirates, there are camel races, camel beauty contests and competitions for the tastiest camel cuisine. Camel meat is cooked many ways and sometimes served as a 'shawarma' - grilled meat wrapped in flat bread.

Local House prides itself on its novel burger, but the menu boasts an extensive camel-based offering. 'We have...camel soup, camel salad, then we have the camel burger, camel kebab, camel steak, then we have camel briyani - that is a mixture of rice and camel meat,' says Ramesh, as he rattles off still more menu items.

The restaurant also offers a camel curry dish, grilled camel ribs and the camel special, which is cooked in oyster sauce. 'Camelicious' brand camel milk, milk chocolates and milkshakes made with camel milk are some of the other offerings. The burger costs 35 dirhams (about US$9 or S$12.6), while other dishes range in price between 20 and 72 dirhams (about US$6 and US$20).

Local House customers described their first taste of camel meat as positive. Alanen, a 60-year-old from Finland visiting Dubai with his wife, described the camel burger as 'good'. He tried it because 'my friends say that this place is the only place where we can eat a camel burger'. 'Excellent,' says Anna, a 38-year-old Canadian who tried the camel soup. Karine, 39, a French national living in the UAE, tried the camel briyani and said: 'It was nice. The texture is like mutton, a bit...without the strong taste of the mutton, but it's a bit hard.' --AFP

Home sweet home

2010-05-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

I am such a slacker. I have not been updating my blog so friends, near and far, have asked if I would take up my pen to write again. My answer to that is....why not...I have much to share with my friends, and anyone else who wants to know more about (my on-goings in) Doha.

But my offering to my followers of my blog will be for a limited time only as I will be leaving behind the sun, sand and dune in about 11 weeks time! So, no more tuks and birkhas or Starbucks or Carrefour - I'm returning home to my hawker centres, teh alia tarik (ginger-milk tea) and NTUC supermarkets!

While I am over the moon with having made the decision to return home, I am also sad, that I shall be leaving behind a small group of friends. To these people - THANK YOU for keeping me sane and alive!

To all my followers, stay tuned weekly for a 10 episode run (every Sunday) of the final installment of livedoha.blogspot.com.

To get things started, I shall start with this news article featured recently in the International Herald Tribune. Visit the link to view:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/world/middleeast/14qatar.html?scp=2&sq=doha&st=cse

....and I thought only Singaporeans complained about foreign talent!

Till next time....

Ling & Mag's Amazing Journey to Doha

2009-11-17T21:06:00.000-08:00

Panic...what to do, where to bring them, will they get bored...headache! But, believe it or not, it all went rather well and for about four days, Ling & Mag watched the Brazil vs. England soccer friendly at the Al-Khalifa stadium, swam in the Persian Gulf, took to the desert in a land cruiser for dune-bashing, feasted at some of the better eateries in Doha, took the local bus, walked the streets of Doha and picked up some shopping treasures at Souq Waif & Al Saad shopping district! 7 Pearls apartment became a B&B, and I was happy to have my best mates over to spend some time with...just wished it was longer...

Photo journal of Ling & Mag, go to: Part 1 -http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/FriendsOfDoha2?feat=directlink

Part 2 - http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/FriendsOfDoha?feat=directlink

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

2009-11-17T20:50:00.001-08:00

Here fishy, fishy, fishy...had a really luckless day-out fishing with friends in Doha's rather choppy waters. Others were luckier, catching palm-sized nibblers, but the luckiest fisherman on the boat turned out to be the boat-guide - *sigh*.

Whilst some of my companions were turning a shade of green, kudos to Laurie's 85-year old mum - she was stoic to the end - Lorna's one totally awesome lady! I'm looking forward to the next boat trip, and hopefully better luck at catching my hammour!

Fish-tale photos, go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/DohaFishing?feat=directlink

Aces, deuces & US$1.5million

2009-11-05T03:16:00.000-08:00

MARHABA! I am back on the blog with write-ups on my escapades in Doha. Hope everyone's keeping well.

Summer was sizzling hot, and Ramadan was very quiet at all fronts - for 20days, it was just a five hour per day work week; most or all shops/food vendors operated after 6pm (or when it was time to break fast), and yours truly spent quiet afternoons at the apartment brain-storming on what to cook/eat.

It's still hot and sunny out, but it's a lot cooler in the mornings and evenings. So, with the summer heat out of the way, we can now get down to some serious fun-in-the-sun activities!

I recently attended my first ‘live’ tennis match - the WTA women’s championship . In a word…AMAZING!

Gracing the courts were svelte-like ladies that looked more like supermodels than tennis players! The grounds was covered in royal colours of purple and blue; tennis players were in trendy , colourful sports apparel while balls whizzed by at speeds averaging about 140km/h, and I got some awesome photos to blog about! So what if I didn’t get to watch the famous duo, the Williams’ sisters swatting 'balls of fire'; for QR50 (S$20), I got to watch the Russians/East Europeans thrashing it out amongst themselves. Game, set & match....uber Cool!

For views of the WTA go to:
http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/WTACShip?feat=directlink

Corniche

2009-05-13T08:25:00.001-07:00

The Corniche is a waterfront promenade, where you will find everyone and anyone congregating - for a stroll, a run, a picnic, or buying the catch of the day at the jetty, it's a focal point in Doha's city centre.

If you love the walk along the Esplanade in Singapore, it's something like it, minus the sight of a 'durian' structure or a water-spitting merlion! :0)

Walking along the Corniche (beginning from the Sheration roundabout), you'll past by the National Theatre, the Emiri Diwan, the jetty, the 'pearl in a shell' monument, the Souq Waqif, the Museum of Islamic Art and the Doha Port - about 7km, one way. I know of a colleague, living in the West Bay area, who religiously walks the route every weekend morning. I think it's great to live so close to the Corniche, and to enjoy the promenade activities. But if you're not up to stretching your legs too strenuously, you could board a dhow (similar to a Chinese junk, but the arabic version) and have a leisure cruise around the Corniche.

With summer temperatures rising, there are not very many people on the Corniche in the day time. How to describe the heat - it's like I'm walking towards a furnace, and it's just a blast of hot air coming right at you! Burn, baby, burn!

Come evening time, you'll see quite a few people out on the promenade, doing their own thing and enjoying what outdoor time they can before it's just too hot to do anything.

Here's another photo update of the recent Powerboat race that took place at the Corniche last month. It was a good photo/video opportune moment for both amateurs and professionals alike. I got some fowl action in the waters too!

http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/PowerboatRaceCorniche02?feat=directlink

Till next time, Mart

Things to do in Qatar

2009-05-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's been an eventful past few weeks - time's a-flying fast; this coming 21st May will be my 3rd month in Doha...wah...I'm still alive, and surviving :0)

I've often been asked about how I spend my free time in Doha - most of what I've blogged about are mostly trips out of Doha and into the desert....yes, desert excursions do take up most of my weekends, but it's really quite enjoyable; life in Doha is about "getting out".

So what's been happening? Couple of weekends back, I was up at Sealine Resort for a day and a night with the Wrights and friend. The chalet setting and beach reminded me of the beach resorts at Port Dickson and Kuantan, ala 70's style. I felt I was taking a trip down amnesia lane. It's a nearby getaway from the hustle and bustle of Doha.

Another weekly ritual for some is to head out North to the beaches of Dukhan or Zirkreet/Abrouq. For the latter trip, you'll need a 4WD. It's good to pack a picnic and to start the day early - you avoid the chaos and mayhem of Qatari drivers (or Indian drivers since there are about 400,000 of them (so I've been told, out numbering the Qatari population).

If you want to get yourself fit (and a booze-boost post-run), and get acquainted with other expats, there's always the Hash House Harriers Doha chapter. I was a hash-harriet when I was 10....yes, that was so long ago, when joints and bones were still intact and I had the lung capacity to hash...ah those youthful days...

Indoor-wise, there's shopping, cinemas and cafes that does not require sun-block application. Just make sure you have a good dose of cash. There are some good bargains to be had at the local stores. But you need to be quick; some items fly-off the shelves fast.

The local food-fare is so-so (the usual suspects of fast food chains are everywhere) but there are some good restaurants about Doha - thai, italian, northern/south indian fare...think my next blog featurette will be on food!

Photo update:
http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/ReddottersZirkreetOuting?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/SealineResort?feat=directlink

Till next time, Mart

Brouq Nature Reserve, Reprised

2009-04-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Have GPS will travel!

Yup, it sure helps to have a little gizmo like a Garmin handheld on desert trips.

So with Chris at the helm of his Toyota Land Cruiser, the Wright family and myself, we used the last QNHG co-ordinates to re-visit Brouq Nature Reserve.

Arriving at the film set, there were more ostriches out and about then the last trip, which gave me more photo opportunities for up close shots and a chance to pet one of the more friendlier ostriches.

We journeyed a little further up and settled ourselves at the 'caves'to have our picnic. We then ventured to the beach to wade/swim in the clear, cool waters. It was quite shallow in some areas, but we did manage to spot some above knee level waters for swimming.

Here’s one place that’s flagged on my GPS; a place worth coming back to over and again to chill out with family and friends. Camping, anyone?

Here's the link to view my updated photo and movie journal:

http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/RevisitingBrouqNatureReserve?authkey=Gv1sRgCPCJotLilvvnbg&feat=directlink

Till next time,

Mart

Of camels and dunes

2009-04-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Twas just another fun-filled weekend with the Wright family (including their daughter, Katherine, in from London for the Easter holidays).

This was quite a memorable dune-bashing experience. To really enjoy the ride, go with experienced tour operators as the drive through the dunes can be risky at times; better to have drivers who know the dunes/terrain and their car (a Toyota Land Cruiser, no less).

And speaking of peril, we came across a family along the dunes who met with what seemed like a near fatal accident. Luckily, the driver and presumably, his family members (3 women and 2 children), managed to escape unscathed! The car boot looked like it was packed to full capacity including picnic paraphernalia and a couple of rugs/carpets (if they were test trying their 'magic carpets', they were really very lucky to survive the aftermath).

Our guide Ali and his fellow drivers/guides were quick to react, and they got into gear with the rescue mission to save the family car. Miraculously, the guides managed to ‘resurrect’ the totaled car, and the family was off and away again being led out of the dunes by two land cruisers. As the wrecked car wheeled its way out of the sands, we continued with our tour, making scenic stops along the way.

After that incident, it was clear that Ali was not about to take unforseen/uncalculated risks and strayed away from some of the usual dune-bashing routes. We reached base camp by the beach just a little before sunset.

We had some time to ourselves to wander around base camp before dinner was announced.

The buffet was sumptuous and we dined in large carpeted canopies. By 8 or so, we had to make our way out of the sands; it was amazing to watch the guides meander and maneuver through the soft tracks and out of the dark unlit path. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip/evening; to catch a glimpse of sunset and behold, a full moon. Scenery/landscape aside, I also had good company. Doing it solo would have been no fun and/or excitement, or at all.

Go to the link below to view updated photos. Enjoy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/DuneBashing?feat=directlink

Till next time, Mart

Lightning in Dubai

2009-04-06T23:24:00.001-07:00

For more photos, go to: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-237326

I am not alone

2009-04-06T23:19:00.001-07:00

** Trying to lift the veil on Qatar **
Katya Adler attempts to discover what life is like in one of the Middle East's richest countries.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7981478.stm >

Umm Tays Traverse

2009-04-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

Here's another interesting day-trip with the Qatar Natural History Group.

Only a selected few (about 25pax) get to attend this traverse - so I got real lucky, along with some friends from Singapore (Siew Hua, Philo and Jeff).

Here's the photo link for your viewing:
http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/UmTaysTraverse?authkey=Gv1sRgCOfK95Hoi_7DwwE&feat=directlink

Till next time,

Mart

Rambles & Quizzes

2009-03-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

Hi all

Another weekend, another ramble with the Qatar Natural History Group.
On this excursion, we travelled along the Arabian Gulf coast then inland to Barooq. From ostriches to TV location set and Bedouins on pedestals, one thing’s for sure, a Ramble outing is all about discovering, and if you’re lucky you might pick up a fossil remain or just take in some breath-taking views/scenery.
This ramble was extra special. I met my fellow countrymen who were seasoned ramblers in their own right and they came well prepared from ‘pitching tent’ to preparing some good old fashioned home-cooked foods for their picnic. The family-ness of it all was reminiscent of my outings with my parents to coast of Malaysia. I sure miss those days, but I was glad to see this Singaporean group gathering friends and family members together to commune under a make-shift ‘winnie-the-pooh’ fleece blanket and sharing a yummilicious pot-luck.
With a few hours of rest and wash-up after the ramble, I met up with Lawrie and his wife, Niki , Niki’s sister, Jean and Chris. It was Pub Quiz Night at Al-Khor community club.
For those not too familiar with this British culture, pub quiz is “Who wants to be a Millionaire” minus the glitz and glamour and the million dollars (you do get a prize, but its a small token). It’s a very popular activity in UK watering holes. So instead of just sitting on a bar stool and drinking, pubs may hold regular, weekly quiz nights, generating social stimulus. The quizzes will test your knowledge on topics ranging from Sports trivia, music, history, geography, etc. This culture has spread to other British-themed pubs all over the world (in Singapore, Penny Black) and yes, even in Doha!
Al-Khor community club does not have a pub but to create the atmosphere, you bring your own ‘pub’ in a cooler bag; yes, it’s BYOB – Bring Your Own Bottle.
It was a fun-filled evening of laughter and entertainment as the participating groups were ever ready to take on each quiz dished out by the quiz master.
Even though we didn’t win top prize, it was all done for the fun of it. Cheers!

Photo link: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=marthaleemei&target=ALBUM&id=5318298217728559873&authkey=Gv1sRgCLavpd_l6ebkFw&authkey=Gv1sRgCLavpd_l6ebkFw&feat=email

Till next time, Mart.

Drag racing and ice cream

2009-03-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

Got myself an invite to watch a Drag Race event. An interesting drive out of the city limits and into the industrial part of Doha, aka MAD MAX CITY.

Not quite like Formula 1 racing but it was interesting all the same watching fancy sup'd up cars and bikes screaming down the straight course to clock the fastest time.

With our ear-drums a little numb and hard of hearing (forgot ear-plugs), that didn't deter us from making a detour to Villagio for ice cream @Stone Cold Ice Cream stall. People come here not so much for the flavours of ice cream but more to watch the servers perform; its quite entertaining to watch them dish out a generous helping of ice cream, plonking it onto a cold marble slab and 'goreng' the ice cream balls with a mix of selected ingredients of your choice. Pure entertainment, but a berry good tasting one too.

Photo update link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/DragRacingQRCDoha?feat=directlink

Till next time, Mart

My Weekend - Photo/links update

2009-03-24T03:09:00.000-07:00

Update and more information on OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY PARISH

Other links to church: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iWu5QzLEeuIIV8NPATAd0SSXyL7g

Getting Around Doha - DRIVE THIS!

2009-03-23T07:44:00.001-07:00

If you want to drive in and around Doha with confidence, you need something with a little extra armour and muscle. So it's advisable you get a 4WD rather than a saloon.

Here's a vehicle I thought would be quite useful, and it's quite up to speed with latest car-tech...something to consider...problem is, I don't think it'll quite fit into the parking space at the apartment...hmmmm...

Surviving Doha

2009-03-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some personal ‘survival’ tips when living in Doha.

Lesson 1: Always, always insist that you get a brighter apartment and use the excuse that, should your boss come to know that you are not located to an apartment to your liking, someone will be in trouble. When you’re single, and a woman, you are likely to be taken advantage of, so better to have some sort of upper-hand; in other words it helps to have a boss that supports you.

My transit home (7 Pearls Apartment) has now become my permanent home. The transit unit was a little short on natural lighting so I’ve moved to the next block with a unit facing the main carpark and which allows me to draw the curtains without construction workers peering into my hall/bedroom.

Lesson 2: Get to know your neighbours well, without whom you will not have free rides to office, trips to supermarket and invitations to a ramble!

In the past few weekends, I’ve made some new discoveries, courtesy of Dave and Lawrie, my two English colleagues who are staying in the same apartment compound. Lawrie invited me to participate in a ramble to the desert plateau/crater cum beach picnic with the Qatar Natural History Group, whilst Dave and his wife, Pat, bring me along for trips to the supermarket to pick the week’s groceries – there’s a ‘Geylang Serai’ district, a Family Food Centre that’s similar to Sheng Siong and even Daiso, with all things going for QR5! Then there’s Lulu Centre that’s very much like a mini-Mustafa! The shopping malls are nothing less than spectacular (Villagio has a 200m canal in the mall with Gondolas; look up the ceilings and you have a fresco of the sky, day and night scenes!).

Lesson 3: Walk around Doha, and meet new people. While my work-week keeps me pre-occupied, I look forward to my weekends discovering new places in Doha that even my Singapore friends never knew existed, and they’ve been here for two years or more! Better yet, queue at a MacDonald’s outlet and just listen if you can pick out a Singaporean in the crowd. You have to learn to be spontaneous and thick skinned.

I have made new friends from varied nationalities, cultures and professions, and as my colleague quipped, “we all seem to get along quite well, somehow or rather”.

I also met a group of Singaporeans at a tea-session. It was nice chatting with them and listening to what they had to say about their stay in Doha. They shared with me their experiences (living on their own, away from their loved ones, missing local fare, sedentary lifestyle, more quality time with kids, etc.).

On Wednesday, the Red-dotters club (a club for Singaporeans/PRs) will be hosting a dinner to welcome President Nathan to Doha. Will I be attending? As my Singaporean acquaintance put it eloquently, “Free food, die, die must go”!

Lesson 4: Record your moments and share it with your family and friends. I hope you have been kept entertained with my stories and photos. Sharing these moments have kept me sane and a-live.

Last but not least, lesson 5: Pray, even if you're not religious; you never know what's going to happen at the round-about and an unsuspecting car suddenly appears about an inch from your door and manages to manouvere the front of the car in front of you! Driving can be hazardous to your health, and certainly not for the faint-hearted.

Here's the photo update.

http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/Chapter4Photos?feat=directlink

Till next time, Mart!

My Weekend Outing

2009-03-23T06:47:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

So I am no longer enjoying the comforts and cares of a hotel live-in as I had to be relocated to one of the company's apartments *sigh*.

A little closer to work but still not near enough to walk. I have also another week left before I have to forgo chauffeur privileges (*Double sigh*).

My first weekend was spent on a drive tour, courtesy of Mr & Mrs Willie Swee from Singapore. Charming couple, with two children. I had been chatting with them over the internet in Singapore to get more info about Doha living, and you could say, I came a little more prepared with their helpful advice.

Like most countries, there's always some popular hotspot or shopping district. In Doha, that would be the SOUQ WAKIF (somehow, in my earlier walkabouts on my own I had accidentally by-passed the area without realising that it was the Souq).

The Souq is set in a courtyard (very much like the courtyard @Riverwalk). They are many shops and cafes; meander into one of the alleyways, you'll come across rows of shops selling a range of items from local arts and crafts, dates, spices, nuts, live pets (mostly birds), etc. We didn't stay very long, and after a quick tour, nuts buying and a snack (thosai styled pancake), we headed out for a drive around the city centre.

On Friday, the Swee family invited me to fellowship at their Church. The worship services were conducted in a villa, not far from the city centre. After a one & half hour service, we adjourned to lunch at the Thai Snack restaurant for our individual meals. Very tasty (lots of MSG) and service was rather quick.

On Saturday, I started off early with a brisk walk from 7 Pearls apartment to the Corniche. Although the distance was short (about 6km on my GPS), it felt much longer, and found that I had to be rather careful/mindful as there were few pedestrian crossings and more roundabouts in Doha (to get in and around Doha, it's better to use roundabouts as landmarks and not buildings). Luckily, it was the weekend morning, so traffic is not so hectic.

My Saturday morning was spent walking along the Corniche, and window shopping at City Centre, Carrefour, when I actually got a chance to do a "comparative study" on grocery pricings (ok, I had nothing else better to do).

I found some things cheaper (toilet rolls; in-house products, biscuits, breads, juices) than home, while other items (instant noodles, fruits, vegetables) a little more expensive. Can't ask for everything, but at least I know I will be able to survive without having to penny-pinch on basic necessities.

By noon, it was just too hot to walk so I decided to try the local bus system. Mr Willie Swee had warned me against taking the public transport (all you see are men/labourers and you certainly won't see any women in a bus). It's pure psychology - tell a child not to do something, the child will be tempted to do it anyway. I became that child that day.

So i took the bus. It wasn't too bad. In fact it was very comfortable and there were seats marked out for women - "Priority for Ladies/Handicapped".

Each ride within the city limits is SGD1.20, one-way, however short/long the distance. The bus plied along the Corniche, the Harbour, Parliament house, into the older part of town (Souq area) and ended its journey at the Terminus. The Central Bus station is a very colourful place, well actually, just mostly ethnic indians. All in all, it took me about 40 minutes (including wait time) to board my connecting bus to the apartment. If you don’t have your own set of wheels and you need to get around, the bus is the way to go to see Doha.

Sure felt like a tourist that afternoon and quite enjoyed the day.

Here's the link to view more photo shots:

http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/DohaPart2?feat=directlink

Till the next time.

Just another day in Doha

2009-03-23T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Hope everyone's well.

It's coming close to a week in Doha and alot has happened since I last wrote.

Today (Wednesday) is Ash Wednesday, and my colleague at work invited me to attend the one and only Catholic Church in Doha. It was a 20 minute drive out of the City Centre and into the Desert. About 3km off the road intersection that leads to the borders of Lebanon, there stood a fortress-like Church in the desert with a few uncompleted structures in the surrounding area. It didn't look like a Church; it had no signage, nor the symbolic cross of christ. It was still a "Work in Progress" Church. The construction of the Church came with one condition imposed by the government - no cross must be displayed on any part of the buidling.

The Church caters to various sectors of the community, largely made of Philipinas, Indians and Lebanese. There are designated services in respect of the 3 communities mentioned, in their respective mother tongue. Then there's an English mass for the general masses. Seating capacity is about 2000.

To get to the Church, you certainly need a set of wheels. In Doha, driving/owning a car is a necessity.

On the subject of driving, boy oh boy, what a thrill I had in the car today.

We started off later than usual, and the newbies in the car, including myself were pooled together to attend our medical review at the Doha Medical Centre. It was some ways out of the City Centre but the peak hour traffic was something to contend with.

The driver had skill, and *balls* - the one thing you learn about driving in and around Doha is the ability to know your minor roads. From one small road to another, our driver got us to the medical centre in no time. Pavements are not just for pedestrians; drivers will just "carve" out an extra path just to inch a few hundred metres to the intersection.

As we approached nearer to the medical centre (which was on the other side of the road), he made a quick cut across the divider, drove about 200m against the flow of traffic and into the main entrance.

Dropping us off at our respective centres (one end for males, and at the other end of the building for females), he shoved QR500 into my hand and told me to "draw blood" and get x-ray. When I'm done, I was supposed to call him. What was his name - "My name is Hussein, Sadam Hussein"!!!!

At the medical centre, its pure chaos and mayhem. I am truly, truly thankful that we have an organised queue system in Singapore. You get your queue tickets dished out manually, then move on to a row of seats which is manually dictated by a masked woman "bouncer"! There's no queue number. When the bouncer points, you move to the next available seat. It was obvious that the bouncer gave priority to the caucasians and would many a times overlook queue-cutters! That irk one lady that got the brunt end of the stick from the bouncer; the irked lady got pushed a few notches down the queue and had to wait out longer than usual.

Once you get finger-pointed, you basically make payment of QR100, get a receipt and head out to the adjoining rooms with a signage that says "Draw Blood". The nurse was more attentive talking to her colleague than finding a vein in my arm!

The x-ray was the fun part when we had to get undressed and stand exposed to the radiation - it was done in an open room!!!! We also got to view x-rays of each woman passing through the scan before it got to our turn.

As the credit card ad goes - medical review, QR100; experience, priceless!

Till the next time, Martha

Doha - First Impressions

2009-03-23T06:16:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

It's just my 2^nd day in Doha and am slowly settling in.

On my arrival, I checked into Ramada Plaza, a rather distinct gold-paneled building – hard to miss landmark if you get lost. After a much needed nap to recover from the 9-hour flight, I decided to compose a walk route with my Garmin handheld GPS. Didn't get quite far, about 5km out of Ramada's range. Many shops were closed and there wasn't really very much to gawk at. The nearest grocery store was The Centre. An overly priced store filled with expats shopping to fill their weekend trolleys. To give you an idea, a bag of Doritos corn chips is about SGD7, and I thought Kettle Chips was expensive!

Climate-wise, it's a hot and cool affair. Daytime is about 27-30 deg. C and by 5-6pm, temperatures drop to about 15 deg.C. Yesterday was a clear blue-sky day but today, I experienced my 1^st sand-haze! It's just a lot of dust in the air, and if you are donning any dark coloured clothes, you will find specks of dust settling on them. Truly amazing.

So my 1^st day of work started with a 30km drive out of the City to a location I can't even pronounce. The company's offices (HR & Admin) are temporarily housed in Villas, and with a quick orientation and surrendering my passport and mugshots to the immigration centre in exchange for a residence permit, back into the car I went for a drive back to the city centre – it was time to meet the boss and the legal team.

As we drove out of the "villa-desert", the landscape changed to one of modern high-rise buildings; impressive tall structures that are architecturally bold – there's a "WOW" factor to them.

Salam Tower is a dwarf amongst the bigger buildings surrounding it, but when I got to the 12^th floor, the view was quite spectacular. My boss's room looks out to the Corniche, a 13km esplanade that greets the Arabian Sea. If the skies were clear, I would have a brilliant view of the buildings standing along the Corniche's coastal line.

My room is about 150sq.ft. (what a stark contrast to what I was used to at KW). There was space for a large table, a stand-alone antique cupboard and two tall chairs. I was in awe, and I just had to sit and soak in the reality of having a room of that size, albeit without a view, but I didn't really care.

After chatting with boss and an intro to colleagues, it was time for lunch – I couldn't refuse free food, which everyone was entitled to.

Time ticked away, and by 3:30pm, I was whisked back to Ramada by my chauffeur, who was quick at the wheel, avoiding any sort of jam.

Observation:

From the time I landed, I had been greeted by a Bangladeshi, met several Indians, Pinoys, US and Canadian citizens. My boss is Sudanese and the legal team is made of persons from varied nationalities/cultures; had not been introduced to someone local just yet. So truly, Doha is run and serviced by expats.

There are many more days, weeks, months, years for me to discover more of Qatar. Honestly, I feel quite welcomed, pooling with other expats, and am looking forward to what's in store in the days ahead.

Anyway, attached are some snapshots for your viewing pleasure -

http://picasaweb.google.com/marthaleemei/DohaFirstImpressions?feat=directlink

Till the next time.