It’s Good To Be The Amir :-)
One of the first things visitors say when I take them around Doha is “It’s so clean!” said in a voice of total wonder. Doha IS clean, noticeably clean. Along the Corniche, everything is clean – and manicured. Doha is beautiful. The roads are beautiful, and getting beautifuller – er . . . more beautiful.
Qatar is not a democracy. It has a monarch, the Amir. The Amir has huge resources, and he channels much of his resources into infrastructure – highways, water treatment, electricity, parks (along the Corniche, wireless internet is provided to the community, totally FREE, miles of free internet), education – and serious work is being done to raise the level of education and educational possibilities continually – planning for future food and water, trying to insure that if and when the gas runs out, Qatar will have a sustainable economy.
It’s not a job I would want. It’s a lot of hard work, and who do you trust to share your vision and help you get the job done? Every day must have its frustrations, and the triumphs take a lot of work and perseverance. Building a country’s infrastructure is not for the faint-hearted.
But the job has its perks, and one of them is that you can create your own viewing stand for the 0800 Friday morning military review parade. This reviewing stand makes me grin. This Amir has some Events people with a flair for the dramatic and a tip of the hat to the traditional at the same time. While some complain that the new souks are like Disney Does Doha, anyone who used to go there and goes there now will tell you that there is new life in the souks. They are clean and safe and light and well cared for.
Anyway, I digress.
Here is where the Amir gets to sit to review his military at the parade tomorrow morning at 0800:
I was afraid to go any closer, as people were practicing for the parade, security might not like me taking photos, but how cool is this? They used original beit as-shar (house of hair, i.e. wool) fabric for the inner lining of the review tent. I totally love it. This fabric was originally made mostly from goat hair, but also stripes of sheep and camel hair. I have some. It’s tough and strong, and in panels, woven by the women. I don’t think they make tent bodies like this any more.
7 Comments »
Leave a reply to Intlxpatr Cancel reply
Recent Comments
Catherine on Donna Leon Crossing Cultu… intlxpatr on Ignoring the Law thani on Ignoring the Law Anon. on British Soldier Kidnapped, Esc… Reeva Mills on Cahors to Bordeaux, Preparing… Wikipedia Donate Button
Amazina
Early Voting in Florida
Here There and Everywhere 
I want to see the fireworks!!!!!!!!
😦
ROTFL @ Disney Does Doha!
I have never seen fireworks anywhere in the world to equal Qatars, but I have never been to China!
It’s good to be the amer and see the parade from his chair , what an amazing sideview you’ll get
hehehe :))
Cool! So the military parade happens this Friday or last Friday? Hmmm..I am thinking a way to use the goat hair or wool for crafting…I saw some crafts in Nova Scotia (maybe decedents from France) made of wool and it is beautiful.
I think the Amir is going to have a very full day, Saud! 🙂 And yep, he gets the best view of all.
The parade is today, Polar Panda, and I can already hear the jet fighters in the sky. Yesterday, they were flying low over the highways, streaming red and white blasts, it was SO COOL. They spin the goat hair into yarn, then weave the yarn on small portable looms into tenting material.
Can’t wait to see the pictures of the events!
Actually, I had a choice, Polar Panda, and I went to church instead of the parade. We could hear the jet fighters roaring overhead during the Prayers of the People. 😦
The weather for the parade was fine, but then, around 11, rain started pouring down. It’s a good thing they scheduled the National Day Parade EARLY!