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Expat wanderer

Ritz Carlton Doha Christmas Tree Disappearing Act

I love the Ritz at Christmas time. They decorate so beautifully, and I especially love the huge, tall Christmas tree in the main lobby as you enter – it’s always a great spot for photos with friends and family, before brunch or after afternoon tea.

But when we went to the Ritz for brunch on Friday, Qatar National Day, the tree had disappeared! I guess it was too incongruous to have a huge, gorgeous Christmas tree inserted in all the special activities of Qatar National Day.

Here is what the tree looked like, LLLOOOOLLLLL!

December 20, 2009 Posted by | Arts & Handicrafts, Cultural, Doha, Entertainment, Events, ExPat Life, Humor, Living Conditions, Qatar | 11 Comments

Fewer Women Marrying in Qatar

This is not a phenomenon unique to Qatar. I remember reading almost the same exact story about black women in America, where black women get educated and black men go to jail. For the guys, being smart in school is a source of ridicule, rather than admiration.

There are similar stories coming out of many countries in the world.

So how do we encourage young men to strive for higher education?

There was a related story in the Peninsula Men, Not Religion, Block Saudi Women on Friday.

Fewer women getting married: Expert
Web posted at: 12/19/2009 2:32:58
Source ::: THE PENINSULA/ By ABDULLAH ABDUL RAHMAN


DOHA: Latest studies suggest that some 30 percent of young Qatari women remain unmarried and divorce in the local community is on an alarming rise, says a prominent Qatari psychologist.

The number of unmarried women is increasing basically due to the fact that more and more females want to pursue higher education and achieve financial independence, said Dr Mozah Al Malki (pictured).

There is a huge gap between Qatari men and women in terms of education. While most women pursue university education, men generally prefer to look for government jobs right after early or secondary education.

And the fact that women are increasingly becoming financially independent due to being highly educated also explains why the incidence of divorce in the community is high.

The other major factor that might be pushing the rate of divorce up is that earlier it was not easy for women in this region to seek divorce from their husbands although the law has always been there in keeping with the basic tenets of Islam which permits a woman to seek ‘khola’ (divorce) on genuine grounds.

“But now the law makes it easier for women to seek divorce,” Al Malki said in remarks to this newspaper yesterday.

Statistics suggest that the rate of divorce in the Qatari community is somewhere around 40 percent — a very high rate indeed, lamented the psychologist who made history when she filed nomination for Central Municipal Council (CMC) elections in March 1999.

Although she lost the poll, she became the first Qatari woman to enter politics which was until then an unchallenged domain of men in this part of the world.

Women remain busy pursuing education and then they land jobs. It, therefore, becomes difficult to get the right match, so most women remain unmarried, she said.

Obviously, a woman who has a PhD would not like to marry an undergraduate or even a simple graduate. This explains why as many as 30 percent young women are unmarried and their number could even go up.

Asked whether marrying educated Muslim expatriates could be an effective solution to this problem, she said: “But such marriages require permission from the interior ministry and it takes time.”

About the increasing rate of divorce, she said many factors were at play. Men picking more than one wife and not treating their wives equally could be one of the factors.

“Men tend to marry more than once simply for pleasure,” she said. Polygamous men do not take marriage and family seriously.

A kind of monotony sets in marriages that are 10 to 15 years old. Couples should think of innovative ways to break this monotony and make a fresh start in life.

“They should, for example, visit the same hotel they were in for honeymoon,” she said. “Such things prove effective in saving troubled marriages, and I have written extensively about it,” Al Malki said.

December 20, 2009 Posted by | Africa, Cultural, Doha, Education, Family Issues, Financial Issues, Living Conditions, Marriage, Mating Behavior, Middle East, Qatar, Relationships, Saudi Arabia, Social Issues, Values, Women's Issues, Work Related Issues | 10 Comments

Defense: It’s The Cops Fault; He Was Chasing Me!

Court asks motorcycle rider to pay blood money
Web posted at: 12/19/2009 2:30:29
Source ::: THE PENINSULA

DOHA: A young man who rode a motorcycle and killed a pedestrian in a bizarre crash has been asked by the court to pay QR200,000 as blood money to the family of the deceased.

The court fined the convict QR10,000 for violating traffic law. But how the man was caught by the law-enforcement agencies is quite interesting.

It so happened that the Police Patrol saw two men riding motorbikes with tremendous speed. They gave the duo a chase but in vain. They vanished in think air. But soon the police was informed that a pedestrian was hit by a speeding motorbike.

When a police party reached the spot of the crash it saw a motorbike lying near the body of the victim.

The cops were quick to realize that this was one of the two motorbikes they had given a chase sometime ago.

With help from its registration plate they zeroed in on the culprit and referred the matter to the court after investigation.

The defense lawyer argued in the court that the crash occurred because they motorbike was chased by the cops. The court, however, did not buy the argument and convicted the man.

QR 200,000 sounds like a fortune, but it is $55,000 for taking a man’s life. For a young man who was running from the cops and then tries to claim their chasing him as a defense! This case sounds like a perfect opportunity to give a community service penalty in addition to the blood money; expose this young man to the consequences of motorcycle accidents, and accident victims, allow him to see with his own eyes, and serve, the victims. It could change his life, and change his callous attitude.

December 19, 2009 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Character, Community, Crime, Cultural, Doha, Education, Financial Issues, Interconnected, Law and Order, Living Conditions, Qatar, Rants, Safety | 2 Comments

Qatar National Day Fireworks Video

So my friends, this is the very first video I have ever uploaded to YouTube, three minutes of the twenty minute spectacular fireworks display on the Corniche last night for Qatar National Day:

December 19, 2009 Posted by | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Community, Cultural, Doha, Events, ExPat Life, Living Conditions | , | 8 Comments

Qatar National Day Fireworks Spectacular

The problem is, even with the most amazing situation in the world, my wonderful little hand held Lumix can’t begin to capture the awe-inspiring grandeur of the 20 minute Qatar National Day Fireworks spectacular.

Another amazing thing – the fireworks started ON TIME. Suddenly the entire length of the Corniche erupted in white waterfalls. The fireworks were kept relatively close to the ground, and compact, but spread along a couple miles – it was an amazing feat, and the timing was to the second.

Caught in traffic, we decided to try something different. Like the Robert Frost poem, we took a road less travelled by, and it made all the difference. We lucked into a fantastic vantage point.

I have to add a special thanks here to AdventureMan. He knows how much I love fireworks, and I knew he has to work tomorrow, and still, he took me to see the fireworks. We were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic until we took a chance, and by a miracle, found this fantastic, uncrowded vantage point. He love the fireworks as much as I did, but he did it for me, and my heart is full of gratitude. 🙂

December 18, 2009 Posted by | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Community, Cultural, Doha, Events, ExPat Life, Living Conditions, Marriage, Qatar, Relationships | , | 14 Comments

Beautiful Day for a Parade

Friday morning, the sleep-in morning, but not today. It is a sweet, beautiful, morning and a perfect day for a parade:

I have my Qatar flags displayed in front of my house for Qatar National Day:

I used to fly Kuwait flags on Kuwait National Day, but the wind was so strong, they sometimes blew away!

There is a lot going on today – the parade, children’s activities, displays of all the military equipment, heritage sites – it’s a grand day to be in Qatar, especially – the fireworks tonight!

December 18, 2009 Posted by | Adventure, Cultural, Doha, Events, ExPat Life, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Qatar | 1 Comment

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.

December 17, 2009 Posted by | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Community, Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Generational, Leadership, Living Conditions, Political Issues, Qatar, Social Issues, Work Related Issues | 7 Comments

Most Complete Information on Qatar National Day 2009

Khalifa, a commenter on a recent post, has his own website, iloveqatar.net where he blogs as Mr. Q.

He has also created the hands-down all-time BEST website for the upcoming week celebrating National Day, photos, explanations and all at NationalDay2009. You will find anything and everything you want to attend there – and more!

Great work, Khalifa!

December 13, 2009 Posted by | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Cultural, Doha, Events, ExPat Life, Living Conditions, Local Lore, Qatar | | Leave a comment

Qatar National Day Locations

I am guessing that this map from the National Day Event Organizing Committee shows the locations of events which will take place on the actual National Day, December 18. I found it on their website.

The weather is great, and this is a cultural spectacle. Go, take your camera, for a day you will never forget.

By the way, if you look closely, it appears that a good part of the Corniche will be exclusively a pedestrian zone on Saturday, December 18. You might want to plan your travels accordingly. 🙂

December 10, 2009 Posted by | Adventure, Community, Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Living Conditions, Qatar, Travel | | 1 Comment

Qatar Horse Race and Camel Dressage

This is one of the coolest times of the year, with totally amazing heritage events – why is it so hard to find this information?

There is a Qatar National Day website you can get to by clicking on the blue type. It is beautiful, and it tells the history of Qatar / national day and it is in both Arabic and English.

When you click on events . . . it says “coming soon”

I found the below by clicking on “news” . . . stay tuned! At least we know it will happen on December 12th!

THE STATE NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (SNDCOC) ANNOUNCES MASSEELA HORSE RACE & CAMEL DRESSAGE COMPETITIONS AT DARB-A-SAAI

Doha, Qatar – 6 December 2009: Two traditional Qatari sports events – the Masseela Horse Race and Purebred Arabian Camel Races – are being run on Sunday 12th December as part of Qatar National Day 2009 celebrations, race organizer the State

December 10, 2009 Posted by | Adventure, Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Living Conditions, Qatar, Travel | | 5 Comments

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