Doha: One year and counting!

by | Oct 31, 2004 | Doha affairs, Food and Drink, Travel

Today marks the one-year anniversary of our Qatar stint. All I can say is that it was interesting, but I’m not sure I can highly recommend it. Although, I must say I don’t think I’m really a Gulf kind of person. But in an effort to put a positive spin on things, I’ll highlight some of my favorite episodes of last year.

  1. The sand dunes adventure: We took this trip with Sandy when she came to visit last May. We had a blast, although Sandy was screaming most of the time, as she was terrified by the speed our diver chose for the adventure. We took a half-day trip to the dunes (left pic) where this wild man provided an adrenaline-pumping desert safari escapade. Ascending the dunes was exhilarating. But coming down could be a bit terrifying, although very enjoyable! I recommend this outing for anyone visiting Doha.
  2. The musical CATS (right pic): The best thing about attending this world-class show was sneaking in to the post-show cast party held at the Ritz-Carlton’s Admirals Club. In addition to having access to an open buffet (food and drinks!), we got to see the CATS dancers hit the dance floor. This was just so much fun, so much fun!
  3. Taking trips across the region: This has to include our favorite one to Lebanon (middle pic), where I got to ski for the very first time in my life. I was such a clumsy skier but I loved it anyway.
    4. Sandy & me silhouetted on top the Doha dunes
    Skiing in Faraya
    CATS at Doha's Ritz-Carlton
  4. Enjoyable time and fine meals at our favorite Doha restaurants: The Italian job at Ramada Hotel & Marriot’s Salsa.
  5. DVD Corner: The place is jam-packed with really good movies and always keeps updated with the latest releases. The best thing about it is that we are always given special treatment, as we are one of their favorite customers, for some reason (might be the 200+ DVDs we’ve rented)!
  6. BLOGGING: Getting involved in the wonderful world you see before you. (Thanks to Aunt Karen!)
  7. Making really good friends: I’ve made some relationships that I will cherish for many years to come.

Looking back, I guess the past year was not so bad after all! [Click the pix for bigger versions.]

US warns of terror attack on hotels in Qatar

by | Oct 30, 2004 | Doha affairs, Political mayhem

The United States on Friday warned U.S. citizens in the Gulf state of Qatar of a possible terrorist attack sometime in the next week directed at a hotel or hotels in Doha that are frequented by Americans. The U.S. Embassy in Doha said the threat was for a "relatively specific timeframe" and advised Americans to steer clear of all major hotels in the capital for the next seven days.

The embassy said on Thursday it had "information about a possible attack during a relatively specific timeframe against a hotel or hotels used by Americans in Doha" and repeated that message on Friday.

"Given the specificity of the threat, the embassy felt it prudent to alert the American community and others," it said in a notice issued to U.S. citizens in Qatar, a copy of which was provided to AFP in Washington by the State Department.

"The embassy advises Americans to continue to avoid major hotels in Doha during the upcoming week," it said, adding that Qatari security services were aware of the threat and were taking measures in response. The notice did not elaborate on the exact nature of the threat or what hotel or hotels it might be directed against.

A State Department official said despite the threat, Washington was not advising U.S. citizens to defer travel to Doha.

Source: [The Daily Star]

Now this is just great! As if there is life beyond the boundaries of hotels. This is really too much. In addition to all the things that we have to give up by living here, we now have to live in fear!

Dinosaurs!

by | Oct 29, 2004 | Doha affairs, Shutterbug

We had a blast last evening at the Lost Worlds exhibition held at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha. The exhibition features a collection of fossils, extinct species and of course dinosaurs. Man, that was so much fun. I don’t believe I have ever seen a dinosaur skeleton before.

For some reason, I have always regarded dinosaurs as somehow fictitious. Yesterday, though, I completely changed my mind after I saw the mammoth skeleton of the Diplodocus. Ah, what a beauty! The minute I laid my eyes on it, I was transfixed. It was just so huge and somehow felt so real!

After I read the exhibition’s brochure, I realized that the Diplodocus skeleton featured in the show is 28 meter long and is the largest in the world. Neat, no?

If you are in Doha anytime soon, then visiting this exhibition is a must! Really, it is worth your time and guess what, it is gratis!

My fascination with the Diplodocus last night was a wake up call to my mediocre knowledge of the enthralling world of dinosaurs. I really have a lot of reading to catch up on. Or maybe I should start by watching Jurassic Park. Yeah, you heard me right, I haven’t seen it yet. I suck. Shoot me!

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