cowbabies

Cultural Activities in Doha

2009-05-06T13:15:00.012+03:00

When we first came to Doha, we were hard-pressed to find any activity at all. A couple of times during the first six months we were here, there were some music concerts, but that was about it. Since then, Qatar has been investing a bit of money on cultural activities.

Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra had its inaugural performance in October last year. The orchestra is actually very good and very young. It comprises of musicians from all over the world, including quite a few Hungarians :)

They don't have a permanent conductor yet, so they get a different conductor from a different country everytime.

It's been fun going to their performances.

Doha Jazz Festival

They had a Jazz Festival here in February, and hope to make it an annual event. We went three out of the four nights. It was really fun. Our favorite was the Ronald Baker Quartet from France. I even bought their CD.

Museum of Islamic Art

The Museum opened at the beginning of December last year. The architecture is really amazing! It is said to be I.M. Pei's last project. The location is also very nice (right on water), and the views from the museum are great. More photos here.

Recipe Request: Lemon Bars

2009-02-03T16:35:00.002+03:00

I repeatedly get requests for the lemon bars recipe, so here it is!

Crust
1/3 cup unsalted butter (I usually cut it into small pieces so it's easier to mix; do not melt it!)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

- Preheat oven to 350F
- Mix together all of the above ingredients with your hands. The final mixture should be crumbly (not smooth).
- Press the mixture into the bottom of a 8x8x2 inch (approximately) dish (not greased) - this makes the crust so it should be pressed down so it is hard and smooth
- Bake for 15-18 minutes (the edges will just be turning golden)

Filling
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons shredded lemon peel
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

- Combine all ingredients
- Beat with electric mixer until well-mixed (it will be a little thick)

Crust + Filling
- Pour filling over baked crust
- Bake for 20 minutes (it will have lightly browned edges & center will be set)
- Cool on cooling rack, cut into squares, and serve

Recipe Request: Pumpkin Soup with Chilli

2009-01-14T19:46:00.002+03:00

I love pumpkin soup!

Pumpkin, 1 kg peeled & chopped
~~~ any type of pumpkin is good: classic, butternut squash, japanese, etc.
Olive oil, 4 tbsp
Red chillies, 1-2 seeded & finely chopped
garlic, 1 clove
milk, 375 ml
~~~ i use skim
vegetable stock, 750 ml
~~~ fresh, cube or concentrate
coriander leaves, chopped

Heat oven to 200 Celsius
Put pumpkin in roasting pan & drizzle with olive oil
Roast for 15-20 minutes, until tender & browned on edges

Cook milk & stock together in a pot until it starts to boil
Add roasted pumpkin, chilli & garlic
Reduce heat & simmer for 8-10 minutes
Whiz in a blender until smooth

Garnish with coriander leaves

Enjoy!

Desert Roses

2009-01-02T11:36:00.005+03:00

We took a trip out to the desert to dig for desert roses. These are mineral crystals that form under the sand in the desert. Our digging was a great success - we returned home with a few large and several small roses.

The digging was hard work...

... but fun, nonetheless.

The large slabs of the crystals forced some of us to use all body weight:

The final step = refilling the hole we dug up:

On the way to the area with the desert roses, we stopped at a cave. It was fun climbing all the way down and back again. The cave walls had some interesting crystal formations.

And that's a fun-filled day during the wintertime in Qatar!

Qatar National Day Long Weekend

2008-12-30T16:28:00.005+03:00

December 18 is Qatar National Day. We had a rather eventful long weekend.

We live very close to the Corniche, which is seafront walking area in Doha. All National Day activities take place at the Corniche, so we got to experience a very interesting set of events.

Preview: the day before the National Day, I was driving home from work in very heavy traffic. The congestion was caused by a number of SUV's flying Qatari flags and honking and expressing their excitement on the roads. Eventually, I realized where they were going - toward the row of about 10 Qatari army tanks that were coming in for the National Day parade. I thought the excitement was over; but, when I was almost home, I saw a row of about 10-15 camels with camel riders in traditional clothes coming toward me. Talk about an interesting ride home.

National Day: we didn't go to the parade in the morning, but we did hear some jets flying over us. Before heading out to the Corniche for the fireworks and light show in the evening though, we had quite a show from our window. The traffic was incredibly backed up as you would expect. Some of the reasons for this were not so expected though. There were as many SUV's as lanes driving next to each other very slowly to block the traffic. Why, you may ask? Because some of the people would come out in traditional clothes and do the sword dance :) At other times, the SUV's would do donuts (circles) around the center of the road. It was very entertaining. Then, we went down and enjoyed the fireworks and the light show.

The Museum of Islamic Art: They recently opened the new Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar. Since we had a long weekend, we decided to go to the museum the next day. The museum is designed by IM Pei, so as you would expect, the architecture is amazing! The seafront location also adds to the beauty, and the views from the museum are very nice. There is a traveling exhibition that features historical interactions between Islam, Judaism and Christianity, which was quite interesting. Additional photos from the museum are here.

Turkey Over Eid Holidays

2008-10-09T11:43:00.015+03:00

The Coast

We covered parts of the Mediterranean and the Aegean coasts. The coast is absolutely beautiful, and reminded me a lot of the California coast. The weather was also very much LA-like: low 80's daytime and high 60's to low 70's nighttime. Everywhere we went, we found lots of pomegranate trees and jasmine trees. As far as I am concerned, pomegranate juice, baklava and Turkish chai are a great addition to any diet!

More pictures of the drive here .

Antalya

We started out in Antalya. Though this is a rather large city, we spent most of our time in the old town area. Hadrian's Gate is probably the most famous remain of the Roman period here. The old town is still surrounded by the remains of the Roman city walls. Inside the walls are the old, narrow streets, lots of street vendors and of course hotels. There is also a really nice park alongside the water, which was my favorite part of this city.

More Antalya photos here.

Phaselis

The ruins at Phaselis are mostly from the Roman era. However, the city has a much more fascinating and complex history. It originally was a Lycian port city. The Greeks bought it and built an extensive town with three harbors around an acropolis. Then, it was a Roman province, which was raided by the Arabs and Seljuks. All this history makes for a rather interesting place.

More Phaselis photos here.

Kas

Kas is a beautiful city, set adjoining a peninsula. The hillside along the ocean is where most of the hotels are located. The town was one of our favorites, with narrow streets developed in natural formations around and through the hillsides. There are lots of great restaurants, independent shops, local artists, cafes and bars. We enjoyed pide, or Turkish pizza, while sitting outside amidst the crowded streets, for dinner.

More Kas photos here.

Pinara

Pinara was my favorite ruined city, primarily because it is not as popular and organized for tourism as the other sites. When we went, we were amongst a total of five people there. Because it is not a "tourist spot" per se, we were able to climb up the hillside amongst the ruins, and hike our way up to the Lycian tombs and the ruined city. Yes, the holes you see on the hillside are actually the Lycian tombs; and we were able to hike to and around the theatre, baths and agora as well.

More Pinara pictures here.

Marmaris

Marmaris is a wonderful bay city. Our favorite part of Marmaris was the Old Quarter, where they have restored the old Greek homes incredibly well. The streets in the Old Quarter are narrow and go up and down the hills in a natural formation. Some of the old buildings have also been restored and made into restaurants and bars with excellent views of the city and the bay.

More Marmaris photos here.

Bodrum

Bodrum was the city with the most tourists, but it still has places you can enjoy without being bogged down with too much tourism. In the old town, for example, the main streets were filled with tourists, but as soon as we walked away, we found the quaint character-filled neighborhoods. The walk along the harbor was also very nice.

More Bodrum photos here.

Ephesus

Ephesus is one of the most well-known and largest ruined cities. Ephesus was a great Greek city, but it became the chief port city on the Aegean under the Romans. Most of the surviving structures are from the Roman period. Highlights include: Library of Celsus, Theatre, Temple of Hadrian, Gate of Hercules and Colonnaded Street.

More Ephesus photos here.

Izmir

Izmir was the city where we saw the real Turkey, as opposed to the beach towns designed for tourism. The locals all come out in the evenings and hang out at the Konak square, which is also where the Konak clock tower and the Konak mosque are located. Street vendors sell muscles, nuts, etc. and the locals sit around, picnic or go for walks. Unlike the other old towns we saw, the old town in Izmir is actually where the poor people live, and the neighborhood is all rundown. You do see that this may be changing as the lower parts of the old town are already starting to look more developed and cleaned up. Izmir also has its own set of ruins, including the agora; the interesting thing about the agora here was that there were ruins from not only the Roman era, but also the Ottoman & Seljuk eras with Arabic writing on them. Overall, a very eclectic place.

More Izmir photos here.

Boyz a Cookin'

2008-09-21T11:09:00.003+03:00

Meet Chef de Cuisine, Adil Kouch, and Sous Chef, Rahim Remtolla

Usually, I am the one who cooks for everyone, but on this momentous occasion, Adil decided to cook up his native Moroccon food for 8 of us friends.

On the menu:
Shrimp appetizer
Meat tajine with prunes
Kefta in sauce
Kefta baked
Rice salad
... and I am sure I am forgetting something because it was a magnificently grand meal!

Adil is now welcome to cook for us anytime :)

Souq Waqif - Part II

2008-09-09T09:47:00.004+03:00

I wrote about Souq Waqif some time ago. I still think it is one of the best places to go for a stroll in Doha during good weather. Since the last time I wrote about the Souq, I have discovered the official web site for Souq Waqif.

I really like the black and white photos of the Souq on this site. They give you a good feel for the place. As you go through the photos, note:

The local women do sit out on their rugs and work on their crafts; sometimes they even make some local food to sell.
The bird you see is a falcon; falconry is still a popular local sport, and there is a man in the Souq who raises falcons.
The men with the wheelbarrows are there to help you shop. You can hire them to go around the Souq with you, and load and push your purchases while you shop.

My only concern regarding the Souq is that the recent addition of international chain stores like Haagen Dazs, Coffee Bean, etc. is taking away from the traditional feel.

Ramadan Rubric

2008-08-31T11:42:00.004+03:00

The following rules are imposed on all of Qatar's residents:

~ No eating (including chewing bubble gum) in public during daylight hours
~ No drinking (including water) in public during daylight hours (yes, temperatures are still 100+F)
~ No smoking in public (wish this were the case 100% of the time) during daylight hours
~ Restaurants, cafes and juice stalls to remain closed during daylight hours

These rules come accompanied with the following caution:
Please exercise caution when driving around town, especially around sunset, as the number of traffic accidents increases during Ramadan.

Lavash Bread

2008-07-26T17:48:00.004+03:00

I made Irani Lavash Bread today. It came out pretty good, and it was really easy to make. I thought I would share the recipe. It is from the book, "Pomegranate Soup," by Marsha Mehran.

1 tablespoon quick-rising yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup poppy & sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
Mix yeast & water; set aside for 15 minutes
Combine yeasty water, oil, milk, sugar and salt in a large bowl
Slowly mix in flour
Knead into dough
Divide dough into 3 even balls; cover with a clean towel & leave to rise for 30 minutes
Roll out one ball of dough on a clean surface with a floured pin until it is paper thin
Sprinkle with poppy & sesame seeds
Place on a buttered cookie sheet
Bake in oven for 5 minutes
Repeat with remaining balls of dough

Enjoy!

Munich

2008-07-14T10:06:00.004+03:00

We really liked Munich. It has the comfortable feel of a small city, but the best that both small and big cities have to offer:

Fun music scene: we even saw an opera performed outside in a plaza; the performers were excellent and the music also good; though it was drizzling a bit, nobody left --- people enjoy the arts :)

Great museums (the Pinakotek Moderne was our favorite). I even got to sit on a piece of art:

Wonderful gardens! We spent an entire day at the English Garden, and an afternoon at the Nymphenburg Palace gardens. The English Garden was our favorite:

The architecture in and around Munich is also very interesting:

The historical center

The 1972 Olympic Park:

And the traditional Bavarian architecture, where each building tells a story:

I can't end this without saying that traditional Bavarian food is really good, and of course, Peter would have to say that the beer was excellent! More Munich pictures here.

Sweden

2008-07-13T10:05:00.006+03:00

Sweden is really beautiful:

We liked the konserthus where we attended the philharmonic concert:

And we really liked the Saluhall (indoor market) where you can sit down and eat, or buy ingredients for home:

More Sweden photos can be seen here.

Yoko Visits Hungary

2008-07-13T09:48:00.005+03:00

So, what did Yoko do in Hungary?

She ate:

She drank:

And she hung out with Hungarian men:

Okay, so maybe she did more than this, but that's not as fun to talk about! Pictures of our fun times together in Hungary can be seen here.

Family Time in Hungary

2008-07-12T18:11:00.007+03:00

Of course, we spent a lot of time with our nephew, Barnabas, this trip - and enjoyed every bit of it:

I learned (or tried to anyway) how to make Somloi, Hungarian dessert, from Peter's brother. Peter's contribution to the process can be witnessed here:

This goes without saying, we also took full advantage of Peter's parents' cooking skills, including his dad's famous barbecues:

More photos of our time with the family, and of course of Barnabas, can be seen here.

Hungary with Edwin & Elselina

2008-07-12T17:52:00.008+03:00

As it turns out, we had not taken many photos during Edwin & Elselina's visit. We took only a few at the Belgian bar the first night they came. Here's what the guys were up to:

Variations of their activity can be seen here.

You can get a better glimpse of how we spent our time with Edwin & Elselina from the following pictures, the credit for which goes to Edwin/Elselina:

Hiking at Pilis:

Relaxing at Margit Sziget:

Strolling around in Szentendre:

Climate

2008-06-23T13:55:00.002+03:00

Today, it is 46 Celsius (or 115 F) and very bright and sunny in Doha. It's only June. That's all I have to say about it.

Budapest / Sweden / Slovenia

2008-06-12T14:36:00.003+03:00

Finally, we had our first vacation since arriving in Doha over six months ago. We spent two weeks in Hungary and one in Sweden. Tonight, we are off to Munich for a week. This will end our month-long vacation.

It's been great fun so far. Here's a quick run-down of what we did (and yes, pictures will be posted soon!):

Hungary
We met our nephew for the first time. He is very cute, and a lot of fun. He is trying to push forward right now, but I think he will walk before he crawls.

We also enjoyed our time with Peter's family, and had great meals (both at home and out).

Even though I paid for it with my allergies, it was worth going to Hungary in the Spring. Living in Qatar, I very much miss greens and blooms. It was really nice to absorb the lush greenery of Springtime in Hungary.

Our Dutch friends, Edwin & Elselina, came down to visit from Holland during our first week in Hungary. We took them around Budapest and Szentendre, went on a full-day hiking trip in the lush forests at Pilisvorosvar, and enjoyed some great meals together.

For the second part of our trip in Hungary, our friend Yoko from Los Angeles visited us. We also took her around Budapest and Szentendre and spent some time in Pomaz (where Peter's parents live) with her as well. It was wonderful having friends visit us while we were on vacation :)

Slovenia
We went to Llublijana and Lake Bohinj in Slovenia over our second weekend in Hungary. Yoko has a cousin that lives in Llublijana, and he introduced us to Lake Bohinj, for which we owe him a great deal. The lake has a river running into it, mountains surrounding it (it's the other side of the Alps), and beautiful hiking areas. Star-gazing at night was also wonderful. We really enjoyed our time at Lake Bohinj (even though we had to cross some water during our hike, which made my feet go numb).

Sweden
We spent a week in Sweden. It was my first time in Scandinavia, and I have to say, it is a beautiful part of the world. The city is easy to explore on foot. We enjoyed the Modern Art Museum. It was also really nice to walk around Gjurgarden, which is an island full of parks.

I was surprised at how diverse/international Stockholm is; because of this, the food is very international. The best food, of course, is the seafood - GREAT salmon and shellfish. We also discovered a really nice tea house (Chaikhana), a wonderful espresso bar and a great Spanish tapas place.

For our cultural experience, we went to a philharmonic concert at the Konserthus. They played music by Mahler very well. It was very enjoyable and relaxing.

My conference was on the island of Sandham in the archipelago. We had to travel by boat for 2 hours to get there. The area was quite beautiful, but only Peter got to enjoy the beach while I attended the conference.

Pictures from the trip to come soon, as well as a narrative on our trip to Munich.

Al Fardan Towers

2008-05-18T10:14:00.009+03:00

Our new place is in Al Fardan Towers. These are twin towers (taller tower for apartments and the shorter one for offices), with a connector in the middle that has a BMW/Mini dealership, an Illy coffee shop and a super expensive boutique called Aida.

The quality of the place and the appliances is much better than what we had in our original place in Doha. Check out the interior here.

Other things: there is a spa, a gym and a swimming pool/jacuzzi on the top floor (39th floor). Come visit!

Inland Sea Tour

2008-05-01T09:11:00.003+03:00

Last weekend, we went on an an overnight camping tour in the desert with two other couples. We were picked up from campus, but the real tour started at the Sealine Beach, where Jocelyn and I went on a short camel ride. Then, all of us got back into the SUV, and were taken on a drive up, down and around the dunes. That was quite a thrill!

From Sealine Beach, we headed to the Inland Sea (near Saudi border). On a road, you say? NO WAY! Why use the roads when you have a massive desert you can ride. The drive from Sealine Beach to the Inland Sea was through the desert, across the dunes. We stopped on the Qatari side of the Sea to have a snack, rest and enjoy the view.

After that, we headed back toward the Sealine Beach, but not all the way. We stopped at the tour company's camping ground for the night. While the tour company agents prepared the dinner (an Arabic barbecue), we hung out, got our feet wet (literally), and relaxed at the beach.

Though we were provided with tents, we decided to sleep outside on the beach. So, we dragged our mattress and sleeping bags out, and enjoyed a cool night at the sea. Waking up to the sunrise was quite a treat, and going into the sea for a swim at 5:00am was totally refreshing. Yes, you would think I would be grumpy at 5:00am; but, when you've got a sea at your footstep, the grumpiness seems to evaporate.

Then, it was breakfast and the ride home - this time, on normal roads :(

Check out our pictures here. O' and if you really want to see me on top of a camel, or better yet, see the two of us crashed out on the beach, look here.

Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival

2008-04-22T14:25:00.002+03:00

We went to the opening night of the Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival yesterday. They showed 1 short film, "The Flowers of Cole" by director Song Leng, and 1 long film, "Kindergarten" by director Yiqing Zhang.

"The Flowers of Cole" is about the life of poverty-struck ill grandmother and her caretaker granddaughter in rural China. The movie does a great job of expressing the thoughts and emotions of the characters without using any dialogue.

"Kindergarten" makes you laugh out loud as it shows the day-to-day life of kindergarten kids in a boarding school in China. They also interview the kids on topics such as love and war.

Overall, it was great fun. If you come across these movies, watch them.

Our Place in Doha

2008-04-14T14:33:00.003+03:00

News: We are moving out of the pink villa. Sorry to disappoint all of you who thought it was so perfect for Peter! Because the villa is relatively old, the air conditioning sounds like a truck engine and smells like mold, and we have also experienced some pest problems. So, we requested a move. Before packing up, though, I did take pictures of how we set up the original villa. You can see them here.

The new place will be a 3-bedroom apartment in a brand new high-rise in downtown Doha. The quality of the place, the furniture and the appliances in the new place is much better. Also, it is brighter with windows all the way around and modern in design (more along our taste). I will take pictures and post them soon.

Alcohol and Islam

2008-04-13T15:48:00.002+03:00

Today's "The Hindu" published the following news story, which I found interesting:

Row in Qatar over decree on drinks containing alcohol

Dubai (PTI): A religious decree allowing consumption of drinks that contain small quantities of alcohol, which is prohibited in Islam, has sparked a controversy in Qatar.

Qatar-based cleric Yousuf Al Qaradawi issued the religious edict last week sanctioning 0.5 per cent of alcohol in a drink.

The Egypt-born scholar, who chairs the International Organisation of Islamic Ulema (legislators), said such a small amount of alcohol is allowed because it does not cause intoxication. However, he specified the drink should be naturally fermented, according to a report in 'Gulf News'.

"An alcohol volume of up to 5/1000 or 0.5 per cent in a drink has no significance in making it haram (prohibited). It is a very small quantity, especially if it results from natural fermentation and is not manufactured," according to the 'fatwa'.

The 78-year old scholar issued the edict in reply to public queries over the distribution of energetic drinks and food items containing small quantities of alcohol, which are available in the local market.

Editor in chief of Qatar's leading Arabic daily 'Al Sharq' strongly argued against Al Qaradawi fatwa accusing him of stirring "confusion" among Muslims.

Recipe Request: Borsos Tokany

2008-04-09T10:08:00.002+03:00

Funny how I keep getting recipe requests for Hungarian dishes. So, here is the recipe per the latest request.

800g beef flank
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 1/2 tbsp oil
salt & pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
200 ml dry white wine
tomato paste
[Hungarian paprika: not part of recipe, but a modification based on Peter's wishes]

Cut the beef into strips of 5mm thickness and 5cm in length
Saute onion in the oil until golden
Add the meat, and brown on all sides
Season with salt & pepper

Once meat is brown, add garlic and wine
Cover with lid and simmer over low heat
Pour in a little water ONLY if needed (ideally it cooks in its own liquids)

When meat is halfway cooked, stir in tomato paste
Continue cooking until meat is tender
Let liquid reduce as much as possible

The dish should have a smooth, brown sauce
Serve with potatoes, rice or bread

MODIFICATION PER PETER's TASTE BUDS
Once dish is cooked, add Hungarian paprika and stir
Have extra paprika at the table for diners to sprinkle on top

Fuwairit Beach

2008-03-31T09:42:00.003+03:00

We finally had our first visit to the beach since we came to Qatar. We went to Fuwairit beach with some friends last Friday. It is about 80km north of Doha, but well worth the drive. Doha does not have any public beaches. Rather, you have to have membership at one of the hotels (like Intercontinental or Sheraton) to use their private beaches. Then, there is Sealine beach, which is closer. You'll remember we went to the sand dunes there. The dunes are fun, but as for the beach, I have heard it is way too crowded. Fuwairit, on the other hand, was nice and isolated and in its natural state. More beach pictures here.

Dubai

2008-03-26T09:58:00.006+03:00

We went to Dubai for long Easter weekend. Overall, it was nice to get away from Doha. Dubai is much bigger, there are real roads, drivers don't seem to be out to kill everyone on the road, there is less paternalism and the food is better.

However, it is still the Middle East - no doubt. The idea of "good" being the "biggest, grandest, tallest" is prominent in Dubai just as it is in Doha. Dubai also is very consumer oriented. That is, everything involves shopping and spending. There still appears to be a lack of culture, history and art. Then again, not every city is intended for my type of travelers!

Highlights of the trip:

Spanish tapas in a nice (man-made) garden
Creek art show - they were having an exhibit of regional artists' works
Souq Madinat - placed by the water, the souq is interesting in its architecture, and has a combination of local crafts and imported products; nice part was having coffee outside by the water.
Old architecture with wind towers in Bastakiya district - walking around that area was probably my favorite part of the trip.
Good south Indian food!
Dubai museum tries to show the lifestyle during the old fisherman and pearl diving days - the exhibit is a good effort, but not the greatest; exhibits of similar nature in Belgium and Hungary are much more interesting.

Overall, it was a nice getaway - see more pictures here.

Plant update

2008-03-17T15:54:00.003+03:00

Just a quick update on the plants I planted:

One of the citrus plants and both basils are blooming. The other two citrus plants are getting new leaves. Peter thinks it's an orange tree, but I think it's lime.

Click here to see more pictures of the plants.

Random things

2008-03-10T09:19:00.006+03:00

A few random things about living in Qatar:

1) Most people don't use email; telephone or in-person meetings are still the primary mode of communication. Considering how much I hate dealing with people over the telephone, it drives me bonkers.

2) Peter had to sign a "no objection letter" for me to get a permanent driving license - WHAT?

3) Apparently, if Peter doesn't want me to leave the country, he can inform the airport (via a letter I think), and they won't let me leave - WHAAAAT?

4) Our rental car company sends a receipt of our payment to us days after we make the payment.

5) We have a 70 cents per shirt ironing service that picks up and delivers the shirts.

6) The guy from the dry cleaners who picks up our shirts doesn't give us any documentation of what he is taking - documentation of services/products is really a non-concept here. Things just kind of work.

7) Our telephone bill payment doesn't appear on the next month's statement because it takes them longer to process the payment then to issue the next statement.

8) Locals drive up to the sandwich shops or small cafe entrances, and honk for the employees to come get their order and then bring it out. We will never become this local!

9) Service contrasts: from the moment you walk into one of the nicer hotels until you reach your destination (usually a restaurant), you are greeted a gazillion times; but, in the malls, if you walk into a store, you are completely ignored even if you try to get their attention.

10) The landscaping guys (not professional gardeners; rather, laborers from India, Pakistan, Phillipines or Sri Lanka) cut off the new green leaves of the trees (the parts you should keep) and leave the dead parts that are further in or higher because their goal is simply to make the tree shape pretty. It's all about the image. One day I climbed the tree in our front yard to pull of the dead limbs - it was fun for me, but also for those who were watching.

Fog?

2008-02-19T09:21:00.006+03:00

Does what you see in this picture make you think of a nice foggy morning in LA? Guess again!

This is not fog. Doha looks like this on windy days. Why? The sand! Yes, we live in a real desert!

So, on very windy days, you actually have to be cautious. My sinuses act up on such days. I may have to start covering my face to protect myself from those fine sand particles.

More pictures of sandy day here.

Souq Waqif

2008-02-18T09:08:00.003+03:00

Souqs are the traditional markets in Arab cities. Here in Doha, there are several souqs, Souq Waqif being the largest and most famous. This used to be the old souq until it was demolished as part of the rebuilding/modernizing of the city. People, however, missed the old souq, so they re-built it to look just like the old one.

This souq has sections for clothing, arts & crafts, spices, toys, etc. There is also a section with restaurants and cafes. Weekend evenings are fun at the souq - this is when all the locals go there, hang out at the outdoor seatings of the restaurants, eat, smoke shisha, etc. It's the "happening" place.

I enjoy simply going there to walk around and explore the local/regional products. We found a terrific Yemeni honey place in the souq. The owner lets you try all the various types of honey when you go in. There is also an Indian restaurant there that we like.

To see more pictures of the souq, click here.

Winter in Doha

2008-02-17T09:30:00.008+03:00

Believe it or not, it can get quite chilly in Doha. December & January were actually "cold" for those of us coming from LA. February started getting better, but every few days, it got chilly again. We were having a stretch of "nice" days when we decided to eat outside one day a few weeks ago. We were enjoying a nice dinner with our new French friends at one of the outdoor restaurants, when the winds picked up, and it started to get cold - even for the French! The servers at the restaurant noticed all of us shivering, and brought us some "stylish" blankets. Check them out!

Education City

2008-02-11T08:48:00.000+03:00

I have not previously said much about where we work. The building in the picture above is the Weill Cornell Medical College building. The big round structure is one of the lecture halls. The campus is located in Education City, which is one of the initiatives of the Qatar Foundation. To see the Education City layout and pictures, click here.

The exportation of American higher education appears to be an expanding concept. New York Times had an article on this topic yesterday.

Advantages of working in Education City?

Conveniently located Post Office, QTel (telephone service) office, Aramex office, dry cleaners, travel agents.
There is a recreation center, but we have not used it yet. We have a pool and gym in our compound at home, so that's slightly more convenient.
Musical, art, etc. events take place here, and we get to hear about them early on.
Surrounded with college students. I have to say, change the clothing and kids are the same everywhere. They interact with each other and behave exactly the same worldwide. They give the atmosphere a young and energetic vibe.
Very international environment. Everyone working here is from a different country.

Recipe Request: Paprikas Csirke

2008-02-06T09:53:00.000+03:00

Seems our friends miss my cooking. I have received many recipe requests. The most common one is for Paprikas Csirke. So, instead of sending the same email multiple times, I thought I would post it here for you.

Paprikas csirke [Chicken paprikas]

1 chicken [2.5 lbs]
1 large onion
2.5 tbsp oil
1 heaping tablespoon ground paprika [must be Hungarian paprika; I use a bit more]
salt
2 Hungarian wax peppers [or bell peppers instead]
1 large tomato
1 2/3 cups sour cream
1-2 tbsp flour

* Divide chicken into pieces [skin on]
* Finely chop the onion
* Heat the oil & gently cook the onion, stirring occasionally
* Remove from heat & sprinkle the ground paprika [important to remove from heat; otherwise, paprika will burn]
* Add chicken pieces & fry over high heat for several minutes
* Reduce heat, season chicken with salt & cover with lid
* Remove seeds from peppers and slice into rings
* Peel & seed the tomato & chop
* Add the pepper rings & chopped tomato to the chicken & cover with lid
* Continue cooking until done, stirring from time to time
* It is best to cook the chicken in its own juices; add a little water
only if you think it is needed to avoid burning
* Combine sour cream with flour, stir until smooth
* Add sour cream & flour mix to reduced juices at end of cooking &
simmer gently for another 4-5 minutes

* Serve with boiled potatoes, or salad, etc.

* Serve sliced peppers & extra paprika to allow people to garnish/use as
condiment [we like to add lots of extra paprika to our plate]

Feel free to make additional recipe requests :)

Doha Debates

2008-01-27T11:14:00.001+03:00

We went to this month's edition of the Doha Debates on Wednesday. This month's motion was "This House believes Arab Governments couldn't care less about Darfur." The speakers for the motion were Ahmed Ibrahim Diraige, former Governor of Darfur, and Nadim Hasbani, Africa specialist at the International Crisis Group. The speakers against the motion were Sirajuddin Hamad Yousuf, Director of the Crisis Management Department at the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Zeid Al Sabban, Head of the African Affairs division of the Office of the Secretary General of the League of Arab States. The team for the motion won the debate strong and clear.

It was very interesting to see the two sides go at it, and yet to see one side be ahead the entire time. If you happen to catch the debate on BBC, look for us in the audience.

Compound Cat

2008-01-21T09:04:00.001+03:00

There are a number of stray cats in our compound (gated community - how suburbia of us!) One of them decided that it liked our car port and car, and we often found it taking naps on, under or around our car.

One night, we decided to befriend it, and feed it. Well, it was very friendly and looked healthy. Unfortunately, since then, it has been very cold and rainy, so we haven't seen the cat (or any other cats) around much. Perhaps it will come back around once it gets warmer.

More cat pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/peter.lada/CompoundCat

Chocolate

2008-01-17T09:20:00.000+03:00

As you all know, my vice is CHOCOLATE - the darker the better! Actually, let's not call it vice, it's more like preventive care.

In LA, we became extremely spoiled because we lived and worked very close to the best Belgian chocolate store, Chocolatt. For those of you living in LA, if you have not been there, it's time - and have some chocolates for us while you are at it.

So, here in Qatar we have been on a search for good chocolates. We found some decent organic darks in Marks & Spencer, but nothing great. Then, yesterday, we get a care packet from Hungary which includes a box of MERCI and some espresso filled chocolates - YUM. Not long after we picked up the Hungarian package of goodies from the post office did I get a call from my brother's friend from Paris who is in town. Well, he sent us some Michel Cluizel! Have to say, it was a nice end to the day.

Miss the most

2008-01-08T09:45:00.000+03:00

Well, I have been in Doha long enough to have a list of things I miss the most about LA:

1) Our friends
2) Ability to walk to most places, i.e. my LA lifestyle
3) Whole Foods
4) Whole Foods Rice Cereal
5) Sensible drivers (yes, I know, you think LA drivers are nonsensical, but you have not been to Doha yet!)
6) Japanese food
7) GOOD SUSHI (cravings, cravings)
8) Culture & nature: museums, music, hiking, Huntington garden walks...
9) View from our apartment
10) Well, LA itself!

Pot Souk

2007-12-24T10:11:00.000+03:00

We made a trip to the "pot souk" last weekend. For those of you thinking otherwise, this is where you buy plants and "pots" for the plants.

The villa definitely needed more life besides just the two of us. Indoor plants were easy - we bought 5 of them, watered them and put them around the house. Planting the outdoor plants into the ground was a bit more of a challenge (especially without the appropriate tools that we forgot to buy). So, I spent a full morning digging and digging and digging (with a small steel bowl); then, planting; then bagging tons of sand. But, the end result made it worthwhile. Here is the final outcome for you to see: http://picasaweb.google.com/faridalada/PotSoukOutcome.

The Pink Villa

2007-12-10T19:02:00.000+03:00

Yes, we live in a pink villa!

We are adapting to the large amount of space we have, though we both prefer smaller/cozier homes. At least we have a lady come clean it every Saturday.

Odd thing: the windows are tinted dark! First I thought it was rather odd and didn't like it, but then the thought of 120F weather with the strong summer sun made me realize that this is actually a practical design. So, come summer, I am sure I will appreciate it.

For now, it still feels a bit like living in a hotel, but once our shipment arrives, the personal touch will hopefully make it feel more like a home.

The nice thing: there are indoor and outdoor swimming pools and squash courts (for our racquetball games, of course) for the community.

Desert Fun

2007-12-10T08:39:00.000+03:00

See the album

This is the perfect time of the year to enjoy the desert out here. So, with a local Qatari friend that Peter made, we went to the Sealine Beach on Saturday. The beach really is not the highlight of this affair; rather, it's the sand dunes on the other side of the sea that take your breath away. The sand is beautiful, very fine and cool. Our friend has a hummer, in which he drove us over and across the dunes, and in between the adventures, we sat around on the sand and enjoyed the landscape. The sunset was amazing. What fun!

Give credit where credit is due

2007-12-05T08:31:00.001+03:00

Okay, so there are the positives:

1) Corniche: GREAT walk around the bay - large paved walkway, gardens around it, pleasant evening weather (pictures to come)

2) I found Le Pain and Segafredo

3) Souk: traditional, local shopping, eating and hanging out place; outdoor/indoor; really happening on weekend evenings; lots of traditional stores; and a good ice cream shop

4) Shopping: malls have stores I previously could only find when traveling in Europe or Asia
--- Mexx
--- Massimo Dutti
--- G2000
--- Zara
--- Mango
--- Etc.

5) Breads: good breads (european and arabic) and you can find them in most grocery stores

5 most interesting things about doha so far...

2007-12-04T15:59:00.000+03:00

1) you grocery shop in the shopping mall (lure you in)
2) you hear call to prayer 5x/day (yes, even at dawn)
3) the entire city is like a big suburb (drive everywhere)
4) land cruisers galore (and all white too)
5) the city = construction site or desert

more to come!