Bits and Pieces of a New Life

So the last few days have been a bit of a blur! Ramadan has ended, and the week following it is a huge celebration. The streets are packed with people, and you are finally allowed to have a drink of water during the day! There is so much going on, and I am determined not to say no to anything, so I'm exhausted. Today was a 'recovery' day, and tomorrow is a stock up day - supermarket and such, as the next day we all start work, at 6.30 am, I believe.

The people here are wonderful and we have had a fair amount of social gatherings over the last few days. First was Will's birthday, and a large group of us went to an arabic restaurant, and one of the guys who spoke Arabic ordered for us. I tried Pigeon, it was yummy, and the rest of the food was amazing.

Will's Birthday

Fresh Babaganoush is incredible!

Smoking is really big here. Its hard to get used to some smoke washing over you as you eat, or watching someone light up in a clothes store. Shisha is the most desirable - they are these huge water pipes that sit on the floor and the tobacco sits on the top, with foil and then hot coals. The tobacco is flavoured with anything you can think of - mint. apple. basil... and by the time it has traveled through the cold water and down the long tube its stone cold. It's like breathing in candy. It's not something I'm keen to do too often, but it's nice to join in and indulge once in a while.

Apple Shisha

I've mentioned the Souq Waqif before, but each time I go I see more and explore further, and the other day was no exception. As usual it was scaldingly hot and we walked far too far. It was about an hour before sunset, and nothing was open until the sun went down. Eventually we found a restaurant that was opening and they took pity on us and sat us early - on the roof terrace. It was a stunning setting, and we had a fan. The fans here are super massive and have water misting out of them, which is divine. Unfortunately, the majority of the shops were shut because of Eid (the celebration) but I did buy a stunning scarf and a few bowls.

What I wouldn't do for this at times. Best Friend.

A Closed Souq

Up to the restaurant

About 5 seconds before sunset - happens as fast as someone clicking their fingers.

Anne (London) Stuart (Melbourne) Shell (Ireland) and Me

Sunset

The company I work for (Ta'Allum) has 2 schools - Al Jazeera, mine and Al Maha which is segregated into two campuses, one for boys and one for girls. The Al Maha crowd live in a different compound and we met with them one night at Aspire Park. Its a huge section of town reserved for sports, with an enclosed women's complex, the main football stadium and other sections. We all went to the outside football fields and were meant to play a friendly game of football, but it became very clear, very quickly that male egos were at stake. So us girls watched on the sidelines for a bit and watched as the guys sweated enough to fill a lake.

Aspire Park

The Museum of Islamic Arts is one of the most beautiful buildings in Doha. It sits across on the water opposite from the city, and has 3 floors of beautiful Islamic relics from all over the middle east and parts of Africa and Europe. Qatar is such a new country they don't have much of their own history, but they are working hard to create a culture and sense of national pride.

The view across the water.

War Helmet - Cannot imagine how intensely hot these would get in the desert sun.

Freaky Monkey

Some famous dudes who felt like getting painted with gold leaf.

Its an awful picture but this necklace had diamonds about 3cm across, i think those are emeralds, and it was set in the
most gorgeous 24 carat gold - such a bright yellow colour. I'd like me one of these.

Just a bird made of Gold, Rubies and some Diamonds

Tenneille and Amanda, from Ireland

There are two cultural areas in Qatar - one is the building below, with one of the main mosques in the city and the other is a whole village called Katara. It's brand new and houses a lot of the commissions and institutes of Doha, as well as shops and restaurants. It is right on the beach and has a great boardwalk and beach with loungers and umbrellas. Unfortunately its 200ish riyal (80 NZD) and women are not allowed to wear togs.

Katara. The structures on the right are bird houses and are seen all over.

Mosque

A fully marble colosseum/amphitheatre in the middle of the village.
I'd love to see a show here, but I would definitely bring a cushion!

The Boardwalk. Made of marble of course, not wood.

Just a random building tiled in gold leaf.

You read it right. Gold leaf.

It may have taken me two weeks, but I have started figuring out the night life, and am very quickly concluding that it is very cheap to go to a bar and drink. IF you are a female. Most bars are inside the big name hotels, like the Intercontinental and Mirage and let girls in for free, and on the right nights (about 2 a week) they spirits are totally free. FREE. And those who know me well, know I like to take full advantage of things that are free.

Hotel Intercontinental - with Paloma bar up high.

A group of us at Paloma on Ladies Night.

Shwarma Kebab at 3.30am on the way home from Paloma.
The best thing I have ever eaten,

The Pearl (from Left) Will, Anne, Shell, Me, Amanda, Geraldine, Anne, Leigh, Karen and Doug)
That was a late one :)

So to wrap up - I'm still having a great time! If you made it this far, well done, it was a long one! Here are some fun and random pictures for your reward: