Ma'a Salaama, Doha: No Regrets

Dashboard entertainment:

yes, this really happened

at 80km/hr

But first, this happened:

Landcruiser idled in traffic

driver's door open

errant youth chastised;

traffic waited

without honking horns

even though the light was green

 

Sure, driving in Doha is hazardous. Living in Qatar is like residing on a construction site surrounded by a construction site within a construction site bordered by a yacht-and-dhow-sprinkled moat overrun with princes.

 

Abandoned buildings disintegrate in the wind and sun. Roads are rerouted to accommodate construction needs. Appointments, schedules, contract dates and terms-set-in-stone are fluid. No mail service. Empty grocery shelves, the metric system. Familiar, brand name products - made for an international market - taste or work differently. Services are discontinued without notice. Wet summer air puddles under thresholds, teases body moisture into clothes. Salty water stings eyes, dries skin. Rules about alcohol, behavior, attire. A mysterious, minority host culture. Prejudice, bias, wasta. 

 

And, yeah, traffic.

 

a different kind of traffic picture:
bare road plus

parked, red lakhiwiyya police SUV...
black sedan, tinted window

convoy

headed your way

 

But life in Doha is not all teenage boys, plugged intersections, rebar and concrete. For example, there is year round sunshine. Seasonal pink flamingos, the souk. Gucci, Hermes, Giorgio Armani. Porsche and Lamborghini. Tennis, handball, camel racing, the Call to Prayer, cute baby giraffes.

 

the Doha Zoo remains closed

this is what it looks like when you drive in unannounced

while the guard is on break

(then charm your way out in pigeon Arabic)

click here to watch as a baby giraffe is born in Doha

 

Less than 100 years ago, Qatar was a vast expanse of sand. Today there are flowers and malls. Date palms hem a brick Corniche around a glittering Bay. An eccentric high rise skyline ponies up nighttime bling. The country's National Museum (under construction) is uniquely shaped like a Desert Rose. Three short years ago stereo speakers fixed in The Pearl's trees broadcast bird calls. Today real birds flutter in the fronds.

 

behind the walls

a community park

Shehanniyah

 

Growing pains feature in Qatar's dunes-to-mansions story. But rapid growth is the tale's hero - and villain. Now, as we leave the desert behind, we choose to focus on the experiences that made our time here memorable.

 

racing camels and trainer

 

camel jockey

once upon a time small children filled this role

today's jockeys are politically correct

monkey shaped robots

 

The People

Coworkers, desert strangers, locals, teachers, friends. Qatari women who invited me into their homes, shared cultural secrets and personal stories. Bob's golf buddies and the international team at Weill Cornell Medical College's Standardized Patient Program. More profiles than time to write.

 

Niqab and glasses

Read about it:

We are BMD (Overseas Edition) 

Meet Aisha* 

Salaam! (When Qataris say Hello)

 

Places

Deserts, beaches, resorts, churches, castles, pubs, B&Bs, spas. Ten countries, many cities. Exploring sand and rock from one end of the peninsula to the next.

 

Chris meets Corniche pearl

 

Read about it:

Expats Abroad: Spain

Bob and Cindi Do Greece

Camels on Main Street, TP in the Can

 

Time Together

A three year Qatari honeymoon. Opportunity to show our kids the world. Friday walks, trips to the desert, touring the Irish countryside in a Beemer.

 

ma sha allah!

Katie and Kimber at Film City

 

Read about it:

Six Days in Doha with Chris

Tourist Qatar: Where We've Been

Four Days, One Mistake

 

Culture and Language

Six day work weeks and unrelenting traffic didn't leave much room for sightseeing. Still we managed to learn some Arabic and gain understanding of a sometimes mysterious culture.

 

Bob and Cindi meet Qatar's Peace and Love Guy

 

Read about it:

My First Qatari Wedding

Modesty, Covering and Haya

Machbous, Prayer and God

 

We leave Qatar now with quivers full and no regrets. Ready to love on our kids, grandkids, family and friends. Paint our kitchen, seed our lawn, plant a garden. And prepare for life's next great adventure.

 

 

yallah habibkum!

This is the end.

Journey over;

new tale begins.

 

Disclaimer:

The essays in this blog reflect our experiences while living in Doha, Qatar during a particular 39-month period. Qatar is a new and evolving country; today, street names, shops and restaurant locations change overnight, tomorrow the landscape may be different. We hope you'll gain a positive appreciation for Qatar's people, religion, culture and history through our experiences.

 

ma'a salaama

ciao

arrivederci

adios

auf wiedersehen

illa liqah

'bye now!