Four Days, One Mistake

I messed up.  But not until the last day.

 

Bob got four days, 96 hours OFF:  No traffic. No yellow vests or steel-toed boots. No stacks of "packages" with the ever-cheerful "Must Be Reviewed Yesterday" stickers.  No no-work-talk-allowed-by-unspoken-agreement lunches, "tea boys" bearing coffee or surprise visits from plan-wielding contractors.  Go, they said.  Play. Rest. Relax.

 

With a little pressure from The Wife, Bob decided to do what few others did: stay in town.  No planes to catch, money to exchange, rising early to make the short lines.  Instead, we'd sleep, watch movies, drink, eat. Drive into the country.  See stuff Bob couldn't normally see because everything's closed on Friday - his only day off.

 

But…Relax?  This is a language Bob speaks only sporadically.
 

Searching for Relax

'

We started out slow by sleeping in:

 

Inland Sea camping the weekend before :)

 

And moved on to exploring, discovering, beach-finding:

 

men wear swimsuits, but women who cover dress in abayas, even at the beach

 

We saw weird stuff:

 

kit-copter?

 

Checked out heritage sites:

 

follow the signs

 

Toured Zubarah Fort

 

undergoing restoration: among the few full forts remaining here

 

and Film City, a (mostly) historically accurate walled town created for a television show (JOE BRING A PROJECT TO DOHA) built in an isolated area at the heart of the peninsula, surrounded by sand, rock and a natural oasis (difficult to find unless it's in your gps):

 

Film City: SERIOUSLY COOL

 

Wandered this wide expanse of empty-appearing desert:

 

think about it: where you gonna pee?

 

Met camels (we're told there are wild camels in the desert, although we haven't seen any...yet):

 

Saliva drenched kiss, yum

 

And watched nighttime crowds promenade from our balcony.

 

The Pearl: a great place to walk, sight-see, meet & greet

 

And on the last day, a holiday highlight: Missouri's own Adorable Super Couple, Curtis and Mary Gentile joined us at the Pearl's little beach for sun, fun, friendship, good conversation.

 

Are they beautiful or what??

 

Sun shone.  Water glittered.  West Bay's tall, twisted, uniquely shaped towers watched from the horizon.  Bob left his shady place under the umbrella, picked up a floaty…and entered the water.

 

He paddled.  He floated.  He slept. He…relaxed.

 

There are no pictures because I didn't bring my camera; OOPS and DARNIT!!  But I'm not sorry; I'm not! Because I relaxed too.

 

Awwww

Haya Baya!

THIS WEEK:

Found an archaeological site shouldered by a vast desert.  Climbed a mountain made of wind ravaged stone overlooking the sea.  Discovered a beach where windsurfers soar into the sky and small boats zip in and out of mangroves.

 

 

 

Toured a museum stuffed with personally owned Qatari artifacts like ancient rotary phones and radios.  Saw a life sized brass horse and handmade tapestries.  Authentic pearl diver's equipment, child's cribs, guns, knives, books.  Antique Korans in glass cases.  Old coins.  Listened to a lecture called Women in Popular Culture given by a female Qatari college professor.  Sat on traditional red and white pillows, drank (saffron?) tea and learned local history from Qataris at the Fanar.

 

But the highlight of this week was tanween and Haya Baya.

 

In Arabic grammar, "tanween" adds beauty and definition to a word by doubling the ending vowel and adding an "n" sound.  In Qatari philanthropy "tanween" is eleven young Qatari women, 9 college seniors and 2 graduates, who add beauty and definition to the world by sharing knowledge and smiles:

 

 

Tanween is not a school project, class assignment, thesis or community service.  The students don't get paid for their work.  Their children's program is simply an effort to share local culture and build language skills among Doha's youngest.

 

The Story of Haya Baya:

During pearling days, divers gave food to the sea on the eve of Eid Al Adha - so the sea wouldn't be hungry during the next pearling season and drown them.  Today, children plant barley seeds in small baskets.  On the 9th day of the Dul Hijja month of the Islamic Calendar children gather along the seashore, sing a song about the growing, green plant…and toss it into the sea.

 

(I was invited to take photos.)

 

Learning the story of Haya Baya with Hissa

 

Making baskets with Aisha

 

Planting seeds with Noora

 

Ready to grow!

 

So, I was going to end with something sappy and vaguely political about how a child's smile defies language barriers.  That familiarity, empathy and understanding begin with this next generation of diplomats, politicians, writers, personalities…and students working "just because."

 

And how kids who understand grow into compassionate, tolerant adults.

 

But the truth is ana jedda (I'm a grandma) who misses her little - and not-so-little ones. Love the stories, love the kids.  More, please.

 

Haya Baya!

Eid al-Adha

Beginning Sunday, November 6, Muslims everywhere commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son to God with Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice.  The celebration begins at the end of the Hajj – the holy trip to Mecca - at the descent from Mount Ararat; about 70 days after Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of fasting known as Ramadan.

“Eid” (EYE-EED) means “solemn festival.”

Muslims recognize Ishmael as Abraham’s sacrificial son.  Others (me included) grew up with Isaac on the chopping block:

Isaac is bound to an altar and Abraham raises his knife.  At that moment, the angel of God stops Abraham, saying, “…now I know you fear God…”  (Genesis 22:12)  God provides a ram for the sacrifice instead.

(Abraham sacrifices Isaac, by Caravaggio)

I leave the Ishmael/Isaac dispute to the theologians. 

To prepare for Eid al-Adha, Muslims make wudu (ablution), offer Salat al-Fajr (pre-sunrise prayer), assure personal cleanliness and dress in their finest clothing.  All meet for Salat al-Eid (prayers) in a mosque or other special place.  The Imam speaks.  And then, celebrate!

“…At the conclusion of the prayers and sermon, Muslims embrace and exchange greetings (“Eid Mubarak!”), give gifts (“Eidi”) to children, and visit one another. Many Muslims also take this opportunity to invite non-Muslim friends…to their Eid festivities to better acquaint them about Islam and Muslim culture.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Adha

Those who can afford it sacrifice their best (farm) animal and break it into three parts:  one for the family, one for relatives, friends and neighbors and one for the poor and needy.

Bob isn’t Muslim and doesn’t expect to participate in Eid festivities (this year).  Instead he’ll celebrate Eid al-Adha with five days off work (Friday, November 4 through Tuesday, November 8) – a great chance to get to know the city: shop the malls, peruse the souq, find the Catholic Church (an unmarked building beside a mosque), visit the beach, buy towels and sheets for his new apartment (move in day November 15!!!) and more.  He has his own car now and plenty to do.

What do you want to know about Doha?