QATAR'S FIRST BREAST CANCER WALK

Cutting the Ribbon to Start the Walk

Erin at the Starting Line

Erin, the Doha Sheraton is in the background

On Saturday Erin, Andy and I participated in Doha's first Breast Cancer Walk. The walk was held in the evening (still too hot during the day!) along Doha's Corniche (bay). It was a short walk, maybe 1/2 mile, that is all the organizers could get permits for! Andy and I got bright pink polo shirts (in the Arab world pink is not a feminine color - you see men driving pink cars here!)Anyway, it was a great time for a great cause.

"They" say we are going to have rain tomorrow - we'll see. "They" also said we would have rain on Friday and Saturday and we didn't get a drop. Rain will bring on an excited post!

The Qatari View on Queuing (standing in line)

From the Gulf Times, 18 October 2008: "Queuing is a good practice, but for a Qatari it is a disruption to his work. I cannot stand queuing more than ten minutes. As a Qatari, my daily routine consists of finishing work in more than one place so standing in line is out of the question. One, is that I hate it and second, is that I don’t have time so I just make contact with the senior official of the place where I have to stand in line if it is too crowded or slow. I do this to finish the business I came for, in no time. But if it is not crowded, or if the people in front are moving quickly, I just queue with the others.When it comes to queuing at road signals, I try my best to avoid it. I know most of the shortcut roads in Doha, sometimes they do not shorten the trip but I take them to avoid waiting in line at the signals. When I see queue jumping I become furious if the one who did not respect the line did not ask first, although I know sometimes I call my contacts to avoid this practice. But Qataris feel they are free to do anything they want, as it is their country."
At least this Qatari is honest. Shameless, but honest.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

"Ski Dubai" in the Mall of the Emirates

Pedestrian Overpass - we need in Doha!

Long Tube is Ski Dubai ski run at the Mall



World's Only 7 Star Hotel


Helicopter Landing at the Hotel







Just got back from a 3 day Girl Scout training in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is a one hour flight from Doha, and feels like a trip into the future! There is A LOT of money in Dubai! The Mall of the Emirates is beautiful, and contains Ski Dubai, with an indoor ski slope, ski lift, sledding run, snow boarding hill, and ski jump. It costs quite a bit to get in, over $50 for 2 hours. But, that includes all the equipment you need: boots, coat, hat, gloves, skis, sleds, snow boards, etc; The temperature is a constant -3 celsius. They have snow making equipment inside. The ski run is short but, as you can imagine, quite a novelty in the Middle East! I did not go in - I am not a downhill skier and will not pay money to be cold! But it was fun to watch. The last night I was there we had a group dinner at a restaurant that was floor to ceiling windows overlooking Ski Dubai.
I was fortunate to be hosted by a Girl Scout, American, family in Dubai. They live in a huge house (think palace, 6 bedrooms, 5 1/2 baths and an elevator) - I had a beautiful room and a large marble bathroom with oversized tub. Super nice family, they have a daughter Erin's age and we have agreed that our 2 troops are going to be pen pals. The last day I was there they took me to the beach, and to lunch at the hotel next door to the world's only 7 star hotel (this hotel is on its own island and you can't go there unless you are a guest). I was so impressed that PORK was on the menu at this restaurant - wow! Dubai is a lot more open than Qatar.
Anyway, the purpose of this trip was Girl Scout training and I am so glad I went. The training was excellent - the Girl Scout program is changing and I think it is change for the better. Will be very busy here now as the other leader who went with me will be teaming up with me to train the other Doha leaders on this new program.
Other big news is that, while I was gone, Grant got his braces off! As soon as I can get him to stand still for it I will post a photo of his new smile. He looks great!

THE INLAND SEA!

Stuck in the sand



Our Day Camp


Driving the Dunes


Having Fun!


Andy playing in the Sand








Just saw a statistic that 97% of the 4 wheel drive owners in the US never take their cars off road, or use the 4 wheel drive. Not true here in Doha! We drive off road all the time. It is necessary even in the city! Yesterday, we went really off road and traveled down to the Inland Sea in the south of Qatar. Here the sea has a small inlet and makes a nice beach in the midst of sand dunes. The waves are very gentle. It's about a 1/2 hour trip over the dunes. We stopped at the end of the road, at Sealine Beach Resort, and let some air out of our tires. We did get stuck in the sand once, some nice people pulled us out. Going over the dunes is quite an experience, basically get a run up, go up the dune, then take your foot off the gas for the trip down the dune. Can be a wild ride! Got to the beach where the kids had a great time digging in the sand. On our return to Doha, had to stop where the road began to put air back in the tires. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon, on a Friday, and it was rush hour at the sand dunes! I couldn't believe the number of people heading out there for the evening.
All in all we had a great time - and will do it again sometime.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS!

when things were uncomplicated - NOT! I have a job transcribing obituaries from the Monroe County, Ohio newspaper The Spirit of Democracy. I am working in 1894, and the town of Woodsfield just got its first telephone system. Below is an excerpt explaining how to use the phone:

"Mr. M. M. Maloney, representing the Magneto Telephone company, has prepared a few instructions which will aid persons using the instruments, and he submits the following directions:
To call central for connections press the button on the left side of the phone, turn the crank on the right side of the phone three or four times, take the handles off the hooks, push back the switch on the left side of the phone as far as it will go. Put one handle to the ear and the other close to the mouth and speak in an ordinary tone of voice. If you should fail to hear distinctly (which will not often occur) put both phones to your ear. When through talking, throw the switch back into place, hang the handles up, press the button and ring two or three rounds. When called by central press the button and ring three times before commencing to speak and then follow the above directions. During a thunderstorm throw the switch on the top of the phone to the right as far as it will go. Do not get mad if you do not get the person you want; he may not be within reach of the sound of the bell."

As of this issue (May 3, 1894) there are only 15 phones in Woodsfield. With such a complicated system it is amazing the telephone went on to become a fixture in every household.