Utter Qatar

A Trip to Jordan

2007-11-18T05:07:00.000-08:00

It’s been a really long time since I’ve blogged, and I apologize. Life has just been jam-packed with activities.

In October Joaquin and I joined the Qatar Natural History Group for a tour of Jordan. We started in the north of the country in the capitol city of Amman and ventured out from there for day trips to several amazingly ancient archaeological sites. We visited the Roman ruins at Jerash, a first century A.D. city featuring a theatre, hippodrome, monumental gates, temples, and marketplaces. The original stone roads are laid out in a cruciform with stunning entry gates. The whole city is in great condition so a visitor can get the feel of the original scale and layout.

We also visited the Roman, and later, Ottoman city of Um Qais in the far north. This site features a beautiful theatre, temple ruins, and colonnades along Roman roads.

Amman itself contains some Roman temple ruins. It was interesting to see how ancient stones have been incorporated into the living city as parts of contemporary buildings. The city is built of limestone, giving it the nickname, “the white city.”

On another day we ventured east to visit three ancient “castles” in the desert: Amra, Azraq, and Kharraneh. These were actually a caravanserai, a hunting lodge with bath house, and a fort. The hunting lodge at Azraq was particularly interesting since it was heavily frescoed inside with images of animals and people.

We then left Amman and headed south to visit Madaba, Mt Nebo & Kerak. Madaba is a small town that has an Eastern rite Christian Church with beautiful mosaics. On the floor of the church there is a mosaic map of the Middle East including the oldest known map of Jerusalem. Mosaics are still made in this city and we visited a mosaic and ceramics workshop where I purchased a beautiful vase.

Mt. Nebo is the location of Moses’ tomb. If you remember your Old Testament, Moses was not allowed to set foot in the Promised Land, but God rewarded him by allowing hin to view it from the top of Mt. Nebo. From the church on the hilltop you can view the city of Jerusalem in the distance just as Moses did.

Kerak is an ancient fort used in the Crusades. Joaquin loved exploring the dungeons and hearing the grisly tales of prisoners being thrown off of the ramparts!

Our last few days were spent at Petra and Wadi Rum. Petra is everything it is touted to be. The entry is through a narrow gorge called "the Siq" which then opens out into the red stone valley of monuments. We rode horses down into "the Siq" and then had a camel ride back after a full day of hiking through the ruins. Petra is truly a stunning place.

Wadi Rum is a desert location where "Lawrence of Arabia" was filmed. We rode in open jeeps driven by teenaged Bedouins over red sands surrounded by cliffs that reminded me of Utah. The scenery was spectacular.

I hope that you all can visit Jordan some day. The people were friendly and the sites are truly magnificent.

Our Animal Friends

2007-09-29T05:50:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of moving to Qatar is that Joaquin can have pets. Last March we adopted two cats that belonged to a friend who had to move back to the States. Cleo is a tiny calico cat who is nine years old. She prefers to be an outdoor cat with dining privileges. Fluffernutter (nee Spliff) is a three year old tabby and white male cat that has chosen the indoor life. Both cats were found as feral kittens in the parking garage near VCUQ. They were rescued, fixed, and introduced to polite society. Qatari cats are interesting, however in that they are never really tame. They are more vocal and less cuddly than most American cats and never lose their love for hunting and play.

Since June we have also enjoyed the company of Phoebe, a Lhasa Apso-Shih Tzu mix that has been the longtime companion of Christina Lindholm, the previous Dean of VCUQ. We have been dog-sitting Phoebe while Christina and her husband, Richard traveled the Silk Road for three months and then moved to Brighton, England where Christina began a PhD program. Phoebe will be staying with us until mid-December when she will return to the States with Christina and Richard.

All of these animals have brought a lot of fun to our home. Joaquin is finally getting to experience pet ownership with all of its ups and downs. He has a little business pet-sitting for vacationing neighbors that earned him some money over the summer months and gave him additional experience with animals. These pets have given Joaquin some practical experience to help him decide if he wants to pursue a career as an animal trainer or zookeeper.

Ramadan Nights

2007-09-22T00:03:00.000-07:00

The holy month of Ramadan began on 13 September when the new moon was sighted by members of the Crescent Observation Committee. This is the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar and is marked by fasting from sunrise to sunset, charitable acts, and family celebrations. The greeting “Ramadan Kareem” (Blessings of Ramadan) is heard everywhere we go.

Here in Doha the effects of Ramadan can be felt by the entire population. Work hours are shortened and standardized to 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. by most employers. This allows families to rest and prepare for the evening, fast-breaking meal called “iftar.” The afternoons are quiet and the streets are empty until the traditional cannons sound, ending the day’s fast.

The nights are busy with families and friends going out to eat, shop, and visit. Many people stay up all night during this month and sleep during the afternoon break. The hotels and restaurants are beautifully decorated with the hotels erecting elaborate Ramadan tents in honor of the season.

One of the special celebrations is “Garangao,” held on the 15th day of Ramadan. This is a children’s festival similar to Halloween. Kids dress in national costume with bags hanging around their necks and go door to door chanting, “Give us something and Allah will bless you.” At VCUQ the students have a traditional Garangoa night for the local children. The auditorium is decorated with carpets and majilis cushions. Fabric swags from the ceiling make the room look like a big tent. In the hallway, students sit on carpets with bags of sweets and nuts. The children go from carpet to carpet and fill their bags with goodies. In the auditorium women make the pancakes special to this celebration. These are some photos of the youngest celebrants at the Education City Garangoa this year.

Ramadan ends with the holiday “Eid Al Fitr.” Schools and offices close while families and friends celebrate the end of the holy month. New clothes are purchased for the whole family and more sweets and special foods are available to welcome visitors. Since we get a holiday from work and school, Joaquin and I will be traveling to Jordan with the Natural History Group. We will get to see the Dead Sea, Amman, and Petra. Please stay tuned for more…

For Mom: Our House

2007-09-15T01:30:00.003-07:00

My mother wants to be able to picture where we live. Until I can convince my parents to visit they will have to be content with this posting.

Joaquin and I share a three bedroom attached villa in a housing compound called Al Shallal Gardens. It is located in the Al Waab district, across the street from the American School of Doha and Doha College, just northwest of Decoration Roundabout.

Al Shallal Gardens has 42 villas with tennis courts, a swimming pool, gym, handball courts, and a billiards room. About 3/4 of the tenants work at VCUQ and the rest work at Al Jazeera. The Al Sahallal people are very friendly and we have potlucks, watermelon parties, and shop and cook together frequently. Other activities include a monthly book discussion group, Yahtzee nights, and group trips to the movies, malls, vegetable market, and souqs. We have felt warmly welcomed by the other residents and greatly enjoy their company.

These are photos of the house. We haven't decorated very much yet, partly because we are dogsitting an elderly Lhasa Apso named Phoebe who is very lovable but a bit unreliable in the potty department. The tile floors in our villa make cleaning any accidents a piece of cake. When our dogsitting venture is over (in December) we will be off to Riaz the Rugman in a flash to buy some of his beautiful tribal rugs for our living room. The other reason that we haven't decorated much is because of Joaquin's cat, Fluffernutter. He likes to knock things off of tables which limits the opportunities for displaying local craft items such as baskets, carvings, or pottery.

I've never rented such a nice house before. The rooms are big with high ceilings and lots of natural light. The kitchen has new appliances, including a washer, dryer, and dishwasher- such luxury! There are heavy brocade drapes on the windows to shut out the sun during the hot afternoons and we have a private patio in the back.

One thing that is interesting about the design of the villas is that they are very private; windows look into your own yard and not into the yards or windows of others. The Arab culture is very careful about protecting private life from the view of others. Houses are surrounded by walled courtyards and protected by ornate gates. Next posting I will discuss some aspects of Arab architecture.

A Trip to the Inland Sea

2007-08-31T02:00:00.000-07:00

The border between Saudi Arabia and Qatar is partially formed by a sort of fjord called Khor Al Daid, or the Inland Sea. This link will show you a map of Qatar. The Inland Sea is in the far southwestern portion of the country. Link: http://www.canadiancontent.net/images/profiles/maps/large/qa-map.gif

Some friends from VCUQ joined Joaquin and me on a visit there recently. To reach the Inland Sea you must have a four-wheel-drive vehicle. You drive down to a resort called Sealine and then leave the road to drive across the dunes to the Inland Sea. This was my first off-road trip in our new car and it performed very well. We were fortunate that one of our party, Bill Barker is experienced with this trip and helped us approach it properly. First he let out about half of the air in our tires so there would be better contact with the sand. Then he blazed the trail and our convoy of four vehicles proceeded over the dunes.

The southern dunes of Qatar look like the quintessential Arabian desert of our imaginations. Large sand dunes roll along interspersed with patches of perfectly flat, taupe colored land. Where possible we drove along these flat parts with occasional forays over the lowest dunes. The car, a Toyota Fortuner made it very easy.

At the Inland Sea there was not a spot of shade. We rolled up our pants legs and waded into the sea. The water was tepid, but still refreshing. Luckily for us, Bill Barker has a sort of tarp that attaches to the back of his car for shade. We ended up having a picnic huddled under that tiny patch of shade to protect ourselves from the scorching sun. It was 115 F degrees, but we had a great time with good friends. Joaquin ended up swimming in his jeans with a new arrival in Qatar, Sherry Bankenship's ten year old grandson, Nicholas. When all of the cold peaches were eaten we formed our convoy and drove partially around the sea before heading back home.

Thanks to Sherry Blankenship for the last two photos in this posting. Thanks to Bill Barker for his assistance and instruction on off-roading in the dunes.

Shopping, part 3 (not really)

2007-07-31T22:34:00.000-07:00

Near the vegetable and fruit market there is an animal market where you can buy a camel, sheep, goat, or chicken, etc. Visiting the animal market is not really a shopping trip for Joaquin and me, but we enjoy visiting there none the less.

Most of these animals are destined for the dining table. There are several breeds of goats and sheep, including the Lebanense sheep with fat tails . We often see them being transported in the backs of pick-up trucks, destined for someone's wedding feast or the local butcher shop. Camels are seldom eaten, however; they are much too valuable. The Qatari's highly prize their camels, though the nomadic way of life is mostly a thing of the past. Many Qatari's keep camels in pens at their homes and camel racing is a popular sport.

Camels are interesting beasts. They have a reputation for spitting and kicking, but this is a bit of a generalization. Camels are like any other animal; those that are well-trained behave nicely and those that are not behave badly. They each have their own personalities that come into play. Two of our friends, Peter Martin and Laura Green have three camels. Hiyati and Ruhi are sweet natured but the youngest, Habibi is a bit rambunctious. Joaquin and I enjoy walking in the desert with Laura and Peter, their son, Cyrus, their dogs, and their camels.

Here are some pictures from the animal market taken when we visited there with our friend, Ruth Beals on a recent Friday morning.

2007-07-22T11:45:00.001-07:00

Shopping, Part 2

2007-07-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

The shopping areas in Qatar are called "souqs." There are fabric souqs, furniture souqs, computer souqs, etc. One of our favorite shopping areas is the Souq Waqif, also known as the "new-old souq." Souq Waqif is the oldest shopping area in the city but is called new because it has been restored to look as it did many years ago. The aluminum windows, neon signs, and metal doors have been replaced with wooden windows and doors and painted signs. To walk through the Souq Waqif is to return to the Arab market place of 50 years ago, yet this restoration has not produced a fake Disneyland or Williamsburg; the Souq Waqif is a lively, functional maze of shops and restaurants carrying everything from hardware to clothing, spices to jewelry. Many of the more traditional people of Qatar prefer shopping in the winding maze of the Souq Waqif because of the social atmosphere as well as the excellent deals.

Visitors to Souq Waqif may purchase traditional Arab clothing, swords, and camel saddles. There are falconry shops where you can buy a hunting hawk and all of its equipment. Handmade falcon hoods are decorated with paint, beads, and feathers. Or perhaps you would like to order the traditional majilis carpets and furnishings or an Arab coffee pot and the special coffee to go with it.

Down the main lane through the souq a man gives donkey rides to the children. There are kabab stands wafting delicious scents of grilled meats through the air and stalls offering freshly squeezed fruit juices. Souq Waqif is also the most affordable place in town to purchase a bag of nails or a ball of twine. Shawls from Kashmir, honey from Yemen, incense from Oman, photographs of the royal family, and brass studded wooden chests make great souvenirs.

Shoppers should be prepared to barter with shop keepers; there is no such thing as a fixed price. The souq provides excellent opportunities to meet the local people and to experience traditional Qatari culture in a fascinating setting.

Shopping, part one

2007-06-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

Doha is a city of shoppers. Ex-pats and locals share a love of searching for deals in the many malls and souqs around town. Part one will cover food shopping.

One of the biggest surprises of life in Doha is the variety of foods available and their affordability. The super markets carry foods from the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The prices are similar to L.A. prices with some exceptions; processed foods from the United States are a little more expensive but many other items such as spices, bread, fish, and local produce are much less. I had expected that foods would be expensive since not many things grow in a desert. Surprisingly, there is a lot of agriculture in Saudi Arabia including dairies and farms of all kinds. Local farms in Qatar grow tomatoes, peppers, squash, potatoes, and cucumbers. I haven't seen any of these farms so I'm nor sure how it is done - hothouses? I found some information at this link http://www.country-studies.com/persian-gulf-states/qatar---agriculture-and-fishing.html.

Though the super markets are convenient it is more fun to buy produce at the open produce market near our home. Here you can find fruits and vegetables of all kinds from all over the world. The other day my friend, Ruth asked a vendor where each of his fruits and vegetables came from. The answers included Lebanon, India, Italy, and Australia. We like to try fruits and vegetables that we don't have at home in L.A. Have you ever eaten a green bean that is 24" long?

Another great place to shop is the fish market that springs up on the Corniche in the morning. Fishermen pull their boats right up to the walkway and unload the fish from their nets to sell. It doesn't get any fresher than that! You do have to clean it yourself, though. There are small local crabs and all kinds of fish. Sometimes they sell squid and these funny flat lobsters. (I haven't tried those yet.) Most of the seafood is sold for 10 Qatari Riyals (QR) per kilo. That's a little less than $1.50 per pound.

Spices, sweets, and nuts are also available inexpensively in Doha. A good place to buy those is Souq Waqif, "the old-new souq." Spices of many varieties are sold in bulk from little pyramid-shaped piles in beautiful shades of red, yellow, orange, and brown. Sweet and nut shops sell packaged and bulk nuts and candy, many of which are Indian and Pakistani favorites. Dates are available in 120 varieties.

We will be on vacation in the States and Baja California for the next 2 weeks. When we get back Ill post "Shopping, part 2," Souq Waqif.

Where is Qatar?

2007-06-15T05:19:00.000-07:00

Qatar is a peninsula extending into the Arabian Gulf from the eastern coast of the Arabian landmass. It is northwest of the United Arab Emirates and southeast of the island of Bahrain. It is approximately the size of the state of Connecticut. This is a desert kingdom featuring sand dunes near its border with Saudi Arabia and flat terrain over the balance of the country, sparsely vegetated with camel thorns, palms, and other hardy plants.

The capitol is Doha, a booming city with an economy based on oil and gas revenues. The country is governed by an absolute monarchy headed by the Emir, SheikhHamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani. He is a forward-thinking leader who is developing the country to be a knowledge-based economy. This is the reason that Education City has been created.

Finally Getting Started

2007-05-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

Joaquin and I have been living in Qatar for 4 months now. It's taken me this long to start blogging, as I promised I would back in January. The days have flown by with getting used to our new home, a new job, a new cultural milieu, and for Joaquin, a new school.

I came to Qatar to be registrar at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts branch campus in Education City, Doha, Qatar. The college is a very interesting place to work. There are 190 students here, all women, studying Fashion Design, Graphic Design, or Interior Design. 60% of the students are Qatari and the balance are students from other countries. The majority are from Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, etc. There are also students from Sudan, Bosnia, USA, and other countries. Most of the students are traditional Arab women who wear the abbaya (full length black gown) and shela (head scarf). Some also wear a face veil. Students from other countries dress in western style and look pretty much like U.S. college students.

In the fall of 2007 VCUQ will welcome its first male students (we expect 6). This is going to change the climate quite a bit, I believe. Because there have been no men attending VCUQ there were no male students to be photographed for the next University bulletin and application brochures. Joaquin was asked to pose as a student for these publications. Here are some pictures from his photo shoot.

Stay tuned to this blog for more postings about our life in Qatar.