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Monday, June 30, 2008

Doha Movie

Update: Watch this in better quality, and with clearer subtitles in Doha Movie: the Remake

In our latest movie we take a drive along Doha's Corniche, taking in some of the sights to the sound of the haunting Doudouk, an Arabian wind instrument.






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Sunday, June 29, 2008

Qatar: the new Venice?

Gondolas line up in Venice at sunset
The Independent today has published an article today questioning whether Qatar is becoming the new Venice. The article is not referring to the new developments taking place in West Bay - which the Pearl will be disappointed about - or even the canal and gondolas in Villagio shopping mall. Instead it is comparing Qatar's growing economic muscle with the former trading ability of Venice, which despite its small size was able to dominate shipping; at the zenith of its power the city state had 36,000 sailors operating 3000 trading ships.


According to The Independent Qatar's domination will be over finance rather than the seas. In addition to the huge revenue Qatar is generating and investing as a result of its financial activities, it is also seeking to become a source of finance for other Middle East countries looking to raise finance. To do so, it has brought in the NYSE as a 25% partner - more for its skills, resources and connections than for the $250 million the American stock exchange paid for the privilige: a drop in the oil well for rich Qatar.

Read the full article on the Independent:

Margareta Pagano: Qatar is the new Venice and London has missed the boat

Gondolas glide along a canal - not in Venice, but in Qatar's Villagio!

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Friday, June 27, 2008

The Emergence of Qatar

In our latest book review on the website we look at the Emergence of Qatar: the Turbulent Years. The book covers the history of Qatar from the bombardment of Qatar by the Portuguese at the start of the seventeenth century till the signing of a treaty of protection between the Al Thani family and the British in 1916. The history of this period is covered in detail, and this is probably the only detailed general history book published about Qatar's history for many years.

Read the full review.
Browse all our book reviews.

Front cover of the Emergence of Qatar: Shows an early map and picture of Qatar


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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Ancient Settlement found in Qatar

An exciting archaeological find has been made by Danish Archaeologists in Qatar, according to UPI.com. A Danish team excavating in Qatar has found a prehistoric settlement which may be more than 700,000 years old. A total of eight dwellings by an early species of human has been found in the desert of Qatar. The discovery could be used to sound out theories of early emigration patterns from Africa, as the archaeologists believe the humans may have left Africa via what is now the Red Sea. Keep your eyes peeled on the Gulf Times for further details!

Also see: Qatar Archeology


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Sunday, June 22, 2008

Terrorist threat or drunken conversation?

According to the Gulf News the recent high status terrorist alert in Dubai was based on a conversation between two drunken men at a bar in the Hilton, according to "Diplomatic sources".

One of two drunk Arab man was reported to have said, jokingly:

"If someone wants to scare all these people and make them run away, just say there is a bomb. A belt bomb will kill hundreds of them."


Secret Dubai Diary
also reported the story, with a bit of a twist. Is this story real, or a bit of spin doctoring by the UAE government?

In any case, the warning remains.



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Saturday, June 21, 2008

Qatar Dust Storm

The weather in Qatar has been murky and dusty for more than a week now, with mild dust storms kicking up whenever the wind gets going. While there has been an improvement in the weather this weekend, things are forecast to get worse again from tomorrow, and the local met estimates that conditions are the dustiest they have been for six years.

A huge cloud of dust rolls towards the photographer in this image of a dust storm in IraqThese dust storms are a mixture of dust and sand. Within Doha itself, though, there is an increased quantity of dust and other materials, partly caused by the huge quantity of building and demolition (of older buildings) going on. These dust storms can cause allergies and illnesses, and local hospitals have reported a surge in cases of respiratory infections. Doctors are also advising asthma sufferers to purchase air purifiers or dehumidifiers to clean the air in the houses.

The immediate cause of the dust storms is the movement of wind over loose particles of dust on the ground. This causes the dust to first vibrate and then to leap into the air. As they return to the ground, they strike and loosen smaller pieces of dust which are then borne by the wind. In Qatar this wind is often caused by differences between land and sea temperature.

Dust storms can be huge things. They can spread over hundreds of miles, rise over 300 metres in height and are visible from space.

Dust over Saudi Arabia and The Middle East
Map of a huge dust storm
Source: NOAA Satellite and Information Service


Dust storms normally occur in arid lands such as Qatar, and can be exacerbated by poor management of land. Qatar suffers from overgrazing from camels, which is leading to increased desertification, something which the government is trying to combat (see Qatar Camel Farm). Conditions this year have also been exacerbated by late and insufficient rain during the winter. However, in Doha itself these causes are probably also added to by the enormous amount of building going on.

If you want to take photos of a dust storm, we advise using a filter on your camera to avoid damage to the lens. If you are lucky you may find filters in Doha in the Sofatel area, where there are several camera shops. We had to order ours from America, and are currently waiting for delivery via Aramex.

Also see: Dust storm for images of a dust storm in Qatar.

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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Warning Status: Qatar

The Gulf Times reported today that the British Embassy has warned of a serious threat of an attack in The UAE.

"There is a high threat from terrorism. We believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the UAE. Attacks could be indescriminate and could happen at any time, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers such as residential compounds, military, oil, transport and aviation interests. You should maintain a high level of security awareness, particularly in public places."

Source: Travel Advice: UAE

After reading the story I spoke to the British Embassy earlier, and they said that the warning applied specifically to the UAE and not to Qatar. The status in Qatar remains the same, which is of a general warning:

"There remains a general threat from terrorism in Qatar. Attacks could be indiscriminate, and against Western, including British, interests as well as against civilian targets, including places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers."

Source: Travel advice: Qatar



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Monday, June 16, 2008

Qatar Map


Our latest addition to our website is an interactive map of Qatar. Click on the map to the left to get to the full size Qatar map, and follow the instructions to activate the controls. When you have activated the controls, you can zoom in or out or pan around Qatar to get more of an idea of the country.


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Saturday, June 14, 2008

Qatar v. Australia

We attended the Qatar- Australia match in Doha this evening, along with a few thousand enthusiastic Qataris. As usual, the Qtaari supporters showed their enthusiasm with chanting, drumming and throwing thousands of small pieces of white paper in the air.



The first half of the match proved quite exciting, and the Qatari team managed to create quite a few chances. However, excellent goal keeping by the Aussies managed to keep them at bay.


Australia scored once in the first half, and then twice in rapid succession in the second half - one was disallowed. After this, the game seemed to change totally. Many supporters gave up hope and started to leave early to avoid the traffic, especially after the Australia's third (allowed) goal.


Unfortunately, we followed their example and left a few minutes before the end of the game - missing Qatar's only goal of the match!

Also see Qatar Football

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Qatar Labourers


The Gulf Times reported today that the blocking of large number of Asian Labourers from entering souqs caused tempers to flare yesterday. 

It is common to see labourers blocked from entering souqs and malls in Doha. I've been in Souq Waqif and in Villagio and seen men being turned away for no apparent reason other than they looked poor and Asian. 

It is a tough life for labourers here. They often live in a labour camp, sharing a room with six or more other men or sleeping on the roof to escape the heat when the air conditioners are not working or are not turned on (some labour camps only turn them on for three months of the year). 

Many also see no or negative financial benefit, after borrowing money to pay agents to come here, often with unrealistic expectations of what they can earn. Interest rates can be sky high, threats can be made against their families if the loans are not repaid and it is not unknown for labourers to commit suicide to escape the situation. 

With Friday often the only day off for these workers, many head to the souqs - or to the malls, where at least they can enjoy the cool. However, they are often turned away, perhaps from fear they will harass women. Other single men of different races, or those who are obviously not poor, have no problem entering. 

It seems that those who are building the backbone of the richest country in the world are those who are least rewarded. 

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Qatar Blogs Update

What's going on with the Qatar Blogosphere

It's a long time since we blogged about Qatar Blogs - more than a year ago in fact (see the best blogs in Qatar) - and it seemed like time for an update. There are a lot more blogs worth including than there were last time, so this time we are just going to highlight a few of our favourites.

Happily, Like Clockwork Orange, one of our favourite blogs, has been resuscitated after a break of several months. Our blogger is no longer in Qatar, having become a Hong Kong resident, so hopefully he will be writing some more of his wonderful posts about that city.

No Longer at Ease continues to go strong with often disturbing and thought provoking stories about North Africa and the Middle East. Al Jazeera news analyst Abdurahman has also been joined in his efforts by Hanna, a final year undergraduate literature student.

Football Qatar is a relatively new blog on the block. Although its reporting is excellent, it seems to have taken a hiatus at a time when there is lots going on with Qatar Football - hopefully a temporary one.

The Supreme Education Council has become one of the first major organisations in Qatar to join the ranks of Qatar bloggers with the SEC blog. The blog is not very regularly updated as of yet, but does give users the chance to make their opinions known.

Another Education blog is run by Julie Lindsay, who is head of technology at Qatar Academy. Her blog E Learnings Journeys aims to share her ideas about "E-Learning, ICT integration and digital literacy in education".

Life and Leisure, the San Juan blog, is another one that continues to go strong, although their balance of information about Qatar and information about family seems to be leaning more towards family these days.

There's also Mr Q's blog, which belongs to the I Love Qatar website and aims to give a Qatari perspective on life in Qatar. Despite the name of the website, the content is generally balanced and includes criticism as well as praise. Another blog providing an alternative perspective on events in Qatar is Moz Boondoggle, which is written by an American Muslim journalist: the blog is both thoughtful and well written.

Last but not least there is a great blog called Dan in the Desert, which is a pleasure to read and always seems to include some great photographs.

By the way, if you have a great blog we have missed here, give us a shout and we'll add it to our blog list on the website!


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Monday, June 09, 2008

Doha Restaurants: Thai Snack

Thai snack: The best Thai restaurant in Doha

Whenever I enter Thai Snack and breathe in I feel like I have been transported back to Thailand. The aromas are exactly the same as they are in Thailand. That's not surprising, as all the staff in this busy little restaurant are Thai too. Even the neon sign looks like it could come from a Thai high street, while the trees overhead remind you of the Asian jungle.

Here you can enjoy a meal outside in the slightly run-down garden by the water fountain (at least in the cooler months), eat in the restaurant or order a take away. Although the restaurant is always busy, the restaurant and its Thai staff incredibly efficient and normally your order is ready within minutes. And the food is probably the best Thai food you are likely to get in Qatar, from the spicy tang of Tom Yam seafood to the sweet but delicious Pat Thai, which you can liberally sprinkle with crushed peanuts for that authentic Thai taste.

The restaurant is located at the bottom of Al Nasser Street, close to the Ramada signals. As you head up Al Nasser street away from Suhaim Bin Hamad street keep an eye out for Thai Massage signs on your left, as the restaurant is located within the the Thai Massage complex.

Also see:
Qatar Restaurants
Qatar Food

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Sunday, June 08, 2008

Exciting time for Qatar Football

This is an exciting time for Qatar Football. Not only have Qatar just beaten China 1-0 with a penalty at half time during their away game, the country is also now joint first with Australia after Australia's shock defeat at the hand's of Qatar. The upcoming Saturday game against Australia will prove interesting, although the heat is likely to preclude dramatic play from either of the two sides. Check out the discussion on the I love Qatar forum.

More could be coming, according to an article in the Guardian entitled Qatar plans Shock Bid for 2018 Tournament, which suggest that Qatar is likely to apply for the Games. However, Qatar is likely to be cautious this time around after being rejected from the Olympic Games bid despite tying joint third with Chicago on technical points. (Rio de Janeiro, which was behind on points, was accepted in this preliminary round.)

The move could see them in direct opposition with the UAE, which has also been discussing bidding for the 2018 world cup.


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Football at the Marriot

Football at the MarriotFollowing in the footsteps of the Intercontinental, The Marriot Hotel have sent us their flier for the Euro 2008. Starting, well, from yesterday (we only received it today - honest!) you can watch the Euro 2008 live at the hotel until the 29th of this month. at the Pearl Lounge, Salsa, Cafe Trettoir and Shisha Terrace. You can also find information about the Euro 2008 and its schedule on our partner website Soccerphile.

Also see: Qatar Football



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Saturday, June 07, 2008

Tourists Visa for Qatar: Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways Tourist Visa:

How to Obtain a Tourist Visa via Qatar Airways

If you are not a member of Qatar's list of approved nationalities for visa on arrival, you can get a visa either via a hotel or via Qatar Airways. However, to get a visa with Qatar Airways, you have to book a room for your stay with a five or four star hotel. We have included a list of approved hotels below.

The hotel can be booked via Qatar Airways, with the visa fee being paid at the same time. In the event of the visa being refused (unlikely unless the person has misused a prior visa) the hotel fee will be refunded. However, the visa fee is non-refundable.

Note that this tourist visa (unlike visa upon arrival for approved nationalities) is not available for those staying with friends or families - visitors need to be booked into a hotel. However, nationalities with families will be able to come on a visit visa - see Qatar Visas for more information.

When we spoke to Qatar Airways about this, we asked about the Tourist Visa available via through Hukoomi, the Qatar Government website. The representative we spoke to said that this was essentially for families only, and also (after a little prodding) that he didn't recommend this method.

For more information about the tourist visa telephone Qatar Airways on:

+974 4496980/4496973

List of approved hotels

Details of all the hotels can be found on our Qatar Hotel Listing. We have also linked to hotels where there we have a full review available. Most of the hotels below can also be found on our Luxury Qatar Hotels Page, where we include a quick review.

Approved Qatar hotels for the Tourist Visa via Qatar Airways include:

Also see Qatar Visas on our Qatar website for more details on the tourist visa and other visas available from Qatar.

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Friday, June 06, 2008

Why did Qatar lose the Olympics?

I was a little surprised that Qatar fell out of the Olympics at the first hurdle. I didn't expect them to get the 2016 Olympics on their first attempt, but I did think they'd get further than they have.

Then today the Gulf Times had a front page article on the bid, entitled "IOC bends own rules to kill Doha bid."

The article pointed out that on technical points Doha finished ahead of Rio, yet the IOC chose to bump Doha out rather than Rio. Perhaps more interestingly, though, is that the IOC seems to have ruled Doha based on the choice of dates.

Apparently, the IOC prefers the games to be held between July 15th and August 31st to maximize television revenues. However, as the Gulf Times pointed out, this would rule the whole of this region out forever.

Certainly choosing a country based on the amount of TV revenue is a long way from the Olympic ideals which the games are supposed to be based on, although a lot closer to everyday reality!

However, Australia were allowed to hold the Games in the second half of September. Perhaps the real reason that Qatar has been kicked out early has more to do with local politics.

The Olympics would involve sending a team of athletes from a nearby country, a country regarded by locals (who include a number of Palestinians) as occupied Palestine. While Doha has been perhaps unique in the region in their readiness to engage with Israel - Israeli citizens can visit Qatar, study, take part in sports, trade and have taken part in the Interfaith dialogues that are held here - the issue may still have weighed heavily in the IOC's rejection of Qatar.


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Thursday, June 05, 2008

Qatar Events: War of the Djs

Indorachel has posted about upcoming event War of the DJ's. The event will be taking place on the 20th June 2008 from 8pm, with tickets available from today from Virgin in Villagio, Bombay Chowpatty on Airport Road, Music Land in Family Food Center on the same road, Tandoor Express in City Center, Maharaja Restaurant in Al Smakh and Gulf Cinema in C Ring Road.



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Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Qatar Football: Too hot to play...


There have been several reports of the Qatar-China match but what most seemed to have missed was just how hot it was. Even the spectators were soaked through with sweat, so it must have been awful for the players, even though they were gulping down fluids at every opportunity. Obviously the Chinese players' special water cooled vests had less effect than they had anticipated, as they seemed the more lackluster of the two teams. There is little chance of playing good football in this weather - and when Qatar play Australia it will be even hotter...

Also see: Qatar Soccer

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Qatar Beaches: The smallest beach in Qatar?

This tiny beach can be found on Doha's Corniche, by the former jetty and close to the Sheraton Hotel. Unfortunately, swimming is not allowed on the Corniche, but children always seems to enjoy a paddle and a pad in the sand.


Also see:

Beaches in Doha (on the forum)

Qatar Beaches: Al Khor

At the beach: Qatar Style

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Monday, June 02, 2008

Qatar Football: Qatar meets China

Qatar meets China tonight at the Al Sadd stadium in the Group one qualifying stage of the world cup at 7 pm tonight. Qataris I have spoken too are quietly confident that the heat, which reached 44 degrees in the day yesterday and is still cloying at night, will prove too much for the China players. China thinks differently, as they have been training in heat, and their players will be equipped with special water cooled vests. China state they are more worried about Qatar's naturalised players, especially Sebastian Quintana, who originates from Uruguay.

Qatar and Qataris are very keen on football, and is currently nurturing talent at its world class sporting academy, Aspire. Friends working there have told me that the centre only employs staff who are at the very top of their profession, and its scouts travel widely to choose the best promising talent from thousands of applicants in Africa and, more recently, Vietnam.

I expected my Qatari friend, who is a keen football supporter, to be at the match tonight. Unfortunately, he plans to watch the match from home, citing the heat, the traffic and the capacity of the stadium as his excuses.

If you don't want to watch the match but do want to know who wins, you don't need to check the internet or the newspaper. Just wait, and if Qatar wins you will soon hear a cacophony of honking horns as thousands of Qatar fans make they way round the city.

Also see:

Qatar Football
World 2010 Qualifying Asia: Group 1

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