Disability in Qatar

With a historical emphasis on marrying within the family in Qatar, disability was always going to be high. The people in Qatar don't help themselves by eating huge quantities of sugar and fast food. Unlike in the past, when life was hard, they don't make up for it with hard physical labour either.

Servants do all the house work, and expats do all hard and unpleasant physical work. For some Qataris, the only exercise is the act of staggering between house and the waiting land cruiser. Consequently, some middle aged Qataris have difficulty walking. Diabetes is high, striking many people while they are still young.

While Qatar's population does not have quite the awareness of disability that many Western countries have, the Government has made an effort. There are ramps and disabled toilets in most public places now, and disabled parking is common - and, even more surprisingly for someone used to driving on Qatar's chaotic roads, respected.

If you’re like us, you’ll also have been getting messages asking you to cooperate or thanking you for cooperating with the disability survey for the past couple of weeks. (We actually had a representative from the survey come round a couple of months beforehand). This is a nationwide survey to find out just how much disability there is in Qatar.

Qatar has also just hosted the second Annual International forum on Human Needs. The forum was held at the Shafallah centre, a school for disabled children. A film has also been made about the one of the centre's students, focusing on his eventually successful struggle to become a policeman.

There has been recent attention in the media too, with The Gulf times focusing on the motivational story of a blind Qatari man who obtained a doctorate, and now works for the Qatar government as a sociologist.

However, awareness among the ordinary people of Qatar seems to be low, and I have yet to see one disabled scooter being used in the country.

The Government stated aims include providing special facilities in public places, enabling disabled people to work and allowing them to take part in decisions concerning them. What remains to be seen is whether the government can move beyond these surveys and aims, and take real action to help disabled people. There’s reason to be positive. Despite the mind numbing bureaucracy that you encounter here, the Government is active and progressive.

However, the real causes of much of the disability is unlikely to be removed. Banning marriages between cousins would cause an outcry, and as for removing the country’s fast food joints – fat chance!

Also see: Healthcare in Qatar

Scooters Direct UK - exporting scooters to the Middle East.

Mobility Aids - mobility products available on line.

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Oasis

Driving off-road on the Ras Abrouq Peninsula, we were surprised to come across this Oasis.



In front of the Oasis there is a fort - not a real one, but built to be used in a film set. A lonely security guard bounced out as we arrived, delighted to have someone to talk to.


He told us there used to be a well here, but this has now been closed off. Instead a pool has been built, and gazelles visit the Oasis to drink from the pool.

When we asked him if the water came from the well, he shook his head and said "Tankers!"

Also see: The Singing Sand Dunes

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Qtel launches Mozaic service

Qtel today launched it's Mozaic service. Customers have the choice of two services. Mozaic TV+ will offer WiFi broadband internet, IPTV (i.e. TV using internet protocol technology) and telephone) and a a telephone line. The alternative is Mozaic mobile offering internet access through the mobile phone. The service is not yet available to all areas of Qatar,

I don't use cable tv but friends have complained about Qtel's tendency to suddenly change channels without warning. They have also complained about the backup service, although the new 111 number is a substantial improvement over the previous service. However, as Adsl alone costs QR 200/month, and a landline costs QR100/quarter, the service seems to represent remarkable value, even after the one-off QR300 installation fee.

Read the full announcement here.

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Qtel to change international dialling code

Qtel has announced that it will be changing the international dialling access code from 0 to 00 from 21st May 2007 - see this announcement on Qtel's website for more details.

Also see: Useful Telephone numbers

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Doha Clinic Hospital - This hospital may harm your computer...

While doing some research on health insurance, I tried to get in contact with Doha Clinic Hospital. As usual, they could not be bothered to answer the phone. (How do private companies in Qatar survive???)

So instead of ringing them, I thought I'd try their website. This is what I got:


Personalized Results 1 - 10 of about 95,400 for doha clinic hospital. (0.06 seconds)

Doha Clinic Hospital

This site may harm your computer.
Welcome To Doha Clinic Hospital Website, The First Fully Integrated Private Hospital in Qatar, For Complete Overview of our hospital please click on ...
www.doha-hospital.com/ - Similar pages - Note this

Google warns:

"This warning message appears with search results that we've identified as sites that may install malicious software on your computer." and

"Malicious software is often installed without your knowledge or permission when you visit these sites. Some examples of malicious software include programs that delete data on your computer, steal personal information such as passwords and credit card numbers, or alter your search results."

So, not only is it impossible to ring Doha Clinic Hospital if you are ill, they actually spread disease to your computer. Some hospital!

Also see: List of hospitals in Qatar

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Museum frustrations

or why it’s hard to be a tourist in Qatar...

I’d wanted to see to visit the weaponry museum for a long time, but I’d always been put off by having to obtain a permit first. This week I had visitors, which gave me the motivation to try and organize a trip.

I first obtained the number from the Marhaba information guide, which didn’t function. I then checked under museums in the phone book, but the only number listed under museums was that of the tiny Al Khor museum. I rang directory enquiries who gave me the wrong number. The number they gave me put me through to the National Museum, where I was passed along a chain of three people, before being given another number, and passed along another chain of three people. The last person I spoke to gave me another number, which I rang, only to be given another number - which was “currently not available”.

I again tried the number from the Marhaba, which worked this time. The person in charge was away, but his replacement told me I must obtain a letter from my company, which must be faxed to the weaponry museum with the time and date I wish to visit. Then I would be granted a permit.

I never got around to obtaining the letter. I have a suspicion the situation would be the same as when I applied for a permit for the Oryx park (no reply). If you are a tourist, forget trying to organise it yourself and go through a tour company. If you are resident in the country, it’s probably easier to wait until the museum hold an exhibition.

It’s a real shame that the museum seems so determined to stop people from coming. As I found during their exhibition in the Asian Games, they have a fascinating collection of exhibits, beautifully mounted and presented and including an extremely rare example of elephant armour.

After giving up on the weaponry museum we drove to Al Wakra. We eventually located the Museum in an old house opposite the Sea Gardens – not easy, as there was no sign. On our first try, the caretaker vanished as soon as we appeared. We went away, and sneaked back later, creeping round the side of the museum so he wouldn’t see us until it was too late. After we had cornered and bullied the caretaker into letting us in, we saw why he had been so reluctant. The whole place was full of rubbish – including the now dismantled sign.

We were disappointed - after all, the museum is still advertised on the Qatar Tourism website. But then, so is the Ethnographic museum in the Doha's only remaining wind tower (closed), the displays in Doha fort (closed), Pearl Island (demolished)... well, you get the picture.

Also see:

The Sheik Faisal Museum Definitely not closed or demolished!

Qatar National Museum

Things to See and Do in Qatar

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Exhibition

An exhibition in rock art by German artist Chipo Zainab Musandi will be held at the Diplomatic Club on May 16th and 17th. Ring Mr Daoudi 5750484 for more information about the exhibition.

See this story in the Peninsula for information about Chipo Zainab Musandi.

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Growth in tourism?

Qatar expects 1,500,000 million tourists by 2010 according to this story in the Gulf Times today. Apparently they had 900,000 visitors in 2006.

Exactly where all these visitors are I don't know, as I've met precisely two tourists in the last two years.

The first was a British-Sri Lankan chap with his family, taking a stop-over on the way to Sri Lanka. I met him on the plane on the way back to Qatar in August 2006. The poor guy didn't realise that the temperature was in the high 40's, and that he wouldn't be able to venture outside.

The second was in the Qatar National Museum. In an hour of walking round the former palace we met one other person - a Swedish lady staying in the Sheraton Hotel.

I wonder how the numbers of tourists are counted? If they count the number of tourist visas given out, it would include all the people who come to visit families, look for jobs and also certain dodgy ladies who frequent the bars here.

Still, there's good shopping here, and the newly rebuilt Souq Waqif is fantastic. They've made it easy to get a tourist visa, there's good desert tours, and an entertainment city is being built. You can certainly do things you probably can't do at home: sand ski-ing, sand boarding and big game fishing (if you can ever manage to organise a trip). If Qatar could clean up the beaches a bit and actually promote camel racing instead of hiding it away, it could really become a worthwhile destination.

As long as they don't try to persuade people to come in August, that is.

Also see:

Fancy a holiday in Qatar, anyone?

Qatar Tour Agencies

Visa Services

Qatar Travel

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Real Estate Exhibition

The second Qatar International Real Estate and Investment Exhibition will be held from the 21st to 24th May at the Qatar National Exhibition Centre.

For more information telephone +974 444 0408, Fax +974 431 3330, email info@tcqatar.com or dohapropertyshow@yahoo.com .


Also see: Buying property in Qatar and Qatar Property

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Accomodation: Bavaria City Suites

Al Dafna Towers, commissioned by Bavaria City Suites Doha, though open, is not yet quite complete. When we arrived we were directed to Tower 1 - clearly the others are not yet available.

The huge complex will be providing 2,200 Suites and studios for short to long term residence. Prices vary from QR6,600 for a 12 month rental of a "Deluxe Studio" to QR 25,00 for a short term (1-3 month) rental of a three bedroom "Imperial Suite".

The facilities are not all available yet, but will include a cafe (which should have opened in April), pool, restaurants, Wellness centre, Angsana spa, kids club, shop and private beach club access - though this can't be on the actual complex itself as it is surrounded by buildings and roads. All of these should become available this year.

The location is pretty good - it's directly opposite Doha's City Centre Mall, in the middle of the business district and ten minutes walking distance from the Corniche.

Contact details:

Tel: +974 – 4969111
Fax: +974 – 4969112
Email: bcs.doha@bhihotels.com
Post: PO Box 23488, Doha, Qatar
Location: Al Dafna

Note: Since the post was written Bavarian Hotels has walked away from the project.




Renting in Qatar - Essential Dos and Don'ts

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Renting accommodation in Qatar - update

“Pay Rent QR 15,000/ month for an apartment that you don’t own
or
buy your own house from QR 7,500 /month.”

So says an advertisement currently running in the Gulf Times, and many residents must be asking themselves the same questions.

So how much are flats now? We had a dig around the internet and in the papers.

Mirage property is offering a studio apartment for Qr 5,600 ($1,500), a hotel apartment for Qr 15,000 ($4000), a five bedroom villa for Qr 16,000($4,400) and another 5 bedroom villa for Qr 24,000 ($6,600).

Modern House Property Consulting, advertising in the Gulf Times are offering villas between Qr 16,000 ($4,400) and Qr 40,000 ($11,000) riyals each. (Yes, I checked – Qr 40,000!).

Thinking hotel apartments might prove better value, we rang Al Muntazah Plazah Hotel (contact details below). For a 3 bedroom apartment they charge Qr 18,000 ($5,000) per month including services and tax.

The cheapest I found – a private letting – was near Lulu Hypermarket with 1 bedroom, 1 sitting room, 1 kitchen and 1 bathroom for Qr 5000 ($14,000). There were also two bedroom flats going for QR 7,500 ($2000) in the centre of Doha.

If you look in the less popular areas such as Bin Mahmood, Al Hilal and the Souq area or just out of town in Al Wakra, you can find more reasonable prices. Reasonable, that is, for Qatar.

Where to look:

You can find rental accommodation advertised in the local papers, on supermarket walls, on Qatar Living or try the below:

Al Muntazah Plaza Hotels
Tel: +974 4355677 - 6 Fax: + 974 4355757
Email: info@almuntazahplaza.com

Mirage property consultants
Telephone: +974 444 4431
Fax : +974 431 0408
Email:info@mirageproperty.com

Homes to rent
Telephone 4134839, 4134837, 4134817/ FAX 4134846
Electronic mail Office@Homes2Rent.biz

Also see Buying property in Qatar

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Anni

The Doha Players are holding a production of Anni (based on Little Orphan Annie) this month. The production will open on 23rd May and there will five evening shows and three matinees. The price will be QR30 for children and students and Qr 70 for adults.

Tickets, which will be on sale by the Monday 7th May can be bought at Landmark in the Music Master shop opposite the body shop, or at the International Centre for Music. Ring 5755102 (office hours) for more details, or email doha_players@yahoo.com or dohaplayers@qatar.net.qa.

Wednesday 23rd starts 7.30 p.m.
Thursday 24th starts 7.30 p.m.
Friday 25th (two shows) starts 2.30 + 7.30.
Saturday 26th starts 2.30.
Thursday 31st starts 7.00.
Friday 1st June (two shows) starts 2.30 + 7.30.

Also see: Finding out what's on in Qatar

Doha Players Website

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