‘I think I ate horse meat in Kazakhstan – yikes!’
I think I ate horse meat in Kazakhstan. I never expected to do either – eat one of my favourite animals or find myself in Central Asia – but life has a habit of sending us curved balls. Or, in this case, deliver a rich, unexpected travel experience of a people and place once only […]
The flying cow story of Qatar
Once upon time (in 2017, actually) there were no cows in Qatar. Today, there are 25 000 milk-producing cows and it’s all thanks to a political blockade, visionary leadership and the biggest bovine airlift in history. I call this “The flying cow story of Qatar”. The happy-ever-after ending can be viewed at Baladna Farm, about 50 […]
The falcons of Qatar – and some
Falcons are to Qatar what rugby is to South Africa – an integral part of this nation’s DNA. With rugger and the Boks, it’s fervent support, braaivleis, beers, massive commercial opportunities and even nation building. In Qatar, these feathered fellows are kingpin to an entire culture, heritage and burgeoning recreation economy. For a South African, […]
The cats of Qatar, aka Catar
With two to three times more cats than humans in Qatar, the Catar reference is hardly surprising. Cats are everywhere – living it up in luxurious villas, scrounging for survival on the city’s streets or, of late, parking off on my balcony. Cats are synonymous with Qatar. The picture postcard shots of the swanky Doha […]
The pandas of Qatar
There are about 3 million people from as many as 121 different countries living in Qatar – and there are two pandas from China, too. Yes, those lovely, cute black and white bears that inhabit the cooler climes, now reside in this sweltering hot Gulf state. They are the first pandas to live in the […]
10 weird and wonderful things about Qatar – part 2
If you are coming to Qatar, expect a country of contrasts, all of which make it a weird and wonderful place to visit. Did you know, for example, that Qatar does not have any forests, but intends to have planted 10 million trees by 2030? (They planted a quick million in the run-up to the […]