Exhausting, exhilarating ‘in-your-face’ India is a must
30 years on, and India is as complex, chaotic and culturally alluring as ever. It was sensory overload then and possibly more so today. No photograph, video or personal account will ever prepare you for visiting India. And more so, if you jet in from the likes of Qatar, just a four-hour flight away, with […]
Of football, missiles and the passing of Qatar’s ‘architect’
12 July was an odd-ball day. It’s one that will go down in the annals of Qatar’s history. And ours too, simply because it was just such a strange day. Or, to quote a friend who texted me that evening, “Today is pretty eventful, huh”. “An understatement,” I’d replied because Sunday, 12 July, began before […]
Opening the door(s) of Qatar
Ornate, Arabic, automatic, closed, revolving, wooden or whatever … As an expatriate living in Qatar in the Middle East, doors here can be very different. It’s both the visual contrast between doors here and those of our home countries, and the symbolic significance. Granted, a closed door may still indicate a dead-end, a glass one […]
Qatar’s great green escape – Katara Hills
Katara Hills is our antidote to Qatar’s flat, desert environment. It’s green, hilly, loaded with trees, has a freshwater stream and fabulous views over the ocean and other Doha landmarks. It’s all man-made and perfectly manicured, of course. But this matters not a jot when you’re seeking respite from the hustle and bustle of Doha […]
Sniffing out cultural differences with tissues in Qatar
Tissues. Yes, everyday soft, absorbent paper tissues. They are the stars of this Doha Diaries post for no better reason than their ubiquitous presence in the Middle East. In Qatar, they’re everywhere. Boxes of tissues adorn any available surface here – they are in homes, hotels, offices and shops, taxis, counters, public toilets, checkout tills […]
‘World cup’ of rock art mystery in Qatar
From the mundane to the mysterious, Qatar’s leading rock art site, Al Jassasiya, gives you much to see and even more to mull over. Not least is that, at face value, with its stunning architecture, high-tech infrastructure and visionary focus, Qatar is a picture of modernity, when actually, it’s truly old – like 5th Century […]
Explore the quirky charm of Krakow, Poland
A goose and duck walked into a bar … Nah, it’s not a joke. A goose, a duck and a man with a pointed hat really did waddle into a bar in Krakow, Poland and, after just a few days of exploring this age old, wondrous city, I thought how fitting. You see, Krakow, is […]
All revved for Qatar’s F1 Grand Prix – and some
It’s the “and some” that I want to share. This is the fun, the mardi gras, carnival atmosphere – call it what you will – that happens alongside the high-octane racing at Qatar’s Formula One Grand Prix that I want to tell you about it. No doubt, such sideshows take place at each of the […]
Doha’s arches sparkle with meaning
They are Doha’s famous arches, the tallest and most symbolic of Qatar’s monuments, but actually, they belong to me, too. The Al Wahda Arches are mine in the same way that a building, park or any other significant landmark in your own neighbourhood becomes yours. By proximity and familiarity, we take ownership. Or, at least, […]
Armenia a natural and cultural travel wonder
Affordable and ancient, beautiful and bountiful, Christian and culturally rich … the descriptors for Armenia roll off the tongue as easily as this landlocked country’s mountain rivers and lilting landscape. But scratch a little deeper and words get stuck in the back of the throat as you discover the complexities and harsh past of […]