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, […]
A strange mix of books in Qatar
Books, books everywhere, but not a jot to read. This, Dear Reader, is what I’d feared when moving from South Africa to Qatar – a proliferation of books, yes, but few of them decipherable, as they would mainly be in Arabic. I wasn’t wrong. But I wasn’t right either. It’s just strange mix. There is […]
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 […]
The night the bombs fell in Qatar
I am not sure what moved fastest – the bombs, my fingers or heartbeat. The bombing of the US Air Force base in Qatar feels surreal now, less than 24 hours later. But last night it was in-your-face, shudderingly real. And I mean that literally, as the ground shook, reverberating with each large boom, as […]
Eid and its many meanings in Qatar
For the Muslim faithful, Eid (al-Fitr) marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and a time to give thanks and celebrate. And, by default, it also offers other faith groups living in the Middle East exciting “Eid break” benefits, too. Confused? Of course you are (unless you are Muslim or are already accustomed […]
The Doha dust bunny blows no good …
Where I come from, wind is a non-event because it blows most of the time. But in Qatar, when the wind blows hard, it’s big news because it changes everything. The sun disappears, the COVID-19 masks come out and everyone is just a little more edgy than usual. All talk turns to the weather in […]