50 tips about Qatar
If you are coming to Qatar, here’s an A to Z of things that might make your visit or future temporary home a little easier to navigate. They are my 50 tips about Qatar. I share these tips, insights, titbits or things about Qatar as I near my two-year Qatarversary and for what is my […]
Toilets in Qatar – lifting the lid on what goes down here
To wee or not to wee? While this is a rhetorical anatomical question, the where for conducting the necessary is very important, especially if you are travelling or are far from your own toilet. And, when you are outside of your own country, the where (and even the how) becomes even more critical. That’s why […]
New old Doha Port a colourful must
The old Doha Port is a must for locals and visitors alike with its quaint colourful architecture, large open tracts of green space, interesting shops and eating spots, and stunning vistas of the city centre’s skyline. Oh, and let me not forget the fish market that resembles an art gallery, the stylish cruise terminal, the […]
South Africans (and rugby) in Qatar
“Ag nee, man, Boetie!” This frustrated lament may be commonplace in South Africa and hardly worth a sideways glance, but when your blood is green and you are far from home, such phrases are gold for they stir something deep within. With the Rugby World Cup now well underway, I know I am not alone […]
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 weather in Qatar
The weather in Qatar in summer is hot. I mean HOT, as in frizzy hair, continual perspiration and spectacles that mist up the moment you step outside. Yes, sweltering, as working hours are officially changed, heat-related illnesses soar and all life form retreats or runs away. Birds pant, plants wilt and the cold tap dispenses […]
Being a domestic goddess in Doha, Qatar
I am a domestic goddess … Yep, while I still work with words for a living, I can add cleaning, ironing, mopping, washing, polishing and so forth in a foreign environment to my repertoire of capabilities. You see, after 15 months in Doha, Qatar, I now know my scrubbers from my scourers; what the best […]
Know more about Qatar’s pearls, glorious pearls …
Think Qatar today and the likely image is that of oil, gas, modern luxury, desert scenes and successful hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This picture is a far cry from the Qatar of yesteryear when pearls, glorious pearls, were the country’s main source of income. So think Qatar, and you can think pearls. […]
Living in Lego Land in Qatar
I live in Lego Land in the Land of Sand. Or to be more precise, my new-found home is in a compound in Qatar. Compounds in the Middle East are a far cry from the compounds of South Africa, areas that were set aside as single sex, living quarters for migrant workers, like miners. Here, […]