Rectory with a view

High-rise living in Doha

When you live closer to the clouds …

I now live on the 26th floor of a high-rise building. While this may be the norm for millions of others around the globe, if you’re a plat-op-die aarde (flat-on-the-ground) South African like me, living closer to the clouds takes some serious readjustment.

That is, of course, if there are clouds!

When I see a cloud, I am excited because it’s not the norm. I have no way of telling the temperature without my phone because
air-conditioning keeps everything consistent, day in and day out. I mean can you tell me, from this view, if it’s 22C or 40C ?

In my short time of living in Qatar in the Middle East, I have rarely seen clouds. When I do spot them, I am excited because it’s not the norm. It’s the same with the birds. When I hear birds, I stop and listen. Then I try to seek out these feathered friends (but more on birds, and other desert creatures in another blog).

For now, here are a few observations about living in a concrete eyrie.

  • Weather predictions

It’s a tad difficult to assess the weather at a glance when there are no clouds, rain or wind in view. In the 60 days to date, I have not yet experienced rain and you’ve read my take on the clouds. I have heard the wind howl twice. When you wake each day and look out, it looks just like the day before. There’s no way to tell the temperature because the aircon is set at a consistent 24C. And you simply can’t step out your back, front or any other door or even open a window! You can, however, assess the haze, dust or mist levels by gauging how far you can see. If the Lusail Stadium (where they are hosting the FIFA World Cup) has disappeared from view, then at least you know your mask may not just be protecting you from COVID, but from the fine dust too. So for now I am mostly 100% reliant on my phone when it comes to checking the weather.

This is our block, one of several residential, office and hotel buildings in downtown Doha that didn’t exist 50 years ago. When it comes to skyscrapers, Qatar, is a relative newcomer (a bit like me as a newcomer to this country, but nothing like me in shape!)
  • The sounds  

The external noises of high-rise living will no doubt change from one environment to the another, but internally I wonder if my summation resonates globally … And, that would be:

  • Knocks, banging and scraping from those who live above, alongside and below
  • The squeaking and whistling of pipes
  • Muffled conversations and/or occasional raised voices  

Externally, right now and throughout the night, it’s the sound of construction and/or demolition as the surrounding area is being prepared for the FIFA2022 World Cup. They’re smashing down one of the old embassies below us at present. It’s the second one. Then there’s the ongoing call to prayer, which seems more noticeable during Ramadan. 

The reason for the increased external noises soon became apparent …
This embassy in Westbay, the original diplomatic area, was demolished in a matter of days as they worked through the night. It is the second embassy to be demolished from the sandy strip below in the past nine months.
  • Lift etiquette    

There are six lifts servicing our 35-storey block, which consists of both permanently occupied apartments and hotel rooms. These lifts work tirelessly throughout the day, but are busiest early in the morning, and then from 2pm onwards, peaking at between 6.30pm and 8pm on Thursday and Friday evenings.

You learn to avoid peak times, else you find yourself not only waiting, but also occasionally sharing your space with the “happy” weekend crowd – those who have visited the popular pub downstairs.

Mostly, you stand quietly on your designated footprints in the lift, nod acknowledgment upon meeting and wish each other a pleasant evening as you alight for your floor. 

Lift etiquette is carefully followed in our block in Doha, with only four per lift. This can lead to some waiting time, especially at peak times. Outside of the pandemic, each of the six lifts can take 13 adults.
  • Doing a Bev

However, when taking the lift becomes the biggest distraction in your day (because you are working from home and it’s too hot to go anywhere), you also appreciate the benefits of “doing-a-Bev”.

We all need friends like Bev in our lives. These are those special individuals who make it their business to get to know you – and often come away from said interactions discovering that somehow you are connected, be it through interests, sports, places, friends or even family.

In short, you force yourself to engage with others. The confined space of a lift gives you an ideal opportunity to “do-a-Bev”. And Doha is a safe place. (Second safest city in the world, according to a world survey).

As a result, I have met people from Indonesia, Pakistan, India, England, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Ireland, Australia, Iran and South Africa in our lifts (the latter engagement led to a braai invitation!)

PS:  My take-away observation: most people are genuinely happy to engage and will almost always disembark with smiles on their faces.

  • The basement 

Our basement is where the hotel staff have their quarters and residents park their cars. But the lift lobby area has grey fluffy carpets and ornate fittings – totally incongruous with the rest of the area. The rest of the place is probably as you imagine – forgotten, desolate, hot and, at times, smelly.

Not your average basement lobby area with its fluffy carpets and ornate faux light fittings.
  • The smells

I had anticipated smelling exotic Middle Eastern meals, but mainly it’s just my own cooking and baking flops, the ingrained smell of stale cigarettes in the lift area (smoking is still popular here), strange pongs from the cleaning materials and then the stench of rotting food awaiting removal from the basement. 

  • The view

The best part of high-rise living is the view (and I am scared of heights!) We are blessed with a magnificent view overlooking the protected bay. Below is the old diplomatic area which has now largely been relocated to The Pearl area. It is the skyline of the man-made Pearl area that we see across the Bay.

We are privileged to enjoy this magnificent view of the plush Pearl area of Doha, which has been constructed on a series
of man-made islands. At weekends, which start on a Thursday afternoon here, the bay is awash with water craft.
High-rise living means the views are usually good. In our case, it’s also been great watching the new progress on North Bay beach unfold. (The self-same construction and other beach management, however, means I’ve not yet put my feet on the sand, which is ironic for someone who now lives in the desert!)

In between, we can watch the jet skis, small sailing boats and dhows go about their business. Above, it’s the in- and outgoing air traffic transversing the sky, with their shadows sometimes falling on the ground below. At night, the lights from these mechanical birds fall across the Gulf’s waters.

In fact, the view at night is as entrancing as the city at work and play by day. The skyscrapers put on their party frocks to bedazzle their glass and mirror-clad partners. Each reflects off the other, while the tallest dancers warn the mechanical birds not to come too close.

At night, under the full moon, the surrounding buildings take on a new life of their own.
The benefits of high-rise living can include a bedazzling display of office, residential and hotel blocks in the evening gear.

So, while I desperately miss the grass between my toes and breathing in fresh air first thing every morning, living 121 metres up above Mother Earth, has its perks – as long as the lifts are working.

P.S. Oh, did I mention, it takes 18 minutes to walk 35 floors to the top of our block, according to one of the fit-looking residents I met while “doing a Bev”.

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18 Responses

    1. So lovely to read, and thanks for sharing Bev! Our move to Riebeek Kasteel has lead to constant birdsong, at times the soft sound of wind in the trees and early morning runners or walkers steps on the gravel road beside our house. Views change daily from cloudless blue to magnificent hues and soft billowy clouds over Kasteelberg or in winter snow on the Matroosberg mountains far away! Sounds idyllic? Yes it is, but not always …

  1. Oh wow Debbie thank you for sharing. Love your writing and description of living on top of Mother Earth. I am sure you are missing your mom’s baking. ❤️❤️

  2. I feel heartsore that the quaint Doha we knew has disappeared. Thank you for introducing me to the reality of the now. Do wrangle an invitation to an iftar meal.

  3. Thank you Debbie for your entertaining reflections of settling in to life in Doha. Looking forward to more shared experiences

  4. Love your ‘blog’!
    Thank you for sharing your experiances and your thoughts!
    You are a great communicator . . . never put your pen down! Thanks Xx

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