So after being here about 15 months I finally broke down and got a liquor permit. You see in Qatar you need a license to have alcohol at home, otherwise the only place to buy it is a hotel bar. I wasn't too fussed about it so I didn't bother with the permit but I'm finding the prices at bars so outrageous (~$8-9 a drink) that I decided if only so save money I should get one. That Ramadan is coming up (when even the bars can't serve alcohol) is a factor as well.
So I had to fill out a form, get copies of my passport and work permit, and get a letter from my employer noting:
-- that I am allowed to have a liquor permit. Can't get one without employer permission.
-- my salary, as it affects how much I can purchase a month.
-- my marital status (??)
-- where I live (??)
oh, and pay a QR1000 ($US275) refundable deposit.
So I go to the only liquor store, wait an hour at the permit office with about 10 other guys (only men were there for permits for some reason), then got a permit card with my picture on it so I could buy some alcohol right away!
My monthly limit was mind-numbing. For a country that restricts alcohol I certainly wasn't expecting the limit that I got. Think 4-figures $US! A month! I'd have to open a small bar to go through that much booze.
So now I'm stocked up with some spirits to get me through the next couple of months. I shouldn't need to go to the bars now if I want to drink something, especially since and entire bottle of spirits from the store costs less than 3 drinks at a bar.
4 comments:
Bar McKay? Role playing in the back, card games out front... and no minors!
Would you belive that while there are a number of bars in Wahhabi-Muslim Doha, and a liquor store, there are no RPGs or CCGs as far as I can tell. Odd, isn't it?
Hey is this permit quota is allowed to share?
The permit is for household use, but it is common to serve alcohol to friends if they are at your house for dinner etc.
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