Tim Hortons at Hyatt Plaza

Just a quick update for all my Canadian readers, I was at the Tims at Ezdan and saw this sign:

Works for me! I'm in that area a lot. Here I figured the next Tims would be in the new Villagio Food Court that they're building.

[April 30th update: a friend of mine invited me to go so we went, here's a pic of the new Tim Hortons]

Fort Zubara

Took the opportunity to go up to Fort Zubara with a friend of mine, he had never seen it before. It'd been I think four years since I had last been up to the Fort.


Thanks to the recent rains the northern part of Qatar had areas where it was almost prairie-like with lots of grasses. The first picture is from September 2006, the next one during my recent trip.

So how much has the Fort changed?

Before (7 years ago)

After

Not too much of a difference on the outside, though there is a nice parking lot and small rope fence. There was a new monument just the left of the Fort.

It notes that the Fort and the surrounding archaeological dig are now a UNESCO site (I didn’t know it had been awarded that, I wonder when that happened?)


So we went inside.


Before

After

Looks like they've done some renovation as some of the inside buildings look new, and they put some displays out. There was even a gift shop, which definitely wasn't there before. It made for a handy place to get drinks if it was too hot, before you would have to go about 10-15km to the town of Al-Shammal to get supplies.

There is a lot of change when you went inside the rooms.


Before (random things haphazardly displayed with no text explaining what it was)

After

What a difference! Informative displays, even a small room with short films describing the Fort restoration and the Zubara archaeological dig. I remember before many of the rooms didn't even have anything in them.


The displays have improved a lot. No, really:


Before (help yourself to a vase)

After (under glass with accompanying descriptions)

So the Fort really has improved over the last few years. A lot of the displays even discuss the archaeological dig, which was never (and still isn't) accessible by tourists. The city of Zubara is a lot bigger than I imagined, probably holding a few thousand people at its peak. The Fort had a pictures and displays of the site and the history of the city.


So if you saw the Fort years ago so figured you didn't need to bother seeing it again give it a try on some lazy weekend day.

Arabic Bagpipes

I was at Souq Waqif again watching the entertainment during the Souq Waqif Festival and there was something interesting about an Arabic band that was on stage.

Yep, they had a bagpiper!

Most Westerners equate bagpipes with Scotland and most people (including myself up until recently) don't realize that the instrument is actually much more widespread. While its origins are subject to debate there is evidence that bagpipe-like instruments originated in Roman times, which means they would have been used throughout the Roman Empire, including the Levant and the Holy Land. I found one tourist website about Syria that claimed bagpipes originated there during Roman times. From Roman times bagpipes spread throughout the area and instruments similar to a Scottish bagpipe can be found today in places like Turkey, Bulgaria, Syria, and Arabia. It’s a bit ironic that the instrument is best known with Scotland given that the Romans never conquered that area.

I’ve seen Arabs using bagpipes before but for traditional music it is not as common as it would be in Scotland. Drums and percussion instruments are the most common instruments, with bagpipes being something you only see occasionally.

But take a look at the picture again, do you see the second set of bagpipes resting on the ground? The fabric pattern certainly looks similar to a Scottish tartan. This band is from Oman so I did a search on traditional musical instruments in Oman. Websites such as this one had some interesting information. Despite the fact that bagpipes are used in many parts of Arabia they were not traditionally used in Oman (who call bagpipes ‘habban’) until recently. So where did they get them from?

The British, during the colonial period! So Arabia has bagpipes -- but Omanis didn't use bagpipes -- until they were introduced to Oman by the British. So these particular bagpipes are based on the Scottish bagpipes as opposed to traditional Arabian bagpipes. Yep, fooled you with the title, these aren't Arabic bagpipes. :p

The world is a funny place sometimes.

Down to the Beach

Weather in Qatar is now sunny and 30+ degrees, perfect for going to the beach. A buddy of mine and I headed down to Sealine Beach for the day.


Normally Sealine wouldn't be my first choice but ever since the construction at Salwa Road has been completed getting to Sealine is really quick -- maybe 45 minutes from Ramada signal. My buddy and I never go into Sealine Resort itself, we always park a few hundred meters down the road where the dunes just start to meet the water. It's a pleasant enough beach and unlike many other places in Qatar the water gets deep relatively quickly so you can go swimming.

We got there around one in the afternoon and there were many people there, but by three o'clock a lot more people appeared to enjoy the day.

The Sun is pretty strong so you need to be prepared with sunscreen. My friend didn't use any and check out the difference -- the tan line is because he wore a shirt except when he went swimming.

I figure we maybe have a month or so before it starts getting too hot to go to the beach. I plan to go at least two or three times more before the summer.

Souq Waqif Festival

It's festival week here in Doha and last night I was at Souq Waqif to enjoy the entertainment there. They actually had a lot set up:


A tent showing traditional Arab ladies singing and dancing

A stage for more modern performances, in this instance a contemporary dance troupe

Another stage for traditional music and dance, I'll take an educated guess and say these gentlemen are Omani

There was also a large kid zone with games

Pony rides

And camels

I believe the Souq Waqif Festival is on for the rest of the week. Unfortunately some of the parking has been taken up with the stages and games so consider using a taxi to get there. I think there might be a park-and-ride shuttle service but I couldn't find any details.

Turkish Festival at Katara

Last night I went to Katara with the Turkish friend of mine to see the Turkish Festival being held there. Traffic at Katara was pretty heavy (as usual for Thursday night) but thankfully, unlike a lot of places in Qatar, they have that underground carpark with plenty of room.

I figured they would be holding it at the Amphitheater but they had set up the stage at the far end of the Corniche area. Next to it was a couple of food stalls serving things like kebabs and ayran but the lineup was for the isekender. We lined up too. It was pretty good but not as good as some of the places I've eaten it in Turkey.

And at the stage was a variety of music, and dancing.

The last group reminded me a lot of the Fires of Anatolia show that I went to last year. They did a number of dances from various regions of Turkey, my friend recognizing dances from Izmir, the Black Sea region, and a place I think called Sev (sp?).

Doha Hotels -- Where to Stay in Doha/Qatar

As an extension to my posts “What to Do in Qatar" and “Where to Eat in Qatar” I figured I'd do a post about trying to figure out a hotel to stay in. If you're not familiar with the city it can be a tough decision as you don't really have a sense of where things are or how close they might be.

Before we begin I will note that I have never actually stayed in almost any of these hotels (why would I stay in any of them -- I live here). These recommendations are based on whether the hotels might be suitable for what you need. Before you book you should also look at a review website like tripadvisor or booking.com to see what travelers had to say about their stays at individual hotels.

With that out of the way, let’s begin with a key consideration when choosing a hotel:

Location, location, location.

As the city Doha is pretty spread out, and with no metro or significant public transport system, the traffic can be pretty bad throughout the day. If you're coming to Doha on business it could save you a lot of hassle to book a hotel that would be close to your meetings. If your meetings are in the West Bay neighborhood stay at a hotel in West Bay, if they’re elsewhere in the city then book a hotel close to there. It can save you a lot of grief in the long run. Otherwise you could be looking at up to an hour or more commuting to your meetings depending on how far away you are.

And don't think you can just step out of the hotel onto the street and flag down a taxi, if it's rush hour you’re really taking your chances that you'll get one quickly. It could take more than an hour depending on where you are, no I’m not kidding. Both the morning and afternoon rush hours are the busiest time for taxis and I've known some people to book them two days in advance. Thus you'll be stuck having to use a hotel car at an exorbitant price. You may want to consider renting a car when you arrive at the airport, a small car could cost as little as 130-170 QAR a day, at some five-star hotels you could be charged that much for just one trip from their “limousine” services.

During the months of May to October the weather will likely be incredibly hot and humid, making even a 10-minute walk outside an ordeal. Having transportation lined up during these months will be especially crucial.

Another solution would be before you arrive in Doha to ask the company(-ies) that you are meeting if they have a driver who could pick you up from your hotel. Most companies do so maybe you could get transportation to your meetings that way.



By the way, not every hotel has alcohol

Only some of the hotels are licensed to serve alcohol, mostly five-star hotels. If having a drink is important to you then do some research in advance to see if the hotel is licensed to serve alcohol. There are a few four-star hotels with a license (but not many) and not all five-star hotels are licensed, so don't assume a five-star hotel will automatically have alcohol.

By law all hotel bars must scan your passport for you to be allowed entry (or Qatar ID if you live here). No passport, no entry, even if you are staying at the hotel. Picture ID like a driver’s license is not good enough, it has to be your passport. Some hotels might be stricter about this than others but that's the law.



So it turns out my meetings are in an area called West Bay, any recommendations?

There are plenty of hotels in that neighborhood, mostly five-star. The Four-Seasons, Hilton, Intercontinental (the City), W, Moevenpick, and Mariott Marquis are just some of them. You shouldn't have trouble finding something. Just a word of caution there are two Intercontinentals, two Mariotts and two Moevenpicks in Doha so just make sure you've got the right one.



What about if my meetings are in an area called Lusail / the Pearl / Katara?

Those are a bit north of West Bay and while staying in West Bay might be all right you could also stay at some hotels closer to the area: Ritz-Carleton, Intercontinental (the other one), St. Regis or the Grand Hyatt are all closer.



What about if my meetings are in an area called Aspire / Education City?

I think there's only two realistic options for hotels near those areas: the Torch or the Grand Heritage.

What about if my meetings are in an area called Ras Laffan / Al Khor / Wakra / Mesaieed?

Those places are not in Doha. Get hotel recommendations from whomever you are meeting with and ask if they can pick you up from the hotel. You still might be staying in a hotel in Doha, just with a bit more of a commute to your meetings.



I'm going to be in Doha on business for more than a week so I wouldn't mind staying somewhere with some variety for dining.

First see above about “location, location, location”

Otherwise a good hotel would be the Radisson Blu, which has something like nine different restaurants and five bars, and is on a busy intersection by what many here call “Cholesterol Alley” where there are tons of nearby fast food places, cafés and other restaurants.

Staying at the hotels in or near Souq Waqif would also provide you with dozens of dining options, but there are no bars in the Souq and I think only a couple of hotels nearby have them.

West Bay hotels might also be an option if they are close to City Centre Mall as there are plenty of places to eat there. The W is close and the Mariott Marquis is attached to the mall.

Also consider the Torch hotel as it is attached to Villagio Mall, but it also has no options for bars.

The Grand Hyatt has, I think, four restaurants and is across the street from a moderate sized mall called Lagoona where you can go for cheaper options.



I'm traveling with my spouse/family and they prefer sitting by a pool and/or beach.

Only the resort hotels on the shore have beaches but there are many to choose from: Ritz, Grand Hyatt, St. Regis, Intercontinental, Hilton, Four Seasons, the Sharq and the Marriot resort. They tend to also have the best pools (but it varies, view pictures from their websites before booking).

Be warned, chances are you will not be served alcohol at the pool or beach: http://dohanews.co/sudden-change-in-alcohol-rules-at-hotels-upsets-customers/

I'm traveling with my spouse/family and they prefer exploring.

A hotel in or near Souq Waqif would be my choice. The Souq has a number of boutique hotels that you can book through a shared website.

http://www.swbh.com/

If those are too expensive there is also a small hotel (I think 9 rooms) in the Souq most people don't know about called Hotel Khariss but I think you’ll need to Google a travel website to make a booking as it doesn’t have its own site.

Otherwise there are a lot of three and four-star hotels about a 10 minute walk from the Souq, such as Kingsgate, Mercure, Best Western, Horizon Manor, and others.



I'm traveling with my spouse/family and they prefer shopping.

Souq Waqif is an option if they want something more traditional (see above for recommendations near the Souq) otherwise a hotel close to or attached to a mall would be best. The two largest malls are City Centre and Villagio. For City Centre the W is close and the Mariott Marquis is attached to the mall. For Villagio the Torch is attached to the mall.



I'm traveling in the summer.

See the above sections “Location, location, location” and “I'm traveling with my spouse/family and they prefer shopping.” In the summer you will either need to drive everywhere or be in a hotel that is very close to amenities. Malls are where everyone goes in the summer as it is generally too hot for outside activities, being close to a mall will make it easy for you to get out and about without going through the hassle of getting taxis or driving. Some people even find lounging by a pool in July or August to be a chore (unless the hotel chills the pool, ask in advance) and in those months the water in the Gulf is too hot for a comfortable swim.



I've never been to the Middle East before so wouldn't mind staying in a hotel that has a lot of Arabic character.

Souq Waqif boutique hotels are a good bet, as would the Sharq Resort. Honorable mentions -- the Grand Hyatt and the Four Seasons.



I think that's about it, if I can think of any other categories I'll update the post.

Qatari Military Service

Sometime last year an announcement was made by the Government that it was going to institute mandatory military service for all Qatari men aged 18 to 35. His Highness the Emir wasn't kidding and earlier this month he signed the decree regarding the military service. In the meantime the military hadn't been sitting around -- everything was already prepared, the first batch of recruits report to camp on 1 April!

Some of my Qatari friends will be in that first group. They decided that it would be better to volunteer and complete the service now, and it would even be better to go with a bunch of friends so they could support each other, so a lot of them signed up. Meanwhile the military also called hundreds of Qataris aged 33 and 34 to inform them that they would be starting their military service. The medical tests were conducted in the last few weeks.

So what is going to happen? Well this is what I've been told by my friends based on what they know and from information given to them at a recent meeting:

1. Service is for three months, and they believe it will be at a military base somewhere north of Doha.
2. For the first four weeks (though I've also heard it might be six weeks) they will be at the Camp seven days a week. After that time, if the commanding officer lets them, they'll be allowed to go home on the weekends.
3. For bringing mobile phones I’m hearing mixed information with some saying that they aren’t allowed and others saying you can bring it but can only use it with permission of a superior officer. I'm assuming if they can bring them everyone will have to keep their phones in lockers or something.
4. The daily schedule will be something like this:
wake up early
go to fajr prayer
training (I assume mostly exercise)
break for breakfast
more training
break for showering etc.
zuhr prayer
lunch
class and/or training
break
asr prayer
…etc

In some ways it's almost like a fitness camp, with some weapons training thrown in. No information as to whether the training would include sea or air training. It would be cool to hear that my friends were parachuting out of planes or something like that.

I've spoken to a lot of Qataris about the mandatory military service and have yet to find one who didn't think it was a good idea. While some are reluctant that they will have to do it all agreed that in the end it's probably for the best that this was instituted in Qatar. Some have spoken about the benefits of the younger generation getting some exercise, learning some responsibility, and getting away from things like video games for a while.

Fine thing to say before you start, we'll see what my friends have to say about it when they return in July.

Qatari Etiquette Videos

I forgot to mention -- the Qatari who runs iLoveQatar.net has been creating short YouTube videos explaining Qatari etiquette. They’re actually pretty amusing, you can check them out at his YouTube channel “Mr. Q – iLoveQatar.net”.

New York City

As I was saying a few blog posts ago I was also in New York City for my vacation. It's a great city to visit but as this was my third time I had already seen almost all of the touristy things.

One exception was the 9/11 Memorial site. While it is free to visit you need to get a ticket either online or from the ticket distribution office (which is not near the main entrance, it's actually a few blocks away on a different street). The ticket will state what time you’re allowed to visit the site. Because it was February the city was not packed with tourists so I managed to get a ticket with a time of about an hour later. Security is tight there and there are inspections and x-ray machines, similar to going through an US airport.

The site is a park dominated by two huge square holes where the towers once stood. In one of them water cascades down the walls to another square hole in the center, at the other one the water was still. The names of the thousands who died are inscribed all the way around the memorials.

It was a stark and effective memorial. You cannot see the bottom of the square holes in the center, which for me evoked an image of the water flowing down into an endless chasm. I’m not sure if that was what the architect intended but it was what I felt.


As for the rest of my trip it was mostly spent wandering around. Here is typically what I do when exploring a city like NYC when I have already seen the main tourist attractions:

1) go online and look up things like “best . . . in ”, or look up other things that interest you my list was things like
a. best pizza in NYC
b. best cheesecake in NYC
c. best bagel in NYC
d. best Ukrainian food in NYC (I love perogies)
e. cool cap store in NYC
f. hockey bar in Manhattan (the Olympics were still on so I wanted to watch the hockey)

2) write down the list of addresses

3) take the subway to the nearest location. Don’t take a taxi, it’ll take you right there. By taking the subway to get to wander around the neighborhood a bit as you get to your destination.

This doesn't always guarantee an adventure, you won't know how interesting a neighborhood is until you get there, but sometimes you wind up having a great time. For example:

a. One of the “cool cap stores” was in Soho. I went there but they did not have anything I liked
b. however next-door was a café that advertised pumpkin-flavored treats (I love pumpkin desserts)
c. in the café was a handout map of Soho showing all the stores, which I used to find another hat store
d. on the way to the store I saw what looked like an old neighbourhood bar, so after going to the store (and buying a hat) I went back to the bar
e. The bar was busy with lots of locals. The bartender was a native New Yorker who happily pointed out where “definately the best pizza in New York City” was
f. so then I walked a few blocks to that pizzeria for dinner. A guy stopped me to ask for directions so I gave him my Soho map. (“No, I don’t know where that is but I have a map you can have -- here!”)
g. after dinner, on my way back to the subway station, there was a place that, rather than ice cream, served flavoured rice puddings. I tried a Rocky Road rice pudding. Actually it was pretty good.

All that from going to a store to buy a cap.

Watching the Olympic hockey was another adventure. I had brought a Team Canada shirt with me and thanks to the internet found a place near Madison Square Garden called the Flying Puck. I figured that would be a great place to watch the US versus Canada men's semifinals.

I got to the bar early and managed to get the space at the bar, soon the place was packed.

It was a very raucous American crowd, lots of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” chanting and so forth. As far as I know there was only one other Canadian in the crowd (he was wearing a toque with “Canada” on it). One of the waitresses saw my shirt and said,

Her: “You’re Canadian?”
Me: “Yep.”
Her: (looks at the crowd in the bar) “You’re brave.”
Me: “ummmm . . .”

In the end Canada won and you could faintly hear two guys go “yay” before I grabbed my coat and got out of there ASAP.

Enough of my tales, here’s some more pictures of the sights of Manhattan. Enjoy.