One month four matches three dogs and chaos.

Hi, we are home.  25 travel hours from wake up to delivery in our home.  Qatar Air was wonderful.  The Doha airport immaculate with customer service people everywhere.  24 hour food and shopping options.  Friendly customs and immigration people who were polite and helpful.  If you travel and have the opportunity try Qatar Air and spend some time in Doha, it is an interesting place.  Then we hit Seattle and the welcoming, helpful, friendly faces were generally replaced by most everything but welcoming, helpful, or friendly.  Welcome to the US was replaced by ‘Next’.  One Alaska Airline baggage agent was great, but the rest of the experience was just tiring.  So glad to be out of there. Some random thoughts on a month in Qatar.  Remember this is not our first time there, for Shirley it’s been 3 trips, for me, 7, I think.   If it wasn’t for Doha and Qatar I don’t know how the Philippines could survive.  The amount of remittan...

 It’s Christmas in Doha, a Sunday, and just another work day for this country.  But at Kathleen’s b&b it was Christmas, American style.  There was a traditional plastic tree already already decorated by the dog’s nanny, gifts that reflect the season, and of course, a Turkey dinner with all the traditional trimmings that we might have had on Kwajalein, or the Caymans or Bonaire, or where ever else we have celebrated the holiday away from snow and ice.  There was one huge exception.  The Turkey dinner came from IKEA.  Yep, the same IKEA that sells flat packed bedroom sets and living room chairs—the very same place.  The craziest thing was that the dinner was great.  A whole roasted 🦃, cornbread dressing, roasted potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts.  All packaged in a roasting pan.  Not a single Allen wrench to be found.  Instead of assembly, we just had to disassemble and eat.   Rather amazing.  

 Today was beach day for the puppies. Kathy takes her dogs to the Wakrah beach, about 15 kms from her house and a long sandy stretch that, at low tide, exposes numerous sand bars that allows you to drive, or walk a half mile into the sea through shallow water or exposed sand.  The puppies run, hunt crabs, and just enjoy themselves, romping with other dogs.  Fun afternoon.   Happy hour was tea time with Bushra and her family.  Bushra is severely physically challenged young woman who many people have helped through a go fund me appeal last year.  Her mother, father, and care giver came by for tea.  Her dad, Mamadu was a diplomat from Senegal to Egypt, Hungary, and finally Qatar.  Most interesting person with strong views on European colonialism and economic development in Africa.  We had tea, fruit juices, and brownies (chocolate at his request).  Wafa, his wife asked Shirley for her recipe for the brownies.  Shirley, diplomatically, ...

 Spent a good deal of time today in a Qatari nursery on the Al Kohr road about 30kms north of Doha.  Kathy wanted to enhance the color in her garden.  She already has a half dozen bougainvillea and hibiscus plants in a variety of colors.  So, we went shopping for more color.  The nursery is huge, with several acres of bougainvillea, palm trees, olive trees, and dozens of other plants that can survive in the summer heat. Kathy selected four new bougainvillea and two gardenias and two dozen small ground cover spreading flowering plants.  The nursery workers came down that night and planted everything.   We went on to tour Al Kohr, the second city in size in Qatar and the sight of one of the World Cup stadiums.  This one is built to resemble a nomadic tent and was the site of one of the semi-final matches.  It is a striking building and will be converted into apartments, a hospital, and shopping center in the near future.  There seems to be...

 The newest mall in Qatar is the Palace Vendome, a 4 story, 770+ store, spectacle.  Kathy wanted to see it now that it is ‘complete’.  Nothing ever seems complete here, but this place make any US mall look pretty puny.  The malls here are international shopping experiences with high end stuff from Italy, France, The UK, and the Arab world.  The US seems to be represented by sports gear and fast food.   Had a quick tour of The Pearl district which is a series of man made islands connected by bridges and canals and dozens of high rise apartments, shops and parks.  There is an Art Deco feel to much of the construction which is a far cry in color choices from the white and sandstone colors you find throughout Doha.  It may never be complete, but it sure is impressive right now.   Lovely dinner in a Persian restaurant with all kinds of rice and grilled meats cooked over a charcoal fire and soaked with interesting spices.  Lots of flat breads ...

 Got to spend an afternoon in the National Museum of Qatar on Monday. It is an amazing building built to resemble the desert rose. There is a lot here especially the history and culture of the nomadic herdsmen of the Central Asia regions. Very impressive displays, many of which are interactive.  There are huge screens throughout the building with video playing in every corner.  It’s impressive and we have no idea if we saw it all.  It’s free to anyone who lives or works in Qatar, if you are passing through the country make some time to visit.  This plus the Museum of Islamic Art are two must see stops. Last night we continued a tradition that started with our first visit to Doha—the Taco party.  Years ago we offered to make tacos for Kathy and her coaching staff, and that instantly attained Legend status, so now every time we come the Taco party gets penciled into the schedule.  Smaller crowd this year due to vacations and sickness but still a lot of f...

 Yesterday was Shirley’s birthday and Kathy made a reservation for four at Isaam, reportedly the best Thai restaurant in Doha.  At least reported by the Thai masseuse who gave Shirley a massage last week.  Solid recommendation?  It’s in the Grand Hyatt Hotel, a 5 star, VIP a hotel.  This is distinguished from a 5 star VVIP hotel where only VVIPs can stay.  Seems that the VVIP designation goes to emirs, presidents, kings, and others at that pay grade.  VIP is the next level down.   Kathy thinks there may even be a classification above VVIP, but those are the people with one and two digit license plate numbers.  Kathy has a six digit plate number, so you can see why we don’t get invited to VVIP hotels.  License plate numbers are another story all together in this crazy country.  So back to dinner.  Isaam is lovely restaurant where the main kitchen has a mountain of red chilies welcoming guests.  So we get there, and the tabl...

 It’s Friday in Doha where the town shuts down until sundown to observe the prayer day.  Evening is crazy busy.  We went to dog beach today taking Kathy’s three dogs to play on the sand, water and mangroves.  There are very few places to let a dog run off leash and the “beach” is the place of choice for many people. It’s not much to look at but there are several kilometers of sand and mangroves to play in.  The sea is so shallow that you can walk out several hundred meters before the water approaches your knees.   Spent a lot of time helping Kathy reorganize her utility closet and patio.  Storage is limited in these villas, so you think up what you want, go to IKEA on line, order what you want and tomorrow at noon it will show up—free delivery and set up.  Stopped at a “drive thru” tea shop today.  Drive through has a different meaning here.  You park in front, and a guy comes running out, takes your order on an IPad, and delivers it a f...

 We have been here two weeks and have seen lots of soccer and experienced lots of chaos with four dogs and the craziness that is Qatar.  Spent yesterday with Kathy in Lusail, the new city that was promised when the initial bid for the World Cup was made over 13 years ago, and is now a unique and thriving suburb to Doha, but not completely finished.  This where the Lusail stadium is -- an 80,000 seat stadium and where there are some hotels that seem to defy description including the Doha version of Raffles Hotel, the grown up version of the one that is in Singapore.  It's hard to believe that 12 years ago this was sand with almost no buildings of any kind, now it is full of hotels, restaurants, amusement parks and a lovely harbor.  Raffles Hotel is not cheap as are most things in this country.  From what we can find the cheapest room starts around $1500 per night, but it does include a personal butler for all your personal needs.   Spent some time ...

 We are done going to World Cup matches as the tickets for the semi-finals on Tuesday and Wednesday are approaching 4 and 5 digits--a friend paid over $1300 for a seat at the quarterfinals.  The TV coverage will have to do.  Even got a text on Saturday night saying do not come to the fan zone as it is completely full.  The excitement around Morocco still being in the tournament is insane.  Yesterday at the Festival City Mall where Shirley and I were we ran into a World Cup parade.  It's an exciting time in this part of the world. Here are a few more random photos from the adventure. An Ability Friendly participant playing wheelchair cricket at the recent fun day. at the Morocco match we were at.  A really crazy event. Kathy and JoJo with us in the background at the QF Recreation center pool. Shirley and Kathy at the match in Lusail Stadium--along with 65,000 friends. Shirley and I at the anniversary party Kathy arranged at her compound pool.  A re...

 It’s been almost 2 weeks.  Lots of soccer and a bit of Covid,  it we are enjoying 70 degree weather and lots of great people.   The Doha skyline and Dhow harbor Dinner with the crew At the Fun Day for Ability Friendly Kathy’s front door Festival City Mall-hundreds of shops, a snow park, and more Kathy’s place At Lusail before our first match Kathy’s program The skyline Bushra who the go fund me appeal helped  A big bogainvilla at the QF recreation center The 974 stadium.  Made from shipping containers Greg and Jenn leaving Doha Lunch at Paul’s, a favorite in Doha The pool before the anniversary party More of the skyline