According to the Global Peace Index, Qatar is the most peaceful country in the Middle East North African (MENA) region and 12th among the 135 countries around the world. Sweden was 13th, Britain 26, France 36, Italy 45 and USA came in at 82nd. Kuwait was 2nd in MENA region and 29th overall. So everyone can stop worrying about our safety : )
Last night we went out to dinner at the Doha Golf Club with our friends Darren and Jackie from Manchester, England. They have agreed to watch Ginger while we go to Venice for a few days to meet up with Earl, Judie and Shelby. Darren promised not to give Ginger any chocolate!
Tonight we are going out to dinner with Aaron and Emily from Indiana at a hotel that John's company is doing a marble cleaning demo, keep your fingers crossed that they can pick up the job, the hotel is 80% marble so it would be a great contract.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Back to normal?
Hi Everyone, I guess I am not too good at this blogging thing since I post about once a month!
My Dad and Kathy were here for three weeks and we took them to Dubai for a weekend, then we hosted John's company launch party the night before he went to Michigan for 10 days. Now we are all back to normal and my life has gotten busy.
I have joined the board of the American Womens' Association (which is open to all women) in the postition of photographer/histroian (big surprise right?) Monday was the transition board meeting and Tuesday we had a potluck with the Qatari Women's Associaation, lots of good food from all over the world! Many of the Qatari women were retired school teachers. I have another board meeting on Monday then it will be quiet for the summer as many people leave Qatar to go home and escape the heat (107 degrees today) and Ramadan. We will be coming to Michigan in July and look forward to seeing everyone.
My Dad and Kathy were here for three weeks and we took them to Dubai for a weekend, then we hosted John's company launch party the night before he went to Michigan for 10 days. Now we are all back to normal and my life has gotten busy.
I have joined the board of the American Womens' Association (which is open to all women) in the postition of photographer/histroian (big surprise right?) Monday was the transition board meeting and Tuesday we had a potluck with the Qatari Women's Associaation, lots of good food from all over the world! Many of the Qatari women were retired school teachers. I have another board meeting on Monday then it will be quiet for the summer as many people leave Qatar to go home and escape the heat (107 degrees today) and Ramadan. We will be coming to Michigan in July and look forward to seeing everyone.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Royal Wedding in London
As many of you know I was one of the millions to line the streets of London for the Royal Wedding. I had an amazing time with Ann, Leslie and Alison. We got there Thursday morning and took the time to scout out the perfect spot, had dinner and went to bed as the alarm went off at 3 am!
Friday we stood for 9 hours outside of Buckingham Palace to see the Queen leave for the wedding and all the royals come back to the Palace for the balcony kiss. We all got some good pictures. Afterwards we went to lunch then the Victoria & Albert Museum.
On Saturday we went to St. Paul's Cathedral and had lunch at a true English Pub. Afterwards we went to the Imperial War Museum and walked through the trenches and experienced the blitz. Then onto The War Cabinet Rooms where Churchill spent most of his time during WWII, but only slept there 3 nights.
Sunday we took the train to Hampton Court, Henry VIII's palace and spent most of the day there. We made it back to London in time for the evening service at Westminster Abbey. It was a nice service and got to see Kate's bouquet and the trees and flowers from the wedding.
Friday we stood for 9 hours outside of Buckingham Palace to see the Queen leave for the wedding and all the royals come back to the Palace for the balcony kiss. We all got some good pictures. Afterwards we went to lunch then the Victoria & Albert Museum.
On Saturday we went to St. Paul's Cathedral and had lunch at a true English Pub. Afterwards we went to the Imperial War Museum and walked through the trenches and experienced the blitz. Then onto The War Cabinet Rooms where Churchill spent most of his time during WWII, but only slept there 3 nights.
Sunday we took the train to Hampton Court, Henry VIII's palace and spent most of the day there. We made it back to London in time for the evening service at Westminster Abbey. It was a nice service and got to see Kate's bouquet and the trees and flowers from the wedding.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Easter in Qatar
Easter Greetings!
We were fortunate enough to meet some fellow Christian Americans and were invited to a Good Friday lunch. It was a wonderful experience to enjoy a meal in a cozy home with great people, we had a ham and it was sooo good! All pig products are banned from Qatar, but our host had an in at the American Embassy. These people have a small church and meet Sunday evenings at a person's house. John and I are looking forward to going in the future, we are busy the next few Sundays.
On Easter Sunday, John and I went to an Easter brunch at the Marriott hotel, it was huge with food from all over the world. They open all their restaurants so you can choose food from five different places and the hallway between each one. They even had candy and dyed eggs on our table. Due to the heat here, the Canburry egg didn't make it home in a solid state. John's friend that works at the Marriott (and is from Dearborn, MI) said their regular buffet on Fridays usually has 350 people, Easter had about 150. I hope this blog finds you all well and not to stuffed from chocolate bunnies and jelly beans!
We were fortunate enough to meet some fellow Christian Americans and were invited to a Good Friday lunch. It was a wonderful experience to enjoy a meal in a cozy home with great people, we had a ham and it was sooo good! All pig products are banned from Qatar, but our host had an in at the American Embassy. These people have a small church and meet Sunday evenings at a person's house. John and I are looking forward to going in the future, we are busy the next few Sundays.
On Easter Sunday, John and I went to an Easter brunch at the Marriott hotel, it was huge with food from all over the world. They open all their restaurants so you can choose food from five different places and the hallway between each one. They even had candy and dyed eggs on our table. Due to the heat here, the Canburry egg didn't make it home in a solid state. John's friend that works at the Marriott (and is from Dearborn, MI) said their regular buffet on Fridays usually has 350 people, Easter had about 150. I hope this blog finds you all well and not to stuffed from chocolate bunnies and jelly beans!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Souq Shop Haggling
This morning I bought my Jalabiya to wear to the Arabian Nights dinner on Saturday, pictures will follow. The cost was 250 Rials, so I said to the guy "how about 200," the guy said "230" and I was good with that, then another guy came in and they chatted and the first guy told me 200, sold! Which works out t0 about $55, not bad for a party dress. Then I met up with AWA ladies for a fabric shopping trip, mostly just to look and see what is available-tons of silks: printed, embroidered, plain, Liberty Cottons which are from England and kinda of vintage prints, lots of lace too. Makes you want to have a ballgown after seeing everything. I met a twenty something American that just arrived in Qatar a week ago. We had a long lunch(all meals take forever here.) Then we bought some Pashminas and talked the guy down from 25 to 10 Rials. I felt good about my skills today! And I tried to find a shop I heard about and went on some streets I had never been on and some how ended up exactly where I needed to be to get back home (score again!) Never did find shop though.
Monday, April 4, 2011
I'm Back
Hi Everyone, its Spring! Sorry I haven't writen in a while. I haven't done much that I thought was blog worthy. My mom came for two weeks and it has been quite since she left. I have been helping John: fixing quotes, making contacts and helping with his launch party in May. A few weekends ago we went to a Shake's private collection of things he has collected over the years. The museum was in a huge building out in the middle of nowhere. There were swords, furniture, paintings and American cars. Mostly Fords from the 1920s and some Dodge trucks. It was a weird mix of items. There were some signs of a professional museum and then not so much when a guy started one of the cars up in a gallery. Yesterday I went Jalabya shopping with a dozen women. Jalabyas are the dresses Arabic women wear when they go to a party or wedding. Through the AWA I am going to an Arabian Nights dinner and we are supposed to dress up. After a day of shopping I didn't buy anything, too many choices! I will go back and try again, now that I know what I am looking for. I will let you how the dinner is.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
A Busy Week
Sorry I haven't written in a while. First I went to the 2-day Green Building Confrence for New Image and for myself. I heard some interesting things after trying to understand each speakers take on the english language. Then the next two days we spent moving into a bigger apartment 8 floors lower in the same building. After that I went to the Sustainable Qatar meeting. Now my mom is visiting.
On Friday we went into the desert and to the beach with the AWA group. Beside the lack of roads and sunburn, we had a good time and got to see camels and a few ostrich eggs-very large.
On Saturday we went on the Doha Garden Club bus tour. We got to see five different villas each with a different style garden. Some had lots of flowers (some we see in the US and many we don't) others were more large yards with trees (fruit-banana, papaya, lemon.) It was fun to see behind the fences and how the other half lives. They all had water features and swimming pools.
On Friday we went into the desert and to the beach with the AWA group. Beside the lack of roads and sunburn, we had a good time and got to see camels and a few ostrich eggs-very large.
On Saturday we went on the Doha Garden Club bus tour. We got to see five different villas each with a different style garden. Some had lots of flowers (some we see in the US and many we don't) others were more large yards with trees (fruit-banana, papaya, lemon.) It was fun to see behind the fences and how the other half lives. They all had water features and swimming pools.
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