http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Middle East , Qatar , Doha en-us Sat, 18 May 2013 10:12:46 +0000 Sat, 18 May 2013 10:12:46 +0000 Our next stop is Doha Qatar pronounced cutter by most and Abdul is our guide. By the way most of the guides are expats from other countries as few local Emeritis do that kind of work. The first excursion stop is to the Souq Waqif a shopping bazaar established in 1847. You can bargain up to 20 off for the spices foods and other traded items available were told. This country has http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-783278.html I know it39s been weeks since I39ve written and now I39m going on yet another driving rampage... but there are some good photos at least rightThis morning was just difficult. I can39t stand when people call the type of driving in Qatar Aggressive Driving. It is not Aggressive Driving which is driving so that you can get where you need to be without standing aside and letting peopl http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-780693.html Yeah so pretty much since my geologists friends have arrived my wonderful diet has gone out the window I39m not too bad but I was really enjoying that downward progress on my scale. Oh well. It was worth it. Beer food and much need company.There is not much to tell shocking I know but we went to the souk a few times to The Pearl hotels and just around where ever. There is a decent v http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-774381.html Most of Saturday I lazed about cleaning off an on. I really need to hire a maid I hate mopping. That evening I picked up Jeff to head to the Museum of Islamic Art. I39d been there once before with Matt but it is such a nice peaceful beautiful place it is worth going back to and it39s free. We took some nice photos and wandered about but the place closed promptly at 8pm. Actually th http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-774380.html I39m getting tired of describing the daily nightmare that is driving in Qatar just as I am sure you39re tired of reading about it. But I feel it says a lot about the mentality here. People really do not seem to care about anyone but themselves. I have yet to see a random act of kindness unless it is me. It is very sad and I wonder if I39ll be able to handle being here for the next year o http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-771416.html Another blog of my daily life... Sorry Qatar is not nearly as exciting as Dubai. I have no friends no public transportation no delivery no gym... nothing. It is a bit of an adjustment. Fortunately it has been a good week because I still love my job and I am so happy in my new apartment. I39ve been able to cook and relax. No more driving all the way to West Bay everyday a 15 minute commu http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-770391.html The last 10 days or so were a whirlwind. I found an apartment that I liked but it took sometime for my office to arrange it. I was supposed to move in last week but since I couldn39t I took an impromptu quick trip to Dubai. I hung out with Jamie saw a movie with Samar did some errands and upset Melvin for not calling him. Sorry Melvin The flight to Dubai on Qatar Airways was extremely http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-769111.html Saturday I set up an appointment and looked at two apartments and I was good with either. They were set up nice and included everything. Everything. All utilities furniture appliances... even a full set of kitchen knives They said with a one year contract they would even replace my bed if I didn39t like it. The second apartment39s layout was a bit more homey so that was the one I went w http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-766977.html As usual not much to report outside of work stuff. I39ve been getting along pretty well with my coworkers lately and working on a bunch of smaller projects which have kept me busy And I39m reading the book I39ve been waiting for for 15 years Basically I39ll be shut up in my room all weekend.Except for tonight. My american coworker Kay invited me to dinner with her running club. http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-766646.html Currently staying in Doha for work i have stayed in a Hotel Called Retaj Royale very nice hotel i highly recommend this hotel specially if youre looking to stay beside the area of Souq waqif and the corniche i have promised the management to recommend the hotel to my friends and i am keeping my promise as i have had a great experience in this hotel httpwww.retajhotels.comFaceBook http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-765379.html I know you are probably sick of me saying there is nothing to do here in Qatar but it is fairly true. Fortunately I just LOVE the work I39m doing. Like seriously love it. The geology is interesting the projects are unique and we have a good crew working here that I get along with quite well. It is just sad that it is located where it is. I would love to blog about my actual work experie http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-764475.html We got Tuesday December 18th off of work as everyone celebrated Qatar39s National Day. They had been preparing for WEEKS flags all over the country bleachers lining the corniche cars decked out in national colors... But Tuesday definitely took the cake.I slept in and rolled out of bed to go to work for a little while we had a big report due on Thursday and I just work better when it39s http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-762191.html Like many of my blogs in Qatar this has to do with the driving. Positives and negatives. Negatives. These people are the most aggressive drivers I39ve ever come across. I have had people beeping and flashing their lights behind me when we are in bumper to bumper traffic waiting for the lights to change what the heck do they want me to do It is complete and utter insanity which gives http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-761865.html mehrmals am Flughafen Zwischenstopps http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-760803.html After this week39s issues with ordering foods I stocked up on some healthier options that I can use at my own barebones hotel room. I have a fridge and a kettle limited options but I am making do. Still no sign of a slow cooker anywhere... It has not been my favorite last few days but I think it is mostly because I39m getting a little stir crazy in a one room hotel room where the onl http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-760082.html Yesterday we spent the whole day at the conference center. It was a really amazing experience I got to sit in on some high level conversations between countries got to meet even more new people and got to ask both the Executive Secretariat and the President of the COP a question. Both of them were very nice and funny actually. When I said I was from Alberta the President went on about how he http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-758401.html Well the day has ended just like it began frustrating. Travelblog is down and it is already passed my bedtime so Im writing this on word to copy in later so I dont forget everything.I had an early morning weekly meeting at 730 with our big client for my big project. I thought I would be going myself but I got a text from my boss who met me there. He hasnt been involved in the proje http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-758339.html It39s day 6 in Qatar and right now it39s 1134 p.m. This morning we went to the conference exhibition grounds for the first time. They had a ton of different booths set up most of them showing new green technologies that are being developed. Probably the coolest thing I saw was an electric car that runs completely off solar energy you plug it into a car port with solar panels on top and http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-758038.html I can cross another item off of 1000 Places to See Before You Die. I picked Matt up at his hotel at 3 this afternoon and we headed to the Doha Museum of Islamic Art. Qatar39s current leader is looking to turn his country into the leading cultural center of the Middle East and this museum is one of the masterpieces.We were not disappointed The musuem is free except for the temporary exhibit http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-755978.html We slept late and nearly missed breakfast. I had told Penny the night before that we39re going into a day of transit so things were a little more relaxed going to sleep because Paris was pretty much finished. She got downstairs in time for her favourite pain au chocolat pastery as well as some bread and fruit....or maybe that was my favourite We finished eating and got our bags packed going http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-754474.html