The Museum of Islamic Art (Photos courtesy steger.tv and artofthemideast.com)

If you are planning a break this Eid, consider Doha. There, at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) you will find one of the few museums in the Middle East not guilty of ‘importing’ culture; instead, the Museum is carving a unique niche by giving a place to art that is native to the region.

Inspired design… Coaxed out of retirement, 91 year old architect IM Pei (who designed the pyramid at the Louvre) travelled for six months across the Islamic world, reading books about Islamic history, studying the architecture and absorbing all that he needed in search of inspiration. He found it in the cubist progressions of the wudhu fountains in the ninth century Ibn Talbun Mosque in Cairo and designed the MIA to resemble a ziggurat with similar expressions. Staid yet utterly imposing, the Museum’s five levels cascade progressively, with external right angles giving way to curves in the interior; in Pei’s words, it resembles “a woman in an abaya”.

An island of its own… Numerous sites were proposed to house the Museum; Pei refused all. He insisted that the Museum needed “a place of its own” – that idea resulted in the creation of a 376,000 square foot, man made island, 60 metres off the Doha Corniche. So far, it is the only museum in the world to be constructed on reclaimed land.

Modern interiors… Inside the MIA, a world of Islamic iconography is laid out amidst spiralling staircases, large glass curtain windows, arches and sleek oblique walls that lead up to the dome. The dome (to call it dazzling is an understatement) with carefully slit openings, allows patterns of natural light to filter and illuminate the walls made of chamesson limestone and detailed with Kufic scripts and arabesque patterns.

15th century Turkish armour (Photos courtesy steger.tv and artofthemideast.com)

Timeless art… From manuscripts that span over a thousand years of Islamic literature to Sasanian ceramics; from Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh to Saracen horse armour to Mughal glass bowls, the Museum has one of the most extensive collections of Islamic history anywhere in the world. To supplement the experience, MIA also conducts education programmes in Islamic history and culture. But if you are the pensive type, then the café with its view of the Arabian Gulf is a place where you can mull over a now distant golden age.

Arabian glassware (Photos courtesy steger.tv and artofthemideast.com)

In a nutshell… You can have fun in the sun and separate the days from the haze any other time. But if you want a truly surreal experience this Eid, the Museum of Islamic Art is the place to be.

– Shayan Shakeel
Send your feedback to realestate.review@dawn.com

First published in the Real Estate Section of The DAWN National Weekend Advertiser on October 21, 2012.

We were able to brave and survive the summer heat while exploring Qatar and am glad it was somehow a balance of indoor + outdoor activities with DIY trips as well “guided tours” by our Doha-based friends.

Here’s the summary of our 4D/4N adventure,

16 Aug 2012 (Thursday, still Ramadan)

7:00 pm Check in @ BIA, Bahrain

Parang concert lang ni Madonna, the airport was full! There were long lines everywhere. Holiday mood talaga. It’s good that I always do web check-in prior, so we just had to present our printed boarding pass, drop checked luggage and breeze thru immigrations.

hooong daming tao!

Gala-gala muna sa Bahrain Duty Free, while waiting for boarding call.

Ang mahal ng keychain (e di lalo na yung bag!) hehehe. I’d rather buy air tickets for my dream Euro trip. Pak!  

8:20 pm Aboard British Airways, departed on time and arrived so fast! Feeling ko 5 minutes lang kami sa ere e landing na ulet. Sa sobrang aga namin, wala pa yung flight receiver, so wait muna kami inside the aircraft. 

9:00 pm arrived, cleared immigrations, retrieved trolley sa carousel - Marhaba Doha!

yes we brought a small trolley, full of foodstuff & Buboy’s clothes, Pak!

9:30 pm took cab to hotel; driver’s familiar with La Villa hotels group (they have at least 3 hotels in Doha area). We told him it’s the one near Gold Souq.

Room was clean, though not so spacious. Or maybe it was the huge bed hogging the space hehe. Anyhow, great value for money.

Ideal location, great staff, best rates.

10:00 pm We actually just dropped our bags and went out (excited bah). I wanted to go sightseeing already while Buboy, was hungry (as usual). We were walking inside the Souq when we saw this local restaurant with menu similar to Bahrain and ordered fish bukhari & mixed biryani.

While waiting for our order, we inspected the local currencies Buboy exchanged at the airport. I’m aware that Bahraini Dinar can be used as well (1BHD = 10QAR) but Buboy insists. Fine. I don’t want to argue.

Just fascinated they also have 500 riyals like KSA (UAE even has Dhs 1,000 oha! Palakihan ng pera, pak!).

*In Bahrain, the highest denomination is only BHD 20.

Our order arrived and Buboy cannot contain his delight, pak!

We forgot to ask how were the servings and obviously, they were TOO MUCH. Carbo loading lah!

After our hearty dinner, we dragged ourselves to walk along Souq Al Dira to burn some of the calories,

My first close up encounter with Fanar Islamic Center / Fanar Mosque, its minaret is just striking.

Wanted to walk further to reach the Corniche which was just on the other side of the street, but Buboy said to call it a night as we still have four full days starting tomorrow. I conceded, I don’t want to argue, or maybe it was Bukhari-overload- effect. = p

12:00 mn Back to the hotel for rest + sleep.

View our Fanar from our hotel

DAY 1

17th Aug 2012 (Friday, still Ramadan)

05:00 am onwards – Woke up early as usual, maski weekend. Body clock lah. While Buboy was still far away in dreamland. 

see our “baon” sa dresser? kape, teabags, noodles, hopia.. kami na ang takot magutom

It was still Ramadan, so we made sure we had food & water with us. We didn’t want to rely on room service a lot (kuripot!). I even brought my portable kettle, for hot water anytime for coffee or noodles,

Now, as I have to let my travel buddy with his “weekend sleep entitlement”, I kept myself busy with:

1) Tom and Jerry

2) Scour the local directory (work habit)

Hehe, in fairness, the yellow pages entries are so detailed they even include “key staff,” email and business hours. Ayos!

3) Top Gear – Dune bashing @ Death Valley, CA (i want!)

still on Top Gear, Interview with Formula 1 champ Sebastian Vettel

It’s almost noon time. First half of Day 1 spent inside the hotel. Haist.

By this time, naiinip na ko. I was thinking, anak ng tinapa, lumabas pa ko ng Bahrain just to watch TV. Waaaa… I wanted to go out.

Finally, gumising na si Buboy and contacted his friends, who told us to get ready by 4pm.

4:00 pm Buboy’s friends (Joyce & Kuya Ron) came to pick us up at the hotel

5:00 pm @ King Hamad Hospital (bongga ang hotel, este hospital na ito, sosyal ang interiors)

We actually visited their childhood friend May who just had surgery (laparoscopic appendectomy).

Parang reunion lang ng mga taga Catanduanes ang peg. In fairness, happy ang kwentuhan. :)

from left to right: Zeke, Buboy, me, Joyce, May, Kuya Ron & Paulo

9:00 pm – We didn’t notice the time pass by so quickly (Joyce & Kuya Ron originally planned a road trip that afternoon). It was already late when we left the hospital. Everyone agreed to have dinner @ City Center.

Ice skating rink @ City Center

As usual, took photos of the ceiling, (ako na ang adik sa ceilings)

City Center Doha‘s floor directory was so unique that we got lost (it was showing “You are Here” 4 times in the same page, Huwaatda?! Hehe) Anyhow, we finally figured out where we were exactly and walked to our gastronomic destination…

Tada! Wala akong gana… Masakit ang ngipin ko… Carbo loading na naman…

I just love Chinese Food, kanya kanyang trip lah.

It was actually Zeke & Pau who chose Shanghai Gardens (Joyce initially suggested Nando’s but they weren’t able to join us because Kuya Ron had nightshift work).

Glad that they chose this Chinese buffet. Imagine the appetite of four famished guys (yes, I’m the fourth one hehe).

Again, photos of the resto’s interiors… they had a plain ceiling but had lovely lamps like this,

And that ship on the buffet table reminded me of my dad (My dad was a seaman),

with tummies full, todo smile na ang mga mokong,

10:30pm went out of CCD, took a cab and dropped Zeke And Pau first (who still had work next day, too much overtime baya)

11:00 pm asked the cab to drop us at the Corniche, near the Museum of Islamic Art

the Corniche, it was sooo dark

I don’t know if it’s because it was still Ramadan why it was so dark by the Corniche.

MIA was also closed and will open only at the 2nd day of Eid as per the security on duty.

Buboy & I agreed to call it a night and wake up early the next day for a full walk at the Corniche.

12:00 mn back to the hotel, rest + sleep

Museum of Islamic Art @ night

Day 2

18th Aug 2012 (Saturday, still Ramadan)

4:00 am Wake up! Prep for “The Walk”

5:00 – 7:30 am  Conquered the seven kilometer Corniche without fainting lah!

8:00 am back to hotel, buffet breakfast, then back to bed zzzzzz….

4:00 pm Our “guided tour” courtesy of Jerome, May & their red car, Bumblebee :)

First Stop: Katara Cultural Village

Second stop: Jollibee dinner @ Al Meera. Woot woot!

Third Stop: Discovering Pearl Qatar, the Riviera Arabia

Fourth & Last Stop: Aspire Zone – The Torch Tower, Khalifa Stadium & a glimpse of Villaggio

11:30 pm back to hotel, rest + sleep

Thank you ulit to Jerome & May! (who were flying to Dubai naman the next day to celebrate Eid)

By the way, the moon has been seen tonight, it’s officially Eid Al Fitr!

Eid Mubarak pipols!

Day 3

19th Aug 2012 (Sunday, First Day of Eid Al Fitr)

5:00am Morning dose of TV while waiting for Buboy to wake up

Now Showing: Message in A Bottle

Hunger – buster meal: Spicy Thai noodles + Coke + Hopia (hopia not in photo, malamang nasa tummy na)

9:00 am Kaliwali the heat, it’s the First Day of Eid! Roaming the streets of Doha on foot.

11:00 am reached the Dhow Boats Harbour

11:15 am Summer Cruisin’ at Doha Bay aboard a traditional dhow (wooden) boat,  

11:45 am cab to City Center for brunch. The first (and familiar) fast food we saw – > Kentucky Fried Chicken! May hangover pa ko sa Jollibee kahapon hehe. Kaso Al Meera was far, so KFC it is.

Chicken Overload

Actually, in Bahrain, Buboy, my brother Yano & I, avoid eating chicken as much as possible (we go for beef, mutton, pork, salmon instead) as chicken seems to give us skin allergies (ang selan, pak!) But for now, kaliwali allergies. I wanted Jollibee. I wanted chicken. Holiday lah! = p

Afterwards, we walked around a little (to burn some calories, chos) until we reached Carrefour supermarket.There we bought ready-to-eat / easy prep foods, drinks, disposables for our overnight trip later.

1:30 pm back to hotel, rest

6:00 pm Love these ready-to-eat burgers set. In tuna, chicken, turkey and cheese. Hoy, baon yan para mamaya!

7:00 pm hotel lobby, waiting for Joyce & Kuya Ron

8:00 pm Yalla, side trip to Dukhan – swimming, BBQ + bonfire and overnight camping!

Dukhan Beach @ night

Day 4 (Last Day)

20th Aug 2012 (Monday, Second Day of Eid Al Fitr)

5:00 am woke up, Good Morning Dukhan Beach!

Dukhan Beach before sunrise…

7:00 am on the road, back to Doha

Upon reaching the hotel, Buboy slept while I fixed our stuff and IT for our last day

11:45 am Hotel check out, left bags at the reception.

12:00 nn Finally, a visit to the Museum of Islamic Art

2:00 pm cab to the Souq Waqif’s dining boulevard. 

And from the plethora of choices available….Our pick: Malaysian! (Siguro as a prelude to our SE+EA trip in Dec which includes Kuala Lumpur hehehe)

in the heart of Doha

We were also curious as it’s our first time to try Malaysian cuisine. 

In Bahrain, we’re too familiar with Thai, Chinese (mi paborito), Italian, Arab-Indi, Persian, Iraqi, et al.

resto interior – taste of Malaysian art and culture

Why is Buboy grinning?

He was looking at my appetizer, Curry Puff – deeply fried pastry filled with sweet potato. It was only one piece and was teasing me if it would be enough for me, pak!

It was actually delicious (the blend of sweet potato + mild curries), and quite satisfying for its size.

Sinlaki sya ng empanada actually so di naman masyadong maliit. Matakaw lang talaga si Buboy. = p

sweet potato filled Curry Puff

Op kors, the main course!

For me: Nasi Goreng – served with 2 sticks satay & sunny side up egg (almusal neng?)

Yum yum, first time kong makatikim ng barbecue with chunky peanut sauce

For Buboy (na hindi na nakapaghintay at umupak na kaagad bago ko mapicturan):  Fried Rice Carbonara Sambal - spicyfried rice with beef, chicken & veggies. – > Spicily yummy!

I was looking at the Nasi Lemak Sambal choices on the menu but I was worried about coconut+chili vs. my stomach. 

Then only after ordering, remembered about Noodles i.e.  Char Koay Teow, hehehe. Sa December na lang therefore, in Kuala Lumpur.

3:00 pm Was waiting for my college bud Rafy to call/SMS back for a meet up before we fly tonight, but didn’t. So we thought of what to do during our remaining free time.

a) Mshereib  Enrichement Centre – closed at this time already (as per website sked timings).

b) Qatar National Museum – under renovation (as per website)

c) Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art – in Educational City area, malayo my fren

And as we’re still fresh from “Islamic Art overload”, Buboy’s suggestion won, to kill time at City Centre. Haist.

It’s our third time in City Center, san ka pa?!?

Anyhow, enjoyed window shopping, surveying and comparing prices for electronic items Doha vs. Bahrain hehehe and people watching…

and as it’s Eid, there were special shows + activities for kids, like cartoon character encounters,

with Spongebob

6:30 pm back to our hotel area, walk through Gold Souq streets and shops

Same same like Manama Gold souq my friend, hehe… 

And also no shop security guards in the souq like in Bahrain.

Gold bangles, chokers, chains and gems galore! :)

7:30 pm Tambay muna sa hotel lobby, free wifi lah,

9:00 pm cab to Doha airport, sandwich dinner sa departures area

free gahwa and sweets @ Doha airport departures

10:00 pm check in, drop luggage, clear immigration, gala gala muna sa Duty Free (No photos daw please… humirit lang ng isa hehe)

Doha Duty Free

10:30 pm waiting for boarding, antok na (body clock lah)….

11:30 pm depart Doha via British Airways ulet.

If our flight to Doha was smooth, fast, early and uneventful, the return flight was definitely the opposite. Nakakaloka, Ate Charo. I’ll write a separate post about being Up in the Air with British Airways for a summary review.

Etihad pa rin!

21st Aug 2012 (Tuesday, Third Day of Eid Al Fitr)

12:10 am arrive Bahrain

Breezed thru immigration, bought vitamins, errr, alcohol sa Duty Free, picked up trolley sa carousel then looked for a cab to the flat.

Nakakaloka din ang mga cab sa BIA Arrivals. Bawal ang private transport. Meter flag down rate was BHD 4.500! Anak ng tinapa talaga, I was so sleepy and pissed off but didn’t argue anymore. Didn’t want just this to ruin the holiday mood. Let Karma take care of you, pak!

12:45 am finally at the flat….zzzzz…. Whole day relax + Laundry. Back to station the next day.

All in all, we had a great holiday!

The hot weather may be a little inconvenience, but it didn’t have to ruin everything. Diskarte lang and how much you really wanna enjoy…

Till next Eid Holiday!  

The Corniche, Doha tops my list of the “must do’s” in Qatar.

In fact, one big factor in choosing our accommodation was its proximity to the Corniche. I wanted it within walking distance to the Corniche, for easy access.

Corniche at night

The Corniche is a remarkable 7 kilometer stretch of waterfront promenade along Doha Bay. It is parallel to Corniche Street, a main road highway going to the city center.

Significant landmarks can be seen / accessed from the Corniche, like:

1)      Doha Port

2)      Museum of Islamic Art (MIA)

3)      Doha Souq

4)      Fanar Islamic Center

5)      The Emiri Diwan

6)      Peal Monument

7)      Rumeila (Al Bidda) Park

8)      Heritage Village

9)      Dhow cruises

10)   Palm Island – with its lone tree

11)   Sheraton Doha – pyramid shaped structure

12)   West Bay skyline – stunning both day and night

The night we arrived I already wanted to go and see the Corniche, so we dropped our bags at the hotel and headed out immediately. I had my maps ready.

However, we somehow got lost in the souq, or maybe we’re just too hungry hehe. So, we had dinner first at one of the local restaurants along Souq Al Dira, then afterwards continued walking until we reached Fanar Islamic Center. It was lovely at night, located right at the heart of the souq.

Fanar Islamic Center

I wanted to walk further, as the Corniche was just across the street. But my travel buddy asked to call it a night as we have 4 more days. KJ lang. Tse!

The following day, we went out to meet some friends, visited one who was in the hospital then had dinner at Shanghai Gardens @ City Center Doha.

We actually passed by the Corniche on the way and I definitely don’t want another night to pass without going to the Corniche, so after dinner we had the cab drop us in front the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), which was located at the right end of the Corniche.

Museum of Islamic Art at night

The Security approached us thinking we wanted to go inside MIA, and informed us that the museum remains closed until 20^th Aug (2^nd day of Eid Al Fitr), we replied that we just wanted to take pictures (outside premises) and went to stroll along the Corniche.

It was quite dark along the promenade area where we were and Doha’ lit skyline over the bay was just amazing. Btw, I don’t have a DSLR camera and only use my phone cam so forgive the photos’ quality.

We walked for about a kilometer along the Corniche before going back to our hotel. We agreed to wake up 4am the next day to complete our walk along the Corniche.

My body clock regularly wakes me up at 5am every day. Be it a work day or a week end. So 4am is something new for me. I felt really grumpy and had to force myself to get up, drink coffee and wake my brain cells up.

LeanDora, the very early explorer

Before 5am we were already out and started our walk from the souq to MIA, up to Doha Port where we met the sunrise. :)

Powered by Nescafe 3 in 1

Museum of Islamic Art, early morning

Buboy up early on a Friday morning (milagro!)

Sunrise at the Corniche

Hello Mr. Sun!

reminds me of Tequila Sunrise, minus the alcohol

Buboy and his favorite ship shaped building at the background

Which way?

Going the other way, we saw the dhow boats better (it was dark the previous night) and some yachts. We also met walkers, bikers and joggers along the way.

Dhow boats with Buboy

Dhow boats for fishing and cruising

The Pearl Monument

We paused for pictures every now and then, of us and the landmarks along the way, plus noting the distance markers.

Seven (7) kilometers – this is an achievement for a notorious couch potato!

Nasa lilim na, with the Emiri Diwan at the background

Ilang kilometro pa?

Doha Bay and West Bay Skyline

Achieve na achieve!

We saw a coffee shop or two along the Corniche, however they were still closed as it was still Ramadan, so we just went ahead.

Upo muna to rest a little

Nearing Sheraton, we chose to cross the street and headed to the Business District (West Bay) instead. We were both looking for a cab as well as inspecting the skyscrapers.

The previous night, on the way to City Center, I was just awed by the lights like that of the Tornado Tower. I was staring until it was outta sight, and that I forgot to take a picture. Hehe. 

Umabot hanggang CBD, san ka pa?

Found a camel! Dagdag sa collection ng photos with camels, hehe!

By 730am, our leisurely stroll brought us finally near City Center where we got a cab to go back to our hotel. The walk was tiring but totally worth it!

We then had a hearty breakfast in the hotel and went to rest. We had a full “tour” sked later on in the afternoon starting with a visit to the Katara Cultural Village.

During our stay in Doha, we went to the Corniche at least four times, one time was for the Dhow Cruise and another time was to visit the MIA when it finally opened on the 2nd day of Eid.  

I highly recommend the Corniche on your trip to Doha, be it an early morning walk or a night stroll,  be sure not to miss it! I myself am looking forward to our next visit.

      Doha West Bay Skyline

I was actually headed for City Centre last Saturday morning to get an IDL (international driver’s license) just in case I would be needing one for my upcoming break and ended up bring along my micro four thirds camera and decided to have a quick glimpse of the corniche stretch.

There were were only few people around when I arrived getting some morning jog and taking some photos too, maybe because the temperature was heating up around 35 to 40 degrees at only nine in the morning.  Anyway, it was still a very nice sight to see and my trend was: hopped off the car – short walks to get some nice shots – hopped in back the car – drove some distance then hopped off again and so on…

I guess I would like to go on other places on a Friday or Saturday morning again just for a change… I might go to Al Bidda Park next time, will wait for that day to come hehhe.. anyways, here are some of the photos taken that morning..

Annyeong! ^^

Doha Corniche is a crescent shaped waterfront promenade that extends through the seven kilometers length of Doha, Bay.  It is one of the most attractive and most visited places in Doha, Qatar.  It runs parallel to the Corniche Street, a main roadway connecting the West Bay business district with the south of the city.

In the early morning, you can admire the wonderful view of sunrise and take a walk or  jog along the Doha’s landscaped seafront.  In the lazy afternoon, you can relax and see the most fascinating sunset in the city while sitting on the cool green lawns under the shades of palm trees.  A perfect spot to take a shot of Doha’s skyline.  Then at night, behold with the  most alluring reflection of shimmering city lights in the calm water of the sea.

There are also prominent landmarks located along the Corniche which includes the Museum of Islamic Art, the Emiri Diwan (the Emir’s Palace), the Doha Port and the pyramid shaped Sheraton Hotel.   

Overall, Corniche offers a superb view of Doha’s beautiful bay that definitely attracts a diverse crowd of tourist, joggers, walkers and photographers.

Photo: Courtesy of Artefactory/Atelier Jean Nouvel

Oil-rich, Qatar is poised to become a Middle Eastern hub of the global art market and further enhance its position as a cultural destination just in time to host the 2022 World Cup. Recent purchases of modern and contemporary art by the royal family, the House of Thani, headed by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, have sent shock waves throughout the art world.

The Emir and Clan Connected  To Staggering Purchases

An estimated $400 million has been spent by Qatar in the past six year on cultural imports from America alone, making this small city-state on the Persian Gulf the biggest art buyer on the planet. While sales details are sketchy, it has been confirmed that Qatar is connected to the acquisition of many Mark Rothko paintings, including White Center(Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose) for $72. 8 million; Francis Bacon’s Study from Innocent X for $52.7 million; major works by Roy Lichtenstein and Jeff Koons; and “Men in Her Life” by Andy Warhol, purchased at Phillip de Pury in 2010 for $63.4 million.

Sheikha Al Mayassa, daughter of the Emir of  Qatar, is a driving force behind this Middle-Eastern surge into the Western art market. Following the emir’s failed attempt to buy Christie’s Auction House, headquartered in London, she succeeded in hiring Edward J. Dolman, chairman of Christie’s to oversee art acquisitions for Qatar Museum Authority and supervise the construction of the sprawling new National Museum of Qatar due for completion in December 2014.

Jean Nouvel Creates A Futurist Desert Spectacle That Embraces Tradition

Designed by French architect, Jean Nouvel, the structure occupies over 400,000 sq. ft. of  real estate along the Doha Corniche, a waterfront promenade, in the capital city of  Doha. Nouvel’s visionary theme consists of  interlocking discs in seemingly random formations along the 1.5 million sq.ft. length of desert terrain. The concrete formations seem to rise up from the desert floor with a beauty and precision of a Desert Rose. Surrounding the museum will be an expansive landscaped park.  The complex’s low profile pays homage to an ancient land on which traditions have been built over millennia that today speak to the future. The niches created by the abstract configurations recall a nomadic past. Within the complex the old National Museum, the Fariq Al Salatah Palace, sits protected from time and shifting cultural currents. These are the doors and window openings of a makeshift lifestyle frozen in time, made stable and permanent in remembrance of the caravanserai, an ancient roadside inn, that supported transportation, commerce, and communication for weary travelers along desert trade routes, such as the Persian Royal Road.

LOUVRE ABU DHABI

Qatar vies for Cultural Superiority in a Middle East Art Destination 

But, Qatar is not alone in its quest for cultural superiority among the neighboring emirates in the Middle East. Collectively,  the region could form an amazing, must-see  destination for an art/travel itineraries  in the tourism and hospitality industry. Consider the completion of the Bawadi mall, the world’s most expensive shopping mall in Dubai, or the eventuality of two art world powerhouses, the Guggenheim and the Louvre, establishing palatial outposts on Saadiyat Island, near the city of  Abu Dhabi.  Louvre Abu Dhabi enlisted  Nouvel for the 260,000 sq. ft. monument due to be completed in 2012.The final cost is expected to be in the range of 83 million and 108 million euros. Guggenheim Adu Dhabi engaged internationally renowned  Frank Gehry to etch their brand on the arid landscape. At 450,000 sq. ft., this will be the largest structure in the Guggenheim Foundation.

Do you think the efforts of Qatar and Abu Dhabi are a sincere attempt to move Middle Eastern culture into the 21^st century?

It’s July 1978, and the summer at its peak with intense, blinding light at 40 degree Celsius. The sky was deeply blue and cloudless, and a young Filipina doctor, born and brought up as a Roman Catholic, arrives in Doha with her husband and two children. The very touching of the Qatari soil is like a dream, for she had neither dreamt of coming to Qatar, a name which she had never heard of before meeting her husband, nor of marrying an Arab cardiologist from Qatar, says Dr Rachel Hajar, a cardiologist and the director of non-invasive cardiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, and married to Dr Hajar Ahmad Albinali, also a cardiologist and former health minister in Qatar, in the beginning lines of her memoir – My Life in Doha: Between Dream and Reality. Doha Corniche was the first place she visited after arriving in Doha and she might have never dreamt that the Pearl Oyster Fountain along Doha Corniche would make the cover for her memoir in the later years!

The work is remarkable not just because it is written about Arab society and culture, but also because it gives first-hand experience of the author, an outsider, who was accepted by the conservative society with open arms. The book is all about her personal experience and narrates how she met her husband and came to live in Qatar. It also gives an insight into her good rapport with her in-laws, recollections of her early experiences and her insights into another culture.

She admits that the world was obviously different from the one in which she was brought up and reveals what it is like to live within the heart of a culture that’s not her own and the social changes she has witnessed through the years and most importantly, the evolution of her perspective about the region and its people.

With a physician’s eye for detail, she weaves a fascinating tale of how her love story transcended cultural and social habits in a traditionally patriarchal Arab Islamic culture. She blends art and science in a convincing manner. The chapters read easy and a tinge of humour and stories of the past help the reader to maintain the flow of reading. The author takes fascinating side trips into the history and literature surrounding incense, the Islamic call to prayer, the marketplace, and compares and contrasts Christian and Islamic festivals.

Dr Rachel describes the celebrations of Eid very vividly. In fact, she compares and contrasts Christian and Islamic. But she also says “both are occasions for prayer as well as a time devoted to family and friends and the fulfillment of social obligations.” She continues: “The template of the celebrations of Christmas that I remember is not so much different from the celebrations of Eid. The two feasts highlighted that Muslims and Christians shared the same beliefs and behaviors. The milieu for the celebration of Eid and Christmas may be different but both encode in their festival and prayer ritual the concepts peace, joy, love  —  and hope.” (P. 177)

Qatar, the thumb of Arabia, becomes the home of Dr Rachel. She is no more an outsider. She is one among the Qataris. There is a kind of happiness and belongingness when she says: “The first time I gave my children their Eid card written in my distinctive Arabic script, it created a sensation in the family. My newfound skill in writing Arabic letters languished when they outgrew Eidiyas.” (P. 175).  “There is a certain satisfaction in being able to deny yourself food and drink and an excitement in anticipating iftar. Once the fast is broken, food tastes so good, and water so sweet.” (P. 195)

As an insider she describes how Qatari kitchens buzz with activity during Ramadan as women prepare and experiment with new recipes for iftar, the breaking of fast. She goes in detail about the traditional delicacies like thareed and harees, “the two dishes known from pre-Islamic days”. (P. 188). Not to leave behind Loqaimat, a desert which inspired her husband to compose a whimsical Arabic verse. She also narrates the stories behind the traditional sweet dishes Mahalabiya and Umm Ali.

She also examines issues like wearing black veil, history behind it and how being a mother of five children, she volunteered to wear the Qatari veil when her children  reach adolescence. She gives a detail account of markets, on how she learnt to shop for fresh fish and carpets in Doha’s markets.

She is fascinated about Majilis, where ideas, news and thoughts are exchanged. She gives an insight on the nuances of majilis, serving coffee, an integral part of Arab hospitality, burning incense, driving in Doha, tent parties and farkha, a door within a door.

She dedicates two exclusive chapters for her in-laws, one for Abui (my father) and Ummi (my mother). She fondly remembers how her father-in-law, Sheikh Ahmed , became an Islamic  judge, his judgments, writings, reading, collection of books, sense of humour, majilis, his curiosity about the contents of Rachel’s “sling bag, which she carried everywhere”, and lastly slow decline of his health and death.

Rachel fondly remembers how her mother-in-law, whom she called Ummi baked khubz, mahalla and chebab, besides preparing laban, a sweet dish. Always in her veil, Ummi’s world in the house revolved around kitchen. The author gives an insight into how a whole lamb is cooked in Qatari families.

The writer not only goes in detail about anti-smoking campaigned by her husband in the country, but also gives first-hand experience of patients who suffered heart problems, thanks to their habit of smoking.

She keeps the tender love which blossomed between her and her husband for the last chapter. She replaces “the sun in his life not only in Portland”, but also in Qatar and “shines over his heart”.

The author is fond of flowers and loves watering her plants in the balcony. She likens her wedding and life in Qatar to a lotus flower which adapts and flourishes in a foreign climate. “The lotus flower is exotic. Like me, the flower is foreign in this part of world. But with tender loving care, it might survive and flourish, the way I did.” (P. 286).

It is almost impossible to understand a culture by just looking in from outside, which is like peeping through a window at events happening on the street. One has to live the life within a culture to fully comprehend its perceived mysteries. Moreover, it is difficult to get a glimpse of different aspects of Qatari life and Dr Rachel records her observations and impressions of the culture and society in detail throughout.

Doha Skyline

What an incredible place to be….the last time I have been to Doha was in 2007, when I attended Stephanie’s graduation and all I have seen was construction site after construction site. Now, three years later, I must say that I am rather impressed what has happened in this city of merely a population of 400,000. I am fascinated to run along the Corniche (the waterfront) overlooking the many incredible skyscrapers, one design better and more original than the other. The place is super clean and the people are very friendly (with the exception of the restaurant staff!!!) and nothing what one would would expect on a first visit to this part of the world.

I am currently enjoying an absolute great quality time with my daughter Stephanie, who lives and studies here at the College of the North Atlantic, and with my dad who has just flown into Doha last night. Dad and I will stay another 3 days before heading back to Hanoi on October 28.