A mixed bag......

Friday 26 April

After another meal at Khan Farouk we went to a concert by the Qatar  Philharmonic Orchestra; it was a mixed bag:

• Barber - Adagio for Strings: a well known piece that was excellent  7/10
• Sharara - Egyptian Concerto for Oud and Orchestra: the Oud player was excellent, the orchestra were excellent, they just didn't for me sit together very well   5/10
• Economou - Electra: the conductor, and musical director of the orchestra, slipped a piece of his own work into the program and nearly gave Cath a heart attack induced by hysteria. During this performance I could feel her gently bouncing next to me trying to suppress laughter. When it thankfully came to the end she had tears running down her face. It really was a stinker; if you were given the task of penning something to turn people away from classic music this would be right up there. Very self-indulgent  2/10
• Elgar - Enigma Variations: loud, proud and all that is good about classical music 8/10 

Saturday 27 April

After one previous cancellation the fishing trip finally took place. We could not have asked for better conditions - fairly clam, slight breeze and cloud cover to keep the temperature under control. Of the original ten only eight managed to make it, but they were a good bunch and a fair selection of the ex-pats you're likely to meet out here - a Brit (me), one Irishman, one Lebanese, four Kiwis and a Canadian. We caught plenty of fish, most of which we took home, and some unusual stuff - a sea snake (potential VERY poisonous but luckily it dropped off before we had to think about doing anything with it) and a load of sardine like fish. The biggest fish (in Arabic known as a sharri; not unlike a fresh water Perch and just as spiny) was caught by Donna (NZ) so it might be true what they say about women and fishing!

Here are a few photos:

 

 

 

 

 

These didn't get away and are now in
the freezer.

 

 A brilliant four hours bobbing about on the glorious Arabian Gulf and only QR120 (£24) all inclusive. If the weather holds up, ie. doesn't get any hotter, I think I'll book another trip for next month.

Tally Ho! 

Time & Tide and all that.....

 

.....Goodness me is it nearly two weeks since I last wrote here? There is so much to see and do (and even occasionally go to work) that time just flies by. Is it really week eight already?

Mr & Mrs Tourist at Katara again!
Can't remember what for - something food related probably.

My initial "100mph, see everything, do everything, new boy in the candy store" enthusiasm is finally waning. My work/life balance has been re-calibrated firmly in the work arena as last weekend I worked both Friday and Saturday , and this coming weekend I'm working one day at home. I haven't worked at the weekend in about ten years and now two in a row; this will have to be redressed asap.

Buffet lunch provided for the weekend 'workers'

So the pace of work is picking up as the urgency to get things ready for the hospital opening increases. There is still no firm date for the handover but, as medical simulation will be used extensively for staff and systems orientation training (prior to any actual patients arriving), we need to be up-and-running well in advance of many other areas. To that end we have been given access to other simulation facilities in the area to trial training modules and produce supporting 'expert videos' teaching materials - hence the weekend working.

In between all this work there has, obviously, been plenty of fun stuff going on. In no particular order:

• Went to an open-air night time Jazz/Swing evening featuring excellent singers and band. The setting was fantastic as well 

  

  Not a brilliant photo but it gives you an idea
   

• St George's Day tea party - being from Wales I offered to make Welsh Cakes which was a bit brash as I've never made them before and didn't have much in the way of cooking equipment. But with a bit of improvisation - using tablespoons instead of weight ingredients and a frying pan for the griddle - they got made, and a few were even eaten!
• Got given, by someone whose contract is ending, a load of house plants. They'd seen photos of our garden in the UK and thought we might be the most capable of keeping them going. I was expecting a few small pots but they are very large structural plants that would have been quite expensive. They do look good though and will be put in pride of place in our new apartment.
• Received confirmation that we will be getting an apartment in Education City. It is only about ten minutes drive "Inshala" from where we will both work, and means that Cath won't have to endure the rush-hour madness of the Salwa Road and Doha Expressway.
• We had our Egyptian friends around last night to sample British food and decided against fish and chips or roast beef and Yorkshire puddings in favour of the number one staple British food - curry; Chicken Tikka Marsala to be exact and all the trimmings. Seemed to go down well especially as I didn't go overboard with the chilies. They brought us a fantastic pistachio cake as a gift; which was unexpected but very good of them. Their two-year old son, Salem, hada grand time redecorating the apartment; we'd forgotten that all reachables need to be at least four foot high!

Space Age cake!

Tonight we are out for another meal followed by a Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra concert playing Elgar's Enigma Variations. Then tomorrow I'm hopefully off fishing; as long as it doesn't get cancelled again and calling around to a mates, Simon, to try and sort his MP3 player and probably some beer!

"I know - it's a hard life, but somebody has to do it!" Bring on week nine; only four weeks until the end of my probationary period - Eek!

 

 

 



 

Chalk & Cheese

Compared to last week this one has been a fairly quite affair:-

Wednesday 10 April
During the day I actually did some technician work!!!! Went to the College of the North Atlantic-Qatar and helped set-up some scenarios that will be used next weekend for a research project. I volunteered to work on the Saturday as two of my colleagues are going to Bahrain for the Grand Prix - as you do. It will be the first Saturday I've worked for five years.

In the evening we went to the home of one of Cath's Egyptian work colleagues for a family meal. It was lovely and certainly different from the slightly 'westernised' food we've had to date. Although all the ingredients were very familiar they were served in totally differing ways than they would be in the UK. For the main meal we had cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, boiled and fried  chicken, a saffron rice cake, a spinach and garlic sauce/soup, and a savoury rice pudding with fried onions and garlic. Then for the desert we had an Egyptian version of bread-and-butter pudding made with strips of cooked puff pastry. A very nice meal with lovely people. We are intending to invite them over next week for a typical British meal; I hope they like Chicken Tikka and Kulfi.

Thursday 11 April
Another evening of Egyptian food, this time at a restaurant called Khan Farouk Cafe in Katara, with an American work colleague, Delia, and her husband, Rob. Again it was excellent experience. We shared several starters - the tahini and fresh made bread (not unlike a crumpet) being the highlight, but the falafal and Egyptian pickles were also very good. For the main meal Cath had an Egyptian moussaka (nothing like the Greek version) and I went off-piste and had 'Meat with Freek' which turned out to be chicken with green wheat and very tasty. Whilst there we also took in a cultural exchange event that showcased the life and culture of many African countries.

Friday 12 April
Caught up on washing, cleaning and generally lounging about the apartment. Did manage to do an hour at the gym followed by a swim. Hard work I know but someone has to do it.

Saturday 13 April
Another early gym session, then up to a local bakery, Battell, to collect the food I'd ordered for a fishing trip with ten other colleagues later in the afternoon. Only ordered simple finger food - small pasties, vegetable samosas, doughnuts - but it was ready-and-waiting for me on platters which was a bit OTT but seems par for the course here. Anyway, as it turned, all the food was for nought as for, almost as soon as I returned to the apaprtment, I got a call from the fishing trip company to say that due to high winds the trip was cancelled. Damn! They did offer us another weekend but the temperature is really rising (C40+ on our shaded thermometer) and it might not be possible until October. Some I'm now writing this as an excuse to do something rather than sitting around with a face like a smacked a**e. As a treat I might take Cath out this evening to a very nice looking Arabic restaurant called Nobles that I spotted when collecting the food earlier. Will report on it if we do. Does that constitute research for the blog and therefore justify us going there? Who knows or cares?

Boyd  

Give me a break....

Another packed weekend:

Thursday 4 April
Had an invite from Simon and Amany to join them for their bi-monthly soiree spotif. After getting slightly lost we eventually found their compound and had a great evening with a couple of their work colleagues, playing darts and table football. Much to my surprise Cath really seemed to enjoy the table football but has forbidden me from getting one - "Doh!". Had quite a few cans of Guinness so Cath was the designated driver and we got back about 23:30. Had a text this afternoon confirming that it will now be a regular event everyother Thursday so that is now pencilled in.

Friday 5 April
Got up early and went to the gym. Later, at about 10:00, we took 'the tank' on a road-trip 100km to the north of Doha to visit Al-Zubarah Fort. I was quite surprised at the uniformity of the desert landscape and how flat the country is. From the slightly elevated highway you can see for long distances either side and it is VERY flat. Anyway, we got to the fort about 12:00 and it was roastingly hot (35C+) and not a breath of wind. Sadly the fort, which looks very old but was actually build in the 40's, was undergoing internal repairs, and although we could look around inside we couldn't venture up any of the four corner towers. A very helpful South African women offered to take our picture and spent quite a deal of time arranging the shots; but unfortunately I don't think she pushed the button completely down and you'll have to make do with these:



Arty

Touristy

 

That evening we had been invited to a 'villa' warming party by one of my Sidra colleagues, Marie (Mal) and her husband Tom. Again, even with a very detailed map drawn by Tom, we got slightly lost in the less built-up areas in the suburbs of Doha. Eventually we got there and had a smashing time; meeting lots of new people as well as lots of Sidra folk. As we don't yet have our 'booze licence' I (with Cath yet again volunteering to drive) had to prevail on our very generous hosts for the liquid refreshments, and very generous they were too with food, drink and a tour around their lovely two bed roomed villa. We had a really great time but I think after my five weeks of abstinence from cakes and pies my system wasn't ready for the three pints of bitter, a pint of vodka based punch,  two samosas, Scouse stew, three puddings (trifle x2, cheesecake) and small Egyptian cake, and the following morning I really paid for it!

Saturday 6 April
Oh! My! God! - did I feel rough? "It must have been those dodgy samosas!" says me, "Er, No! It was the three pints of bitter, a pint of vodka based punch, two samosas, Scouse stew, three puddings (trifle x2, cheesecake) and small Egyptian cake!" says Cath offering as little sympathy as I deserved. Even my son told me I was getting too old for these sorts of antics and I should act my age; which at the moment, due to the rejuvenative effect of moving to Doha, seems to be about twenty-five so God help me!

I then remembered that I had arranged to go and look at a car I was thinking of buying. As we already have a 4x4 'tank' I thought I'd go for something a bit more boy-ish and get a utility vehicle - half five seater saloon, half pick-up truck. So not feeling 100% I eventually met the guy and bought the truck - 2009 Mazda BT-50 18,000km QR36000 (about £6,500). Looks, drives and sounds OK so hopefully it will get me mobile without too much grief. It will no doubt feature here again hopefully for the right reasons.

After all this we went to a combination craft fair/car boot sale/market in a very nice park next to the Museum of Islamic Art. By this time the wind had really picked-up and it must have scared off some of the stall holders as there were quite a few vacant spaces. It was, however, a pleasant way to walk off a hangover as we also went to a lovely cafe, out at the end of the promontory, and saw a brilliant exhibition at the MOI about revitalising artistic traditions in Afghanistan called Ferozkoh - if you get a chance do go and see it!

Boyd & Cath inside Richard Serra's
sculpture '7'