Doha, Qatar

Doha is neighboring country of Bahrain, their flags are similar except Doha is red-maroon and the later is bright red.

Here i spent my one week leave with my sister.  I haven't seen her for a couple of months and she can't join us in Bahrain for Christmas.  I also would like to see her living and working condition in Qatar after her husband went back to Philippines.  It would be nice to share time and cheer her up atleast before Christmas.

Love you sis, Elena.

Doha is just 25 mins by plane from Bahrain.  There are so many different faces and nationalities on queue at the immigration but the transaction was fast. There are digital ID photo capturing mounted on the wall at each counter, so the immigration officers need not to move from their seat.  They are only accepting credit and debit cards for visa payment on arriving visitors.  The visa chrage is QR100 Qatar Riyals.  It was fast, no sweat!

 

I ended up waiting for my sister to pick me up at the airport :-))).  I teased her that i came from Bahrain and she is just in Doha and I came first to the base :-).  It was traffic she said. 

She arrived on a private taxi and paid QR30 each way (near or far)... not cheap!

It is much likely Bahrain as we continue on  the road and observed that very less, nearly no people walking around.

We reached the place where my sister lives and I quoted that if I reached home, I will not go out...since there is no place to hang around.  Boring place.

Oh!  seeing this line of shops from the window makes it feel that this place is not really isolated :-).

The next evening my sister walked me around, since she came home early from work.   I felt that it is unfriendly environment.  Wide dusty road, tall fences no people around expect those inside of the so many moving cars.  If there is something happened to you along the way, no help. You shout- no one will hear or care will give a hand.  Anyway...it's ought to be deserted place what would I expect.

Anyway, there are three malls probably 1.5 km by walk.  The Lulu Hypermarket which is located at the opposite of the high-way and impossible to reach not being suicidal.  The Ramiz, Restaurants and The Landmark.  When the famous Villaggio mall had its traggic fire, customers diverted to The Landmark so it was crowded.    

Here are the places that I have visited and seen around Doha.

Villaggio Mall
It's an amazing showcase of indoor shops with collection of different building designs.

Hyatt Plaza, another mall next to Villagio, had our lunch there to fuel our tummy for next exploration :-)

The Aspire Park located near Hyatt Plaza

Museum of Islamic Art

The Famous Waqif Souq

Beef Wanton Noodles and special halo-halo (no pic) by Chowking.  We don't have this in Bahrain.

  

The Pearl at Porto Arabia

The City Center

Katara Cultural Village

Katara Cultural Village

Ric's Kountry Kitchen in Doha, there is another branch in Bahrain

Modeling these cute hats, bought dozen of these for pasalubong :-)

Our own made crochet for winter :-)

Time for us to leave,  my sis wear her black uniform for work and me? yeah back to Bahrain.

I would like to thank the following;

Elena 

- my sister for accomodating your ate.  

 I will come back when I have 3 days off :-)

Tol Joey

- as in Tol (for putol - cut finger :-) for snacks and long talk at Ric's :-).

Nice to catch up after hmmm counting,  6 years :-).

Bro. Angel Mendoza

- for the ride and showing us around, see you back in Bahrain.

 Doha, Qatar 

December 5-11, 2012