Doha--first impressions

City Center Doha-- a 4 story shopping mall across the street from my apartment. They are expanding, with the addition of a twinned-tower 40-story Marriot and Courtyard Marriot (Marriot for people on a $200-a-night budget) on one end and a (don't know)-story Shangra-la (a 5-star hotel) on the other.






Serdal Towers (aka Bilal Suites), my apartment building.



View of the West Bay, where I live. You could swing a stick and hit 5 skyscraper construction jobs.


An extremely cool teapot sculpture on the Corniche. Tea is an essential part of Qatari culture (Arabic culture, for that matter), and business meetings are often prefaced by the serving of tea.



I've made it to Doha, and am slowly settling into my new apartment. It's quite nice. As part of my job, I get to live in a fully-furnished apartment. The housing department at Cornell was really considerate, and even purchased me some basic foods and toiletries so I had something until I could go to a store. Which isn't hard for me, as I have a Carrefour (A French chain store with food and basic home items) right across the street in the City Center. I went last night and purchased a few more items.


Right now is Ramadan, the Muslim Holy Month. During Ramadan, Muslim people fast during the daylight hours. They don't eat or drink anything, even water. Obviously some people can't or don't fast, like pregnant women, or the sick or elderly. There are some special considerations to think about, though.


First, the Qatari government limits the daytime work hours for Muslim people to no more than 6, spread out over 6 days instead of the usual 5-day work week. Consequently, many places have hours during the day in which they are closed. To make up for this, places are open later at night. The City Center, which is usually open until 11 or 12, is now open until 1 am. Yes, people are still out at 1 am.

Second, it is forbidden to consume food or drink in public in the day during Ramadan, even for non-Muslim people. So, yesterday at Cornell, people were consuming drinks in closed break rooms. Non-Muslims are not required to fast, but they have to eat and drink in private.



A few more photos, of my apartment. It is absolutely identical to the one I toured in July, except for the spare bedroom bedcovers are blue, not orange. I suppose if I wanted to be funny, I could demand the orange bedcovers, and express my disappointment over having not gotten them on the bed to begin with.


The Master Bathroom, complete with bidet.


The guest bathroom, also complete with bidet.


My kitchen, which is quite spacious and fully-furnished with dishes, silverware, pans, etc. I also got a full-sized refrigerator/freezer, unlike the Smurf-sized and colored appliance in my old Japan place.


The living room, from the foyer/genkan.


The swimming pool on the second floor. There is also a fitness room.