LOL: Doctor Qui Chang Yu say...

25°17'12N 51°31'60E   T. 34°-  43°C

Q: Doctor,  I've heard that  cardiovascular exercise can prolong life.  Is this true?
A: Your heart only good for so many beats, and that it... Don't waste on exercise.  Everything wear out eventually.  Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster.  Want to live longer?  Take nap. 

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A:  No, not at all.  Wine made from fruit.  Brandy is distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way.  Beer also made of grain.  Bottom up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have body and you have fat, your ratio one to one.  If you have two bodies, your ratio two to one, etc.

Q: What  are some of  the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of single one, sorry.  My philosophy is: No pain...good!

Q:  Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A:  YOU NOT LISTENING!  Food are fried these day in vegetable oil.  In fact, they permeated by it.  How could getting more vegetable be bad for you?!? 

Q:  Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not!  When you exercise muscle, it get bigger.  You should only be doing sit-up if you want bigger stomach. 

Q:  Is chocolate bad for me?
A:  Are you crazy?!?  HEL-LO-O!!  Cocoa bean!  Another vegetable!  It best feel-good food around!

Q:  Is swimming good for your figure?
A:  If swimming good for your figure, explain whale to me..

Q:  Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?
A:  Hey!  'Round' is shape!  Well... I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets. And  remember: Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a ride!!"

 AND..... For  those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health.  It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.  
1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.. 
5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

:-D



Whatever open-hearth.

Beach Book Corner - Ragazze di Riad

25°17'12N 51°31'60E   T. 36°- 42 °C

"Quanto all'amore, lotterà ancora per cercare di spuntare alla luce del giorno, in Arabia Saudita. Si può percepire nei sospiri degli uomini annoiati seduti da soli nei caffè, negli occhi delle donne velate che camminano per le strade, nelle linee telefoniche che, dopo mezzanotte, sbocciano alla vita, nelle canzoni e nelle poesie tristi, troppo numerose per essere contate, scritte dalle vittime dell amore non sanzionato dalla famiglia , dalla tradizione, dalla città: Riad". 

(da Ragazze di Riad, di Rajaa Alsanea. Oscar Mondadori).

Un coraggioso ritratto della società saudita raccontato dal punto di vista di quattro ricche ragazze di Riad alla ricerca del vero amore in un mondo pieno di imposizioni e regole.
Lettura easy da spiaggia, ma apre gli occhi su una realtà che sembra lontana...nello spazio come nel tempo..

Enjoy it ;-)

  



Whatever open-hearth.

PURCHASING ALCOHOL IN QATAR....

25°17'12N 51°31'60E   T. 34°- 39 °C

Yesterday Francesco and I finally got the Liquor Permit so that we can buy alcohol "legally" from now on... Not that we are addicted but, you know, it's good to have one or 2 bottles of wine to share with friends (especially before Ramadan begins..) !!
However the law concerning the purchase of liquors and similar is very very strict...and sometimes a bit weird....don't you believe me? Just read here below...

The only licensed shop you can buy alcohol at is the Qatar Distribution Company (QDC). They have only two shops in the country, one of which is in Doha. Nevertheless, the Doha branch, though hidden away in a dusty corner of the city (next to the Department of Islamic Affairs!), is good. There is a large range of alcohol, though it is slightly weak on beer, the shop is large and cool and the staff extremely helpful. Prices do vary, but in general expect wine and beer to be a lot more expensive than the equivalent in Europe (actually 20 euros average for a bottle of an unknown Prosecco is a bit too much...expecially considering that the fuel full for a Nissan Qashqai is only 12 euros!!!).
Anyway, to buy alcohol, you will need an alcohol permit, which can be obtained at the QDC but, paradoxically, you need to show it before entering the shop! You can also purchase alcohol (to drink on the premises) from the hotels in the city or in several restaurants (mostly at The Pearl).
To obtain an alcohol permit you need a letter from your employer written in English. (An Arabic letter accompanied by a stamped translation is usually also acceptable). This must be signed and stamped by an authorised person in your company and be addressed to the Qatar Distribution Company. It must state the applicant's position, basic salary (must be above 4000 riyals or 1100 dollars, and the letter must use the word basic), state if an accommodation entitlement is received or if the applicant receives free accommodation and whether the applicant is married. It does not usually have to state that the applicant has permission for an alcohol permit.

The applicant must also provide their passport and residence permit (photocopies are acceptable) and a 1000 riyal (275 dollar) returnable deposit. You also have to complete an application form, and state your religion.
After alcohol has been bought it should be concealed from view in the car. It should be transported home directly and may only be drunk at home or in a licenced bar or restaurant. You may not sell or give away alcohol, or drink while inebriated. It is illegal either to be drunk in a public place or, even worse, while driving a car.

Law is law but we have the permit so now let's show our American  next-door neighbours how the Italian Spritz is made of!!!! ;-))



Whatever open-hearth.

SARTORIAL SENSITIVITY - Is Qatar ready for 2022?

25°17'12N 51°31'60E   T. 33°- 41 °C


The country is all set to launch mega infrastructure projects worth billion of dollars in order to have facilities in place to host the coveted event.
But the key question being asked is whether the conservative Qatari society is ready to take in its stride the cultural shock that the preparations for the event and its being actually held here would trigger.
With no less than half-a-million international soccer fans expected to descend on the Qatari soil in 2022, Qatar must build the requisite mindset - and not just physical infrastructure - to be able to absorb the social and cultural tremors such an avalanche of people from different ethnicities and cultures would cause.
Or, will the Qatari society rise in rebellion against the onslaught, especially as Western values and tradition are seen gradually overshadowing local customs and the way people dress up and behave in public?
Already, there is widespread fear in the Qatari community about their identity being diluted due to the sheer size of the expatriate population. Official estimates suggest that out of a total of 1,7 million people living in Qatar, an incredible 1,5 million are foreigners. This means that some 90% people in the country are non-Qatari.
Since expats come from all over the world , the threat to Qatari identity and culture is real. Some, though, argue that since Qatari is a small country with a tiny population, its people must pay the social price for development and prosperity. Concernins in Qatari community about its age-old culture and identity being compromised due to the ever-rising numerical preponderance of foreigners, are growing.
There is immense hostility in the Qatari community towards the way foreigners, especially young women, dress up. Foreign cultures have already reached Qatari homes with children being largely raised by foreing maids but, the strongest objections are raised to young non-Qatari women, particularly Westerners, wearing skirt and sleeveless tops.
A number of Qatari mothers have expressed ire and want the state to intervene and "discipline" young non-Qatari women who dress up "indecently" in public. The mothers say they fear that their daughters might ape such negative behaviour.
There are some Qatari women, though, who see the media (foreign TV stations) posing a bigger threat than foreign women wearing skirts and tops in public. There are others, though, who feel also that dressing up in public is one's freedom and choice, so no one should impose restrictions.
(From "The Peninsula" , 2 july 2011).

It's a great issue actually and I know that a big debate has spread in the net too...  But this is the price to pay for development and culture-crossing events like the 2022 World Cup..
Now I'm wondering if they have a proverb similar to the italian's "Non si può avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca"....They might have, maybe not literally translated since they don't permit alcohol and much less drunk wives!!!!
Anyway, as expat, my conscience is clear since every day I try to respect the hosting culture while choosing my dressing up... I even tryed the abaya on!



Whatever open-hearth.

MUSLIM FOR A DAY

25°17'12N 51°31'60E   T. 32°- 39 °C

Do you remember the visit "Islam at Katara" I told you about some days ago? Well, I did it yesterday and it was totally worth it!!!! First of all I want to focus on the extreme kindness of the qatari guides (all volunteers) who explained us the Islamic culture, the way they pray and the way they live..
We took part in a light meal sitting on the ground with them after the evening prayer and, at the end of the tour, we were all given a present in sign of acknowledgement....and everything was for free and extremely well organised. What else???
During the whole visit I tried on the Abaya (the female typical black dress) and that was definitely the greatest experience of the day, because I could feel part of them and it was a kind of trying to understand Islam...
Don't worry, it was just for one day, but now I can say that is not that bad, because you don't suffer the heat, you even look elegant and you don't have to think about matching clothes every morning when you fight with your closet!!!
I think I should buy my own one, shouldn't I? ;-)

If you want to see more just click here below:

facebook - album Muslim for a Day




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MATHAF - Arab Museum of Modern Art

25°17'12N 51°31'60E   T. 35°- 42 °C

"Mathaf is pronounced Mat-haf and it means Museum.
We host exhibitions, programs and events that explore and celebrate art by Arab artists. We hope you will use us as an inspiring space for dialogue and scholarship about modern and contemporary art in the region and the Arab diaspora. Our story really begins more than twenty years ago, when our patron and founder H.E. Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani first began to imagine what an Arab Museum of Modern Art might look like. He started to build a collection that could serve artists and public as a rich and representative treasure-house of modern Arab art. And he saw this collection as a starting point, to create more opportunities for artists and for art-lovers in Doha and around the world".

At the heart of Mathaf is the original collection of thousand of paintings, sculptures and works on papers brought together by the founder, H.E Sheik Al Thani.
The collection includes work by artists from every Arab country, representing major trends and sites of production in the region. The earliest modern works are from the 1840s, and the most recent contemporary works bring us up to the present day.
It was H.E. Sheikh Hassan Al Thani’s personal mission to build a collection that would highlight the significance of Arab art and would become a public resource. He also collected books and periodicals and began an artist residency program, which created a wealth of archival materials documenting Arab artists and artwork.
Mathaf is now working to ensure that this collection will be available for artists and scholars to visit and study in person. The collection will also ultimately be documented in an open online database for our global public.

                                         Current exhibition - 30th Dec.2010- 1st Oct.2011
                                             SAJJL - A CENTURY OF MODERN ART

The exhibition creates a space for many different stories and experiences and helps set Arab modern art in its historical place within a larger art-history tradition. It also emphasizes the several common moments and concerns that make it possible to talk about a shared identity in the region.

Sajjil is divided into ten themed categories: nature; the city; individualism; form and abstraction; society; family; history and myth; struggle; huroufiyah (’abstract letterform art’) and Doha. Many elements of the art recur across time, space and historical interruptions.

Whatever open-hearth.

ESEDRA - Italian Cultural Association

25°17'12N 51°31'60E   T. 35°- 43 °C

The first Italian Cultural Association is newly born in Doha. In the last few years the Italian community in Qatar has experienced a strong growth showing the need of a gathering place and an association able to fulfil its needs. This is the idea behind ESEDRA.

The Association has two main objectives. On one side it will organise events, conferences and exhibitions for Italian citizens living in Qatar; on the other side it aims to engage the local community by promoting Italian culture, spreading Italian language thanks to the organization of language courses and facilitating relationship with Italy.
The main promoted activities include a multimedia library, events, children's activities, travels to italy, cooking classes, and language
courses.

MULTIMEDIA LIBRARY
Esedra will organise a space dedicated to host the library, video library and all the materials available to the member of the Association.
The sections will be:
- Classical and modern literature from all over the world in italian and other languages;
- Children classical and modern literature, cartoons and comics in italian;
- Documentaries on Italian landscapes, cities, art, touristic destination etc. ;
- Collections of classical music, opera, operetta and italian pop music;
- Collections of Italian movies and foreign movies in Italian;
- Newspaper library including Italian magazines and newspapers.

EVENTS
The organisation of cultural events will be part of the bold activities' calendar that Esedra will offer to both adults and children.
Among others: temporary exhibitions, conferences, theatre pieces, musical events and typical Italian events.

TRAVELS
The Association wishes to spread the knowledge and the love for the beauty and aims to offer the opportunity to discover the unique Italian landscape. A bold travels programme to Italy will be organised for groups or individuals, divided by itinerary and themes: art-culture, natural, food and educational itineraries as well as study holiday.

"ART OF TASTE" - THE ITALIAN COOKING
Italy is renown for its food and Esedra aims to promote and build awareness of the Italian products and the Italian traditional cooking through a path of education of the taste.
Among others: cooking courses, tasting and events dedicated to the art of cooking.

LANGUAGE COURSES
Considering the high demand from the local community and foreigners who live in Qatar, the Association will offer his members the opportunity to approach the Italian language through language courses including group classes and private lessons.


Let me say "Era ora" !!! ;-)






Whatever open-hearth.