I've no idea what Doha was like over 10 years ago, probably very exciting. Your comments about making your own entertainment reminded me of when I lived in Jeddah and Iraq many years ago - the fun was that you HAD to make your own entertainment.
Having said that, I arrived in Doha in April of this year and honestly felt like I'd come home. I was speaking to a young Qatari earlier today about what I was doing and where I was going and who I was meeting and he actually said 'are you sure we are living in the same Doha?' He was, of course, joking but it really amused me. Where you are is what you make of it.
I love it here and what is so exciting is that it IS 'work in progress' and I'm delighted to be a part of it. I'm one of those oddballs who enjoyed scouring the souq in Basrah just trying to find something to buy (that hadn't already been scooped up by the Quarter Masters for the troops)that was at least in an edible condition! and feeling a HUGE sense of achievement when I DID! :D Having a supermarket on ones doorstep takes the 'explorer' feel out of it lol
We are going to take a short holiday to Oman at the end of October and, rather like your question about how Qatar has changed, I worry my husband will be disappointed when we get there because (although he is up to date with events and changes etc) he hasn't been back there since he left in about 1974!
I've no idea what Doha was like over 10 years ago, probably very exciting. Your comments about making your own entertainment reminded me of when I lived in Jeddah and Iraq many years ago - the fun was that you HAD to make your own entertainment.
Having said that, I arrived in Doha in April of this year and honestly felt like I'd come home. I was speaking to a young Qatari earlier today about what I was doing and where I was going and who I was meeting and he actually said 'are you sure we are living in the same Doha?' He was, of course, joking but it really amused me. Where you are is what you make of it.
I love it here and what is so exciting is that it IS 'work in progress' and I'm delighted to be a part of it. I'm one of those oddballs who enjoyed scouring the souq in Basrah just trying to find something to buy (that hadn't already been scooped up by the Quarter Masters for the troops)that was at least in an edible condition! and feeling a HUGE sense of achievement when I DID! :D Having a supermarket on ones doorstep takes the 'explorer' feel out of it lol
We are going to take a short holiday to Oman at the end of October and, rather like your question about how Qatar has changed, I worry my husband will be disappointed when we get there because (although he is up to date with events and changes etc) he hasn't been back there since he left in about 1974!