Gas Food Lodging

Dubai. Gotta love it.

The kids have a month off from school and K had a week off during Eid Al Adha, therefore we decided to leave Doha for a while. But with the global economy continuously spiraling downwards, we did not want to venture too far or too expensive. Dubai quickly became the logical choice. The United Arab Emirates is an extremely popular destination for many residents of the Arabian Gulf countries, for both locals and expats alike. It is more developed, modern and socially permissive.

We decided to drive since it is approximately 440 miles/709 km (one way), roughly a 7 hour drive. But one must travel through Saudi Arabia in order to enter the UAE. For this we needed to obtain a visa – called a transit visa – in order to pass through the Kingdom. This was not a problem; there are many travel agencies which provide this service for a nominal fee. The visa is processed within a week, no worries, hassles or headaches. We also found out we can stay in Saudi Arabia for 3 days, but we did not avail to this. Not for lack of want though. We did not have enough time, but will certainly take advantage of this on our next border crossing. The visa to enter the UAE is obtained at the border for ‘certain privileged nationalities’. Our’s probably tops the list.

It took us almost 8 hours to reach Dubai. Crossing the boarders took a bit of time. Leave Qatar; go through 3 check points – car registration check, passport check, customs. Enter Saudi Arabia; go through 3 check points – car registration check, passport check, purchase insurance for car (very cheap). Leave Saudi Arabia; go through 3 check points – car registration check, passport check, customs. Enter UAE; go through 3 check points – car registration check, passport check, and purchase insurance for car (very cheap). Reverse this for the drive back – with the exception of purchasing insurance at Qatari boarder.

At the UAE border one also needs to go through a retina scan. So out we poured, dragging our heels. We filled some forms and waited in a separate room for someone to take pictures of our eyes. After 15-20 minutes no one showed up so K went to another counter. An Emirati man asked Eye check? K tried to give him a long winded answer in English, that we waited for a while, no one was there, yada, yada, yada... The man looked at all 5 of us, stopped K in midsentence and stamped our forms. Khalaas, eye check! I guess we don’t look like terrorists. On the way back we had to get an exit permit. The same man was at the counter. Ahlan habibi! Stamp x5 Ma’asalaama!

We also stopped at a few places to refuel – the car as well as ourselves – along the way. Both K and I, much to the ire of the older kids, have always loved truck stops. Even here we prefer to patronize these roadside restaurants over western or westernized eastern fast food joints. These establishments are clean and efficient, service is extremely courteous, and they are always a culinary adventure. Here we often order freshly baked khubz (Arabic for bread) with the curry of the day (almost always chicken) or freshly grilled kabobs. Sometimes we get a rice dish which is always called beryani, but no 2 have ever tasted remotely similar. Cutlery is optional, just a good hand wash will suffice. We do however avoid the salads. The finale is always the cloyingly sweet milky tea served in a glass. Sorry kids, we’re not in Kansas any more!

This time in Dubai we wanted to see the places we were not able to visit on our previous trip and even found some places we did not even know about. I particularly enjoyed the day trip to Hatta, a small village near the boarder of Oman. It is a little over an hours drive and is a historically preserved town with a heritage site. The terrain chances dramatically as well, with craggy lithic mountains replacing the usually desert vistas. The kids were pacified by a round of miniature golf – this is the UAE of course!

We enjoyed strolling though the Ibn Battuta Mall, named after the famous and cherished Moroccan explorer. The mall is divided into themed sections - Andalusia, Tunisia, Egypt, Persia, India and China – a few of the major destinations taken by Mr. Battuta. Each section represents the best of each region and outdoes the other in splendor. Details of Ibn Battuta’s journeys and the contributions of other great Arab scholars and scientists are also inscribed throughout the mall. Therefore it is also a history lesson as well, one which is often overlooked in most text books and classrooms. It is certainly a must see for Dubai bound travelers, history buffs or otherwise.

We also roamed through a few souks, which are located in the older, less developed neighborhoods (compared to the newer contrived construction projects). This is the old Dubai, and in my opinion, the real deal. Tour guides abounded everywhere followed by camera wielding tourists of every nationality – ourselves no exception. The only difference was we were not wearing shorts or carrying fanny packs.

I will leave you with these pictures, which for the weary and often desperate traveler is certainly worth a couple of a thousand words.

Let's Talk Turkey

Thanksgiving recently rolled in and rolled right back out, giving us a nostalgic glimpse of our lives back then. It also added about 4,000 additional calories towards our expanding waistlines.

Last year, much to the dismay of the children, I had eschewed the time-honored festivities. I missed my family and friends and did not want to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner without them. In other words I was feeling sorry for myself. So we went to Chili’s instead and had a bloomin’ onion. It was bloomin’ awful.

But this is now our home. And I am happy to report we have resumed our beloved holiday. I invited a few friends who enjoy turkey and we had a grand time.

Thanksgiving is an occasion when we eat a certain combination of foods which we most certainly will not eat for the remainder of the year. It is also when we use many kitchen gadgets which we won’t use for the rest of the year either. So out came the turkey baster, citrus zester, pastry cutter, nutmeg grater, yolk separator… I also prepared the dishes according to what I was able to find in the local supermarkets. Here is a breakdown of the items I prepared, along with a few minor details:

Turkey: When I told K I was going to make turkey he began to pale. To put it mildly, he’s not a turkey fan. But Thanksgiving is not the same without big bird, so turkey it was – no compromises here. I saw Butterball turkeys in Megamart, but did not purchase one since we never bought them back home; we had always purchased organic Halal ones. Makes me wonder if they are slaughtered in the Islamic way for the Middle East? I found one with the Halal stamp, and at almost 3 kilos (a little under 7 pounds) it was much smaller then the ones I generally bought back home (think 20-25 pounds). Needless to say we did not have many leftovers.

Stuffing: Stove Top - easily found, with sautéed apples & onions added by me. I baked it separately; as apposed to stuffing it into the turkey itself. I would have made it by scratch, but did not have the time.

Gravy: Graciously supplied by Mr. Turkey himself, with a little chicken stock and roux added as a thickener.

Cranberry relish: I found cans of cranberries for 17 riyals at Megamart, but could not justify spending so much for something that I once used to purchase 2 for a buck. I bought some dried cranberries instead, resuscitated them in water and made a fantastic cranberry-orange-ginger relish.

Mashed potatoes: There is only one kind of potato available here, the good old potato kind. Forget the Russets, Yukon Gold’s, Fingerlings, Peruvian Purples, etc. Occasionally I see small new or red potatoes, which are for the most part flown in from the US or the Indian subcontinent. To this I added ample butter made with milk from cows who graze bucolically on the hills of Normandy.

Other vegetables: Sautéed green beans and broccoli (both fresh) and steamed corn (frozen) – the broccoli added for my 4 year old broccoli lover.

Pumpkin Pie: This is H’s favorite, so we had to have it. Here not many people know what it is, thus requiring me to make it from scratch – including the crust. I never knew I would miss Pillsbury. I had heard that canned pumpkin was available in Doha, but I was unable to find it. I must admit, I also did not trek to every single store in the city. For canned pumpkin? Fuhgetaboudit. I asked one of the stockers in the supermarket I frequent if they had any. Can pomkin? No ma’am. all the while nodding his head sideways. Frankly I believe he didn’t even know what the heck I was talking about. But he was polite so I forgave him. I bought chunks of a lovely Indian pumpkin called Bober and stewed it. I then followed a recipe I found on the Food Network. It came out to be more of a mousse like pie, but delicious nonetheless. I served it with whipped cream from a can (it was French, so I felt better about it).

We also had rolls with butter and vanilla ice cream with passion fruit syrup, made by me a few days ago in one of my creative moods.

Compared to Thanksgiving back home I kept it simple since I did all the preparation and cooking. The day before I had a midterm for one of the classes I am taking, so I was also pressed for time. I must acknowledge this was not completely an American Thanksgiving; it was a Qatari one as well. And, if I may say so myself, everything was fabulous!

It was the first Thanksgiving for our guests, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. They eagerly took home whatever leftovers there were – also an age old custom. After dinner we went outside and lit up firecrackers graciously provided by our quests.

But Thanksgiving is not only a time when our tables groan with the weight of a delectable and copious array of food. It is, more importantly, a gathering of family and friends. There is an old saying that no one should be alone on thanksgiving, so every year we often would have a few new faces at our table. But mainly it is a time to look inwards, reflect upon our lives and give thanks for what we have.

In the end I must add that although our feast was superb and well appreciated, and we are certainly grateful for many, many things, our celebrations would have been complete if some of the seats were filled with loved ones I have left behind.

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Pumpkin Pie
Crust recipe courtesy Joy of Baking, pie recipe from Paula Deen - The Food Network

Ingredients
Shortbread Crust:
1 cup (140 grams) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (36 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (114 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Pie:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed – I had prepared my own
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional

Directions
Crust:
In your food processor, place the flour, sugar, and salt and process to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the pastry starts to come together and form clumps. Place the pastry in the prepared tart pan and, using your fingertips; evenly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (Can use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface of the pastry.) Pierce the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork. (This will prevent the pastry crust from puffing up while it bakes.) Cover and place the pastry crust in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. (This will help prevent the crust from shrinking while it bakes.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
When the pastry is completely chilled, place the tart pan on a larger baking pan and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 13 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (177 degrees C).

Pie:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the prepared pie/tart crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place on a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Aw Shucks!

I have recently found out that my blog was selected as one of Qatar’s Top Blogs by a popular local web site called I Love Qatar. The owner of this site, known as Mr. Q (aka Kei & Amnesia), left me a wonderful comment a few months ago. I had no idea it would lead to this.

When I had started this blog it was mainly a way to keep my family updated of our daily life, however mundane it might be. I had also intended it to be mainly a food blog (not enough of these you know!) focusing mainly on local cuisine, hence all the food related posts. But, lots of interesting things happened in between, so I decided I could not limit myself to a particular subject.

So Mr. Q if you are reading this, I am, to say the least, honored and humbled. And I will definitely try (fingers crossed) to post more often!

24 Cupcakes

It was my eldest son’s birthday a few days ago. He turned 15, and at 5’9” is now taller then his dad. Yes, there are a few well earned silver strands mingling with my otherwise raven locks, but I have not broken out the Clairol yet. I know it is just a matter of time that I will - or won’t.

We had given H a choice of having a party or getting something he couldn't live without, and I am delighted to say that my gregarious and ever sociable son chose his friends. His invitation list initially consisted of 25 of his closest friends, but we whittled it down to 15.

We had reserved 3 lanes at the Markaz Qatar Al Bolinj / Qatar Bowling Center. The bowling alley here is about the same as back home, except it is immaculately clean, with a VIP sitting room and waiters in black and white uniforms who deliver snacks in hefty proportions while you bowl. Security is plenty and is strictly enforced. The rules are similar as well, with the exception of this one, by far my favorite:

No bowling is allowed while wearing an abaya or thobe.

We had requested everyone not to bring gifts. We wanted it to be a simple and casual affair, for the boys to get together and have a good time. We also did not want H to receive expensive gifts, such as IPhones & IPods (which is not unheard of by the way). But Arabs are extremely generous, with the Qatari’s being high on the list. So a few did come bearing gifts. I am left pondering how we will reciprocate.

We had a great time. I met all of H’s friends who were there, and they are a great group of kids, albeit a bit shy in front of mom. The gathering truly represented a mini United Nations. N and I had slaved all afternoon making cupcakes - with a little help from Ms. Betty Crocker. We made over 30, and had taken 24 with us, which disappeared within minutes. Afterwards K and I allowed him to go to Johnny Rocket’s with his buddies for his favorite meal of burgers, fries and shakes. Qatar is a much safer place to live and we give our children a greater amount of freedom that we otherwise would have. In case you're wondering, that's when the real party began!

I have previously mentioned in a former post our main purpose for moving to Qatar. But another greatly important reason was that we wanted our children to grow up with a greater sense of awareness and respect for other people and cultures.

I have lived in the US for the majority of my life, but have been fortunate to have lived in other parts of the world as well. I have also been blessed with many opportunities to travel. I can honestly say we Americans, no matter how the bad economy gets, compared to the rest of the world, still have got it good. But we often tend to be myopic, barely noticing what goes on beyond our back yards.

We don’t need to drive gas guzzling SUV’s, and we don’t need to fill our homes with inexpensive items manufactured in foreign countries under dire conditions. We are a nation of immigrants, therfore we must educate ourselves to a greater degree in order to prevent the evils stemming from xenophobia. And having such a profound influence on the rest of the world, we need to choose our leaders wisely. I am proud to say, this year we did.

But having said all this I must also point out that we citizens are by far the most generous of all developed nations, giving twice as much to charitable causes; benefiting not only our own communities, but wherever the need is greatest.

Therefore, I did not want my children to grow up to be the epitome of the old and often unjust cliché the ‘ugly American’. Here they are experiencing another way of life, different from what they are accustomed to, but wonderful nonetheless. They are interacting with people of various demographics, from distinct cultures, societies and economic levels. Through our frequent travels they have been able to observe other parts of the world at a closer range. And they are developing a keen sense of awareness, along with a greater appreciation and respect for others. They also know how good they have it.

And so ya ibni, my sweet boy, may you carry this knowledge with you throughout your life, when you return home, or wherever you choose to live. And may you convey this more so through your actions than with words.

Gimme a Break

Gimme a break, break me off a piece of that ... uh … King Tat Bar?

This post is not about advertising jingles or odd candy finds - although there are plenty here - it is about change. And since this is not a political blog (although I have pretty strong opinions on many issues), it certainly is not about the change Obama/McCain are proselytizing either. It is about the good old chaching kind.

Coins - called dirham’s - are often not used much in our daily transactions. When purchasing an item, paper currency is used almost exclusively. Prices are rounded off to the nearest quarter. I don't know if dirham's come in any denominations besides .25 and .50 since I have never seen any. I have also never seen an item for QR 2.99, or QR 299.99 for that matter.

To give you an example of how this works, if your bill in any given store comes to 12.25 riyals and you hand 15.00 riyals to the cashier, most often you will receive 3 riyals back. If your total comes to 12.75 riyals most likely you will receive 2 riyals back. When your total comes to 12.50 you may be handed 2 riyals, and in lieu of .50 dirham’s, a mini King Tat bar or some other interesting and/or odd flavored chocolate, hard candy (mango-mint, tamarind) or gum (coffee, banana, cardamom). No one seems to mind this exchange.

Often these chocolates are loosely disguised reproductions of Western confections (of which we also get in great assortment). But none of my kids will eat them, so I keep them stashed away until they expire. Only then will my conscience allow me to throw them away.

Enough babbling for now, its time for some real change. Y’all go vote now ya hear!

Indulging My Sweet Tooth

Since the preceding Eid is considered the ‘Sweet Eid’ (as opposed to the ‘Savory Eid’ – more on that later), I thought it would be appropriate to post something along these lines.

I once used to say I haven’t met a cheesecake I did not like, but since moving to Qatar my mantra has long been silenced. Cheesecakes here are often eggy and intensely sweet, or are the gelatin based no-bake variety - a sacrilege in my opinion. With the exception of the occasional Sara Lee from Mega Mart, I had mostly given up on them.

Anyways, back to my original rambling. Nowadays when my sweet tooth beckons I occasionally indulge it with one of my most cherished and non-form flattering discoveries. Every now and then I will purchase mithai, a sweet or a type of dessert originating from Southeast Asia.

Sweet/mithai shops abound here; not only due to a large expat community, but Qatari’s also adore anything and everything sweet. For me however, just any mithai won’t do, since I find most varieties cloying and overwhelmingly sweet.

No no, I definitely do not covet the golden brown orbs dripping in rose and cardamom infused syrup called gulab jamun. Nor do I yearn for the milky sweet fudge redolent with coconut, pistachios, almonds or cashews - named barfi. And I certainly do not dream of the delicate pretzel like vermilion squiggles; crispy, crunchy on the outside, soft and filled with syrup in the insides, known as jalebi. I can go on since I have a PhD in desserts. And just because I don’t delight in these particular sweets does not mean I can’t wax poetics.

So occasionally when I do get a longing for something sweet, only a trip to a Bengali mithai shop will do. The main reason for this is – you guessed it – these desserts are not cloying and overwhelmingly sweet. They are mostly milk based and are exceptionally delicate with a very short shelf life.

The shop which I frequent is called Madhuban, and is considered the best in Doha. Getting there is part of the adventure, much to K’s chagrin. He is never happy to venture into busy, crowded places. But he is married to someone who does - and in order to keep the harmony at home, he reluctantly obliges. We never go on a Friday, since this is a day off for most people, and the entire area is thronging with single men (about 50% of the expat community here comprises of single men).

It is located in a part of town quite far from where we live, in an area predominantly populated by expats from the Indian subcontinent. You will feel as if you have been transported to India/Pakistan/Bangladesh/Sri Lanka/Nepal, all rolled in one. Finding parking is a nightmare, like anywhere else in Doha I suppose.

The neighborhood comprises of just a few street blocks, but it is packed with stores selling everything from loose material along with tailor shops, saris and other ready made clothes – both traditional and western, jewelry and watch stores, electrical items, hardware & software (often pirated), cell phones and their paraphernalia, music and video’s (also pirated), a variety of household goods, religious items - both Islamic and non, books in many languages, exotic and often confusing vegetables & fruits along with many other food items. I am sure I am leaving quite a few things out.

But most importantly, for me are the small hole in the wall restaurants that abound everywhere. They serve food from all the countries I mentioned above. The aromas wafting from these eateries can be detected from afar. So on any occasion we might get, a heavenly beryani, paratha’s, samosa’s & pakora’s etc. from the Pakistani restaurant, or savory dosa’s and delectable sweet-sour-spicy chaat's from the Indian ones. I have not tried any Nepali or Sri Lankan restaurants yet – but one of these days I will. I don’t enter these establishments, since 100% of the clients are male. So we usually get these items to-go and eat them in the comfort of our home, or weather permitting, in a nearby family park.

But the sweet shop is an exception I make. This is the only establishment I do enter, since I want to see all the different and colorful varieties of sweets, from which I pick and choose. Often I make the clientele a bit nervous, since women usually don’t enter these establishments. But, wrapped in an abaya, I always garner respect. I quickly pick my items and go out while K pay’s for them.

Two of my favorites sweets are a milky, melt in your mouth, fudge like squares called sundesh ('good news' in Bengali – very aptly named I think), and mishti dhoi – a caramel flavored sweet yogurt. These satiate my craving for at least a few months.

Things are looking up in the cheesecake department. I have recently found a marvelous cheesecake at a bakery called Opera. But I will continue to frequent my newfound epicurean destination, since, for me at least, new habits as delectable as these, die hard as well.


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Mishti Dhoi

1 quart milk
1 ½ cups sugar
2-3 tablespoons water
½ cup plain yogurt

Boil the milk gently until it is reduced by half. Add 1 cup sugar.
Caramelize the remaining ½ cup sugar until brown and caramelized; be careful not to scorch it. Carefully add the water and add this to the milk sugar mixture.
Allow to cool until warm then add yogurt.
Place in a container and cover with lid. Place in a warm, dark place until set about 8 hours. Or you can use a yogurt maker. Traditionally it is made in terra cotta pots, which imparts its earthen flavor into the yogurt.

Serve chilled & enjoy!

Moose Anyone?

I saw these in the bakery section at our local grocery store today and the carnivore in me was tempted to give one a try. Honestly have to tell you it did not taste gamey at all. Nor did it taste like chicken for that matter. It had a rich creamy texture with a delightful fruity bouquet.

Eid Saeed!

Kul aam wa antum bakhair (may you be blessed every year). A belated Eid Mubarak to all. The kids had 12 days off from school and K had 9, so for the past week or so we were busy among ourselves. The well deserved break went by peacefully and all too quickly.

We had initially planned on driving to Dubai then on to Oman (which is app. a 12 hours drive), but nixed the idea in its infancy due to the fact we have recently returned from a 2 month trip to the US. But it is definitely on our itinerary for next year.

We opted to stay home and visit with the few friends who chose to remain here as well. Eid is a time when many expats and locals alike decide to take a brief R&R, so Doha was relatively quiet for a while, which we greatly enjoyed. For a brief amount of time it appeared as if we had the city, most notably the roads, to ourselves. I know anyone who drives in Doha has sympathy with my sentiments.

Now life is also back on its predictable groove. K has is back on his usual long work schedule, which he loves, and which is the reason we are here of course. H & N are enjoying school, albeit with a heavier and longer schedule. H has joined volleyball, so I have become a volleyball mom. Next trimester I will be a basketball mom. God only knows what the third trimester will bring. The Greek Gods, particularly Zeus, smile upon me.

Even A has returned to his mini schedule and is back in preschool. I had decided to keep him home during Ramadan. This is the last year he will be home before his real education starts and we won’t have such flexibility. Kindergarten is a serious commitment; just ask any 5 year old!

Every one was elated to see him on the first day of school. There was plenty of Ahlan habibi (welcome sweetheart)!, Kaifa haluk ya A (how are you A), along with an abundance of hugs and kisses. A smugly soaked it all in. He was missed, and it’s nice to be missed.

Thank you’s are in order to my readers – translation: family & 4 others on a good day – for your patience during my sporadic comings and goings. A special thanks to Chis, who wrote a lovely comment welcoming me back. It is nice to be missed indeed!

Ramadan Kareem - Part 2

I haven’t been posting lately due to Ramadan. Ramadan is a very busy time of the year for us. With the exception of A, we are all fasting. H has been fasting the entire month for the past few years. N fasts on and off, though I often have to force her to take a break every few days when she begins to look a bit peaked.

Ramadan is primarily a time to reflect inwards and strive to better ourselves, and also to strengthen our bond with Allah (God in Arabic). So we spend much time in prayer.

We do like to have different foods with which to break our fast. So on any day you will find a multitude of wonderful things on my dining table at Iftaar (which literally means breakfast in Arabic).

There may be fried chicken and mashed potatoes (for H), beryani (for K), pasta with marinara sauce or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (for N). There will always be a light soup such as chicken noodle or vegetable, a variety of fruits, croissants, pour moi bien sur, along with the ubiquitous black beans and samosa’s. There will also be many cold and refreshing drinks (well it is 110 degrees outside you know).

So as you can see, it’s an international smorgasbord – quite fitting for us. We often share our blessings with friends, family, neighbors and people who congregate at the local Masjid at the time of Iftaar. This keeps me quite busy, to say the least.


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The following is a recipe for watermelon juice. I often make this for Iftaar since it is very refreshing. Plus, I often have a lot of watermelon left over. Watermelons here come in one size – extremely large – so we usually can’t eat all of it.

Watermelon Juice

8 cups coarsely chopped watermelon pieces (seeds are fine)
1 tablespoon sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in blender (you may have to gradually add the watermelon since it won’t all fit at one time) and blend until nearly smooth - the seeds being the exception. Strain the juice through a fine sieve. Serve with plenty of crushed ice. You can change the amount of sugar and lime to your taste.

We're Baack

Ramadan Kareem!

After an exhausting 22 hour journey we are now home. All 18 of us arrived safely – 8 suitcases, 4 items of hand luggage, a Wii Fit, a Wave board, 3 kids and myself. As you can tell, we did our best to help stimulate the lagging US economy.

My eldest 2 are going through withdrawal symptoms and bouts of homesickness. But school started 2 days after our arrival so there was not much time to mope. They are beginning to adjust to their usual schedules and are glad to see their friends. My youngest, the Qatari at heart, is blissfully happy to be home.

Jetlag persists and no one is having trouble getting up for Suhur. I will try to post periodically during the next few weeks, staying close to Ramadan related topics.