Tim in Thailand

Last week Tim returned from a 10 day trip to Bangkok.  He was there as part of a team from Qatar Academy attending a Recruitment Fair to hire new teachers for September 2012.  It was a very busy time of interviewing candidates, doing presentations, and making recommendations.  But in spite of the busy work schedule, Tim was able to explore some of the city and learn about the people living there.

Thailand is mostly Buddhist in its religious beliefs.  There are temples and idols all over the city.  The Golden Mount is the most precious property of the Thai nation, a temple, and a great Pagoda.

Last fall Thailand had terrible flooding during its rainy season.  This year's rice crops were destroyed. Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice so you might see a rise in the price of rice in the near future.  As part of the government's plan to assist farmers that will have no income this year, TukTuks (three-wheeled taxis) were provided to all those that would move to the city to provide service to tourists.  The TukTuk drivers take tourists on a tour of Bangkok and visit several sights and shops where tourists can spend dollars to boost the economy.

Tim was also able to join some other school administrators on a day's fishing adventure.  They went to a man-made lake that has been stocked with giant catfish, carp, and arapaima.  The largest fish Tim caught was 24 kg (50 lbs).  The largest caught by the group weighed in at 45 kg (100lbs).

Muppy

Last week we met a young man that was suddenly leaving Qatar to return to work in Germany.  He was anxious to find a good home for his cat, Muppy.  We had been talking about getting a cat and this seemed to be the right answer. 

Muppy is a one year old Mackerel Tabby and with an interesting personality.  She loves to be where people are hanging out and is becoming more relaxed in our home with each passing day. 

Muppy has a few peculiarities that make her fit well in our family. She loves to eat!  Every time we are in the kitchen she comes looking for a little bit.  She is starting to adjust to Whiskas (we can get it here!).  She also loves to be outdoors so we are gradually showing her the yard. She is not yet as cuddly as we would like, but she appreciates a good rub under the chin.

Our first guest

For the past two weeks we have had Tim's mom, Nilda, visiting with us from Nova Scotia.  It was a good opportunity for her to travel and a good time of year to be in Doha.  The weather is nice and cool and the sights are not very busy because most people choose to go away on vacation during the Christmas break.

We stayed very busy exploring local sights but also had plenty of time for relaxing at home and hanging out at the pool.  A couple of the most popular local sights are the Islamic Art Museum and the Mathaf Museum of Modern Art.  Both of these art galleries are amazing.  We learned about Islamic religious and secular art and also how to recognize the "arabesque" pattern of art.

We spent a day walking at The Pearl and marveling at the sheer size of the buildings and the man-made island.  We stopped for Thai food at the Noodle House and wandered through the very exclusive shops.

We spent one day in the desert.  We went to the Singing Sand Dunes and then the boys rented ATVs to ride on the dunes.  Nilda and Lisa went to the Sealine Beach Resort to sit by the Gulf.  The water was surprisingly cool (although warmer than Nova Scotia beaches) as Nilda experienced when she put her feet in the Persian Gulf.