Tales from the Gael

Final day, and have spent hours putting photos on this blog…struck me that in all the ‘posts’ I hardly mentioned school or teaching. So weird as it dominated all my thoughts and actions from August last year through till July. All the various topics and songs and stories that so absorbed me and my class during that time, I must have kept compartmentalised, or else I realised that what was so thrilling and fascinating for us, might not have the same appeal to the world in general!    Please note the Granny Annabelle character…no wonder I didn’t talk about it much! Seemed like a good idea at the time.  

This one on my left was the dummy, when I dressed up, the kids thought she’d come to life…hmmm

Now I have 2 MRI’s to get this afternoon…neck and shoulder and then John and I are off, like two turtles with all our wordly belongings in two suitcases and two VERY heavy pieces of hand luggage! Thanks to Sue for the farewell gin yesterday afternoon..and thanks to so many wonderful people we were lucky enough to meet who have made out stay here so good. Who knows where we will end up!

Bought the newspaper yesterday  and predictably there was a small piece on the front page quashing any rumours about cheetahs or tigers. To quote, “It’s all rumour, so one must not lend an ear to it….some of the complaints were malicious and necessary action has been taken against them.” Apparently “there is nothing to worry about as the security authorities are very much keen to guarantee security and peace in society.” It went on to say “efforts are on to find out how the talk of a cheetah being sighted began in the first place” Hmmmmm. I am more concerned about how many homes are housing these exotic pets. But still, I must remember we are just expats in bubbles, and must not question or ‘see’ anything.

Turned the page and was delighted to see the film that we saw at the film festival, won the best in the show. Good!

Today I am off to the souq to buy a sphere made of stone, all hollowed out and carved intricately. My massage teacher had one, and I so coveted it. Then home to eat up the cupboards…it is such a mighty mission…yesterday I had caviar on toast, covered with tinned tomato and black pepper. Surprisingly it was very delectable. Such fine dining!

I got an email from a friend, working in Qatar Academy, in the mighty Education City (the ‘baby’ of Sheikha Moza) and read with alarm  that their compound was being closed and a helicopter was on the way as a tiger was on the loose. I wrote back, assuming there had been a break out from the Zoo. She replied

“No, it wasn’t from the zoo. It really was a pet – apparently. One of the teachers said that when the tiger became public knowledge, there were kids showing photos of their pet tigers, lions and cheetahs in the LOUNGE rooms at home. Apparently, if you are there at the right time on Saturday morning, you can catch sight of a Landcruiser moseying along the Corniche – with a cheetah checking out the scenery from the comfort of its bucket seat! Last year, the primary Princpal had to ask a guy who was exercising his cheetah on the school oval to put it back in the car so the kids could finish their soccer match!!
At first, I thought the kids were making these stories up about their pet African animals – but no. They’re not, sadly. One kid got a dolphin for his birthday – in the pool! The parents were quite surprised when it died.
It’s a mad place. In June, there was a huge shipment of ivory detected in Thailand – it had come from Doha.”

Yesterday we went for a fare well trip to our beach…so sad, and we swam and floated (effortlessly) and when we left, we left our Russian fishing chairs, bought on a whim, after a drunken lunch in Kiev. They have served us well. I took a photo of them, sitting forlornly on the skyline…just hope that no one thinks we swam away to sea on a joint suicide mission!

The flat is starting to look empty, and I am wondering how to eat the contents of the cupboard…only 3 more dinners. Tonight we are having fresh lobster tails and prawn and pomelo salad. But what to do with the kilo of palm sugar I bought…Oh well. By the way I added a couple of photos that I managed to take of the art exhibition last week, of the little girl born in a Polish concentration camp.

More later.

Went to see the amazing film,(even walked on the red carpet)

The First Grader…you MUST try and see it…a true story of a Mau Mau man, aged 84 who went back to school. True story and just beautiful and inspirational. Ended the day at Villagio with friends Kay and Colin and Loretta…nice to meet up…we were last altogether in Hanoi.

I photographed my embroidery

…and packed it up…but before I go, just want to share the most beautiful sunset taken from the Zig Zag tower.

Had such a funny dream…I was auditioning for a part in a musical and the Queen was my accompanist. We were such a team, she plonking away and me trilling out ‘by the bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomond’. It was such an anti climax waking up.

It must have been the harbinger of what was to come…for we’ve had such a cultured week, and it’s not over yet. Doha is having a huge Film Festival, starting tomorrow, with red carpets and what not, and we are all being accosted with fliers and reviews….John and I are going to see The First Grader, in the Open Air Theatre on Saturday, down in the Cultural village. It’s about a Mau Mau rebel enrolling in a local Kenyan school and learning to read and write.   We are going with my new friend, Helen, a very enterprising Australian lady who has just arrived in Doha, and is very enthusiastic about everything, and gads about in taxis then can’t get back, and has started using the busses, which only really cater for the Indian and Sri Lankan workers…she is made of stern stuff, not like most of the women, ensconced in their mighty land cruisers, pagero’s and jeeps.

After our sojourn to the beach on Friday we decided to go to visit this new cultural village which is such a beautiful tribute to the various architects…there’s a mosque, an opera house, cinemas, galleries, a beach, a promenade, various restaurants and so on, and the car parks are lit by posts sporting little lamp shades. Very nice.

 I photographed John by the white dove cote…I was enthusing about it, until he suggested they might be breeding them as fodder for the falcons. Hmmm. The main symbol of this Music City, is a GIANT falcon hood. Ominous for the white pigeons (or doves…can’t tell the difference…presumably Noah could.)

Anyway…found the gallery and was so impressed with the pictures. The exhibition was called ‘In our time’, and the photographs are by Magnum photographers from 1936-1987. Most disturbing picture was of a little girl in a mental institution after the war. She had been born in a concentration camp and was asked to draw a house. The photo is of her face, with the obligatory ribbon at the side of the severely parted hair, and the huge sad eyes. The picture she drew was of black lines…the barbed wire.

I loved the picture of Ghandi’s funeral. Millions of people and about a dozen all hanging on a telegraph pole.(sorry about the flash…it was from my mobile camera).

We went to see the Doha Players’production of Miss Saigon. The show was fantastic and the lead singer was really something. I had a quiet giggle, however at a very tall thin lady that took all her various ‘parts’ so seriously. She drew all eyes to her, yet she never had a proper word to say throughout, but she did so much ‘acting’…I was exhausted watching her. Even as a soldier she goose stepped higher than the rest, made the lads at the back look a right shuffley lot. Felt quite nostalgic for Vietnam, and the kids in their ao dais made me think of UNIS on International day. Sniff. I am becoming a lady with a Past. HA HA.

Did my final massage class, and have the Certificate to prove it. We had to perform an hours massage on our partner, and apart from referring to the notes, and the odd crinkle of paper, it went well. She actually nodded off at one point, so that was good. (I think). (i.e. Joanne, my ‘client’ not the examiner.) Now I shall try and buy a proper bed and spare the back.

Also went to my last cooking class…Italian. Felt so sorry for the teacher, as she was in full flow, with her hand made ravioli, her chicken and pesto fettucine and so on and so forth and the power went off. Oh dearie me. Never mind…we got the picture.

Makes me remember a fantastic dinner party we went to in Hanoi…Loretta had set up about 5 little mini hotplates around her house, and beside them was a recipe and ingredients…then we were all paired up with someone we didn’t know, and had to cook. (John and his partner had to make tiramisu…they didn’t put the top on the blender and it went all over the walls.) Then we ate and had to give a talk.  She was inspired after spending part of her summer in Sicily at a cooking course. I would so like to do that. (Go to Sicily and eat).

Our life is coming to an end here in Doha…2 years are up, and we leave next Tuesday. So John and I went for a walk by the Marina last night, and ended up in the Admiral’s Club where we sat on the decking and drank margaritas. The night was balmy and perfect and the moon was orange.

Woke up in a cloud this morning. The view from the 33^rd floor of the Zig Zag was Zero. It was almost celestial. I half expected to see an angel or two plod pass the window.

Busy week, ‘back’ issues are resolving, no need for la la drugs, went to a Thai cooking class, and the massage course is nearing its end. Next week is the exam, where we have to do a massage lasting for an hour on our partner. Joanne (my physiotherapist partner) thinks I have another disc issue in my neck, which would explain so much…numbness and tingling in arm and so on…All I can say is wheel me off to the glue factory.

Birthday yesterday was spent getting drilled at the dentist. Somehow the whole crowning procedure sounded so much more exotic when explained in his sexy French accent. It was the aftermath that was a bit dire, when I stumbled out with a numb nose and a splitting headache!!

Lovely later, as Gerry rang from Cyprus…I could hear the waves tickling her toes. She sounded as clear as a bell and we talked for ages.

This Friday we went to the beach as usual, and the whole experience was lit up by the cabaret beside us. A Singaporean family arrived…mum, dad, two big-ish boys and a little girl of about 4, who thought it appropriate to come in her pyjamas. Dad spent the next hour with a hammer trying to put up a tent…he fussed and wore away the sand back and forth to his car for more inspiration. Little girl changed into yellow swimsuit and jumped over each wave as it sploshed up. Her brothers brought out ‘the barbecue’ which they proceeded to light. They shielded the flames with an umbrella; the mother sat shrouded in two sarongs and yelled orders to everyone.

John and I feigned interest in our paper backs, but couldn’t help watching the saga.

Suddenly, the hammer was put away, the tent rolled up. The barbecue doused with sand, the food hamper returned without anything being eaten or drunk, and everyone was loaded into the car. It would seem the only person who had fun was the little jumper at the edge of the ocean….I was just exhausted watching them.

Today John has gone off to meet Mike. Hopefully by this evening we will know whether we are staying or going.

If we are staying I wouldn’t mind learning  more about massage…like aromatherapy. Scents can relay so many messages and aids deep healing…apparently. I was hearing that rose is used for deep grief. Interesting…but such a beautiful flower, how could it not be included in a healing programme?

Temperature is dropping, the marble floors are chilly under foot, duvet is back on the bed…but still the days are hot hot hot. It is so pleasant to walk at night, round by the marina, and the Ritz Carlton, and the birds are just a riot at that time of night. Mostly mynas, bulbuls and herons, but the other night we did see a hoopoe if that is how you spell it. First time for me, it was so cool with its crazy crown.

Talking of which, I might go and look at my temporary one, and hope mr sexy dentist is hard at work with my good and proper one.

PS the eye brows are fading, thank the good lord.

That’s the actress I was thinking of…huge eyebrows and clownlike lips. Scary.

As I write this I am watching the third of the Chilean miners being reunited with the wider world. I actually felt emotional for this one, as he hugged and hugged his wife, who looked a stoical sort of woman. The second guy was so exuberant he was tearing around hugging everyone that he hardly gave his pretty lady a look and she had done her nails specially. (Blue and green)

What a topsy turvy week. My emotions are all over the place…one minute we were leaving Doha on 3^rd November, so the priority for me was to use up all the stuff in the cupboards, not to mention soap and Christmas present powders from 2 years ago, nice, can’t think why I haven’t used them before. I suppose we are always waiting for some special occasion for that lily of the valley or damask rose. Anyway it’s all been very aromatic and frantic.

Imagine how I felt when I heard we may be extending for 6 more months. I can’t believe these guys. I know I wanted to leave work, but when I actually did, I must admit I felt a little sad and had lots of pangs when the new school session resumed. I also miss the money. Still, I have been enjoying my new life as an expat woman, shopping and meeting for coffee in luxurious settings. Not a hardship, and you do meet nice people and hear some very funny life stories…but I can’t get over the obsession with Fitness and Beauty. For myself, I have always been a believer in the brisk walk.

Yesterday I went to a taster session at the Dado Spa with my friend Sue. We were given the spiel about the lay out and the therapists etc, and then we were allowed to have a ‘treatment’ to see how we liked it. I thought I might like to get my eye brows dyed!!! Images of that fierce Hollywood actress, who played in Mommie Dearest,…can’t think of her name, came to mind. She was a vision in manly suits and eyebrows.

The other ladies flocked to the nails and feet seats, they had obviously done this before so Sue, and I were left with no therapists to see to our needs. We were joined by the effervescent lady I met a few weeks ago, whose dancer son (with the gay black brain surgeon partner) and married to the Mexican lesbian were trying to get a job in Los Angeles. Anyway she joined us and we caught up and then discussed hair and lengths and so on and so forth, and before I knew it, my ‘growing out’ locks that I had persevered with for 5 months, were lying in a golden pool on the floor. Somehow the hairdresser, Ginger, agreed that my face suited short hair and so she started the chop chop process, whilst Natasha dabbed on a jet black potion on to my eyebrows. It all happened so quickly.

I went to pay…trying to add it all up in my head, and blanching just a bit, only to find it was FREEEEEEEEE!!! Brilliant.

Happily Sue was waxed and dyed as well, effervescent lady was ‘threaded’ all at the cost of the salon. So…a good day out! I actually like my hair…I feel about a hundred years younger and my eye brows are actually light brown, and quite nice. (Not like Hollywood diva at all).

Had to giggle the other night at Massage class, where I am now the expert on front of legs, feet (a little reflexology) and abdomen (always go clockwise) when one of the ladies was talking about her 11 years in Saudi. She was a nurse with the Royal Family, and she was just chatting on, and was trying to explain where something was in Riyadh. Well you go left at the lights and then go straight then around Chop Chop square!!!!

Not hair in this case, but the whole head. Hmmmm.

Today I am going to wean myself off the wonder drug. I do hope the back pain and sciatica doesn’t return…if it does, well I have renewed my prescription and it will be back to La La land! Nice.)

Now off to the shops, then back to marinade a shoulder of lamb in harissa, garlic, cumin and coriander.

Adios…as they say in Chile.

Just finished a fantastic book about the Mitfords, Letters between six sisters. So intimate, and when I think of last week I didn’t know anything about them suddenly I am an authority and feel as though I have lived the last 80 years with them. There is one surviving sister, The Duchess of Devonshire…she’s 90 I think. I think of her as Debo!!!!

Yesterday felt foul all day…I decided to wean myself off the wonder drug, but felt so nauseous and headachy as a result, I gulped it down last night pretty damn quick. Today I am floating. Love it. Is this the start of the delicious slippery slope?! Sadly only have one left. I shall ring the doc and see if he can give me some more. My back is fine…I am treating it with supreme care…not even swimming, as I feel the breast stroke kick is maybe not the best thing. But no sciatica and that is the best as that was what kept me walking the floor when the pain was at its worst. I have such a pile of painkillers sitting on the side board…opiates and so on….maybe I should find a corner and sell them like on The Wire!!!

Sadly we are on the last one, Season 5. We are so addicted, and watch 2 episodes a night. How will it end?