Week 8

It's hard to believe but we've been here for nearly 8 weeks. In some ways time has gone fast - 8 weeks doesn't seem that long but then again it seems like a long time ago that we last enjoyed your company. We do miss those catch ups for meals, chats, shopping, a glass or 2 of tea, coffee, wine, beer, music......

As always we enjoy the weekends as it is a great chance to get out and about exploring this place.

There is a large development going on, on the outskirts of Doha. It is a large artificial island/s called 'The Pearl' - around 32km of new coastline. When it's finished it will be the first land in Qatar which will be available for freehold ownership by foreign nationals - not that we'll be able to afford it!. The island is built on one of Qatar's previous major pearl diving sites. Qatar was one of the major pearl traders of Asia before the Japanese introuced cheaper pearls just before Qatar's oil boom. They are copying the Abu Dhabi one that looks like the world I think. On Fridays you are able to take a wonder around it - the only day the workers have off. As with all of Doha it is very much still under construction BUT it is impressive - sort of Auckland viaduct with a middle eastern flavour and Arab money.

Last night I had the opportunity to go to the semi finals of the Womens Interneational Tennis Tournament at the Doha tennis stadium - an impressive place. I watched Venus Williams play Jankovic - the world no.1. It was an exciting game which see sawed back and forth - deuce, advantage etc. We'd also watched another semi final between 2 top Russian women players earlier in the evening. Here is Venus preparing to play.
Note the VIP seats for the Qatari royal family.
Tonight are the finals.