Some pictures from Paris Series 4, 19-25 Nov 2011. This time I managed to “report” to Eiffel Tower, going underground at Les Catacombes, feel the vibe of Champs Elysees and La Defense.
Paris Series 4
Monthly Archives: November 2011
Doha Bay and Corniche
Corniche and Doha Bay probably are the most picturesque areas in Doha and the most popular spot for bikers, walkers, and joggers. Doha Corniche is a waterfront promenade extending about 7 kilometers along Doha Bay. The Corniche begins near the newly constructed Museum of Islamic Art, and ends at the Sheraton Park near the distinctive pyramid-shaped Sheraton Hotel. It connects Doha’s emerging West Bay business district with the south of the city and Doha International Airport.
Some of the pictures taken during sunrise of 11 Nov 2011.
We’ve made it red!
We’ve made Al Sadd Stadium red on the World Cup 2014 Qualifiers Qatar versus Indonesia, 11 Nov 2011. Though Qatar finally trashed Indonesia 4:0 (and it means Indonesian does not qualify), we had a good time: singing, yelling, mexican-waving, applauding and jeering. It’s not about the result but about nationalism (ahh that’s probably too much), or may be about the atmosphere.
13,500-capacity Al Sadd Stadium was filled with full of Indonesians in the whole section behind one goal, a half section behind another goal, and a half section on the VIP areas. Meanwhile Qataris (and its supporters including those labors I saw herded to the stadium prior to the match) occupied one whole long sections of the stadium. Though tension was quite warm, the match and the supporters watched very peacefully.
Qatar wanted to become a good host but again it was under a test with a smaller scale of similar Asian Cup consternation on ticketing repeated. A lot of ticket holders couldn’t enter the stadium for a classic reason: stadium is full. Again this was because non-ticket holders were allowed to enter, or two tickets or less for the whole family, while those ticket holders who were coming late rejected. Many were also back home dissappointingly after queueing from 3pm for ticket booth closed earlier. Anyway it’s another lesson learned for Qatar before 11 years to come to host World Cup 2022.
From a credible source I learned that there is a maximum number of spectators from the guest team (8%? means about 1000 out of 13,000) but the organizers, QFA, match commissioners, security agency and Embassy worked together to ensure as many as supporters could watch inside the stadium. The total number of Indonesian supporters was estimated at around 3000, many more should have been able to enter only if Qatar coach did not reject the idea of admitting more Indoensian supporters for valid reason: Qatar is playing home not away!
On that basis, thank you Qatar!
Meanwhile, Qatar national team played with full determination, high stamina and excellent passing and crossing. They deserved winning the match. Mabruk!
Aqua Park Qatar
Visited Aqua Park Qatar during Eid Adha holiday, first time since its opening in August 2010. Aqua Park, Qatar’s first water park, is located 16km from the Industrial Area roundabout on the Salwa Road (exit through Exit 29 Rawdath Rashid Interchange, 5 km after Messaieed Interchange).
The park, concept and construction of which is being provided by Cyprus-based Aqua Masters, and operation managed by Kuwait-based Al Jazeera Entertainment Enterprises Company features a giant “wave pool”, a “lazy river”, an “activity pool”, a multiple slides complex, a family pool, an exotic village and a “dry” corner in the first phase. The first phase covers an area of 50,000sqm. Its parking area can accommodate 400 cars. In later phases, more rides and features such as go-carts will be included, I learnt.
Adjacent to the aqua park will be a 300,000sqm resort as well as a shopping complex, currently under construction and expected to be completed in 2012(?).
The drive to Aqua Park is not an hassle thanks to super highway Salwa Road, and well sign-posted Aqua Park. As I enter the park I am welcomed with a tree-lined entrance road leading to parking lots. After buying tickets, and passing turnstiles, I am now in the water park. To the right is changing rooms, gift shops and and Lagoon, whereas on the left is children activity pool then wave pool. In the middle is an island surrounded by lazy river, housing a performance stage and a fried chicken restaurant. At the back is the Slide Towers and Sports fields.
The pirate-themed Children’s Activity Pool, caters mainly for children ages 4 to 14, is one of the favorites with its five slides, and the giant dumping bucket which automatically pours 2,000 gallons of water every two minutes.
But the major attraction and the strongest crowd drawer is Wave Pool. The Wave Pool produces artificial waves in six different patterns and intensity.
Too bad the water is not temperature controlled that it’s too cold during this winter to play with it for long.
A 200m-long Lazy River meanders around the park where visitors may lazily ride on their inflatable floats. Well it’s not a river in fact as the water is stagnant (or may be our definition of “lazy” is different?) so unless you do some paddling then you won’t go anywhere. Minus point.
But topping all the rides is the Slides Tower comprising three levels – 14m, 16m and 20m with multi-lane slides, the most thrilling of which is the 20m-high slide called ‘boomerango’.
The good thing in the park is plenty of wooden parasols built all over the area for visitors to take a shade or to do people watching. The park prohibits entry of all kinds of camera and outside food and drinks but as I’ve seen all visitors take their camera in and snap pictures without any reminders. It’s also possible to “smuggle” food and drink though I saw confiscated food and drink near the turnstiles. Restaurants and food kiosks are however available in the park.
If you forgot your swimming gears a store which sells swimming paraphernalia such as goggles, beach balls, swimwear and other swimming gear is also available.
Business hours of the park will be 10am–10pm seven days a week. Fridays will be earmarked for families. There will also be a ladies’ day on Tuesdays. Entrance fee is QR100, QR60 for people with special needs and QR40 for nannies. Children aged three years and below are free.
Paris Series 3
As I wrote in the previous post, my third visit to Paris last October was so occupied with business-related duties that I couldn’t grasp the chance to have personal leisure activities (that’s why it’s called a business trip, Wahyu!). Nevertheless, I managed to utilize some limited times to some areas within Paris. Here are few photos!
Bird’s-eye view of Doha – Oct 2011
The below bird’s-eye view of Doha were taken during take-off and initial ascending of Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Paris, 10 October 2011.
Thirst for Entertainment – Top Post Reveals
It is aparent from Top Posts report of this blog that Doha residents are thirst for entertainment. Especially for making the best out of 9 calendar days of Eid Adha Holidays. The three most read destinations are Qatar, UAE, and Istanbul
Here are the Top Posts:
1. French Beach and Fuwairit Beach
3. Istanbul – How to Getting Around
4. Dream Park
5. Katara
6. Zekreet and Dukhan Beach, Zekreet, Mystery Village and Film City
Is certification worth pursuing?
I recently obtained a NEBOSH International Technical Certificate for Oil and Gas Operational Safety after challenging a-week-long course (conducted from 3pm-9pm last Ramadan) and a 2-hour exam (on the first day of Eid Al Fitr!), passing it with Distinction Mark (71 mark, with minimum passing grade of 45). The certification covers the principles of process safety management in the oil and gas industries.
The question is “Is it worth pursuing?”
In my class at that time were a personal health trainer who wanted to switch career, a security supervisor who wanted a better pay, safety trainers, a mechanical technician who demanded by his client for certification, and auditors whose clients are oil and gas companies. So getting certification has many reasons. Unfortunately, many seems perceive certification as a powerful shortcut of getting a job. Obviously having it is better than not but it is one’s experience and personal skills that makes one the best person for the job. Passing certification doesn’t automatically make he/she an expert and experience still need to be gained.
This is what I truly gained from the certification process. Almost 13 years of experiences in oil and gas industries (not only in safety) shaped me, loaded me with necessary competencies to perform in this field. Certification is then becoming a means for selling point or added professional image to the current company or potential employer. Passing an exam is not that difficult as long as you examine all previous exam questions and prepare variety in questions (I am afraid that passing certification means simply someone “knows” how to answer exam questions, unfortunately). Those with more than 10 years of field experiences in oil and gas industries should not expect much knowledge gain from this NEBOSH ITC for Oil and Gas Operational Safety . To me, this certification is more suitable for employees who are new to the field, or those are in the early career in the field.
As a user company employee frequently working with contractor personnel loaded with many certification, I should make myself more aware the first point in this post about experiences, skills and expert.
Nevertheless, I am glad to be certified and will pursue another certification: Certified Function Safety Exoert (CFSE) and Certified Safety Professional.
Back to the question, “Is certification worth pursuing?”
May be.
More and more malls coming, unfortunately
Driving around Doha, I am seeing more and more malls coming, unfortunately. Some malls can’t be called malls, just ordinary hypermarket buildings but some are coming with new designs. I said unfortunately because this is not what Doha residents like me more need, or because it simply induces consumerism. I am not objecting malls (malling is sometimes my past time 🙂 ) but I personally will more appreciate parks, public greenery, public library, museums, science center or more promenades, or those who come up with large bookstores :). Within radius of 2 km I will see my house surrounded by at least 5 malls!
Ezdan Mall. Opposite Landmark Mall, this mall is constructed in a fast pace. Opening is probably next year. Ezdan Mall comes with modern and fresh design. And it is big. I don’t know what major tenants will be.
Gulf Mall. Just next to Ezdan Mall, near Lulu Hypermarket. It is smaller than Ezdan Mall but it comes with Gulf architecture. Opening is probably next year as well.
Doha Festival City. Located 6.5km north of Landmark Mall, on the Al Shamal Road, Al Kharaitiyat Interchange. IKEA will be completed by last quarter next year and the whole complex by 2014. Worth waiting.
Lagoona Malls. New addition to West Bay, gate to Lusail City, Zig Zag Tower. 51 East is the anchor tenant with its largest 51 East store in the Middle East
The Gate Salam Plaza. Luxury mall part of Salam Plaza.
North Gate Mall. Across Al Wadi and Sidra Village Compound in Al Gharafa. Construction just awarded last month.
Other so called small malls or just hypermarket-type commercial center sprouted out around Doha. To name a few: Parco Mall (operating, Mamoura), Wathnan Mall (operating, Muaither), Rayyan Mall (Al Rayyan – Dukhan Road), 01 Mall (status unknown to me, Abu Hamour), Doha Mall (status unknown to me, Musaimeer), Safari Mall (operating, between Ain Khalid and Abu Hamour). Some malls developement either on hold or abandoned: Al Waab Mall, Al Markhiya Mall, Al Mana Mall.
Meanwhile, outside Doha some mall developments are also coming up: Al Wakrah Mall, Al Khor Mall (Lulu), Marina Mall Lusail.
CGK-DOH 