Another view out of my window, this time trying to emphasize the desert beyond the West Bay.  If you are wondering why I keep taking pictures from the same spot, here's the deal.  For citizens of nearly every other developed country in the world, you just have to show a valid drivers license, and they will issue you a Qatar driving permit.  But...a while back, I am told, a Qatari citizen of prominence tried to get a New York drivers license and was met by a typical display of New York City municipal worker diplomacy and a dizzying array of hoops that needed to be jumped through.  

Long story short, papa won't be doing any driving until he; a) gets his RP (Residency Permit, which has required a medical exam, blood work, chest X-ray, blood typing and finger printing), b) takes and passes a complete eye test,  c) passes a written test (which I'm told was translated from arabic and contains lots of triple negatives), d) passes a driving test (advice here was "be aggressive", especially in the roundabouts), and finally e) passes a test involving walking out to a car with it's hood up and identifying random engine parts.  I'm told my RP is coming tomorrow or Monday...

But I digress

Dr. Aeby's Top Three Reasons for Coming to Doha:
#3 Mid-life need for an adventure - While I love the UH Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Heath and all the people I worked with, I've been there 28 years!  Do the math, that's half my life!  Honestly, I started the ball rolling nearly 3 years ago, at a time when parts of my job were pretty frustrating.  Lots of good changes are happening in the department, the frustration level was way down, but hey, the ball was rolling...

#2 The Sequester - Remember that gun that congress put to their head, hoping it would inspire them to reach a bi-partisan budget agreement?  Remember how the automatic cuts of the sequester were so draconian that only a house of suicidal fools would ever let them come to pass?  Remember that congress proved they were a self-destructive bunch of idiots?  Well, if you are sitting there saying "heck, that wasn't so bad", then you are not in the research business.  Dr. Greta is arguably the top expert in coral disease of the pacific, but she has always been on soft money.  Her lab, along with her collaborators, is on the cutting edge of research in her field.  They are discovering new diseases, new pathogens and the pathophysiology and microbiology behind it all.  Still, NOAA and NSF budgets got slashed and her funding went to zero.  According to their World Cup hype, Qatar is only a 4-hour flight for over 2 billion people.  Greta's goal is to use the Doha hub to create an international coral disease consortium that will have a great chance at competing for international funding.  She already has great collaborators in UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Tokyo, Okinawa, Taiwan, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.  Hope I got that right, honey  :-)

and #1 Being on the Ground Floor of Something Great

Apparently you even get to drink coffee while you're seeing patients!


Don't forget to give the puzzle a try!

“The best day in the sight of God is Friday, the day of congregation”

                                                                                                   The Prophet Mohammad


So, the weekend starts on Thursday night, and we're all back at work on Sunday.  Combined with a 13-hour lead on Hawaii, it really messes with my head.  This week was particularly challenging, since Thursday, was just a usual work day (not that they don't have anything to be thankful for, they obviously don't celebrate a day invented by the US pilgrims). 

In other news, Qatar beat Saudi Arabia for the Gulf Cup title and the whole country went nuts.  Pretty fun to watch a city celebrating a grand victory.  Similar to what I imagine Chicago will be like next October!

A couple hints:  Use the arabic selections from the arabic alphabet, below.  The letters create sounds that can combined, like diphthongs to make new sounds.  Oh, and arabic is written right to left!

Dhow are the traditional boats that Qataris used for oyster and pearl fishing, the main economic driver for Qatar before intense Japanese pearl cultivation and the discovery of oil and natural gas in 1939, made the business obsolete.  Doha hosts several events aimed at reminding the country of its roots.
Pearl diving, sounds romantic, right? Well...a few bits of information:
     † only 1 in 10,000 naturally occurring oysters has a pearl
     † dhows, in large fleets, were typically packed full of divers working 
         frequent shifts on tours lasting 40 days to over 6 months.
     † If you survive the constant stress of dehydration, malnutrition and 
         illness due to close quarters and limited access to food and fresh 
         water, you get to do multiple rapid dives to depths of up to 200 feet.
     † here's your equipment list:
           - a weight attached to one rope that you tie around your ankle for decent
           - a second rope, tied like a harness around your waist for the ascent
          - a nose clip, finger covers and an oyster bag
     † if you don't drown from getting tangled in your ropes and you avoid 
         getting attacked by barracudas, sea snakes or sharks, your two minute 
         round trip will reward you with a bag of oysters with a very small 
         chance of having a pearl.

All in all, this was a fun cultural outing, even though all the signs were in Arabic and I almost got run over riding home!

The Sidra Tree

The Sidra tree is found primarily in the deserts of Qatar. With deep roots to extract limited water it produces fruit, flowers and leaves that are used for food and healing.  The Sidra tree is considered a beacon of comfort in the harsh desert environment, allowing life to flourish. The tree also is known for providing shade and shelter to travelers and scholars, who would escape the desert heat, gathering together to share stories and knowledge.  Her Highness, Sheikha Moza bin Nasser selected the three-branched tree as the namesake and symbol of her country's newest hospital.  

"The Sidra tree, growing strong and proud in the harshest of environments, has been a symbol of perseverance and nourishment across the borders of the Arab world. What is the significance of this glorious tree? With its roots bound in the soil of this world and its branches reaching upwards toward perfection, it is a symbol of solidarity and determination; it reminds us that goals of this world are not incompatible with the goals of the spirit."

The three branches are meant to represent the the three missions of education, research and patient care.  If it lives up to the hype, this promises to be an exciting project!

Four bags and a bike on a United flight, 5.5 to SFO, 7 on the ground, 10.5 to Frankfurt, 2.5 hours on the ground and 5 1/2 hours to Doha.  The Sidra Hospital folks scooped my up, ushered me right through customs and delivered me to my condo.  44 West Bay Tower, 41st floor.

The place has 3 bedrooms, 5 baths and a great view.  Open for reservations, come on down!