QA: The Weekend that was...

Previous weekend was a tiring one..but at the same time, it was really fun... I got one new friend.. fly all the way from neighbouring country. Hehehehe.....

The weekend started with late afternoon heavy rain on Thursday and problems I faced when trying to book a flight ticket via our national airline website.... Definitely lots of upgrades and close monitoring needed to get M A S internet booking to be at par with the L C C AirAsi4. Shame on you M H!!!!

Friday
Woke up earlier than usual and rush to the Sports City. Since the athletics event stopped at 11am for Friday prayer, we just bought the afternoon session tickets. Wandered around the stadium - both Zal and his friend needed to polish their modelling skills and donate some money on the no-so-good-looking kambing gurun collections at the games merchandise store.










It was raining in the afternoon and we ended up watching athletics in the rain. Nothing interesting - I mean on the Malays1an team performance (although somebody did accomplish another objective - read "cuci mata")....

Saturday
Another hectic day spent at the Sports C1ty. Watched synchronised swimming - hmmm.. I just realized the enjoyment of watching this event... thanks to Zal's friend for introducing me to this sport :-) Rest of the day was spent inside the Asp1re and we were denied entrance to the badminton hall (where we won gold for Men's double). Anyway, no harm coz we were rushing to the airport.











[to Zal's friend... - well mate, hope you are doing fine over there...]

~ M T @ Q4t4r
~~ Sports C1ty, D0ha

~ To Travel Is To Discover Oneself ~

QA: Harimau In Action.....

Last night, I managed to watch the semi final sepak takraw match between Msia and Indon. I was a bit late, thanks to the infamous D0ha traffic – with some Q4t4ris drivers who behaved like they owned the roads. It took me 30 minutes to get to the stadium which can be reached within 15 minutes in normal heavy traffic. Last night traffic was exceptionally terrible.

Luckily I had bought five tickets (myself, Zals, KM , Shah & his wife) during lunch time as there were long queues at the venue box office – Q4t4r is playing against U A E in football (scheduled to start 1945hrs).

And now, while writing this entry, Msia team is having a good fight against our neighbour, Th4iland in the final…. Wish them luck!

For the last night actions, enjoy couple of photos here and more at my fotopages. Video (bad quality – unable to see the players themselves) were uploaded in UTube.

May be I should start investing in a better camera…. [hint..hint…my bday is coming……] hehehheehhe











~ M T @ Q4t4r
~~ Sadd, D0ha

~ To Travel Is To Discover Oneself ~

QA: Harimau Sorak

Yesterday, after an unscheduled meeting with the client somewhere near the C0rniche, I went to pick up Zals at TV r/a before proceeding to the embassy. Yes, we picked our "Harimau" tee shirt for Kumpulan Sorak Malaysia.

~ M T @ Q4t4r

~~ Sadd, D0ha

~ To Travel Is To Discover Oneself ~

QA: Asi4n Games - Opening Ceremony

1st. December 2006 was a historic day for this small tiny jazirah - the show case to the world on the capability to host the world's second biggest game; Asian Games. The overall show was stunning. I bet all of you have read about it in the newspaper and also watched live on tv.

I was contemplating whether to "waste" my time outside the stadium or watch live on tv. Since our friend, KM has promised to join another friend Dom at the stadium, myself and Zals just followed him. However, for the first quarter of the ceremony, we watched on tv at KM's place. We joined Dom around 8.30pm at the Villagi0 (Shopping Center) carpark.

Standing outside under the light rain and strong wind was not worthwhile. There was no screen for us to see what happening inside the stadium and we could not hear anything in there except the cheers when the athletes paraded into the stadium. We only managed to see the half-sphere screen that shows the graphic. And of course the fireworks.

The most dissapointment was how the Torch Tower was lit up with the games flame. I was expecting something spectacular (in fact according to one Q4t4ri volunteer, the flame on the TorchTower should be lit up by the Sheikh M0hammad torch - however, since the wind was blowing between 15-20 knots, it was cancelled) - dont know how far this is true. It really was a dissapointment. Enjoy couple of photos here. You can also search for short video on the fireworks that I have uploaded in the YouTube. More photos are in my fotopages.

{thanks to Zals for this photo}

~ M T @ Q4t4r
~~ Sports City, D0ha

~ To Travel Is To Discover Oneself ~

QA: The Power of Money

Friday, December 1st., As1an Games will be officially opened. Q4t4r is playing a host to thousands of As1ans for the next two weeks. Amazingly, how can this small jazirah with only 20% of total population are local (i.e., Q4t4ris) can be so successful in winning the bid? hmmm... after two years here in D0ha, I can say that it is all about money!

Opening ceremony is poised to be the best so far in the world. According to the director of ceremony - who happened to be the same person in charge of Olymp1cs Sydney and Comm0nwealth Melbourne - this D0ha games opening ceremony is the best so far. And it can only be achieved with the commitment of organising committee and the government. Yup.. Q4t4r government is giving 110% support in realising this dream. It sort of like a sugar daddy or sugar mummy, just ask what you want, we will give it to you...














The civil servants are also in the winning team. In addition to the 40% pay rise announced couple of weeks ago, rumours has that if they, the civil servants attend the games (either opening orany events), they will get paid... hmmm... sounds strange, hard to believe, but been here that long, it is possible!

I was smiling to myself when I read an article in Berita Harian today... "Gelora D0ha: Tiada kepakaran tempatan jana keseluruhan operasi penganjuran"... I would agree with the article. It says it all. Here is the excerpt:
http://www.bharian.com.my/m/BHarian/Thursday/Sukan/20061130081834/Article/Sport_html

Cuma apa yang dapat dilihat mereka tidak ada kepakaran tempatan untuk menjana keseluruhan operasi penganjuran sebaliknya ‘mengimport kepakaran’ dengan membeli pakej terbaik menggunakan wang dan kekayaan mereka.

Kaunter jual kad prabayar, umpamanya diterajui pegawai dari India dan ramai 'mat salleh' seperti mendominasi urusan teknikal atau segala kelancaran harian kecuali dari segi akaun kewangan.

"Terima kasih," gadis dari Filipina berkata di tempat makan wartawan dan jurugambar media di Pusat Media Utama. "Anda perlu apa-apa bantuan," kata lelaki tinggi lampai dari Mesir yang menjaga gelanggang latihan sepak takraw.

Kata-kata orang luar ini yang 'diimport' menyamar sebagai orang tempatan untuk komunikasi, sedikit menjadi penawar kepada kami dan orang lain. Inilah apa dikatakan kuasa wang yang Kuala Lumpur tewas kepada Doha satu ketika dulu.

Hotels here have been vacant since three days ago. These hotels in D0ha (all the five stars hotels in D0ha are owned by Q4t4r Nati0nal Hotel - the same company that owns the only alcohol shop and if I am not mistaken, the duty free shops at the airport as well) are to be used for officials and (invited) visitors to the games. Security has been tightened and I can no longer walk into the hotel for a lunch or dinner without undergoing a very very heavy security check. What a hassle!

Three cruise ships have been rented and now docked at D0ha Port. These ships provide additional 5000 beds for spectators of the games.

Delayed in completing the infrstructure never seems to be a threat to the organising committee. With the manpower supplied by South Asians, it can be done overnight! The main road near my place has been under construction for more than a year ago and within two weekends, the road is now perfect. These money-thirsty S0uth Asi4n works round the clock over the weekend to complete it. If you drive along the road past two weekends, you will notice a very large number of S0uth Asi4ns and Orient4l men in blue uniform - working under the sun and moon in order to achieve the ambition of one country.

Nonetheless, I do applaud Q4t4r for the super-duper ambition - to showcase the world that an Islam1c country can also organize the best ever sports event - the games of the lifet1me. Hopefully in the future, if Q4t4r ever win the bid for Olymp1cs, I will see more of my 'brothers and sisters' are involved in the preparation, not those 'gold digger pinky people' that take the wealth away from my 'brothers and sisters'.......

Anyway, to Malaysi4ns athletes (I know they dont read my blog :-)) - Welcome to Q4t4r and Good Luck! InsyaAllah, this Saturday, I will be there watching the first game of sepak takraw!

Btw, for those who wants to know the real-time results of the games, can do so via this website. It is the games official website.

p/s: This is suppose to be my 100th. post... other bloggers that I noticed, have a special entry just for the 100th. post... well, here is my entry :-))


~ M T @ Q4t4r
~~ Ibn Mahmoud, D0ha


~ To Travel Is To Discover Oneself ~

QA: Asian Games blues...

First day back at the client after three weeks of so called "relaxation" at RP. In fact, back at the client is also a "relaxation" for me - just different place! Was reading the news paper this morning - and I want to share this news.. the Asian Games blues....

Accommodation glitch hits Asian Games Athletes Village

Several countries have been forced to cut down on their Asian Games contigents or find alternative accommodation for some of their representatives because of a space crunch at the Athletes Village

MT: Thot that preliminary list of contigents were sent earlier, why now have to cut down? Planning..planning...[What??? Are you expecting Q4t4r to do proper planning? macam tunggu kucing bertanduk le.. mat salleh ni nak duit je]

Chris Ch4n, Singap0re National Olympic Secretary General - It's ridiculous. Preliminary list sent earlier this year and only bring it up now, last minute? Only 173 out of 204 athletes will be accommodated at the Village.

Sieh K0k Chi, Olympic C0uncil of Mal4ysia Secretary General blamed the over-ambitious D4GOC (Doh4 Asi4n Games Organizing Committee) - They probably bit off more than they could chew, but only realising it a bit now. 19 members of Malaysian team may have to stay elsewhere despite the country having the contingent reduced from 359 to 335.

The Philipp!nes had announced a contingent of 400 composed of 267 athletes and 133 officials, but they were alloted only 316 beds.

MT: Why just these three S.E.A countries are quoted? Other Asians countries are not affected? Something fishy here....

Well, what can I say.. Most of the D4GOC officials are non-Qat4ris. Tonnes of westerners are in town working in so-called "preparing for the best Asian games ever held" - but being here for the last two years, I didn't see any outstanding improvement delivered by these westerners. And all the Qat4ris involved in top level are from the prominent Qat4ri families.

Still remember few weeks back - headline in all local newspapers "We are ready for Olympic".....

~ MT@Qatar
~~ Dafna, Doha

~ To Travel Is To Discover Oneself ~