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mamaintransit

𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀

𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐃𝐄 – 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞.

For the purpose of this guide, I’ve divided the promenade into 3 sections (please see my very professional drawing on the second photo of this post 😆), and below I’ll briefly describe them to you, so you can easily decide where to go!

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏 – 𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬

That’s our favorite part. It’s usually the least crowded compared to others, maybe because people think there’s nothing there 😅

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: next to the drive-in cinema.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲?

* Cafes: Tea Time, Ministry of Coffee, LAP, and a couple of other lesser known ones.
* Fountains: the best in-ground fountains are there, including the one which forms an arc to walk under!
* Playgrounds: a couple of them, small but cute, made with wood and sand.
* Picnic tables: there are two next to Tea Time, and a couple more at the very end of the Promenade.
* I Love Lusail sign: a great photo spot, located next to the big fountains.

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐 – 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚

The most popular stretch of the promenade, gets very crowded especially in the evening!

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: inside Lusail Food Arena

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲?

* Multitude of cafes and restaurants in the Food Arena.
* A 3D projection of La’eeb (the World Cup 2022 mascot) – VERY cool, see it after it gets dark!
* The actual Marina, with boats & yachts docking area.
* A small “park” next to the Food Arena: a great spot for picnics under the palm trees, and for the kids to run around.

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟑 – 𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐞

That’s the stretch connecting the Promenade to the newly opened mall, some might call it a bit “boring”, but it’s a great place for a walk.

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: parallel to the main road

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲?

* Eateries: Baguette, Hashem (opens early for yummy breakfasts!)
* A couple of smaller walk-in fountains for the kids to enjoy
* Yacht Club (not open yet).

𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩…

The moon decided to pose for photos yesterday in L

The moon decided to pose for photos yesterday in Lusail Marina!

I’m so not used to going out in the evening, especially to busy places, it felt like I was on holiday 😅 That’s the level of “spontaneous” we get when we become parents 🙈 Do you relate, or is it only me living life of a semi-hermit and going to sleep “with the chickens” (our Polish saying, means: VERY early 😅).

Have a lovely day everyone! 💕
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#mamaintransit #lusailcity #lusailmarina #kataratowers #fullmoon #lifeinqatar #myqatar #expatinqatar #ramadannights #qatarblogger #polkanaemigracji #polkanaobczyznie

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐞

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐞 - 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

So the highly anticipated Place Vendome in Lusail has finally opened! I visited today and it’s without a doubt the most impressive mall that’s been built in Qatar.

I know many of you would like to visit, but if you live in Doha and don’t own a car, you might worry about getting there. Taking an Uber from Doha to Lusail will cost you 30-40 QAR on average, one way. Luckily, there’s a great alternative - Doha Metro and Lusail Tram!

Below you will find a step-by-step guide of how to proceed:

1. Go to your nearest metro station. You will need to take the Red Line towards Lusail. If you live closer to Gold or Green line, change to Red on the Musheireb station.

2. Do NOT travel all the way to Lusail 😀 the metro station is on the opposite side of town than the mall! Instead, get off at the Legtaifiya station.

3. On Legtaifiya station there’s a direct access to Lusail Tram. It’s the first station of the Orange Line (currently the only open tram line).

4. Hop on the tram - you will use your metro card as a ticket (swipe it at the machine next to tram door). You will not be charged extra if you change from the Metro 😊

5. Get off the tram at the Lusail Central station (don’t forget to swipe the card again when you exit the tram). Take the “East” way out. You will find yourself right next to Place Vendome!

6. Enjoy the shopping! 😀

𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦: 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴, 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 11𝘱𝘮 (𝘚𝘢𝘵-𝘞𝘦𝘥) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 (𝘛𝘩𝘶&𝘍𝘳𝘪). 𝘈𝘭𝘴𝘰, 𝘰𝘯 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘵 2𝘱𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺!

From 17th April to 5th of May the service will run until 1am.

𝐑𝐚𝐰𝐝𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐥 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐢

𝐑𝐚𝐰𝐝𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐥 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥 (𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐡) 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤!

Inhabitants of Muntazah, Mansoura, Hilal and all neighboring areas: rejoice! The old Muntazah park has finally reopened and I beat the heat today to see what it looks like now.

A word of introduction: Muntazah park is one of the oldest parks in Qatar. It had been closed for around 10 years, but fortunately the greenery inside was well-maintained during the closure (except for one magnificent tree which seems to have perished 🙈).

I can honestly tell you that I liked what I saw today. The best part is that the old trees were preserved, and their size (especially the palm trees!) is what distinguishes this park from others now. It’s also great because trees create considerable patches of shadow on the grass to hide from the sun.

This park is bigger than the usual neighborhood “family” parks too.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀:

🌳 Located by the C-Ring road, opposite Holiday Villa hotel.
🌳 Open 24h.
🌳 Plenty of parking is available (note that parking entrance is from the backside).
🌳 There are two playgrounds and they even specified the recommended ages for both (1-5 and 6-12 years old). There’s also some inclusive playground equipment!
🌳 Outdoor gyms are in abundance (I counted 3).
🌳 This park is bicycle friendly, there’s a bike track around it (along with a running path and walking path, with a full loop just over 1km long).
🌳 Drinking water fountains are available across the park (they are working - I checked 😊), including kiddy sized ones!
🌳 There are some F&B kiosks around the middle, not yet occupied as of mid-April, (but there’s a big supermarket right next to the parking entrance if you’d like to buy some food/drinks).
🌳 I also found a couple of BBQ stations with seating arrangements!
🌳 Pets are not allowed in this park 😔

❗️I spoke to someone who visited the park recently in the evening and I was told that it gets pretty crowded after sunset.

𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬: 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡?

If you’re like me, your first time in Katara Hills was amazing, but also confusing! People were telling you about things to see there, but you weren’t able to locate some of the attractions. For me it was the river- I heard of it, saw it in photos, but couldn’t find it 😀

That’s because… *drumroll* there are two parts of Katara Hills, and they are separated! They’re called North and South and below you will find details about both!

(Swipe the photos to see location on the map 🗺 )

𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡

That’s our favorite, and less crowded of the two. It’s parallel to Lusail Highway and sports almost 3km of walking/running path. This part is perfect for a relaxing afternoon on the grass, where kids can run around freely.

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚?

🌳 Padel Garden (courts available for rent),
🌳 Kashta Katara by Sukar Pasha (private dining area located on top of the hills).

𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡

That’s where most people go for the lovely photos you see on Instagram! Also great for walks, and a stone throw away from the Tasty Street food arena.

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚?

🌳 Bayt El Talleh restaurant, famous for its unbeatable views.
🌳 The one and only man made river! It’s located just beside the restaurant.

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

🔵 accessible by Metro - Katara station lies between the hills.
🔵 open most probably from 5am till midnight, but if you call them they’ll tell you it’s 24h 😀
🔵 not great for sitting down after dark because the light is weak and it’s easy to lose the kids 😅
🔵 general rules say that eating on the grass is not allowed, but we did it without problems. Security did mention that it’s not allowed to bring picnic chairs and tables though!
🔵 parking available next to the restaurant (North), next to Padel Garden (South), or at the bottom of the Hills.

𝐎𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐩

𝐎𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 (Recreation Center).

One of the things I missed about Poland is easy access to affordable sports facilities, especially pools. Right before pandemic, I rediscovered my love for swimming and was bummed when, upon return to Qatar, I wasn’t able to find a pool membership that wouldn’t cost me a kidney.

Enter: Education City and their CommuniFit membership! Included in the package is access to a 50m pool, which I finally got to visit last week.

I was initially super intimidated because I’ve never swam in such a big pool before! I thought it must be full of professional swimmers and everyone will judge me 😀 I was wrong! Everyone was very welcoming, accommodating and encouraging. I had a great time, burned loads of calories and plan to return right after the weekend!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄…

🏊‍♀️To use the pool you need a membership. It can be bought via the EC mobile app and costs 350qar /person/month (there’s discount if you buy for a longer period).

🏊‍♀️You will need to book each session (1-hour slot) in advance via the app, because number of swimmers per session is limited.

🏊‍♀️Pool is open daily from 6am to 10pm (Ramadan timing- 3pm to 11:45pm).

🏊‍♀️If you don’t know the area, finding the building might be tricky! (I got lost 😂). It’s located right behind Qatar Academy.

🏊‍♀️Even if you get lost- the surrounding is lovely, calm & full of trees and flowers 😊

🏊‍♀️There’s a tram station in front of QA, and Education City metro station is nearby as well.

🏊‍♀️Inside the pool complex, you will also find a cafe (in Ramadan closed before the evening).

🏊‍♀️Changing rooms are huge and comfy, with many cabins, showers and bathrooms.

𝗔 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴…

🙈There are no hair dryers available, or sockets to plug your own (there’s only one lonely socket outside of the door 😂).

🙈AC in the passage between pool and changing rooms is quite strong, so you freeze a bit when you head out!

Overall, this is a great inexpensive option. Especially if you consider other perks included in the membership (like gym access and a smaller pool in Awsaj Academy).

“𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡” -

“𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡” - part 2! A series where I compare our family’s favorite beaches in Qatar 😊

This time I’ll tackle two wild beaches: Umm Bab Coast (don’t confuse it with Umm Bab Beach!), and Azerbaijani beach. Those two are located on the opposite sides of Qatar’s coast.

Let’s go!

𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

🌊 𝗔𝗕: requires approx. 1h drive from Doha. A bit of off-road driving is involved, and there’s deep sand on the beach itself. 4x4 might be useful. In my opinion this beach is TOO accessible- gets impossibly crowded over the weekends!!

🌊 𝗨𝗕𝗖: requires approx. 1h20min drive from Doha. Some off-road driving is required too, bumpy but not through particularly deep sand. 4x4 is not required. People don’t seem to be bothered to go that far and the coast is usually nice and empty(ish)!

Winner: Umm Bab beach (because it’s not crowded 😅)

𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

There are no facilities on either of those beaches! Municipality does provide garbage bins on both, but that’s about it 😀 There’s a small grocery and a cafeteria nearby Azerbaijani beach, but for me it doesn’t count as a big advantage because you need to leave the beach to reach them 🙈

Winner: there’s no winner here 🤷🏼‍♀️

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇

🌊 𝗔𝗕: sand is deep and fine, with some sea shells at the shore. Sometimes dirty after the weekend - people love to leave their garbage behind! 😡

🌊 𝗨𝗕𝗖: sand is more rough than on Azerbaijani beach (mixed with small stones and sea shells), but also much less polluted by humans.

Winner: it’s a draw!

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑

🌊 𝗔𝗕: water is crystal clear, and sea bottom super smooth. Water has this gorgeous blue-green Maldives-like shade. Shallow enough for kids to play safely by the shore.

🌊 𝗨𝗕𝗖: water is very clear, but there are some rocks at the sea bottom and sometimes you need to look for an opening to go for a swim. Medium-deep. Better for swimming but worse for babies 😅

Winner: Azerbaijani beach

𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙨

Umm Bab Coast! 🎉🎊👏🏻

(but that was a really close one!).

𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘐𝘎 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴.

“𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡” is

“𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡” is a series of posts aiming to compare our favorite beaches in Qatar, so that you can pick your own favorite, without the trial & error part when you go somewhere and it’s BAD. 😀

Im starting with two public beaches with facilities: 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡, and 𝐀𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡.

Here we go!

𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

🌊𝗦𝗡: requires approx. 30min drive from Doha. There are actually two beaches in this area which confused us, and Google maps had trouble navigating to the North one. Entrance fee: 50 QAR per vehicle.

🌊𝐀𝐅: requires approx. 40min drive from Doha. Access is easy and well-marked. No entrance fee, Sun & Wed are reserved for women & children only!

Winner: Al Farkiah

𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

🌊𝗦𝗡: many shower/toilet facilities are available, there are also shades, lights and BBQ pits. A separate Ladies Only beach is an added advantage.

🌊𝐀𝐅: showers/toilets are there, although not as many as in Simaisma. Last time I went, BBQ was not allowed! There are shades, benches, and lights. This beach has a nice playground, a mosque and a small cafeteria.

Winner: it’s a draw!

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇

🌊𝗦𝗡: sand is not perfectly smooth (small rocks & sea shells), but it’s quite clean. Closer to the shore it turns muddy, which is fun for the kids.

🌊𝐀𝐅: similar sand to Simaisma, BUT it’s much less clean. The biggest problem are small pieces of glass that can be found in the sand across this beach. If your kids would like to run around, it’s best if they are not bare feet!

Winner: Simaisma North

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑

🌊𝗦𝗡: water is not very clear, but sea bottom is relatively smooth to walk on. Shallow enough for kids to play safely by the shore.

🌊𝐀𝐅: we found water clearer than around Simaisma, but the sea bottom is at times rocky with patches of mud that can suck in your kids water shoes 😅 It is shallow by the shore, safe for the kids to splash around.

Winner: Simaisma North

𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙢𝙖 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝! 🎉🎊👏🏻

𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘐𝘎 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴.

𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐱 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐥

Long time ago I wrote a blog post about living in Lusail. That was soon after we moved there (during our “honeymoon” phase 😅). Today, almost a year later, I am here to give you a better insight. Many people are considering moving to Fox Hills, for various reasons. But signing a rental agreement for minimum a year is a huge commitment, especially if you don’t really know the place. I’m here to help you make this decision 😊

So what are the upsides and the downsides of living in Fox Hills?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝…

🏡 I love how quiet it is (in general), compared to Doha. The only exception is listed in the first point of the bad things below…

🏡 Even though the prices increased now (because of the World Cup), it’s still good value for money!

🏡 Infrastructure is mostly finished, there are PAVEMENTS, most of the area is stroller friendly.

🏡 Super easy access to public transportation thanks to Lusail Tram (eagerly waiting for the remaining lines to open!) which links to Doha Metro.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐝…

🤦‍♀️ Bikers!!! The same ones which used to (?) cause havoc in the Pearl, have now moved to Lusail. They pointlessly ride round and round in circles every night, and modify their stupid bikes to make them even noisier! Some remove number plates to avoid being caught by the police. This is seriously my biggest issue with living in Fox Hills.

🤦‍♀️ Distance from Doha. It takes me 30min to reach my office at Salwa Road (luckily with no traffic). If you add drop off and pick up of Danny, I spend 2+ hours in the car every day!

🤦‍♀️ Cockroaches on the streets! This is something nobody speaks about 😅 I honestly never noticed this in Doha. After it gets dark (especially on warm evenings), pavements in some places are literally crawling with those big nasty roaches. I was so grossed out that I stopped taking my evening walks. Also, you can spot a random rat here and there.

Overall, I still think moving to Lusail is worth it, even if it’s only for a year. It will give you a chance to experience a different lifestyle than in central Doha, and relax a bit more 😎

𝐏𝐈𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐈 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓: 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐄, 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔

A new installation at the National Museum of Qatar, consisting of 12,000 LED lights strung on cables throughout the gallery for visitors to navigate. Encouraged by the wonderful images and vivid descriptions on social media, I went to check it out myself. My self-care gift on Mother’s Day. Now, you can read details about the installation on every major social media platform, but I’m here to share with you my first-hand unfiltered observations.

The installation is located in a building inside the NMOQ complex. You won’t have trouble finding it because the way is VERY well marked! Your ticket will be scanned at the entrance (you need to book in advance!), and you will be let into a pitch-black room with strings of colorful lights cascading from the ceiling. The view is spectacular, much better in reality than in the photos & videos circulating online. Lights are flickering and pulsing in variety of colors, to the rhythm of the music playing inside.

You can’t roam around as you please – there is a way around the installation and one path inside it. There are comfy sofas by the walls where you can sit and marvel at the beauty of what’s in front of you.

I found the experience incredibly relaxing and was happy that I didn’t take the kids this time around! However, the place was almost empty when I arrived, so the feeling might be different when more people are inside.

This is a 100% must-see. I will definitely go again.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄?

💡Entry is free, but needs to be pre-booked via the Qatar Museums website.

💡First entry: 9am, last entry: 6pm (except Fridays, when it starts at 1:30pm).

💡Kids are allowed (but you need to book a separate ticket for each child).

💡Unsuitable for those who are sensitive to flashing lights.

💡Runs until 20th of Dec, so you have plenty of time to visit!

💡Accessible via Metro (Gold Line, National Museum Station).

💡If you go with kids, you will probably be out in 15-20min. You can then take them to the NMOQ outdoor playground, or to see the Cave of Wonders next to it!

𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘’𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐇𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒!

We haven’t gone to the beach last weekend (the wind would have probably blown the kids away 😂), but that doesn’t change the fact that the 2022 Beach Season in Qatar is already open.
Beach trips are always fun, but can also be quite exhausting if you go with multiple children in tow 😉 I am lazy by nature (don’t be fooled by the “busy bee” exterior!), so I always strive to make our family trips as relaxed and hassle-free as possible. Over the years, we came up with a series of beach hacks which are working so well for us that I decided to share them with you.
There’s not much we can do about toddlers running off and babies eating sand, but there are lots of other things which can be simplified… 😌

𝐔𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐤:

☀️A high chair – perfect solution to restrain babies & toddlers and prevent sand from getting into their food! We use the Ikea high chair (easy to transport – detachable legs).

☀️A potty – useful if there are no facilities on the beach, you can create a small private “toilet” for your toddler.

☀️Fast-drying towels – we get ours in Decathlon, they take up minimal space and dry almost instantly.

☀️A plastic box with a lid to house all the beach toys. We got a big one in Ikea and dump the beach toys inside. It prevents the sand from toys from getting everywhere, and makes storage easy.

☀️A table-top BBQ. Doing a BBQ with small kids running around is a tricky business. A table-top one minimizes the risk of someone getting hurt. It’s also easy to store & portable.

𝐔𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨:

☀️We use plastic bags filled with sand to anchor our gazebo. Instead of the flimsy hooks which the manufacturer wants us to use, we attach the hook ropes to bags full of sand. Gazebo won’t fly away.

☀️We take an empty cooler and pass by one of the Sidra supermarkets (at Woqod petrol stations) along the way – Sidra carries ice bags, pre-cut fruit and drinks, so that’s everything sorted!

☀️We usually check the tide situation beforehand to figure out the best time to go.

I hope those are useful, let me know which hacks are your favorite 😁

𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞, 𝐓𝐞𝐚 & 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐!

Since I’m a big fan of all three, I had to visit as soon as it started 🤩 To be perfectly honest, I was expecting it to be a bit bigger (I remember it from the pre-👑 era) and felt somewhat underwhelmed. That being said, I still enjoyed myself and so did my husband.

𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀:

☕️ This festival opens daily at 3pm and closes at 11pm. BUT the live music stopped around 9:45pm and some stalls started to wrap up around that time too. So don’t wait until the last minute to go 😅

☕️ The venue is located on the corniche side of Al Bidda park, next to the white arches landmark (opposite Qatar National Theater). There’s a paid underground parking next to it.

☕️ if you’re a tea lover, you will be disappointed. The “tea” in this festival name seems to refer to bubble tea (if that’s what you’re after, you will enjoy yourself immensely- there is A LOT of choice!). I hoped to find some tea leaves for sale, but couldn’t locate any.

☕️ Coffee choice is decent, and you can also find a good selection of beans.

☕️ Chocolate: we located one booth selling it and it was vegan 🤪 Hot chocolate, on the other hand, is widely available.

☕️ Kids entertainment was closed when we went, but it was the 1st day and I expect it to open over the weekend. It includes a zone with inflatables as well as trampolines and a toys stall.

☕️ Aside from coffee and tea, you can find other things such as snacks (lots of Filipino food stalls, Mama Rozie, Take Away etc), desserts, handmade coffee cups and… halva from Sum Sum! 🤩

☕️ This festival runs until 26th of March.

Overall, it’s great to see open air events happening around the country (while weather permits), and this one is worth visiting, especially if you’re a coffee lover 😊

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐐𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲- 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞?

Last weekend we made it happen and it was a wonderful experience!

We took a day off from our kids, just for ourselves, and ventured out to Umm Bab Coast. It’s a bit of a drive (ok, a VERY long drive of 1h20min from Lusail), but it was definitely worth it!

This part of Qatar’s coast was our go-to when we lived in Doha, and it was so refreshing to finally visit it again, and just the two of us 😊 We packed the basics (chairs, table, gazebo just in case, cooler and our shisha) and got food & drink in Sidra supermarket on the way (our anniversary lunch costed approx. 50 QAR, drinks and dessert included 😂).

When we arrived, we were up for a surprise. Usually that part of the coast is calm and lake-like. This time, due to high wind, we were greeted by crashing waves. I think it’s the first time I saw those in Qatar 😂 The coast was pretty empty and we spent a lovely day there. Highly recommended as an alternative to expensive dinners and hotel spas!

𝗨𝗺𝗺 𝗕𝗮𝗯 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.

🌊 People confuse it with Umm Bab Beach but it’s NOT the same place! We have our favorite spot marked on google maps as “Rekik’s Beach”, you can go there as long as you leave a 5* review 😂

🌊 This beach is PERFECT for watching sunsets (+10 to romantic atmosphere!) because the sun sets directly at the sea.

🌊 Some parts of both beach and sea bottom are rocky, you might need to drive around a bit to find the perfect spot.

🌊 Water on that side of Qatar is generally warmer than on the Fuwairit/Maroona/Azerbaijani side- works well now, but in the middle of the summer it gets TOO hot 😅

🌊 Getting there requires some off-road driving, it is not too bad though - 4x4 is not necessary, a regular SUV will work just fine!

🌊 There are no facilities at this beach. Bikinis are allowed, I also saw people coming with their dogs 😊

🌊 You can sometimes spot camels around that area. I was told they like to eat beachgoers’ food, so beware 😂

Oxygen Park in Doha’s Education City. I must be

Oxygen Park in Doha’s Education City. I must be one of the few people in Doha who visits the Botanic Garden next door more often than the park itself! 🙈

But that’s definitely a mistake because Oxygen park is quite different than the rest. It’s very sport-oriented, so perfect for families with slightly older kids who love to run around and ride their bikes and scooters. It’s also a perfect place to sit down and relax as it has plenty of grassy areas. If you’re up for team sports, there are football and beach volleyball pitches (the latter is often used by kids as a sandpit 😅).

There’s no playground in the main part of the park, but Qur’anic Botanic Garden has one (although it’s more suitable for older kids). There’s an underground parking available, Oxygen park can also be reached via the free Education City tram (from the Botanic Garden side).

There’s no permanent cafe or restaurant inside the park, but some kiosks are popping up here and there - when we went last week there was Icons Cafe booth (and before I saw the Coffee Bike there too). UPDATE: There are some eateries and cafes in the EC Student’s Center nearby 😊

Another great thing is the proximity of QNL and the Farmers Market on Saturdays (within walking distance), which makes this park a strong contender to my self-care afternoon routine 😎

Al Ruwais. The very North of Qatar. Not many peopl

Al Ruwais. The very North of Qatar. Not many people venture there, mostly because it’s a really long drive (for Qatar 😊), with no guarantee that it’s worth the trip.
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Our love of exploring drove us there last weekend and, as always, I’m here with some (hopefully useful) information!
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Al Ruwais (and the neighboring settlements) are definitely special. They feel nothing like Doha or Lusail, projecting the unexpected holiday vibe. The small towns of the North are very laid back and quiet, lack the modernity of Qatar’s main cities (which is a good thing!). Makes you feel a bit like you’re being transported to a totally different country (or back in time 😊).
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Before you fuel your car and go, be warned that Ashghal has already zeroed in on this area, which means that some of the roads are under construction, and there are several beautification projects underway too! Google maps proved useless and we got lost a couple of times 😅 It might be wise to wait for the next season to travel there, when everything is (hopefully) ready. For us, it was worth the trip, but I know many people would be deterred by construction 😉
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So what exactly did we see around the area?
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🌴 Al Ruwais Corniche - currently undergoing beautification, but already accessible. Once completed, it will be a lovely seaside spot for families (I saw a playground being prepared, many benches and a bike track).
🌴 Al Shamal Corniche - yet another corniche in the area, also being beautified. This one is longer and perfect for seaside walks, with shades and benches available.
🌴 Abu Dhalouf Park - the highlight of our trip! A gorgeously landscaped family park, with two playgrounds, opening directly to the seaside.
🌴 Abu Dhalouf Mosque - a beautifully restored old mosque, located next to the park.
🌴 Al Ruwais Mosque - another architectural gem, built in 17th century and reconstructed in the 1940s.
🌴 Arsan Cafe, or more accurately: Al Ruwais old police station 😊 This one you might have heard of- it’s an open air cafe overlooking the sea and a perfect place to relax.
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On this trip we focused on the towns, but there are many more sites to see in the area! Hoping to visit them all soon!

Azerbaijani beach. If you read my blog post about

Azerbaijani beach. If you read my blog post about beaches in Qatar you probably remember that it’s one of our all-time favorites!
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What makes it special?
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🏖 Crystal clear water. Reminds me of Maldives rather than Qatar!
🏖 Super soft sand. Apart from a couple of seashells and small pebbles, it’s smoother than… whatever’s the smoothest thing you can imagine 😅.
🏖 Vibe. I think this is the most “beachy” beach I’ve been to in Qatar, if you know what I mean 😎
🏖Shallow water. Even during high tide, this beach is very kid-friendly. They will get tired and abort the mission before they reach water deep enough to cover them (does not apply to Danny 🙈).
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What might put you off?
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➖Accessibility. Although technically speaking you can reach this beach with a sedan (I saw a MB A-Class casually parked where sand was at its deepest 😀), there’s a very bumpy section off-road to drive.
➖Crowds. Unfortunately this is currently one of the most popular “wild” beaches in Qatar, especially on weekend afternoons.
➖No facilities. No toilets, showers, playgrounds, cafeteria… NOTHING. You have to bring everything you might need yourself.
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Useful info:
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✅ This beach can be located via google maps.
✅ There’s no dress code, it’s all good as long as you’re not naked. 😅
✅ It’s pet friendly.
✅ Overnight camping is allowed.
✅ “Bachelors” can enter.
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Please remember to clean up before you leave! 🚮

Walking + Coffee. If you’re into both, I have a

Walking + Coffee. If you’re into both, I have a treat for you today! What you’ll see below is in line with my definition of self-care (if done alone), but can also work perfectly well as a family activity, and with kids in tow 😀
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I know that many of you want to walk more in Qatar, but don’t know where to start. So I’m giving you a list of my favorite walking routes, together with approximate distance to be covered AND my favorite cafes on the way to make the experience even more enjoyable 🤩 P.S. no need to caffeinate your kids, you can get them a smoothie or hot chocolate instead 😂
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Routes are sorted from the shortest to the longest. Have fun walking! 🥰
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🚶‍♀️Qur’anic Botanical Garden to Oxygen Park, coffee stop at Graze. That’s my favorite to do alone, the Gardens are so peaceful! Distance: 1-2km, depending on your exact route.
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🚶‍♀️A loop at Katara Hills South, followed by a cup of coffee at Kava. You can hop over to the North part later if you feel you haven’t walked enough! Distance: ~2km.
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🚶‍♀️A loop inside Aspire Park and a latte at Two to Six Coffee. A classic walking route in Doha 😀 Distance: ~3km.
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🚶‍♀️A stroll at Lusail Marina promenade, starting at Place Vendome and finishing with karak at Tea Time (or coffee at MOC if you don’t like karak!). Distance: ~4km.
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🚶‍♀️5/6 Park to West Bay & back, with a stopover at Flat White in Gate Mall. Can be also done on a bicycle! Distance: ~6km.
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🚶‍♀️Doha Fire Station through Al Bidda Park, all the way to Msheireb Downtown, a latte in Rusk and back the same way. Distance: 6km+, depending on the exact route you’ll follow in the park! You can make it even longer by extending it to Souq Waqif 🤩
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Photos are the views along the way 😀

One of the perks of living in Lusail is that many

One of the perks of living in Lusail is that many beaches are now within a short (30min) drive from our place! One of them is Al Farkiah Family Beach which we decided to visit today.
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It was a “test” trip to see if the weather is good enough for beach days (it’s close enough for us to easily return home without regrets, if it was not warm enough 😀). Luckily it was really pleasant, BUT water was still quite cold! That didn’t stop our kids from splashing around happily.
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Al Farkiah family beach is located next to Al Khor and it is indeed very family friendly. We call it a “no effort” kind of beach, because it’s easy to get there and there are plenty of facilities available (shades, benches, picnic tables, washrooms with showers and multiple playgrounds). There are also mangroves nearby, if you fancy a change of setting!
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WHAT DID WE LIKE?
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☀️ Accessibility- it’s super easy to get there and you don’t need an suv!
☀️ Beach is gated, with security and plenty of facilities (as mentioned above).
☀️ Water is shallow, so it’s safe for the little ones to splash around.
☀️ Only 25min drive from Fox Hills!
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WHAT WAS NOT GREAT?
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☁️ The quality of sand- it was rough, full of stones, sharp seashells and (sadly) we found many small pieces of glass!
☁️ Sea-bottom was rocky in many places, it’s best to take water shoes.
☁️ You can’t drive all the way to the shades- you need to leave the car at the parking and walk. It’s not ideal when you come with small kids.
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USEFUL INFO
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🔵 Entry is FREE.
🔵 Open from 7am to midnight.
🔵 It’s a family beach, but Sun & Wed are reserved for women and children below 10 only!
🔵 As of now, BBQs are NOT allowed there.
🔵 You need to show Ehteraz at the gate.
🔵 For location type “Al Farkiah Coast” on google maps.

We walked 50,000 steps in Qatar and here is how we

We walked 50,000 steps in Qatar and here is how we did it!
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Raise your hand if you live in Qatar and think that it’s much easier to drive than to walk here! That’s not necessarily the case 😊 Our 50,000 steps stunt proves that it’s a perfectly walkable country, and I’m here to give you all the juicy details about the experience!
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What was our itinerary?
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We started off from our home in Fox Hills, walked to Lusail Marina -> Lagoona Mall -> Katara Hills -> 5/6 Park -> West Bay -> Al Bidda Park -> Msheireb Downtown -> Souq Waqif -> MIA Park -> Box Park -> NMOQ -> the area behind the museum where we got a bit lost 😂 -> Souq again 😎
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How long did it take?
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We set off a bit past 7am, and were done around 5:30pm. Having said that, we did have a couple of breaks that lasted 30min-1h (casual- for coffee and meals, and emergency- for my poor foot), and the last 15,000 were done VERY slowly because I was limping 🙈
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How was the route?
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It was great most of the time! There is a great walking/biking path between Legtaifiya and West Bay, that was the best part of the walk. A bit of construction towards Al Bidda and then an easy passage to Msheireb and the Souq. Worst part was around MIA Park and NMOQ because the area is one major construction site at the moment, with narrow passages for pedestrians (and very limited possibilities to cross the road 🙈).
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What difficulties did we face?
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My damaged feet 😂 Other than that, all was good!
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Can this be done with kids?
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Depends on your kids stamina 😂 But 50,000 steps is almost 38km so quite a lot even for adults! It’s perfectly doable in portions though 😊 if you live in West Bay, you can have a walk to 5/6 Park and then to Katara Hills- it’s an easy walk and kids can ride their bikes/scooters.
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How many calories does this burn?
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I was asked this by one of you 😁 my watch showed 2,800 active kcal, hubby’s - 3,100.
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Other useful tips?
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Take plenty of water because there won’t always be shops on the way. Also, sunscreen! I got a pretty bad sunburn on my neck 🤦‍♀️ Wear not only sport shoes but also appropriate socks! I neglected this and got blisters. Hubby was wearing sports socks and his feet are untouched 😅

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