New Year's Eve in Doha

Happy New Year celebrated at La Cigale in Doha, Qatar.

Dinner at La Cigale was a bit disappointing. Stephen has written about it most humorously on his blog: dustyindoha.blogspot.com. But the best part was the conversation we had with our favorite waiter, Gary, who is from Tacloban, Philippines. He and his wife both work at this hotel, but their children are cared for by their grandparents back in Tacloban. When Gary and his wife heard the news about the typhoon destroying their home town, they took a month's leave to return home to see about their family. The comment that Gary made over and over was "Thanks God" everyone in their family was safe - their parents, their children. the house, the three dogs and their pig - all survived. The devastation they saw made them so thankful for life itself, Gary said. This is the bet part of living in Doha for me - meeting people from all over the world who are here for the same reason Stephen is here - for a job to support a family back home.

Can you see how dazzling in gold the elevator is?
Everything at this hotel is glitzy - the glitzier the better - or so it seems.