Qatar - Five must do activities

The beautiful city of Doha is not short of activities to do and sights to see. If you are visiting Doha under a strict time constraint, you can only do so much in that short period of time.

So to make things easier for you, we will be sharing with you our Top 5 Must Do Activities in Doha.

1. Visit the Museum of Islamic Arts

Discover the beauty of the largest collection of Islamic arts in the world, collected from three continents over the span of 1400 years, all in the Museum of Islamic Arts. In there, you will be able to find the finest collection of Persian rugs, Turkish mosaics, artworks and woodcarvings. It contains artifacts, manuscripts and precious materials that showcase the Islamic historical culture of Qatar.

Designed by world-renowned architect, I.M. Pei (architect of Louvre pyramid), the Museum of Islamic Art stands out as an architectural gem in the MIA Park of the Doha waterfront. The interior is no less spectacular as geometric patterns of the Islamic world adorns the whole interior of the museum. If you are in Doha, then visiting the Museum of Islamic Arts should definitely be a must do on your list.

2. Walk or take a Dhow cruise at Doha Corniche

The Corniche is a waterfront promenade that reshaped Doha's coastline in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and is easily one of the most popular locations among walkers, bikers and joggers.

One thing that you would not like to miss while you're there is to take a cruise in a traditional boat called the "Dhow", or an exclusive yacht cruise. In the evening, you can enjoy an amazing view of a beautiful sunset; and at night, you will be able to see the magnificent colours of the city's lights reflected off the calm water.

3. Go for desert adventures

One of the top places to visit while you're in Qatar is naturally the desert. You can find a few desert adventure activities while you're in Doha. One of them can be found at the Sealine Beach Resort.

While you're there, you can rent a dune buggy on the beach near the resort as well as going for dune bashing, which is a popular sport with both Qataris and expatriates. You can also find tours called the "Inland Sea" tours or the Doha Desert Safari tours where you get to experience an exhilarating ride in a 4x4 vehicle through the sand dunes and smooth sandy mountains.

If you wish, you may also choose to go for the camel rides offered in some of the tours. You'd be surprised to know that there aren't too many opportunities to ride a camel in Qatar. So if you want to have a good photograph of yourself on a camel to show to your friends and family back at home, here's your chance.

4. Go shopping or explore the streets of Souq Waqif

If you are a shopaholic, Doha may have just the thing to satisfy your shopping needs while you're here. Explore the streets and alleyways of Souq Waqif, Falcon Souq and Gold Souq, and you'll definitely find something that you like along the way.

The Souqs (Arabic for "marketplace") have everything from beautiful traditional textiles, spices, jewelry, perfume and plenty of other souvenirs for your folks back at home.

Souq Waqif is probably one of the few places where you can enjoy street food. Your options vary from traditional Qatari cusines to snacks from the Indian subcontinent. You can also enjoy some sheesha if you're into it.

If shopping is not your thing, then exploring and admiring the beauty of the architectural buildings around the Souqs alone is an experience worth having while you're in Doha. Whatever your preference is, you'll likely find something that is to your taste in the Souqs.

5. Discover the culture and heritage of Qatar

To visit a place so rich in history and culture, it is only right to discover the true heritage of Doha while you are here. One of the places that you should visit is the Al Zubarah Fort located outside the capital city. Zubarah is a deserted town located on the north western coast of the Qatar. The forts and towers here showcase the architectural history and wealth of the ancient civilizations that once lived in Qatar.

You may also visit Katara Cultural Village. Katara was born out of a vision to position the State of Qatar as a cultural beacon of art, radiating in the Middle East through theatre, music, literature, conventions and exhibitions. Katara regularly hosts activities so that tourists and residents can indulge in cultural activities.

Source-http://www.qatarliving.com/forum/welcome-qatar/posts/qatar-five-must-do-activities

5 Reasons to Learn Languages

Whether you are fascinated by another country's culture or considering taking a foreign language for work or school, learning a new language offers lifelong benefits. Technology and globalization provide opportunities to engage with others from around the world like never before. If you have had little exposure to another language, here are five reasons why studying foreign languages may interest you:

1. Learning has never been easier

In the past,to learn a new language one had to take formal classes or find someone willing to offer private lessons or language exchanges. Today, you can learn languages from the comfort of your home thanks to television, software, and the Internet.

2. Gain insight into other cultures

Once you understand the nuance behind a language, you begin to understand its culture. You may read or hear about another country, but fluency opens the door to its people. Comprehension can expose you to foreign books, films, and music -- even your favorite opera. You may also feel more comfortable hosting an exchange student or foreign travelers.

3. Enhance your foreign excursions

Maps and guidebooks point you to tourist attractions, but the locals can help you find the best places off the beaten path. When you can have a conversation in a native language, people are less hesitant to speak with you and more inclined to help you, which may also come in handy during emergencies.

4. Become more valuable at work

Companies are doing more business with international customers, increasing the need for employees with diverse language skills. You may be asked to travel abroad to close a business deal or improve customer relationships. Not only is it a paid trip to a foreign country, it increases your value and could lead to more opportunities in the future. Whether you are translating documents, writing a letter to a foreign customer, or interpreting an important conversation, fluency in another language gives you an edge at work.

5. Keep your mind engaged

Learning a new language requires memorization and repetition to commit new words and phrases to memory. Becoming a student again also reinforces your understanding of your native language. Simple techniques inherent in learning will keep your mind nimble and your skills sharp.

The world has become smaller, and your exposure to foreign languages will continue to increase. You may consider learning languages as a fun hobby or to keep in touch with the changing world around you, but your reward comes when you can connect with other cultures.

Source-http://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/5reasons.htm

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO IN DOHA

Doha is an important city in Qatar not only because it is the headquarters of major oil and gas companies in the country but also because it is an important international hub for transit passengers who travel using Qatar Airways. Doha is also preferred more and more by tourists being a Middle East attraction similar to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. If you want to spend some days in Qatar, then Top 5 things to do in Doha will help you target the most interesting attractions of the city.

1. Culture, Religion and Arts

If you want your experience to be a cultural, artistic and religious one then you should definitely visit  The Museum of Islamic Arts. Here you can find artifacts, the finest collections of  Turkish mosaics, Persian rugs and even wood carvings.

2. Jazz music

If you are crazy about jazz then you should definitely visit Lincoln Center Doha, a place with live jazz music and famous artists.

3. Sports in Doha

You can play a round of golf at the Doha Golf  Club or you can simply opt for other sports such as fishing, water sports, horse racing and even camel racing.

4. Nightclubs

When it comes to nightlife in Doha you must visit The Pearl Qatar, an amazing nightclub with luxurious drinks and incredible music.

5. A cruise to the Corniche

If you want your trip to be even more memorable then you can take a cruise to the Doha Corniche. You can opt for a traditional boat called “Dhow” or you can simply rent an exclusive yacht for this trip. You are going to enjoy a breathtaking view no matter what.

Source-http://richieast.com/top-5-things-doha/

8 Effects Every Photographer Should Know About

Photography seems easy at first glance. You simply make your frame and press the shutter button. The reality is, everyone can take a photo but not all can master it. There’s more to photography than just simply “point and shoot.” Photography is a skill only a handful have the patience and the passion to stick with.

Photography students and enthusiasts must educate themselves with many technical terms such as aperture, shutter speed, focus and exposure. You’ve probably read enough about that elsewhere, so how about a few photography effects? In this post I will share some photography courses in doha. They can enhance the beauty of your photos and they can be very fun to do, too.

1. Bokeh

Bokeh refers to the aesthetic quality of blur, the out of focus area of the image. It’s how the light renders lighted areas that are out of focus. The difference in lens aberrations and aperture shape causes the area to blur, creating the look that’s aesthetically pleasing. Many photographers deliberately use the shallow-focus technique to create images with prominent bokeh areas. The term comes from Japanese ‘boke’, which literally means haze or blur.

There’s good bokeh, but there’s also bad bokeh when the blur is so distracting or harsh that it takes the focus away from the subject. Thus, good bokeh can enhance an image while bad bokeh can ruin it.

2. Panning

Panning refers to the horizontal, vertical or rotational movement of an image still or video. It’s an age-old technique. To achieve panning, you must have a moving subject that you must ‘stay with’ whilst framing the shot before and after you press the shutter. This will create an interesting effect, with your subject being sharp amid a blurred background. Great for shooting moving subjects or racing and sports events.

Panning will take a lot of practice, but you’ll get used to it and the effort is all worth it. Of course, it is easier to ‘follow’ a human subject than faster subjects like a dog, a motorcycle or a car.

3. Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is one of the most basic principles of composition. It has been used for many centuries by artists, painters and now, photographers.With the Rule of Thirds, the photographer breaks down the photo into thirds, horizontally & vertically so that you have nine equal parts. The main subject is not placed in the middle of the frame, thus it looks dynamic, moving and interesting.

When you are taking a picture you must mentally divide your viewfinder or LCD display into three to frame your shot. With the grid in mind, identify the important points of interest and frame. For some photographers, this comes naturally but for others, it will require practice.

Keep in mind the rule of thirds for post production. If you find an image’s composition boring, you can always post process it by using the cropping and reframing tools of Photoshop. Experiment with the tools at hand to improve your photos.

4. The Golden Hour

The Golden Hour, also referred to as the Magic Hour, refers to the first hour the sun rises and the last hour the sun sets. It creates a different quality of light; it adds interest and drama to the scene. It’s the perfect time of the day for creating magnificent photos–but be quick, because lighting quickly changes and fades away.

What really happens during the golden hour? During sunrise and sunset, the sun is near the horizon so the daylight is of the indirect light from the sky, reducing intensity of the sun’s bright light. There is softer lighting, warmer hues and longer shadows. In other times of the day, the sun’s light can be too bright and harsh. The sun’s harsh light is particularly a problem in portrait photography, for the light can create unwanted strong shadows around the face and body.

5. Golden Rectangle

The Golden Rectangle, (also the Golden Mean or the Golden Ratio) is another guideline for composition and a variation of the Rule of Thirds, but more intricate. The Golden Rectangle is the mean of the ratio of numbers on the Fibonacci Sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 and so on). The ratio creates a golden rectangle, which is comprised of a square and half of the square in the same dimension.

Again, the concept goes back to several centuries. The Golden Rectangle is even used to frame Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Paintings, artworks and photos following the Golden Rectangle tend to be stunning and pleasing to the eye. It’s because it’s an aesthetic proportion that can be found naturally: flowers, shells, butterflies and even the human body.

6. Fill Flash

Fill Flash is a technique in photography where the photographer uses flash to ‘fill in’ dark areas of the image. It’s perfect for backlit environments. The background is usually a lot brighter than the subject. To create fill flash, adjust the aperture and shutter speed correctly to expose the background, use flash to lighten the foreground but still retain the qualities of the background.

You can use flash when: the subject is in a shadow, when there is more light on the background than on the foreground, and when you are close enough to the subject for flash. Remember that your built-in flash is only powerful enough to reach up to 9 feet only. Fill Flash can brighten deeply shadowed areas, improving the image without overexposing the other areas of the image.

7. Long Exposure

Long exposure is another interesting photography effect which entails a narrow aperture and long duration shutter speed. This is done in order to create dreamy landscapes, capturing the stationary elements while blurring the moving elements of the image.

Long exposure can be tricky. It should be taken in low light situations, most often photos will be overexposed because having long exposure on sunny days can be a problem, as too much light will enter the lens.

It is often referred to as ‘night photography’. Interesting subjects to shoot are stars, moving cars and lights.

8. Contre-jour

Contre-jour is a popular photography effect. It is French for ‘against daylight’, the camera is directly pointing towards the light source. Contre-jour is, basically, is the fancy speak of ‘silhouette photography’. The light source is located directly behind the subject.

The contre-jour effect produces high contrast photos between light and dark. It hides details yet emphasizes contour of the subject and shapes. Contre-jour is more popular in nature & landscape photography. The effect is often used to add a more dramatic mood and intense ambiance to the scene.

Conclusion

You don’t need to follow these terms to the dot in order to create a beautiful and interesting image. In fact, rules are made to be broken! Art is about exploring yourself and your medium, after all. But to be an artist of your own you have to learn the basics first before you break them. That’s what Pablo Picasso and Van Gogh did.

Of course, these are not the only effects in photography. There are dozens more, and you can even create a photography effect through your own experimentation. Photography’s only limits is the photographer’s creativity.

Source-http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/eight-photography-effects/

A Qatar Summer Holiday For Kids

In Qatar, kids enjoy a longer summer season than the rest of the world. There are excellent past times for children that keep them occupied and entertained during the hottest time of the year.

A popular activity is the summer camp, usually ran by schools and offer multi-discipline activities. A variety of camps abound in Qatar that can be perfect for every child’s interest -- dance and ballet, maths, languages, trainings for the mind, sports such as football and swimming, as well as camps that hold mixed activities.

Summer camps are flexible and adaptable to unique needs. Kids can try out their activities for a day to see if it suits their interests, allowing them to take full advantage of what the camp has to offer.

Children can also work on their own personalized projects during the summer break. Having a project  of the week can be a fun way to ward off the boredom.

Starting a garden and growing flowers or vegetables in the yard, or baking their favourite snacks, can prove to be productive as well as enjoyable. Arts and crafts, or learning a new skill, can also be a great, formative way to spend the summer.

Kids should be able know how to swim, and summer is the perfect time to learn. A first aid course can complement that training. Learning a new language can also be fun. Getting advanced training in Arabic classes or obtaining sign language proficiency are just a few skills that can benefit children in the long run.

A number of charity initiatives in Qatar invite kids to help out the community through volunteer activities, as children with special needs could always use an extra helping hand. Pet organisations invite volunteers to walk abandoned dogs, an activity that is sure to foster an appreciation for animals.

Exercising and keeping active is a good way to combat the temptation to spend the entire break on the couch. Early morning before the day gets too hot, or just as the sun is about to set, are the ideal times for an outdoor workout. Indoor exercise can also be fun with exercise videos or a games console.

It’s the perfect time to get social. Kids love to see their friends for extended play hours and having them over to play games and share their toys. This makes them less fidgety during the summer months, in addition to fostering social interaction and expanding their life skills.

Finally, summer vacations are always a fail safe way to make the warmest months worthwhile. A trip to nearby travel hotspots such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Oman only takes a short flight.

A combination of these fun and exciting activities are more than enough to keep children occupied and enable them to learn a thing or two, making even the leisure times worthwhile.