Arabian Nights

Let's backtrack a few months. Matt found out about a conference in Doha, Qatar where everything was paid for that seemed to fit in enough with his research interests, so he submitted a proposal. I didn't really think anything of it anymore until a random morning in November when Matt came running into our room after checking his email and said "I AM GOING TO QATAR! I don't even know how to pronounce it!" Thus the excitement began.

The trip was last week, Friday thru Wednesday. Not a lot of pictures b/c there were a lot of meetings and a lot of darkness when not in meetings. The flight was 12+ hours there and 14+ hours back. The time zone difference was 8 hours. We have learned that Matt does much better traveling to South American where the time zone difference is never more than an hour. 4 nights in the hotel = 2 nights of actual sleep. He transitioned to home pretty easily, but I think that was just because his body never figured it out over there. Kind of funny.

Part of Matt's room at the RITZ CARLTON--yes, he had a special little table with fruits and chocolates on it. At night they came around and delivered cookies. Did I mention RITZ CARLTON--$500 a night. The pool was apparently gorgeous, waterfall and all. He even got to go to the dock and take a dip in the Persian Gulf.

Here he is in front of the mosque at night. That's really all I have to say about that.
A waterfront shot. Matt walked all the way down and saw all those buildings. Funny part was that they were still all under construction--it was like a ginormous construction zone. A bit disappointing, I think (but pretty). They were in a newly developing part of Doha so there really wasn't much to see but definitely lots being built.
I think this is my favorite picture. He didn't get any shots of people b/c he felt awkward taking pictures of people in their cool robes and headdresses. Instead, he just took a picture of a sign of a person, but you get the idea. He really wanted a picture of the men in their white robes driving big SUVs and the girls in their black hijabs texting on their cell phones. A view looking down on the fountain inside the Museum of Islamic Art. All Islamic art is pretty much people-less, and mainly geometric in style. Hence the artistic fountain. My geometry side would have been lovin' this!
Outside the museum. Notice how geometrical the building is. Cool beans!

STOP! I like this picture too, especially b/c of the man picture right below the sign.

Dunkin Donuts, anyone? It was like he never left CT.

These old rickety fishing boats are actually used for tourist cruises. They are all lit up and pretty at nighttime. He also saw some honkin' yachts. Qatar definitely has money (though you probably can't tell it by the picture of the rickety old boats).

The mosque at day time. Notice the geometric designs.

And that's a wrap. Since Matt probably won't toot his own horn, I'll have to do it for him. He was told there were a lot of proposals but only 6 American proposals were accepted. Most all of the other presenters were from the Middle East.

A once in a lifetime trip. We're glad it went so well and we're glad he's home. Though I got some major progress made on 2 comforters I am making for Whit and Annie and watched too many movies, so that was fun!