I now know the meaning of ‘oasis’. Doha is very much like a mirage rising from the desert – an apparition concocted from sand and sea.
We arrived on a ripple of heat waves – 10am in the morning and the temperature would have been very close to 35 deg C.
The accommodation and service were exemplary – we could learn a few things about looking after our guests from these wonderful, warm people.
We were extremely priviledged to have Mark Cook from Hassad Foods speak to us for a short time in the evening. As the Financial manager (in control of the spending)he had some valuable insight into what our markets value and how to be successful when dealing with cultures other than our own. All of us would have been happy to spend hours just listening!!!
Hassad was set up by the Qatari government to ensure food safety for a country that imports about 90% of its food. Qatar has the interesting dynamic of having a population of 1.3 million of which only approx 300,000 are native Qataris. As a result the array of foods and services available in this tiny country are truly astounding. This is, of course, helped by the black gold that runs freely under the sand – wealth makes for choice and for luxury!
No comments:
Post a Comment