I'd Like to Buy That, or Day 12 in Doha

The worst part of my day: the fact that TA training was smack dab in the middle of it.

The best part of my day: just about everything else.

As I was walking out from training, Tessa, Rishav, and Mishab were discussing plans for the evening. I heard "the Pearl" and perked up.

So plans were made: begin with a taste of delicious shwarma (my new favorite food, very similar to a gyro or a European kebab), then head over to the a man-made island oasis of riches and fashion. In addition to my fellow TAs, the VCU exchange students came with (but barely. We almost pulled away while Brent was running to get his card for his camera. And we had to pick up Daedri from a park by the Cornish, so finding her was a side adventure.)

But, somehow, some way, (with Brent's iPhone full of "embarrassing" music), we made across the water (via the land bridge) and found Mishab and Rishav, and the girls, and... the CMU architecture students?

Yup, turns out the smart (CMU) people think alike. After a day of adventuring, they ended up at the Pearl as well, which made the group at least 25 people. It was like every person in Doha that I knew magically appeared at the same spot! (Not true, I know waaaay more than 25 people.)

The advertising slogan on the posters was "I'd Like to Buy That." We were trying to think of the psychology behind it (possibly jealousy? "Hey, no, I wanted to buy that.") but then gave up and just started posing in front of the them.

As glitzy as the Pearl is, it is less than half constructed, and the row of stores is completely in accessible to students (Giorgio Armani across from Emporio Armani... we thought they were competing brothers, but, sadly, they are just Giorgio and more Giorgio. Maybe a healthy rivalry would have brought down the prices.

After losing then finding Brent and Zane, we trundled back to campus.

But wait, there's more! We agreed that it was a day for doing... so time for another item on the Bucket List: the sunrise at "bandar."

"Bandar" (and I'm probably not spelling that right), is this park outcropping by the Islamic Arts museum. On the jetty is a Moroccan tea shop (where a large is just about right if you are trying to stay up all night) which was just barely open when we got there at 3:30am or so to start our watch.

But, at the brisk hour of 0600, the glimmer of pinks fighting against the blue began their surge, and, with a salty sea breeze, some bird calls, and the hum of a city about to wake up, we were on our way back to campus to do what college students do best... sleep.