Rain in Doha

I didn't want to make this post without pics to go along with it, but the most dramatic of puddles have dissipated and you'll just have to take my word for it.

It rained in Doha, for five days straight!

Winter is upon us. Streets were flooded, everything was muddy (the "mud" of course, being light-colored and silty, as opposed to brown and, um, muddy). It was downright cold, in the low 50s or even high 40s I would estimate, and that chilled-to-the-bone windy wet weather that reminds me of winter in London. For a long stint it was actually quite a bit warmer in DC than it was in Doha!

Back in September, I bought a space heater on the suggestion of some long-time expats. But at the time, with temps never dipping below 100, I couldn't imagine that it would ever come in handy. But it was a lifesaver, and those poor souls who didn't stock up early were left without heat; the shelves were empty through December and January. This is a big deal because, of course, no buildings here are heated and they are almost all made out of concrete or brick. When it's 50 degrees at night, that cold seeps into your flat and it is very hard to get the place warm again.

It rained a bit again yesterday, so "winter" may not be completely over yet; I'll keep my photographic eye tuned in and try to get a good shot for the blog if the clouds roll over this weekend.