Dhows in Doha

Crom in Qatar!!

Last week Bobby and all the CROM crew rented a Dhow boat for 5 hours.  Mia (Carol), the kids and I tagged along for fun!  The word "dhow" is derived from the Swahili word "dau", meaning fishing boat.  Some people actually rent these for fishing I think but we only rented it to go for a boat ride, anchor in the bay and swim/picnic, and then boat ride back in at night to see all the lights.

This is what the dhow boat looks like

You should have seen me carrying this heavy sleeping child across 4 other dhows to get onto this one.  A little precarious when you are stepping over water from one boat edge to another.  Made it without both of us falling in the water (and didn't wake her up either).

Avery fell asleep in the car on the way to the boat and slept for the first hour or so.

Cheesy grin Natalie

silly face!

This is a picture of "The Pearl" which is an island in Doha.  Look at how dusty the air was that day!  The sky actually was the color of sand.

Chase said the sweetest thing when he looked in the captain's area.  He pulled me to the side and said, "mom, I think that man must be really poor, he lives in there".  He looked so worried.  As far as I could tell, the captain doesn't live on the boat, although as you will see in the pictures, it would be all that bad of a place to sleep.  I just love that the kids are recognizing that not everyone has an easy life and they are truly blessed to experience all that they are this year.

Here is the covered part of the boat.  Nicely padded and fun to rough house in

Lots of fun rough housing on the top of the boat as well

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Who is winning?

Mia and the kids (two of whom are not cooperating with my picture) Grr.

Natalie and Mia

Lots of the the Crom guys jumped from the top floor of the boat down to the water.  They had a great time!  This is Bert doing an awesome backflip!

John

Natasha

Buddy

Bobby and Avery did a little dancing

Relaxin'

Mia

Beautiful sunset over West Bay (the downtown part of Doha)

Going, 

Going,

Gone

West Bay at night