Our first shopping outing was to Villagio today, otherwise known as "Little Italy."
In the pics attached you will see that a canal flows through the mall and if you feel the need to be transported via Gondola instead of leg power you are free to do so.
Bear in mind that the glorious skyline is in fact painted and the clouds move as do the times of day when strolling around. In one section you find yourself in daylight, the next wing it is night time.
This mall is indeed a shoppers paradise - I may even show my feminine side in becoming a shopper (Sports Stores only). Another amazing feature is that there is a full on ice rink in the food quarter, home to the "DOHA FLYING CAMEL Ice Hockey Team" - I ask you
HAHAHA. There logo says it all for me.
We will also be visiting the theme park found within the Mall.
You may ask how we arrived at the Mall? Well, that was an interesting trip to say the least! We took a local KARWA Taxi! (Like a metered cab in SA) This was a journey to behold as well. Not your average SA E20 ride (Eish! Say this in the most African accent you can come up with!) , but wilder, faster yet a load safer. The Arabs seem to know just how close they are able to get to another car's bumper before zooting into a different lane and everyone allows this manic driving to continue. One driver is as mad as the other. On two occasions we thought the we would end up on the wrong side of the road, upside down or in a fender bender! Here's to travelling in Qatar! *Cheers*
"Do Not Block Intersection" Where have you ever seen such a sign????
Tariffs are all displayed on a sticker in the window as well as all the Do's and Dont's while being ferried to another place.
To all the lads and lasses @ OG, you will be well informed that we have found BIER and ladies drinks similar to Brutal Fruit - yet they are all non-alcoholic - which is fine. We will be cheap dates in December. We haven't ventured to any of the pubs (Usually only found in Hotels) that sell proper BIER yet but we will. We will definitely.
We have another dinner arranged for tonight in the Hotel as it seems most of our colleagues have finally arrived from across the globe. We are also starting our first week of preparation tomorrow at the Lagoon Campus (G's Campus) - look forward to seeing the difference in buildings and resources as opposed to home.
G & R xxx
Here are some more pictures taken at Villagio:
Magnificent Shopping lobby - only 1 of the several wings in Villagio.
Gerard Admiring the Gondola.
A family on a Gondola - note the Brand shops in the background.
Gerard bought a burger for lunch which qualified him to enter the draw to win this Nissan double cab. It's a MONSTER Truck!
Hey Chandler, Do you remember this place????
The Beautifully painted Villagio Sky!
Enjoying the shopping experience so far!
The Gondolas - the Gondolier was on a lunch break.
That Pepsi is HUGE!!!! And was free with the burger Gerard had for lunch.
They even have Quiksilver & Roxy in the sandy desert!
Roz watching the Gondola.
Gerard near the entrance we arrived at.
"The Butcher Shop & Grill" is a South African Steak House - See that smile developing yet????
Villagio - the Posh mall in the Desert.
