QATAR AIRWAYS FROM DOHA TO PARIS AIRBUS 380 AND ROXANA FROM ROMANIA

I look forward to my flights with Qatar Airways QR.. and this one was no exception ..
I got to the airport in time to check out the Lounge which is euphemistically called Business Class Lounge not the Al Mourjan Lounge which is world class.. The experience at the lounge was subpar, for Hamad International Airport. It seem that they excel when it comes to Qatar Airways and everything else including customer service is a hit or miss.
But when it comes to service on board Qatar Airways, they are the best. Today I had the luck of having Roxana from Romania on the side where I was sitting and the attention was nothing short of excellent. One of the best I would say, that is best of the best since I have never had a bad experience with Cabin Crew in all the flights I have flown on Qatar Airways..

 I look forward to listening to this recital of a prayer, I fell calm when I listen to it and I have no problem closing my eyes and wishing every one a pleasant flight.
I have been told that the prayer has a much deeper meaning than what it appears to be. 
In any case, shukran, toda rabah, merci, obrigado, gracias..

How many times have I passed through this airport? Charles de Gaulle in Paris? under what moods? In love or passionate? looking forward or sad to leave .. Somehow CDG airport arrived in my life in 2006 and I would say it is here to stay..
Next flight to CDG in 12 days..
Next flight on Qatar Airways .  ARN to Doha to Bangkok...

THE YEAR 5780 BEGAN IN COCHIN

It was a good beginning.. waiting for a flight to arrive from Sharjah at 3 am..
the cool morning on the drive to Bristow's Bungalow in Fort cochin..
This New year was unique and special
It began in Cochin
Before I left, I went to Kadavumbagam Synagogue in Ernakulum to pay respect to the trustee of that synagogue and say Kaddish for Sarah Cohen as well as wishing well for all the people who are close to me... spread across the world..

 IN WHICH PART OF THE WORLD WOULD YOU SEE, A MUSLIM CALLIGRAPHER FROM COCHIN, SENDING A HANDCRAFTED NEW YEAR GREETING TO THE JEWS ON BEHALF OF THE ISLAMIC HERITAGE SOCIETY?

 I AM OVERWHELMED TO SEE THE STAUNCH SUPPORT FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND THE STATE OF ISRAEL AMONG THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS IN COCHIN

HOW OFTEN DO YOU MEET SOMEONE FROM . BHUTAN?

I like my stopovers in Doha on my way from Asia to either Europe or USA..
I have met people from all over the world, who are temporarily resident in Qatar, during my brief stopovers and some of them have become friends
I am not very talkative when I travel and especially with other travellers, but always very friendly with workers at Airport Lounges, Cabin Crew at Qatar Airways, staff at the various hotels I have stayed in Qatar..
I have lots of pleasant memories of brief interactions with these workers who are in Qatar for short or long periods of time.
On this journey from Cochin to Paris, I had one day's break at Doha and I stayed at Marriott Hotel Westin. 
I was waiting for a friend of mine from Sri Lanka to drop by to say hello (he was one of the first people I had met in Qatar in 2012). The Guest Relations assistant was hovering at the entrance and I said hello and the usual chit chat.
Where are you from?
I was not prepared for the answer
Bhutan, she answered.
Most of the world class hotels have interns working or training and Kanga from Thimphu was training for one year at this Marriott hotel before she returns to Bhutan next year to work at the Marriott there.

I told her about the Bhutanese medical students at Santiago de Cuba, three Bhutanese and one Nepali who are all now back in Bhutan, I even remembered one name, Suresh Mothey. 
Also Cuba had sent specialist doctors on occasional basis to Bhutan and provides about 10 scholarships for studies in Medicine for Bhutanese students.
I wish her well in her chosen profession of Hospitality and wish her a pleasant stay in Doha and a swift and happy return to her country.

CUBA EN MI CORAZON . LIKE THEY SAY APPLE OF MY EYE

I received this photograph from the Middle East. I was overjoyed to see a geographical impression of our America imposed upon the open eyes.. and behold CUBA is right there in the eye.. can you make it out ?

thanks, merci beaucoup, muchas gracias for the photo..

LEAVING BRISTOW'S LIGHTHOUSE BUNGALOW IN FORT COCHIN, KERALA, INDIA

I had a delightful 10 day stay at the only hotel facing the Arabian Sea at the historic town of Fort Cochin, near the Indian city of Ernakulum in Kerala, India.
Fort Cochin in its  600 odd years of existence (1341 CE), it had received a long list of illustrious visitors, the first among whom was the great Chinese general Zheng He (he left the fishing nets now called Chinese fishing nets). Zheng He visited Cochin four times. in 1500 it was the turn of the Portuguese under the great sailor, Vasco da Gama, who incidentally died in Cochin. All the while the connection to Mesopotamia, Israel, Yemen continued. Then came the Dutch and finally the British. There were local Rajahs, Zamorin of Calicut and other players. I think Ibn Batuta certainly put in an appearance and perhaps even Marco Polo (Cochin possibly did not exist but Muziris did exist up the coast).
Now it has been my turn to turn up at this town. and I always stay at the Bristow Lighthouse Hotel. The GM, Mr Rajesh is extremely hospitable and I am well looked after here. I stayed 10 days and the hotel was my main location. I would go for a walk nearby, but always with sea within the view. I refuse to eat European food while at the hotel, and the chef usually has an innovative Kerals style dish for dinner, with a chilled glass of wine to soothe the tonsils of the fire of the curry.
It was time to leave. I was leaving this tranquility for Paris, on my favourite airline, Qatar Airways. Mr Arvind the Front desk manager suggested that it might be a good gesture if I said good bye personally to all the staff, about 28 of them! It was a sheer pleasure 

 These Cuban dolls will greet you at the reception of the Bristow Lighthouse Bungalow Hotel

 The dining is attached and has a wonderful view of the Arabian sea and on some mornings you can catch glimpses of a dolphin or two 

 One of the two drivers employed by the hotel was eager to take me to the airport. I call him Manolo, his real name is Emmanuel, the other driver being Viji. I try to learn their names and also where they are from, since the majority of the staff are from out of state. 

These journeys are becoming routine to me, as I have been to Fort Cochin so many times, and it is the only place in India that I know.

 Felt a little sad leaving the place, the backwaters soon appears and soon it is on to India and its bustle and hustle.

The Lounge at Cochin International airport is comfortable and there is always a good selection of local food . I know i would be served a sumptous lunch onboard Qatar Airways so I tried to decreae the amount here at the Lounge

 Thinking of my brother Eliyahu who loves Idlys, I had one Idly with Coconut Chutney as well as Sambar.

I hardly ever buy anything at Airport shops, but in Cochin I know a store that sells scarves hand stitched by indigenous people and I decided to add this one to my indigenous scarves.
Soon time to board Qatar Airways flight to Doha, 4 hours and 10 minutes, and the Flight attendant on my side was Jamaica, from Philippines.
Until we see each other again, Good bye to Fort Cochin

HUMAN BEINGS OF THIS PLANET MY FRIEND TONY

We had become friends when we were still medical students. and shared the same hospital when we were training to become specialist physicians.

It was not Medicine that brought us together but our interest in things human..

I had not seen him in decades and dont ask me why, today we got together for a cup of coffee at Latin American Cafe, the same cafe that we had shared coffee and sandwiches as students..

His journey as a Human Being had taken him through a different path. He has become a kind, tolerant, understanding, peaceful person (he was never otherwise but now with greater understanding of life).

we talked for three hours and we both knew that this was just the beginning...

It was a good day for two friends in Miami..