Blocks, bans and black outs.

I have always been a tad worried about blogging in the Middle East.  What if that urban legend is true and someone out there is monitoring, assessing and evaluating my little blog?  So far, I have not come across any major red flags.  Thanks to Maree, however, who sent me an email with attachment (never to be seen by me), I now see that it is possible to be shut down and shut out.   I do hope that my musings remain innocuous enough to escape scrutiny.  My approach has been dedicated to lighthearted banter with occasional attempts at explanation and description that may entertain, inform and possibly bore, friends and family on various homefronts, uninitiated to travel in the Middle East. 

As with writing, photographs are carefully censored - I do not take any where there are signs prohibiting them; like oil pipelines, embassies, government institutions.  Although the other day, I very innocently tried to take a photo of the bay through a beautiful archway in a building, but was waved away by a security officer, who smiled broadly while gesturing with his hands.  (It was some Ministry building I later found out).  I am also very careful about clicking away with a camera in front of men in thobes and women in abayas - some can be quite vociferous in their quest not to be photographed.   Would hate to get on the wrong side of that debate.

Watching movies requires some ingenuity at times, as words - ?!@#, and even whole scenes (you know what they are, you lascivious lot) are bleeped out and cut.   I have a question though - who subscribes to the many porno channels available on tv here?  And if it's not ok for me to wear spaghetti strap dresses, tight and low cut tops, and short shorts and skirts (I see those raised eyebrows - would I ever, anyway!!), why are there so many adverts on tv and in magazines depicting luscious babes in all their voluptuous glory?

Holding hands in public is banned, as is co-habiting with a partner other than a spouse. Everyone is a wife or a husband, or strictly single...or lying.  But then....what about all those girls who hang out at that one hotel bar... and how come they have so much business?  It's a funny thing though, you can see many men holding hands, apparently a gesture of friendship in eastern nations.

Obviously, some topics are more sensitive than others, so here's hoping I don't step on any toes.  One thing I have come to recognize is that no matter which country, on what continent - it is always more expedient to follow and respect the governing rules.  Freedom of speech and expression are still fledglings in this part of the world, and I would prefer to remain anonymous and on the right side of the law.   I have no wish to have the mutawa after me.

And - fledglings grow and take flight.  An article in today's paper caught my eye:  Qatar is bidding for the 2022 World Cup Soccer and will be the first GCC nation to admit Israeli players if they win the bid.  They will also relax the liquor laws and serve alcohol during competition.  I will not be here then, but will keep an interested eye on their bid.

So there you are, when in Rome....or Quito.....or Toronto....or Cape Town .....or Doha....   I am no good at leading the rebel charge anyway.

Shukran. Afwan.

Addendum:  Interesting article in the Qatar Tribune on Nov 12.