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Doboj

Doboj is a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republika Srpska entity. Doboj is at a pivotal point on the rivers Usora, Spreca and Bosna. It is one of those Bosnian towns where you can find Orthodox, Catholic Churches and Mosques close to each other.

By plane
The closest airports are at Tuzla and Banja Luka. If arriving by plane, you can travel via Belgrade (Serbia), Sarajevo (Bosna and Herzegovina) (shorter route), or Zagreb and Dubrovnik (Croatia).

By bus
You can try and find direct bus lines from some of European cities to Doboj, but in that case your journey may be quite long. Buses also run from Belgrade, Sarajevo and other cities.

Bus Zagreb -Doboj Departure: 14:00 Arrival: about 18:00

Price (one-way): about €13.

Bus Belgrade – Doboj
 * Departure:07:00 - Arrival: 13:00
 * Departure:10:00 - Arrival: 16:00
 * Departure:22:30 - Arrival: 04:30

Bus Novi Sad – Doboj
 * Departure:06:00 - Arrival: around 11:00
 * Departure:07:00 - Arrival: around 12:00
 * Departure:07:30 - Arrival: around 12:30

 * To/from Salzburg (Austria) three times per week, with Boro Bus

By train
Railway options are pretty good as Doboj is railway junction of BiH. From European countries, direct lines from Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo and Nis are bus and railway lines, as follows:

Train Zagreb – Doboj Departure: 8:57 Arrival: 14:55 Price (one-way): about €27.

Train Belgrade – Doboj Departure: 15:30 Arrival: 22:30 Price (one-way): about €11.

Train Budapest – Doboj Departure: 17:45 Arrival: 02:27 Price (one-way): about €35.

Train Sarajevo – Doboj Departure: 10:41 Arrival: 13:34 Departure: 20:32 Arrival: 23:25 Price (one-way): about 14 KM.

For more information – www.zrs-rs.com

By car
Doboj is a tourist crossroad of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Magistral road M17.

Get around
Getting around Doboj isn't a big problem, since it's a small city. There are local buses that have routes in Doboj and small towns in the municipality. Taxis can be seen around Doboj occasionally.

See

 * Doboj fortress is now one of the main tourist attractions in Bosnia and Hezegovina. Enhanced by the Bosnian aristocracy Kotromanic (13th century) and the Ottomans when they arrived in Doboj in the 16th century. Much of it is still intact and the view from the fortress's hilltop position is worth the climb.
 * One of the attractive spots nearby is Mount Ozren, the mountain right next to Doboj.
 * There are a few 13th-century monasteries, St. Nichola’s Monastery near Petrovo being the most interesting among them.
 * Goransko lake - beautiful place 7 km from Doboj with good tourist offers: camping place, swimming, grill places, benches, natural creek, parking, restaurant, children playground...
 * Preslica - part of Ozren mount. Restaurant, good natural resources, benches and tables, stage for performances.

Do

 * The most interesting place in Doboj and famous Bosnian tourist attraction is Doboj Fortress (in picture). There is a rich tourist offer: children playground, coffee shop, concerts, poet nights, knight battle, exhibition, volunteer camps, theatre, etc.
 * Doboj cafes (Orange Bar, Glamour, Havana, La linea) are really relaxing and are located in the Centre of Doboj. There are good restaurants (Fisherman story, City, Dalmatia), nightclubs (Moskva, Hole), discotheques (Dzungla), pubs (Irish Pub), shopping centers (BMD, TROPIC), librarys, the Regional Museum, a theatre.
 * If you are visiting Doboj in summer main attraction is the Džungla bazeni. It known to be one of the best pools in Bosnia. If you are lucky a famous Serbian, Bosnian or Croatian singer my have a concert at Džungla bazeni. The pool also has a night club which is great for night life in Doboj.
 * There are also beautiful churches, mosques and synagogues to see in Doboj.

Buy
For some tourists that visit Doboj shopping might not be cheap compared to where they come from.

Currency in Bosnia and Herzegovina is called Konvertibile or Bosnian Mark (KM/BAM). 1 euro=1.95KM. Money can be exchanged in exchange offices or banks, or picked up on one of numerous cash mashines placed all over the town. Also all products and services in BiH can be paid in euros.

To give you an idea about prices of things, here are prices of several products: a bottle of water 1-2 KM, a juice in a coffee shop 1.5-2.5KM, sandwich 1-1.5 KM, coffee (in a coffee shop) 1 KM, phone card for a phone booth (for local and international calls) is between 5 and 10 KM.

Buy souvenirs from Doboj Fortress, bottle of domestic Rakia Medovaca (domestic brandy), or a bottle of Sljivovica.

Eat
Cevapcici- National brand. Pljeskavica, burek, raznjici, pizza, burek, cicvara, proja.

Drink
Rakija Medovacha -domestic honey brandy, Rakija Sljivovica-Domestic brandy and domestic beer.Also you can taste Drenjak juice-domestic product. You can taste it in Coffee shop on Doboj Fortress. www.dobojskatvrdjava.rs.ba

Sleep
Doboj has a few hotels.

Go next
By bus or by train (to Sarajevo, Jajce,Travnik, Zagreb, Novi Sad, Dubrovnik).

title: Doboj


text:
Northern Dobruja

Dobruja (Dobrogea) is a region in south-eastern Romania, between the Danube and the Black Sea. It consists of the counties of Constanta and Tulcea.

Cities

Other destinations

 * — home to one of Romania's largest and most impressive antique monuments, the Tropaeum Traiani, built around 109 AD on the orders of the Roman emperor Traja] to commemorate his wars against the Dacians.
 * — the relatively well preserved ruins of the Greek colony of Histria, the first urban settlement in today's Romania (founded around 650 BC), are near this village.
 * — a tranquil village nestled along Lake Razim in Romania, beckons visitors with its rich history and serene ambiance. Dating back to the 19th century, it offers insights into the cultural heritage of the Lipovans, a Russian Orthodox Old Believers community.
 * — the oldest mountain range in Romania, the highest peak is 467 m, and it is a staging post for migratory birds.
 * — the oldest mountain range in Romania, the highest peak is 467 m, and it is a staging post for migratory birds.

Understand
Northern Dobruja is a region with a very rich past, being under the occupation of, first, the Dacian tribes, then the Greeks, then the Romans, then the Byzantines, then the Romanians, of the Ottomans and again the Romanians. For that reason, there is a very diverse region in sense of religious, ethnical and cultural matters, being inhabited by Romanians, Tatars, Aromanians, Greeks and Muslims. Even not very frequented by international tourists it is a well known destination within Romanians, being visited by millions of people every year, especially in the summer.

It is also important to know that it offers access to Black Sea to Romania so it has a very strong economy, Constanta being the engine of that economy. Constanta port is one of the biggest in Europe and is also a fluvial port, having direct access to Danube-Black Sea canal.

By plane

By train
There are 7 - 8 daily trains from Bucharest to Constanta (some of them leave from Bucharest's Obor train station, not from Gara de Nord). The journey from Bucharest to Constanta takes about 1 hr 30 min. In summer, there are direct trains to Constanta from most regions in Romania (from cities like Cluj, Oradea, Brasov, Timisoara, Iasi, and others).

The only direct train from Bucharest to Tulcea leaves from Bucharest Obor train station.

Check train timetables online.

By car
The Bucharest—Constanta motorway has considerably improved travel times by car to this region.

Buses and minibuses from Bucharest to Constanta and the Black Sea resorts are very frequent; check online for timetables. There are also buses from Istanbul to Constanta.

In summer there are direct buses from various cities in Romania, and across the border to the resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast and to Varna.

By road
The roads in Northern Dobruja are generally better then in the rest of Romania. That and the fact that the region is formed only by two counties make the journeys around Dobruja quite easy. Even so, the main road transportation hub is Constanta so if you are traveling between Constanta to another city there shouldn’t be any problem by getting there, but if you are traveling between two other cities (example from Tulcea to Cernavodă) it may not be so easy. The buses are quite cheap and you can find routes between most of the cities and all major tourist attractions.

By train
Except for the line between Constanta and Cernavodă, the rest of the railway are not electrified. There are daily trains from Constanta to Tulcea, Cernavodă and Mangalia and their number is increasing in the summer, but they are more expensive then a bus and take about the same time like one to arrive at destination. The delays should be take into account. The level of comfort depends by train types (the ones with longer journeys and fewer stops are generally better) and by the rail company.

See
Constanta is the oldest continually inhabited city in Romania (since the 6th century BC). You can find there Greek and Roman ruins, including the largest Roman mosaic ever found. Just 40 km (25 miles) north from Constanta there are the ruins of the oldest attested city in Romania, Histria, dating back to 7th century BC.

Dobruja was part for 5 centuries of the Ottoman Empire so you can still find here the largest concentration of Muslims and Greeks. That’s why there are many Greek Orthodox churches and there are still remaining a few mosques (like the Constanta mosque, the only one in the world made entire by concrete and build by king Carol I of Romania in the 19th century as a gift to the Muslim community).

In the north of the region there is located the Danube Delta, the only delta in the world that is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and that covers almost a third of Northern Dobruja (including the Razim lagoon, one of the biggest in Europe). You can find there 360 species of birds, 45 species of freshwater fish plus many species of saltwater fish and larger animals ( like stags, foxes, boars, wild horses, jackals etc.)

In the western part of the territory there are Dobruja mountains, which are the oldest in Romania and where are large wine plantations.

Do

 * There are many seaside resorts in Constanta county, which are easily accessible and are right for most type of tastes and travel budgets.The beaches are wide in most of them and there white sands are unique in Europe. Many beaches are served by bars, restaurants made even clubs. While the prices are generally fare at the beginning and at the end of the summer season, in August they can be three or even four times bigger then are you expecting to be. That and the fact that beaches can get very crowded especially at the afternoon are a reason to visit the resorts in June or at the beginning of September.
 * Water sports are available in bigger resorts and range from scuba diving to water skiing.
 * You can have a cruise with a sailing vessel, that can take from a few hours to one day.

Drink
One of the best wines in Romania are from North Dobruja. Even so, there are little chances to find good wine in the tourist areas of seaside resorts so you should ask for exclusive locals (where good wines are generally served) or for wine cellars (which are almost always located in the proximity of Danube).

Beside wines, like in other parts of Romania, traditionally soft drinks like pălincă or țuică ca-n be easily found.

Beer is generally of good quality, but, as you should aspect from a tourist region, beer brands are quite limited, especially draft beers.

Stay safe
Like in many crowded tourist places, you should be aware of pickpocketing. Keep your objects in your front pockets and watch up your purse. Even so the risk is not so big in smaller towns or in less crowded places. If you are at the beach don’t leave your objects unattended and ask somebody near you to keep an eye on them. Scams are also something that you should be aware of.

Nightclubs are places where drugs are very present so keep constantly an eye on your drink.

These are problems that happen only at places frequented by youth in large cities. In the countryside, this is not a problem.

Topless is tolerated on most of the beaches; the number of women practicing it is incredible. Naturism, on the other way, is tolerated on just some beaches on the entire coast, and also practiced on the beaches near Sulina and Sfântul Gheorghe, on the mouth of the Danube. On those beaches, naturism is (theoretically) forbidden, but if no other people get offended, there shouldn't by a problem. Most people walk in bathing suits; even some bars and restaurants allow access in bathing suits.

Dobruja is a multicultural and multiethnic region so be careful when speaking about one ethnic group traditions or religion or when comparing two groups.

Go next

 * Danube Delta UNESCO World Heritage Site- of wetlands formed by tens of diversely ecosystems.
 * Southern Dobruja Bulgarian part of Dobruja
 * Bucharest Romania’s financial and cultural central
 * Brăila One of the biggest ports on the Danube with a multicultural background.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Northern Dobruja


text:
Dodecanese

The Dodecanese Islands are an island group in the South Aegean Islands of Greece.

Islands

 * is a small and not much developed island, between Kos and Amorgos.
 * is a small and not much developed island, very close to Rhodes.
 * is a beautiful island, between Kos and Leros, close to the coast of western Turkey.
 * is between Rhodes and Crete.
 * is the third largest of the Dodecanese and the second most popular and touristy island after Rhodes.
 * is less crowded than other islands
 * is a small island to the south of Kos, home to Greece's only 'active' volcano.
 * is north of Leros. It is one of the most religious Greek Islands because it is where Saint John the Divine had its revelation and wrote the Apocalypse.
 * is a small island between Rhodes and Kos.
 * is the largest and the most popular and touristy island of the Dodecanese.
 * is a small and remote island, between Kos and Rhodes, visited by campers and peace seekers.
 * is north of Leros. It is one of the most religious Greek Islands because it is where Saint John the Divine had its revelation and wrote the Apocalypse.
 * is a small island between Rhodes and Kos.
 * is the largest and the most popular and touristy island of the Dodecanese.
 * is a small and remote island, between Kos and Rhodes, visited by campers and peace seekers.

By plane
Kos International Airport, Kalymnos Island National Airport.

title: Dodecanese


text:
Dodge City

Dodge City is a town of 27,000 people (2019) in Western region of Kansas. In and around the city, there are historical sites, museums, and landmarks dedicated to Dodge City's Old West heritage.

Understand
In 1865 Fort Dodge was constructed along the Santa Fe Trail to help protect travelers from Indians. Dodge City was formed near the fort in the years that followed. In the 1870s it exemplified the spirit of the Wild West portrayed in American television and movies, most notably in the American television show Gunsmoke, which was set in Dodge City and popularized the phrase "Get the hell out of Dodge."

The town had its heyday during the cattle drives of the late 1800s as quarantines made it one of the few places along the railroad where Texas ranchers could bring their cattle. This quarantine, created to protect other breeds of cattle from a parasitic tick carried by longhorns, was extended to Dodge City in 1885, essentially ending the town's run as the "Queen of the Cow Towns". By 1886 the gambling saloons, brothels, and other notorious establishments that had built the town's reputation had mostly closed. The connection to the cattle trade remained, however, and can be seen in the meatpacking plants and the lines of refrigerated trucks on the highways.

Most of western Kansas has struggled with de-population since the 1970s, but Dodge City was a center of population growth from the 1970s through the 2010s. It is now a majority–minority community, with nearly two-thirds of the residents being Latino.

By car
The most common way of getting to Dodge City is by car, and is a worthwhile stop for anyone road-tripping along the US-50, which goes from Garden City on the western end of the state, through Dodge City and Emporia, before angling up to Kansas City in the east.

By train
Arriving by rail is less common, but fully possible via Amtrak and its daily Chicago–Los Angeles Southwest Chief train, which has five other stops within Kansas and many more outside it. East-bound trains (next major stop outside of Kansas: Kansas City) arrive just before midnight, while west-bound ones (next major stop:  Albuquerque, New Mexico) arrive in the early morning around 5:30AM.

Buy
While the cowboy-era downtown buildings were torn down in the 1970s, the "new" downtown maintains a frontier feel and offers dozens of shops ranging from vintage photos and art galleries to the more utilitarian.

Sleep
Hotel options tend to be large chains, with a few no-name budget motels with little to recommend them beyond the price. Almost all of the hotels are along US Highway 50, mostly on the western side of town. There are four RV parks.

There are also a couple dozen home stay rentals available in town and in the surrounding area. These generally run about $150 a night and have two or three beds.

Go next

 * Wichita, the largest city anchored in Kansas, is about 150 miles (250 km) east of Dodge City.

title: Dodge City


text:
Dodoma

Located in Central Tanzania, Dodoma is the political capital of Tanzania.

Understand
In 1973, Dodoma was designated the new political capital of Tanzania. New parliament buildings were erected and plans were drafted to shift all government ministry offices to Dodoma by the early 1980s. However, due to limited water supplies, other environmental factors, and cost, this proved difficult and the plan was all but forgotten for several decades. However under the presidency of John Magufuli, the government move has been stepped up. Most ministries have now moved to Dodoma (or are in the process of moving) and most government meetings now take place there. Embassies as well as UN agencies remain in Dar es Salaam.

Climate
Dodoma's dry season lasts fro May to November. The biggest share of Dodoma's annual rainfall (~600 mm) occurs during the wet season (December-April).

By bus
There are many daily buses from Dar es Salaam. Driving time is 7-8 hours with a stop in Morogoro. Shabiby buses leave from Ubungo and use luxury buses. Around 11AM, air-conditioned buses with more legroom leave from Dar and from Dodoma. There are also buses to and from Arusha via Kondoa to the north. The road is paved and travel time is around 8 hours. There are buses from Dodoma going to Mwanza which take around 8 hours a long a good new road. There are also buses to and from Iringa. Travel time is about 6 hours on a winding gravel road of varying quality. The road passes right over the Mtera Dam, which is worth a look.

By train
Dodoma is on the Central Railway Line which goes from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza or Kigoma. If you are in a hurry the better choice is by bus for Dodoma to Mwanza. If the train service is running and you are heading west to Kigoma the train is better, especially in the rainy season.
 * the train departs Dodoma on Friday and Monday at 6:40PM and you get to Dar the next day at 8:50AM.
 * the train departs Dodoma on Wednesday and Saturday at 8:10AM and you get to Mwanza the next day at 7:25AM.

A high-speed rail link is being constructed between Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Dodoma and Tabora and the first section (Dar-Morogoro) is due to open in 2024.

By plane
Commercial flights between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma are available with the national carrier Air Tanzania, with Precision Air, and (at a higher price) with Auric Air. Flights can book up quickly so it is advised to buy tickets online in advance.

Mission Aviation Fellowships' (MAF) small planes fly throughout the country; they have a regular shuttle between Dodoma and Arusha every Monday and also fly regularly to Nairobi and Mbeya. It is also possible to join other flights; for more information see their website and subscribe to their Joiner List.

Get around
There are many minibuses (dala dala) in Dodoma and getting around is easy. Taxis are plentiful too and Bolt (formerly Taxify) now operates in the city. There are three bus stations: city, at a place called Jamatini; medium distance, at the Saba Saba bus stand, to moderate-distance places such as Mpwapwa and Mvumi. Long-distance busses leave from the main stand near the Parliament buildings. Some companies, e.g. Scandinavia, maintain their own bus stands.

Another way to get around is by bike. There are several places in town which sell or rent (TSh 5,000/day) bikes.

See

Buy

Eat
Chef Asili provides Tanzanian food as well as European options such as steaks and pizzas. Prices are reasonable and the restaurant is popular with government officials and MPs. No alcohol and serves food only after sunset during Ramadan.

New Dodoma Hotel has excellent European, Tanzanian, and Asian food. There is also a Chinese restaurant of excellent quality (the owners are Chinese). Meals begin around TSh 3000 at the snack bar and go up to TSh 12,000. Drinks start at TSh 2,000 for a Kilimanjaro domestic beer.

VETA has good food, when they eventually bring it to you, but choice can be limited unless you are there during Parliament sessions. Prices are reasonable.

Nam Hotel also has excellent food, at reasonable prices. It's on the other side of the airfield.

Aladin's Cave Market Street near Victory Bookshop, good milk shakes, home made ice cream, yoghurt, pizza and burgers. Opening hours 9:30AM-1PM and 3PM-6PM.

Roses's Cafe next to Cana Lodge, good and cheap Indian food (from TSh 2,000, Thali TSh 5,000), popular with expats, M-Sa 8AM-4PM and 6PM-10PM.

Leone l'Africano Area C north of the airfield, great original Italian pizza and pasta in very atmospheric setting, playground for kids. midget golf. Closed on Mondays. Once in the two weeks at Wednesday there is movie night (see: http://www.dodomacineclub.info )

There are two great places for ordering traditional grilled pork (kiti moto). One is down the road from VETA at the highway junction. A kilo of meat with kachumbari salad will cost about TSh 2500. The other is on the other side of the air field at Jacana Park. Prices comparable. If you are fond of animals, hold your ears when they slaughter the pig.

There are also more atmospheric places, fresh and tasty on the Uhindini Road, across from Victory Bookshop, at reasonable prices.

Drink
NK Disco operates on Friday nights and is popular with the younger set. A nice place to have a quiet drink and watch TV is at VETA.

Dodoma Wine and Cheese Hut is a charming outdoor wine bar offering Dodoma made wine by the glass or by the bottle, as well as cheese plates and pizzas.

Sleep
For those on a budget CCT church hostel, near the roundabout has clean double rooms, self-contained toilet, for TSh 15,000. Breakfast is included, but very basic. They do make an excellent omelet.

Go next

 * Mwanza
 * Morogoro
 * Dar es Salaam
 * Arusha
 * Iringa

title: Dodoma


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Dogon Country

Dogon Country (French: Pays Dogon) is the name used for a region of south-central Mali renowned for its secluded villages embedded on cliffs that are up to 500 m tall which were inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989. These are near the city of Bandiagara.

The Dogon people have been living in this area for 1,000 years following their refusal to be converted forcibly to Islam. This then led to the development of their own religion, culture, and language. Most visitors to Dogon Country will start in one of the major towns such as Bandiagara and trek to smaller villages.

Villages
The main reason to take on the expense and time of going to Dogon Country is to hike the many small villages that exist there, perched either up on the plateau or down in the sandy lowland. Below are the villages that are most commonly visited.

Southern Plateau

 * Begnimato - Housing is available.
 * Dourou - On the top of the plateau and a trail head to villages such as Nombori. Also a good place to buy the indigo fabrics on market day, although haggling will be tough.  Housing is available.
 * Songo - Very accessible from the main road and has luscious paintings on a cliff where they perform traditional male circumcisions. Officially, women aren't allowed in the place, but foreign women are as long as they aren't of African descent.  A local guide costs 3,000 CFA.  Housing is available.

Northern Plateau

 * Bamba - Housing is available.
 * Kassa - Housing is available.
 * Koundou - Housing is available.
 * Sanga - A common trail head to the Youga villages as well as several more. Housing is available.
 * Yendouma - Housing is available.
 * Youga - Actually a series of three villages on a loop in the northern area that are best approach from Sanga or driving close to them via 4x4. Housing is available.

Lowland

 * Amani - No housing.
 * Banani - Housing is available.
 * Endé - Housing is available.
 * Guimini - No housing.
 * Ibi - No housing.
 * Idjeli-na - An additional walk of about 4-km round trip from Nombori and also a very picturesque village in the area. Recommended for those who make it early enough to Nombori to complete the trip in a day or who plan to stay overnight.  No housing.
 * Ireli - Housing is available.
 * Kani-Kombolé - Housing is available.
 * Komokani - No housing.
 * Nombori - With a staggering approach through a gorge on the cliff above, Nombori is an excellent hike in for those looking to make just a day trip and see a typical village of the area that has old Telem homes in the rocks above the village. A local guide costs 3,000 CFA and is really necessary as it is quite easy to stumble in to an area that the people hold sacred.  Approximately 10-km round trip hike from Dourou and it is recommend to hire a local kid for 3,000 CFA to lead you down there as while the trail is good, it is easy to get lost at various points and the scramble down the cliff is arduous.  Housing is available.
 * Ourou - No housing.
 * Teli - Housing is available.
 * Tireli - Housing is available.
 * Yaba-Talu - Housing is available.
 * Yawa - Housing is available.
 * Yaye - No housing.

Understand
Dogon Country's villages lie among the plains, and especially the cliffs along the Bandiagara Escarpment. For obvious reasons, it's rather difficult to reach the steep cliffside villages, where the Dogons have lived to protect themselves from potentially hostile neighbors, as well as wild animals. Today, the vast majority of the population lives in the plains below the escarpment in more recently constructed villages, but the old homes remain, and are taken care of and in excellent shape.

The Guide to guides
From the moment you step off the bus, open your car door, sit down in a restaurant, or have a stretch outside your hotel, you will most likely have someone offering to be your guide through Dogon Country. They can be quite insistent, annoying, and act to be offended if you yell at them to go away. Some travelers have mused that the sole purpose of hiring a guide is merely to chase off other would-be guides.

Do you actually need a guide? Numerous guidebooks will tell you that you do, while some allude to the fact that actually you don't. The guides in Dogon will almost always tell you that you do and there are even some signs telling you that entry to the village is prohibited without a guide. The truth of the matter is that really, you aren't required to have a guide. There are some caveats to this:

 * Language - If you don't speak French, you will indeed have to have a guide as there are very few people in the villages that speak that many extra languages, although English is gaining ground on French.
 * Hassle - Traveling without a guide is indeed more difficult as you have to negotiate everything yourself and for those who don't enjoy haggling or have the time to do this, a guide makes things easier.
 * Respect - Guides are useful in stopping you from making a mistake or walking somewhere you shouldn't in the villages, which can incur a fine for sacrificing an animal to purify the grounds you have defiled. Of course, you don't need a guide from Bandiagara or Mopti to help you with this and hiring someone locally for 3,000 CFA upon arrival will work fine.

If you do decide to use a guide, how much should he (they are always men) cost? Again, guidebooks will generally quote the amount at around 10,000-15,000 CFA per person, per day, which gets quite costly quite fast and explains why so many people are trying to act as guides given that most people in Mali earn about 1,000 CFA a day. Most will ask for a great deal more than this amount initially and you will absolutely have to haggle him down. Due to the incredible amounts of money spent by various travelers to Dogon Country, some will even start out their prices at 50,000 CFA per person, per day.

The price you pay can include any variety of things, but it should absolutely include visiting 2-3 villages per day, the tax for those villages, and meals. It will not include drinks (which are quite expensive in Dogon Country) or transportation. If you can, insist on writing up a contract prior to leaving so that there is no changing of plans during the trip. Proper agencies, while more expensive should always print a contract as well as require the money upfront.

If you opt to hire a local guide upon arrival to the villages, they will generally charge about 3,000 CFA for everyone as well as the village tax (generally from 1,000-3,000 CFA.) For those wishing to save money, directly support those who choose to stay in their villages to carry on the traditions, as well as discourage the guide industry seen in larger towns, this is a good balance of options. For those wishing to have someone lead them on a hike (e.g., from Dourou to Nombori), a local can be hired for 3,000 CFA to walk you down. Again, it directly supports the local people and works well for those willing to adventure a little.

Talk
The local Dogon language is spoken by everyone, but due to its popularity with tourists French remains the lingua franca. English is spoken by only a handful of tour guides in the entire region and practically no one outside the handful of cosmopolitan (relatively speaking) base camps/towns. A working knowledge of French is essential unless travelling with one of the few guides who speak English.

Get in
Unfortunately you have to hire some kind of car to get in to the heart of Dogon, whether you rent it with or without a driver. With a driver, cars in Mopti will generally costs 50,000 CFA per day plus gas. You might be able to haggle them down to 25,000 if you're going to rent it multiple days or it is the low season, but it will be money hard-won. Drivers are difficult as they generally don't like to drive and if you want to visit three villages in a day, most will get grumpy, which means you will have to be firm and emphasize your plan.

Bandiagara, Bankass, Douentza are the three main town entry points in to Dogon and places where you can find a never-ending supply of harassing guides as well as supplies for the trip, although they will cost a great deal more than in a town such as Mopti.

For those who will make the hike down in the villages, the most common starting point are the larger villages of: Kani-Kombolé, Djiguibombo, Endé, Dourou, and Sanga.

Get around
There are almost no roads in the region, except those connecting a couple of towns used as base camps with the neighboring regions. You will need to go on foot and be in relatively good shape. A number of the hikes are quite strenuous, although you'll see village women trekking up them with piles of goods on their heads. Despite the fact that the Dogon people walk these trails in sandals, it is advisable for anyone visiting to wear either a sturdy pair of running shoes or hiking boots depending upon your needs.

See
There are hundreds of unique towns scattered throughout the region and while all are unique and, while there is no "typical" Dogon village, most can be found built into the sides of hills and escarpments.

Itineraries
People generally plan any number of approaches to Dogon Country. Most common is to spend about three days which allows one to visit several villages, stay in them (amenities are generally rather comfortable all things considered) and then get out. Day trips are also quite doable to a number of villages, such as Nombori. Villages like Songo can be visited in a morning.

There is also the opportunity to spend a week or more hiking the entire escarpment. This is recommended only for the truly adventurous who want to take the time to plan out the trip and be prepared to buy supplies en route.

Do

 * Villages - Whether you enter with a one or many day trip, it is well-worth the journey. See the top of this article for a more detailed listing.
 * Kola Nuts - Buy them in a town such as Bandiagara and give them to people such as the village chiefs or elders. While seemingly a minor detail, they are inherited from a very old tradition and are much appreciated.  Plus, they allow visitors to interact in more authentic manner with people than just handing out money.

Buy
Many of the villages have learned the value of tourism and while the culture remains strong and the villages remain spectacular, expect to pay for everything from entering each village to photographing anything inside villages to meeting certain people (i.e. chiefs). Most villages will sell arts and crafts to tourists.

Eat
Towns will generally sell small quantities of food to tourists, but there are no restaurants outside the couple of major base towns. You will likely be sharing a meal with a family. You should bring food with you to eat, although there is food to be had in the more recent small guest-houses, where they will feed you sauce (occasionally meat sauce) over rice, noodles, or couscous. It's simple, but quite tasty and cheap.

Water is a scarce commodity (do not expect to use water for bathing or hand washing) and you should bring some with you, especially to prevent dehydration while trekking between villages.

Drink
There is no alcohol to be found outside of the couple of base towns, where you'll find beer, coke, and bottled water for about 1,000CFA. It is more cost effective to stock up on supplies in a town such as Mopti where you will find a greater selection and better, albeit still high prices. Inside Dogon Country, a 1.5-liter bottle of the Malian Diago brand of water will costs around 1,250 CFA, although it is often the case that they will lower it if you buy more.

Respect
Dogons are very spiritual and visitors should be very keen to respect their beliefs. One should always ask if it is appropriate to photograph something. Altars may look like piles of dirt to the untrained eye and religious buildings may look like just a house, both of which (along with people, unless you ask permission) should not be photographed.

Stay safe
If trekking, you should be in good physical shape and carry and drink lots of water to prevent dehydration. Head covering is also recommended as the midday sun is exceedingly strong and can even catch a well-hydrated traveler offguard. Good, sturdy shoes, whether general running/walking type or hiking boots are recommended for the treks as the terrain can be difficult to traverse on some of them.

Many people find walking poles to be helping for the flatter parts of the trip, but in general, they are a hindrance, especially when navigating steep areas. Use your own judgment when carrying them, but they will be deadweight and awkward if you find you don't need them.

Lastly, be careful of snakes in brush (although most are nocturnal).

Go next

 * Mopti — It is the nearest large town with all the supplies people could need as well as good connections back to Bamako.

title: Dogon Country


text:
Dogon phrasebook

Dogon is the main language family of Dogon Country, Mali. While there are a dozen different languages under this classification, this phrasebook focuses on Toro So (native to the village of Sanga), as it is both the best studied and mutually intelligible with the other escarpment varieties—those which travelers are most likely to encounter.

Pronunciation guide
Dogon languages are tonal, with two tones.

Vowels

 * u : like pool
 * ò : short oo sound similar to put
 * è : like bed

Consonants

 * c : like ty
 * g : strong 'g'
 * j : like dy
 * s : strong 's'

Basics

 * Hello. :Seuw. (say-oo)
 * Hello. (informal) : . ( )
 * How are you? :U seewo? ( ?)
 * Fine, thank you. :Se seewo. ( )
 * What is your name? :Boy wo? ( ?)
 * My name is ______ . :Boy ma ____. ( _____ .)
 * Nice to meet you. : . ( )
 * Please. : . ( )
 * Thank you. :Bira po. ( )
 * You're welcome. : . ( )
 * Yes. :Ha/òò. ( )
 * No. :Ay. ( )
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : . ( )
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : . ( )
 * I'm sorry. : . ( )
 * Goodbye :Konè. ( )
 * Goodbye (informal) : . ( )
 * I can't speak Dogon [well]. : []. ( [ ])
 * Do you speak English? : ? ( ?)
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? :Òni inè English so jè? ( ?)
 * Help! : ! ( !)
 * Look out! : ! ( !)
 * Good morning. :Aga po. ( )
 * Good evening. :Diganai po. ( )
 * Good night. :Yogo sègè mo. ( )
 * Good night (to sleep) : . ( )
 * I don't understand. :Mun è gèrè. ( )
 * Where is the toilet? :Di diun? ( ?)

Problems

 * Leave me alone. : . ( .)
 * Don't touch me! : ! ( !)
 * I'll call the police. : . ( .)
 * Police! : ! ( !)
 * Stop! Thief! : ! ! ( ! !)
 * I need your help. : . ( .)
 * It's an emergency. : . ( .)
 * I'm lost. : . ( .)
 * I lost my bag. : . ( .)
 * I lost my wallet. : . ( .)
 * I'm sick. : . ( .)
 * I've been injured. : . ( .)
 * I need a doctor. : . ( .)
 * Can I use your phone? : ? ( ?)

Numbers

 * 1 : ( )
 * 2 : ( )
 * 3 : ( )
 * 4 : ( )
 * 5 : ( )
 * 6 : ( )
 * 7 : ( )
 * 8 : ( )
 * 9 : ( )
 * 10 : ( )
 * 11 : ( )
 * 12 : ( )
 * 13 : ( )
 * 14 : ( )
 * 15 : ( )
 * 16 : ( )
 * 17 : ( )
 * 18 : ( )
 * 19 : ( )
 * 20 : ( )
 * 21 : ( )
 * 22 : ( )
 * 23 : ( )
 * 30 : ( )
 * 40 : ( )
 * 50 : ( )
 * 60 : ( )
 * 70 : ( )
 * 80 : ( )
 * 90 : ( )
 * 100 : ( )
 * 200 : ( )
 * 300 : ( )
 * 1,000 : ( )
 * 2,000 : ( )
 * 1,000,000 : ( )
 * 1,000,000,000 : ( )
 * 1,000,000,000,000 : ( )
 * number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : ( )
 * half : ( )
 * less : ( )
 * more : ( )

Time

 * now : ( )
 * later : ( )
 * before : ( )
 * morning : ( )
 * afternoon : ( )
 * evening : ( )
 * night : ( )

Clock time

 * one o'clock AM : ( )
 * two o'clock AM : ( )
 * noon : ( )
 * one o'clock PM : ( )
 * two o'clock PM : ( )
 * midnight : ( )

Duration

 * _____ minute(s) : ( )
 * _____ hour(s) : ( )
 * _____ day(s) : ( )
 * _____ week(s) : ( )
 * _____ month(s) : ( )
 * _____ year(s) : ( )

Days

 * today : ( )
 * yesterday : ( )
 * tomorrow : ( )
 * this week : ( )
 * last week : ( )
 * next week : ( )

 * Sunday : ( )
 * Monday : ( )
 * Tuesday : ( )
 * Wednesday : ( )
 * Thursday : ( )
 * Friday : ( )
 * Saturday : ( )

Months

 * January : ( )
 * February : ( )
 * March : ( )
 * April : ( )
 * May : ( )
 * June : ( )
 * July : ( )
 * August : ( )
 * September : ( )
 * October : ( )
 * November : ( )
 * December : ( )

Colors

 * black : ( )
 * white : ( )
 * gray : ( )
 * red : ( )
 * blue : ( )
 * yellow : ( )
 * green : ( )
 * orange : ( )
 * purple : ( )
 * brown : ( )

Bus and train

 * How much is a ticket to _____? : ( )
 * One ticket to _____, please. : ( )
 * Where does this train/bus go? : ( )
 * Where is the train/bus to _____? : ( )
 * Does this train/bus stop in _____? : ( )
 * When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : ( )
 * When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : ( )

Directions

 * How do I get to _____ ? : ( )
 * ...the train station? : ( )
 * ...the bus station? : ( )
 * ...the airport? : ( )
 * ...downtown? : ( )
 * ...the youth hostel? : ( )
 * ...the _____ hotel? : ( )
 * ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ( )
 * Where are there a lot of... : ( )
 * ...hotels? : ( )
 * ...restaurants? : ( )
 * ...bars? : ( )
 * ...sites to see? : ( )
 * Can you show me on the map? : ( )
 * street : ( )
 * Turn left. : ( )
 * Turn right. : ( )
 * left : ( )
 * right : ( )
 * straight ahead : ( )
 * towards the _____ : ( )
 * past the _____ : ( )
 * before the _____ : ( )
 * Watch for the _____. : ( )
 * intersection : ( )
 * north : ( )
 * south : ( )
 * east : ( )
 * west : ( )
 * uphill : ( )
 * downhill : ( )

Taxi

 * Taxi! : ( )
 * Take me to _____, please. : ( )
 * How much does it cost to get to _____? : ( )
 * Take me there, please. : ( )

Lodging

 * Do you have any rooms available? : ( )
 * How much is a room for one person/two people? : ( )
 * Does the room come with... : ( )
 * ...bedsheets? : ( )
 * ...a bathroom? : ( )
 * ...a telephone? : ( )
 * ...a TV? : ( )
 * May I see the room first? : ( )
 * Do you have anything quieter? : ( )
 * ...bigger? : ( )
 * ...cleaner? : ( )
 * ...cheaper? : ( )
 * OK, I'll take it. : ( )
 * I will stay for _____ night(s). : ( )
 * Can you suggest another hotel? : ( )
 * Do you have a safe? : ( )
 * ...lockers? : ( )
 * Is breakfast/supper included? : ( )
 * What time is breakfast/supper? : ( )
 * Please clean my room. : ( )
 * Can you wake me at _____? : ( )
 * I want to check out. : ( )

Money

 * Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : ( )
 * Do you accept British pounds? : ( )
 * Do you accept euros? : ( )
 * Do you accept credit cards? : ( )
 * Can you change money for me? : ( )
 * Where can I get money changed? : ( )
 * Can you change a traveler's check for me? : ( )
 * Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : ( )
 * What is the exchange rate? : ( )
 * Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : ( )

Eating

 * A table for one person/two people, please. : ( )
 * Can I look at the menu, please? : ( )
 * Can I look in the kitchen? : ( )
 * Is there a house specialty? : ( )
 * Is there a local specialty? : ( )
 * I'm a vegetarian. : ( )
 * I don't eat pork. : ( )
 * I don't eat beef. : ( )
 * I only eat kosher food. : ( )
 * Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) : ( )
 * fixed-price meal : ( )
 * a la carte : ( )
 * breakfast : ( )
 * lunch : ( )
 * tea (meal) : ( )
 * supper : ( )
 * I want _____. : ( )
 * I want a dish containing _____. : ( )
 * chicken : ( )
 * beef : ( )
 * fish : ( )
 * ham : ( )
 * sausage : ( )
 * cheese : ( )
 * eggs : ( )
 * salad : ( )
 * (fresh) vegetables :  ( )
 * (fresh) fruit : ( )
 * bread : ( )
 * toast : ( )
 * noodles : ( )
 * rice : ( )
 * beans : ( )
 * May I have a glass of _____? : ( )
 * May I have a cup of _____? : ( )
 * May I have a bottle of _____? : ( )
 * coffee : ( )
 * tea (drink) : ( )
 * juice : ( )
 * (bubbly) water : ( )
 * (still) water : ( )
 * beer : ( )
 * red/white wine : ( )
 * May I have some _____? : ( )
 * salt : ( )
 * black pepper : ( )
 * butter : ( )
 * Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): ( )
 * I'm finished. : ( )
 * It was delicious. : ( )
 * Please clear the plates. : ( )
 * The check, please. : ( )

Bars

 * Do you serve alcohol? : ( )
 * Is there table service? : ( )
 * A beer/two beers, please. : ( )
 * A glass of red/white wine, please. : ( )
 * A pint, please. : ( )
 * A bottle, please. : ( )
 * _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. : ( )
 * whiskey : ( )
 * vodka : ( )
 * rum : ( )
 * water : ( )
 * club soda : ( )
 * tonic water : ( )
 * orange juice : ( )
 * Coke (soda) : ( )
 * Do you have any bar snacks? : ( )
 * One more, please. : ( )
 * Another round, please. : ( )
 * When is closing time? : ( )
 * Cheers! : ( )

Shopping

 * Do you have this in my size? : ( )
 * How much is this? : ( )
 * That's too expensive. : ( )
 * Would you take _____? : ( )
 * expensive : ( )
 * cheap : ( )
 * I can't afford it. : ( )
 * I don't want it. : ( )
 * You're cheating me. : ( )
 * I'm not interested. : (..)
 * OK, I'll take it. : ( )
 * Can I have a bag? : ( )
 * Do you ship (overseas)? : ( )
 * I need... : ( )
 * ...toothpaste. : ( )
 * ...a toothbrush. : ( )
 * ...tampons. : . ( )
 * ...soap. : ( )
 * ...shampoo. : ( )
 * ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : ( )
 * ...cold medicine. : ( )
 * ...stomach medicine. : ... ( )
 * ...a razor. : ( )
 * ...an umbrella. : ( )
 * ...sunblock lotion. : ( )
 * ...a postcard. : ( )
 * ...postage stamps. : ( )
 * ...batteries. : ( )
 * ...writing paper. : ( )
 * ...a pen. : ( )
 * ...English-language books. : ( )
 * ...English-language magazines. : ( )
 * ...an English-language newspaper. : ( )
 * ...an English-English dictionary. : ( )

Driving

 * I want to rent a car. : ( )
 * Can I get insurance? : ( )
 * stop (on a street sign) : ( )
 * one way : ( )
 * yield : ( )
 * no parking : ( )
 * speed limit : ( )
 * gas (petrol) station : ( )
 * petrol : ( )
 * diesel : ( )

Authority

 * I haven't done anything wrong. : ( )
 * It was a misunderstanding. : ( )
 * Where are you taking me? : ( )
 * Am I under arrest? : ( )
 * I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : ( )
 * I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : ( )
 * I want to talk to a lawyer. : ( )
 * Can I just pay a fine now? : ( )

title: Dogon phrasebook


text:
Dogri phrasebook

Dogri (Devanagari : डोगरी, Dogra Takri : 𑠖𑠵𑠌𑠤𑠮) is a language spoken primarily in the Jammu Division of northern India, and is also one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also spoken in parts of Himachal Pradesh & Northern Punjab. Dogri is a Western Pahari language. All the Western Pahari languages form a dialect chain from Himachal Pradesh through Jammu and up to Pakistan occupied Kashmir in Pakistan. The dialects spoken in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir are not classified as Western Pahari; they are classified under Western Punjabi. Sindhi, Lahnda, Punjabi, and Western Pahari form a dialect continuum with no clear-cut boundaries.

However, most people understand Hindustani in North India and Pakistan. Thus, majority of Dogri speakers speak Hindi or Urdu as a second language.

Pronunciation and alphabet guide
Dogri is written using either Devanagari script or Persian variant of the Arabic script. It was historically written in Dogra variant of the Takri script.

Devanagari
Devanagari writing is often likened to a washing line: a line is drawn above the words, and the letters are hung out to dry below the line. A break in the line indicates a break between words.

Devanagari is classified as an abugida, which means that each character represents a syllable, not a single letter as in English. If the character is a consonant, the implicit vowel following it is assumed to be a, unless modified by special vowel signs added above, below, after or even before the character.

Vowels
Each vowel has two forms: an "isolated" form when beginning a word or following another vowel; and another used within a word by use of diacritics called मात्रा mātra. As an example, the forms used with consonants are placed with the letter त्. Note that if there is no vowel sign, the vowel is assumed to be a.

Arranged with the vowels is a consonantal diacritic - the final nasal anusvāra ं ṃ (called अं aṃ). ं is written above a syllable to denote that the vowel has to be pronounced using both nose and mouth.

Ligatures
One of the things which appears daunting to most beginners are the over 100 conjunct characters. These happen when two or more consonants are joined together (with no vowel between). Upon seeing all these, the new learner might gasp, thinking that they will have to memorize each one as if they were Chinese ideograms. The good news is that most of these are quite simple and merely involve dropping the inherent 'a' stem. e.g.:

 * त् + म = त्म
 * न् + द = न्द
 * स् + क = स्क

However there are a few special constructions. For many of these, you may also use the previous method though. e.g.

 * त् + त = त्त
 * क् + ल = क्ल

Most often odd forms arise, in consonants without a stem. e.g.

 * द् + भ = द्भ
 * ह् + ल = ह्ल
 * ट् + ठ = ट्ठ

Do not worry too much about conjuncts though, you may always suppress the inherent 'a' with a halant.

Another thing which causes problems for new learners is the use of र, which is treated as a vowel as in Hindi it is a "semi-vowel." There are three forms for conjuncting र, and one for ऋ:

1. After a consonant with a stem add a slash from the lower half of the stem (top-down, right-left). e.g.:

 * प् + र = प्र
 * क् + र = क्र
 * ग् + र = ग्र

note:

 * श+ र = श्र
 * त् + र = त्र.

2. After a vowel and before a consonant र is written as a small hook (a good mnemonic trick is to picture a stylized lower case r). This conjunct cannot occur alone, nor begin a word. Therefore, an example shall be given within the context of words:

 * गर्म hot
 * सिर्फ़ only
 * कर्म karma (In Sanskrit, the last inherent vowel is not written long as it is in Hindi)

If followed by ā, ī, e, o, or ai the "hook" is moved one letter to the right, e.g. the name Marco would be written: मॉर्को.

3. In most letters without stems, the र is joined to the consonant by placing a circumflex-like diacritic below the letter, e.g.:

 * द् + र = द्र
 * ट् + र + ट्र
 * ड् + र = ड्र

4. ऋ, when preceded by a consonant, is written as a small hook resembling the Polish ogonek attached to the stem. Only occurs in Sanskrit loan words, most notably the word Sanskrit itself: संस्कृत.

Finally, र has two special forms when followed by u, and ū respectively:

 * रु ru
 * रू rū

Avagraha
The avagraha ऽ अऽ (usually transliterated with an apostrophe) is a Sanskrit punctuation mark for the elision of a vowel in sandhi: एकोऽयम् eko'yam ( ← ekas + ayam) "this one". It is used to pronounce the vowel a little longer. It is usually found at the end of the words in Dogri : त्राऽ (tra) "shock".

Nasta'līq
Dogri, as mentioned earlier, is also written in a modified Perso-Arabic script called abjad. An abjad does not write short vowels, except at the beginning of a word with alif' serving as a place holder. This can make it frustrating for the learner as the words I and in are both written ميں in Dogri. Dogri is also written in a stylized form of the Arabic script called nast'alīq (نستعليق). Developed in Persia, it is still used for religious and poetic calligraphy in Iran today. The script is mainly used to write Urdu and the Pahari dialects on the west of Standard Dogri. Therefore, if you want to read an Urdu newspaper, street sign, etc. you will have to learn to read nastaliq, which can prove difficult for the beginner. As a result, a simpler style called Nas kh (نسخ), as used in other languages using the Arabic abjad will be used for two reasons: 1. to ease the learner into nastaliq, and 2. because Unicode does not support nast'aliq. Vowel diacritics do exist, mostly used to modify the alif vowel holder at the beginning of a word but also used for educational purposes, in the Qur'ān, and for clarifying ambiguous spellings.

The Arabic system of writing is cursive. Most letters have four forms. Others, which do not attach to the letter coming next to them, have only two. These forms are quite self-explanatory: initial, medial, final, and isolated. When written alone letters are written in their isolated form. Example:

 * پ + آ + ك + س + ت + آ + ن

when these isolated letters are joined together they look like this:

 * پاكستان, Pākistān

Vowels
At the beginning of a word alif serves as a placeholder for the diacritical mark. Due to directional issues with unicode the medial/final occurs before the initial example, when they should appear after, i.e., to the left of the letter. A final ﻪ is sometimes used do represent an inherent 'a' at the end of a word (c.f. Arabic usage). When choṭī ye and baṛī ye occur in the middle, both take the ﻴ form. For further reference, in Urdu transliteration ai is ae and au is ao.

Vowels
The initial form is followed by non-initial form.

Phrase list
The transliterations are based on ISO 15919 standard.

Numbers
Dogri numerals follow the Hindu-Arabic number system. Both Persian and Devanagari numerals are used in Dogri. Historically, Dogri was written in Dogra Akkhar script which had its own numerals. However, it is acceptable to use Latin numerals are often used when writing the language in any of the scripts. The numbers in words are given below.

Clock time
कड़ी दा टैम

Days
The Dogri days of the week are derived from Hindi names of week and are a deviation of them. Most of them are named after the planets like mangalwar(Mars day), buddhwar(mercury day) etc but some are different like Saturday-sunday are called Vaar-Taar.

Months
There are three main calendar systems followed in the Duggar Belt : the Georgian calendar, the Hindu calendar and the Islamic calendar. The Georgian calendar in used for all administrative purposes. The Hindu calendar and the Islamic calendar are used for religious purposes and mark many official holidays.

====Writing time and date= टेम ते तरीक लिखना

Colors
rang

Transportation
Transportation in Jammu involves bus, train, rickshaw, matador and taxi. Matador are a kind of local buses that do not necessarily run on a schedule. You can easily stop a matador for you by gesturing using your hand. There are no particular matador stops.

Bus and train
buss te rail gaddi

what are you doing?
Tuss ke karaa de?

Money
पैसे (Paise), पैहे (Paihe)

Eating
khaan paann

Shopping
Kharid dāri

Driving
Gaddi chalāna

title: Dogri phrasebook


text:
Doğubayazıt

Doğubayazıt (Kurdish: Bazîd) is a town in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. In the extreme east of the country and right next to the Turkish-Iranian border, it is the primary gateway of Turkey to the east, and of Iran to the west. It also has a variety of attractions worth stopping by for, including the splendid 17th-century Ishak Pasha Palace and Mount Ararat, Turkey's highest, but better known in the West for its association with Noah's Ark.

Understand
Like many places in the east of Turkey, mostly Kurds live here.

After a brief Kurdish rebellion in the area was suppressed in 1930, the old town was destroyed, and the town was rebuilt in its current location, lower and flatter than the previous site and therefore much easier to keep under control. It was also renamed from Beyazıt to Doğubayazıt, "eastern Bayazıt" around this time, to avoid postage destined for the Beyazıt quarter of Istanbul's Old City ending up in the wrong place and vice versa. Apparently this was too mouthful, or simply too hard to remember for the hippies who were often as high as Ararat while streaming past the town on their way to India back in the day, so they just dubbed it "Doggy Biscuit".

By plane
The nearest airports are Iğdır Şehit Bülent Aydın 70 km north, and Ağrı Ahmed-i Hani  100 km west. The airports have flights from Istanbul (mostly IST; SAW is served much less frequently) and Ankara, at least once daily. Flight durations for Ağrı are 2h 10min from IST, 2h from SAW, and 1h 35min from Ankara; add an extra 5min to each for Iğdır.

Mefser Turizm runs buses to Doğubayazıt from both airports. Car rental agencies are also available at the airports.

By bus
Coaches running between Trabzon and Van don't serve Doğubayazıt; the closest town on that route is Ağrı, from where it's possible to get a minibus to Doğubayazıt.

It can be difficult to leave after about 14:00 as most buses depart in the morning.

By car
Doğubayazıt is at the eastern terminus of the major highway of D100 (or European route E80), which is dual carriageway in its entirety. Istanbul is about away on this route, via Erzurum. That's quite a long drive: to put it into perspective, Istanbul is roughly the same distance away from Vienna in the opposite direction, with at least three countries in-between.

Other approaches are also divided highways, although worse surfaced. D975 from Van climbs up to an elevation of over at Tendürek Pass, so expect rough driving in winter.

Get around
You could walk to most places in this town of about 70,000 inhabitants, but most attractions are spread out so you will want wheels.

See
The highlight is the Ishak Pasha Palace in the former site of the town, now known as Eski Beyazıt, "Old Beyazıt", on a hill about 8 km southeast.
 * For a taxi from the town centre, expect to pay approximately 10-15 TL one way. Worth considering asking the taxi driver to wait at the gate.
 * There is a dolmuş service to the Palace. The dolmuş leaves every 30 minutes. You can find it at the end of the pedestrian street on the road that goes to the palace, close to a taxi station. The bus is green and white. 6 TL (2022) for one way. The last one leaving the palace is at 18:30.
 * Alternatively, it's a very stiff walk all the way up (or down) fully exposed to the elements (at least until the roadside saplings grow into a canopy); in summer take a lot of water and a hat, due to the risk of dehydration and heat stroke. Beware of scarily big sheepdogs regardless of the season.
 * The rest of Eski Beyazıt, a major Kurdish and Armenian-inhabited town of yore, is mostly unidentifiable rubble a short trek away up from the palace across the valley. It was probably first settled during Urartu times, at 800 BC. The points of interest include the 16th century Old Mosque (Beyazıt Eski Cami), an Urartian castle on the outcrop dramatically soaring above the mosque, and the tomb of Kurdish poet and scholar Ahmedi Hani/Ehmedê Xanî (1650–1707), a pretty building that wouldn't be out of place in the Levant with its multiple domes and walls made of alternating light and dark-coloured rows of stones.
 * The rest of Eski Beyazıt, a major Kurdish and Armenian-inhabited town of yore, is mostly unidentifiable rubble a short trek away up from the palace across the valley. It was probably first settled during Urartu times, at 800 BC. The points of interest include the 16th century Old Mosque (Beyazıt Eski Cami), an Urartian castle on the outcrop dramatically soaring above the mosque, and the tomb of Kurdish poet and scholar Ahmedi Hani/Ehmedê Xanî (1650–1707), a pretty building that wouldn't be out of place in the Levant with its multiple domes and walls made of alternating light and dark-coloured rows of stones.

Further afield

 * [[Image:The Structure Claimed to be the Noah's Ark near the Mount Ararat in Turkey.jpg|thumb|Durupınar site]]
 * [[Image:The Structure Claimed to be the Noah's Ark near the Mount Ararat in Turkey.jpg|thumb|Durupınar site]]

Do

 * Climb Mount Ararat. Guides and vehicles are available in Doğubayazıt. The climb is long, but there is a fairly easy route from the south in late summer for climbers who are familiar with the use of axe and crampons. The glacier begins around, so the last 400 m (¼ mile) is snow-covered year-round. International climbers need a climbing permit that can be obtained through Turkish embassies, or the easier option is to let your guide's company do it. Expect the authorities to process your permit application in two months. You also need a licensed guide to accompany you on the trek. There are two possible campsites on the mountain, and people most often attempt to climb up to the summit and return to Doğubayazıt in 4 days. However, you may need more time to acclimatise, so it can be wise to add an extra day.
 * As part of your acclimatisation, you may also want to climb other mountains in the region, such as Mt Süphan to the south on the rim of Lake Van.

Buy
Liquor stores (Tekel) along the eastward lane of the highway bypass offer the last legal pints before Iran. Apparently this is a lucrative business: there are several of these shops, and they seem to be well-stocked. One thing to consider is how you will bring your drinks across the border; it's risky in your luggage, and tipsy already in your system.

Eat
Try to get a rare abdigor köfte, the local delicacy. It is a fist-size meatball on rice.

 * Yöresel Yemek Evi (formerly Doguş Restaurant) is not bad, but is overpriced and often crammed with tour groups.

Drink

 * Cafe shop on Kermelsi Rd. in the centre of Doğubayazıt
 * Pure fruit juice shop, makes nice pure juice! Istanplak Avenue in eastern Doğubayazıt

Sleep
Hotels are numerous. Not all places provide air conditioning.

Connect
You'll get 4G with Turkcell but the town is otherwise a dead spot - the highways further out have a better signal. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

 * Van to the south is the hub for the Lake Van area with amazing ancient castles and medieval monasteries.
 * Iran is right around the corner to the east. Maku is its first significant town.
 * Iğdır to the north has transportation options into the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
 * Kars further to the north has a beautiful Russian-built old town and the striking Armenian ruins of Ani in its vicinity.
 * Erzurum to the west is the largest city in eastern Turkey where you will likely pass through to travel anywhere else in the country.

title: Doğubayazıt


text:
Doha

Once little more than a minuscule pearl fishing village, Doha (Arabic: الدوحة ad-Dawḥa), Qatar's capital, with more people than the rest of Qatar combined, has emerged to become one of the pearls of the Middle East. It is one of the most rapidly-developing cities on the Persian Gulf, akin to the development seen in nearby Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and is aiming to become a centre of international trade and travel.

We also cover the neighbouring cities of Al Rayyan and Lusail in this article, as they are effectively part of the Doha urban area.

Understand
For most of its history, Doha was a poor fishing village dependent on pearl diving, and was regarded as a sleepy backwater until the early 1990s. Following the accession of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani as Emir in 1995, however, Qatar quickly began to modernize, and Doha is now taking huge strides to catch up with other nearby Gulf cities. Development was accelerated by hosting the Asian Games in 2006 and the FIFA World Cup in 2022. The city is very much a work-in-progress, with a rapidly growing skyline and new buildings sprouting up almost like mushrooms.

For most visitors, Doha is synonymous with Qatar, as the vast majority of the country's population resides in the capital city. Doha has an astonishingly diverse population – only 13% of its residents are Qataris. Although Arabic is Qatar's official language, English is the lingua franca; most retail and service staff are foreigners and do not speak Arabic. Doha is also now one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, as workers continue to pour in to help build the developing economy.

Doha is fairly liberal by the standards of the Islamic world, though less so than its main rival Dubai and most Western countries. Alcohol and pork are legal for non-Muslim foreign residents, and non-Muslim women are not required to wear the hijab, though dressing in very skimpy outfits is still illegal. That said, Qatar is an absolute monarchy, so criticising the Emir is a crime. Homosexuality is also a crime that carries the death penalty (though not actively enforced), so gay visitors should be as discreet as possible.

If you've visited before, be assured that Doha today is not the same as it was just a couple of years ago, and will be very different again in a few years time.

Read

 * Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar, From Dunes to Dior. Written by a resident Indian-American, this is a collection of insightful essays about life as an expatriate in Doha.
 * Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar, Love Comes Later. Set in Doha and London, this novel examines Qatari culture and how young Qataris are now challenging the status quo. The book is not available in Qatar as it has been banned by the Qatari Ministry of Culture.

By plane
Compared to Dubai, the home of Qatar Airways' arch-rival Emirates, Doha is served by much fewer other carriers. The major European airlines usually provide a single connection to Doha from their main hubs (e.g. Lufthansa from Frankfurt, KLM from Amsterdam), but minor ones do not. Pretty much all airlines of the Middle East, Turkey included (but not Israel), provide connections to Doha. Relatively few Asian airlines do so, however, with the exception of a relatively good choice of connections to India and Pakistan.

Qatar Airways is a member of the Oneworld alliance (which includes e.g. British Airways), and an increasing number of their connections are also on offer as codeshare flights by Oneworld members.

If you're arriving from outside of the Persian Gulf region, probably the most economical way to visit is to use Qatar as an intermediate stopover en route to another destination. Prices of tickets originating in or terminating in Doha are artificially high because of limited competition, while prices for transit tickets are very competitive, as Qatar Airways continues working to build Doha as a global transit hub.

Public Wi-Fi is provided free of charge throughout the airport.

By car
Doha is the heart of all activity in the country, so most travellers will start off in the city. All highways and roads throughout Qatar will most likely connect to Doha, so look out for the signs.

Qatar's only land border is with Saudi Arabia in the south. However, this is rarely an option, as obtaining permits to drive through Saudi Arabia can be extremely difficult. The Qatar article provides more information. Early plans are underway to connect Qatar using bridges with both Bahrain in the north-east and the United Arab Emirates in the south-east.

By metro
The Doha Metro, which opened in May 2019, is the third rapid transit system in the Gulf, representing a new wave of transit projects in the region. It has three lines: the Red Line from Lusail in the north to Al Wakra in the south or the airport depending on the train, the east-west Gold Line that features a stop at the National Museum, and the Green Line, which focuses on educational institutions in particular and has a stop at the National Library. Msheireb serves as the transfer station between every line.

Like the Dubai Metro, there are premium cars with better seating and higher prices. A one-way trip costs QR 2 (QR 10 for VIP) and a day pass costs QR 6 (QR 30 for VIP). You pay by tapping your card when you enter and exit the system. Cards are not expensive and can be purchased at any station. You don’t have to do anything special to get the day pass; after you pay for 3 rides the system will not charge you for the rest of the day.

There are free "metrolink" feeder bus services for "last-mile" connectivity to areas not served by the Metro (see the link for schedules and routes). In addition, there is also a free (with Metro trip) ride-sharing service called "metroexpress", but it only serves two stations (West Bay and DICC) and requires registration and a separate account.

Every metro station has a restroom with baby changing table and an ablution room, right after the turnstiles. The two rooms are next to each other; the women’s rooms are indicated by a person wearing black clothing, and the men’s rooms by the person wearing white clothing.

By taxi
Other than public transport, the only alternative to not renting a vehicle is taxis. There are two taxi services, also operated by Mowasalat: Karwa and Al Million. "Limousine" taxis are available, which are unmarked, much more expensive (often two to four times the cost of Karwas) and may not carry a meter. If you feel sure about the fare, you can negotiate it up front, but it is advisable to insist on a meter.

Because of increasing complaints regarding taxis, some precautions should be taken. For nearly all journeys within Doha the tariff should be set to '1', and for journeys at night or outside of Doha it should be set to '0'. Airport taxis have a single tariff, which begins at QR 25. Reports of tampered meters are on the rise (look for black tape or paper), as are reports of drivers locking the doors or refusing to open the trunk without extra payment. If the driver refuses to use the meter, the ride should be free, but you may have trouble exercising this right. If you have problems, you can call the police at 999, at which point the driver will suddenly be very cooperative.

The demand for taxis far exceeds the supply and waiting times may vary greatly. During morning business hours, companies usually require 24 hours notice if you need a taxi; however in practice, even this is unreliable as the scheduled taxi often doesn't show up. At other times, it may take upwards of 90 minutes for an on-call taxi to arrive, and hailing one may be impossible in many places. The only places where you are guaranteed to find a taxi (normal or limousine) are at major malls, the airport and international hotels. The acute shortage has led to a thriving market for unlicensed, or unofficial, taxi services, most with a steady clientele. For visitors, the best way to find a reliable driver is to ask around – many residents, particularly expats, hire such drivers regularly and will happily share contact information.

Occasionally, you may find a local driver will stop and offer to give you a ride if he or she sees you looking lost on the side of the road. It is customary to offer some money at the end, though sometimes they will refuse to take it. If a driver slows down and flashes their headlights, they are usually signalling they're willing to give you a lift; beckon them over with a wave in response. However, hitchhiking always has its risks, and it is not an advisable practice for solo women.

By car
Several car rental agencies are found in and around Doha International Airport. The rental desks are not that easy to find and the signs to them are poor. They are on the lower floor in the car park area. The popular agencies include Hertz, Avis and Budget. These rental agencies offer seasonal discounts and it is advisable to check their websites before booking. If you're looking to rent a car, it is best to reserve in advance, to ensure a good price and minimise wait times. As of late 2013, visitors can drive a rental car for six months with an international driving licence. However, the laws regarding driving licences change almost yearly; visitors are advised to verify this information before arrival.

Driving in Qatar is on the right hand side of the road, with similar traffic rules to elsewhere in the world. However, because Doha residents come from all corners of the globe, driving styles vary wildly. Also, road rage is becoming more of a problem.

Expansion of the road network has not kept up with the explosive population growth, so drivers will encounter frequent traffic jams and numerous diversions due to road construction. With the addition of new roads, and the renaming of old roads, even the latest available road maps may be out-of-date. This also applies to satellite imagery, which can be outdated, even when it is only a few months old. So do not rely on Google Earth, OpenStreetMap or your TomTom.

By tram
In the northern parts of the city, around the new development Lusail, a tram system is under construction. The first line opened in 2022 and several more lines will gradually open until 2025. The system connects with the Metro at Lusail station.

Museums
Considering Doha is attempting to become something of a regional cultural hub, the state of its museums is somewhat shambolic. Many museums are under seemingly never-ending refurbishment, the opening hours are not particularly tourist friendly, websites lack practical information such as opening times and location, and many museums require you to phone in advance for a special appointment (which can make the solo visitor feel somewhat uncomfortable as the curator opens up just for one person).

The National Museum, Museum of Islamic Art, and Museum of Modern Art have a single three-day ticket for QR 85. Alternatively you can visit just one of them for QR 50.

Cultural heritage

Other sights

 * Highlights along the Corniche (from east to west) include an informal morning fish market, the MIA (Museum of Islamic Art), the 'Water Pots' fountain, the giant Oyster and Pearl sculpture, the Dhow Harbour (with traditional wooden dhows), and a giant 'Orry' statue (the mascot for the 2006 Asian Games).
 * Highlights along the Corniche (from east to west) include an informal morning fish market, the MIA (Museum of Islamic Art), the 'Water Pots' fountain, the giant Oyster and Pearl sculpture, the Dhow Harbour (with traditional wooden dhows), and a giant 'Orry' statue (the mascot for the 2006 Asian Games).

Do

Doha has a reputation for not being the most exciting place on earth; however, should you find yourself here for a longer visit, there is a variety of activities and events. Start off with a tour of the city, which should take you about 2 hours and from there you will have a good idea of what you would like to see.

 * Football in Qatar has not been a major sport, but the 2022 FIFA World Cup was held here, and the Asia Cup is held here in early 2024. So the game may enjoy a boost. The men's national team don't have a fixed stadium but most internationals are played in Doha.
 * Qatar Grand Prix: Formula One motor-racing is held at Losail Circuit, 45 km north of the city. The next are 29 Nov-1 Dec 2024 then 28-30 Nov 2025.
 * Football in Qatar has not been a major sport, but the 2022 FIFA World Cup was held here, and the Asia Cup is held here in early 2024. So the game may enjoy a boost. The men's national team don't have a fixed stadium but most internationals are played in Doha.
 * Qatar Grand Prix: Formula One motor-racing is held at Losail Circuit, 45 km north of the city. The next are 29 Nov-1 Dec 2024 then 28-30 Nov 2025.
 * Football in Qatar has not been a major sport, but the 2022 FIFA World Cup was held here, and the Asia Cup is held here in early 2024. So the game may enjoy a boost. The men's national team don't have a fixed stadium but most internationals are played in Doha.
 * Qatar Grand Prix: Formula One motor-racing is held at Losail Circuit, 45 km north of the city. The next are 29 Nov-1 Dec 2024 then 28-30 Nov 2025.
 * Qatar Grand Prix: Formula One motor-racing is held at Losail Circuit, 45 km north of the city. The next are 29 Nov-1 Dec 2024 then 28-30 Nov 2025.

Buy
You can buy pretty much anything you want in Doha, apart from pork products and alcohol (except with a licence or in the major hotels). Shopping is a major leisure pursuit of many Qataris and expats; prices however are somewhat higher than in Dubai. As with in most of the Middle East, be prepared to bargain.

Also, be aware that most of the luxury malls and some souks schedule "Family Days", most commonly Fridays, weekends and public holidays, where all single men should in theory be turned away at the door. In practice, however, most Qatari and white men will be allowed in with no issues, but African and non-Qatari Asian men (particularly South Asians in their native dressing) will be turned away.

Souqs
The best shopping experiences are undoubtedly to be had in the various souqs (markets).

Malls
Typically most malls in Doha are open Sa-Th 10AM-10PM. Most will be closed on Friday mornings but will open up during the evening, when they'll be the most crowded.

Bookshops
The availability of English-language books in Doha is fairly limited but improving, and there are several shops which offer some current titles as well as regional travel guides. Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarket, and Megamart all sell international magazines and newspapers along with local maps.

Eat
Given the population diversity in Doha, there is a large variety of different types of cuisine, including Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Korean and, of course, typical Middle Eastern food. Since Qatar is a Muslim country, all food is certified halal. Zomato is a popular restaurant review site and Talibat is a common delivery site.

If you are visiting during Ramadan, keep in mind that it is illegal to eat and drink in public during daylight hours, and all restaurants, including those in hotels, are not permitted to serve dine-in customers during this period. However, some restaurants remain open to sell takeaway meals to non-Muslims that you can take back to your hotel room and consume in private. However, iftar or the breaking of the fast after sunset, is a very elaborate event, as locals gather for large communal meals. Many establishments set up large tents for iftar, and non-Muslim visitors are welcome to partake in them; just make sure you reserve way in advance due to their popularity.

As Qatar is a Muslim country, nearly all food in Doha is halal. Pork is not served at restaurants, but is available to foreign residents with a liquor license at the two liquor stores run by the Qatar Distribution Company (QDC). This license is not available to tourists.

American
Most major American fast food chains have multiple branches here, including McDonald's, KFC, Hardee's, Arby's, Burger King, Subway, and Dairy Queen.

Pizza places include Pizza Hut, Little Caesar's, Pizza Inn, and Papa John's. Many of them are in the major shopping centres, and at Ramada Junction (the intersection of C-Ring and Salwa Rds).

There are also a number of more upscale American chains, including TGI Fridays (in the Landmark, Villaggio shopping malls, Bin Omran Opposite the Civil Defense and Suheem Bin Hamad Street, Al-Sadd), Applebee's, Chili's, Fuddruckers, Bennigan's, and Ponderosa Steakhouse.

Indian
Doha is home to a large Indian population. As such, the city centre is full of small Indian restaurants, with many other excellent Indian restaurants scattered throughout the city.

Middle Eastern

For local street food, nothing beats the home-made goodness dished out by the Pancake Ladies in Souq Waqif every evening in the square by the car park. The crepe-like mankouche is particularly tasty, filled with your choice of labneh (cheese), za’atar, or the less-traditional Nutella for QR5. Other local specialties feature meat, chicken, and fish, and there are even a couple of vegetarian options.

There are also many good restaurants in Souq Waqif worth trying. Perhaps the best include Tagine (Moroccan) and Le Gourmet, particularly good for sheesha and a cup of tea. These are not as inexpensive as the Pancake Ladies but are good for ambiance and people watching.

Grocery stores
For self-catering options there are a few hypermarkets as well as a number of smaller neighborhood grocery stores distributed throughout the city.

Tipping
Tipping at restaurants is not compulsory, although it has become fairly standard to tip about 10% to the waitstaff. Despite being banned, some restaurants still include a 10% service charge in the bill. Should your bill include a service charge, feel free to strike it from the total and leave a tip on the table instead.

Alcohol
Alcohol is strictly regulated in Qatar, as it is a Muslim country, and for visitors is only available in bars attached to large 5-star international hotels. Bars are required to see identification (i.e. a passport) at the door, although this is rarely enforced. Residents with a special liquor license may purchase alcohol at the QDC (Qatar Distribution Company) on the outskirts of town. Importing alcohol is not permitted – all bags are x-rayed upon arrival and any alcohol will be confiscated and held for you. With a claims receipt you can pick up your bottle again when you leave.

Some of the places favoured by local expats are the Crystal Lounge and Waham Poolside Lounge (W Doha Hotel), Sky View Bar (La Cigale Hotel), the Belgian Café (InterContinental at West Bay Lagoon), and Trader Vic's (Hilton). The Irish Harp (in the basement of the Sheraton near City Center Mall) has frequent live music.

Tea and coffee
Karak is the local specialty, a very sweet concoction made from tea and evaporated milk available from stalls everywhere, some of them drive-through (just park your car outside and honk). A particularly popular place is Chapati & Karak at Katara Cultural Village.

Most international coffee chains (including the ubiquitous Starbucks) are well-represented here, especially in shopping malls.

Sleep

Compared to Dubai, which has hundreds of accommodation facilities, Doha does not offer that much variety with less than a hundred hotel properties and some other accommodations. There are quite a few 5-star international chain hotels in Doha and there are scores of new 5-star hotels on the rise, such as the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and Intercontinental. More modest choices come in shorter supply.

Budget

 * La Villa Hotel, QR 130 if you book online. Includes breakfast.
 * Victoria Hotel, QR 135 if you book online. Has a pool and gym.
 * Victoria Hotel, QR 135 if you book online. Has a pool and gym.

Stay healthy
If you need emergency medical treatment, the government-owned Hamad General Hospital provides A&E (accident and emergency) care to everyone regardless of insurance status, and has the most advanced and best-equipped facility. Other smaller, private hospitals will charge for any emergency services.

999 is the emergency number for ambulance, police, and fire service. You will likely need to give directions or a nearby landmark. Response times in Doha are dependent on traffic, and there have been reports of long waits for ambulances, along with long waits for English-speaking operators. Medical teams however are highly skilled and all fluent in English.

HMC operates A&E departments at the medical centers listed below.

Racism
There is informal segregation in place to prevent migrant labourers, who are overwhelmingly male and in Qatar without their families, from mingling with Qataris. For example, some shopping malls and public spaces enforce a "Families-only entry policy" (which includes single Qatari women), either on a regular basis or for significant holidays. In theory, this should apply to all single men (Qatari or otherwise), but in practice the level of enforcement will vary based on your ethnicity and gender. Asian (East, South and SE Asian) or African men and women may be prohibited from entry during this time, while white or Qatari men may face no issues, or at least are expected to simply acclaim that their female partners or mothers have already entered the mall. Even if you can prove you are a tourist or hold a Western passport, it is generally not wise to contest being banned from certain public spaces, or else you risk being further questioned or detained by police. One workaround is to join a tour group that is touring the public space you want to enter, as these groups will clearly and obviously signify that you are a tourist and not a migrant worker. Most notably, the eight largest malls in Doha and most parks ban access to all non-Arab and non-white men on weekends and holidays (or any other periods where a large number of migrant workers are likely to be on break). The Villaggio mall and Souq Wakrah also bans access to non-Arab and non-white men on Fridays.

Nonetheless, tourist attractions will generally not turn you away, regardless of your background, so long as you are wearing smart casual dress (i.e. clean clothing and bottoms that cover your knees). For experiential travellers, visiting the Asian Town mall, which is devoted to migrant workers, may be of interest to better understand and appreciate the racialized experiences of Qatar's migrant worker majority.

Connect
Pre-paid SIM cards and top-up cards for Ooredoo and Vodafone can be purchased at mobile phone shops, as well as at Carrefour and Lulu hypermarkets.

Free Wi-Fi is available in Souq Waqif, public parks including the Sheraton Park and Rumaila Park, and along the Corniche. Some coffee shops also offer free connection. Ooredoo HotSpots are scattered throughout Doha, mainly in hotels and cafés. HotSpot cards in denominations of QR 30, 50, and 70 are available in any Ooredoo shop.

Currency exchange centres
For especially large denominations or more unusual currencies it is best to call beforehand to ensure the centre has the desired currency and amount on hand.

Embassies
Being the national capital, Doha hosts a large number of embassies. A majority of them are clustered in the West Bay District (especially the Diplomatic Area) and in the adjacent Al Dafna, Onaiza 65 and Onaiza Districts. There are others in other parts of the city as well. If corresponding by mail/post use the PO box address given as mail is only sent to a PO box instead of a street address. If delivering to a street address with DHL, FedEx, UPS or another private courier be sure to include recipient's phone number so that the delivery driver can call for directions or clarification on the address:

 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇧🇭 Bahrain
 * 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇮🇳 India
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇮🇷 Iran
 * 🇮🇶 Iraq
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇯🇴 Jordan
 * 🇰🇼 Kuwait
 * 🇰🇷 South Korea
 * 🇴🇲 Oman
 * 🇵🇰 Pakistan
 * 🇵🇭 Philippines
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
 * 🇸🇬 Singapore
 * 🇿🇦 South Africa
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
 * 🇺🇸 United States

News

 * Doha News, a daily news blog staffed by journalists formerly with Al Jazeera English, the BBC, and the Wall Street Journal. This is the most reliable and unbiased source for local news.
 * The Peninsula, also available in print.
 * Gulf Times, also available in print.
 * Marhaba lists current and upcoming events and exhibits in Doha.
 * Al Jazeera English provides good regional coverage, but only rarely covers events within Qatar itself.
 * BBC World Service broadcasts locally on 107.4MHz.

Caves
There are a number of karst caves in Qatar, the most well-known of them a short distance from Doha. All caves have not been fully explored, and it is believed that there is an extensive network of tunnels connecting many of them.

Desert safari
If you want to get out of the city, the desert awaits. Whereas you could take your rental car out to the sand dunes, unless you are familiar with the route or GPS, you run the risk of damaging your rental car and getting lost. The alternative is to go through one of Qatar's many licensed tour companies, which can arrange a trip. Additionally, there are a handful of sights outside of Doha which can only be accessed with prior government permission, which a tour company can arrange on your behalf. This will cost you several hundred Qatari riyals, and may require a minimum of four persons to join in the fun. At international hotels, the receptionists can advise you, and hire a driver for you. Otherwise, there are several tour companies that can arrange a trip by phone or via their website.

Beyond sand dune trips, several of these companies can arrange for overnight desert camping, excursions to historical sites, and city tours.

Other cities
Doha is by far the biggest city in Qatar, but the country's other towns can provide an interesting glimpse of Qatari life outside of the bustle of Doha.

Head west to see the camel races, and then visit the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum in Al Shahaniyah. Drive south to visit the dhow harbor in Al Wakrah, and then hit the beach and go dune bashing near Mesaieed. Or drive north to see the fortress and prehistoric gravemounds near Umm Salal Muhammad, and continue on to kayak through the mangrove forests near Al Khor.

title: Doha


text:
Doi Ang Khang

Doi Ang Khang (ดอยอ่างขาง) or just Angkhang is a mountain resort at the northwestern tip of Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand.

Understand
Doi Ang Khang is about 40 km due west of Fang. It takes about 1 hr to drive there. The area has a cool climate all year round, particularly from Dec-Jan, when much of the area is frosty. During that period, visitors should be prepared to cope with relatively cold weather.

Get in
If coming by car on the Chiang Mai-Fang road (Hwy 107), turn left at an intersection around km137 (at Mae Kha Market) and proceed to Doi Ang Khang for another 25 km. It is a steep zigzagging asphalt road. Vehicles should be roadworthy and drivers experienced.

It's possible to take a songthaew from Mae Kha to Doi Ang Khang, but departures are irregular and you'll probably need to charter it.

Get around
There is no public transportation to or within Doi Ang Khang. As the road to Doi An Khang is winding, hiring a driver is recommended if you feel uncomfortable navigating the steep hairpin turns uphill and downhill yourself.

Do
Ang Khang Nature Resort offers the following activities:

 * Birdwatching More than 1,000 species of birds can be seen. The best spots are Mae Phoe forest station and around Ang Khang Nature Resort.
 * Mountain biking Ban Khum-No Lae, Ban Luang-Ban Pha Daeng.
 * Mule riding This is best done by sitting facing sideways because the wide saddle will not allow a horseback-riding style. Bookings must be made at least one day in advance with the resort as mules are normally used to carry agricultural produce.
 * Natural Study Trek A 2 km trek showing small but beautiful waterfalls and rhododendra.

Sleep
A selection of A-frame bungalows with en suite facilities is located to the rear of Ban Khang village, run by several of the restaurants. Travel light as there are a number of flights of steps to ascend to get to the bungalows. Rooms go for around 800 baht a night in the high season.
 * Camping at Monson viewpoint
 * Camping at Monson viewpoint

title: Doi Ang Khang


text:
Doi Inthanon National Park

Doi Inthanon National Park (Doi In) is a national park in Chiang Mai Province of Northern Thailand. It contains the highest mountain in Thailand.

Understand
Doi In is the highest mountain in Thailand, at 2,599 m (8,527 ft), just a little higher than Australia's highest (Mt Koszciusko) which is 7,310 ft (2,228 m).

Landscape
Doi Inthanon is a part of the Himalayas, which ranges across Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and ends in northern Thailand. Complex mountain ranges and a mild climate characterise the area with a moist and dense summit forest. The summit forest is the source of important tributaries of the Mae Ping River.

History
Meo and Karen hill tribes inhabit the park.

Flora and fauna
Indigenous and migrant birds include Eurasian Woodcock, White Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Forest Wagtail, Chestnut Thrush, Scarlet Finch, Little Bunting, and Crested Bunting.

The best period for viewing wild flowers is Dec-Feb.

Climate
Visiting Doi Inthanon is possible throughout the year. It is relatively cold at the summit, about 10-12 °C during the day, but it never snows. The rainy season, from May to November, is the best time to view waterfalls.

Get in
The park is about 115 km from Chiang Mai, a 2-3 hour drive.

By car
Travel 58 km west of Chiang Mai via Hwy 108 to Chom Thong, then turn right into Hwy 1009 and continue a further 48 km along Hwy 1009 to the summit. A good asphalt road takes visitors up, but is rather steep, thus the vehicle must be in a good condition. Visitors pay an entrance fee at km8.

By songthaew
A songthaew (two-bench pickup truck) will cost you about 2,000 baht for the day, including petrol (ask first!) Make sure you book your planned itinerary with all potential stops before you hire the driver.

By minibus tour
The typical minibus group tour includes an English-speaking guide, a visit to the peak, two waterfalls, twin chedis, a royal development project, and a Karen village. This will cost around 1,100-1,200 baht per person, including all entry fees and a basic lunch. It is cheaper to book direct with the tour operator rather than through a hotel or agent.

Fees and permits
The enter fee for foreigners is 300 baht per person, 150 baht for children (May 2017), 20 baht for Thais, and 30 baht for a car. If you hire a driver they do not pay to enter the park with you.

Some tourist operators will claim the entry price is higher to make tours which include entry seem like better value.

See

On the way back to Chiang Mai, you may also want to visit either the Ganesh Temple/Museum (well-worth a look even if you are not Hindu or Buddhist), or the umbrella factory. (very touristy)

Do
There are nature trails on Doi Inthanon, each providing different views of the diversity of plants, reforestation, the importance of tributaries, the origin of caves, hill tribe agriculture, and bird watching. Walking trails range from 1 to 8 km. Each trip needs approval from the Chief of the National Park and a trekking leader is needed. The service is obtained at the park office at km31.

Lodging
Accommodation, restaurants, and camping sites are available at the park headquarters at km31. Tel: +66 53 355728, +66 53 268550, +66 2 5620760 for reservations.

Go next

 * Back to Chiang Mai

title: Doi Inthanon National Park


text:
Doi Tung

Doi Tung is a mountain in northern Chiang Rai Province, at the northernmost tip of Thailand. It hosts a non-profit royal project.

Understand
Under the patronage of the late Princess Mother, Princess Srinagarindra, the Mae Fah Luang Foundation was founded to carry out development activities so that the quality of life of Thailand's ethnic minorities in the Doi Tung area could be raised. These activities took the form of livelihood development, which encompassed the reforestation of watershed areas and the development of various social enterprises to benefit local people.

Get in
Doi Tung is just west of Hwy 1 between Mae Chan and Mae Sai.

See

title: Doi Tung


text:
Dojran

Dojran is a touristic pearl in Eastern North Macedonia. It is made up of two fisherman's towns; Nov Dojran (settled from the end of World War I to World War II) and Star Dojran, which contains both old ruins and recent construction, especially hotels, resorts and restaurants.

Get in
The only ways to get in are by car or by bus.

Get around
Walking or using a car is the best ways to get around because Dojran is a small town.

See
The primary draw to this part of North Macedonia is Dojran Lake. The lake is 42 square km (16 sq mi) big, and about 10 meters (33 ft) deep. It is by far the smallest of the three major lakes in North Macedonia. There are a few historical places of interest; remnants of the Dojran that was largely destroyed in the 20th century.

Do
Dojran is great for fishing, swimming, and other beach activities since it is on Dojran Lake.

Eat
Dojran is the only place where you can eat fish baked on straws. Here is a list of some popular restaurants in Dojran:

Sleep
Dojran has several beautiful hotels on the lake. Most are located in Star Dojran. Some nice hotels in Dojran are:

title: Dojran