Published in Work Newsletter in December 2022

A real-life winter wonderland has come to Al Maha Island in Qatar.

For two months, I counted down the days until the grand opening of Lusail Winter Wonderland, a theme park that is a great escape from the desert and a chance to experience the warm fuzzies of wintertime – minus the freezing temperatures.

From afar, I watched fireworks erupt above the park on Nov. 14, the opening night.

Then, four days later, on a Friday night, my friend and I walked through the main gate and entered the wonderland.

We clasped on red silicone wristbands that were “loaded” with credit to use at the park’s attractions.

Feeling in the holiday spirit, we both wore sweaters. We assumed the night would welcome cool breezes, but it did not. We were sweating at 9 o’clock.

We stopped to buy a strawberry pink slushy, then stepped into the surprisingly short line for the Ferris wheel. Enchanting with its glittering effects, the Ferris wheel flashed in different colors at the front of the park.

At the top of the Ferris wheel, from our enclosed, air-conditioned passenger car, we saw all corners of the park, from the ice skating rink to the carousel.

Across from us in the sky was a ride that looked like the Superman: Tower of Power ride at Six Flags Over Texas.

Two years ago, my niece, Makayla, and I rode this vertical-drop ride over and over again when we were the only ones in line. Six Flags was nearly empty, with visitors limited by COVID-19 restrictions.

After climbing off the Ferris wheel, my friend and I headed to the vertical-drop ride, called the Scary Drop Tower.

After being buckled into our seats and raised high into the sky, we were dropped at a high speed – giving us a rush.

The rest of our time at the park was on the ground.

We strolled passed multiple little wooden cabins adorned with greenery and surrounded by twinkle lights.

These cabins were housed by local coffee, pizza, burger, chicken, and ice cream vendors. I enjoyed an ice cream cone as we explored the numerous game booths. It seemed that everyone was carrying a giant stuffed banana, colored metallic silver. Some families even had two or three bananas.

We tried to win a banana of our own by shooting the basketball, but we did not score. I ended up winning a cute stuffed pink penguin during a fishing game.

Toward the end of the night, we had a final adventure: tubing down an ice slide. We hauled our tubes to the top of the slope and then slid down, with the tubes twisting and twirling on the way.

After the clock struck midnight, we left the wonderland and waited for an Uber by the curb.

On the weekends, the theme park stays open until 1 a.m. – and the city itself is awake even later due to World Cup festivities.

Across the globe, people are gathering for games and the holidays.

I still remember when Qatar was on lockdown during the pandemic in 2021. Stores were empty, gyms were closed, and gatherings were not allowed.

Today, Qatar is the place to be.

I am inspired by how hard people work together just to be together in a single space, to celebrate sports and life itself.