I got a chance to visit Doha, Qatar, last weekend for the first time. It's not far from Dubai--a distance comparable to that from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia--but getting there requires going by plane with all the complications of international travel, including early check-in and obtaining a visa, not cheap at about $25 per person.
Travel by road from the UAE is not possible since Qatar occupies a peninsula bordered by Saudi Arabia, which does not permit through travel by foreigners. A new airport is opening soon; the old one we landed at seems undersized for the traffic and lacking in amenities. Travel from the airport to town would be quick given the short distance except for the traffic, which seemed heavy along the main roads.
We stayed in an older part of town, the Souk Waqif area, which is not that old, just in comparison to much of the city, which looks brand new. From the souk there's an excellent view of the spiral shaped Fanar Tower, the Islamic cultural center, and the fabulous Museum of Islamic Art, the I.M. Pei- designed masterpiece of a building, known as MIA locally. The corniche, a lovely waterfront walk, connects the MIA in a big loop to the modern downtown area, which rises like Oz across the water. Rustic dhows offering boat rides line the waterway, while across the corniche road there is plenty of green with parks open to pedestrians. The feeling of openness, walkability and green space was a striking difference from Dubai.
We started the walk from MIA to downtown but got waylaid in our search for a restroom and something to drink, finding the first but not the second. It was Friday and nothing would be open until later that afternoon. The Museum finally opened at 3 p.m. (free admission!) and we spent two hours there, emerging in time for sunset. There was a pleasant chill in the air, a bit cooler than Dubai, with many people wearing coats or jackets. It was spring festival time at the souk, with friendly crowds and family entertainment. Household goods, fabrics, jewelry, spices, antiques, and native handicrafts were on display, with many coffee shops and restaurants. There was also an amazing bird market, with all kinds of birds and other animals, including a few cats and dogs, turtles, and squirrels. Locals took part in live auctions for the choicest items.
Not far from Souk Waqif is the Falcon Souq, with many small shops and thousands of falcons on display. Doha must be a falconry center. Beyond that we found some beautiful horse stables. We had dinner at one of the boutique hotels in the souk, the highlight being the best mint tea I have every had. No alcohol is served in any of the establishments in the souk. Restaurants in the larger hotels downtown have bars, but none were visited during our stay. Unlike Dubai, alcohol is not available for purchase at the airport duty-free, so visitors looking for drink may be out of luck. What Doha does offer is a welcome view of more traditional Arabic culture, with less westerners in the way.
There was lots of building going on, just as there is in Dubai, so it will be interesting to see how these two cities compare in another 10-20 years.
Travel by road from the UAE is not possible since Qatar occupies a peninsula bordered by Saudi Arabia, which does not permit through travel by foreigners. A new airport is opening soon; the old one we landed at seems undersized for the traffic and lacking in amenities. Travel from the airport to town would be quick given the short distance except for the traffic, which seemed heavy along the main roads.
We stayed in an older part of town, the Souk Waqif area, which is not that old, just in comparison to much of the city, which looks brand new. From the souk there's an excellent view of the spiral shaped Fanar Tower, the Islamic cultural center, and the fabulous Museum of Islamic Art, the I.M. Pei- designed masterpiece of a building, known as MIA locally. The corniche, a lovely waterfront walk, connects the MIA in a big loop to the modern downtown area, which rises like Oz across the water. Rustic dhows offering boat rides line the waterway, while across the corniche road there is plenty of green with parks open to pedestrians. The feeling of openness, walkability and green space was a striking difference from Dubai.
We started the walk from MIA to downtown but got waylaid in our search for a restroom and something to drink, finding the first but not the second. It was Friday and nothing would be open until later that afternoon. The Museum finally opened at 3 p.m. (free admission!) and we spent two hours there, emerging in time for sunset. There was a pleasant chill in the air, a bit cooler than Dubai, with many people wearing coats or jackets. It was spring festival time at the souk, with friendly crowds and family entertainment. Household goods, fabrics, jewelry, spices, antiques, and native handicrafts were on display, with many coffee shops and restaurants. There was also an amazing bird market, with all kinds of birds and other animals, including a few cats and dogs, turtles, and squirrels. Locals took part in live auctions for the choicest items.
Not far from Souk Waqif is the Falcon Souq, with many small shops and thousands of falcons on display. Doha must be a falconry center. Beyond that we found some beautiful horse stables. We had dinner at one of the boutique hotels in the souk, the highlight being the best mint tea I have every had. No alcohol is served in any of the establishments in the souk. Restaurants in the larger hotels downtown have bars, but none were visited during our stay. Unlike Dubai, alcohol is not available for purchase at the airport duty-free, so visitors looking for drink may be out of luck. What Doha does offer is a welcome view of more traditional Arabic culture, with less westerners in the way.
There was lots of building going on, just as there is in Dubai, so it will be interesting to see how these two cities compare in another 10-20 years.
Sounds wonderful, more pictures!
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