Traveling – It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.
-IBN Battuta
The Qatar Islamic Cultural Center
On our first night in Doha, we decided to stroll around the streets. The first landmark we saw was The Qatar Islamic Cultural Center. Sadly, we didn’t go inside, but we certainly took pleasure looking at it from the outside.
Museum of Islamic Art
A few days after, we made sure to go to the Museum of Islamic Art. By the way, entrance is free.
I love museums. This one was particularly breathtaking. Even before going through the exhibitions, I was already in awe. Do you see the view from the lobby?! Wow. The exhibitions were quite interesting too. Most of the pieces were lent by the Sheikh and the Royal family.
Souq Waqif
The Souq Waqif is a quite interesting market place. Ancient architecture with a combination of modernity (the items for sale, the shisha hang-outs, etc …)
I want that white lamp. If I go back, I’ll make sure to get it.
This was at the restaurant we had dinner at – Shujaa Restaurant (click here for the post).
I was able to bring back Qatari Spice and Arabic Coffee with me.
What I loved best about the Souq Waqif was how authentic it was. This is the place the locals will come to get their spices and whatever needs they need to buy. In some way, this is almost the heart of the city. On another note, I’d like to highlight the cleanliness of the place. I mean, sure it’s dusty and has a smell from the spices, but the bathroom? Probably some of the cleanest I’ve ever seen in my life!
Katara Cultural Village
This might have been one of the many highlights of my trip. I felt a certain sense of peace and wonder while walking around the cultural village.
The Pearl
This was another kind of atmosphere. Less artistic and more luxurious. Here you can go on a nice stroll along the marina, look at the yachts, shop in the numerous stores, have a nice cup of coffee, or a delicious dinner at one of the restaurants.
It’s not a rumor. People in Qatar drive nice cars. Funny story – I actually saw a woman go in the Rolls Royce store casually wearing sports clothes and with a click of her fingers bought a car. I’m not a car connoisseur, but I imagine a Rolls Royce doesn’t come cheap.
Church
Since it was between Christmas and New Year’s, we decided to take an afternoon off to go to church. Obviously, Christianity is a minority in a country like Qatar. But I’m happy to know that Christianity and the church is widely accepted.
Local Houses
These are some examples of the typical local housings.
Skyscrapers
Talking about typical. These skyscrapers are definitely not the typical Qatari architecture. But like many countries around the world, Qatar has succumbed a bit to modernity hence the presence of these skyscrapers.
Too bad I didn’t have a better photo of the night skyline.
Heavy Rain and Floods
But even with all the works going on in the name of modernity and the upcoming Fifa World Cup in 2022, there is one thing that Qatar isn’t ready for yet.
This happened after 1 afternoon of heavy rain. Can you imagine if it rained for a whole week??
Beautiful Skies
But the ultimate must and a personal satisfaction was taking time to admire the beautiful skies. No matter where we were, I always took the time to look up. The impression that I had of Qatar was the fact that it was so wide – the roads, the desert, the malls, and the beautiful skies too. ❤️❤️