TWO weeks ago, I was faced with a challenge I didn’t think I’d have to encounter. A good friend was going to be in town for a day, and I wasn’t sure how best to present the city I’m living in now, all in 12 hours.
She was making a pit stop in Doha after a beautiful 10-day vacation at an exotic location in Britain.
Now, how do I ensure that the dry heat of the early Mid-Eastern summer wasn’t going to be too much for her, or, what would her reaction be to the potpourri of people (which can be intimidating for newcomers) here, starting from the airport arrival?
I couldn’t tell especially when my guest, Faz, is someone with a distinct, feather-light fussy side, known only to her best of friends!
“What’s with the staring?” Faz exclaimed when we picked her up at the airport.
“Welcome to Doha!” I said, laughing at her remark. Anyone who has walked through the arrival terminal without that experience probably wasn’t in the right airport.
It took me a while to get used to it as well when I first came here but you’ll learn to ignore the downright impolite, incessant stares mostly by the South Asian blue-collar workers over time.
Most of these guys make the city, brick by brick, and like everyone else who has left the homeland for Doha, they have their stories. That was Faz’s introduction to Doha.
It was perhaps too early to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the vibrant Souq Waqif.
A renowned destination for both locals and tourists, the market, located in the city centre, sells traditional garments, spices, handicrafts, souvenirs and even pets.
It also has a long row of restaurants and shisha lounges. Maybe walking around thesouq (Arabic for market) at 40 degrees with a jetlag was not ideal for us (I had just returned from a holiday as well) but Faz loved the romance of the narrow walkways that led to more rustic walkways with exotic shops on both sides.
The market usually comes alive in the evening when the weather cools down and people get off work to relax with some sweet shisha and tea.
The best place in Doha when you’re in on a quick visit has to be the Corniche.
It is a waterfront promenade that extends for several kilometres along the Doha Bay in the city.
On one side, is the aquamarine sea and on the other, the massive Doha skyline. It is gorgeous both in the day and at night, and just like I was years ago, Faz was blown away by it. She loved the colour of the sea.
A quick lunch and some shopping later, we went to the Pearl-Qatar, which is an artificial island spanning nearly four million square meters. Many designer labels and restaurants alongside themed residentials are located here. Faz was obviously smitten by the Qanat Quartier that resembles Venice, complete with a canal system, plazas and beachfront townhouses.
Her rushed trip was completed with a hearty meal of grilled meat, lemon-mint and shisha at our favourite Lebanese restaurant.
“It is a developing city with lots of construction and immigrants. There seems to be lots of opportunities and potential here. I like that it is clean, and despite being small, it has something to show off to tourists.
“I would have loved to see the souq at night though,” she concluded, promising that she’d be back.
Not bad at all. I had managed well in a short time. I just wished we had time for the nightlife, desert, beautiful beaches and other activities located outside of the city.
Source: The Star
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