February 7, 2015 Exploring Qatar
Finally I got back to the writing table after a hiatus. I accepted an overseas job here in Qatar not only for career change but to explore the country. You may ask where is Qatar? It is a small Arab country bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and with the rest of its territory bordered by the Persian Gulf. It hosted the 2006 Asian Games and is now scheduled to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Qatar is very accessible by flying in to the new airport, the Hamad International Airport, at Doha. Different airlines offer direct or connecting flights from other middle east cities. By land, the only route is from and through Saudi Arabia.
Qatar issues a visa on arrival (30 day stay) at Doha's airport to passengers who are citizens of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, USA and Vatican City.
Citizens of Gulf Coorperation Council (GCC) countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and United Arab Emirates do not need a visa to enter Qatar.For other nationalities, they need to apply for a visa at the Qatari embassies located in their home countries before they can travel to Qatar.
Qatar is the world's richest country per capita and has the highest human development in the Arab World; furthermore, it is recognized as a high income economy by the World Bank. Qatar has the world's third largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves in excess of 25 billion barrels.
Qatar is the world's richest country per capita and has the highest human development in the Arab World; furthermore, it is recognized as a high income economy by the World Bank. Qatar has the world's third largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves in excess of 25 billion barrels.
Discovering Doha the Capital City
Doha is the capital and largest city of Qatar. It is also the economic center and one of the municipalities of Qatar. I have seen much of Doha although I haven't been to the man-made island of The Pearl Qatar nor have I seen or been to the singing sands dunes, desert safari adventure, nor went up north to check out the Al Zubarah Fort. Doha and it's surrounding towns can easily be visited and checked. And by the way there is a great way of discovering the city of Doha by riding the Hop On Hop Off Doha Bus. The Doha Bus takes you to a grand tour of the Doha with stops at many attractions, where you could get off and explore more. Tickets for a 24 hour tour costs 180 QR for adults. But I had explored the city just by riding the public bus and by walking.
Here are the places that I have been so far.
1. Souq Waqif. Literally translated to "the standing market," this shopping destination is renowned for selling traditional garments, spices, handicrafts, and souvenirs. Restaurants serving foreign cuisines from the region as well as Shisha lounges can be found in the area. There is a falcon souq on the other side near the parking area worth also to check.
Here are the places that I have been so far.
1. Souq Waqif. Literally translated to "the standing market," this shopping destination is renowned for selling traditional garments, spices, handicrafts, and souvenirs. Restaurants serving foreign cuisines from the region as well as Shisha lounges can be found in the area. There is a falcon souq on the other side near the parking area worth also to check.
2. Clock Tower. A short walk from Souq Waqif is the Clock Tower located on a hill overlooking the bay. It is built in 1956 and is next to the Emir Diwan Palace and the Grand Mosque. It features Arabic numerals on its face.
3. Museum Of Islamic Art (MIA). Built on a man-made island with ancient and historically significant collections of Islamic artifacts and items originating in Spain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, India, and Central Asia. The building was designed by Pritzker Prize laureate, Chinese American architect Leoh Min Pei (more commonly known as I. M. Pei,) designer of the Louvre Pyramid. It has a 5-storey main building and a 2-storey Education Center which is connected by a central courtyard.The collection is exhibited on two floors and includes manuscripts, ceramics, metal, glass, ivory, textiles, wood and precious stones dating from the 7th to the 19th century.
Entrance to the museum is free and visitors are requested to be dressed appropriately.
Opening hours are as follows:
Sunday 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday 12:00 PM- 8:00 PM
The museum is closed on Tuesdays.
Entrance to the museum is free and visitors are requested to be dressed appropriately.
Opening hours are as follows:
Sunday 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday 12:00 PM- 8:00 PM
The museum is closed on Tuesdays.
4. Corniche. This is a waterfront promenade that stretches for 4.4 miles along Doha bay. It offers a good view of the city's skyscrapers and other notable landmarks such as the Emir Diwan Palace, the Museum of Islamic Art, Orry the Oryx, Oyster and Pearl statue and the Water Pots fountain. It's also a good place for jogging. There are also exercise equipment strategically located on the area. Dhow (traditional boats) rides offer a different view of the Corniche from the sea for a minimum fee of QR20/person.
The Oyster Pearl monument pays tribute to the local pearl diving industry. During the Roman period pearls and dried fish were the major items for exportation from Qatar. In 1933 Japanese started the cultured pearl business, putting an end to the pearl diving profession in Qatar. The monument is located near the Dhow Harbor.
5. Villaggio Mall. Why visit this mall? The interiors on the mall is designed to look like an Italian town. There is also a long canal offering gondola rides for about QR15. The mall is located near the Aspire Center.
Living in Al Khor Municipality
Located 50 kilometers north of Doha is the municipality of Al Khor. The sea lies on the east and some mangrove swamps are located. The area is more bucolic which gives a laid back atmosphere and a different look from Doha. There is a harbor that is worth a visit and there is fish market just in front of the harbor. Much of the attractions are the numerous watchtowers which can be seen near the Al Corniche. There is also a museum nearby. Much of these attractions are currently under renovation. Al Khor's Corniche does offer a nice place to relax and unwind though it cannot match that of Doha's beauty. One can walk along the beach, where several play areas have been set up for kids. |
Al Khor also has 20, 000 capacity stadium used mainly for sporting events like football. Some restaurants offering Turkish and Indian cuisine can be found along the main street. A modern mall was also built to cater to the shopping needs of the people residing in the area, most of which are expatriates.
Due to my work location, I was accommodated on a villa in Al Thakira, Al Khor. Al Thakira is just a 10 minute drive and around 7km north of Al Khor. It is also a nice place to watch the sun rise over the mangroves which provide habitat for extensive species of birds. A boat jetty can be seen jutting out of the mainland to accommodate fishing boats. The beach just like in Al Khor is not good for swimming since water is too shallow. It is a good fishing area though. Al Thakira provides a very different scene from the normally dry desert.
One time I witnessed some fishermen unloading their early catch of crabs and fishes into crates. There goes the saying that the early bird catches the early worm.
How to get to Al Khor?
From the Al Ghanim Karwa bus terminal in Doha, there are two bus numbers that travel to and from Al Khor. The 102X bus travels via the Al Khor Coastal Road (Q1A), passing by the Doha Moto GP racetrack, Lusail City and the Pearl Qatar. The trip should take 45 minutes vis this bus. Note that this bus stops at Al Khor community. The other bus is the 102 which takes the Al Shamal Road (Q1). This bus directly goes from Doha to Al Thakira and vice versa. Travel time is almost 2 hours with this bus.
Travelling by Public Karwa Bus
When commuting via the public bus, one needs a smartcard to pay for the fare. A reloadable card is available for QR30 with QR20 load credits. A 24 hour smartcard is also available for QR20.
Other Points of Interest
There are other points of interest in Qatar especially when it comes to the architecture of its buildings.
1. Aspire Tower. It was the focal point of the 15th Asian Games hosted by Qatar in 2006, where it served as a giant torch thus the name Torch Doha. It has 36 floors and it comprises of 5 star luxury hotel rooms and a revolving restaurant. The tower has also been known as Khalifa Sports Tower and Doha Olympic Tower. Construction started in 2005 and was finished in 2007. It is currently the tallest structure and building in Doha and Qatar at 300 meters but it is expected to be surpassed by the Dubai Towers Doha and the Barwa Tower, once completed after construction. It is also located on the Aspire Zone where a park and a sports stadium can be found.
2. Lusail Sports Arena. It is an indoor sports arena in Lusail, Qatar. It was built to host matches of the 2015 World Men's Handball Championship. It has a capacity of 15,300.
3. For Roman Catholics, there is the Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Doha. It is located, along with churches of other Christian denominations, at the Religious Complex in Abu Hamour. It is the first church built in the country since the Muslim conquests in the 7th century. The church was dedicated on 14 March 2008.
Due to the laws in Islamic Qatar, the church displays no Christian symbols like crosses, bells, or a steeple on its exterior.It serves around 200,000 Catholics in Qatar, most of them migrant workers from the Philippines, India, South America, Africa, Lebanon and Europe
Due to the laws in Islamic Qatar, the church displays no Christian symbols like crosses, bells, or a steeple on its exterior.It serves around 200,000 Catholics in Qatar, most of them migrant workers from the Philippines, India, South America, Africa, Lebanon and Europe
“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” - Mark Jenkins