Exploring Doha

I woke a couple of times in the night, including around 5.00 AM when we heard the call to prayer. But I didn't mind that. I hope I don't offend any religious sensibilities when I say how much I welcome the exoticism of that sound. It always reminds me how far I am from home.

The hotel breakfast buffet was adequate, though I'd have welcomed some granola or muesli. And the coffee was far too weak!

We started our explorations walking along Museum Street to Souq Wafiq. Of course we had to stop to engage with the local street cats! We were to discover that Doha is a cat lover’s dream! The ones we saw all looked reasonably well fed and as we spotted some strategically placed bowls of water and food, we concluded that people here take good care of their street cats.

Souk Waqif

Doha’s main souk was founded over a hundred years ago, but the traditional building was renovated in 2006 and now appears clean, well-cared for and a delight to explore. There is none of the hassle of Marrakesh’s souks, for example, and while the narrower alley ways are lined with shops selling a mix of local handicrafts and touristy ‘tat’, the open spaces offer cafés, restaurants and plenty of opportunities to relax and watch the world go by. There are also a few specific sights to look out for.

As it was Friday we found it rather quiet, with many of the small shops closed, but enough were open to provide some good photos ops. And it did gradually start to get a bit livelier, with local families out for a walk and refreshments in one of the many cafés. We did the same, enjoying much better coffee than we'd had at the hotel at a shady table which proved a great spot for some people watching.

Pouce

Near the café we found one of the souk’s more unusual sights, a giant gold thumb! This sculpture by César Baldaccini, entitled Pouce, is part of a programme of installations by major artists initiated by Qatar Museums. It is based on a cast of the artist’s own thumb, a major motif in his work which over time he gradually scaled up to this very oversized digit! It is a popular meeting point for locals and visitors as it is so hard to miss.

Falcons and camels

After our coffees we made our way further into the souk. I was disappointed to find the falcon hospital and the specialist shops around it all closed, presumably again because it was Friday. We could see plenty of birds inside one shop, but it was impossible to photograph them through the glass. So I was thrilled when I saw some men passing by with a falcon on the arm of the youngest. I hurried after them and asked permission to take a photo. One of the older men agreed and carefully arranged the young man’s head covering and posed him for me.

Beyond the falcons we came to the camel pen. I rather like camels and was sorry to see them so tightly hobbled but I took a few photos here.

The Corniche

We left the souk near the camel pen and made our way through a pedestrian subway to the Corniche to walk by the water’s edge. This brought us to the dhow harbour with the nearby Pearl Monument fountain. This pays tribute to the past pearling industry here which, prior to the discovery of oil, was one of the country’s main sources of income.

The Pearl Monument fountain marks the entrance to the dhow harbour. The modern skyscrapers of West Bay in the distance made an interesting contrast to the old wooden boats, so we lingered here taking photos.

I was keen to have a ride in a dhow, so we agreed a price with one of the guys touting for business. He waited a short while for other passengers and a couple who turned out to be from Birmingham joined us. I enjoyed a chat with the woman as we sailed, between taking photos of course. I was taken with the pretty pastel colours of the Mina district, dwarfed by a cruise ship moored nearby which seemed out of place among the dhows.

The skyscrapers of West Bay with their varied and interesting modern architectural styles also offered some good photo subjects, as did the sculpture of the 2022 World Cup logo on a small island. The latter appeared to change shape as we sailed past it.

The Museum of Islamic Art

The couple got off the boat in West Bay, having used it more as a taxi service, while we returned to our starting point. From there we walked further along the Corniche, past more dhows, and over the bridge to the striking Museum of Islamic Art, designed by Pei.

We were mainly interested in the architecture rather than the exhibits, but we decided it was worth paying the entrance fee to explore the interior and also enjoy a snack in the beautifully located café. The fruit juices were refreshing, and I loved my saffron and date cheesecake. Yes, that is real gold leaf on the top!

We then had a look around some of the galleries, focusing on a few items that particularly caught our eyes.

We also took lots of photos of the building and went outside to check the views from the courtyard.

After a short wander through a market set up in the nearby park (selling mostly cheap clothing and toys to locals) we walked back to our hotel for a rest.

In the evening we walked back to Souq Waqif. We couldn't get a table at our first choice of restaurant, Parisa, so reserved one for tomorrow. Instead we went to another well reviewed restaurant, Al Terrace. We could only get an outside table which was a bit chilly, but it did mean we could watch the world go by and make a fuss of the cats!

Al Terrace restaurant

And the food was very tasty (especially the chat starter), the service friendly and the ginger cooler so good that I had to have a second. Nevertheless we were quite glad to leave and get back to the warmth of our hotel room.