A few days in Qatar

Every other month we must leave Kuwait for visa renewal, providing an unique opportunity to visit places perhaps otherwise not considered as a destination.  With only 2-3 days to spend we look nearby,  this time heading to Qatar.   The desert country of Qatar is a peninsula jutting into the blue Arabian Gulf.   The modern and ever changing capital city of Doha, where the majority of the population lives, was the focus of our recent trip.

On our first day we walked from our hotel to the old souk area, Souk Waqif.  The cobblestone labyrinth of alleyways and wooden beams in the souk lead you to find everything from cooking pots, to pungent spices and clothing.














In another are you will find veiled women weaving traditional Bedouin blankets and cushions.

At one point the local police gathered for rounds, their colorful performance certainly for the benefit of the gathering locals and  tourists.

Walking back to the hotel we headed for perhaps the most picturesque part of Doha, the 7 kilometer corniche around the Doha Bay.  Here we had views of working dhows against the backdrop of the city.

The next day we headed for the Museum of Islamic Art, the incredible design of renown architect IM Pei, set on the corniche overlooking the bay.  The building is beautiful in its simplicity and inside is a impressive collection of manuscripts, textiles, ceramics and glass, dating from  the 9th century.

Beautiful items were on display, such as this 14th century Egyptian mosque lamp.

That evening we returned to the Souk Waqif to dine in a traditional Arab restaurant, sitting outside on the upstairs balcony.  As the muezzin called for evening prayer, we turned to see the most beautiful sunset over the mosque.  A perfect ending to our last night in Qatar.