Christmas in Doha 2015

Merry Christmas everyone!

I had a pleasant enough day. This morning a Qatari friend texted me to see if I'd join him for breakfast at a cafe, " . . . if you're not too hung over from all the partying last night." Huh? Was there some major party I didn't know about? (and he was a devout Muslim who doesn't drink so it wasn't something he would have attended). I went to breakfast and asked him about it, turns out he confused Christmas Eve with New Year's Eve, he thought on Christmas Eve all the Westerners had big parties with lots of drinking.

Christmas is not an official holiday in Qatar but it didn't matter as this year it's on a Friday so it was a day off for everyone anyway. In Qatar people can celebrate Christmas, and thousands go to services at the Cathedral, but for the hotels and other businesses they keep it subdued. They can sell Christmas items like Santa Clauses and stuff but I don't recall seeing anything Jesus-related. Hotels host functions but don't overdo it with all the decorations and so forth. The Government's tolerance can change year-to-year, some years the hotels have had huge Christmas trees, gingerbread houses and so forth, other years they "dial it back" a little.

As it was Friday the newspapers had their one or two page Religion columns and articles. I scanned two English-language papers to see if it would discuss the Prophet Isa (Jesus), acknowledging the holiday, but neither of them did instead focusing on word and deeds of the Prophet Mohammed or discussing the Qur'an.

It's not that Christmas is something to keep hushed up, I looked like this today as I wandered around town. No hassle.

By early afternoon it started raining, and I mean pouring. The clouds were so low they were touching the tops of the skyscrapers.

Many of the hotels have Christmas brunches, typically outdoors! Here's hoping they prepared a 'Plan B' for rain as there was no way to have it outside in that weather. The rain didn't stop me from going to a friend's house for a lovely Christmas dinner. In Qatar most of the hotels offer a package where you can order a turkey with the trimmings and you can pick it up on Christmas day. Saves a lot of cooking at home.

I told my friends that in Canada ordering your Christmas dinner from a 5-star hotel would be seen as a major luxury, I had never heard of anyone doing that before I moved to Qatar, but here in Qatar it's not uncommon.

My friends also had a pumpkin pie (not provided by a hotel). I think they did it just for me because I absolutely love pumpkin pie, it's my favourite. I had a double helping -- and I'm not ashamed. I'd do it again in an instant!

By the time the evening ended it was still pouring, so naturally the streets are all flooded again. I made in back fine but Doha will be looking at the same problems it had from that big storm last month.

Oh well, it was a wet but Merry Christmas.

Update on Katara

Summer is over so it’s nice to be able to explore around and see what’s changed over the last five months. I was meeting some friends for lunch near West Bay so in the morning I decided to stop by Katara and stroll around.

Preparations were underway for the Ajyal Youth Film Festival so workers were busy setting up signs and other things. On the main square they were setting up a big stage and tents, I presume for a concert.

Near the end of Katara this building was nearly finished. Does anyone know what it will be for? Crazy amount of stairs. I’d half expect to see it host Busby Berkeley musicals.

I noticed that the pigeon towers were not just for decoration. The white bits in the picture are pigeons, enjoying their homes.

The marketplace that is being built near the main entrance is coming along. I expect it’ll be open in 12-18 months.

The beach was looking good as well, in the southern part (nearest to the St. Regis) they’ve added a lot more chairs and umbrellas. I think they decreased the prices as well, I recall a sign that I think said QAR 25 for adults and kids were free.

I also took some time to see the exhibition of Turkish clothing from the time of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. I assume the clothes were reproductions of what was worn at the time, the clothing looked too good for it to have been 500 years old.

Speaking of Turkey it looks like the Turkish restaurant, Sukar Pasha, has built some fancy gazebos on the beach for guests to use for private dining and shisha right on the beach. They had some couches and tables out there before but it looks like they are really going high-end.

Then I chilled out with a coffee at the Al Jazeera Café. It’s a bit out of the way but it is my favourite café at Katara. I should try the breakfast there sometime but couldn’t that day as I would be eating lunch soon at my friend’s house.

And as I was leaving I noticed the development going on in the hills overlooking Katara. Maybe the plans have changed, in the plans I knew from a few years ago it was all going to be villas up there but it looks like they’ve set up some tents with views of the sea. Maybe they are going to turn some of it into a park with tents for picnics? That’d be nice.

So there’s a lot going on at Katara right now. It is a pleasant place to visit, once the development has finished it should be even nicer. Hopefully that marketplace will provide additional parking.

Qatar Stars League

In all the years I’ve lived in Qatar I never really followed the soccer league (henceforth I will call it ‘football’ since I’m not in North America). I have a team, Al Sadd, as they play in the neighbourhood I first lived in when I arrived in Qatar, and I have seen a few of their games. I’ve also been to the occasional Emir’s Cup and Heir Apparent’s Cup, so it’s not like I’ve never seen a game.

Well the new season starts this week so I decided to try to follow the League this year. I signed up to the League’s website, www.qsl.com.qa, and hope to go a game this weekend. The League has a membership for fans where you can get discounts at various shops and restaurants by showing your League card. There’s even levels to it: Standard, Bronze, Silver and Gold, based on the number of games you attend. Tickets aren’t expensive, they seem to range from QAR 10 to 50 depending on the seating.

I’m not expecting packed stadiums with thousands of fans. Typically the stadiums hold around 5-10 thousand but far less than that turn up. I’ll do my part to fill a seat.

We’ll see how this goes.

Update on the Al Wakra Souq

It's been a few months since I went to the Souq they're building in Al Wakra. I figured I'd go and see how it's looking now.

Still lots of construction, but it's looking better than when I was last there:

The Corniche is looking good, and has more restaurants and cafes open. I bet it's becoming popular in the evenings. A few places even serve shisha.

Now I don't blame them for the rest of it to take so long, the place is HUGE. Here's a map, the Corniche is the side that the words "You Are Here" is written on.

That's a lot of buildings! No wonder it's not done yet.

With the hot weather approaching I doubt many people will be going to the Wakra Corniche and I likely won't be visiting again until after the summer, which should mean the rest of it will be mostly or entirely completed. I wonder what will be in all of the buildings?

Population Growth in Qatar

Whenever you read the news in Qatar there is always some article about the problems with traffic, or the problems finding places for kids in schools, the increasing rents, the lack of parking . . .etc

There was an article today in The Peninsula newspaper which nicely summed up the reason behind all the problems.

http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/news/qatar/306463/population-surges-to-2-21m

Here’s the relevant points:

More than 170,000 people, most of them freshly-recruited workers, have entered the country this year, taking the population to an all-time high of 2.21 million.

Qatar’s population has nearly trebled in the last 10 years. In 2004, it was merely 744,000.

Digest that for a second. The population has nearly tripled in 10 years. 10 years!

I've said before that I always felt a bit sorry for whoever was the Minister of Urban Planning because he had a nearly impossible job. How can you manage to build roads, construction and infrastructure to keep up with the population tripling in 10 years? Pretty much impossible, just a game of catch-up the whole time. As soon as a new road is built it’s filled to capacity within a year. A new school has a waitlist by the next term. New apartment buildings open yet the vacancy rate continues to decrease. Everyone complains that there’s construction everywhere yet there has to be just to try to keep the city from gridlocking completely. What to do?

If you went to the mayor of a city in Europe or North America with a population of 750,000 and told them that the population of the city would tripling 10 years so they better plan accordingly, they would look at you like you were insane.

Unfortunately the problems seems set to continue, the population is expected to grow by about 15% a year for the next two years at least. Maybe after that things will stabilize a bit since all of the 2022 World Cup projects will have been started so won't need to bring in more people. Just means at least 2 years of traffic and high rents.

Advice for People Moving to Doha

Recently at Dohanews they reported on a twitter request for people to give advice to newcomers to Qatar. That sounds like an idea but since I don’t tweet I’ll do it on my blog instead.

-- Live close to work and/or the schools (if you have school-aged kids). This would definitely be my top tip. It's not easy finding a place in schools so you might want to stay in temporary accommodation until you have the schools sorted out then look for a place to live. Traffic is terrible so commutes to school or work can be long. Save yourself a lot of headache and try to live close by. If you can manage to live close to both work and the schools you’ll be the envy of your friends.

-- Plan to have a car. Until the new Metro is open (likely 2019 or later) public transportation is limited so you’ll need a car to get around. If you really don't want to be driving then you should look into one of the private taxi services to arrange for daily pick-up and drop-off of yourself to work for your kids to school. Many people do this. Due to the hot weather 5-6 months of the year, and the crazy traffic, cycling is not really an option for commuting.

-- Qatar is not like your home country. It’s not. Thus, there will be some things that you will just have to get over. Alcohol will only be sold in some hotels, the Rugby Club and the Golf Club. There are no neighborhood pubs to jaunt over to. No restaurant has pork on the menu. Most places lack adequate parking. You will probably need to dress a little more conservatively than at home. Labourers are paid only a few hundred dollars a month and many work in tough conditions. Construction will be everywhere. Maintenance personnel in your building or compound might not have extensive training and certification. Drivers ignore traffic laws all the time. Things will not necessarily be as logical as you would expect back home. Not everyone speaks English. None of this is going to change anytime soon (if ever).

-- Qatar is a Muslim country, why not spend a bit of time learning about it? Maybe sign up for events at FANAR, or take Arabic lessons. If that’s not your thing consider joining one of the various arts or sporting groups at Katara or Aspire, or maybe check out the list of groups in the Marhaba and give one a call?

That’s what I can think of off the top of my head. Hopes it helps.

How to Renew Your Car Registration

In Qatar every year you need to renew the registration on your vehicle. It's actually a straightforward process, here's how it works.


1) If your car is more than three years old it has to undergo an annual inspection. Here's a link to a post I did about how to get your car inspected. You will need to have the paper with you showing that your car has passed.

2) You will need to have proof of valid insurance for your car, usually your insurance expires around about the same time as you need to review your car. Review your insurance and have a copy with you when you go to renew your registration. (They will keep the paper so make sure you have a copy of your insurance policy for yourself)

3) Go to the Traffic Department. They used to have a convenient kiosk in the basement of City Center Mall but someone told me a week ago that it was no longer there. I couldn't find information on anywhere else you could go except for the main Traffic Department in the Madinat Khalifa neighbourhood. It's located pretty close to the Shammal/22nd February highway, between LandMark and Al Saad. It’s a new building, if you've been in Qatar while and you're familiar with the Traffic Department that building is closed, the new one is located across the main road from there.

The building looks like this:

3a) when you park you’ll probably see a bunch of guys standing around, mostly Africans, who will then offer to help you with the process for a fee. These guys do speak Arabic but I found that the employees in the Traffic Department had no problem speaking English so you don't need to hire an "assistant". Maybe for more complicated things you might need the help if you don’t speak Arabic.

3b) You will need to bring with you a copy of your insurance, your soon-to-be-expired registration, and the car inspection paper (if your car had to be inspected).

3c) you will see signs outside that say “Licensing and Registration” which point off away from the building. Don't bother wandering off in search of where this is taking you, just go to the main entrance.

4) Going through the main entrance you will enter a HUGE room, with a large round desk about 30 feet in front of you. That's the reception, go there first and tell them you're renewing your registration, they'll then give you a numbered ticket and direct you to an area where the counters are that handle registration renewals (behind them and to the left, but they might direct you somewhere else if you are a lady as I saw a cordoned off “ladies waiting area”).

[Sorry, no pictures, I always get a bit nervous about taking pictures inside Government buildings in this part of the world]

5) When your number is called go up to the appropriate counter.

6) Give them your registration, proof of insurance, and the car inspection paper. Now do you have any outstanding fines or speeding tickets? If you're not sure you’ll find out as they will add the fines to your registration fee. The regular fee is QAR 100, plus any outstanding tickets/fines. They accept debit and credit cards, I'm not sure if they take cash.

7) Once you've paid they will then print out a new registration card for you -- you're done!


Hope this helps.

Doha Hotels -- Where to Stay in Doha/Qatar

As an extension to my posts “What to Do in Qatar" and “Where to Eat in Qatar” I figured I'd do a post about trying to figure out a hotel to stay in. If you're not familiar with the city it can be a tough decision as you don't really have a sense of where things are or how close they might be.

Before we begin I will note that I have never actually stayed in almost any of these hotels (why would I stay in any of them -- I live here). These recommendations are based on whether the hotels might be suitable for what you need. Before you book you should also look at a review website like tripadvisor or booking.com to see what travelers had to say about their stays at individual hotels.

With that out of the way, let’s begin with a key consideration when choosing a hotel:

Location, location, location.

As the city Doha is pretty spread out, and with no metro or significant public transport system, the traffic can be pretty bad throughout the day. If you're coming to Doha on business it could save you a lot of hassle to book a hotel that would be close to your meetings. If your meetings are in the West Bay neighborhood stay at a hotel in West Bay, if they’re elsewhere in the city then book a hotel close to there. It can save you a lot of grief in the long run. Otherwise you could be looking at up to an hour or more commuting to your meetings depending on how far away you are.

And don't think you can just step out of the hotel onto the street and flag down a taxi, if it's rush hour you’re really taking your chances that you'll get one quickly. It could take more than an hour depending on where you are, no I’m not kidding. Both the morning and afternoon rush hours are the busiest time for taxis and I've known some people to book them two days in advance. Thus you'll be stuck having to use a hotel car at an exorbitant price. You may want to consider renting a car when you arrive at the airport, a small car could cost as little as 130-170 QAR a day, at some five-star hotels you could be charged that much for just one trip from their “limousine” services.

During the months of May to October the weather will likely be incredibly hot and humid, making even a 10-minute walk outside an ordeal. Having transportation lined up during these months will be especially crucial.

Another solution would be before you arrive in Doha to ask the company(-ies) that you are meeting if they have a driver who could pick you up from your hotel. Most companies do so maybe you could get transportation to your meetings that way.



By the way, not every hotel has alcohol

Only some of the hotels are licensed to serve alcohol, mostly five-star hotels. If having a drink is important to you then do some research in advance to see if the hotel is licensed to serve alcohol. There are a few four-star hotels with a license (but not many) and not all five-star hotels are licensed, so don't assume a five-star hotel will automatically have alcohol.

By law all hotel bars must scan your passport for you to be allowed entry (or Qatar ID if you live here). No passport, no entry, even if you are staying at the hotel. Picture ID like a driver’s license is not good enough, it has to be your passport. Some hotels might be stricter about this than others but that's the law.



So it turns out my meetings are in an area called West Bay, any recommendations?

There are plenty of hotels in that neighborhood, mostly five-star. The Four-Seasons, Hilton, Intercontinental (the City), W, Moevenpick, and Mariott Marquis are just some of them. You shouldn't have trouble finding something. Just a word of caution there are two Intercontinentals, two Mariotts and two Moevenpicks in Doha so just make sure you've got the right one.



What about if my meetings are in an area called Lusail / the Pearl / Katara?

Those are a bit north of West Bay and while staying in West Bay might be all right you could also stay at some hotels closer to the area: Ritz-Carleton, Intercontinental (the other one), St. Regis or the Grand Hyatt are all closer.



What about if my meetings are in an area called Aspire / Education City?

I think there's only two realistic options for hotels near those areas: the Torch or the Grand Heritage.

What about if my meetings are in an area called Ras Laffan / Al Khor / Wakra / Mesaieed?

Those places are not in Doha. Get hotel recommendations from whomever you are meeting with and ask if they can pick you up from the hotel. You still might be staying in a hotel in Doha, just with a bit more of a commute to your meetings.



I'm going to be in Doha on business for more than a week so I wouldn't mind staying somewhere with some variety for dining.

First see above about “location, location, location”

Otherwise a good hotel would be the Radisson Blu, which has something like nine different restaurants and five bars, and is on a busy intersection by what many here call “Cholesterol Alley” where there are tons of nearby fast food places, cafés and other restaurants.

Staying at the hotels in or near Souq Waqif would also provide you with dozens of dining options, but there are no bars in the Souq and I think only a couple of hotels nearby have them.

West Bay hotels might also be an option if they are close to City Centre Mall as there are plenty of places to eat there. The W is close and the Mariott Marquis is attached to the mall.

Also consider the Torch hotel as it is attached to Villagio Mall, but it also has no options for bars.

The Grand Hyatt has, I think, four restaurants and is across the street from a moderate sized mall called Lagoona where you can go for cheaper options.



I'm traveling with my spouse/family and they prefer sitting by a pool and/or beach.

Only the resort hotels on the shore have beaches but there are many to choose from: Ritz, Grand Hyatt, St. Regis, Intercontinental, Hilton, Four Seasons, the Sharq and the Marriot resort. They tend to also have the best pools (but it varies, view pictures from their websites before booking).

Be warned, chances are you will not be served alcohol at the pool or beach: http://dohanews.co/sudden-change-in-alcohol-rules-at-hotels-upsets-customers/

I'm traveling with my spouse/family and they prefer exploring.

A hotel in or near Souq Waqif would be my choice. The Souq has a number of boutique hotels that you can book through a shared website.

http://www.swbh.com/

If those are too expensive there is also a small hotel (I think 9 rooms) in the Souq most people don't know about called Hotel Khariss but I think you’ll need to Google a travel website to make a booking as it doesn’t have its own site.

Otherwise there are a lot of three and four-star hotels about a 10 minute walk from the Souq, such as Kingsgate, Mercure, Best Western, Horizon Manor, and others.



I'm traveling with my spouse/family and they prefer shopping.

Souq Waqif is an option if they want something more traditional (see above for recommendations near the Souq) otherwise a hotel close to or attached to a mall would be best. The two largest malls are City Centre and Villagio. For City Centre the W is close and the Mariott Marquis is attached to the mall. For Villagio the Torch is attached to the mall.



I'm traveling in the summer.

See the above sections “Location, location, location” and “I'm traveling with my spouse/family and they prefer shopping.” In the summer you will either need to drive everywhere or be in a hotel that is very close to amenities. Malls are where everyone goes in the summer as it is generally too hot for outside activities, being close to a mall will make it easy for you to get out and about without going through the hassle of getting taxis or driving. Some people even find lounging by a pool in July or August to be a chore (unless the hotel chills the pool, ask in advance) and in those months the water in the Gulf is too hot for a comfortable swim.



I've never been to the Middle East before so wouldn't mind staying in a hotel that has a lot of Arabic character.

Souq Waqif boutique hotels are a good bet, as would the Sharq Resort. Honorable mentions -- the Grand Hyatt and the Four Seasons.



I think that's about it, if I can think of any other categories I'll update the post.

Qatari Etiquette Videos

I forgot to mention -- the Qatari who runs iLoveQatar.net has been creating short YouTube videos explaining Qatari etiquette. They’re actually pretty amusing, you can check them out at his YouTube channel “Mr. Q – iLoveQatar.net”.

Map of Souq Waqif

So months ago I noticed that there was no map of the maze that is Souq Waqif. That was unfortunate, I think a lot of tourists just hang out on the main road where the restaurants are and don't venture into the labyrinth of stalls and shops. You can find all sorts of interesting things in the narrow alleyways and I think it’s part of the Souq experience to explore the area.

To resolve this I decided to map the Souq myself, slowly going through the corridors and mapping the areas. It took a number of trips – it’s a more complicated place than I originally thought -- but I did find some places I hadn't known of before (did you know there was a Yemeni coffee stall near the Gold Souq?). Once I finished my rough sketches I intended to put it all together and finish it up with some color, but then life happened and I never got around to finishing things.

Well it turns out I don't have to anymore, Souq Waqif now has a map available, and I think it looks better than what I would've done. A friend of mine got a copy last night and gave it to me, so I scanned it and put it up here.

I'm sure the map is available at the Information Desk at the Souq but if you want to have a copy beforehand here you go. Enjoy.

What to Do If You Have a Car Accident in Qatar

Well more specifically, what do you do if you have a minor car accident and it wasn't your fault.

It's minor so you don't need to wait around for a police officer to show up. Assuming you and the other driver have both exchanged phone numbers, and you probably have taken down their name and the license plate number of their car, here’s my advice for the next steps.

1) Get a friend to come with you who knows Arabic (this is crucial)

2) Make an arrangement with the other driver to meet at the police station. There are a number of Traffic Police Stations in the city (Google for locations, this site might help), you should meet at the one closest to the site of the accident. Bring the following:

your Arabic-speaking friend
your car of course so the officer can see the damage
driver’s license
Qatar ID
vehicle registration
a copy of your insurance (they didn't ask me for it but just in case)

3) After explaining to the officer in Arabic what happened he will inspect the cars. If the other driver speaks Arabic and you do not then you will have a difficult time understanding what is going on. But that's okay because you have your Arabic-speaking friend with you, right?

4) Then the officer will do up a report explaining what happened and which driver is at fault. This report is entirely in Arabic so you will need your Arabic-speaking friend to review it to see that it is accurate. Both you and the other driver will be given a copy.

5) If you are not at fault then find out from the other driver which insurance company his car is insured with. You will probably need to go to their offices but you can call your insurance company to see if you can file the claim with them instead. Who knows, maybe you can.

6) Photocopy the police report in case something happens to your original. While I was driving I had the windows partially opened and the report nearly flew out the window! I almost had a heart attack. I doubt the insurance company will accept a photocopy but at least you can then go back to the police station and show them your photocopy to get another original.

7) If your car is relatively new or maybe a couple years old and you want it to be repaired at garages certified by your car dealership I suggest contacting the dealership to explain the situation and see which garages they recommend and if they have an arrangement with the insurance company [you might need to have this information handy for step 9].

8) Go online to check to see where the motor claims office for the insurance company is (sometimes the claims office might be in a different location from where they sell policies). Bring your car to the claims office of the insurance company with the police report, registration, Qatar ID, etc. You can then file a claim. They will then send someone out to inspect your car and take photos for their file. I still recommend having your Arabic-speaking friend with you as you will likely be dealing with Arab staff but most people at the insurance companies can also discuss things in English.

9) The insurance company will then likely tell you which garage you can take the car to. This is where you may get into a debate as they might want you to take it to some tiny garage that you have never heard of in the Industrial Area rather than to garages certified by your car dealership. I didn't debate this because my car is inexpensive and 8 years old but you might have a problem with this -- at which point you may need your Arabic-speaking friend to help you. The insurance company will give you a piece of paper to give to the garage so that you will not have to pay for the repairs.

10) If your garage is some small operator in the Industrial Area they might only speak Arabic. You brought your Arabic-speaking friend with you, right? Hopefully they're driving their car so that you can drop your car off at the garage and then hop in their car so you can leave the Industrial Area. Of course you should bring your friend with you as well when you go to pick up your newly-fixed car in case there is anything to discuss.

11) Treat that Arabic-speaking friend to a nice dinner for all of their help.


Feel free to leave any other advice in the comments.

What to Expect When it Rains

This week it started raining, nice proper rain. The dry season is officially over!

It started on November 17 and by my recollection it was a bit early this year, as late November or early December seem to be the usual time. But why rely on my memory when there's plenty of data. Thanks to weatherspark.com I was able to go back and look at when the end of the dry season was for the last 10 years.

Turns out my memory was pretty faulty. Mid-November is not that unusual and in the majority of the years November was when the first rainfall occurred. A couple of times it was even late October. There is a lot of variance as to when there was a decent rain though, in 2005 and 2007 technically the first rainfall occurred in October or November but it was one day and just a tiny sprinkle. In both those years the “real” rain didn't occur until January of next year. You can also have December be the rainiest month one year, then next year have no precipitation at all during December. Weird.

So for you people new to Qatar or planning to move to Qatar, what can you expect from the rainy season? Here’s my tips.


1) Drainage can be spotty

Let's face it, it doesn't rain much in Qatar so there isn't a pressing need to spend billions and billions of dollars on sophisticated drainage systems that might only be needed once or twice a year. Drains do exist on roads but not always in the most efficient way which means it is not usual to find huge puddles on roads. Roundabouts are especially vulnerable to this, if the roundabout is angled slightly towards the center then of course all the water flows towards the center and the inside lane becomes a massive puddle.

Qatar is not very sandy, more like clay with a thin layer of sand on top, which doesn’t drain water very well. With a heavy rain the open areas like empty lots can quickly become small ponds as all the water just sits on top. For example here’s a 2006 photo of an empty lot near Salwa Road.

That said there is some design to the drainage so Doha seems to fare better in rainstorms than some other cities in the region. Sadly large Saudi cities like Jeddah and Riyadh can have flash floods that result in casualties.


2) Things might leak

Construction is not always of the best quality and since heavy rain is so rare it could be a long time before anyone figures out a place is leaky. Today it was Villagio Mall making headlines for flooding in numerous areas of the mall:

http://dohanews.co/qatar-copes-with-flooding-as-rain-showers-continue/


3) Things will get coated in mud

You would normally think rain will do things like wash the dust off your car but in truth it makes things worse. Qatar has a lot of sand/dust in the air so when it rains the rain takes the dust, deposits it on your car, and then when it evaporates your car is filthy.

Some of the shades you see in parking lots can really make your car dirty when it rains. Most of them are a fine mesh that water can get through so the rain takes the 8-9 months of dust that accumulated on the shade and puts it on your car.

Only after it has rained for a while and taken the dust out of the air will the rain be “clean”.

On the bright side when it stops raining the air looks remarkably clear.


4) Be wary on unfamiliar roads

Many of the smaller roads and side roads in Doha can have potholes of various sizes, and in areas like the Industrial Area these can be huge. But when it rains the water fills up the hole so you won't know how deep it is when you drive over it. Some of these are much deeper than it looks so you need to be careful when driving down unfamiliar roads. Heck, sometimes when you drive down a road you are familiar with you need to be careful, because . . .


5) Shifting sand = shifting asphalt

Roads and sidewalks are built over that clay-like sandy soil and a heavy rain can cause it to shift or settle, which then causes the sidewalk or road above it to sink or warp. Don't be surprised if after a heavy rain there are unexpected bumps in the road.


And finally,

6) Go to the desert a month or so later

If there has been a good amount of rain then the normally dry, dusty desert will bloom. Grasses and shrubs start appearing from everywhere, and up north it can even look like grassland or prairie. I've only seen it once, after prolonged heavy rains in 2006, but it was cool to see. Check out these pictures from an abandoned village in northern Qatar. One was in September, the other in February after the rains.

I’m hoping the rains are good this year so maybe we’ll see the “Qatar Prairie” again.

Registration for the Qatar National Library

As noted previously I registered online for access to the Qatar National Library’s e-books but it requires you to visit their temporary offices in Education City. If you haven’t registered yet first go to the following link and register:

https://library.qnl.qa/selfreg

So then out I went to find them. I knew they were somewhere near Mathaf Museum and when I got to the end of the area just past the Museum there was a parking lot with a bunch of what looked like temporary buildings. I walked into one just to ask for directions and by sheer luck was in the right building!

The temporary offices of the QNL are located in the QMDI building, and there are signs around pointing you to that building. Look for “QMDI”, I don't think there any signs mentioning the Library.

As for a map QMDI’s website has their location (click on the link that says “map” at the bottom of their page)

http://www.qmdi.com.qa/QMDI/contact-us

When I asked for the Qatar National Library the front desk receptionist immediately contacted the QNL staff. A gentleman came to the lobby and once he knew I was here to register he apologized for people having to come to the office in person. Apparently some of the materials are age-restricted so the QNL has to have people register in person to ensure only adults are registered, otherwise kids could just go online and use their parents ID to register.

I gave him my Qatar ID so he could copy it and he went back to the office to get a PIN code for me. I had my passport with me just in case because the website seemed to indicate that you needed to show your RP but he only needed my Qatar ID. I waited in the lobby maybe five minutes and then I was given a PIN code. That was it, I can now log on to QNL’s e-book and periodicals collection. Your access is timed to the expiry date of your Qatar ID.

Browsing the collection I've discovered that some of the sections can only be accessed by researchers and Education City students but there appeared to be a huge amount of material for general registrants covering sciences, business, social sciences like anthropology, and so forth.

I am looking forward to some interesting reading.

Learning Arabic in Qatar

So I've been continuing Arabic lessons and things have been going well. I've also found myself in a situation where I'm now working with a number of Qataris who do not know English very well, this is really forcing me to use Arabic. It's a challenge but I must admit I'm grateful because I think it's making a big difference for remembering the words and how to structure sentences.

Over the years I've taken Arabic lessons from many different sources and if you're interested in learning Arabic there are a number of options:

1) Use a language school

This will probably be the most expensive option as some of these schools can charge upward of QAR 200+ an hour but can be a useful way to tailor the learning to what you want, especially if it's just yourself or a small group.

I've never used one of the language schools so I certainly can't recommend which ones are better than the others. Many of them advertise in books like Marhaba or in classified ads in the newspapers if you're interested in contacting them.

2) University courses

Qatar University offers Arabic for non-native speakers, at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. I took this once (intermediate) and they definitely push you on speaking, writing and pronunciation. It was pretty intensive, I think nine hours a week, and between that and the distance to get to the University I didn't continue on once I completed the course. Decent program though. I think the cost worked out to around QAR 50 an hour but don’t quote me on that.

Stenden University also offers Arabic courses for beginners. I did one of these many years ago as part of a work program and thought it was also decent but I recall it was more about reading and writing as opposed to conversational.

3) Fanar (the Islamic Cultural Centre) offers six different levels of Arabic, ranging from complete beginner to very advanced. It's probably one of the most affordable ways to learn -- a 35-hour course costs something like QAR 300 or 400. I think the cost also makes it very popular, typically they have hundreds of students and class sizes are typically around 20-30. I've taken levels two and three twice each, while level 1 is definitely for people who don't know any Arabic the jump in difficulty from level 1 to level 2 is big, same for going from levels 2 to 3. Even after taking it twice I struggled with level 3. Maybe now it would be different since my Arabic has improved. Ultimately I wasn't all that happy with the structure of the lessons, and I think there could be a lot of improvements in that regard, but for the price Fanar is definitely worth trying.

As it is an Islamic Centre the classes are gender-segregated, with different classes for men and women.

4) Private tutors

You would think since this is an Arabic-speaking region there would be a ton of people posting fliers offering Arabic lessons but in truth it can be a challenge to find people advertising such services. It took a while to set up but a private tutor is what a friend of mine and I are using now. He is not a professional teacher, we met him through a mutual friend and since his English and Arabic are both excellent he agreed to tutor us whenever we can arrange an evening (sorry I can’t give you his contact details as he does not plan to spend lots of spare time tutoring people – he has a day job). So far I’ve enjoyed this as it allows a lot more flexibility in terms of when we meet and what subjects we cover. For you it is unlikely to be the cheapest option but the flexibility makes up for it. If you’re interested in private tutoring maybe ask around and see if anyone knows someone.

If people know of other Arabic-language classes please let me know in the comments. However please note I'm not going to advertise for “for-profit” companies so unless it is a school, university, or Islamic centre it’s unlikely to go into this post.

Are You New to Qatar?

I took some time to go through my posts and created a new category that would be relevant to anyone who is thinking of moving to Qatar or has just arrived and needs to sort out what to do. Just click on the “New to Qatar” link in the labels section to get posts on where to go, what to do, and how to get that e-gate license, or click on "New to Qatar" at the bottom of this post. I hope it helps.

Unfortunately there's no way for me to constantly check whether anything has changed. Please, if you find that the information was correct or that the blog post is a bit out-of-date because something changed, please leave a comment so that I can look into it and update the post. Thanks.

Remember Your Building Number

In Doha it can be very difficult to find the location of a building. The smaller streets in the neighborhoods can be so labyrinthine that no one bothers to remember street names. I can maybe name twenty streets in the entire city. I have no idea of the name of the street that I live on, nor the street next to it. Pretty much everyone only knows the main streets like the Corniche, the ring roads, Salwa Road, etc.

Thus navigation becomes an exercise in remembering landmarks. Directions are usually about being near somewhere or in some neighborhood, such as, “near Crazy Signal, behind the car dealership”, or “in Al-Sadd, close to Sports Roundabout”, and so on. It can be a problem if you get a taxi but aren't sure exactly where you're destination is – the taxi driver probably will not know either unless it's a well-known place.

This can also create a problem for Emergency Services, how are they to know where you are? So the Government has been doing an ad campaign asking people to memorize their building numbers so that they can give it to emergency services.

All buildings now have a plaque like this:

It gives you the neighborhood (in this example 22), a street number so you don't have to memorize the name (880), and the building number (15). By memorizing the numbers you then don't have to memorize the neighborhood, street and building name. Street names have not changed, the street this building is on does not have street signs saying it’s “Street 880” but at least you don't have to remember the name, just the number.

I don't think it'll help you with taxi cabs, but I didn't have an issue memorizing the numbers just in case I need emergency personnel at my building. If you're reading this in Qatar you should memorize your building numbers too.

How to Get or Renew a Liquor Permit

[Note for tourists or visitors: you do not need a liquor permit to have alcohol at a bar, the permit only applies to purchasing alcohol at the one liquor store in Qatar. However, please be aware that you will need to bring your passport or Qatar ID card to the bar to be allowed entry. A drivers’ license or other picture ID is not good enough -- it has to be your passport/Qatar ID.]


[this post was last updated on November 28, 2016 as the QDC made an important change, removing the requirement for a deposit and instead instituting an annual fee. They also added a new email address.]

So my liquor permit was expiring this month so it was time to renew it. For those of you new to Qatar and looking for a liquor permit, or wondering what to do to renew it, here are the steps:


1) IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A NEW PERMIT -- get a letter from your employer addressed to the Qatar Distribution Company confirming your name, ID number, position, basic salary, accommodation entitlement (or whether the company provides accommodation), and marital status. It has to be on original letterhead, signed and stamped by the company. You do not have to get this letter for renewing your permit.

[UPDATE -- two commentators have said you need a salary of at least QAR 4000/month to get a license]

Yes, this means your employer has to give you permission to get a liquor license. No letter, no license. Your HR department should know exactly how the letter should look, if they don't then chances are you work for a company that's not going to give you one. This also means that if you do not have a job you won't be able to apply for your own liquor license. I have a Muslim friend who is married to a Christian woman and because she is under her husband’s sponsorship she could not get her own liquor license.

In the past you needed a letter from your employer for a renewal, not anymore. If you are renewing your permit then the documents you need depends on whether any details have changed. The QDC now has a handy guide posted at the permit office, but due to changes from December 2016 ignore the last bit about a security deposit:

2) Prepare to visit the Qatar Distribution Company (“QDC”) by gathering your letter, your passport or Qatar ID, a pen to fill out the application, and some a credit or debit card to pay the fee (they now state on their facebook page that payment must be electronic, no cash). Renewals are NO LONGER FREE so if you are renewing you also need to bring payment as well as your Qatar ID, I don't think a passport will do it. QDC does have an email address as well, customerservice@qdc.com.qa (if that doesn't work try permit@qdc.com.qa), so you might be able to request the form in advance. I found just visiting them not complicated or time-consuming so just going there might be easier. As you'll need to pay a fee you can't complete the licensing process via email so you'll need to visit the QDC anyway.


2a) Fees? Yep, as of December 1, 2016 there is now a fee. In the past you just paid a refundable deposit but now they have moved to charging a fee instead. It is based on the validity of your Residence Permit, and the QDC say they'll pro-rata it if the Residence Permit expires earlier than a year.

1 year permit validity: QAR 150
2 year permit validity: QAR 250
3 year permit validity: QAR 350
4 year permit validity: QAR 450


3) Go to the QDC. This is not an easy place to find and there will not be signs directing you to it. It is in the Abu Hamour neighborhood close to Barwa Commercial Avenue and Safari Hypermarket. If you get a Marhaba guide on the main map it will be in sector F3, called "QDC". Hours are typically every day except Friday from 9am to 9pm. Note that the QDC is not open during the entire month of Ramadan.



Usually you can’t drive your car into the parking lot unless you show them your permit, either tell them you're here to get a new permit or park outside and walk in.

4) When you enter the building you'll see in front of you an ATM and a set of sliding doors with some security guards in front of it. That's the entrance into the liquor store, you can't go in there without a permit. Turn to your left and go through the doors on the far left, which leads to a staircase. Go up one floor, you'll see a small room with chairs. This is the waiting room. There will be a ticket machine that dispenses a number, and copies of the application form that you have to fill out if applying for a new permit.

5) The application form asks for name, address, a mobile number, e-mail address etc., as well as marital status and monthly salary. You have to complete this form for new permits.

One key thing it asks for is your religion. One of my Muslim friends told me that Muslims are not allowed to get a liquor permit but I've only ever heard it from him. Three commentators to this post have said it is possible for Muslims to get a liquor license so I think as long as your employer gives you the letter a Muslim can get a permit.


6) When your number is called you go into the permit office where they will take your documents and your ID card or passport. They will also take a picture of you for the permit. Make sure you're not wearing a hat because when they take your photo it might look something like this:



(Blah, my hair looks terrible!)


And then, if all things are good, they will give you your permit. They print it right there while you wait so you don't have to come back another time for it. You can now go downstairs and enter the liquor store.

Aside from the email mentioned above you can also call the QDC at 4429-9777.



PORK: the QDC is also the only place that sells pork. You do not need a separate license for this -- as long as you have a liquor license you can enter the store and buy pork as well.

Qatari Weddings – Lighting the House

Around Qatar you will occasionally see a house with strings of lights on it.




This is part of the wedding celebrations, the lights are used to signify that someone in the house has or will be getting married. According to a Qatari friend of mine, the lights are typically put up a few days before the wedding and stay up for a few days afterward (I think some families keep them up longer, I'm sure I've seen houses where those lights are there for a couple of weeks).

And just to clarify, the lights are put up around the time of the wedding parties, not at the time the marriage contract is signed. They are two separate events: the couple signs a marriage contract (at which point they are legally married) but cannot live together until they have had the parties (one for men, and one for ladies). The parties can occur well after the contract is signed, in some cases over a year later.

Qatari Names

All these years doing this blog I forgot to mention Arab names!

In the Gulf the Arabs’ names are pretty straightforward. Unlike the West, where first and middle names are typically chosen by the parents, in the Gulf only the first name is chosen by the parents. What we would call a middle name is always the father's name, any further middle names indicate the name of the grandfather, great-grandfather and so forth with the last name being the tribal name. So for example if you meet someone by the name Ali Mohammed Ahmed Al-Essa then you know his father's name is Mohammed and his grandfather's name is Ahmed (or more specifically his father's name is, at a minimum, Mohammed Ahmed Al-Essa).

Sometimes the name will have “bin” (for ladies there will also be “bint”) in-between the names. This simply means “son of”, or in the case of “bint”, “daughter of”. So in the example above the gentleman might go by the more formal Ali bin Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Essa.

This can become important since Gulf Arabs tend to use a limited selection of names. Lots of Arabs are named Mohammed, Ali, Ahmed or Abdulla, and tribal names are not as diverse as Western last names so I'm willing to bet there are plenty of Qatari men named “Mohammed Al-Marri” or “Abdulla Al-Thani”, which would get very confusing without using the middle names.

If you are from the royal tribe (the Al-Thani tribe), then the middle names become very important in order to determine how you are related to important members of the Al- Thanis, such as His Highness the Emir, or his Excellency the Prime Minister. Al-Thanis tend to use more middle names than other Qataris.

So let's look at some examples:

This link will take you to the webpage listing the Board of Directors of Qatar's largest bank, QNB.

Here are the names of the first seven Board Members listed on the website:

H.E. Yousef Hussain Kamal
H.E. Sheikh Jassem Bin Abdulaziz Bin Jassem Al-Thani
H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Jaber Bin Jassem Al-Thani
H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Mr. Ahmad Mohammed Ahmad Al-Sayed
Mr. Bader Abdullah Darwish Fakhroo
Mr. Rashid Misfer Al-Hajri

So as you can see from this listing the Al-Thani Sheikhs all use the more formal “bin” whereas the other members of the Board do not. The Sheikhs also list two middle names, whereas only some of the other board members do. The middle names are also important because two of the Sheikhs are named, if you use the Western convention, “Sheikh Hamad Al-Thani”.

It is also possible that H.E. Sheikh Jassem Bin Abdulaziz Bin Jassem Al-Thani and H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Jaber Bin Jassem Al-Thani have the same grandfather (Jassem), which would mean they are cousins. If we were to see one additional middle name it would be safe to assume they are cousins if the next name also matched.

Let's look at some of the Qataris on the Board of another bank, Commercial Bank of Qatar:

Sh. Jabor Bin Ali Bin Jabor Al Thani
Mr. Abdulla Mohd Ibrahim Al Mannai
Sh. Abdullah Bin Ali Bin Jabor Al Thani
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Nasser Bin Faleh Al Thani
H.E Abdullah Bin Khalifa al Attiyah

Again all of the Sheikhs are using the more formal “bin”, and H.E. Mr. Al Attiyah is as well, but Mr. Al Mannai is not. We can also tell that two of the Sheikhs are probably brothers since they are both “Bin Ali Bin Jabor” but they are not closely related to the third Sheikh, at least on their father’s and grandfather’s side.

Speaking of which, what about ladies? Naming still follows the paternal line. According to Wikipedia, His Highness the Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has many daughters, for example:

H.E. Sheikha Aisha bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
H.E. Sheikha Hussah bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
H.E. Sheikha Sara bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
H.E. Sheikha Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani

So after their first name the naming convention continues down the paternal line.

Unlike the West though ladies do not change their last names when they get married. Again according to Wikipedia, His Highness Sheikh Hamad has three wives:

H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Muhammad Al-Thani
H.H. Sheikha Noora bint Khalid Al-Thani
H.H. Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Misnad

So two of his wives are from the Al Thani tribe whereas one is from a completely different tribe, the Al Misnads. As children are named after their father all the children will be “bin/bint Hamad bin Khalifa” regardless of whether their mother is an Al Thani or Sheikha Al Misnad.

A great example was brought to my attention with the new Emir and the new Prime Minister.

The Emir is Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
The PM is Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani

So I made a comment to a post that at first glance they might be cousins (because both have a grandfather named Khalifa) but I took a look through the web and found that the former Emir, Sheikih Khalifa Al Thani, never had a son named Nasser, so the "Khalifa" in the Emir's name is different from the "Khalifa" in the PM's name.

However a Qatari commented on my blog that the Emir and the PM are related, you just have to go back further with more "bin":

The Emir is Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa bin Hamad bin Abdulla bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani.
The PM is Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Thani.

Apparently the Mohammed in the names is the same person. Thus the Emir's great-great-great-great-grandfather is the PM's great-great-grandfather. Which I think makes them third cousins twice removed on the paternal side.

It may get confusing at first, but it becomes pretty straightforward once you get used to it. I like the fact that an Arab’s name can tell you a lot more detail about his history than a Western name.

What To Do In Doha/Qatar

[last updated: December 2014]

Now that winter is approaching and the temperatures are nice, I figure I’d expand from “Where to Eat in Doha” and do a general tourist blog post.

So you're visiting for a few days, or maybe a week, and you’re wondering what there is to do in Doha. Well, here's my list:

(What about summer? Don't worry, I'll let you know if summer is not a good time for it):

Yes, these are in order of my personal preference.

1) Souq Waqif

If you only have time for one thing in Doha visiting Souq Waqif should be it. A recently refurbished old Souq it is now popular with both locals and ex-pats and has over 20 restaurants in addition to hundreds of small shops selling everything from souvenirs, swords, perfumes, clothing, jewelry, pets, spices, even falcons.

Don't just stay on the main street where the restaurants are, be sure to explore the narrow alleyways and get lost in the labyrinth of shops. Maybe you'll find the shops that make halwa, a traditional dessert, or a club where Qataris play a traditional board game called “damah”. Stop by a perfume shop and ask for information about the various oils and incenses, or pick up a bit of candy in the spice market. Unlike markets in places like North Africa you will not get hassled much at all so can wander around and enjoy the Souq at your leisure. Souq Waqif is an excellent way to spend an evening.

I’m usually there two or three times a week so if you see me feel free to say Hi.

What about summer? The heat of summer makes it a bit tougher for wandering around the Souq but it is still a worthwhile experience. The restaurants have indoor sections that are air conditioned and many of the alleyways are covered so the air-conditioning from the shops makes them a bit cooler than open-air areas like the main street. Wear some casual clothes as you will be sweating.

(Warning: Most shops in the Souq close in the afternoon until 4pm or so and will also not be open Friday mornings. After 5pm is the best time to go.)

I now have a map of Souq Waqif on my blog, you can find it here.


2) Museum of Islamic Art

Near Souq Waqif is another must-see attraction, the Museum of Islamic Art. Beautiful building, excellent park, world-class exhibits. Admission is free but be sure to bring ID so you can get a headset which will give you a lot more information about the exhibits (free to rent but they will hold onto your ID until you return it). Unlike many European museums which are crammed to the rafters with items the Museum of Islamic Art rotates the items on display and they are well spaced. At a reasonable pace and without the headphones you could see everything in the Museum in about two hours. Linger a bit at the exhibits that catch your eye and the museum would take you 3 to 4 hours. Be sure to take some pictures from the open-air courtyards and I consider their café one of the nicest in the city. The park surrounding the Museum is worth visiting as well and has a playground in addition to a couple of cafés with great views of West Bay.

Since the Museum is free one suggestion, especially if you are traveling with children, is spend some time in the Museum, take a break in the park, have lunch at one of the cafés, then go back to the Museum exhibits. There’s your day right there. Walk over to Souq Waqif for dinner. You can also visit the nearby Islamic Cultural Centre (see item #6).

What about summer? No problem, the Museum has excellent air-conditioning and the Museum café is indoors. You might want to give the park a miss if it's too hot out though many families go to the park in the evening when it's a bit cooler.

Be sure to check the opening times as they change depending on the day of the week. The Museum is closed on Tuesdays.
http://www.mia.org.qa/


3) Tour the Sand Dunes in the South

Most hotels will have a tour company at a desk in the lobby. Every tour company will offer a tour of the sand dunes (you may also see mentioned tours to something called the "Inland Sea”, that's also in the dunes). Definitely worth doing and can be a fun way to spend the day. It takes about an hour or so to get down to Sealine Beach Resort at the edge of the dunes, where you will take a break while they deflate the tires (necessary for traveling over sand). There's usually a couple guys around with some camels that you can rent for a few minutes. If you're not familiar with Qatar surprisingly there aren’t many opportunities to ride camels so if you want a picture riding a camel this is your chance.

The desert trip usually involves going over the dunes to a camp set up by the tour company. Depending on how long your tour is you may have a few stops along the way for pictures. At the camp meals will be served.

Companies will usually ask if you want a normal ride or an exciting/dune-bashing ride in the desert. Take the exciting one. It's not bumpy like you might expect, instead the driver will build up speed and slide across some of the dunes. It's very smooth. Kids who enjoy going on amusement park rides will love it. The driver will typically also go down a very steep dune, this time slowly sliding down the sand. The excitement is in the approach -- it looks like you're about to go off a cliff.

Depending on the tour company you might also have an opportunity for swimming in the Gulf. Ask in advance and if so bring your swim shorts.

Other activities depend on how long your tour is. Some offer same-day while others may also offer tours where you stay overnight at the camp. For the longer tours ask what activities are offered.

If you want to book in advance just google search “Qatar tour companies” or “Inland Sea tours” and I’m sure you’ll find many companies.

What about summer? Depends on the tour company I guess, I'm not sure how many, if any, offer a tour the sand dunes in the really hot months like July or August. If they do I definitely wouldn't do an overnight unless there's some serious air-conditioning at the camp.


4) (In no particular order) Walk along either the Corniche, the Pearl, or Katara

All of these areas are nice to walk around, each has their own attraction:

Corniche: this is typically the busiest of the three with tons of walkers and joggers, or people sitting on the grass watching their kids play.

On the Corniche in the evening you will also see a number of dhows with lights on them

These dhows offer quick tours around the Corniche area, just walk up to one and negotiate how long you want the tour (typically a half hour to an hour) and the price. It's been a couple years since I did this but last time I think they charged around QAR 30 per person for 45 minutes -- but we were a large group. If you're a small group they’ll probably ask for a flat rate of something like QAR 100-150 for everyone. It's a relaxing thing to do and a great way to see West Bay and the Museum of Islamic Art.

Downside: there are almost no restaurants or cafés along the entire 6km so you might need to plan ahead and bring drinks and snacks with you. There is a Costa Coffee on the end of the Corniche near the Sheraton Hotel so you can get supplies there.



The Pearl: Another popular place for a stroll. A huge reclaimed-land development with new skyscrapers surrounding a circular bay. At ground level there are wide walkways and plenty of shops and cafés. As you stroll around you’ll see some of the nicest yachts in Qatar parked at the Marina.

Downside: unless you are staying in a hotel in West Bay, or somewhere north of that, it's a fair distance away. Also, there isn’t much in the way of grassy areas or parks there.




Katara: The Katara Cultural Village is a large area with restaurants, art centres, interesting mosques, an amphitheatre, and a beach. It's worth spending a couple of hours wandering around and seeing what's there. Check their website ahead of time for what activities or exhibitions might be happening.

http://www.katara.net/english/

Downside: like the Pearl the area is a few kilometers north of West Bay so can be a bit of a journey if you're not staying anywhere near that area. Most of the restaurants are high-end and expensive but there is a café there and you can stop by chowpatti stands for a quick snack and karak. You also have to pay to use the beach.


What about summer? The Pearl and Katara have some indoor areas with air-conditioning, the Pearl especially, but it's still not as nice an experience if you can't go outside for too long. I don't recommend walking along the Corniche in the summer as it is entirely outdoors, does not have a lot of shade, and since there are not many restaurants and cafés if you start feeling overheated you could be very far from somewhere to get out of the heat.



5) Visit one of the Larger Malls

This is worthwhile even if you're not much of a shopper if only for people watching. Malls in Qatar are very busy so find a café, get a coffee, and watch the many nationalities of Qatar pass you by. I usually do this with guests the first night they arrive -- it really gives them a feel for Qatar and how diverse and cosmopolitan it is. It also gives newcomers a good idea about the dress code. I remember one British friend assumed she'd have to wear a headscarf in Qatar, watching hundreds of people pass by at the mall quickly showed her that jeans and a T-shirt, and no headscarf, was perfectly acceptable.

In addition, all of the larger malls have sizeable amusement parks for children.

I recommend City Centre, Villagio, or Landmark mall for this excursion. Check with your hotel which one is easiest to get to.

What about summer? You bet all the malls are air-conditioned so the summer is no problem. In fact the malls can be busier in the summer since most people don't go outside much at that time.



6) Visit the Islamic Cultural Center

The Islamic Cultural Center, also known as FANAR, is located in the spiral mosque near Souq Waqif. Inside is plenty of information about Islam, and you can go there and have a cup of coffee with one of the volunteers who would be happy to answer your questions. The volunteers are not aggressively trying to convert you (that's not exactly going to happen over a cup of coffee) but want to clear up misconceptions many people have about Islam.

FANAR also does a number of events and tours of other mosques or Katara, go to their website and see if they have anything while you are in Doha. Great way to learn about Islam and Qatari culture.

FANAR is also close to Souq Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art so if you want combine a visit to FANAR with one of those places.

What about summer? Of course you can visit, it’s indoors. They might not have any external tours though.

http://www.fanar.gov.qa/



7) Camel races & Sheikh Faisal’s Museum

About 25 km west of Doha is the town of Shahaniya, where there is a camel track and camel races are held. Check with your hotel for times though even if there isn't a race there are usually people exercising or training camels. The best time to go would be Saturday since that is the only time you can visit Sheikh Faisal’s Museum, which is nearby. Sheikh Faisal has an extensive collection of items such as integer vehicles, swords, maps, antique furniture and some pretty unique items (wandering around I saw things like an old Catholic confession booth). As it is a private collection you have to call in advance to see it and I believe the only day available is Saturday from around 10am-2pm. The place is huge and you could easily spend a few hours there, I went one time with the Natural History Group and I think over 100 of us were wandering through the place. There was even enough space for all of us to have a catered lunch. There's also no problem with bringing children.

Given the distance from Doha I recommend going on Saturday so that you can see both. Ask your hotel to try to find out if there is a camel race or other event at the track. For the museum call 44861444 to see if you can visit.

What about summer? You can still go to the museum but I doubt there'll be much going on at the camel track – too hot for people to be outside training camels.



8) Visit the Abandoned Villages and Fort Zubara

Up in the far northwest corner of the country (a little over an hour drive) is a fort that was created around the 1930s, Fort Zubara. Recently upgraded as part of the area becoming a UNESCO site it has some displays of the archaeological dig and the history of the area. You can find more details on my blog post here.

A couple of kilometers north of the fort are a few abandoned villages. These are interesting to wander around and maybe have a picnic. The largest one is on the shore (you’ll probably need a 4x4 to reach it). I like the abandoned villages better than the fort.

What about summer? This is all outdoors and the fort does not have air-conditioning in most rooms. Not recommended for the summer.

For information on the fort try http://www.qatartourism.gov.qa/pillars/index/1/culture/239



And if you're really feeling a little adventurous . . .


Bonus #1) Wander Around a Commercial Street

Many neighborhoods have what is called a commercial street, a long street with tons of shops on either side. This is where the more conventional stuff is found: cheap eats, barbers, cobblers, mobile phone shops, car washes, corner stores, tailors and so forth. Moreso than malls you will see people from all walks of life mingling around on a commercial street, from wealthy Qataris to construction laborers. Traffic is usually hectic, and double parking (or occasionally triple) is commonplace. This is not the pristine walkways of the malls or places like the Pearl, commercial streets are chaotic and occasionally unkempt and don't be surprised to see old buildings with dripping air conditioners, uneven sidewalks, and rough-looking stray cats wandering around. It’s safe though.

If you don’t have a car you’ll likely need to take a taxi there but it should be reasonable to find one to take you back. If you’re concerned then arrange with the taxi driver to pick you up at a location in a few hours.

Where are these streets? My favorite is Al Nasr Street near Ramada Signal, about 1.5 km long and contains many of my favourite restaurants like Turkey Central but there are dozens of small eateries you can try. Other suggestions would be Old Airport Road, Al Mansoura Street in the Najma Area, the area behind Royal Plaza Mall in Al Sadd, or Al Shafi Street if you’re staying out near Aspire or Education City. Upscale areas like West Bay or the Pearl do not have a commercial street.


Bonus #2) Ladies -- try wearing an abaya

Ah yes, the abaya and niqab (veil). While a common sight in the Gulf in Qatar ladies are not required to wear it, nor do they have to keep their hair covered, but why not be adventurous and give it a try? Gulf Arabs would never have an issue with a foreign woman covering up and wearing a black abaya and veil, and might even appreciate that you're making an effort to dress conservatively. Many Westerners tend to be critical of abayas and veils but as the saying goes about "walking a mile in their shoes" consider giving it a try so that you know what it's actually like. Will people treat you differently when you're wearing it?

If nothing else once you go back home it will definitely be something to talk about and your friends will marvel at your photos.

Abayas can be found in shops throughout the city, though inexpensive ones would more likely to be found that places such as Souq Waqif or on commercial streets (see bonus #1 above).




Hope you enjoy your time in Qatar!