Doha, Qatar

We were so happy when Qatar Airlines finally came to Penang International Airport (PIA). Now we can fly direct to London via Doha and safe some time. So instead of a transit, we opted for 3 days in Doha. Doha is a very small city. Actually one can cover major tourist attraction in a day,  I found out later. But since we already booked for 3 nights. we took things slowly and enjoyed our stay here. The

major Souq in Doha is Souq Waqif. I always liked to visit the local Souq, or central square of a country I am visiting. This gives you a rough idea of their lives, culture and tradition. Souq waqif presents you how Qataris, preserve their old market with its fascinating buildings, structures and alleys. It is also quite clean and houses a few boutique hotels and fine dining restaurants. Next to this market and a must visit is the Falcon Souq. Qataris love this bird and they really take care of the birds so well they even have a Falcon Hospital for them. Apparently there is only two such hospitals in the world. These Falcons can fetch up to thousands of Riyals.  These winged friend really enjoy their lives with all this attention. Although I personally think it quite unfair to tie them up and not allowing them to fly freely.
 Another place nearby is the camel ground. Here you can see camel feeding and if you get lucky try going for a camel ride. Another place of interest will be the Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA)
It’s a clean modern building and has a cafe downstairs. The artefacts are from around the world. You can even see a bejewelled falcon with rubies, emeralds and other gems. Wonder how much $$$$ this would cost!
The magnificent structure of The Pearl Qatar will surely fascinate anyone looking at it. Nestled along the Corniche is this man made island spanning only 4km. This is  a first freehold artificial island open to foreign residents. It is a lavish and luxurious promenade with Super Brands and fine dining. Qataris sure know how to live an extremely luxurious lifestyle

Pigeon Towers is another interesting place located in Katara Cultural village. A sanctuary for pigeons highlighting arabian heritage. Katara Cultural Village also houses museums, planetarium, restaurants etc. We were lucky to be taken on a short tour around the Village by a caddy. Truly enjoyed the ride.

There are other places like Doha Corniche, Malls, musuems that we did not visit. Maybe next time Insha Allah. By the way there is this restaurant called Zaitoon serving delicious food.  It is really worth trying. Another suggestion is a Syrian Restaurant in Souq Waqif called Damasca. The food is average although ambience really takes one into a beautifully Arabian decorated interior. That’s all for now. Hope these info helps someone.