The World Cup has hardly ended in Russia and Qatar is already on the scene to make it beautiful for 2022. The small Arab country is preparing to make history as the smallest nation to host a World Cup. Even during the games in Moscow, it began to spread a range of images inspired by the tradition of the country with men dressed in white in souqs, women in veil, beautiful sunsets, practices of falconry and dhows (a typical boat of the region) sailing by the coast.
Do you know where Qatar is? In the Persian Gulf, almost next to the United Arab Emirates. Well, this trendy neighbor, more precisely Dubai, everyone already knows, at least in photos. What about Doha, the capital of Qatar, do you have any idea? How it will be?
The country is beyond interesting and developed. It mixes old customs with modern skyscrapers. It has a super bold skyline and an artificial peninsula, called The Pearl, jaw dropping. It grew in the desert, driven by oil and gas, but knows that it’s treasure will one day end so it is investing in the diversification of its economic matrix, which includes drawing the attention of the world. With that goal, a Cup is good tactic.
Doha usually goes to the map of some people when they embark to Asia with Qatar Airways, an excellent airline, and they make a stop of one or two days in the country of habits so different from ours. They pray several times a day for being Muslims, adept at polygamy, are prohibited by law from consuming alcoholic beverages, homosexual relationships are not allowed, they still use physical punishment such as stoning as part of the penal code in some extreme situations and are very closed .
On a visit to the country, visit the Museum of Islamic Art, incredible both in terms of heritage and architecture. It is an icon in the city. Go to Souq Waqif, the area where the Bedouins used to trade goods and today is a huge local market. When you get tired, sit in one of the many restaurants spread out there and try a narguille. Enter the Falcon Market and be amazed. It is still a common practice of falconry in the Arab world. Go to the Gold Souq. When it cools down, take a walk on the seafront on the Corniche, a seven-kilometer boardwalk. Do not miss out on one of the many shopping malls in the city and be amazed, the Vilaggio Mall is sophisticated and very luxurious.
Qatar is a country of very peculiar cultural standards. I love getting in touch with other cultures to open up the horizon, to know other ways of living and to undress my prejudices. Are you also like that?
I wish you all a super month of July!
XoXo, until next Tuesday!
