Qatar- Day Five- Al Jazeera, Khalifa Stadium, and a Dhow Boat Ride

A bittersweet day in that we had many wonderful experiences but it was our last day in Doha.

We visited the Fire Station Museum which commemorates Al Jazeera, the first independent Arabic news channel in the Arab world.

Look at how the words Al Jazeera morph into the logo.  So cool!

Located next to the Khalifa World Cup Stadium is the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum.  

Notice how this World Cup statue looks like a dhow?  All of the World Cup finialists signed along the bottom of this statue.

A delicious lunch at the restaurant Naua in the 3-2-1 Museum

We had a late afternoon ride on a dhow boat.  These are traditional sailing boats used to carry very heavy items.  These vessels were also used for trading and pearling.  The boards were sewn together.  Nails were not used because people believed there was a giant magnet on the ocean floor that would remove the nails.

Last night in Doha

Shout-out to Lauren- The most exciting part of my trip was dune bashing and riding a camel.  Both involved bumping around and playing in the desert.

Shout-out to Hunter, Lucas and Cole- There are 8 World Cup Stadiums in Qatar.  Seven stadiums were built just for the World Cup.  This means they are very new and a few of them represent the Qatari culture in their architecture.

         Curious about all of the stadiums?  Click below: 

         All you need to know about the Qatar 2022 World Cup stadiums

         Curious about the future of these stadiums?

         Here’s What Will Happen to Qatar’s Billion Dollar Stadiums Now That the World Cup Is Over

         

Shout-out to Judah-I heard a lot of Arabic music but I did not see any live music.  Maybe this is one of my biggest disappointments from the trip.  I visited one musical instruments shop in the souq but it would have been a real struggle to get an instrument home.

Shout-out to Riley- Would I visit again? YES!  I can't begin to say how much I loved learning about Qatar and then visiting Qatar.  I felt very safe and Doha is so clean.  The hospitality of the people is endless and the food is delicious.  Next time, I want to spend the night in the desert!

Shout-out to Jacob A.-Fortnite is HUGE over here in Qatar.  In fact, in the National Library, there is an entire area of the museum where people come to play video games.

Shout-out to Cailin- The time difference is 8 hours.  This means they are ahead by 8 hours.

Shout-out to Molly-The weather was glorious!  All week the temperatures were 85-90 degrees.  I went walking early in the morning before it got too hot.

Serving tea in the Souq Waqif

So honored to know these dynamic educators.

Qatar-Day Four- Mascots, Dairy Farming in the Desert, Mangroves and McDonald's!

Qatar's primary source of "wealth," prior to the discovery of oil and natural gas, was pearl diving, a very dangerous occupation that would take men from the community away from their homes for 4-5 months every year.  To celebrate this history, there is a very LARGE clam with a pearl in Doha.

The mascot of the 2022 World Cup is La'eeb, a headdress worn in Qatar known as a gutra.  There is a giant La'eeb located down the street from the giant clam.

Check out this video promoting La'eeb:  2022 FIFA World Cup: Mascot La'eeb welcomes the world to Qatar

We visited Baladna Farm north of Doha.  This farm is a new endeavor and a direct result of the blockade that was put in place against Qatar by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.  The blockade lasted 3 1/2 years and was a strong reality check for how dependent Qatar is on imports.  We marveled at how high tech the farm is and we played in the adjacent amusement park.

A quick stop at Purple Island allowed us to walk among the mangroves.  

Little crabs filled the water and birds flitted between the greenery.

One highlight from the day was visiting McDonald's and trying a Chicken McArabia sandwich.  This McDonald's is quite unique because it was built to look like a Bedouin tent and it is situated next to the World Cup stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, also designed to look like a Bedouin tent.  As for the McArabia sandwich... Delicous!

Check out this McArabia commercial-  McDonald's McArabia: True to Tradition

Want a closer look at Al Bayt Stadium?  Check it out- Al Bayt Stadium

Shout-out to Aidan B- Religion is a big part of the average Muslim's day.  Because Muslims pray 5 times a day, there are mosques everywhere and in every neighborhood.  This makes it easy for people to visit a mosque and to hear the call to prayer.  The call to prayer can be heard from any place in the city and even over the radios and tv's.

Shout-out to Jagger and Aliya- Most everyone we encounter speaks English but we hear Arabic everywhere.  I learned a few words and I used thank you, شكرًا لك Shukran, all the time.

Shout-out to Jules B.- American fastfood restaurants have infiltrated Qatar.  You name it, Qatar has it.

Shout-out to Robert- I really enjoyed shopping in the souq (market).  I thought the prices were quite fair but you have to haggle in order to get the cheapest price.  When in a restaurant or at a hotel, the prices seem very much like here in the USA.

Shout-out to Dylan-Alcohol is not illegal in Qatar but drinking in public or being drunk in public is illegal.  Qatar is an Islamic country so people are encouraged to be respectful of this approach to consuming alcohol.  What little alcohol is sold is tightly regulated.

Qatar-Day Three- School, a "taste" of Italy, and Dune Bashing!

 Day Three was packed full of very different activities that continued to deepen our understanding of the culture and the geography.

                                                Early morning Sunrise at Al Bidda Park

Our early start took us to Tariq Bin Ziad School, grades preK- 4.  Coincidentally, the school had a planned parade to showcase Qatari story books.  As we enjoyed a cup of tea, we marveled at the adorbale children and their many costumes.  The parade was followed by a tour of the school and a presentation about the school's history and mission.  Interesting fact:  In the 1960's there were only THREE schools in the entire country!!!

Check out this link showcasing the school.... past and present:   Tariq Bin Ziad School

 

For lunch and a chance to shop in air conditioning, we explored Villaggio Mall.  Much of the mall was filled with familiar stores but in the center there was an ice skating rink and the mall was designed to look like Venice, Italy, complete with a 6 minute gondola ride.  Oh!  I almost fogot to mention the amusement park inside, too.

The late afternoon was spent dune bashing in a monster truck and relaxing at Al Majles Resort (south of Doha) on the Persian Gulf. The highlight of this outrageous day was riding a camel along the beach.  Our evening ended with a sunset over the dunes and a delcious group dinner.

Sunset on the Dunes

Shout-out to Colton:  In the past, the Qatari people depended on underground water sources and finding an oasis in the desert.  In the present, the people of Qatar use a desalination process to remove the salt from salt water so the water will be safe to drink.

Shout-out to Olivia B.-  The main industries in Qatar are oil and gas.  In the last few years, the country has invested heavily in solar energy.  

Shout-out to Aarav- Most people of Qatar eat the same kinds of food we do on a daily basis.  The difference is that often they will take foods that you and I are familiar with but change them up to reflect the tastes of the Qatari people.  For example, instead of using beef for a burger, they might use camel meat.  Another example is their love of pasta but they will put Qatari spices on the pasta.

Shout-out to Alex- Up until recently, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have been on decent terms.  On June 5, 2017, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia accused Qatar of supporting terrorism.  In turn, these countries formed a blockade to isolate Qatar.  Although relations are more normalized now, this experience was a wake-up call for Qatar to become more independent.  For example, Qatar now has dairy cows so they can produce their own milk and make cheese.

Qatar- Day Two- The Meal that Wouldn't End, Two Museums, and a Cultural Experience

 I am STILL full from lunch😏  After an early morning walk, lots of sight seeing and two delicious meals, I truly feel blessed by Qatari hospitality.

A very early morning took me to a giant pearl, an important reminder of an economy that went bankrupt after the Japanese developed pearl farming techniques in the early 1900's.

We visited the Qatar National Museum with it's beautiful architeture.  The architecture reflects a desert rose rock formation.

                                  

While at the museum, I enjoyed learning about Qatar's rich culture and interesting history.  I especially liked learning about traditional clothing and textiles.

Lunch was INSANE!  We experienced a 13 course meal.  The food just kept coming. I tried some new foods and enjoyed the company of my fellow teachers.

This samosa is filled with camel meat!

The Museum of Islamic Art provided an opportunity to view examples of Islamic textiles, mosaic tiles, calligraphy, glass pieces, and metal work from the 600's CE to the 1900's CE.  

Our last stop was a trip to Wakrah Old Souq.  This seaside market is home to Embrace Doha, an organization committed to helping guests understand the Qatari culture.  Another spectacular meal had us eating traditional Qatari food while sitting on the floor.  Some of our group members were invited to try on traditional clothing.

Shout-out to Brody:  The city of Doha is about 11 times smaller than New York City.

Shout-out to Nic:  Chicken, beef and lamb are very common foods.  I have really enjoyed the lamb in Doha, something I don't like so much in Rhode Island.  Hummus is common and so is rice.  Saffron is a VERY expensive spice used to flavor rice and many other foods.

Shout-out to Ellie:  I am trying to sample every new food.  Today I ate camel meat.  It was pretty good.  I also tried barracuda during our 13 course meal.

Shout-out to Ian:  There are 89 cities in Qatar.  Doha is the biggest.

Shout-out to Laney:  The women of Qatar are very fashionably dressed, even when they dress very conservatively.  I notice that the women wear beautiful accessories (eye glasses and jewelry).  The fabrics are gorgeous and eye makeup is also important as well as attractive.

Qatar- Day One- Education City and the Souq Waqif

 Day one was filled with interesting sights, moments of quiet contemplation and delicious smells.

Our first stop was Education City where we visited a local mosque and learned about the 7 American universities with satelite campuses here in Doha.  One of the World Cup Stadiums is located in Education City.  We appreciated the open invitation to learn about Islam and the history of the mosque.

Our second stop was at the Qatar National Library.  This very young library opened in 2017 and much of the library is automated.

Our third stop was the Souq Waqif.  This is an open air market where you can buy just about anything.  The bird market was both noisy and mesmerizing but I enjoyed the smells from the spice stalls and food vendors the most.

(video by D. Lad)

The highlight was seeing CAMELS at the souq.  Not only did I get to pet and sit on a camel.... I KISSED a camel. 

A shout-out to Meghan- We saw MANY birds at the Bird Market in the souq but there were also bunnies and kittens for sale.  I have seen only a handful of dogs but falconry is VERY popular in Qatar.  We visited a store where we could have purchased a falcon!

A shout-out to Jaiden, and Suhani- Camels are a big part of the local culture so there was an area on the edge of the souq where you can pet them.

A shout-out to Connor T. and Sam-  Camels can spit up to 121 feet!!  This is a defense mechanism.

A shout-out to Sal- Birds are a very popular pet.  This explains why one entire section of the souq is a bird market.

A shout-out to Jacob B- EVERYTHING can be found in the souq but I plan to buy some spices and souvenirs when I return later this week.

A shout-out to Eamon- I have ridden a bus and taken a free tram to get around the city.  Walking is very pleasant early in the morning and in the evenings.

A shout-out to Jack W.-Qatar was founded September 3, 1971.  Qatar is a very young country and most of the buildings we have seen feel very new and modern.

A shout-out to Grant- The conversion rate of the Qatari Riyal to the US dollar is about 3 to 1.  This means that if something costs 30 Riyal, it would be about $10.  I am constantly dividing by three in my head 😏

A shout-out to Julia C.- I did it!  I kissed a camel.