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.