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.
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