Doha

Seeing as any place that follows Svalbard is just not going to compare, combined with the fact that certain people might just come visit, and, I haven't even done a proper introduction to where I live, here it is. This will be the first and only time I will ever use pictures from google, I am sorry to say. Only because I haven't bothered when in Doha.

Welcome to my home in Doha, the state of Qatar! Qatar officially became a country just recently, in 1971. The word Doha means "big tree" in Arabic, the official language of Qatar. The population of Doha is about one million, with Qatari nationals actually being the minority. Most of the population, overwhelmingly, is full of expatriates mostly from Asia: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Phillippines, Bangladesh and Indonesia. The majority of residents in Doha are Muslim. Pretty much everyone except me. The economy is built primarily on the revenue made from oil and gas, the countries largest gas companies being Qatar gas, Qatar Petroleum and Ras Gas.

When you are in Doha, you should go to the Museum of Islamic Art. It was made by the guy who did the Louvre, Mr. IM Pei. And it's got a ‘virtual’ moat. It's also got the largest collection of Islamic Art in the world, from three continents, and as you can see the museum is a pretty cool monument in itself.

I think it's the coolest building in Doha. And it's free. Once you do that, take a walk along the waterfront promenade which connects all the way from the Museum of Islamic Art to the Sheraton Hotel. The Sheraton is that small pyramid on the far right of this picture. A cool fact is that the Sheraton used to be the tallest building in Doha before all those skyscrapers appeared!

Another thing that's better at night is the Souq Waqif. Souq means market in Arabic. For centuries the Souq existed as a place to trade sheep's wool and goats. Since those days it was almost condemned and demolished, but it has been brought back and is now an important social aspect of Doha. It's a great place to have dinner, explore and shop, or just people watch. The beautifully restored Qatari buildings are, although a little 'Disneyfied' like this blog post is, very much like the Souq was in the 19th century.

And lastly of course, should you come and visit, you will arrive at the HIA, or Hamad International Airport in Doha.

I'm really not certain why there is a giant bear with its head half cut off from a lamp in the departures area, but aside from that it's very nice. It opened on April 30, 2014.

There are two runways, 2 kilometers apart running parallel to one another so as to have simultaneous take offs and landings. The first runway is at 15,910 ft × 200 ft. The second runway is 13,940 ft × 200 ft. That first one is said to be the longest in Western Asia, and one of the longest runways in the world.

Well another day, another apology for false photographs of my everyday life.

Cheers, to making real photos in Doha together one day!

Bailey Sue