Chris Comments on Qatar

My favorite part of Doha was the Souq Waqif. An eclectic mix of streets, alleys and boulevards the souq provided for several opportunities to experience something new. We smoked shisha and ate camel kabobs at a Moroccan cafe along the main boulevard. We walked through alleys crowded by countless hole-in-the-wall stalls full of fake designer sunglasses, rolexes and other touristy merchandise run by immigrants from the subcontinent. We browsed antique shops full of relics from Qatar's pearl diving past and wandered down lanes filled with chirping birds in cages and shops dedicated to the sport of falconry.

I got a cheese and honey crepe made fresh in front of me by an off-duty Indonesian maid, and a box of what looked like sesame seed covered gulab jamuns (they weren't) from another.

Visiting the souq brought with it a refreshing bit of culture, a unique blend of nationalities that I hadn't ever experienced before. I would suggest going around 16:30, when we did, so you can arrive in time to reserve a table at one of the cafes along the boulevard and still be able to enjoy the crowds that come with nightfall.
--Chris

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