Marhaban(Mar-Hah-Bon)
Part one

Hello from Doha, Qatar!
Traveling to the Middle East is no short trip, so we decided to make the most of it by traveling to Qatar and the U.A.E. We were excited and prepared to have a whole new set of experiences, traveling to an area of the world we have never explored. We booked this trip for only eight days because we thought that was all we needed to see Dubai and Doha, but we were wrong! We fell in love with the culture, the architecture, the food, and the people. Our biggest wish is that we could have stayed longer. There is much to discuss. Let’s get started!

FACTS ABOUT QATAR
Being a responsible tourist means taking the time to learn about a country BEFORE you visit. Here are some facts about Doha and Qatar. Doha is the capital of Qatar, with 80% (216,000) of Qatar’s population living here. DO NOT pronounce it “cutter”; ask a local.
Qatar has approximately 2.7 million people residing here, and Only 12% (about 324,000) of the population are Qatari. This means that almost the entire country is either migrant workers or expats.
Qatar borders Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf. The primary language is Arabic, specifically the Qatari dialect, but in our experience, most interactions were in English.
Most people here practice the religion of Islam. The government has been a monarchy with the same family ruling since 1825. The Emir appoints a Prime Minister and a cabinet; however, the Emir retains executive and legislative authority.
The currency is Qatari Rial (QAR), and at the time of our trip, the rate was .27; 1 USD equals 3.64 QAR.


ALCOHOL AND DRESS CODE
The Middle East has been known for its cultural intolerance and, specifically, its treatment of women, but the world and the Middle East are shifting. Historically Qatar has been one of the most strict countries allowing no alcohol and requiring strict dress codes for women and even some dress codes for men. Qatar has recently had an awakening that for the country to continue to prosper, they need to invest in tourism. Qatar started this process by hosting the World Cup in 2022. It is nearly impossible to have tourism without making your laws more progressive. In response to tourism pressures, Qatar now allows alcohol sales in hotels.
Dress codes are still somewhat in flux. Officially the stance is still that women should always have their heads, shoulders, and knees covered. Brandi came prepared to meet this requirement, investing in a few key pieces before we left Singapore. We soon realized that while the dress code has not officially changed, the laws are not being enforced. The tourists wore ” typical ” clothes, including shorts and tank tops.
Regarding Qatari dress culture, we chose to respect the attire rules. We research before we travel to avoid as many mistakes as possible. The official stance is that males should cover their shoulders and typically wear long trousers, and females should cover their hair, upper arms, and knees and wear a hijab (head scarf).

Brandi has no issue with these host country rules and believes it is easier to follow the cultural expectations as a sign of respect, and it improves interactions with locals. There are many beautiful abayas and hijabs to select from, and Brandi came prepared, having bought several different options in Singapore. Brandi started wearing the appropriate dress. We soon realized that while the dress code has not officially changed, the laws are not being enforced. The tourists wore ” typical ” clothes, including shorts, tank tops, and no hijabs.
While we recognize that times are changing, we believe in respecting culture. Brandi did not wear the hijab while we were there but covered her shoulders and knees. One exception is in mosques; head coverings are still required, so be prepared to bring a hijab with you on your trip.

Men also need to prepare. Shorts are uncommon, and while we saw some men in shorts, pants are required to enter most hotels and restaurants. Qatari men wear a thobe (a long white shirt of loose pants) and a headdress called a ghutra or keffiyeh. These can be purchased easily in Qatar, but avoid being tempted to purchase them as a tourist. Wearing a thobe and ghutra is considered quite offensive if you are not Qatari.

Keffiyeh and white Thobe
WEATHER
When you think about the weather in the Middle East, the hot, dry desert is most likely where your mind inevitably wanders. I was stationed in Oman and remember the oppressive heat and 130F days, so I expected it to be HOT! When we deplaned, I felt a cool breeze in the jetway and assumed it was the air conditioner. To my pleasant surprise, it was the outside air. In February, the temperatures were in the mid-80s, and overnight lows were in the 60s to low 70s, and there was a nice breeze the entire time. Brandi, intolerant of cold, even wore a shaw in the evenings. Cooler weather also means cooler water temperatures, so ocean swimming was cold, but no worries, all the pools are heated! If 110F daily temperatures are your thing, then summertime in the Middle East is for you, but if not, plan your trip in the winter; you will be glad you did!


TRANSPORTATION
Qatar has made traveling in Doha a wonderful experience. Car services and ride-shares are easily attained (Uber is the preferred ride-share app) and have a state-of-the-art subway system.
Travel tip! One of our favorite travel “luxuries” is to schedule a car service to pick us up at the airport. This can often be completed through your hotel, or most countries have car service websites. In many countries, figuring out how to get out of the airport can be chaotic at a minimum and a nightmare at most. Poor signage, lack of English, malfunctioning SIM cards, and hoards of travelers can make your first minutes in a new place extremely stressful. Why start your vacation with stress? Nothing feels better than walking through customs and seeing your name on a card and a driver ready to breeze you through the airport.
Traveling the subway was the cheapest and easiest way to see Doha. The subway was very easy to use, and the markings were perfect. A daily pass, by calendar day, costs $1.50 each. It was the cleanest and nicest subway we had ever seen.
We have ridden subways in many countries and use them daily in Singapore. We picked a door and boarded the train. After a few stops, we figured something was different. Brandi was the only woman in the car. She told me this might be a men-only car. No one stared or said anything; I am sure they have gotten used to tourism. We exited at our stop and did some looking around. Sure enough, the cars are marked men only, families and women, and VIP cars.
[/video] Qatar is full of luxury, and its subway is just the same. Outside of the regular subway cars, they also offer a VIP car. Tickets are $8 each for a day pass. I purchased VIP tickets because we had to see what made them special. The seats in the regular coach cars are typical bench-style seating, but in the VIP area, there are plush individual seats. The family cars can get quite full, so if you do not want to fight for space, this might interest you.
IMPORTANT TIP: When traveling outside of Western countries, it is common for men and women to be treated differently. Look around for signs that designate different processes for men and women.

TOP THINGS TO DO
Imam Muhammad Ibn Abd Al Wahhab Mosque
La Corniche.
Souq Waqif Market.
Museum of Islamic Art.
The Torch Tower.
Villaggio Mall.
Falcon Souq.
Banana Island
Boat cruises
Camel and ATV excursions

NOW TIME TO EXPLORE
We only had two short days in Doha and were ready to make the most of them. Doha is a beautiful, clean, and modern city, thanks to all of the preparations completed for the World Cup. Departing your plane at Hamad International Airport, you realize you have entered a new realm of luxury. The customs line is fast and easy. For Americans, there are no fees for a visa, but it is always essential to check for your country, as every country is different.
We arrived late in the night, around 1:00 AM. We arranged for a driver to our hotel, so we sat back and enjoyed the ride. Experiencing Doha at night was incredible with its beautiful architecture and landscaping. The thirty-minute drive flew by as there was so much to absorb. The buildings are lit with multicolor lights; even the street light poles are ornate and lit.

We arrived at our home for the next two days, the Ritz-Carlton Doha. It is everything you expect from a Ritz elegant and sophisticated. Thanks to Brandi’s status, we were upgraded to an incredible suite. The hotel has several pools and sits on the ocean with incredible views. It is also located right next to The Pearl-Qatar. The Pearl is a land reclamation project with beautiful buildings, homes, and marinas. Check out a walk-through video of the room HERE.

Ritz-Carlton Doha

M Lounge
Rested up; it was time for day one. We chose to do some wandering and exploring. We love to get as local as possible to eat good local food and meet people. Our first stop was at the Souq Waqif (Souk Wah-Keef). Souk Waqif is the oldest souk in Qatar, dating to the late 19th century, but it has been repaired and added to over time. This place is a giant maze of shops with local merchants. They also have places to eat local food and drink excellent tea.

Souq Waqif
The souq is very safe, and we did not have anyone pressuring for sales as we have seen in many of these markets. In the market, you will find typical tourist items like shirts, postcards, and other familiar objects, but there are also many shops for locals and artisans. There is one section of the Souq that is for locally handcrafted items. There were many beautiful items, and the owners and their workers sewed, woodwork, painted, and blew glass in the same shop where they displayed their wares. We saw several men hand-stitching clothing and others carving. In our travel tradition, we bought a Christmas ornament from a man who blows glass and creates ornaments. There are many beautiful 100% Qatari items to purchase.

Across from the Souq Waqif
After wandering and taking photographs, we started our foody trek. There are many food choices from across the Middle East, but there are several other options, especially Brazilian, which is currently very popular. The choices in the Souq were overwhelming, and we spent fifteen minutes wandering by each restaurant and looking at menus. We decided on Syrian food at a restaurant named Damasca One. Everything we saw looked delicious. The menu was only breakfast, so we chose hummus, some of the best we have tasted. We also had Meat Burak, a fried dough with filling; Zaatar and Cheese Manakish, a flatbread with toppings; and Zaitoun Mushakal, mixed olives in seasoning. I also chose Turkish coffee. All the food was delicious. We also saw a table that ordered different styles of eggs and other menu items, then put them inside flatbread to make a burrito-like creation. Lesson learned!

Damasca One


Manakish
We made our way to a large mall called Villaggio. The mall is large and sits next to the giant Khalifa International Stadium, a large park, and The Torch Tower Hotel. The hotel was, as you would think, a large torch. It is beautiful to look at, and I imagine the up-high views are great. They have a swimming pool halfway up, cantilevering over the hotel entrance below. The mall was like the ones we had seen in Singapore, with many luxury-brand stores. They have a large store inside, like a US Wal-Mart, with food and anything else you want.

Vilaggio Mall and Hotel
We had an excellent local food dinner, including more delicious hummus, and the next day was strictly for the pool. After all, this is a vacation! After seeing the city and learning more, we had about ten things we wanted to do. Several museums look incredible. The area with all the large buildings is beautiful at night, and there are many boat trips to take. You can also ride out into the desert to an inland waterway and ride camels. They even let you participate in falconry. They have many beautiful connected parks and bike and scooter rentals. It was sad we had to leave so soon.


For anyone planning a trip here, we say absolutely. As I said before, we were disappointed that we had only two days. The city is beautiful, clean, and safe. Doha used its space wisely; it has the feel of a smaller town and does not feel crowded. There was never a time we were in a large crowd or line. It was very relaxing, even while walking around. The architecture in Doha is incredible. You will be amazed, from the grand old original buildings to the new skyscraper hotels. We plan to make another trip to Doha and spend all our time here, experiencing more of the culture. Thank you for reading about Doha. See the next part under Dubai, and please enjoy the photos from Doha on our site and videos on YouTube.