This was published 1 year ago
Doha, things to do: Qatar prepares to host the FIFA World Cup 2022
By Craig Platt
The Pearl district in Doha.Credit: iStock
Before packing for my trip to Doha, I take a look at the temperatures for later in the week. My weather app gives me a series of figures in the high 20s. "Beautiful", I think to myself.
It turns out I must have misread the numbers, possibly confusing the minimums and maximums, because now that I'm actually here it feels much hotter - and it is. The top today is 38 degrees and the heat seems to radiate off the pavement as strongly as it beats down on my head from the sun.
To be fair, it is unusually hot for this time of year - normally the temperature sits around the low 30s. But I can understand why the biggest sporting event on Earth, the soccer -.excuse me, football - World Cup isn't taking place until late November, when the average temperature drops to high 20s.
Stadium 974, built from shipping containers.Credit:
Even so, some of the stadiums that have been built for the event are fully enclosed and air conditioned (something I suspect tennis players dream of when hitting Rod Laver Arena for the Australian Open during Melbourne's sweltering summers). Innovative technologies have been used to create the stadiums. Stadium 974, for example, consists of 974 shipping containers and has a capacity of 40,000. It will be torn down with its components repurposed after the event.
Visiting in autumn as the draw for the big event is announced (in a lavish ceremony hosted by British actor Idris Elba), it's clear preparations are still underway. Roadworks abound, while many of the country's biggest attractions are undergoing major renovations or upgrades.
When asked when a certain project is due to be finished, the answer is always the same: "Before the World Cup."
Australia defeated Peru at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
Now that Australia has defied the odds to defeat Peru and qualify for the World Cup, many Socceroos fans will likely be booking their flights and accommodation to get to Qatar in November. Even if Qatar isn't their final destination, Doha is an easy stopover on the way to Europe. And what could make for a better stopover than seeing a match at the biggest sporting event on Earth?
Like its UAE neighbours Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Qatar has reinvented itself in recent years to become a gleaming jewel of the region. Rising from the desert, oil reserves (first discovered in the 1930s) have seen it climb from being one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the richest.
That wealth has seen Doha's skyline transform, with the Pearl, a large artificial island dominated by impressive skyscrapers and beautifully landscaped gardens, becoming the best-known image of the city. Oil money also put Qatar in the position to be able to bid and win the World Cup (a decision that has not been without major controversies), despite being a tiny country - smaller than greater Sydney.
Souq Waqif.
Any visitor will likely be struck first by that gleaming architecture - whether it is the skyscraping Aspire or Doha towers, the desert rose-inspired National Museum or the gigantic Qatar National Library.
But away from these shining examples of a country with a lot of money on its hands, elements of the old Qatar survive.
Souk Waqif is the largest marketplace in the country and the place where visitors can get a taste of local culture - as well as other cultures of the region. The market is about 250 years old, though it was partially destroyed by fire in 2004. This sparked a major restoration project where the more modern additions were removed to bring back a more traditional look and feel.
The over-the-top Parisa restaurant in Souq Waqif.
And traditions are well and truly alive here. It's a maze, and each turn reveals a new surprise: falcon shops and a falcon hospital (falconing is a popular sport in the region); sword makers, tailors and other artisans in the middle of their work; dozens of exotic birds for sale; colourful spices piled high.
There's also plenty of food. There's a wide range of cuisine available, including those influenced by the giants of gastronomy, France and Italy. But there's also more unusual offerings, like an Azerbaijan restaurant and one of the souk's best known eateries, the Persian-themed Parisa.
An unassuming gap in the souq leads to a long, gaudy corridor covered in mirrors and tiles. Inside, Parisa's style is even more ornate - a fountain sits in the middle of the restaurant, while colourful mosaics and lattices cover the walls. It may not be the minimalist, understated style of the restaurants Melburnians such as myself are used to, but the food (heavy on kebab meats and rice) is delicious.
With the temperature far more comfortable at night, it's not surprising to find that the souq is heaving with shoppers in the evening. Ramadan is rapidly approaching during my visit, so locals are stocking up before the traditional fasting period begins. It's so busy, in fact, I find it a little overwhelming and head back to my hotel.
Fortunately it's not far to go - Al Jasra is one of eight boutique hotels located in the souq itself. It's a quiet, calming escape from the bustling activity outside.
The next morning, I take a short walk past a nearby camel pen just outside the souq and across the park opposite to Dhow Harbour (named, appropriately for the many dhow boats moored there). The end of the dock offers panoramic views of the modern city skyline across the water.
Behind me, the past. In front, the future. It seems appropriate, but I don't admire the view for long. It's too hot.
DETAILS
FLY
Qatar Airways flies to Doha from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra. See qatarairways.com
HEALTH
At the time of writing, Qatar requires Australian visitors to be fully vaccinated and to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel for entry. Visitors also need to download and register the Ehteraz app or register online prior to departure. The registration app also acts as the vaccine passport for entry into restaurants, attractions etc once in Qatar. See here for the latest requirements.
STAY
Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels by Tivoli offers eight different options within Souq Waqif. Rooms start from about $A150 a night.
See https://www.tivolihotels.com/en/souq-waqif-doha
SEE
The FIFA World Cup will take place from November 21 to December 18. Tickets and accommodation packages can be booked at https://www.qatar2022.qa/en/home
The writer travelled as a guest of Qatar Airways.
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