Doha, Qatar

 We finally got out Kuwait residency, which means we have our passports in hand again.  We immediately booked a weekend trip to Doha.  Doha is not a place we may have visited if we didn't live in the Gulf region, but we're so glad we did.  It is similar to Kuwait in many ways, but much smaller.  It has a beautiful coastline and city skyline, which we enjoyed from the corniche.  Doha is a quiet place, but construction is in full swing as they prepare for the World Cup in 2020. 

We visited the old market, or souq.  It has been remodeled to resemble the traditional market and it is a beautiful maze of traditional handicrafts, food, fabrics, and imported goods.  It is the place to be on a Friday night.

I've never had henna before and was amazed at the skill of this woman in the market.

Training and keeping falcons is a long-standing tradition in Qatar. It is continually fascinating to see the mixture of tradition and modernity in Arabic culture.

Markets around the world are often full of strange things, 

including this taxidermist shop.

We enjoyed several glasses of real wine, some of it from Lebanon.  It was nice to sit in a cafe and enjoy the great weather with a class of Sauvignon Blanc in hand!

We also went to the Museum of Islamic Art and saw some beautiful artifacts from around Arabia.  We also had the chance to see the Terracotta Warriors, on tour from China. 

We ended our trip with an extravagant buffet brunch, which is a popular activity among Qataris and expats alike.