I have been working at Helen Ziegler & Associates for just over a week now and I am itching to experience the marvels of the Gulf. As I hear other stories told around the office, much like the people we recruit through our company, I am eager to travel there. Of late, there has been much conversation regarding the new Sidra Medical & Research Centre being built in Doha, Qatar. There has been so much talk, in fact, that I have been able to construct my own fantasy Qatar trip in my head.
A brief look at the world map conjures mystical images of endless desert dunes of swirling golden sand, giving way to sun-kissed, palm peppered beaches dotted with fluorescent beach umbrellas. The people on this imaginary Qatari beach are without the cares which plague those of us who live through the cold Canadian winter every year. The only issues at hand for them are how to escape the relentless heat that turns us North Americans into bright, red lobsters. In essence, Qatar resembles paradise in my mind. This is a place where summer lives on long after the maple trees have shed their leaves in the dark Canadian forests. Not a bad place to visit.
According to my colleagues, despite it being written in the heavily exaggerated manner of a tourist, my description is not entirely off the mark. Qatar does have deserts. In fact, over 90% of the country is classified as desert. Furthermore, the country is a peninsula, which suggests beaches. However, the country is far from being cloaked in mystery.
Doha, the capital of Qatar, is the city of the future. Founded in 1825, Doha was quickly recognized as a strategic asset by contemporary empires. Throughout the 19th century, the city passed in and out of Ottoman influence before being captured by the British in 1916. The region remained a British protectorate until 1971, when Qatar was granted independence.
The economic path of Doha has been paved with gold since the end of the Second World War. Although originally reliant on a vibrant pearl industry, the 1930s collapse of the world markets, and increasing mass production of pearls by the Japanese, effectively ended pearling in Doha by the end of the decade. However, Doha’s economy took flight following the Second World War as the world around it developed an unquenchable thirst for its oil and vast reserves of natural gas. According to the CIA World Factbook, Qatar now enjoys the second-largest GDP per capita in the world after Liechtenstein.
Shopping is also a popular pastime in Doha. Near the city centre one finds the Souq Waqif. Souqs are merchant stands where a plethora of specialized goods may be found, ranging from fabrics to spices to, in the case of Doha, pearls. Souqs offer a perfect blend of exoticness and chaos to create an exciting shopping experience. The souqs are a staple of Middle Eastern cities and no visit is complete without seeing them.
To escape the heat, locals head to the Villagio Shopping Centre which features a Venice theme, complete with canals and gondolas. The Villagio Shopping Centre also features a skating rink, food court and 220 stores. Air-conditioned and aesthetically pleasing, the Villagio Shopping Centre is not to be missed.
Within driving distance from the city are other activities and wonders. Many organized groups travel into the desert to hike, camp and drive up and down the steep dunes. On the other side of Qatar, one finds the majestic Al Zubarah fort. Built in 1938, the fort symbolizes a time when Qatar was not as strong as it is today.
As the summer winds down in Canada, I cannot help but envy the climate of Qatar, which boasts temperatures ranging from 13 to 42 degrees Celcius (55 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit). Exotic and beautiful, this desert gem is far from deserted.
