Aloha from Doha
Hello, dear Amayzers. Oh, if you could see the view with which I am typing this piece, you don’t wanna know. Or actually you do. We just checked into the Four Seasons Hotel and from room 515 I can say that the beach (and the harbor with the private yachts of the rich and famous) is looking very Beyoncé.
Invited by Qatar Airways, I am in Doha and the travel tail is wagging. No, I had never been here before. Well, in the Middle East (Dubai, to be precise), but Qatar is a completely new country with new experiences and if there’s one thing that makes me happy, it’s fresh stamps in the passport. Qatar is easy to miss on the map and maybe not the very first place you think of as a travel destination, but I must say: you should. The city surprises me. The incredibly friendly people, their love for culture and art, the architecture, the weather; you name it.
Weird to think that we are talking about a place that just a few years ago was entirely a desert plain, but has now grown into a thriving metropolis and is home to many expats and is slowly being discovered by more and more tourists. Personally, I would combine it as a stopover, a few days in Doha and then head towards, for example, Asia (or the Maldives, which are also just four hours of flying away). You immediately squeeze two vacations into one.
Anyway, a bit of background for those who have no clue who/what/where: Doha has about 800,000 inhabitants and is located on the Persian Gulf. An average bottle of water is more expensive than gasoline (because: oil state and water is generally a thing in the desert), and if they are good at anything here, it’s building the tallest towers competitively, shopping, and churning out amazing restaurants. It’s always warm (the summer months are really scorching hot, so that’s something to keep in mind), but at the moment I’m here, we’re enjoying a pleasant 25 degrees.
Yesterday we visited Souq Waqif (a traditional market where your inner Carrie Bradshaw pops up and suddenly you want to buy pointy shoes and golden teapots) and soon we will be picked up for an Arabian dune safari and we will dine in the desert. This week’s diet diary is being pushed to next week, because despite the fact that I really do have that sportswear in my suitcase, I spontaneously decided to enjoy myself here and pick up the thread again at home next week. I mean: the doorbell of my hotel room just rang and macarons were delivered. Well, I don’t know, but you get it.
Especially a major highlight here: the restaurants. I will quickly make a list for you. Additionally: I saw Naomi Campbell and Diane von Furstenberg walking through the lobby of my hotel yesterday and rumor has it that Johnny Depp is also somewhere within reach. You understand that my personal goal is to catch a whiff of Depp in the coming days. A kind of hunt for truffles, but different. Phew. So many impressions, so much to tell… But now there’s a sun and a group of nice people waiting for me, so I’m going to wrap this up. If you want more Doha, keep an eye on my Instagram in the coming days at @kikiduren. Yalla, yalla! That sun is not waiting, joeeeee, I’ll be back!
