With today being Sunday there was a lull of activities open to non-delegates here at COP 18 in Doha, Qatar so we took the day to get our bearings and explore the city. Last night we were able to see the beautiful lights of Doha from our plane and taxi, but by time we got to the hotel it was too late to explore. This morning, after an interesting breakfast including canned tuna and peppers, we headed out to the Souq Waqif which means standing market in Arabic.
All of the stores are cramped into long-standing buildings overstuffed with a variety of merchandise. Everything from spices to Qatari souvenirs to puppies and exotic birds are on sale at the Souq Waqif. We walked around for a while looking at the various things for sale while vendors tried to sell us their goods at “special” price. For lunch we ate at a Moroccan restaurant outside. The air was filled with the smell of hookah smoke as a few stray cats wandered between the tables and chairs looking for scraps.
After a delicious meal of sliced lamb and French fries, very Moroccan I know, we took a stroll towards Doha Bay. Along the waterfront there is a promenade known as the Corniche with beautiful views of Doha harbor and the district of West Bay with all of its recently completed and still under construction skyscrapers. If there is one thing that stands out in Doha it is construction. Hundreds of construction sights are littered through the city as Doha rapidly expands outwards and upwards. Construction cranes are everywhere as entire districts of the city are springing up out of the desert. They are even building on what was once the Persian Gulf on the artificial islands known as the Pearl.
In West Bay every skyscraper is different with many architectural styles on display. But the real beauty of the skyline comes at night when the buildings are illuminated with dazzling colors. After walking the entire Corniche we headed back to hotel for some much needed rest. I am looking forward to going to the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) tomorrow and seeing what this COP has to offer.
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