Qatar OVERVIEW
Depending on what time you approach the runway in Qatar, you'll either see a crescent-shaped Corniche, bathed in the sun, lapped by the emerald waters of the Arabian Gulf, and brushing the clouds with its proud manifestations of oil-wealth, or the science-fiction backdrop of Doha by night, illuminated with the blinding lights of posh hotels, state-of-the-art business centers, extravagant shops, and sleepless clubs. Here the stereotype of the Orient, with head-to-toe black abayas, starched white dishdashas and caravans gulping water at long-awaited oases is as true as it is false, and Bedouins' pockets are fuller of American dollars that their shoes of sand.
But there's, too, the other face of Qatar, not landscaped, and dazzling by virtue of its historical merit. The hills of Al-Jassasiya hide numerous stone carvings and engravings reminiscent of prehistoric times. High-towered, thick-walled forts (Al-Wajbah dates back to the 19th century) have seen spectacular victories of valiant sheikhs. Tiny Al Wakra, once preoccupied with fishing and pearling, is still a good place to go angling, and although a stone's throw from Doha, it is a world apart.
Qatar is kind of like Scheherezade dressed in daring designer fashions, aspiring to partake in the oil-fueled, Dubai-like splendor, but consciously leaving the other foot behind to combine venerable past with affluent future. Kids will be delighted if you take them Palm Tree Island, and so will ladies if left alone at Al-Sharq Village Resort & Spa for a while, but if you're looking for authenticity, stay away from the commercial giants of city centers, where any quaintness has been pushed away. Look for it in the dune-clad magic of Khor al-Adaid, the mosques of Al-Khor , the invigorating smell of spices at the perplexing Souq Waqif, and camels lumbering about along the way to Ras Abruq. Which face of Qatar appeals to you is wholly and solely your business.
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