Late December 23rd, 2024 I left Texas to attend my friend Shameer’s wedding in India. While reviewing my itinerary for the trip, I was pleased to notice that it included a ~ 14 hour layover in Doha, Qatar. I can’t admit to knowing much about the airport prior to my visit, but I was aware that it had a fantastic reputation for its shopping, dining, lounges, and artworks. And you bet it delivered!
Perhaps the most famous of the artworks is the Lamp Bear which features prominently in a large foyer serving as a nexus between the terminals. The airport is so busy at all hours of day that it took me almost twenty minutes to find someone to snap my photo and for the background to clear of pedestrians, even at 3 am!
Surrounding this artwork are dozens of retail shops, as well as a Qatar Airlines lounge where I was able to sleep comfortably for a few hours. With plenty of warm food, cold drinks, and a dedicated sleeping area, I thought I had picked a great area to snooze during my layover. That is until I wandered into the orchard…
Ohh the envy. Meandering through this beautiful indoor garden, I found multiple families asleep; sprawled across lawns, benches, and huts (whose construction and shape seem almost intentional for this purpose). Calming audio of birds chirping, insects clicking, and water flowing are injected into the orchard via speakers, elevating the peaceful and calm ambience. Even with all of the premium camp sites occupied, window shopping through the classy cafes, brand-name shops, and tempting restaurants surrounding the perimeter of the orchard was a great time kill. I even managed to pick up a few gifts for friends and family to deliver upon my return. I later learned this section of the airport only opened recently in 2022; which is perhaps why I hadn’t heard of this cool installation the way I’ve heard of Changi airport’s “The Jewel”. Which is another highly acclaimed airport I look forward to visiting.
Deferring my nap here for my return flight, I decided to spend the rest of my layover exploring the city after sunrise. Obtaining a one-day visa is a breeze with an American passport. For an even easier time, the airport even has tourguides available to take you on bus tours to various parts of the city and escort you through the customs process.
Before getting into the meat of my excursion into the capital, I have to write briefly about the city’s metro rail. While I don’t claim to be a major urbanist or transport nerd, my experiences in Japan and New York City quickly made me appreciate the value and convenience of good public transit. And I have to say, Doha has made its way into my top tier for city transit. The metro was easily accessible, located next to numerous desirable stops, and most of all: simple! Containing only three lines with a total of 37 stations, transfering around the city was easy. The metro was also very spacious, the only time seating reached past 50% saturation was around 4 to 5 pm when I presume most folks got off of work. Quite the difference from the NYC and Tokyo lines. There was plenty of signage and directions in English, which was a big help to me as my mobile carrier failed to provide me cellular data and coverage during this trip (and I still haven’t resolved why this keeps happening). One of the locals was telling me that the FIFA world cup which was hosted in Qatar was a major stimulus for growth and infrastructure to the city, especially in expanding the metro to allow transport to all of the eight unique stadiums featured in the world cup. As a basketball fan, I look forward to the FIBA 2027 cup set to occur in Qatar. Maybe this would be a good time to plan a return to the country!
Often while wandering a foreign city solo, I get a rush of excitement and energy from navigating the busy streets, getting lost, and then finding my way back again. I most felt this sensation while browsing the shops and alleys of Souq Waqif; a standing marketplace featuring numerous clothings, consumables, novelties, and restaurants. Passing among the colorful parrots and loud clucking hens for sale, running my hands through the many silks and carpets proudly displayed on the street and in storefronts, I nearly became overwhelmed by urges to purchase oversized rugs and squawking parakeets for my bachelor pad. The enticing aromas of the spice stands evoked memories of many homemade South Asian and Middle Eastern dishes shared with friends and their families during college. I met one merchant in particular who spoke impressively clear English. He called out to me as I was passing a sample of za’atar under my nose while contemplating which of the nearby shishas might serve the best tea. He guessed correctly I was from America (what was the giveaway, I wonder?) and beckoned me over to try out his favorite compounds of turmeric, saffron, and cardamom. Spooning a pea-sized sample of each spice, I trialed each of the many flavors he endorsed one-by-one, each of my fingertips quickly becoming dyed red, orange, and yellow with every new flavor. Although I had no immediate need to pack spices for my trip, I bought a portion my favorite spice sampled as a courtesy for his conversation and experience. Maybe one of the shishas would add the spice to my order if I asked.
Before heading back to the airport to catch my flight to Ahmedabad, I still wanted to pick up some clothing for my family. Anticipating that the warm temperatures of Texas winter would soon drop, I ultimately settled for two cashmere scarfs that had such beautiful designs and a snug quality. I haggled with the merchant for good deal to save me a few Riyal. I love shopping in countries where bartering is common and expected, it injects a little bit of fun and playful banter to an otherwise routine interaction. I always leave an exchange feeling like a cunning, silver-tongued tradesman, even while only saving myself around $3 on a $35 purchase.
Writing this entry, I realized I didn’t take nearly as many photos as I thought I did. I am also finding that many of the small details and interesting sights which I have written about in retrospect, I completely overlooked as unnotable in the moment. A future goal of mine while traveling will be to take a few more pictures of the minute details, as I’m quickly discovering that I can never anticipate what memories I’m inspired to share on this blog! Hope all y’all take care and have a great start to your new year.
Sakura Slav 
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