Doha by Night

One of the highlights of Doha (for me) was the "nightlife". Not the dancing in nightclubs and bars (if they exist), but rather the wandering around the city, through little side streets flanking the old bazaar. The entire city looks a lot more attractive bathed in the glow of a variety of illuminations.

The picture to the left is the Qatar Islamic Culture Center. Too bad it wasn't open as it aims its message at non-locals: to "motivate Non-Muslims to become more informed about Islam" and to "enlighten non-Arab Muslims about all matters in relation to their faith." I suppose I need both informing and enlightening... but on all varieties of things beyond Islam.

The photo above is of the Museum of Islamic Art designed by architect I.M. Pei. Unfortunately, it was closed each of the several times we attempted to go. Over Eid, it seems there was only one brief window of opportunity and we missed it.
Above is the silvery skyline as seen from a dock near the museum.
And finally, welcome to my favorite of all the places we visited in Doha - Souk Waqif. It has been most pleasantly renovated and is now a hang out for locals, expats and tourists; men and women...

Below is a strange performance, presumably put on by non-Qataris where pale ethereal (with the exception of the red yarn-like wigs) figures danced inside of giant bubbles... As for my group, we didn't stop to watch, in our desperate search for culinary satisfaction.
Finally, after edging past a few stray giraffes near the Bismillah Hotel, we decided on a fragrantly enticing Indian restaurant, although options included Moroccan, Indonesian, French, and even Iraqi.

I even did a little shopping in the bazaar (mostly books and postcards). Finally, I went into a shop to buy someone a souvenir, a string of amber prayer beads (tesbi) and was shocked at the prices. Then the guy in the shop rolled out a special pouch containing what he claimed to be the very best... Iraqi tesbi!!! Well, now I know that for Middle Eastern souvenirs, Iraq is as good as anywhere else. I have to scour the bazaars in Kurdistan a little more carefully.
And finally, when leaving the bazaar, we heard music and realized that some sort of event was about to begin. We wandered over to check it out and were greeted with the sight below. Seems local Qataris, while they can completely turn a blind eye to scantily clad foreign female joggers, they are still very much traditional when it comes to the dress and behavior of their own.

(In case you can't see the figures clearly, the women are the ones in black on the left).