Doha, Qatar - Saturday 4 March 2017

Departed Hong Kong at 00:35 on Qatar Airways Business Class. Started at the Cathay Pacific Business Lounge which was my first time there. Very nice. Comparable with the Qantas Club in Sydney.

My usual Bloody Mary to start all my trips...

Was looking forward to my first trip on a 787 Dreamliner, and in Business Class on Qatar which is meant to be fantastic. I was in seat 4K which is a window seat with no seat next to me ie configuration is 1-2-1.

Great flight. Food and service fantastic. Slept most of the way.

Armani !



Breakfast #1...I had to cancel #2 as I was so full :-)



Arrived in Doha very early Saturday morning. Got visa on arrival and caught uber to hotel - Doubletree by Hilton. Got there at 6am and check in not until 3pm. They did their best and my room was ready about 9am after I'd been out exploring.

I understood there is not much to see in Doha, but I had to transit here and as it was my first time in the Middle East, I wanted to have a look around.

Hotel room was very nice. It's only a year or two old and I got upgraded to a sea view room.

Dates and nuts as part of the turn down service...

Walked down to the Corniche which goes right around the bay. Walked for a while and then it started raining, so I tried to get an uber but they kept cancelling. Weird. So I walked right around to the CBD area, and had a coffee.

Interesting architecture...

Then caught an uber to The Palm, a man made island at one end of the town. Mainly an upscale residential estate. Plenty of shops and restaurants but very quiet on a Saturday morning.

Plenty of nice boats...



This is a photo I took from the plane the next day, which gives a better idea of what it is...



Caught uber back to hotel and got my room. Then walked to Souq Waqif for lunch.

Tried to get a photo of this guy as he looked quite stylish...but I didn't want to get any closer...





Nice underground walkway to the souq which is in the distance...



This is the souq...





Had lunch at this Egyptian restaurant and sat on the terrace. I love this photo...



Entree with Egyptian coffee...

Love this photo too...



Walked back to The Corniche and chartered a dhow for a 30 minute tour of the harbour. I negotiated QAR80 which is about A$30. Started to rain again but it was something I had wanted to do.







Interesting skyline...





Museum of Islamic Art from the water...

Then walked to the Museum of Islamic Art which is close to my hotel. Amazing building, just impressive to walk around. and the art was very good. Mainly artifacts from medieval times, very well restored and presented.

Impressive interior...

City from the museum...

Back to hotel for a spa and steam. Legs very sore.

Then back to Souq Waqif for dinner. Much more alive at night.



Tried another coffee...don't love it...



Then back to the Corniche for a walk at night. Dhows now decked out with party lights.



Back to the hotel to Pure, the rooftop bar.



Great views but had one beer and then to bed. Early start tomorrow. I feel I saw most of Doha. Next time I'd do a tour of the desert perhaps, but I don't feel a strong desire to come back.

This building is near Souq Waqif and looked great all lit up...