Doha, Qatar: Sand, Sun and shopping malls (& upside photos). A great stopover to Europe.
Doha, Qatar 17 to 20 June 2018
(Apologies for upside down photos. I spent an hour trying to fix it. Steemit - what is going on? I see others are also having the same issue. I want to be writing about my holiday not losing time with editing issues. Please fix)
We have stopped in Doha to break up the long flight to Rome from New Zealand. It is an interesting place. Hope you find review helpful should you want to visit Doha or fly Qatar Business Class.
Content summary:
Overview of Doha
Arriving in Doha
Qatar Business Class
Hotel Booking missing
1AM lunch
Taxi tips
Qatar Mall
Everyone spoke to Hubby not me
Johnny Rocket
OVERVIEW
If you haven't been to the United Arabic Emirates (UAE), Doha will open your eyes to the wealth of the UAE, the culture, food and history of this far flung curious corner of the world.
People are relaxed and very polite. Service is impeccable and focused on ensuring your comfort.
Dress is conservative. Tourist ignorance is tolerated. You won't find yourself jailed for showing your knees or too much boob.
Doha is Dubai 10 years ago. Not too many touristy things to do and still being built. We have been to Dubai twice, Doha didn't match it for tourist entertainment.
Would we go again? Probably not. But We can tick it off the list.
ARRIVING IN DOHA
We landed in Doha 11pm, after a blissful Business Class trip in spacious seats, with a ratio of 1 to 3 flight staff, 2012 Bordeaux red wine and meals ordered when you like (after asking when does the food trolley arrive this Business Class newbie was told “Madam you can order when you require” shame! haha), lie flat seat with PJ’s provided and a toilet seat that was kept dutifully lined (a first for this Kiwi).
It was welcome to land with the aches and pains of being folded in half for 17 hours in economy non-existent.
Mandatory food photo. The food and service was top class.
PJ's provided on Qatar. They were very comfortable and a welcome change of clothing.
When you have to catch a train from and to your plane you know the airport is massive. Doha airport is impressive along with Dubai, Bangkok and LA. 100's of shops, cafes and restaurants for departing passengers to pass time in and be tempted to buy more things to carry.
When you travel you can't help but compare what you see to your home town. One luggage carousel at Doha would have filled half the luggage area in Auckland Airport.
One large luggage carousel at Doha. The world is bigger outside New Zealand.
We found our hotel transfer holding a sign saying "[insert hubby's name] and party" " The party has arrived!" I joked.
The driver shook hubby's hand. In the UAE the man is the one acknowledged. Whilst at first this seems odd I decided to make the most of it as usually I take the lead! I let hubby lead the way to order my food, pay for food, tell the taxi driver where we are going and open doors. It was like a mini holiday! Wonder if this can be extended to when we are home?!
HILTON HOTEL
Hilton sounds flash but all hotels in Qatar are flash, well the entrance was. Our room was dated, but had a massive flash bathroom the Peter Thomas Roth (seen this brand in Fiji so they get around) complimentary toiletries and super comfortable bed, which is most important to a traveller.
The taxi pulled into the grand hotel driveway of the Hilton Doha, to deposit us at the turning circle where a team of valets and porters quickly swung into action welcoming us, gathered our bags and took us to checkin.
Hilton Doha Lobby
Check in got off to a bad start with our booking not being in the book. We booked 6 months prior. And paid. Slight panic. The staff were impeccable and assured us a room as per the Flight Centre print out I was pointing to. We would not be on the streets (which are impeccably clean down to the corner between the curb stone and asphalt....like someone got in there with a toothbrush clean).
"Do not worry your booking will come through!" I was worried and emailed our travel agent as it was 9am NZ time. Technology makes travel so much easier.
Within an hour a call came to our room. All sorted. Bad start to holiday avoided.
1AM LUNCH
Our stomach told us it was 1pm lunch time. At 1am Doha time we headed out of the hotel in search of a light snack to Costa (one in every town!)
Being sane people we sat inside at Costa to enjoy the aircon whilst wondering why the tables outside were full – were these people made of asbestos? To get to Costa was a hot walk across a 6 lane road – tourist trap, as we automatically look right then left - Bad start to holiday avoided in a country that drives on the left.
When we left we noted everyone was sitting outside in the heat as they were smoking.
QATAR MALL
The next day we ventured to Qartar Mall.
TAXI TIP: Make sure the driver puts the meter on and find out the cost prior to getting in either from the hotel or a travel guide. This is a manadatory travel tip in all countries. Ripping off tourists is a taxi trick world wide. On the whole the taxis in Doha were great.
One driver would not put the meter, advising us the 15 Rhial trip was 1200. You need to be strong here and keep repeating turn on the meter. If they dont threaten to get out of the taxi. We have done that whislt moving before in Thailand. Opening the door makes a driver brake. In Qatar no receipt is a free ride.
THE HEAT
The good thing about your hands swelling from the intense 40 degree heat is they looking younger as the wrinkles disappear. Heat dictates the clock of the daily routine in many countries we’ve travelled to, a lesson we are slow to learn, evident when the silly tourists show up at 9:30am for the 10am Mall of Qatar opening and the mall is as empty as the streets were on the taxi ride there.
The words of Lara Bingle rang in my ear “Where the bloody hell are you?” (worst advertisement slogan ever, but also the best as it’s remembered for ever) “They will be out later” said the taxi driver. I was to see that life here is in full swing in the cool of midnight, so a sleep in is needed.
We had 500,000 sqm of shops, movie theatres, food courts, restaurants, food hall, a supermarket, childrens play areas and dancing fountains to ourselves until the crowds trickled in about midday.
Fancy shoes - no quite office wear
You can spend all day under one roof, which is exactly what we did to avoid the heat.
Mall of Qatar was impressive and shopping on a grander scale than Sylvia Park, Auckland.
As we arrived so early we sat in a cafe and people watched the few that were there. Coffee was mall prices at NZ$10 per coffee. Pricey. The menus were iPhone Pad. A first for us. Very cool. We could flip though the menu images
Dont think that because the women wear head scarfs (hiyab) they are not immune from vanity. I saw women talking selfies with their beautifully made up faces and sequined head scarfs. Under the black tunic and various head wear (face fully covered, eyes only visable or face fully visable) are extremely fashionable clothes or jeans and t-shirts. Just everyday women in their own culture. Their own norm.
Of course the men are wearing crisper than white highly starched robes (thobe), head scarf in white or red/white (shemagh) with the black bands to keep it in place (egal). All the men sported aviator sun glasses like Tom Hanks in Top Gun. They even wore them inside! As did the women. Business in sunglassess would be very profitable here!.
I did wonder what Hubby and I must look like to the locals. We dressed conservatively. Trousers and long sleeve shirts. But with my blonde uncovered hair and blue eyes I wondered if the women thought loose Western Women! Or maybe, more silly tourists.
At Qatar Mall there were the usual world known general to flash brands such as Zara & Lacoste. You could even buy a Jaguar car. There were also unknown brands with beautiful local style clothes that were rich in colour and made for a very flash lifestyle.
Glamerous clothes
The foodhall covered 2 levels with a centre atrium with massive plant covered pillars, dancing foundations and a stage, on which Disney like characters did a show for the kids.
Also for the kids was a mini double decker bus driven at snails pace around the mall playing silly music. I would cancel my driver's licence if I had to so that job! lol.
Part of the food hall - Mac D's to KFC to local food
Being limited to the amount of luggage we could physical lug around Europe I bought one pair of shoes. Not one of the glisty diamonte studded heels, but Sketchers walking sneakers. Boring but sensible, I dont travel like a Kardashian!
Talking of sensible, the supermarket was handy to pick up stuff you forgot and nibbles for sudden hunger pangs when food isn't easy to get (no walk across 6 lanes in the 1am heat or over priced room service).
Day 2 in Qatar ended with dinner at Johnny Rockets, back over the 6 lanes in the heat. It was just easier and hubby was keen for a burger. I love the tomato sauce smiley faces.
That was a smiley end to the day.
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