Around Doha

I had a long layover in Doha, and Qatar Airways organised a hotel, visa and hotel transfer. Unfortunately, it was not long enough to see a lot of Doha - especially the newer parts of the city; but it was still a nice city break.

The initial impression was sand - every building seemed to be of that colour. And, while the highways and main roads were very organised; the side streets felt like a completely different country! Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any public transport scheme, so I was constrained to walking around instead.

The highlight attraction in Doha, The Museum of Islamic Art, is unfortunately closed on Tuesdays; so I mostly walked around the souks and the seafront promenade (Al Corniche). The Corniche has glorious views of the futuristic skyscrapers of the new part of Doha. The contrast between the old (fishing boats) and the new is particularly striking.

Overall, it's a clean city; and despite the volume of cars, it is not a particularly vibrant city. Something is missing - but I am not sure what it is.