miss b loves ....... Doha, Qatar, a city of contrasts (Part 2)

After our stroll along the Corniche, the fascinating tour of The Museum of Islamic Art and lunch with a spectacular view, we made our way to Souq Waqif (You can read Part 1 of our Doha trip here)

 Souk Waqif literally means standing market ...... With the threat of floods from the sea, many traders in the past would conduct their business standing and sometimes they would be in water up to their ankles! There's been a market on this site for 250 years and it's where the Bedouin gathered to trade sheep and goats for essential items. In 2004 the area was restored without losing its unique character.

This is very much a souk for locals too with everything on sale from pots and pans to gorgeous fabric, toys and pets!

There's no hard-sell here. The souk has a relaxed, friendly feel and I was mesmerised by the vibrant colours .......

and the vast array of goods on sale .......

Traditional coffee pots 
and brass-studded chests

The police on horseback looked so dapper ....

There are wide open areas and a meandering labrynth of alleyways .....

One of our favourite areas of the souq was the spice section and I can't begin to explain the wonderful mix of aromas ..........I just wish you could smell it here!

We were ready for a refreshing mint lemonade and freshly made baklava(sweet arabic pastries drizzled with honey)at Le Gourmet café .......

At dusk the souk comes alive with people sitting outside drinking coffee and smoking shisha. The choice of restaurants and cuisines is so impressive too.

In complete contrast to the souk, our next stop was the modern Villagio Mall , with its Venetian style interior. It's home to many high-end brands including Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Mont Blanc .... and well-known international high street stores such as Gap, Banana Republic and Marks and Spencer .... There's some very funky seating too!

Clever lighting creates an almost outdoor feel in the Mall and the ceilings are painted blue with fluffy white clouds. 

There's even an indoor canal complete with gondola rides!!

The entertainment area is popular and a huge ice rink is home to Doha Ice Skating Club ...... the Flying Camels!

One of the highlights of our mall visit was spotting two of my favourite French cafés ..... Paul and le Nôtre. How could I resist a classic Opéra cake!

and then it was a short taxi drive back to the airport!

Doha is most definitely a fascinating city of contrasts. Once a quiet fishing and pearling village, the discovery of oil in the 30s changed its fortunes for ever.

The Pearl and Oyster Fountain pays tribute
 to Doha's pearl diving past

The coffee pot, or dallah in Arabic, is a symbol of hospitality and the giant sculpture standing in front of the futuristic skyscrapers just about sums up this impressive city ......

Doha is dynamic and ambitious, yet it remains firmly rooted to its cultural heritage. I'm sure we'll return ........