It was 115 degrees the day I arrived in Qatar. This answered my first question: why did FIFA, one of the most reserved and conservative foreign sports organizations, agree to cancel a century of culture by betting on the World Cup in winter?
The question of the moment is a bit more complicated: why did Qatar, a small, conservative Islamic emirate in the Persian Gulf, work so hard and spend so much to host the tournament?
The World Cup begins Nov. 20, and over the next 28 days, more than 1. 2 million people are expected to flock to a country smaller than Connecticut and roughly the length of Chicago. People have neither the area nor the patience to deal with more than a million boisterous football fans, many of whom know nothing about the country or its culture.
But that’s the point, said Fatma Al-Nuaimi, executive director of communications for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the local organizing framework of the World Cup.
“Many other people will come here and may have their own perceptions based on what they read and hear,” he said after a late dinner at an Armenian-Lebanese restaurant in the fashionable cultural village of Katara, a vast waterfront. collection of shops, places to eat and museums. ” When you come here, it’s completely different. You notice new things, a new culture, new traditions. It gives you another perspective. For many travelers, this is what they would like to seek out and explore and enrich the outdoor experience they have of the stadium.
But will it be a Faustian market? According to law and custom, alcohol consumption is strictly controlled in Qatar, homosexuality is banned, public displays of affection are a serious misstep, and some hard work regulations are a small step above indentured servitude.
To welcome the world, the country gave in to all those things. And while this was done to appease foreign critics, it didn’t work well at home.
Then there’s the organization.
The last test event in September, a soccer match that drew 78,000 people, marred by a series of logistical disasters, long queues and problems with air conditioning and the sound formula at halftime water stalls. In response, many civilians, In addition, diplomats retired from abroad were called up for compulsory military service through operational security checkpoints at World Cup stadiums.
But there is also an advantage. Qatar has one of the richest countries in the world thanks to giant deposits of oil and natural gas, resources that the government knows are not renewable. Therefore, the long and arduous process of diversification of the economy has already begun.
Two years before the arguable vote that awarded the World Cup to Qatar, the country unveiled National Vision 2030, a multi-pronged plan to invest $200 billion in economic, social, human and environmental progress and designed, in part, to make the desert emirate a destination for tourism. schooling and culture.
Qatar has also invested heavily in sports tourism, more than six hundred times abroad over the past decade, from athletics world championships and a Formula 1 Grand Prix to bowling, squash, table tennis and equestrian events abroad. This has accelerated spending on infrastructure for road and soft rail structure and the expansion of Hamad International Airport.
“These mega-events, in part, help bridge gaps and cultures and bring other people together,” Al-Nuaimi said. “There is a misperception of this part of the world, the Arab world, the Muslim world. With 1 million enthusiasts Arriving in Qatar from all over the world, they will see another symbol and enjoy first-hand the country itself.
The real goal, he said, is to make the world flavor Qatar, be more informed about its rich history and culture, and get rid of prejudices.
But whether Qatar is in position or not, the 32-team tournament starts next month and whether you’re one of the more than 2. 8 million people who have tickets, or you’re making plans for madness and stopover in the country someday after the tournament – here’s a consultant to help you navigate a more desirable and confusing country.
If you don’t have World Cup tickets yet, you’ll probably struggle to get them. More than 90% of the roughly 3 million tickets had been claimed as of mid-October, but FIFA promises to continue promoting in FIFA. com/tickets until the tournament ends on December 18. Some tickets are also available on the secondary market, although FIFA urges enthusiasts to stay away from unauthorized websites.
But a price ticket may not be enough to enter a game, or even the country. For this, you will also need a virtual Hajj fan ID, which can be requested on hayya. qatar2022. qa. you want a valid price ticket request number and a Hajya coupon code to book accommodation electronically.
To enter the country in general cases (i. e. when there is no World Cup), U. S. citizens want a visa waiver, also known as a visa on arrival. You must submit the application in advance, as the whole procedure is carried out upon arrival in Qatar. . You will need a valid passport, valid for at least six months, confirmation of a return ticket, and a debit or credit card to pay the $28 payment for a tourist visa. The visa is valid for 30 days and can be extended.
As of November 1, you will no longer want to provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination and a negative PCR test to enter the country.
Here’s a tip for those traveling to Qatar with Qatar Airways: The airline offers anything called Al Maha Services. For an additional fee, a dedicated airline worker will advise travelers through expedited customs and immigration paperwork upon arrival and departure. It can be a lifesaver, especially after the nearly 17-hour flight from Los Angeles.
Despite a huge structure boom in the 12 years leading up to the World Cup, Qatar has just over 40,000 hotel rooms, well below the stock needed for an occasion like the World Cup. Therefore, the country has introduced a number of new features that come with visitors in fanatic villages and Bedouin-style desert shops. There are also apartments and villas with one to six bedrooms at costs ranging from $84 to $875 per night, and 4,000 staterooms on two cruise ships anchored in Doha Bay.
More than a dozen airlines have added 160 daily short round-trip flights from Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait, Muscat and Riyadh, allowing fans to stay in neighboring countries and in Doha before and after matches.
If this all sounds too complicated, or if you don’t like football, visiting Qatar after the World Cup is a piece of cake.
To model Qatar is to spice up its history, and Qataris are too satisfied to share. My favorite place, a place where I couldn’t spend enough time, Souq Waqif, the old city market.
The souk, a maze of narrow alleyways connected to a wide main square, has long served as a trading post for Bedouins arriving on camels and travelers in small boats. Its merchants still gather every day, as they have for centuries, dressed in the classic long white thobe and loose headdress called gutra, drinking noisy Qatari coffee and discussing the news of the day while promoting classic clothing, jewelry, spices, handicrafts and souvenirs.
The souk, now available seamlessly on the metro gold line, is also home to a variety of restaurants offering dishes from Thailand, Turkey, India, Iran, Italy, Lebanon, Latin America, Morocco, Syria and elsewhere.
At one end of the market position is the hawk souk (the word “souk” translates to market position), where you can see, photograph and even hold the birds, which have a respected position in Qatari culture. Nearby is a falcon hospital and just beyond is a camel enclosure, home to dozens of animals.
While Souq Waqif is a true history lesson, in years Qatar has also built several world-class museums to teach the country’s culture and heritage in a more formal way.
The Qatar National Museum, which opened in 2019, is worth a stop just to admire the stunning paintings by architect Jean Nouvel, whose design was inspired by the desert rose. Inside, the museum tells the story of Qatar in a kilometer-long adventure. through a series of galleries that offer multisensory reports from perspectives.
Equally impressive is the nearby Museum of Islamic Art, another architectural marvel by I. M. Pei, who was convinced of his retirement at 91 to design the building. Built on an island off a synthetic peninsula, the museum is located at the end of the Corniche, the scenic Doha Bay Promenade, and is available via two small bridges.
The 480,000-square-foot museum, which reopened in early October after an 18-month renovation, houses more than 14 centuries of Islamic art from 3 continents, adding metalwork, ceramics, jewelry, textiles and glass, like a priceless Koranic. . manuscript.
You can enjoy a more exclusive party at the Msheireb Museums, 4 old heritage houses in the old part of the capital committed to the cultural and social development of Qatar. Of the 4, Bin Jelmood, which focuses on the history of slavery in the Arabian Gulf. , a practice that was only banned in Qatar in 1952, is a must.
Inside, a highlight conveys a passage from an 1864 letter written by Abraham Lincoln: “If slavery is not evil, nothing is evil. Under the kafala formula, a form of exploitation and indentured servitude slightly legal that in many tactics replaced slavery. International grievances ahead of the World Cup led to a revamp of the kafala formula and a new minimum wage structure, abuses remain widespread.
Another exclusive gem is the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum 3-2-1 located in the Khalifa International Stadium, 8 World Cup matches. At more than 200,000 square feet, the museum, which opened in March, is one of the largest in the world. Committed to sport. Among the pieces in the collection are a soccer ball from the FA Cup final in England in 1888, the bobsleigh worn by the Jamaican team at the 1988 Winter Games, a baseball bat by Babe Ruth, a boxing glove by Manny Pacquiao and a Steffi Graf tennis racket.
And while interactive exhibits and artifacts about global sports, the museum includes sections on Qatari classics such as falconry, pearl fishing and camel racing.
Speaking of history, before the discovery of herbal oil and gas, Qatar’s economy was based on pearls. At present, part of the nineteenth century, almost a part of the population is engaged in the pearl trade, divers sail on dhows in the warm waters of the gulf. and descending to an intensity of 130 feet to collect clams for the treasure they hid inside.
It is now, however, the old port of dhow remains. Bay cruises on long, thin-hulled boats with Doha’s futuristic skyline as a backdrop are a smart way to combine the afterlife and the present.
Part of this trendy skyline is Pearl, a small artificial island divided into 12 neighborhoods of residential towers, hotels, luxury boutiques ranging from Maserati and Rolls-Royce showrooms to restaurants and cafes offering everything from South American and Lebanese cuisine to confectionery.
Between the Pearl and the towering buildings of West Bay is Katara Cultural Village, home to restaurants, art galleries, and cultural organizations, as well as an outdoor amphitheater, opera house, multipurpose cinema, multi-purpose convention corridor, and beach.
Do you want the history of Qatar? Well, time flies when you leave the city for the desert. Consider a half-day sunset safari, camel rides, sandboarding or an inland sea excursion, a front to the Persian Gulf on the border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
During the World Cup, more than 90 special events, music festivals, cultural exhibitions and street performances will also take place.
Qatari cuisine is a combination of classic Arabic cuisine. Machboos, the national dish, consists of rice and vegetables and lamb or chicken. Seafood and dates are also a must. But given the ethnic makeup, more than 2. 5 million of the country’s 2. 9 million other people are not Qatari citizens: the country has a gastronomic melting pot with world-class offerings from dozens of countries.
As discussed above, Souq Waqif provides a wide variety of features served in a comfortable yet classic (read: budget conscious) style. I would propose to start there, as even the most capricious palates will find anything to their liking.
Katara Cultural Village is another fairly expensive food court worth visiting, with cafes, chocolatiers, sandwich shops, and fast food outlets serving Greek, Italian, Egyptian, Mexican food, and more, as well as upscale restaurants offering Palestinian, Western European, Italian. , and Asian dishes. food.
My favorite stall, Mamig, a home-style food stall (the call means grandmother in Armenian) that serves a full menu of Armenian and Lebanese offerings.
Many of Doha’s most beloved restaurants are in hotels, starting with the Saffron, which offers delicious Thai cuisine and striking views from the smarter grounds of the 31-story Banyan Tree Hotel in Mushaireb, in the center of the Old City.
The spice market at Doha Hotel and Residences in West Bay serves South Asian-inspired dishes through chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Also in West Bay, Hakkasan, a Michelin-starred logo with locations around the world, serves Chinese cuisine in a unique dining room or on the terrace.
Nobu, the Japanese dining spot at the Four Seasons Hotel on the Corniche, provides an exclusive treat by starting at the front with a floating walkway, on a bridge that crosses a reflecting pool, and on a three-story building designed by David Rockwell. The most popular dishes are black cod yuzu miso and wagyu beef tacos.
At the trendy Pearl, Toro Toro serves original Latin American dishes from chef Richard Sandoval against striking perspectives of the bay. Sandoval has a West Bay spot called Zengo that serves Asian dishes and adds sushi, sashimi and curry at Kempinski Residences’ 61st ground.
Qatar is a Muslim country where Sharia law rules, so alcohol intake is strictly controlled and bought in stores.
Licensed hotel bars and restaurants are the only places allowed to sell alcohol, but not all do. It is not located in Souq Waqif, for example, and among the restaurants mentioned above, Mamig does not serve alcohol. Call ahead or check a restaurant’s policy before making reservations, and if you find a stall that serves alcohol, be prepared to pay $15 or more for an undeniable beer unless you’re enjoying the satisfied hour offered by most bars and restaurants.
Local legislation has been relaxed for the World Cup, and the organizers allow beer to be drunk at the Arcadia Electronic Music Festival, a fan festival about 3 kilometers from Doha, will come with 3 functional stages and beer will be served there between 10 a. m. M. Y 5 a. m.
Beer can also be sipped at the official FIFA Fan Festival in Doha’s Al Bidda Park and for ticket holders in selected spaces within the perimeters of World Cup stadiums before kickoff and after the final whistle. be served inside the stadiums.
Keep in mind that there is no tolerance for drinking in public outdoors in those spaces and being in public is a crime in Qatar.
Do you need more information? Qatar 2022 Contact Center gives 24/7 in 8 languages.
In addition, from November 1 to December 25 there will be a consular service center at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center that will provide direct access to the embassy staff of the 32 qualified countries and the countries with the highest number of price ticket sales. It will operate from 10 to 22 hours.
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