Another layover in Doha, Qatar, another visit to Souq Waqif! What more could you want than delicious food, new buildings made to look old, and a beautiful night sky?

There’s probably more to see in Doha (and indeed Qatar) than this, but I just get too many weird vibes from this city to ever go and find anything more.

A Thinly Veiled Facade

Despite the veneer it’s all pretty obviously fake, a facade created to conceal a rich¹, conservative² society with the institutionalized subjugation of women and a poor track record on the rights of immigrant laborers.

It seems Qatar is trying REALLY hard to divest their economy from petroleum and natural gas, or perhaps they’re trying to create a new image for their country ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

Nevertheless, the grilled chicken, hummus, and shisha are delicious, and that’s enough for me.

Footnotes

• [1] Qatar is the world’s richest country per person when adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity. Source: Wikipedia contributors, “Qatar,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Qatar&oldid=656154211 (accessed April 12, 2015).
• [2] After Saudi Arabia, Qatar is the most conservative society in the GCC as most Qataris adhere to the strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam. Source: Wikipedia contributors, “Qatar,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Qatar&oldid=656154211 (accessed April 12, 2015).