Middle East Travel

Acre, Israel: A Living Historical Monument

by Shelly Lachish

The ancient port of Acre (Akko in Hebrew, or Akka in Arabic), with its heavily fortified sea walls and imposing hilltop citadel, juts out defiantly from Israel’s coastline into the sapphire waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Standing at the city’s southernmost rampart, which is today equipped with a lighthouse and viewing platform, I cast my gaze over the golden fortress and down to the dramatic coastline where the waves break endlessly against the ancient sandstone walls that have withstood centuries of aggression.

For millennia, this mediaeval promontory, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited locations, was a site of strategic military importance due to its commanding position on the trade route between Egypt and Syria. It is not surprising, therefore, that Acre’s history is a series of tumultuous invasions, defeats, victories and conquests that have played out over 1000’s of years by a multitude of conquering empires. Today, however, families of all nationalities and faiths live side by side in harmony in Acre, and the only shots heard over this UNESCO world heritage city come from cameras that belong to the army of tourists hungry to photograph this magnificent and intriguing historical site. Because even in this region of the world that teems with rich archaeological wonders, Akko stands out.

Acre’s historical and archaeological intrigue lies in the fact that the forts, mosques, churches, synagogues and labyrinthine alleyways of the Old City that date back 350 years to the Arab and Ottoman periods, conceal below them an exceptionally intact 800 year-old Crusader city that has only recently been discovered. Leaving behind the city walls and the spectacular views of Haifa harbor that they offer, I begin my exploration of this ancient underground city by delving into the Templar Tunnel, a 350 meters underground passage that was constructed by knights of the Templar order and led from their own fortress to the port.

The tunnel, now restored and endowed with lighting, signage and a boardwalk alongside which rainwater flows freely to the sea, shrinks to just one meter in height before opening up to ground level at the resplendent Ottoman-built Pillar’s Inn (Khan Al-Umdan), a large multi-arched caravanserai, which was once the hub of international trade. From here, my explorations remain at ground level and lead me into the colorful Suk, the vibrant market street that forms the main thoroughfare of the Old City. It is midmorning and the market is crowded and bustling with activity as the locals attend to their shopping needs. Sweet stalls, vegetable stands, and shops selling clothing, ornaments, perfumes and other oriental artifacts, mix with bakeries, falafel shops, fishmongers and butchers stands, beneath which countless street cats make a healthy, if furtive, living. I amble slowly absorbing the sights and smells, and stop frequently to sample the delicious foods on offer.

The market street snakes past the beautiful emerald-domed Al-Jezzar mosque and towards the main citadel complex where archaeological excavations allow the visitor to literally descend through the layers of history. At the modern, and mercifully well air-conditioned, visitor center, I rent an audio guide and embark on my own discovery of these fascinating ruins. I am guided aurally through the existing fortress building, an Ottoman fortification that was built on the foundations of the ruined Crusader citadel, and then down to the underground Prisoner’s Hall, where during the period of British mandate hundreds of members of Jewish resistance movements (Haganah, Irgun and Lehi) were held prisoner and even executed. The tour then descends further underground to the recently excavated Knights’ Hall comprising a series of long narrow chambers with ten meter high vaulted ceilings and massive dividing walls connected by great arched entrances. Also preserved in time are the remains of a dungeon, living quarters, and a mediaeval church. Tantalizingly, some of the rooms of this impressive feat of 13th century architecture remain roped off with teams of archaeologists and engineers busy with ongoing excavations: a promise of more exciting discoveries for future generations of tourists to behold.

Ascending from the cavernous subterranean ruins of the Knights Hall I find myself at the entrance to the Hamam al Basha, a traditional 18th century Turkish bathhouse that remained in use until the 1940’s. Today the bathhouse has been reinvented as a light and sound experience in which a moderately humorous but slightly lengthy video presentation attempts to portray everyday life in the bathhouse culture. Despite the cheesy audio-visuals, the expertly restored, beautifully ornate bathhouse is well worth a visit. The entrance is a superb, domed-roof, marble room decorated with exquisite traditional ceramic tiles. A large marble fountain takes pride of place in the center of the room. At the base of the tiled walls there are small cavities, lockers of the past, which would one day have held the shoes and belongings of bathers. I take my sandals off and the chill of the 200-year-old marble floor feels wonderful on my weary feet. I proceed barefoot through a narrow corridor of smaller rooms where some of the more refined aspects of personal grooming and hygiene would have occurred, and into the main steam room – the social heart of the hamam. Here the domed ceiling has been perforated with geometrically placed holes through which hundreds of shafts of light penetrate to the raised marble massage area below. The dappled light is soothing and serene. Sculpted bronze figures and other relics placed around the large octagonal steam room help to recreate the authentic renowned feeling of communal relaxation for which the Turkish hamams were famous.

The audio tour ends and I surface from the relative cool and peaceful spaciousness of the bathhouse into the blinding heat of afternoon Mediterranean sunshine. Suddenly, the call of the muezzin sings resounds over the city, broadcast from speakers mounted at the top of Al-Jezzera mosque’s minaret. “Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar!” The distinctive melancholy melody calling the faithful to prayer casts an ethereal atmosphere over this mysterious city, and immediately transports me back to historic times. Undeniably, it is this combination of above ground beauty, hidden underground treasures, a thriving cultural life, and buried secrets yet to be discovered that ensures Acre will remain a living historical monument for years to come.

To the North of Israel Haifa Acre and Rosh Ha-Nikra Private Tour

If You Go:

♦ Acre is about 50 minutes’ drive from Haifa, or 1 hour and 45 minutes’ drive from Tel Aviv. Trains run every 20 minutes in peak times from either Haifa or Tel Aviv. There are also direct buses from Haifa and Nazareth to Acre.

♦ A full ticket entrance to the old city and the Turkish baths costs around $12 and includes the audio tour. Entrance to the Al-Jezzar mosque is extra.

♦ For more information: www.akko.org.il

About the author:
Shelly Lachish is an ecologist and freelance writer who has travelled extensively in Israel, Europe and Oceania. She currently resides in Oxford, England, where she moonlights as an academic. She blogs about her travels at thetravelaffair.net. This is her first contribution to Travel Thru History.

Photo credits:
All photos are by S. Lachish, and may be used under creative commons license.
The walled port city
The Pillar’s Inn (Khan Al-Umdan)
Women in the suk
Al-Jezzera mosque
Turkish bathhouse

Israel: Benjamin Disraeli and Cosmopolitan Jerusalem

by Talisker Donahue

Benjamin Disraeli visited Jerusalem in 1831, at the age of twenty six, hoping to find inspiration for his novel Alroy. The city was to prove the highlight of his Grand Tour, indeed he could have written “half a dozen sheets on this week, the most delightful of all our travels.” [1] The weather was glorious and Disraeli dined “every day on the roof of [his] house by moonlight” [2] after playing at the intrepid nineteenth century tourist and respectable British pilgrim. He was wined and dined by the social powers and he visited the Tombs of the Kings and the Holy Sepulchre. He was, in essence, representative of the supposed two thousand traveller-authors who visited Palestine between 1800 and 1878 [3] and whose impressions were refracted through their biblical and historical education. The majority paid little or no attention to the reality of the Holy Land instead taking their cues from literary antecedents, especially, of course, the Bible. In 1837 for example Lord Lindsay Crawford wrote home to his mother that he “had tried every spot pointed out as the scene of Scriptural events by the words of the Bible, the only safe guide-book in this land of ignorance and superstition.” [4] In instances such as this we can see Orientalism [5] in practice and observe the effect that this innate, largely xenophobic, attitude had on the British view of the Holy Land. For these writers “the real Palestine was the one described in the books rather than the one they saw before them.” [6]

While some, such as Said and Nassar, see Disraeli’s literary output as a product of the Orientalist discourse we can see a certain realisation, especially evident in Tancred, of the cosmopolitan and universally valid nature of Jerusalem and its inhabitants.

This novel, the third in Disraeli’s Young England Trilogy, tells the story of a young aristocrat who, having lost faith in “politics as the means for exerting beneficial change” [7] goes “in search of the wisdom of the three great Asian religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam.” [8] Of course this to be found in Jerusalem and so Tancred seeks to emulate his crusader forbears by making pilgrimage to the Holy Land, not in conquest but in self-realisation. He does not seek to free Palestine but his own spirit,
“I, too, would kneel at that tomb; I, too, surrounded by the holy hills and sacred groves of Jerusalem, would relieve my spirit from the bale that bows it down; would lift up my voice to heaven, and ask, what is duty, and what is faith? [9]

Tancred, in his realisation that the political world has failed in its cosmopolitan duty of promoting beneficence, becomes drawn to the concept of cross cultural philosophical validity. Away from the machinations of the state, where men like Palmerston “will never rest” until they “get Jerusalem” [10] because, after all, “the English must have markets” [11] Tancred begins to comprehend homogeneity between the East and West, and, indeed, the appeal of such hybridity. This is best demonstrated through Tancred’s relationship with the various indigenous inhabitants of Jerusalem and, especially, the Jewish Eva.

Tancred first meets this woman whose beauty is almost primeval, “such as it existed in Eden” [12]. Her very name is reminiscent of Eve; she is ‘woman’ before she is Jew and she bears the best features of all the nations of Earth.
“[Her] complexion was neither fair nor dark, yet it possessed the brilliancy of the north without its dryness, and the softness peculiar to the children of the sun without its moisture.” [13]

Her cosmopolitan visage is reflected in her conversation when Tancred engages her in a discussion of religion and she states that perhaps she ought to worship Jesus as he is of her race. Indeed Eva has read the Bible and, for Tancred, her mentality is a hybrid mix of Judaism and Anglicanism, she is “already half a Christian.” [14] Tancred though has not yet received his cosmopolitan epiphany and his advice of turning to the church for guidance is met with… un-enthusiasm.

While there is a heady mix of Christian cultures in Jerusalem: Latin, Abyssinian, Armenian, Coptic, Maronite, Greek, this plurality fails as a guide to knowledge. Even divine inspiration, which Tancred is certain he will receive in Jerusalem of all places, is a last resort, to be taken only after “human wit” [15] is exhausted. Eva essentially personifies the spirit of intellectual cosmopolitanism, in both her appearance and outlook. Her morality is not to discovered though scriptural and dogmatic alchemy but rather through rationalistic inquiry.

It is not just in the Holy Land’s inhabitants that Tancred, and Disraeli, find a cosmopolitan identity. The very nature of the place as the cradle of civilisation stirs in the pilgrim the sense that he is treading on ground belonging to humanity. For Tancred, all the natural beauty and wonder of Jerusalem and Palestine pale into insignificance when set alongside the sites of human endeavour and identity,
“[his] eye seized on Sion and Calvary; the gates of Bethlehem and Damascus; the hill of Titus; the Mosque of Mahomet and the tomb of Christ” [16] In seeing this hybrid mix of man’s history he realises that “the view of Jerusalem is the history of the world; it is more, it is the history of Earth and Heaven.” [17]

Tancred’s impression of the universality of the Holy Land is further enhanced during his excursion to Sinai where he observes “two ruins, a Christian church and a Mahometan mosque. In this, the sublimest scene of Arabian glory, Israel and Ishmael alike raised their altars to the great God of Abraham” [18] This coexistence, this acceptance of the holy land as a shared space, awakens in Tancred the understanding that “it is Arabia alone that can regenerate the world.” [19] For Proudman, Disraeli here, is really the antithesis of Said’s Orientalist; “whatever else he was trying to do, Disraeli was not portraying an inferior East,” [20] rather, his multicultural view of religion and Jerusalem reflect the cosmopolitan spirit of the region in spite of politics and statecraft.

In 2008, when discussing Jerusalem being voted Arab capital of culture, Huda Imam described the city as the “world capital of humanity and spirituality.” [21] As she took around fifty children on a tour of the city one Muslim child asked whether he could pray at the church of the Holy Sepulchre,
“You can pray anywhere you want… Since my childhood, I have always loved to light a candle, recite the fatiha, and make a wish when I visit this church. As a Jerusalemite, I consider it part of my culture” she replied. [22]

This is Jerusalem beneath the politics and at its cosmopolitan best.

Footnotes
[1] Disraeli. Home Letters Written by the Late Earl of Beaconsfield in 1830 and 1831. p.120. Kessinger Publishing Co. Kila, (MT, USA). 2004.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ben-Arieh. Rediscovery of the Holy Land in the Nineteenth Cenuty. p.15. Magnes Press. Jerusalem (Israel). 1983.
[4] Lord Lindsay. Letters on Egypt, Edom and the Holy Land. p.243. Henry Colburn Publishers. London (UK). 1847.
[5] See Edward Said’s Orientalism.
[6] Nassar, I. In their Image: Jerusalem in Nineteenth-Century English Travel Narratives. p.8. Jerusalem Quarterly. Issue 19. 2003.
[7] Levine, R.A. Disraeli’s Tancred and “The Great Asian Mystery”. p.75. Nineteenth-Century Fiction. Vol.22. no.1. 1967.
[8] Proudman, M.F. Disraeli as an ‘Orientalist’: The Polemical Errors of Said. p.551 The Journal of the Historical Society. Vol.5. no.4. 2005.
[9] Disraeli, B. Tancred. p.55. Longmans Green and Co. London (UK). 1871.
[10] Tancred. p.478.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid. p.187
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid. p.189
[15] Ibid. p.190.
[16] Ibid. p.184.
[17] Ibid.
[17] Ibid. p.288-89
[18] Ibid. p.465
[19] Proudman, M.F. 2005. p.555.
[20] Imam, H. Jerusalem: A World of Culture. This Week in Palestine. Issue 123. 2008. thisweekinpalestine.com (Accessed 18/04/12)
[21] Ibid.

Further Information:

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) visited Jerusalem in 1831 as part of a ‘Grand Tour’.
♦Born a Jew he was baptised into the Anglican Church and served as the Conservative Prime Minister of England twice between 1868 and 1880.
♦He was a prolific writer before entering politics and wrote several novels, the best known being Vivian Grey (1826), Alroy (1833) and the Young England Trilogy Sybil, Coningsby and Tancred written in the 1840’s.
♦For more information on Disraeli’s adventures in Europe and the Middle East see Robert Blake’s Disraeli’s Grand Tour: Benjamin Disraeli and the Holy Land 1830-31.
♦The best account of Jerusalem’s History is definitely S.S Montefiore’s recent book Jerusalem: The Biography.

Photo credits:
Jerusalem by Walkerssk from Pixabay
Benjamin Disraeli by Unknown photographer / Public domain
Jerusalem street by Dave Herring on Unsplash
Old Jerusalem market by Terrazzo / CC BY

About the author:
Talisker Donahue studied History & Classical civilisation at Roehampton University (London) winning the Humanities Department prize for outstanding academic achievement in the process. Before going to University he made a two month solo trip across Europe and Asia, sleeping in trains, tents and hostels. Tal has also made several other low-budget, big-adventure trips into Europe including Italy, Germany and France. He has ambitions to compile a guide to ‘shoestring travel’ for students in addition to freelance history writing.

Exploring Oman’s Colorful History in Muscat

by Inka Piegsa-quischotte

When preparing for my recent five day trip to Oman, I was surprised to read on several informative websites that ‘there is not much to see and do in Muscat itself’. This being the capital of Oman and knowing something about the country’s colorful history, I seriously doubted the validity of this statement and, sure enough, I am able prove it wrong. In fact, there is so much to see that I would have loved to have more than one day for Muscat alone.

History does not always mean ‘ancient history’. Technically, yesterday is already history and, from that point of view, just over 40 years certainly qualifies as history. You see, most of the sprawling city which unfolded before my eyes on the way from the airport to my hotel on the beach was built after 1970. The panorama documents the history of oil wealth in the Middle East. Mind you, Oman is not a rags to riches story. Located on one of the most important trade routes and with one of the world’s biggest natural harbors, Oman has always been a wealthy country, particularly in the 17th century under the rule of the Ya’ruba dynasty.

The discovery of oil however has given the country an unprecedented economical boost and it is my very personal opinion that the wealthy past has determined that the billions of petro dollars have been put to brilliant use. There is absolutely nothing ‘nouveau riche’ about modern Muscat. The difference to nearby Dubai is striking. Muscat has only one high rise, the Hilton Hotel and that has only 14 stories. Otherwise the buildings have all been designed in traditional Omani style with round towers, huge walls, carved wooden doors and small windows to keep out the heat. The only colors in evidence are white and sand, no garish paint, no gold, no colorful tiles, no adornment other than stone arabesques carved into the mantels. The overall impression is of cool elegance and understated wealth. Very, very soothing on the eye and beautifully in harmony with the country.

Even Sultan Qaboos’ famous Grand Mosque, a massive structure which can accommodate 20.000 worshippers and was inaugurated in 2001, is made from Indian sandstone. The dome is gilded, but discreetly covered with white lattice, so that only the occasional ray of gold glitters through. The interior is another matter altogether, featuring the world’s second largest hand woven carpet made in Iran and an enormous chandelier made in Germany. Because I visited during Ramadan, I couldn’t see the interior of the mosque, that will be reserved for another visit.

Already in love with the serene beauty of modern Muscat, my friend and I decided to visit the Muttrah souk, one of the oldest souks in all of the Middle East. During Ramadan, the souk is only open at night and, as Eid was approaching, people were out in doves to shop for clothes, jewelry and gifts in preparation for the festivities marking the end of the holy month. Two things held our attention: the ever present scent of frankincense which burns in every doorway and is one of the most important items on offer and the beautifully carved roof, reflecting the age old art of Omani wood carvings. In fact, so important is frankincense to Oman that a huge burner, high up on a hill is one of the most famous landmarks of Muscat.

The next day we wanted to explore Muscat some more and also visit the part known as Old Muscat. To our disappointment, there is next to no public transport. We love to travel on local buses. But, at a price of 50cents for a liter of gas it doesn’t come as a surprise that everybody has at least one car. So, we took a taxi, passing by the modern, exquisite shopping complex in Ruwi on our way to the Sultan’s palace. It’s the only colorful building in blue and gold with nearly identical front and back which can be seen from the landside as well as from the water.

Flanked by two massive castles, Al Mirani and Al Jalali, the palace is surprisingly unguarded and you can approach right up to the gate. The two forts date back to the 15th century, when the Portuguese ruled over Oman and mark the entrance to Muscat bay. The best view is, again from the sea, as we found out when we embarked on not one but three boat trips.

The first took us out to sea to watch dolphins at play, the second along the breath taking coastline with alternating rock formations in white marble and black granite with tiny sand beaches in between. Boat trip #3 was dedicated to experiencing the coastline bathed in the rays of the sinking sun on board a traditional Oman dhow.

Although we missed the much praised fish market (again, due to Ramadan) we were luck to discover Bait Al Zubair, a museum dedicated to the history of Omani art, crafts and folklore. Sadly, no photography is allowed inside, but admiring the fabulous silver jewelry and daggers, colorful clothes from all regions of the country as well as an explanation of the lineage of the current sultan caught our attention so much, that we forgot all about picture taking. Muscat has a few more museums, like the National Museum, the Armed Forces Museum and the Wall Museum.

There are parks to wander in, narrow streets in Old Muscat to stroll through, some serious shopping to do in the souk as well as in the Ruwi shopping mall, more boat trips to enjoy, swimming in the Golf of Oman to be done, food to be sampled in the restaurants (again, all closed during Ramadan) that I really fail to see how anyone can say that there isn’t much to do and see in Muscat.

Full-Day Guided Jebel Akhdar Tour From Muscat

If You Go:

If you can stand the heat and humidity it’s a good idea to go in August, because prices are much lower than in full season and visitors are few. If not, the best months to visit are from November to May.

Women do not need to cover their heads (except when visiting a mosque) but they have to cover their shoulders and upper arms and wear at least calf lengths pants or skirts. Bikinis are allowed on private beaches, on public beaches wear a one piece or thin T-shirt on top, even in the water.

Best souvenirs to buy are frankincense, perfume and silver.

If, like me, you visit during Ramadan, be aware that no eating, drinking or smoking is allowed in public until iftar. That applies to everybody, Muslim or not.

Most nationalities can obtain a visa at the airport which ranged from 10 days (5 Rial) to 1 month. Immigration and customs was a matter of minutes, very smooth and problem free. For all our trips we used www.muscatcaravan.com, very reliable and comfortable. You can rent a car through them too.

About the author:
Inka Piegsa-quischotte is an ex-attorney turned travel writer and novelist. She writes for online travel magazines and has two novels and a travel guide to Galicia/Spain published. She lives between Turkey and Miami.

All photos are by Inka Piegsa-quischotte.

Jordan: Playing in Petra

by Becky Garrison

When I came upon the Indiana Jones gift and coffee shops and the Titanic Coffee Shop situated at the entrance to Petra, I got the giggles. Looks like some folks might want to make a buck out of Jordan’s #1 tourist attraction. After passing by a slew of guide trying to “assist” the tourists, I set off on a sandy path. Soon we passed what would be the first of many tombs to come.

After I turned the corner, I felt Lilliputian standing below a row of 400- to 650-foot ragged sandstone mountains. I walked between two massive rocks via the Siq, a narrow gorge filled with natural ravines and fissures. Everywhere I turned along this approximately half-mile path, Mother Nature or an earthborn artisan had carved a sculpture, water channel, shrine to some deity, or some other design into the stone.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught a peek of al-Khazneh (the Treasury). With each step, the Treasury came closer and closer until finally I stood in front of this royal tomb carved into the rock. Built sometime between 100 BCE and 200 CE, the tomb got its name from the legend that pirates hid their treasure in a giant stone urn. Bullet holes on the urn indicate that the Bedouins believed this myth and made numerous attempts to retrieve this booty.

Continuing the sandy path, we approached an eight-thousand-seat Roman amphitheater surrounded by a burial bonanza. Local Bedouins used to occupy the caves we spotted off in the distance. The government outlawed this practice in 1984 out of a concern to preserve the monuments. The Bedouins resettled nearby, though as a compromise of sorts, they’re the only merchants allowed to conduct commerce inside the walls of Petra.

After lunch, I rode up to al-Deir (the Monastery) on donkeys. The thought of climbing up eight hundred steep steps as the temperature hovered near 100 degrees didn’t sound appealing. Horses and camels balk at this almost vertical climb, but donkeys can do it. As the path narrowed and steepened, my stomach felt a bit like it did the first time I rode the Coney Island Cyclone. Still, my donkey never missed a step, stopping only to relieve himself. (My sympathy for those who chose to walk to the monastery, because the path was littered with donkey dung.)

Once our donkeys crossed over the final step, I dismounted and walked up a small hill toward this craggy unfinished edifice. Slowly I walked up a short dusty path. Since there were no guardrails at the mountain’s edge, I carefully approached the crest. With each step, purple peaks winked at me as though they’re daring me to venture into God’s playpen, a spectacle of nature so vast that the Grand Canyon seems like a watering hole in comparison. As stunning as the man-made Treasury and Monastery might be (and they are truly magnificent wonders of the world), nothing can surpass the beauty of nature’s own artistic endeavors.

One Day Tour To Petra From Amman

If You Go:

Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage site: whc.unesco.org/en/list/326
Jordan info: www.lonelyplanet.com/jordan

About the author:
Becky Garrison is a freelance writer who has authored six books with a seventh book in development. In addition to penning a book on pilgrimages for Zondervan (a subsidiary of Harper Collins), she has written articles about destination travel and travel products for several publications, including 52 Perfect Days, Yahoo, Sportsology.net and Killing the Buddha. about.me/BeckyGarrison These reflections were excerpted from Jesus Died for This? (www.amazon.com/Jesus-Died-This-Religious-ebook)

All photos are by Becky Garrison.

Qatar: Skyscrapers Souqs & Sandscapes

by Irene Butler

Since tales of Aladdin swept my imagination away on a magic carpet in grade school, my desire to journey through the Arabian Peninsula has not waned. Sixty years later I am to realize this dream. My husband Rick and I arrive in Qatar, the small country that jets into the Arabian Sea like a thumb off Saudi Arabia’s border, to discover how this culture steeped in tradition has melded with modernity.

On our first day in the capital of Doha we jauntily begin a stroll on Al-Corniche, the eight kilometer, U-shaped avenue that hugs the shimmering turquoise Gulf waters and is dotted with date palms, flowering plants and amazing sculptures. After a few kilometres we know why we are almost alone on this promenade and the stream of vehicles on the roadway with windows rolled-up-tight against the broiling sun makes sense. Our walk is likened to a hike across the Sahara. We thirstily forge ahead to the gleaming towers of glass and steel around the bend, knowing they are not a mirage. Qatar has not escaped skyscraper building fury of the oil-rich countries. We welcome the stunning marble and glass architecture of the City Centre Doha Mall, and blissfully nestle in coffee shop armchairs with a litre of H2O and silky-smooth cappuccinos before heading back to our hotel…in an air-conditioned taxi.

We find Souq Waqif (market) the perfect place to soak up tradition, with a bonus of both outdoor sections and those sheltered from Old Sol. Waqif has been around since the days when Bedouin nomads traded goats, sheep and wool for essential items. Restorations have not changed the maze of passageways with mud rendered walls and wood beamed ceilings. We meander past small shops piled high with spices, dates, figs, perfumes, pots, dishes, plastic everything, aquarium fishes, birds, puppies, and bunnies. A father passes with his small daughter clinging to his one hand, while in the other he carries his purchase – a falcon. The ancient art of Falconry dates back to at least the 7th century BC, and although Westerners find using these birds of prey for sport objectionable, it is prevalent in the Arab countries and the Bedu are the grand masters.

This market is frequented by those hooked on hookahs. Every restaurant and cafe is filled with customers puffing their choice of sheesha (flavoured tobacco) through bubbling water pipes. The air is opaque with the smoky bouquet of sweet apple, strawberry, rose and mint. Seeing Rick puzzle over a hookah apparatus, Hussein, a waiter at Café Tasse, invites us out back to where a dozen pipes are being made ready for patrons.

In a Sheesha 101 lesson Hussein demonstrates the basics. Billows of smoke rise into the air with each puff. Rick tries next. With my camera aimed, I wait…and wait for a billow…ahhh, at last, a pouf of smoke the size of a walnut. “Not as easy as it looks,” claims Rick, as Hussein cheers, “Way to go!”

Upon checking our “must do” list for Qatar, seeing the desert landscapes and camel races are in the forefront. The dilemma – not even the tour offices have advance notice of when the camel races will be held. We are told to check the daily newspapers for race dates, or call the racing committee.

It is our new friend Jerri to the rescue! Jerri is one of the many expatriates who works in the country’s oil industry. He graciously offers to drive us to the unique limestone formations known as “desert mushrooms” at Bir Zekreet, and lucky for us, the famed camel race track of Al-Shahaniya is on the way!

As we approach the track, my heart leaps at the sight of these ships of the desert everywhere; in compounds along the roadway, and strings of them crisscrossing the highway bringing traffic to a halt. We pull into the Al-Shahaniya complex and gleefully make our way to the track. Practicing jockeys and camels in bunches race by stirring up clouds of dust. Some of the jockeys bouncing along on an adult camel also hold the reins of a juvenile camel with no rider; no doubt a learning process for the gangly young’un.

Duly thrilled by this “sport of sheikhs”, we barrel south again and make it to Bir Zekreet at sunset. The fading light casts an eerie glow over the weirdly spectacular “mushrooms”, the result of winds that have whittled away the softer sedimentary rock leaving pillars below large intact tops – a geography lesson of desert formation.

We proceed still further south to the town of Dukhan, the location of a massive natural gas plant and huge compound for employees with every amenity – deluxe accommodations, shopping and restaurants. Qatar is the largest exporter of liquefied natural gas in the world. Along with crude oil and banking, the country has one of the fastest growing world economies, with an extremely high per capita income. The State of Qatar is ruled by the popular emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whose family has been in power since the mid-18th century. In 2005 a cabinet and advisory council was voted in to assist in the running of Qatar, which is considered one of the most politically stable countries in the region.

Back in Doha we see more evidence of the country’s wealth in the stadiums of Sport City, built for the 2006 Asian Games, the largest ever held. At the nearby Villagio Mall Jerri says, “the extravagance must be seen to be believed”. Shoppers take time for a gondola ride along the faux-Venetian canal running through the middle of the mall’s ultra-wide corridors. A gigantic food court overlooks an ice rink where a hockey game is in progress; the skating finesse and puck-handling of the players aged 12 to 14 years is top-notch.

Being Friday, the first day of the Muslim weekend, the mall is wall-to-wall with congregations of family and friends. In the multi-cultural mix of a population of 900,000, 75% are expatriates from around the world employed in jobs ranging from janitors to CEOs. Qataris make up the remaining 25% and are distinguishable by their dress and apparent affluence. Rolex watches peek from the sleeves of men’s impeccable white throbe (floor-length shirt-dress) as they twirl a set of prayer beads between thumb and forefinger, which may be made of pearls, jade, or gold nuggets. Their gutra (white head cloth) secured by black-tasselled head-rope called an agal looks dashing. Women’s abeyyas (black robes) and hejabs (head scarves) are trimmed with gold, silver or gems; their fingers and wrists flash diamonds the size of marbles as they tote bags with purchases from top-fashion designers. Seeing a Lamborghini with gold wheel rims as we left the mall is the ultimate in excess.

Our exhilarating week in Qatar went by in a flash. I came away feeling a genie had granted my wish. The bazaar-like souqs and harsh desert terrain were everything I imagined in the Arabia of old, combined with the boom decade’s dazzling skyscrapers and Disney-like malls, all warmly fused with traditional Bedouin hospitality are now fond memories.

Full-day Private Qatar Desert Safari from Doha

If You Go:

Qatar – www.qatartourism.gov.qa

Visas –
Canadians can obtain a visa upon entry.
For requirements see: www.canadainternational.gc.ca/qatar/

Climate –
Summer (May to September) average day temp 35C (95F) but can surpass 50C (122F) high humidity and frequent dust storms.
Winter – pleasant temp during the day 26C (80F) with cooler evenings. Most of the 8cm (3in) of annual rainfall occurs during Dec and Jan.

Religion –
Most Qataris, like Saudi Arabians, adhere to the austere Wahhabi sect of Islam, with strict codes of conduct. Visiting women are not required to don traditional dress (as in Saudi Arabia) but men and women visitors should dress conservatively.

Air Travel to Qatar –
Best since it is difficult to get a transit visa to cross Saudi Arabia from other Arabian Peninsula countries.
www.qatarairways.com
ca.skyscanner.com

Budget hotel suggestion –
Fuda Hotel, Al Muthaf Street, Old Salata, Doha – 5 min walk to the waterfront (no direct website, but look for it on wholesale hotel sites).

About the author:
Travel writer and author, Irene Butler, along with her photographer husband Rick travel the world for 6 months of each year, and have immersed themselves in 85 countries to date. Their home base is Richmond, BC.

All photos are by Rick Butler.