Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al Thani, the late Qatari Emir (succeeded by his son, Sheikh Thamim bin al Thani) needed a place to display his 15.000 or so trinkets, so he constructed a massive fortress museum in the desert, about an hour outside of Doha. On Saturday our driver happily took us to visit.
Our epicurean adventure into the Middle East ended as spectacularly as it began, but not at all in a good way. (No, the Golden Arch Steak House was not the culprit–we did not eat there.)
The Souq Waqif dates back several hundred years, and was the place for trade for Bedouin tribes. In 2006 the Qatari government launched a massive restoration effort, and the results are spectacular. The former princely palaces surrounding the market were also renovated to become a collection of boutique hotels, one of which we stayed at during our time in Doha.
The countdown to Qatar for Anna Grace was finally over on Monday, when she and her strings director departed for the honor orchestra festival being hosted by ASDoha. By Tuesday afternoon they were enjoying a desert safari (the trip couldn’t be all rehearsal, all the time, right?)
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