leisure

Thursday evenings

The work week runs Sunday – Thursday. Friday is considered the Holy day where families seem to spend the mornings and early afternoons together, a part of which includes attending their local mosque for prayer.  The city becomes increasingly busier and busier as the morning turns to afternoon to evening where, by this time, people are relaxing in the parks alongside Al Corniche (7 km boardwalk lining the Gulf coast), dining out, or filling up the many shopping complexes across town.

One of the liveliest spots in the City is the Souq Waqif, [souq = market], cobblestone streets and clusters of alleyways selling anything to everything imaginable – clothes, trinkets, furniture, Qatari touristy gems, jewelry, fabric – and the list goes on. The main drag is lined mainly with restaurants and coffee shops. Whether you’re in the mood for a sweet dessert, a five-course meal, traditional regional cuisine, or perhaps some Japanese or Iranian, you’ll find it here. All restaurants have their claim on prime patio territory ideal for people-watching … a popular past-time no matter which country you find yourself in! The Souq predates modern Doha existing back to earlier times when the capital city was a small trading village. In 2004, the Souq underwent a comprehensive restoration project rebuilding traditional architecture, physical spaces, and enhancing the overall feel of the souq leading to it now being one of the main cultural hot spots of Qatar.

Thursday nights, a group of us walk down to the souq for some late night coffee and for some, their weekly shisha smoke available in many flavours, including the favourite ‘double apple’. Favourite spots: Cafe Terrace to unwind; behind which there’s the most delicious Italian gelato shack; in one of the alleyways is nestled the Japanese restaurant Soy; and off the main road is the Art Centre which often showcases local visual artists. Also around Souq Waqif you’ll also find the gold souq, furniture souq, plants souq, among others.

I have yet to explore this cultural and social hub to its fullest, nor capture it in images. Once I do, this post will be updated with a visual.

The Global Architecture Blog profiles this souq in their series on projects nominated for the 2010 Aga Khan Awards for Architecture. Read the profile here.

Souq Waqif = ‘Standing Market’. Read the history behind the name at Souq Waqif online.