88
JANUARY 2013
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
THREE PERFECT DAYS
||
DOHA
on, but you’re lucky enough to see some
practice runs. The surly animals achieve a
remarkablepace, geedonbybizarre robotic
jockeys. A local breeder tells you these ani-
matronic riders are aQatari invention, and
have replaced the child jockeys that only a
few years ago were the norm.
Thoughyouget backon the road, a truly
arresting spectacle soon has you
hi ing the brakes. The sprawl of
refineries just south of Doha is
like a distorted reflection of the
city’s skyline. You gawp for a
while at the flaming towers cut-
ting through giant dunes, then
make for your lunchdestination:
Lagoon Ristorante
,
located at the
perfectly manicured Sealine
Beach Resort. You devour an
excellent
linguine al gamberi
,
yet
you don’t tarry a erward—your
driver from a local adventure
outfit has arrived to take you
dune bashing in a 4x4.
For the next hour or so, as the driver
negotiates near-vertical off-road terrain,
you are able to form only two thoughts:
“
ouch” and “eek.” It’s fun, but you and your
ra ling bones are happy to disembark at
the
Inland Sea
,
a picturesque spot where
billowing dunes plunge into an inlet of the
Persian Gulf. A er a quick dip, you climb
a dune to watch one of the most dramatic
sunsets you’ve ever seen. Your inner peace
abates, however, when the driver takes you
roaring through the dunes once again. It’s
much scarier in the dark.
Having piloted your rental car back to
Doha, you clear the sand from your ears
before heading to the W Hotel for dinner
at the chic
Market by Jean-Georges
,
where
you plump for an exquisite fontina and
black truffle pizza, washed down with a
dra Hoegaarden. Next, you beeline it to
Crystal
,
the W’s studiously hip nightclub,
and dance into the wee hours, racking up
a tab that outstrips theGDPof some small
countries. All in all, then, a very goodnight.
DAY THREE
| A lie-in and breakfast in
bed—eggs Benedict (no ham)—steel you
for your first activity of the day. At mid-
morning, you’re heading to the ’burbs for
that most Qatari of pastimes: shopping.
Doha can’t compete with the
retail wonderland of Dubai, but
Villaggio
is a step in that direction.
With its swank boutiques and
canal-traversing gondolas, the
Venetian-themed mall is hugely
popular with locals, who shop
for brands so exclusive you’ve
never heard of them, with price
tags you’re not likely to forget.
You pop into Gondolania, the
in-mall theme park, and perch
beside its ice rink to take in the
unlikely spectacle of a Qatari
hockey game. Then it’s back to
downtown, where a different sort
of retail experience awaits.
Most of
Msheireb
,
part of the old city
center, is in the process of being rebuilt.
The areas that have escaped demolition
are some of the most colorful in town—a
clu er ofmarkets selling everything from
fruit-and-veg to $5 “Rolexes.” You hit the
Gold Souq, where you deck yourself out in
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
THE INSIDE SCOOP FROMTHOSE IN THE KNOW
ILLUSTRATIONS BY PETER JAMES FIELD
Yasmine Kassem
MARKETING EXECUTIVE
“
The café at the Museum of
Islamic Art Park is one of the
coolest places in the city to hang
out. It’s a fantastic spot
for cultured conversation in an
idyllic setting.”
Lana Shamma
EVENTS/PUBLICITYMANAGER
“
One of Doha’s hidden finds is
a kitschy antiques shop called
Champs-Élysées. It’s stacked with
stuff like Arabic-language Coca-
Cola signs and vintage cameras.
Don’t forget to haggle!”
Nicholas Wilson
MARKETING CONSULTANT
“
Taking in a local football match
is an experience. Qatari men are
crazy about soccer. The 2022
World Cup should have a great
atmosphere.”
NOTEWORTHY IMPORT
Getting into the swing
of things at Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha
