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Farīq al Hitmī

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    • TravelerMaschallah - Tour 2022/23
      2
      Day 150

      Doha , Souq Waqif

      January 28, 2023 in Qatar ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

      Da heute alles so gut lief, sind wir früher wie gedacht in Dohar und so besuchen wir erstmal den Souq. Endlich mal wieder ein sehr schöner und quirliger Souq. Es macht richtig Spaß durch die engen Gassen zu schlendern, man wird kaum angesprochen und kann in Ruhe die Geschäfte genießen.

      Und überall findet man noch etwas von der Fußball WM. Das war doch letztes Jahr…      Read more

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    • TravelerPuglia, Amalfi & The Med
      112
      Day 19

      Dazzling Doha ✨☀️👳🏻‍♂️🏙️🐪🦅

      September 26, 2023 in Qatar ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

      Shiny ✨ & New on the surface but not so glamorous 😳 behind the scenes sums up Doha. In 27 hours we saw 2 sides. Disclaimer: obviously not long enough to make full assessment.

      The Metro 🚇 was extremely shiny ✨ and new: slick trains 🚊 and prompt services. We got a bit lost but did very well connecting different lines and platforms to find our tour location. It was only $2.50 for day pass.

      Arrived at Souq Waqif we passed by poor workers who had the arduous task of sweeping 🧹 the giant forecourt of the Souq Waqif (Market) with brooms in 30+ heat 🔥
      The desert 🏜️ sand comes into city 🌃 overnight from the strong north wind 💨 and they keep city as clean as possible. In ‘Winter’ (Jan-Feb) wind 🌬️ is so strong the sand comes into your house! 😳

      Walking through the Souq we could smell so many beautiful fragrances from the perfumes and foods such as cinnamon and Cardamon, cloves and hibiscus flowers… Smells filled the air around every corner and at every turn… So delicious…until we got to the camel enclosure.

      Camels 🐪 are a sacred animal and are extremely precious and protected. They are well looked after and well fed. They have 35 g of fat in their hump which is their store for food. There were also squeaks & crowing, cheeps & chirping from birds 🐦 and chickens 🐓 and many other animals… It really was a feast for sight & sound! At exactly 1 o’clock in the afternoon at the hottest part of the day everyone shut up shop and rested! Don’t blame them! 🥵🥵

      We visited the Falcon Souq. Falcons are revered also and considered very sacred animals. There was even a hospital 🏥 which was purposely built for Falcons, which is where we met one of the Falcons’ with its owner… He very respectfully allowed us to take his photo 🙏

      Our guide told us that Doha is one of the safest places in the Middle East.

      We visited West Bay, which is the iconic image that we often see of Doha skyline 🏙️ All of these very tall buildings have all sprung up in the last 30 years. The first building was the Sheraton Hotel 🏨 which is shaped like a pyramid which was built in 1985.

      We finished the tour in the hottest part of the day and came back to the Souq after visiting Doha Cultural Centre. Enjoyed a traditional lunch and while German headed to the Museum I decided to relax with an aromatic Hibiscus 🌺 tea at the pool overlooking the city.

      So, I suppose it has come to an end 🥺😢 …yet another adventure of a lifetime. Loved 🥰 every minute of discovering new, beautiful & unique places. Really enjoyed sharing this with you and can’t wait for another chance to make more memories……after I save up 💰 Travel 🧭 is the best tonic for the mind, body & soul 🧘🏻‍♂️

      Until next time…😘      Read more

    • Europe, England & Greece 2023
      Day 53

      Its all Greek to me

      August 6, 2023 in Qatar ⋅ ☀️ 40 °C

      Now for the last leg of our trip from Athens to Doha then on to Tullamarine Melbourne. Flight time of the last leg is 13 hours and 25 minutes. We will arrive at approximately midnight and catch a cab home.

      The stopover in Doha is just long enough for us to catch a shower and have a nightcap.

      Now for my reflections on Greece. On my first visit to Athens we weren't that impressed. I thought it was a dirty city and everything we did they wanted cash. We couldn’t have been more wrong with that impression.

      Greece under the EU is thriving, but you still get asked for cash!

      Our tour taught us heaps about how Greece shaped much of the modern world not just the Olympics. It also showed us how Greece is literally the center of the world because they are surrounded by Europe, Middle East and Africa. These regions were historically always attacking and laying claim to Greece, but the saddest occupation were the Persian Ottomans.

      For 400 years the Greeks were held captive in their own country, not allowed to do anything but farm and be slaves to the Persians. Their children weren’t even allowed to be educated. By the time they rebelled, took back their country the damage was done. They completely missed the Industrial Revolution and then of course they were dragged into WW2. Crete was a vital part of the supply line to Britain.

      With no rehabilitation on offer from the Allies post war, they were left with an overpopulated bankrupt county. So many left for new countries and thank goodness Melbourne was one of them. It all makes more sense now.

      Today in Greece there is big money to be made in tourism and hospitality. The food is fabulous except the Greek salads come hidden under a slab of fetta. We found Crete much more affordable than the hotspots of Santorini and Mykonos.

      Driving was fun but Greeks ignore the rules. Indicators are optional as are the speed limits. Overtaking is hazardous because they pass when they feel like it.

      I can’t image what Greece would have become if it hadn’t been occupied all those years. They were on track as one of the most clever and innovative countries in the world.

      We had a great trip and have added two new countries to our list as well as catching up with friends.

      The blogs are fun to write and will become our permanent memory of our trip in 2023.      Read more

    • susi-picturesAsia, Oct 2023 - Jan 2024
      1
      Day 1

      Stop-Over Doha

      October 16, 2023 in Qatar ⋅ 🌙 32 °C

      Los geht es mit der Asienreise. Da mich Langstreckenflüge quälen, gibt es einen Stop-over in Doha, Katar. Gleich nach Ankunft stell ich die Entscheidung in Frage, es ist wieder Schmetterlingshauswetter. Abends um 23 Uhr. Dazu Schrecksekunde, weil ich denke, dass der Geldautomat am Flughafen meine Kreditkarte geschluckt hat. Nach einer Minute Panik fällt mir ein, dass ich die Karte nur kontaktlos drangehalten und dann gleich wieder eingesteckt hatte. Ich Doofi. 😅 Und dann verarscht mich noch der Taxifahrer und verrechnet mir zuviel. Merke ich natürlich, aber was soll’s. Ich hätte ihm eh Trinkgeld gegeben, nu hat er es sich selbst gegeben und fühlt sich voll gut. Okay. 🤷🏼‍♀️😎 Das Hotel ist nicht wow, aber zentral gelegen. Trotzdem brauche ich morgens 2 Stunden Anlauf, um mich in die Hitzeschlacht zu werfen. Wie kann man hier dauerhaft leben? Die Stadt ist von späten Morgen bis zum Sonnenuntergang quasi leer. Autos ja, Fussgänger… ehm, ich. Und sechs andere Touris plus einge Straßenkehrer. Da fühlt man sich wie nach Armageddon. So quasi die letzte Kakerlake, die überlebt hat. Somit ist mein Eindruck von Doha: leer, sauber und heissheissheiss!

      Let's start the trip to Asia! Since long-haul flights bother me, I make a stop-over in Doha, Qatar. As soon as I arrived I questioned the decision, it was butterfly-house-weather again. In the evening at 11 p.m. I also have a moment of light panic because I think that the ATM at the airport has swallowed my credit card. After a minute I realized that I had just held the card on the contactless point and then immediately put it back in my bag again. Stupid me. 😅 And then the taxi driver makes fun of me and charges me too much. Of course I notice, but what the heck. I would have given him a tip anyway, but now he gave it to himself and he feels really good and smart. OK. 🤷🏼‍♀️😎 The hotel is not wow, but centrally located. Nevertheless, I need 2 hours of start-up in the next morning to throw myself into the heat battle. How can you live here permanently? The city is virtually empty from late morning until sunset. Cars yes, pedestrians… ehm, me. And six other tourists plus some poor street sweepers. It feels like Armageddon. So basically I am the last cockroach that survived. Hence, my impression of Doha is: empty, clean and hot hot hot hot!      Read more

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    • TravelerNomadin mit 2CV und Vespa
      1
      Day 1,097

      Wunderbare Wüstenwelt

      March 19, 2023 in Qatar ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

      Alt jung neu alt - und überall riecht es fein.

      Dies ist, entgegen allem was man in Europa liest, ein sehr offenes Land.
      Je mehr ich mit den Menschen spreche, desto deutlicher wird das….

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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Farīq al Hitmī, Fariq al Hitmi, فريق الهتمي

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