We embark on our Middle East and Africa Holiday and will visit Qatar, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe; we had an overnight in South Africa but that doesn’t count. Each of these countries represents an interesting mix of cultures, horizons and customs that are sure to enliven our imagination.
First stop Qatar, a blending of Western and Middle Eastern sensibilities that features sophisticated sky scrapers side-by-side with ancient Souqs. We spent two days exploring and wouldn’t you know, the weather turned cold and windy (21C vs. 33C). Who says the desert is hot! We selected Doha, Qatar as our first stop because we flew with Qatar Airways based on their stellar reputation for service and the reviews did not lie. The flight attendants are extremely personable, the food and drink delicious and the lay-flat beds make the miles literally fly by. Qatar Airways also offers an extended layover program to promote local tourism and partners with gorgeous hotels. We stayed at the St. Regis Doha and the property is beautiful. The staff pampers you so much they even have a person dedicated to cleaning your sunglasses poolside. That is decadence!
Daily the hotel hosts a Sabrage ceremony to remove a champagne bottle’s cork with a sword. This technique involves striking the bottle with a saber to break the neck, allowing the cork and collar to separate while keeping the champagne ready to pour. The wine sommelier performed this feat like it was nothing and best of all everyone receives a welcome glass post uncorking.
A highlight of our stay was a visit to Souq Waqif which dates back centuries. It is a riot of smells, sounds and sights. Think the Turkish Grand Bazar but with respectful sellers and very clean. You traverse various alleys and each alley seems to be dedicated to a category of goods (fabrics, spices, home goods, etc.) The strangest alley offered live animals such as chickens, goldfish, cats, parakeets and everything in between. Surrounding the Souq are restaurants with fun people watching. Also, they burn incense everywhere so it gives the place an exotic smell. I imagine Spice from Arrakis would smell a lot like this place.
Final Thoughts
We throughly enjoyed Qatar and recommend it to everyone. Doha and Dubai share a lot of similarities though I would say Doha is more reserved while still welcoming. We are in Botswana now and have already seen elephants, zebras, a cheetah, lions and enough birds and wildebeest to make the trip totally worthwhile. Plus, my office has great views and is very plush.
