We have direct flights between Canberra and Doha, the capital of Qatar. Most people then travel on to other destinations but I was going to just Doha. The only other person I spoke to who was doing the same was the captain of the plane.
Qatar offers some very attractive stopover packages but in my case I was going to Doha to attend the His Highness The Amir Sword Festival of racing.
Arriving late at night I was fascinated by the multi-coloured street light poles - seems they have a panel set into their sides which can display different coloured lights - emerald green, violet, shocking pink, royal blue, yellow and so on. A very festive way of entering town - Mr Barr be inspired!
There is no shortage of things to do in Doha and my favourite destination is the Museum of Islamic Art, designed by the Chinese-American architect I M Pei.
It was to be his last major work as he was already in his 90s when he undertook the project. He spent six months visiting famous Islamic sites as part of his research.
"I remained faithful to the inspiration I had found in the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, derived from its austerity and simplicity. It was this essence that I attempted to bring forth in the desert sun of Doha," he has said.
The museum has a central atrium with an oculus at the top distributing light patterns on the stone surfaces. At the northern end, opposite the main entrance, is a 45 metre-tall glass curtain through which you can see the modern skyline of Doha.
The exhibits span works from three continents and cover a time period of 1400 years. The original budget for the building was $US239 million ($A368 million) of which $US5.25 million ($A8.1 million) was for security, so don't even think of trying to nick the fabulous emerald necklace.
On one side of the museum (which sits on its own island) is the Dhow harbor and the other a beautifully landscaped park, where I came across a film crew making a promo for Qatar with a jet ski rider going flat out around the mini-harbour. With the friendliness I found everywhere, they invited me to watch them filming.
If you pass the Dhow Harbour you enter the Corniche, a 7km-long parkland circuit that goes round the waterway and is a popular destination for runners and walkers.. There are plenty of cafes to stop at if your exertions aren't that serious.
There is also the new National Museum but I only had a brief glimpse of this fascinating building as it was the venue for the barrier draw for the two biggest races.
I was delayed getting there to purchase an urgently needed card reader for my camera. My wonderful driver took me round the back streets where the computer and electronic shops are located but that area is undergoing huge road works and we had detours, blocked roads and all sorts of problems. My driver did not give up and we got there in the end by parking illegally.
Racing takes place at the Al Rayyaan racecourse and the festival is over three days, with the major races - HH The Amir Trophy for thoroughbreds and HH The Amir Sword for Purebred Arabians - on the Saturday. There was an Aussie interest in one of the horses in the Trophy - Mr Satchmo - part owned by OTI Pty Ltd.
We visited Al Shaqab, the breeding centre for the Purebred Arabians and the sort of horse heaven that makes you aspire to return there as a horse in the next life. The horses live in air-conditioned comfort with large boxes tiled in marble and blue glass panels on the front side. They have outdoor recreation areas plus swimming pools and no doubt an excellent gourmet diet.
Shopping comes in all shapes and sizes - from fantastic malls to the Souq Waqif. The Villaggio Mall has painted Tiepolo ceilings to make you feel you are looking at the sky and a canal complete with gondolas that goes through the middle. The Souq is a reconstruction and I found it slightly disappointing but the Falcon Souk nearby was wonderful and I even saw two men carrying their falcons to the Falcon Hospital.
We visited in February, during the cooler season, with daytime temperatures in the mid-20s and nights requiring another layer. We had maybe five minutes of rain one morning.
Getting around was easy with plenty of taxis mostly driven by people from Pakistan or Bangladesh so the common language was cricket, and a flat fare of 10 QRs (less than $4). The road system is constantly being upgraded but now works pretty smoothly. There is a metro but I didn't get to try it - you have to leave something for next time.
- Gail Tregear is a Canberra-based racing writer.
