Comments on: Getting A Feel (Or Not) Of The Middle East’s Fastest Growing Nation, Qatar

By: Anil Polat

Anil Polat — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:17:52 +0000

In reply to Kim.

Funny thing is I haven’t been all too impressed with Qatar Airways; but enjoyed the Museum of Islamic Art 🙂 To each their own – but I can definitely see how Qatar could get quite bland after a few trips. There isn’t much to set it apart in the region definitely. Have you been to Bahrain? I found it unique even among the flashiness of the Gulf…

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:22:53 +0000

In reply to Barbara Weibel.

Seriously – don’t bother. Dubai is a “must see” (Disneyland for adults), but once you’ve seen it – all the other cities in the area will pale in comparison (but go and check out Oman as it still retains the tradition and charm of the gulf)

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:18:53 +0000

I’ve visited Qatar a couple times as my mom lives there – so also got to see some of the more local stuff and my description of Qatar is “Dubai without the WOW factor”. I’ve been to the Islamic Museum of Art and for a newbie to the topic I found it really difficult to understand the exhibits – it was too dry and nothing that held my interest for more than a couple of seconds (other than the building) – and this is from an islamaphile.
I no longer visit, but rather arrange for my mom to meet me elsewhere – there is so much else in the region. Don’t bother unless you’ve received a really good fare and free stopover from Qatar Airways (they are great).

By: Christian Eilers

Christian Eilers — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:37:19 +0000

In reply to Anil Polat. Yeah, that 50% is for the borough of Queens, one of the five that together make up New York City. NYC as a whole has just over 36% of its population foreign-born, which is still quite a sum! Anyway, great stuff, as usual!

By: Anil Polat

Anil Polat — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:33:07 +0000

In reply to Christian Eilers. 50%? Wow, I had no idea it was that many in New York but understandable when I think about it a bit. Really makes for some interesting mixing I think, though in Qatar the focus is so much on the vision it almost loses what's right in front of it. (That's how you make your mark on Dubai!) Happy travels and hopefully you'll get to Doha soon!