Welcome to Al Khor, Qatar

I’ve now been in Qatar (“KUH-tar”) for over a week, staying in the town of Al Khor. About an hour north of Doha, the capital, it’s the oldest inhabited place in Qatar, dating to about 4000 BC. The current population is more than 30,000—most of whom work in Ras Laffan Industrial City—but the level of shopping and services is similar to what one would find in an American city of less than 10,000. Although there are some very interesting local restaurants.

Most of the local businesses seem to be hair salons, cell phone stores, or small grocery/convenience stores. There’s also a KFC, a Pizza Hut, and a Papa John’s (in the newest building in town). Driving around, I mostly see South Asian men, and some Arab men, most of whom seem to be laborers.

The hotel, Al-Sultan Beach Resort, was described thus by a British co-worker: “It looks really nice until you move in.” The pool is claimed to be the largest one at a resort in the nation, but there isn’t actually a beach next to the hotel, just concrete and a bunch of rocks. (There is an actual beach nearby). I honestly cannot complain, as the hotel is actually quite good, just lacking some amenities you would expect to find in a “5-star” establishment—such as an iron and ironing board in the room, or free Internet. The place is almost entirely empty, so the mostly-Filipino staff dotes on us so much that it gets annoying. I do still appreciate the Arab décor and the fragrant smell that greats you upon entering the well-cooled lobby. They also did deliver on the promise of ocean views; the picture is from my window in the corner of the room, zoomed in 3x.

The temperature has been around 40°C most days (105°F), though one day it cooled down to 35. It’s been rather windy, too, thanks to remnants of the cyclone that recently hit Iran and Oman. Most of the outdoor activities—including auto races, motocross races, desert safaris, and camel races—take place in the winter months when the climate is more like Santa Barbara. In fact, this time of the year—if not year-round—most businesses close from 12-3 for a sort of Arab siesta.