Souq-ing

Today was the most incredible day of learning, generosity and culture I have experienced yet in Doha. After a gorgeous lunch with Najla and her cousins at her grandfather's home, we went souq-ing (aka Arianespeak for shopping in the markets in Doha).

The souqs are old marketplaces that were recently renovated to look older (ironic, no?) where you can buy anything from neon-colored soccer balls to intricate gold jewlery that was created while you watched to sweets to 2000QR ($550) abayas. It's hard to understand the atmosphere from only viewing the pictures... you need the scents of the cardamom, fennel and cinnamon; the way the sunlight tilts through slats in the ceiling; the way the cool air wafts around you when you're walking through the heart of the building; the old men pushing wheelbarrows around for your purchases; the falcons staring at you with their beady eyes. It is like a different world, one that's portrayed in movies as mystical, foreign, ethnic. It was one of the best days I have spent here, made even more wonderful by the generosity of Najla and her family.

For photos, click here: http://wisc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2267480&l=191c9&id=8604524

I am definitely falling in love with Doha. :)