Khalid Tawalbeh
Doha
As football fans from all over the world are set to arrive in Qatar for the first FIFA World Cup of the Middle East and Arab world, Souq Waqif — one of Qatar’s major tourist destinations, is all decked up to welcome visitors.
The traditional landmark showcasing the country’s heritage, culture and traditions will be one of the first destinations for football fans during the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
With just a few days left for the big kick-off, preparations are in full swing to receive the football fans at the market place.
Just take a stroll around its narrow lanes, you’ll experience the enthusiasm and excitement for the World Cup in its narrow passageways that are stuffed with tiny stores showcasing their wares. World cup-themed banners and flags flying on these stores show that the World Cup is here.
Sitting in the heart of Doha just off its waterfront, Souq Waqif dates 100 years back to a time when Bedouin and local traders would gather to buy and sell livestock, spices and pearls.
“Souq Waqif has been a real market for more than 100 years. Qataris still use it. It is also considered a wonderful tourist attraction. If you come to Qatar, you will definitely go to one of the restaurants in the area. You will find all kinds of cuisines, from the East and West,” Berthold Trenkel, chief operating officer at Qatar Tourism, said recently.
“I think this is the main goal when visiting Qatar. It is a modern country; but it is deeply rooted in its culture and heritage. You need to be open to new things, try new cuisines, new experiences and, of course, enjoy the World Cup,” he added.
Qatar Tribune took a trip of the market place to feelthe vibe for the World Cup.
In the narrow alleys of the market, young Anas Ziad spoke to the Qatar Tribune about how much he admires this charming place, which he is visiting for the first time since coming to the country.
“It makes me feel like I’m in India, or the markets of Pakistan, or I was smelling Sayyeda Zainab market in Cairo. This time the World Cup doesn’t look like it’s going to be like any other edition, it’s going to be great. A mixture of East and West, and the Souq Waqif will be witness to the beauty of the championship and the charm of the scene.”
Ziad continued, “Everything looks magical in this place. Dimly lit lanterns on the facades, narrow streets with thousands of shops selling all kinds of products, from football shirts, fabrics or spices, to pearls, jewellery, gold or desirable and famous animals of all kinds, this place is what every visitor to the Arab World wants,” he said.
Daniel Vantar, a Canadian national, commented, “During daylight hours, with the peak of high temperatures, the format of the market completely changes, silence reigns. During the hours of walking in the market you can explore a lot.”
He added, “As the sun sets, activities pick upat the market. The market is then filled with light of lanterns, shouts of passers-by and the smell of the East.”
Osama Awaida, from the Jordanian community, made a special mention ofmeals and street cuisine in the market.
“You will find everything. Street food, dessert shops, restaurants and barbecue shops with open-air spaces, traditional local foods as well as Lebanese, Yemeni, Turkish or Iranian and Jordanian cuisine are aplenty.”
Awaida said, “The many covered alleys in the market can be considered as a maze, and there are many shops selling specific products such as carpets, fabrics, spices, gold, kitchen utensils and antiques, which satisfy the passion of market-goers.”
Nadia Abdel Rida, a Moroccan resident, said, “The smell will guide you to one of the most beautiful areas, which is spice, where the jute bags stacked on the doors of shops welcome a world of senses from beyond the borders of the country, especially, from all over the Arabian Peninsula, India and Iran.”
“Merchants carefully hide the recipe that makes their spices unique, what distinguishes them and gives them fame. Because in Qatar, each family makes its own mixture and its
secret recipe, which are passed down from generation to generation, are called Qatari spices,” Abdel Rida
added.
Shops and restaurants in Souq Waqif will be permitted to remain open 24 hours a day starting next month, in time for millions attending the FIFA World Cup.
