Our second day in Doha dawned with even more sunshine and heat than the first, but that certainly didn’t stop us from exploring the city a little more!
After breakfast we embarked on a quest to visit the National Museum of Qatar. The museum is notable for it’s unique design by renowned architect Jean Nouvel — the pattern and shapes in the structure were inspired by the desert rose crystal. I wish we had been able to see more of the building and the exhibits inside, but unfortunately the museum was closed for a private conference. (Not our lucky day.) So after a few quick photographs, we started the mile+ schlep back toward the Museum of Islamic Art and our hotel.
One of my favorite things about Doha has been the fascinating architectural design of the modern buildings. Being a Midwestern girl, I’m used to uniform (and mostly gray) downtown spaces, but the blocks of this city – especially the new city center across from the museums – are a marvel in oblique angels, jagged edges, and shimmering designs & colors.
We extended our walking tour of the city with a trek around the perimeter of the Museum of Islamic Art to see the ‘ 7 ‘ sculpture by Richard Serra. *Here it seems more than appropriate to give a shout out to our President, Micheline, for greatly expanding my knowledge of both architects and sculptors in just two short days!*
‘ 7 ‘ is a monumental feat of engineering, and there’s a sublime breeze when one stands in the shade directly between the mammoth panels!
As you may well be able to imagine, after all that walking in the sunshine, we were ready for a quick reset.
In the evening we were able to pack in a few more adventures including a stop at the Katara Cultural Village which is home to an absolutely gorgeous mosque, a nighttime cruise along the Cornish, and one final – especially authentic – Qatari meal in the souq.
I can already tell that this is going to be one of those trips where each day feels like three or four because there are so many new experiences and things to take in within every 24 hours!
For now though, time to get a little sleep. Then it’s off to Kathmandu! I can’t wait for the next chapter.
More updates (from Nepal) soon!
Simone ❤️