Doha World Championships Notebook - Day 10
What you need to know:
- On their way to winning the trophy, Qatar beat the hosts United Arab Emirates 4-0 in the semi-final in an ill-tempered match played on January 29.
- Their victory in the tournament aside, Qataris are very proud of their victory over the United Arab Emirates in particular because they got back at their ‘enemies’ at a time of the diplomatic crisis.
Doha Corniche stands out here
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The Doha Corniche is easily the most famous landmark in Qatar. It is a waterfront palm-fringed twin carriageway that extends in a horseshoe shape and runs seven kilometres along the Doha Bay.
It has shimmering waters and sparkling skyscrapers and hosts national celebrations in Qatar. There is also the Museum of Islamic Art that is home to Islamic work of art dating back over 400 years.
The Pearl is an iconic man-made residential island emulating the colours of the Mediterranean.
Others are Katara Cultural Village, and Souq Waqif. My host Ken Atunga, who is one of the leaders of Kenyans living in Qatar, has done good work in helping me find my way around.
Night time comes early in Middle East
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Night time comes early in Middle East for the last past two months.
The Middle East region has had longer days than nights in the last couple of months, but this is changing. Since the start of October, the region has been experiencing longer nights than days, and a friend who is based here informed me that it signals the start of the winter season here.
The region experiences extreme weather. Whereas summer seasons are very hot and temperatures reach a high of 50 degrees Celsius, winters come with very low temperatures that compel people to wear heavy clothing.
During either extremes, homeless people and the aged suffer the most. With winter bearing down on Qatar, most of us are happy to see the end of the championship.
Qataris proud of their football team
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Qataris proud of their football team’s exploits in Asian CupEarly this year, Qatar won their first-ever AFC Asian Cup title with a 3-1 victory over four-time champions Japan.
The tournament, held in the United Arab Emirates, came at a time when there was a diplomatic crisis between Qatar on one side, and Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on the other.
On their way to winning the trophy, Qatar beat the hosts United Arab Emirates 4-0 in the semi-final in an ill-tempered match played on January 29.
Their victory in the tournament aside, Qataris are very proud of their victory over the United Arab Emirates in particular because they got back at their ‘enemies’ at a time of the diplomatic crisis.
