On Doha
I often transited through places like Doha, but never had the chance to properly explore the Middle East. This October, at a friend’s invitation to join some activities, I finally got to stay in Doha for a week.
The country of Qatar intrigues me—it sits at the heart of the Gulf, in a superior geographical position where the ancient overland and maritime Silk Roads intersected. I’ve always been deeply curious about civilizations that emerge at such global crossroads. For example:
Istanbul (I haven’t been yet): Once Byzantium/Constantinople, straddling Europe and Asia.
Malacca: The gateway between the Indian Ocean and Pacific, where merchants bound for China or India had to pass.
Baghdad: The hub where trade from China to the Mediterranean, and India to the Black Sea all converged.
Qatar sits on a civilizational hotspot, yet Doha itself was just a fishing village that exploded into a global hub in the last 70 years. In fact, the early 1900s were among its darkest decades—plagued by natural disasters, economic collapse, and political turmoil.
Fast forward to today, Qatar boasts the world’s highest GDP per capita, no personal income tax, and heavily subsidized utilities (like electricity).
After a week in Doha, I found myself walking its streets safely, it was a pleasant to my eyes as no gold-plated Lambos on every corner. :))
Here are some highlights from my time in Doha:
Groceries: Almond milk here tastes… odd. But dates are in every supermarket. For real shopping, stroll through Souq Waqif—bargaining is half the fun.
Beauty products: I’ve long craved Arabian perfumes, especially those with oud. I bought one at Souq Waqif for 50 Qatari riyals. It give me the picture of an aged gentleman alone in a penthouse, sipping neat whiskey deeply.
Culture: Doha is surprisingly artistic. I spent four days in museums, and the crown jewel—designed by Master I.M. Pei—is the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA). (Pro tip: Bring a shawl—the AC is freeeezing.)
At the MIA, I was deeply moved by the texture of Islamic civilization:
Shahnameh (Book of Kings)
Persian manuscripts from a thousand years ago. You’ll find them in Islamic museums worldwide, including Kuala Lumpur’s. Think of it as the Persian Iliad + Odyssey—epic journeys, epic wars.
Muhammad al-Idrisi
As Islamic rule rapidly expanded, geography and cartography became strategic tools for governance, trade, and navigation. Among the greatest was Al-Idrisi, famous for his Tabula Rogeriana—a groundbreaking world map with astonishing accuracy for its time. You can still see copies today, including at the Topkapı Palace Museum Library in Istanbul
Al-Khwarizmi (he gave us the word “algorithm”)
Steve Jobs once said: “I speak a language I did not invent or refine… I did not discover the mathematics I use…” So much of what we take for granted has ancient roots. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the decimal system, algebra, and algorithms we use daily were pioneered by Al-Khwarizmi. Fun fact:Algebra comes from al-jabr (“restoration”), the title of his famous book.
My view of Doha will keep evolving. Questions about culture and interconnectedness will remain open— till next time… !