A night in Doha, Qatar, just before the Second Gulf War

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Captain in Doha in the middle of the Iraqi crisis. The Americans have set up since March 6, in the base of As Sayliyah near Doha, its headquarters. The capital of Qatar, has an important role in the political arena of this sensitive area which is the Persian Gulf. Qatar, in fact, is not a tourist destination. Given its small size has not much to offer the traveler. Without fear of being denied, is among the least desirable tourist destinations in the world. The country has begun to issue tourist visas only in 1989 and only recently the absolute hereditary monarchy, which the government has decided to open up to tourism, but to an elite tourism. Qatar is promoting events of international level golf, tennis, motorcycling, and recently the national team met in a friendly match, AC Milan. Despite this, Qatar, a country still not voted on tourism.

Un po 'for the event we are in Doha to capture, though it might be possible, the unique aspects of this society of the Arabian Peninsula, just more liberal Saudi Arabia, but certainly the most backward of Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE.

During the processing of not just come through customs separate men from one side and women on the other. Cece and I, as much as Mavi and Ila, we thoroughly searched. I seize a bottle of wine, but finally leave the airport. Soffia an unexpected and annoying wind, an ominous warning of winds of war that will be. Four days later burst the new Gulf War.

On the front rent a taxi for a couple of hours. The driver does not understand English well and then commit the sheet with the recorded route (in English) the aircraft: Corniche, Qatar National Museum, Tower O'Clock, Big Mosque, Al-Sadd Plaza, Shebestan Palace Restaurant, Doha Sheraton Hotel, Aljazeera TV
Time seems to understand and depart.
Turn, almost immediately, the road that runs through the entire Corniche, a half-moon bay in which shine in the dark of night, the lights of the luxurious hotels in the sidewalks. Temporarily abandon the seafront, head for the Qatar National Museum, not to visit the valuable collections, preserving, because, given time, is closed, but to observe the building that until 1949 was the residence of Sheik Abdullah Bin Mohamed. We continue towards the city center at the time O'Clock Tower, the Big Mosque and Al-Sadd Plaza. At this point, our driver before c'intima and, then, prevents us from falling. The call: Assuring him that we want to do just a walk and take some photos. Continues to be his answer. Since when, as a result of our incessant requests for an explanation alteratosi threatened to leave her there. Stopped the taxi at the edge of the road says that the area is infamous night, and also with the times, the western tourists are not as well seen by the people. We do not know what to think. Qatar, from the standpoint of the welfare state, is one of the safest in the world. For example, education and health are free, the houses cost little or nothing, the work is not lacking. All this is thanks to oil. Citizens, then, in recent years have become accustomed to western foreigners.
Will be, then, precisely because of the war?
According to the newspapers write the people of Qatar does not agree with the choice of their government to take sides in favor of the Americans. We are tempted to ask the taxi driver his idea on the matter, then desist order not to create further tension.
The impression, however, is that in the capital of Qatar, the conflict seems to already be out here more than elsewhere, the war is experienced as a confrontation between the West and Islam, even if the Americans are trying in all ways, to understand which is a war against the Rais of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, not against its people.
I look around it is affected from clothing for men, who dress, yet, in the traditional way, that is wearing a tunic, long to the foot, strictly white, led by the kafiyyeh, the typical Arab scarf (red and white, black and white or completely white), and 'iqal, the black rope used to secure it to the head.
To hit the road, also, even more, the absolute absence of women. We are in an Arab country among the most conservative. The condition of women is, according to Western anachronistic. Suffice it to say that only in the last elections held in 1999 women voted for the first time. an exceptional event so that the circumstances met the disapproval of the neighboring Arab countries.
No All'ennesimo possible, not possible! Renounce without having understood why there were not allowed to get off.
We continue our tour at night and this time is only to prevent the misfortune of seeing the Shebestan Palace Restaurant, as it is closed. The restaurant in the heart of the city, is famous not only for cooking, but for his style of Persian architecture, the interiors of a thousand and one night that it became a tourist destination, as the Doha Sheraton Hotel.
In the city s'intravedono huge portraits of the head of state, the Emir Sheikh Hamad Ibn Khalifa Al-Thani, this characteristic of all the countries of this region, which stands, everywhere, the figure of the sovereign.
Before arriving at the Doha Sheraton, take the Corniche, at the end of which is the famous hotel. Stands out, even from afar, for its spectacular architecture pyramid. The hotel has a wide range of luxury services, fitness center with tennis courts and squash courts, and several restaurants and cafes. The entrance and the lobby is enormous, there is a fountain and real palm plants. Two lifts, made entirely of glass, rise and fall continuously. The floor is marble white, immaculate or otherwise is covered with large mats. One night in a suite costs as the holiday that we have spent in Sri Lanka.
To end our tour there only to visit the most TV Aljazeera, renamed the Arab CNN. Again, the driver resumed cursing in English, He said the broadcaster, became famous for having transmitted the images of Osama Bin Laden after the September 11, is a target at-risk attacks. He explains that he's afraid, has a family, for all that he refuses to take us.
Now, the impression had just become a reality in Qatar conflict, seen as opposition between the West and the Arab world, is already out metaphorically.
Returning to decide to go, yet, until McDonald's, which is not more than three hundred meters. We discover that the sandwich McArabia "really exists, but, above all, we see three women in fully covered with the traditional black cloak of Islam. The contrast of their dark clothes strict stride with the gaudy colors of the space. Their behavior almost embarrasses us, it seems to me to desecrate their morals, their customs. We see what is our society different from theirs.

E 'is the time to return. Let us check-in, I return the bottle of wine seized at ... in six hours we will be in Milan.