Qatar > Cycling through Doha

Last night, the clock went back one hour. I’m curious how the alarm on my phone will handle this. Should I set it to Dubai time or Qatar time? To be safe, I also set the alarm on my iPad. My iPad has no internet connection, so the time doesn’t change. It doesn’t really matter much anyway—I’m already awake before the alarm goes off. When I open the curtains, I see the ship docking in the port of Doha. In the distance, I see the tall skyscrapers. What a beautiful sight. At eight o’clock, there’s a knock on the cabin door. My breakfast is delivered. On my balcony, in the sunshine, I drink my coffee and eat breakfast. Meanwhile, I watch the gangway being set up and the first people disembarking. At nine, I meet Wessel at the excursion desk. He is my guide today for the pedelec tour through the capital of Qatar. The cycling group consists of only eight participants. Nice to ride with a small group. As we leave the ship, Wessel explains that the bikes belong to MSC and travel along with the ship. The bikes are ready at the terminal building and already adjusted for the body height I provided beforehand. Still, I need to adjust the saddle a bit lower. Then I follow Wessel out of the harbor. Today we will mostly follow the Corniche, the broad boulevard along the coast. The first stop is the dhow harbor. These traditional boats were once used by fishermen. Nowadays, tourists are taken on rides on these wooden ships. Behind the boats lies Doha West Bay. The modern skyscrapers form a beautiful backdrop. Behind us is the presidential palace. On the lawn, the king’s camels are being let out. A funny sight. We cycle further along the coastline. The view of the skyline is stunning. Along the coast, there are still references to the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar. I look at the countdown clock, the logo, and a towering mascot. At the skyscrapers in the West End district, we take a short break.

Qatar - The view of the WestEnd district in Doha

I walk around the modern buildings. When we cycle on, we pass the diplomatic quarter of Doha. We arrive at the Katara Cultural Village. I use the time we have here to walk along the boulevard. The shops inside the cultural center don’t interest me. On the other side of the bay, I see the reclaimed island “The Pearl.” From the air, the island looks like an oyster. This is a wealthy neighborhood, where mainly expats live, Wessel tells me. This is the furthest point of the tour. We return via the Corniche. At Souq Waqif, we stop for a visit. It takes some time to cross the road to get to the souq. The traffic light to cross the busy Corniche takes a long time to turn green. Souq Waqif is a combination of a local and a tourist market. I notice the terraces are quite full of local people. Many women wear black niqabs here. Only their eyes are visible. I quickly see all the stalls. At a terrace, I order a cola and a sandwich. When paying, my credit card is not accepted. Luckily, I can also pay with Dubai dirhams. I receive the change back in Qatari rials—four one-rial notes. Together, just about one euro. We cycle back to the ship via the Islamic Art Museum. When I enter the ship and have Wi-Fi again, I receive a message from my bank. As a precaution, my credit card has been blocked by the fraud desk. That’s really inconvenient. After a call with the bank, my card is reactivated for payments until the end of my vacation.

Qatar - Cycling along the skyline of Doha

Online payments remain blocked. After the vacation, I have to replace my card immediately. It’s no better. I take my iPad and head to deck 15. I order a drink and sit around the pool. I update my travel report. The animation team is giving salsa lessons. This turns into a snow party. Loud music is playing, and people are dancing. Behind me, I see the sun setting. It immediately gets chilly. I retreat to my cabin. At six o’clock, the ropes are cast off. It is already dark. From my balcony, I see the ship slowly pulling away from the quay and reversing out of the harbor. The men on the shore wave goodbye to the ship. On the other side of the bay lies Stadium 974. This was one of the football stadiums used during the 2022 World Cup two years ago. Although the stadium no longer has a use, it is brightly lit. As the MSC Euribia heads out to sea, I get dressed for dinner. Tonight, I find a Russian couple next to me at the table. They speak some English but don’t feel like talking much. When they get up after the main course, the Maltese guests arrive. I sat with them yesterday too. Although I have already started my dessert, I order another glass of wine. Together we discuss the activities of the past day.

Qatar - One of the football stadiums of the 2022 World Cup

After dinner, I order coffee. It takes some effort to find a free seat. Luckily, one seat is easier to find than two. At nine o’clock, the show starts in the theater. It’s a good thing I reserved. The show is fully booked. A queue of people waiting hopes some don’t show up. In the theater, I happen to sit next to a Dutch couple. It’s funny that we greet each other in English first. The show Illuminicity is spectacular in terms of light and sound. The dancers anticipate the light show on the screens in the background. The show ends with men in suits with LED lights. The unexpected effect of the lights switching on and off in the dark creates a special performance. After the show, I take a glass of wine back to my cabin. The cleaner of my room, Ali, apologizes that I asked this afternoon for the order form for breakfast. He says he has prepared four for me. The ticket for the excursion is also ready in the cabin. I didn’t expect anyone to enter my cabin, but Ali has also made the bed for the night. It’s too chilly on the balcony. There’s a cold wind at sea. After my wine, I go to sleep.