The rich gas Emirate of Qatar is regularly pointed out by NGOs, such as Amnesty International, for the indecent working conditions of foreign workers employed on the construction sites of the 2022 World Cup stadiums. Qatar is in any case counting on this planetary event to try to restore its image and highlight its tourist assets.
It is the nerve, beating heart of Doha, the capital, where it all began too. The Souq Waqif is a labyrinth of corridors, alleys and small squares, where we find the merchants gathered by specialties: fabrics, perfume, gold and jewelry, pearls, pet shop or restaurants.
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“Waqif, it means standing souk, explains Véronique Hauacker, tourist guide in Doha, since at the time of the route to India, the boats which stopped there made very rapid exchanges. They didn’t have a lot of time, so it’s a souk where people were standing haggling.
Here we find Qataris, expatriates, Asian communities: it is really a place where people love to come and where we can dine, go see the hawks in the souk, meet friends, have a good time. ”
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It is in the evening that everything comes alive. Here we come across wealthy Qataris who have come to do their shopping, a wheelbarrow porter behind them, and passing tourists from all over the world. The 85% of foreigners who make up the Qatari population also meet there.
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Built on the site of an old market, the place may be reminiscent of a movie set but everything rings true here. Getting lost through these covered alleys, we sometimes land at a falcon merchant.
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There is even a hospital in Waqif specially dedicated to these almost sacred birds in Qatar: “It’s like camel races, details the Frenchwoman, it’s very cultural and at the same time, it has also become a sport, but often reserved for an elite population, not all Qataris can have camels, and especially when they win races, often there is a lot of money at stake anyway. “
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French cooks are plethora of people in Doha. They also appreciate the Souq Waqif to go there to find these rare spices which make all the culinary identity of the Middle East. “We are going to stock up there for certain spices that we cannot find at our suppliers, explains Jean-Pascal Irissou. The chef is in charge of the hotel’s three restaurants “W “, opened by the Marriott group (Accor) in West Bay, the business district of Doha, in particular the very cozy “Market by Jean-Georges “, inspired by the cuisine of Alsatian chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
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“We also go to Waqif to meet people, see what’s going on, be inspired by the perfumes in the small alleys, it’s magnificent. There is sumac, a tangy spice with a lemon scent that enhances all the dishes. , ginger, zaatar, local thyme, saffron, rose for tea and certain pastries, dates, and afterwards walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios for desserts. ”
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If Western expatriates are generally well off and well treated in Qatar, the gas Emirate is however regularly singled out by international NGOs for the treatment reserved for the thousands of workers from Africa and Asia, especially from Sri Lanka. , on the construction sites of the major stadiums of the 2022 World Cup. Amnesty International regularly denounces thehe indecent and dangerous conditions in which these migrants work, and calls on the French Football Federation to call on FIFA to put pressure on Qatar for an improvement in these working conditions.
Write to Véronique Hauacker: [email protected]
Write to Jean-Pascal Irissou: [email protected]
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Go to Qatar with Qatar Airways, the airline of Qatar. It operates international flights to five continents from its main hub at Doha International Airport.
Go to Qatar with Visit Qatar
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