SOUQ WAQIF

Stamped as the city's "No. 1 attraction", the Souq Waqif is expanding as the "heart of Doha" is reclaimed. It takes its name from its modest past as a market in the days of Bedouin simplicity, when vendors were forced to stand "waqif". The urban project has taken root in its foundations and habits, like a movie set that nobody wants to dismantle. An ideal village from the days of the caravans, with a labyrinth of galleries, multicolored spice bags, birdcages, wheelbarrow carriers and water pipes to refresh oneself before setting off on a camel trek. A shimmering bustle that takes its time every evening.

A genuine, renovated old souk. The supreme audacity of those who shape the destiny of little Qatar, an undeniable aesthetic vista, Waqif succeeds where so many other "fake souks" in the Gulf have failed: it feels real. In fact, everyone has adopted it, and in the evenings, crowds of Qatari families stroll through, adding to the decor the human component that no one can control, and which saves it from becoming a tourist trap. The strength of the proposal lies mainly in this: in a country magnetized to air-conditioned consumption under mall-type cloches, in a region where the inhabitants have lost their collective taste for the outdoors, it was perilous to conceive of a mixed social space, for gender and social categories, almost exclusively in the open air, on terraces, on the pavement. But the whole of Doha is there, and it's extra, in processional comings and goings in the central street, one eye on the water pipes, another on the shopfronts full of knick-knacks.

Which way to go? You can start with the Dhow traffic circle, and the wide street lined with cafés and restaurants from which various alleyways lead to the souk itself. This is a very clean area, swept day and night by municipal employees. As you make your way towards the Corniche, you'll find yourself gently wandering through spices, toys and bicycles, perfumes, carpets, soaps, fishing tackle, craftsmen and pets. Don't overlook the covered passageways that escape to the right of the street, as some lead to charming cafés.

The street of cafés and restaurants. This is undoubtedly the liveliest part of the street, especially as it's the one that closes the latest, with quality restaurants and others that are more tourist traps. Here, you can smoke shisha while watching the crowds go by, enjoy an ice cream, tea or dinner. In front of the mosque, you'll find Qatari street food, with women serving typical dishes cooked in large pots. It's inexpensive and experimental: ask to taste before you buy.

Hotel boutiques. Located in the heart of the Souq, they are now all under the same Tivoli Hotel label, and offer a different experience from that atop the ultramodern towers.

Falcon market. In the easternmost part, bordered by Grand Hamad St, you'll discover the Falcon Market. Take the Mirqab Hotel as your starting point and follow the street to the left. Breeders display their feathered treasures, without trying to impress the tourist, as this is a "professional" souk and they know you won't buy them. With distance and discretion, you'll observe the game of business and discover the complex paraphernalia that goes into this ancestral cultural practice. The falcons, still in the wild (since a buyer's aim is to make them his own ), have their eyes covered, a chain on their leg and are patiently waiting for the bribe. A falcon hospital equipped with the latest technology can receive birds of prey at any hour of the day or night, and even has rooms where masters can watch over their injured protégés.

Our correspondent Camille Nemery tells us all aboutthe spice bazaar : "Sweet-savory smells, splendid colors, tantalizing taste buds - all the senses are put to the test! You'll find turmeric, saffron, curry, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and ginger, to name but a few. Large burlap sacks hold dried herbs such as coriander, mint and oregano, as well as preserved lemons, rosebuds and hibiscus tea. Dried fruits, each more beautiful than the last, take pride of place in small wicker baskets: pineapples, papayas, mangoes, figs, grapes, apricots, prunes and bananas. Seeds of all kinds bring incredible colors, from emerald green to intense black. Pistachios, pecans, almonds and pine nuts are just waiting to be crunched. Merchants don't hesitate to let their customers taste the wide choice of products. After weighing, they leave with their mouths full and a bag of provisions

Animal market. In addition to the falcon market, dedicated solely to the king animal, there's a central courtyard with vendors selling kittens, puppies and, above all, birders displaying huge, colorful macaws and parrots on perches. Children are in heaven in this animal area.

National stud farm. Part of the souk is dedicated to horse studs, which live in their urban stables and on land adjacent to the souk. You can come and stroke the horses through the fence, and with a guide take a guided tour of this part of Waqif.

Perfume market. Oriental perfumes! They often waft through the streets of Souq Waqif. The vials and bottles lined up in the perfumers' stores are so mysterious, with unfamiliar names for spicy, amber, oriental scents. Other names, however, are familiar, because here you can buy an imitation of a brand-name perfume made by local noses! The best thing to do is to take a whiff and find out, then leave with little vials that the vendor will label so you'll remember what they are. An excellent gift to take home too.

Fabric market. Fabrics, shoes, everyday clothes, abayas for women and thobes (or dishdasha) for men, from the most sober to the richest gold-stitched designs. Located in the narrow streets of the souk.

Souvenir and second-hand market. Welcome to a globarab world of souvenirs. There's hardly anything Qatari to be found here, but rather shiny old things from all over the peninsula (old coins, various Bedouin antiques). Souvenirs tend to come from Turkey (pottery, earthenware, bags, lamps, etc.) or the Middle East (inexpensive and beautiful Iranian and Syrian carpets!). Try to haggle with the carpet merchant for up to 30%, it's a good deal.

Pearl and sword market. In the heart of Souq Waqif, you can't miss a few stores selling pearls and jewelry. Qatari pearls, Gulf pearls, even Tahitian black pearls and vulgar Chinese artificial pearls are on offer in these stores, along with a whole host of brocante tools and utensils dating back to the country's pearling days. Other stores in this area are dedicated to swords, which come from the Arabian Peninsula and the Near East (Jordan, Syria...).

Honeys, cheeses. Locally-made cheeses can be found in a corner of the souk, as well as stores selling a wide variety of remarkably good artisanal honeys. Come in and taste, not just with your eyes!

Souq Waqif Art Center. It's not unusual to see some of the artists in residence here busy at their easels, painting or retouching a drawing, often depicting everyday Qatari life or desert landscapes. The hall, topped by a string of Turkish lamps under a huge ceiling, is impressive.

Gold Souk. This gold souk opened as an extension to Souq Waqif, on the other side of Grand Hamad Street, and boasts 42 stores specializing in 18- and 22-carat gold and jewelry. It also specializes in expensive carpets, mostly from Iran.