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<\/a><\/p>\nI asked the doorman to call a taxi for me and I rode into downtown Doha. \u00a0I took the photo below out of the window of the taxi. \u00a0The face on many buildings and cars is that of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the current Emir of Qatar.<\/p>\n
Qatar has about 2.6 million inhabitants. \u00a0The majority of the citizens live in the capital city of Doha. \u00a0Foreign workers make up 88% of the total population. \u00a0There are about 300,000 Qatari citizens and 2.3 million expatriates or “expats” as the workers are called.<\/p>\n At home, I had researched important sights to see in Doha and I checked off the ones listed on the tour itinerary. \u00a0One sight not mentioned was the Msheireb Museums, a complex of four historic houses located in the oldest part of the city. \u00a0The Bin Jelmood House<\/em> explained the global and local slave trade and acknowledged the cultural and economic contributions of enslaved people to the development of the region.<\/p>\n The Company House\u00a0<\/em>told the story of the pioneering petroleum industry workers and their families who helped transform Qatar from a tribal desert community to the vast riches of oil and natural gas. \u00a0Videos, three-dimensional figures, and interactive displays helped to tell the story of the rapid growth and development of Qatar during the last 50 years.<\/p>\n The third house was the Mohammed Bin Jassim House<\/em>\u00a0which demonstrated changes in the Msheireb neighborhood. \u00a0The exhibit stated that past experiences were the foundations of the future development of Doha. \u00a0The was also an exhibit of genetics and educating future generations about medical advances.<\/p>\n The Radwani House<\/em> was built in the 1920s and recently restored to show traditional Qatari family life over many decades.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I spent several enjoyable hours at the Msheireb Museum houses and learned a lot about Qatari history. \u00a0It was getting late and I had to find a taxi back to the hotel. \u00a0I walked through the neighborhood toward the bay and the famous seaside Corniche. \u00a0It was rush hour and the traffic was heavy.<\/p>\n The Mosque in the museum complex:<\/p>\n The Souq\u00a0Waqif \u00a0<\/i>and the Islamic Center <\/i>in the distance:<\/p>\n The Clock Tower of Diwan-e-Emire, the Parliament Building and near the Grand Mosque:<\/p>\n I finally found an available taxi and returned to the hotel. \u00a0I relaxed and met our Vantage tour guide: Maged Salib who was waiting in the lobby for everyone to arrive.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n