We flew from Salalah, Oman, to Doha, the capital of Qatar, a place we had never been, in our tour of the Gulf States. We didn’t see any of the countryside of this small country, just the city, which was sparkling and modern. Although we did visit various attractions, such as Souk Waqif, the Katara Cultural Village and the Museum of Islamic Art, I would have to say that it was the spectacular architecture of Doha that made the greatest impression on me, exuding a feeling of prosperity and optimism for the future.

The Doha skyline was breathtaking, and on closer inspection, there wasn’t a single ugly, old or nondescript building in the downtown area. It was like each one had been designed to enhance the image of the city, and they definitely did.

Below is the same skyline at night, my introduction to Doha on our way in from the airport (although this was taken on a subsequent evening):