Shopping at Souq Waqif in Qatar
Hi ladies! So I am back from my short trip to Qatar. I must say that I did a lot of damage to my credit card this time round, as I shopped up a storm. I have two hauls I would like to show you. The first one is my Souq shopping haul and the second one is my Sephora and mall hauls in Qatar. I will blog about the latter one later. I decided to go crazy with the shopping spree on this trip as it was my birthday on the 24 January and I really wanted to spoil myself. Plus I made a list of all the things that I wanted to get this time that I didn't get in my last trip. I don't know when I will return to Qatar again so I stocked up on some serious beauty supplies. Before I show you what I bought let me first explain to you what the souq is all about!
The Souq is a traditional shopping place that is very unique to Middle Eastern culture. All sorts of goods are sold at the souq from souvenirs, to clothing, to jewellery, gold, accessories, perfumes, food, home ware and even kitchen supplies. Bartering is essential when shopping at the souq as you can bargain with the shop owner for lower prices on the goods you are buying. The particular souq that I shopped at in Qatar is called Souq Waqif. It is a very famous and popular souq amongst locals and tourists. There are also many restaurants and cafes in the souq which makes your shopping experience a social event as well.
Different restaurants at the souq; People socialising and eating; Qatari men watching a live performance; Qatari women and children walking in the souq. |
When walking through Souq Waqif, you feel as if you have been transported back in time to ancient Qatar, as the shopping buildings are all built out of stone and designed in the ancient Islamic architecture. It is quite an experience to walk through there and experience Qatari culture. The best time to go to the souq is from 18:00pm through to midnight on a Thursday night (there Friday night) as local and tourists come out in hundreds to socialise at the restaurants and shop. There are also live traditional bands and performances in the souq streets.
I
absolutely love walking through the souqs and eating at restaurants
there. The atmosphere and vibe is electric and you really feel like you
are part of Middle Eastern culture. The restaurants sell the most
amazing and delicious foods with big portions, so you will always get
your money's worth. The souq is actually quite big and I haven't seen all
the shops at the Souq even though I have lived in Qatar for a month!
So back to the shopping! I bought lots of Qatari souvenir gifts such as
pashmina's and cashmere scarves. I bought traditional handmade jewelry
boxes and traditional handmade Qatari bags and pillow cases decked out
in beautiful Islamic art prints. I bought lots of bangles, magnets, pens
and of cause camel toys:-) I never paid the full price for any of the
items I bought but always barter them down to half price. I realised
through these trips that I am damn good at bargaining, working my diva
charm:-) I become friends with most of the men that work at
the souq because I kept buying at their shops and became a familiar face. I
would spend a long time chatting to them and joking around with them. They
started calling me their friend and would give me free stuff with my
purchases as they said I was their best customer!
I
really love the souq. It is one of the best places I have ever been
to. It has a unique beauty to it and it is a unique cultural
experience. If you ever travel to the Middle East, spend time at the
souqs as there are many in the different Islamic countries. Take
in the aromas of the Arabic perfume shops, enjoy the delicious Middle Eastern cuisine and be friendly to the shop owners as they will value your friendliness and sincerity and give you more in return than what you have bargained for.
Hope you enjoyed this post divas.
Lots of love.
XXXX