Doha SkylineView of the Doha skyline from the Museum of Islamic Art. I like that there seems to be more creative effort in the architectural design than merely building for the purposes of height. Coupled with the cleaver design are wonderfully named buildings: Tornado, Tower, Navigation Tower and Aspire Tower.Also of note is the metal sculpture you can see in the foreground. “7” is an 80-foot high sculpture built Richard Serra (more on Richard Serra to come) and is located in the art park on the property of the Museum of Islamic Art Park in Doha. The art is constructed from seven steel plates arranged in a heptagonal shape, the work celebrates the scientific and spiritual significance of the number seven in Islamic culture.

Art & ArchitectureThe Museum of Islamic Art is a definite must go to when in Qatar. The museum was designed by I.M. Pei who it is purported came out of retirement at the age of 91 to design the museum at the request of the Al-Thani family. The collection within the museum are all connected by Islam but not all religious in nature. They span from the homes of princes and ordinary people including metalwork, ceramics, jewellery, woodwork, textiles, coins and glass.

Snack ShackSimple and functional the kiosks at the Museum of Islamic Art Park can close with a small footprint and then open up for services on busier days to provide food, drinks and other services. I thought this was a really clever design, sleek and contemporary.

Inland SeaThe Inland Sea is an inlet connected to the Persian Gulf that straddles the border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Considered a natural wonder and recognized by UNESCO for having its own ecosystem whereby the sea enters the desert. Inaccessible by road, about 60km from Doha and requiring passage with a 4 wheel drive traversing the massive sand dunes.

Who's that knocking on the door?A Persian doorknob at the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum. This doorknob, reflects the quirkiness and diversity of objects and artifacts that you will see at this museum.Much of the museum is the personal collection of Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani from his international travels from over 4 continents representing: Islamic Art, Qatar Heritage, Vehicles (over 600 cars!), and Coins & Currency.I was one of the only tourists in the museum the day of my visit so when I happened to cross paths with the curator, he kindly inquired where I was from and made a connection with me through Canada where his daughter was currently studying. This led to a personal tour of the museum, by the Curator no less, and an opportunity to see some private rooms not usually accessible to tourists.

5 PillarsConstructed in 2015 the Mosque in Education City sits on 5 large columns representing the 5 pillars of Islam, each bearing with a verse scripted in elegant calligraphy from the Qur’an.The five pillars of Islam—shahada(knowledge), salat (prayer), zakat (charity), siyam (fasting) and hajj (pilgrimage).The building is predominantly white because white has great resonance in Islam (representing that all Muslims are equal) with geometric patterns on the main structure. Then jutting out of the Mosque rise the two large minarets over 90m in height in the direction of Makkah. Inside is equally spectacular, whereby there are openings in the structure allowing light to fall into the prayer rooms, leaving a perpetual feeling of being under the stars.

Ghost TownNorthwest of Doha, outside of the town of Al Ruwais are the ruins of the former fishing village of Al Jumail. Dating back to the 19th century Al Jumail is an example of a traditional Qatari pearling and fishing village. Abandoned in the 70’s, the houses were built in the traditional way, with thick walls that are held together with a mud mortar.

Window ViewLooking at the window to the National Mosque in Qatar is equally as fulfilling as looking through the window.

Desert RisingRichard Serra’s art installation East-West/West-East—a series of 4 rectangular sheets of steel, each measuring 16 metres in height and spaced 250 metres apart from one another.More about my trip to see this art installation at: http://www.wanderingandpondering.ca/globetrotter/rising-up-from-the-desert

Mystery VillageOn the west coast of Qatar there are remnants of a small stone huts perched on plateaus nicknamed “Mystery Village”.

Kings of the DesertTo get to the inland sea requires travelling over the sand dunes, and to travel over the sand dunes, you need the right vehicle, tires and driver. You can do this drive purposefully and carefully requiring little driving skills. Or you can take a more adventurous path and retain the services of an expert driver.My driver called himself “King of the Desert” and took great pleasure in scaring the bejeezus out of me while careening down the side of dunes, at speeds and angles that made me believe that this would be my last drive. Yet, it wasn’t and I made it and I loved it!

Fish PotsAl Khor is a small coastal town in northern Qatar where there is a thriving fishing industry and local fish market. A great spot to take in the scenery, walk the corniche, watch the men return with their catch of the day and then buy some fish.

Inspirational LearningWho wouldn’t want to go to school in a place called Education City? The massive campus designed to develop minds, promote innovation and knowledge. Education City brings some of the most prestigious universities together to share research and forge relationships. Wandering around this campus, the architectural design of each of the Universities (6 American universities, 1 British university and 1 French university have branch campuses in addition to 1 Qatari university) is in-itself inspiring. Complementary with a cohesive feel each University is distinctly designed and the use of colour, geometric patterns, shapes, styles and incorporating the play by the sun creating unique shadows and shimmers is impressive. Bringing them all together is Ceremonial Court (image), an open air facility for the celebration of special events.

Al ZubarahZubara Fort was built in 1938 in the coastal town of Al Zubarah a once thriving pearl fishing port. The Fort is now a UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most extensive and best preserved examples of an 18th–19th century settlement in the region. Today the fort is a museum housing exhibits and artwork.

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Film CityIn the middle of the desert in the region of Zekreet you’ll find a replica of an ancient Bedouin-style villa that was used for an Arabic TV series. Today it’s completed abandoned leaving an opportunity for an interesting day out.