Look at those big necklaces over there.
- Why? Do you want to give me one?
- You couldn't even carry it.
It's so big. - Heavy, huh?
Hello from the country hosting the next FIFA World Cup.
I'm Renata, this is my husband Gordon,
and we're in Qatar.
- Remember last time you had that?
- Yeah. - World Cup 2018.
- From one to the next!
I've worked in every World Cup since 2006,
so now we're discovering what does Qatar have to offer.
In the first video, we saw the Corniche
and a few areas nearby.
I thought it was our lucky day seeing those bubbles with air-conditioning,
but they are not free. [laughs]
Now, we're at the most traditional market in the country.
It's called Souq Waqif,
located in the heart of the capital Doha.
This is the most impressive public restroom I've ever seen.
So join us to learn a little more about this tiny country
in the Middle East that will soon welcome people
from all over the world.
It's just one. One is fine.
- Double the fun. - [laughs]
[music]
I love it! Isn't it cool?
Qatar is a very modern country.
You see skyscrapers everywhere.
You see the modern metro, the modern airport,
but there is one place in the heart of Doha
that still tells the story of how all this here used to be.
And when it comes to the Middle East, what could it be?
A market, of course.
Welcome to Souq Waqif.
Okay, they are ready here already.
Look at this, the World Cup trophy.
How interesting, you hear the call to prayer,
right here from the market as well.
Wow, look at this mosque, how different.
And this is the most unique minaret I've ever seen.
Minaret is the name of this tower here in a mosque.
Here is something very unique about this mosque.
- What? - It's the tallest in Qatar.
- Yeah? - Look at the minaret, how tall it is.
- It doesn't seem very tall.
- It doesn't seem very tall. [laughs]
But it is.
It used to be the largest as well.
- Yeah? - But now there's a larger one.
- Minaret? - Mosque.
- Oh, mosque! - Mosque.
- Now we're talking about the mosque, not the minaret.
- We're talking about both. - Tall minaret, large mosque.
- It's amazing the light over here, right?
I can clearly see this place being like the center of the World Cup.
Everybody is gonna be here. - Yeah.
- Yeah. - Lots of people will want to come here.
- It is so cool, you walk and you see all the cafes on both sides.
- Uh-hmm. - It's really, really nice.
- Many restaurants. - Uh-hmm.
- All kinds, Georgian, "Aberjan"...
- That's what's really cool. - ...Qatari.
- Exactly. You see restaurants from all over,
the Middle East and other nearby countries, right?
- Except... no Pizza Hut, sorry.
- [laughs]
Oh, come on, you want Pizza Hut when you come to Qatar?
- I never said I want a pizza,
I'm just telling the folks here don't expect Pizza... Hut.
- Pizza Hut.
Now, let me teach you something,
this word "Souq Waqif" has a meaning, too.
- And the meaning is?
"Souq" means market in the sense of bazaar,
and "Waqif," "standing" in Arabic,
because this was a bazaar that people would sell stuff standing.
- No, no.
They would stand because they would see so many bizarre things to purchase.
Standing bizarre.
- And it used to go all the way to the water.
Today you don't see water here anymore.
Look at that.
There is even a large avenue here, this is the Corniche,
and that's because this is all man-made.
But way back when, when it started,
that was the purpose, people would come here by boat.
[music]
Just like in the west, kids go for a ride
on small horses or donkeys...
Here, they go for the camels.
- Hello. [in Portuguese]
- Just like we have pets for sale... dogs, cats...
Here they have falcons - Yeah.
Totally different culture.
- But we have birds, just not falcons.
- Just not falcons, yeah. - Yeah.
- The falcon is so important in the Qatari culture,
look at this, that they have a falcon hospital.
Wow, you can smell the spices here. It's amazing.
It's a store specialized in honey.
[music]
It's beautiful, huh?
Wow.
- Made in... - Made in...
- In India. - In India.
- In India, it's pashmina.
- This one, QR 55.
- QR 55? - Pashmina.
- QR 55? - Yeah.
The seller came here, said that it costs QR 55,
and it doesn't look like it's negotiable.
He said QR 55, and walked away.
I heard that things were negotiable here,
but not the pashmina. [laughs]
Wow, this is so beautiful.
- It's not Indian price, though.
- It's a little more expensive.
- It's really nice, this one.
- It's really nice. - I've got taste.
- So these are QR 35, these here? - Yeah, this one.
- Why? What's the difference? - Different quality.
- Quality. - Ah!
- It's China. - Ah, he's honest.
He tells you right straight up, China. - Thanks [in Arabic].
[music]
I don't want to leave this section here because there's air-conditioning.
Oh, look at what I found.
- What? - Brazil.
- Brazil. - Brazil, Brazil. Yeah, yeah, yeah!
- Brazil for you. [trying to say]
- That is nice. - How much?
- QR 20.
- QR 20? - QR 20.
- This is cute, look at this.
- Yeah. - Oh, I love this.
- This one is soccer. - Yeah, soccer.
- Football. - Yeah.
- America soccer.
- Look at this! Michigan!
Canada! - Ah.
- I can't believe you found it. - Found it.
- I'm from Canada
- Yeah, Canada.
- Do you take credit card?
- Credit card, no. Dollar, euro... money, money.
- Thank you. - Yeah, thanks [in Arabic].
- QR 15. - He lowered to 15, huh?
- It's negotiable. - Look at that.
[laughs]
- Are you enjoying Souq Waqif?
[laughs]
- It's just one. One is fine.
- Double the fun. - [laughs]
This sculpture celebrates the biggest sporting success in Qatar's history
when they won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
That was against all odds.
Look at this, how cool. These outdoor seating areas here...
they have air coolers.
- Remember the last time you had that?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
World Cup 2018, Russia, Moscow.
- Let's go from one to the other. - Sure.
- Do you accept credit card? - Yes.
- Look at what a beautiful place this here.
I already love it.
Now, the air-conditioning is not really an air-conditioning.
It's more like a fan, but...
I feel like Beyonce. [laughs]
This is their menu.
- You're too confused, Gordon, ordering from an iPad?
You don't know how to do it? Is it too modern for you?
- No. - [laughs]
- Cheers! [English and Portuguese]
How do you say cheers in Arabic?
- Fi sihatik.
She puts an A on it.
- Fi sihatik.
- Fi sihatik. - Fi...
- Whoa. [laughs]
- Fi sihatik.
If anyone out there speaks Arabic, let me know.
How do you say "cheers" when celebrating?
- We don't "cheers" here.
- Oh, no?
Ah. Google said this word here...
Fi sihatik.
- "Sihatik" is like...
It's like "celebrate."
Like "Okay, let's go."
- Okay, let's go.
- Okay. [laughs]
Thank you.
Oh, wow.
[music]
Thanks. [in Arabic]
Have you ever seen a preparation like this?
- Nope. - Nope. [laughs]
- That's good. - Yeah.
For the first time that we saw that.
Wow.
Here is khachapuri from Georgia,
from the country Georgia.
Here is a different type of khachapuri with cheese inside.
We first discovered khachapuri in the 2018 World Cup,
and it became a dish for us, it became a favorite.
So now that we're here preparing for the 2022 World Cup,
it was the first restaurant that we saw,
the first dish, and we had to try.
It was like a signal of the universe.
The version with the egg on top has always been my favorite,
but got a different one here to try today.
Mmm.
Mmm, as good as I remembered.
If you've never tried it, it reminds you of a pizza,
but it's better.
Both are presented in totally different ways,
and the taste is very similar.
Both versions, absolutely delicious.
You prefer the traditional one with the egg?
That was delicious.
$36 without tip.
Things can get expensive in Qatar.
This market is huge and it has many distinct areas:
from crowded narrow alleys to wide empty spaces.
- I'm sorry, Renata, but this section, we just have to walk right by.
You don't get to shop here.
- That's the gold. - She doesn't get to shop here.
It's the gold section.
Wow, it's beautiful.
- Look at those big necklaces over there.
- Why? Do you want to give me one?
- You couldn't even carry it.
It's so big. - Heavy, huh?
- I bet.
We're just gonna walk right by.
Yeah
This would be cool to stay right here at the Waqif.
It's a boutique hotel, look at that.
See all these boutique hotels over here?
You don't see this on hotels.com, right? On booking.com...?
- I don't know. - No.
They're unique to here. - I will look.
- Really nice.
All this looks brand new like this because it really is, actually.
Unfortunately, there was a fire here and the traditional market burned down,
but they fully renovated to look like how it used to be.
Look at this public bathroom here, just the door!
Have you ever seen a public restroom like that?
- No, but it's authentic, right? - It is. Yeah.
- Flavor of Waqif.
I even feel like going inside just to check it out.
[music]
This is the most impressive public restroom I've ever seen.
There's air-conditioning there inside.
Extremely clean and luxurious.
You have your own individual stall, totally closed from top to bottom,
you know, like in a VIP lounge at the airport.
And as soon as somebody walks out,
there's a cleaning lady right there.
She walks in immediately to clean the place.
It is amazing.
[music]
Yeah, from one restaurant to the other, huh?
But these cafes here were looking so inviting
that we felt like sitting down again for dessert.
iPad menu again.
- Dessert?
- Yeah.
It's bigger than my face. [laughs]
Mmm, absolutely delicious.
Of course.
It tastes like tiramisu. I love it.
Such a fantastic atmosphere here.
Remember this name, Souq Waqif.
You've got to come here when you come to Doha.
And, yes, I finished the whole thing,
and I deserved.
I walked all this here.
QR 28.
Things are not cheap here.
But at least they got free internet.
Look at that.
There's even a fort here at the Souq.
This is Al Koot Fort.
It is a historical military fort
that later became a police station and also a jail.
Al Koot today is a museum.
And I read online that inside, you can learn a little bit more
about life here in the old days,
also there are art exhibitions,
traditional Qatari handicrafts.
But at night, look at that, it's closed.
Today it's the most well-known fort in Qatar.
[music]
As we left Souq Waqif,
we discovered a very modern area nearby,
called Msheireb Downtown Doha,
which is a planned city in Doha.
It's fully decorated for the World Cup.
They even have their own tram interconnecting the neighborhood
Totally free.
As it was late, everything was closed.
But this is definitely another place worth visiting a little earlier.
- You have reached your destination
- Thanks. [in Arabic]
Something very interesting has just happened.
We stayed at the Souq until close to 11 p.m.,
and it is booming, you know,
a lot of people, everybody having fun, great atmosphere.
It is very busy there still, and today is Tuesday.
So when we decided coming back, we went back to the metro,
because we went there by metro.
And ta-da, it was closed.
The security guard was very nice, he approached us,
and said that the last train had departed at around 10:30.
So... train was not an option.
For the World Cup, they will have trains until much later,
because there are games until very late at night.
But if you come to Doha at any other time, keep that in mind, huh?
We ended up coming by Uber, and it was very inexpensive, actually.
A little bit more than $3 for an 11-minute ride.
So very worth it and I'm very happy