Ali Bin Abdullah Street

Pakistani White Pulao and Al Kort Fort

9 March 20228 March 2022travelingpersecond

I left Doha Sports City just before sunset. Exit from Villaggio Mall, went to Al Aziziyah Station, which was only 100 meters from door number four of this famous shopping mall.

At the station entrance…..there was a slight conversation between me and a traveler.

“Hello, do you want to go with the metro?”, said the curly youth, white skin and a typical Arab face but a little shorter than me.

“Yes, brother,” I said briefly.

“Use this ticket!, I will go back with the bus, You can use it”, he handed me the ticket.

“Oh, No, thanks. I will buy a single journey ticket at downstair”, I politely refused because I had a wrong guess, I thought he was selling his ticket to me. I knew it was a Standard Day Pass ticket for 4 Rial.

“Brother, just take it. I don’t need more because I will use the bus”, He seemed to hurry and slipped the ticket into my right hand.

Oh my God….Turned out he gave it away for free. “Thank you very much, brother”, I briefly said.

“I’m Donny from Indonesia, what is your name, brother?”, I asked before separating.

“Said from Algeria …”, he smiled as he adjusted his green backpack and then hurriedly left me.

“Thank you, Said”, I started down the escalator to Doha Metro platform.

Pursuing the MRT, which was ready to going, a Filipino officer ordered me to entering the metro via luxurious Goldclub class wagon and then moved to the Standard class wagon behind it. Wow….. the Goldclub wagon offered a luxurious single seat like an airplane business seat, armrest seats which were separated from each other in a long line facing each other. Sitting in a standard wagon, I was taken along Gold Line to Souq Waqif Station, which was quite close to Al Ghanim Bus Station. I would take Karwa Bus number 12 to hotel.

I still remembered a message from a hotel staff from Islamabad that tonight they invited me to cook together and ate their country’s signature dish, namely Pakistani White Pulao-a rice dish mixed with chopped carrots, vegetables and beans-.

After taking a bath, it was true, they went into my room to hijack me and were taken to kitchen to join a impromptu chefs of Casper Hotel.

—-****—-

The fourth dawn I felt in Qatar. I was a little lazy because fatigue and boredom became my new enemy. Towards ten in the morning, I started leaving for Al Ghanim Bus Station. Initially planned to head to Islamic Museum of Art. Oh, but….As soon as I arrived at the terminal, I thought again. My wallet stopped my intentions, it led me to find free destinations to save my budget.

Trying to surf in internet by sitting relaxed in the terminal, I finally knew where I must to go. Msheireb….Yes, Msheireb!

There was Msheireb Museum which was open for free to tourists there. I thought further….After visiting the museum, I was able to explore Msheireb Downtown Doha to see the concept of this planned city.

You needed to know….MDD (Msheireb Downtown Doha) was a replacement city for Mushayrib District whose development was planned in great detail.

I wandered along Ali Bin Abdullah Street, past the Gold Souq -a building with ten curved glass windows, a center for buying and selling gold-, passed the cash office of Qatar National Bank (QNB) Souq Waqif and then turned right at an intersection.

Before actually arriving at Msheireb Museum, my steps were stopped under an iconic building, which I myself understood from its shape that it was a defensive building or a fort. Later, I came to know it as Al Kort Fort.

Also known as Doha Fort, this 140 year old building was built during the Ottoman Empire as a police station. Thirty-five years from its founding, this fort was turned into a prison at the end of the reign of the Ottoman Empire.

Then history changed again when Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, the third Emir of Qatar, rebuilt this fort as crime rates soared around Souq Waqif. It was said that a group of famous thieves appeared in the market area. So this fort became the security center of Souq Waqif at that time. In accordance with the characteristics of a desert fort, the building was square in shape with a rectangular tower at a corner and three round towers at the other three corners.

Unfortunately, this fort was still under renovation so I couldn’t get into it. But that was okay, because I could quickly visit the Msheireb Museum.

Do you want to know what the Msheireb Museum is like?…. It was a long story, you knew…. Be prepared to read with patience!

Souq Faleh….One of the oldest in Qatar

8 February 20223 March 2022travelingpersecond

<—-Previous Story

The sun was actively climbing its peak, the air was starting to warm, slowly eroding the cold feeling from hand palms and face strokes.

I left Al Ghanim Bus Station…..

“Hello, Filippino”, three Qataris Mowasalat officers greeted me at terminal gate .

“Hi, Sir”, I briefly answered while thinking “Thank God I was blessed with a magical face which fits faces of various Asian nations”. Made me like an adaptable chameleon.

Al Ashat Street wasn’t longer spitting dust, now dust was be a collection of fine particles which shroud every corner of street. The dusty streets of Qatar, cann’t be justified as “dirty”, that is precisely what is an identity of gulf countries which tourists can enjoy.

Every high-rise building on either side of road was uniformly brown in color, just like Kuwait, which I had seen from the air a few days earlier.

By now I was at an edge of Banks Street, a three-lane main street on each side and separated by a stainless wire fence with colorful hydroponic flowers at base of fence. This main road smoothly flowed without traffic jams.

I was a little wary when crossing on Ali Bin Abdullah Street because vehicles flow was so fast and certainly not coming from the right, like road flows in Indonesia. Even I haven’t crossed yet, I must look to both sides of street, traumatized by stories in the past that only inches would be struck by a car in Phnom Penh and Bandar Seri Begawan.

At the end of second block, at small lane of Al Tarbiya Street, I turned right to find Al Fanar Mosque, a worship building integrated with Abdullah Bin Zaid Al Mahmood Islamic Cultural Center.

Al Fanar Mosque….An iconic building with a spiral minaret and sky blue windows.

That isn’t the topic of discussion this time. But on a two-story square building filled with signboards on its ground floor. This is one of the oldest shopping malls in Qatar. Famous in 1970s era, Souq Faleh is still a special choice for Qatari citizens to shopping. Maybe Souq Faleh had a heyday that coincided with Sarinah Thamrin Plaza in Jakarta.

This is a mix of traditional market and modern mall. Its small shape and the existence of bargaining activities are traditional market characteristics, while the large mall building is its modern side.

In general, this shopping center provides stalls selling Abaya (Middle Eastern women’s clothing), good quality perfumes, cell phones, watches, golds and silver jewelry, office stationery and children’s toys.

Let’s took a peek at some spots at Souq Faleh:

Stall of bed linen and kaftans from Pakistan.

Stall which selling children’s toys and bags.

A stall which selling traditional Middle Eastern patterned fabrics.

In connectivity side, Souq Faleh can be easily reached by anyone, because it’s located near Al Ghanim Bus Station and Souq Waqif MRT Station. There is nothing wrong to stopping here because of its strategic location which is flanked by Souq Waqif and Doha Corniche.

This short visit to Souq Faleh was closed by the sound of adzan which coming from Domes Mosque. An old mosque which located about 100 meters at the east of Souq Faleh.

Let’s pray Dzuhur first!

Doha Old Mosque….People call it Domes Mosque.

Next Story—->

Pakistani White Pulao dan Al Kort Fort

16 September 202013 January 2023travelingpersecond

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Aku meninggalkan Doha Sports City menjelang maghrib. Keluar dari Villaggio Mall, menuju Stasiun Al Aziziyah yang hanya berjarak 100 meter dari pintu nomor empat shopping mall kenamaan itu.

Di pintu masuk stasiun…..terjadilah insiden tipis antar pengelana….

“Hello, do you want go with metro?”, ucap pemuda ikal, berkulit putih dan berwajah khas Arab tetapi lebih pendek sedikit dariku.

“Yes, brother”, ucapku singkat.

“Use this ticket!, I will go back with bus, You can use it”, dia menyodorkan tiketnya kepadaku.

“Oh, No, thanks. I will buy a single journey ticket at downstair”, kutolak halus karena salah duga, kukira dia menjual tiket kepadaku. Aku tahu itu Standard Day Pass ticket seharga Rp. 16.000

“Brother, just take it. I don’t need more because I will use bus”, Dia tampak bergegas dan menyelipkan tiket itu ke tangan kananku.

Ya ampun….Ternyata dia memberikan dengan cuma-cuma. “Thank you very much, brother”, ucapku singkat.

“I’m Donny from Indonesia, what is your name, brother?”, tanyaku sebelum berpisah.

“Said from Algeria….”, senyumnya sembari membenarkan tas punggung hijaunya lalu bergegas meninggalkanku.

“Thank you, Said”, aku mulai menuruni escalator menuju platform Doha Metro.

Mengejar MRT yang sudah mengambil ancang-ancang, diperintahkanlah aku oleh petugas berkebangsaan Philippines untuk memasuki metro melalui gerbong kelas Goldclub yang mewah lalu berpindah ke gerbong kelas Standard di belakangnya. Wahhhh…..gerbang Goldclub itu menawarkan tempat duduk tunggal mewah bak business seat pesawat terbang, kursi bersandaran lengan yang terpisah satu sama lain dalam baris memanjang berhadapan. Terduduk di gerbong standard, aku dibawa menyusuri jalur Gold Line menuju Stasiun Souq Waqif yang lokasinya cukup berdekatan dengan Al Ghanim Bus Station. Aku akan menaiki Karwa Bus langganan bernomor 12 menuju penginapan.

Aku masih mengingat pesan salah satu staff hotel asal Islamabad bahwa malam ini mereka mengajakku memasak bersama dan menyantap masakan khas negeri mereka yaitu Pakistani White Pulao-hidangan nasi yang dicampur dengan cacahan wortel, sayur dan kacang-kacangan-.

Seusai mandi, benar adanya, mereka ke kamar membajakku dan digelandang e dapur untuk bergabung bersama para chef dadakan Casper Hotel.

—-****—-

Fajar ke empat yang kurasakan di Qatar. Aku sedikit bermalas-malasan karena kelelahan dan kejenuhan menjadi musuh baru. Menjelang pukul sepuluh pagi, aku mulai berangkat menuju Al Ghanim Bus Station. Awalnya berencana menuju ke Museum Islamic of Art. Eh, tetapi….Begitu tiba di terminal, aku berfikir ulang. Dompetku mengkhianati niat, dituntunnya aku mencari destinasi gratisan untuk menghemat amunisi yang mulai menipis.

Mencoba berselancar maya dengan duduk santai di terminal, akhirnya aku tahu harus melangkah kemana. Msheireb….Ya, Msheireb!

Ada Msheireb Museum yang dibuka gratis untuk wisatawan disana. Aku berfikir lanjut….Setelah mengunjungi museum itu, aku bisa berkeliling di area Msheireb Downtown Doha untuk melihat konsep kota terencana itu.

Perlu kamu tahu….MDD (Msheireb Downtown Doha) adalah sebuah kota pengganti Distrik Mushayrib yang pengembangannya direncanakan sangat detail.

Aku menjelajah sepanjang Ali Bin Abdullah Street, melewati Gold Souq -bangunan sepuluh jendela kaca lengkung sentra jual beli emas-, melintas kantor kas Qatar National Bank (QNB) Souq Waqif kemudian belok kanan di sebuah perempatan.

Sebelum benar-benar tiba di Msheireb Museum, langkahku tertahan di bawah sebuah bangunan ikonik, yang dari bentuknya aku sendiri faham bahwa itu adalah bangunan pertahanan atau benteng. Sewaktu kemudian, aku mengenalnya sebagai Al Kort Fort.

Dikenal juga sebagai Doha Fort, bangunan berusia 140 tahun ini dibangun pada masa Kesultanan Utsmaniyah sebagai kantor kepolisian. Tiga puluh lima tahun dihitung dari masa berdirinya, benteng ini berubah fungsi menjadi penjara di masa akhir kekuasaan Kesultanan Utsmaniyah.

Lalu sejarah kembali berubah ketika Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, Emir ketiga Qatar, membangun kembali benteng ini seiring melonjaknya angka kejahatan di sekitar Souq Waqif. Konon, muncul sekelompok pencuri terkenal yang merajalela di area pasar. Nah benteng inilah menjadi pusat keamanan Souq Waqif pada masa rawan itu.

Sesuai ciri khas benteng gurun pasir, bangunan ini berbentuk persegi dengan satu menara persegi panjang di salah satu sudut dan tiga menara bundar di ketiga sudut lainnya.

Sayang , benteng ini masih dalam proses renovasi sehingga aku tidak bisa masuk ke dalamnya. Tapi tnetu tak mengapa, karena aku bisa lekas berkunjung ke Msheireb Museum.

Mau tau ga Msheireb Museum kayak apa?….Panjang lho kisah yang tersampaikan di dalamnya….Siap-siap membaca penuh kesabaran ya!.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->

Souq Faleh….Salah Satu yang Tertua di Qatar

18 July 202013 January 2023travelingpersecond

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Matahari sedang giat menanjaki puncaknya, udara mulai menghangat, mengikis rasa dingin pelan-pelan dari telapak tangan dan guratan muka.

Aku meninggalkan Al Ghanim Bus Station…..

“Hello, Filippino”, tiga Qataris petugas Mowasalat menyapaku di gerbang luar terminal.

“Hi, Sir”, jawabku singkat sambil membatin “Alhamdulillah aku dikaruniai muka ajaib yang cocok dengan muka berbagai bangsa Asia”. Membuatku seperti bunglon yang pandai menyesuaikan diri.

Al Ashat Street tak lagi menyemburkan debu, kini kumpulan partikel halus itu menyerpihi setiap sudut jalanan. Berdebunya jalanan Qatar, tak bisa dijustifikasi “kotor”, justru itulah yang menjadi identitas negara-negara teluk yang bisa dinikmati para wisatawan.

Setiap bangunan bertingkat di sisi kiri kanan jalan seragam berwarna coklat pasir, sama seperti Kuwait, yang beberapa hari sebelumnya kulihat dari udara.

Kini aku sudah di tepi Banks Street, jalan utama tiga jalur di setiap sisi arahnya dan dipisahkan dengan pagar kawat stainless dengan berbagai bunga hidroponik aneka warna di dasar pagar. Jalan utama ini lancar mengalir tanpa kemacetan.

Aku sedikit was-was menyeberang di Ali Bin Abdullah Street karena arus kendaraan begitu cepat dan tentu bukan datang dari arah kanan seperti layaknya arus di Indonesia. Aku tak pernah menyeberang sebelum genap menoleh ke kedua sisi, trauma pada kisah masa lalu yang hanya sekian inchi saja hampir tersambar kuda besi di Phnom Penh dan Bandar Seri Begawan.

Di ujung blok kedua, tepatnya di jalur kecil Al Tarbiya Street aku menikung ke kanan untuk menemukan Al Fanar Mosque, bangunan ibadah yang terintegrasi dengan Abdullah Bin Zaid Al Mahmood Islamic Cultural Center.

Al Fanar Mosque….Bangunan ikonik berminaret spiral dan berjendela biru langit.

Bukan itu yang menjadi topik bahasan kali ini. Tapi pada bangunan persegi dua lantai yang penuh dengan signboard di lantai dasarnya. Inilah salah satu pusat perbelanjaan tertua di Qatar. Tersohor di era 1970-an, Souq Faleh masih menjadi minat tersendiri bagi warga Qatar untuk berbelanja. Mungkin Souq Faleh memiliki masa jaya yang bersamaan dengan Sarinah Thamrin Plaza di Jakarta.

Inilah perpaduan pasar tradisional dan mall modern. Bentuknya yang mungil dan eksisnya kegiatan tawar-menawar adalah ciri khas tradisional sedangkan bangunan besar mall adalah sisi modernnya.

Secara umum, pusat perbelanjaan ini menyediakan kios-kios penjual Abaya (pakaian wanita khas Timur Tengah), parfum berkualitas baik, telepon genggam, arloji, perhiasan emas dan perak, alat tulis kantor dan mainan anak-anak.

Yuk kita intip beberapa spot di Souq Faleh:

Kios penjual kain-kain bermotif tradisional khas Timur Tengah.

Secara konektivitas, Souq Faleh bisa dicapai siapapun dengan mudah, karena terletak di dekat Al Ghanim Bus Station dan Stasiun MRT Souq Waqif. Taka da salahnya untuk mampir disini karena letak strategisnya yang diapit oleh Souq Waqif dan Doha Corniche.

Kunjungan yang tak lama di Souq Faleh ini tertutup sempurna oleh lantunan suara adzan yang bersumber dari Domes Mosque. Masjid tua yang berjarak 100 meter di timur Souq Faleh.

Yuk Shalat Dzuhur dulu !

Doha Old Mosque….Orang memanggilnya Domes Mosque.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->