Domes Mosque

A Portion of Chicken Fry Ahead of City Souq.

12 February 20223 March 2022travelingpersecond

Goodbye Domes Mosque, a mosque full of history in Old Doha area.

I said “wadaa’aan” from its back door on the edge of Al Jabr Street. Stepping a narrow alley bordered by a smooth wall on left and a rough wall on right. Now, it was time to find a diner to brakes my stomach protests.

Yes…I quickly found it. No more time to compare with better one. Between hunger or worry about being cutted my exploration time, I finally decided to go in and sat down. Obviously I realized, this was an Indian restaurant, it was clear from food composition display, as well as the look of the seller.

“Karak, rice and chicken fry, each one portion”, I said spilling all rote in my head. Chicen fry was my favorite meal since entering Dubai eight days earlier. Indians were kind, every time I asked for a chicken fry they would give two pieces of curry-flavored dry fried chicken. So when I was in Bahrain, I asked for a half so that they only served a piece of chicken.

Apparently this habbit wasn’t same with in Doha, they didn’t know the term half portion. He took a pair of thighs with a smile, he felt that my request was strange.

My order was being prepared by the seller.

11 Riyal, a serving but i ate for two meals….

Making two parts before eating, a part for dinner…. Hahaha.

A full stomach made me ready to heading to Souq Waqif, the oldest market in all of Qatar. It would be a memorable experience for sure. It was just that, before I arrived at Souq Waqif, I was fascinated by the existence of a seven-story shopping center.

“City Souq”, my inner mouth read a large signboard in the middle of building. “Oh, this looks like a modern mall in Old Doha area”, I thought. There was nothing wrong with entering even if it was only for several minutes.

Entering through door number one of four available doors, I was immediately confronted by stalls selling bags, shoes, clothes, fabrics, abaya accessories and perfumes. I myself never knew category prices….expensive or cheap?, because I only had a transaction, which was when I bought a fridge magnet for 12 Riyal at this shopping center.

It didn’t take long to exploring around City Souq, and in an instant I was leaving through door number four.

City Souq itself is right at the corner of an intersection with the eastern boundary is Al Bareed Street, the south ones is Al Tarbiya Street, the north ones is Central Municipal Council and is closed by Al Fanar Mosque in the west ones.

Central Municipal Council, an independent entity whose aim is to serve the state and people of Qatar.

Come on, don’t wait too long, let’s get closer to Souq Waqif.

Next Story—->

Forty Four Domes of the Domes Mosque

10 February 20223 March 2022travelingpersecond

<—-Previous Story

I heard a faint sound of adzan calling me while I was walking around Souq Faleh. That was a moment that I’ve been waiting for. My imagination of praying in congregation with Qataris for the first time would come true soon. For that reason, I rushed down stairs to first floor and immediately left this modest shopping center. Goodbye Souq Faleh

A last photo before leaving an Abaya sales center.

Located 200 meters to southeast, it didn’t make me worry that Iqomah will overtake me. I slowly but surely treaded Al Ahmed Street, a one-lane two-way street with a parking lot lane to north.

Five minutes later I arrived. There were no signboards except for a light brown board with the lightning logo titled KAHRAMAA….Oh, that must be Qatar’s state electricity company. Very predictable.

The old mosque building looked more like a fort than a worship place. It was difficult to tell whether it was brown with faded white or white with brown plaque. But this combination gave it a classic and aged feel.

I slowly step in a short stairs in front of entrance gate and a moment later was greeted by mosque’s courtyard which was beyond my expectations, it wasn’t covered in luxurious ceramics, but left authentically covered with white desert sand.

The main building of mosque was to right of entrance gate, while a single minaret was to left, which combined with a room that didn’t know what its function. The main building itself had forty-four domes in an arrangement of eleven columns and four rows.

Domes Mosque’s single minaret with a room.

I kept looking for ablution room, I looked on every side of main court and never found it. I tried to wait for arrival of another congregation and follow him, because I believed that the first place he would look for was a place for ablution. It turned out that the ablution room was in the west of the building, hidden behind. Meanwhile, in the front left corner of courtyard, was a house of mosque’s imam (leader).

Now I entered the main part of mosque to pray Dzuhur, along the entrance side of main building was made from clear glass so as to made the whole mosque visible from courtyard. The mosque, which was believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, was supported by 60 giant pillars. This shows the robustness of Domes Mosque.

When viewed from above, Domes Mosque had a Letter-L shape with an area of about one and a half hectares. Built on Old Doha area with Al Ahmad Street in the north, Al Jabr Street in the east, while the west and south sides were directly adjacent to Doha Metro Souq Waqif Station.

The room itself was quite neatly arranged with a green carpet with Air Conditioner. The Domes Mosque also implied the strength of Qatar by decorating the spearheads in each dome.

After Dzuhur congregational prayer was over, I finally exited from back door on Al Jabr Street side.

Then, I struggled a bit by walking to find a cheap but decent restaurant for lunch.

I found a small typical Indian restaurant, similar to “warteg (warung tegal)” in Indonesia. I ordered a portion of Indian style’s rice and chicken fry.

Next Story—->

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—->

26 Tourist Attractions in Doha, Qatar

21 January 20223 March 2022travelingpersecond

<—-Previous Story

Maybe, a person who was influencing me to go to Qatar was Valentino Rossi. Yes….The living legend of premium iron horse racing had indirectly influenced me to visit Losail International Circuit through television screen for a long time. During the years of watching MotoGP that too, the intention to visiting Qatar began to disturb my sleep at night.

That dream had became a beautiful reality when for five days I was able to explore Qatar in early 2020. Now is the time for me to tell you about its beauty. Here are a few of the memories which I got in the country which rich in “black gold”:

1. Hamad International Airport

It can be said that Hamad International Airport (HIA) is a perfector to Qatar’s tourism gateway. Since seven years ago, HIA had succeeded in replacing the role of Doha International Airport. You need to know that naming of this airport is taken from the name of Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

That sunny morning, I agreed with the splendor of this airport which was located on the shores of Persian Gulf. This is the airport which holds an asset of “Yellow Bear” worth 6.7 million US Dollar…Wowww.

2. Karwa Bus

As a person who adhered to backpacker ethic codes, I was only faced with two choices to get to downtown…..Train or bus?. That time, bus was my first choice.

Haven’t seen and boarded it yet, I already imagined that I would ride a modern-looking city bus when I left the airport.

Doha city buses are known as Karwa Buses and require a KARWA Smart Card to ride them. All Doha city buses are operated by the state transport company “Mowasalat”. The average one-way fare is also very affordable, which is around 2.5 Qatari Riyal.

3. Al Ghanim Bus Station

After checking in at Casper Hotel and putting all my equipments down, I started exploring Doha. The first place which I traced was Al Ghanim Bus Station as final destination for Karwa Bus number 12 which picked me up from hotel.

Located in Municipality Ad Dawhah, Al Ghanim Bus Station is an important landmark. This bus terminal certainly covers most of Karwa Bus routes in Qatar. Al Ghanim Bus Station takes on the role of a central terminal in Qatar as well as being the headquarters of Mowasalat. If you intend to explore Qatar tourism by bus, surely you will often visit this terminal.

4. Abdul Aziz Nasser Theater

This is a performance space for multidisciplinary arts which supports local and international artists. Located in Doha downtown with a capacity of almost a thousand seats. Even to facilitate the implementation of large events, this theater is directly connected to Al Mirqab Hotel which is located right on its west side.

5. Al Fanar Mosque

I visited this mosque after exploring Al Ghanim Bus Station. The location is only a kilometer in north of terminal. Al Fanar is a Qatar Islamic Cultural Center better known as Al Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zaid Al-Mahmood Islamic Cultural Center. Apart from introducing Qatari culture through Islam, the Fanar Cultural Center also organizes social and educational activities.

6. Souq Faleh

Souq Faleh and Al Fanar Masque are only separated by Al Tarbiya Street. It’s one of many old markets in Doha. If you are an Abaya lover, then this market is right place to hunt it, because the price which is offered is relatively cheaper than other markets.

7. Domes Mosque

While I was busy in visiting Souq Faleh, suddenly I heared the call to Dzuhur prayer. It seemed that I should end my exploration for a moment and heading to an old mosque in southeast. This mosque with many domes and pillars still proudly stands in the middle of modern city. The Dzuhur prayer was filled with worshipers who came from all over. And it was my first congregational prayer in Doha.

8. City Souq

Adjacent to Al Fanar Mosque in east, right at a corner of the intersection of Al Tarbiya Street and Al Bareed Street, is a modern shopping mall with a seven-story which then looks to dwarf the Central Municipal Center building in opposite. I entered it just to hunt for a fridge magnet and then took some photos of situation inside.

Known as City Souq, this mall provides clothes, garments, shoes, perfumes, children’s toys, stationery, blankets and abayas. Practice haggling before shopping at this place !.

9. Souq Waqif

More than two centuries old, doesn’t make Souq Waqif change its architectural form. Being the only ancient traditional market in all of Qatar.

Waqif means standing. Because during pioneering period, not a single stall was built. This was due to overflow of sea water from Doha coast which inundated market. Even at the beginning, buyers would come by boat or ride camels to get around inundation and sellers would stand around all day offering their goods.

10. The Pearl Monument

Leaving Souq Waqif for a moment for me to revisit on next day, I targeted The Pearl Monument at across of Al Corniche Street which provided underground crossing facility under it. I think, not only travelers, even all Qatari citizens should be obliged to visit this monument which in the form of gaping pearl shells. Through this monument, all visitors should know that prior to 1939, era before oil discovery in their earth belly, Qatar was a poor country whose income which was depended on catching pearl shells in Persian Gulf.

11. Corniche Promenade

Visiting The Pearl Monument made me happy beyond measure, in addition to exploring Qatar history, my eyes were spoiled by beautiful view of Doha Corniche. The seven-kilometer long promenade reveals the arch of Doha Bay which was crammed with skyscrapers at the end. Meanwhile, distribution of traditional dhow boats which are quietly anchored along the bay becomes a natural interior which makes situation more charming.

12. Museum of Islamic Art

Right at the eastern end of Doha Corniche, there is building which is erected like floating on the shores of sea. It’s the Museum of Islamic Art which exhibits the richness of Islamic culture from three continents which is more than 1,400 years old. This is Qatar’s flagship museum which is founded by the sister of their Emir, H. E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The existence of this museum has ordained Qatar as the cultural capital of Middle East region.

13. MIA Park

MIA in this park name stands for Museum of Islamic Art. As name implies, before visiting it, everyone can be sure to understand that this park is located right in front of Museum of Islamic Art. The park is often be the official state venue for national holiday celebrations, besides that, this park is often used as a venue for musical performances, bazaar activities or other regular concerts. Meanwhile, specifically on Tuesdays and starting at 17:00 hours, this park becomes a special public area for women who are usually led by personal trainers in cardio and fitness training.

14. Doha Hop On Hop Off Bus

For those of you who don’t want to bother exploring Doha. Qatar Tourism provides Hop On-Hop Off Sightseeing Tour. So you just sit down from the top of this bus and will be delivered to several tourist destinations in Doha. This bus spans thirty minutes in operation. Passing through Qatar’s main tourist destinations, namely Souq Waqif, Katara Cultural Village, The Pearl Qatar and the Museum of Islamic Art. To pamper travelers, this bus also stops at Marriott Hotel, Sharq Village and Spa, Sheraton and Hilton Hotel.

15. West Bay

Day Two….The air was very windy and cold of course. Boarding Karwa Bus number 12 and continuing with number 64, I headed for West Bay. The skyscraper complex seemed to be waving at me when I looked at it from the other side of Doha Corniche yesterday afternoon.

Now I was right in the middle of this business area on east coast of Doha. An area that covers three districts at once, namely Al Qassar, Al Dafna and West Bay Lagoon. Finally up close, I could enjoy the Burj Doha, the most iconic building in Qatar.

16. City Center Doha

Tracing every inch in Wes Bay streets, I came to one of the oldest shopping malls in Qatar. City Center Doha which is located in the business center but is targeted to serve customers from the middle economy class. Located right in the middle of West Bay area, this shopping mall is directly connected to three luxury hotels, namely Shangri La Hotel, Rotana Hotel and Merweb Hotel.

17. Doha Metro

For the first time I ride Doha Metro. Qatar’s newest mass transportation system which has been in operation since last year. The three-line MRT (Red Line, Green Line and Gold Line) owned by Hamad Group is ordained as the fastest driverless train in the world with a cruising speed of 100 km/hour.

This time, I enjoyed its luxurious facilities from DECC Station (Doha Exhibition & Convention Center) in Wet Bay to Katara Station which is the access to visit Katara Cultural Village.

18. Katara Cultural Village

Doha Metro dropped me off at Katara station. It only took a half kilometer walk to reach Katara Cultural Village, a cultural center in Qatar. Located on east coast between West Bay and The Pearl, this cultural village dates back ten years.

Katara itself was the name for Qatar before 18th century. The word “Catara” in the first century AD was pinned to naming Qatar Peninsula which is located in south of Persian Gulf.

19. Aspire Park

My third day of exploration in Qatar I started a little bit late. Waiting for the sun to rise, because I would play in an open area, namely Aspire Park. The name of this park is taken from the name of an area, namely Aspire Zone which is the well-known name of Doha Sports City in Baaya District.

Karwa Bus number 301 dropped me off at Villaggio Shelter Bus at exactly 11:44 am. I walked to the park which is located in the west of Qatar. Aspire Park is a beautiful and spacious park which is equipped with a playground, fountains, several coffee shops and even the only artificial lake in Qatar.

20. The Torch Doha

Still in Aspire Zone Complex, stepping a little to east, I was right under a 300 meter high hotel. Often referred to as Aspire Tower, although its official name is The Torch Doha.

The work of an architectural consultant from France, this building is currently the tallest building in Doha. This 36-floors hotel has contributed to Qatar as a focal point for the 15th Asian Games.

21. Khalifa International Stadium

Khalifa International Stadium is right next to The Torch Doha. Often called by the name National Stadium. Like their magnificent airport, this football arena also bears name of the Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. This is the official home of Qatar national football team with forty thousand seating capacity.

Owned by Qatar Football Association, this stadium was the witness where Australia was overthrown by “the blue samurai squad” with Tadanari Lee’s only goal in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup final.

22. Villaggio Mall

My visit to Doha Sports City, ended by entering Villaggio Mall. This mall in the outskirts of Al Waab Street was developed by Gondolania Entertainment, therefore the concept of gondola tourism in Venice was adopted in this one-story shopping center.

Designed in it’s 150 meter long indoor canal complete with gondola boat, reminds me when I visited The Venetian in Macau 4 years ago.

The main retailer at Villaggio Mall is Carrefour, but this shopping center also accommodates 200 stores selling well-known brands from America, England, Italy and Germany. Come on, those who like shopping, please stop by here!

23. Al Koot Fort

The fourth day, I intend to explore the MDD (Mshreib Downtown Doha) area, which is a replacement city for Mushayrib District whose its development is planned in detail.

But before entering MDD area, I took time to stop at the 93-year-old Al Koot Fort. It was the services of fourth Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani who built this fort with the aim of protecting Souq Waqif from notorious band of thieves at that time.

After stopping at Al Koot Fort or Doha Fort, then I stepped into the MDD area. Let’s see what’s in MDD?

24. Msheireb Museum

The main tourist spot which I visited in Mshreib Downtown Doha was Msheireb Museum which was developed by Msheireb Properties (Qatar National Real Estate Developer). I diligently traced four historic heritage homes which make up the main part of Msheireb Museum. Namely Bin Jelmood House which reveals the history of slave trade in that country, Company House which reveals the story of pioneers of Qatar’s oil industry workers, Mohammed Bin Jassim House which is a house built by son of the founder of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani and Radwani House which is a duplication of original Qatari house model.

If you go to Qatar, you have to come here…. Free ticket anyway.

25. Msheireb Tram

Riding the Msheireb Tram is an easy way to experience the beauty of MDD. This mass transportation was launched by Msheireb Properties with a two kilometer long loop track and is able to connect every spot on MDD in just eighteen minutes.

You have to feel the comfort of an American-made electric tram that uses a filtering glass panel which is said to be able to prevent sunlight from entering the tram cabin by up to 90%.

26. Doha Free Metrolink

Before leaving Qatar, on the last day I tried to try out Doha Metrolink which is a feeder bus network to connect anyone with Doha Metro Station within a radius of two to five kilometers.

There is no charge for using this feeder bus service. The Qatari government provides forty-two Doha Free Metrolink lines that operate from six in the morning to eleven at night.

If you want to travel cheaply in Qatar, look for a hotel which is passed by this bus route. Especially if the hotel is a bit far from the downtown, it will definitely save your pocket more…. Hihihi.

Hopefully this COVID-19 pandemic will end soon and you can immediately travel to Qatar….Amen.

Next Story—->

Seporsi Chicken Fry Menjelang City Souq di Doha

26 July 202013 January 2023travelingpersecond

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Selamat tinggal Domes Mosque, masjid penuh sejarah di kawasan Old Doha.

Aku mengucapkan “wadaa’aan” dari pintu belakangnya di tepian Al Jabr Street. Menapaki gang sempit yang dibatasi tembok halus di sisi kiri dan tembok kasar di sisi kanan. Kini, saatnya menemukan sebuah kedai makan untuk mengerem protes perut yang kian menjadi.

Yes…Aku menemukannya dengan cepat. Tak ada waktu lagi untuk membandingkan dengan yang lebih baik. Antara lapar atau khawatir tersunatnya waktu eksplorasi, akhirnya kuputuskan untuk masuk dan duduk. Jelas kusadari, ini adalah kedai makan India, terlihat jelas dari komposisi food display, juga tampang penjualnya.

“Karak one, rice one and chicken fry one”, ucapku menumpahkan segenap hafalan di kepala. Itulah makanan favoritku semenjak memasuki Dubai delapan hari sebelumnya. Orang India memang begitu, setiap meminta satu chicken fry maka mereka akan memberikan dua potong ayam goreng kering beraroma kari. Oleh karenanya, ketika di Bahrain, aku memintanya setengah supaya mereka hanya menyajikan sepotong ayam saja.

Ternyata tak berlaku di Doha, mereka tidak mengenal istilah setengah porsi. Diambilnya sepasang paha diiringi senyum, tampak dia melihat aneh permintaanku. Mungkin porsi makan orang India memang banyak, jadi begitulah aturan makannya.

Rp. 44.000, seporsi untuk dua kali makan….

Jadikan dua bagian sebelum disantap, satu bagian untuk *dinner*….Hahaha.

Perut yang penuh terisi membuatku siap menuju Souq Waqif, pasar tertua di seluruh Qatar. Ini akan menjadi pengalaman yang mengesankan tentunya. Hanya saja, belum juga sampai di Souq Waqif, aku terpesona dengan keberadaan julangan tujuh lantai sebuah pusat perbelanjaan.

“City Souq”, mulut batinku membaca signboard besar di tengah bangunan. “Oh, ini sepertinya mall modern di kawasan Old Doha”, aku membatin. Tak ada salahnya masuk walau hanya sedasa menit saja.

Masuk melalui pintu bernomor satu dari empat pintu yang tersedia, aku langsung dihadapkan pada kios-kios penjual tas, sepatu, pakaian, kain, aksesoris abaya dan parfum. Aku sendiri tak pernah tahu kategori harganya….mahal atau murah?, karena aku hanya memiliki satu transaksi yaitu saat membeli sebuah fridge magnet seharga Rp 48.000 di pusat perbelanjaan ini.

Tak lama berkeliling di dalam City Souq, dalam sekejap aku sudah beranjak pergi melalui pintu bernomor empat.

City Souq sendiri berada tepat di salah sudut perempatan dengan batas timur adalah Al Bareed Street, selatan adalah Al Tarbiya Street, utara adalah Central Municipal Council dan ditutup oleh Al Fanar Mosque di sebelah barat.

Central Municipal Council, entitas independent yang bertujuan melayani negara dan rakyat Qatar.

Tersimpulkan sudah bahwa pusat perbelanjaan unggulan di Old Doha ini tak semegah dari tempat sejenisnya di Jakarta. Jadi berbelanja di Jakarta tentu sudah lebih dari cukup, tak perlu belanja ke negeri seberang (ah, itu mah buat elo Donny yang ndak berduit. Kalau punya duit, ya pasti lo belanja ke Paris, Donny….hahaha).

Yuk lah, jangan menunggu lama, kita merapat ke Souq Waqif, jangan mampir-mampir lagi ya, Donny….Wkwkwk.

Kisah Selanjutnya—>

Empat Puluh Empat Kubah Domes Mosque

22 July 202013 January 2023travelingpersecond

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

Kumandang suara adzan sayup memanggilku ketika sedang berkeliling Souq Faleh. Itulah saat yang kutunggu. Imajinasiku shalat berjama’ah dengan Qataris untuk pertama kali akan segera terwujud. Karena alasan itulah, aku bergegas menuruni tangga menuju lantai satu dan segera meninggalkan pusat perbelanjaan sederhana itu. Selamat tinggal Souq Faleh !

Foto terakhir sebelum meninggalkan pusat penjualan Abaya tersebut.

Terletak 200 meter di tenggara, tak membuatku khawatir tersalip Iqomah. Aku perlahan tapi pasti menapaki Al Ahmed Street, sebuah jalan satu jalur dua arah dengan lajur parking lot di utara.

Lima menit kemudian aku tiba. Tak ada papan nama apapun kecuali papan coklat muda berlogo petir bertajuk KAHRAMAA….Ah, itu pasti PLNnya Qatar. Sangat mudah ditebak.

Bangunan masjid tua itu sekilas lebih mirip sebuah benteng daripada tempat peribadatan. Sulit membedakan apakah berwarna coklat meluntur putih atau putih terkotori plak berwarna coklat. Tetapi kombinasi itu memberikan nuansa klasik dan berumur.

Aku perlahan menaiki anak tangga berukuran pendek di depan pintu masuk dan sesaat kemudian disambut dengan halaman masjid yang di luar dugaanku, tak berlapis keramik mewah, tapi dibiarkan otentik berlapis pasir gurun berwarna putih.

Bangunan utama masjid ada di kanan pintu masuk sedangkan minaret tunggal berada di kirinya yang berkombinasi dengan sebuah ruangan yang entah berfungsi sebagai apa. Bangunan utama sendiri memiliki empat puluh empat kubah dengan susunan sebelas kolom dan empat baris.

Minaret tunggal Domes Mosque beserta sebuah ruangan.

Aku terus mencari keberadaan tempat berwudhu, aku mecari di setiap sisi pelataran utama dan tak pernah menemukannya. Aku mencoba menunggu kedatangan jama’ah lain dan mengikutinya, karena aku yakin tempat pertama yang akan dicarinya adalah tempat berwudhu. Ternyata ruang wudhu ada di bagian barat bangunan, tersembunyi di belakang. Sedangkan di pojok depan kiri pelataran, terletak rumah imam masjid.

Kini aku memasuki bagian utama masjid untuk bershalat Dzuhur, sepanjang sisi masuk bangunan utama terbuat dari kaca bening sehingga membuat seisi masjid terlihat dari pelataran. Masjid yang dipercaya berasal dari abad pertengahan ini ditopang oleh 60 tiang raksasa. Hal ini menunjukkan kekokohan Domes Mosque.

Jika dilihat dari atas, Domes Mosque memiliki bentuk Letter-L dengan luas sekitar satu setengah hektar. Dibangun di atas kawasan Old Doha dengan batas Al Ahmad Street di bagian utara, Al Jabr Street di sisi timur, sedangkan sisi barat dan selatan berbatasan langsung dengan Stasiun Doha Metro Souq Waqif.

Ruangan dalam sendiri tertata cukup rapi dengan karpet hijau dengan siraman Air Conditioner. Domes Mosque juga menyiratkan kekuatan Qatar dengan penghiasan mata tombak di setiap kubahnya.

Setelah shalat berjama’ah selesai, akhirnya aku keluar dari pintu belakang di sisi Al Jabr Street.

Kemudian, aku sedikit berjuang keras dengan berjalan kaki untuk menemukan rumah makan murah tetapi layak dijadikan sebagai tempat makan siang.

Aku menemukan sebuah restoran kecil khas India, mirip dengan warteg di Indonesia. Kupesan seporsi nasi dan chicken fry ala India.

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—->

26 Destinasi Wisata di Doha, Qatar

2 July 202013 January 2023travelingpersecond

<—-Kisah Sebelumnya

ARTIKEL SPIN OFF

Mungkin sosok yang berjasa membawaku ke Qatar adalah Valentino Rossi. Ya….Legenda hidup balapan kuda besi premium itu telah sekian lama memaksaku menyambangi Losail International Circuit melalui layar televisi. Selama bertahun-tahun menonton MotoGP itu pula, niat untuk mengunjungi Qatar mulai mengganggu tidur malamku.

Mimpi itu telah menjadi sebuah kenyataan indah ketika selama lima hari aku bisa menjelajah Qatar di awal tahun 2020. Kini saatnya bagiku untuk menceritakan kepada kalian tentang keelokannya. Berikut sedikit banyak kenangan yang kudapatkan di negeri kaya “emas hitam” itu:

1. Hamad International Airport

Bisa ditasbihkan bahwa Hamad International Airport (HIA) adalah penyempurna gerbang pariwisata Qatar. Sejak heksa warsa lalu, HIA sukses menggantikan peran Doha International Airport. Perlu kamu ketahui bahwa penamaan bandara ini di catut dari nama Emir Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Pagi yang cerah kala itu, aku mengamini kemegahan bandara yang terletak di tepian Teluk Persia ini. Inilah bandara yang menyimpan aset “Beruang Kuning” senilai 91 milyar Rupiah….Wowww.

2. Karwa Bus

Sebagai seorang yang taat dengan kode etik kaum backpacker, aku hanya dihadapkan pada dua pilihan untuk menuju pusat kota…..Kereta atau bus?. Kali ini bus menjadi pilihan pertamaku.

Belum juga melihat dan menaikinya, sudah terbayang bahwa aku akan menaiki bus kota berpenampilan modern ketika nanti meninggalkan bandara.

Bus kota Doha dikenal dengan nama Karwa Bus dan dibutuhkan KARWA Smart Card untuk mengunggangnya. Seluruh bus kota Doha dioperasikan oleh perusahaan transportasi negara yaitu Mowasalat. Rerata tarif sekali jalan juga sangat terjangkau yaitu sekitar Rp. 10.000.

3. Al Ghanim Bus Station

Setelah check-in di Casper Hotel dan menaruh semua perlengkapan, aku mulai mengeksplorasi kota Doha. Tempat pertama yang kujejak adalah Al Ghanim Bus Station sebagai tujuan akhir Karwa Bus bernomor 12 yang mengangkutku dari sebelah hotel.

Terletak di Municipality Ad Dawhah, Al Ghanim Bus Station adalah landmark penting. Terminal bus ini tentu mengcover sebagian besar rute Karwa Bus di Qatar. Al Ghanim Bus Station mengambil peran sebagai terminal sentral di Qatar sekaligus menjadi kantor pusat Mowasalat. Jika kamu berniat menjelajah wisata Qatar menggunakan bus, pasti kamu akan sering menyambangi terminal ini.

4. Abdul Aziz Nasser Theater

Inilah ruang pertunjukan untuk multidisiplin seni yang mensupport seniman lokal dan internasional. Terletak di pusat kota Doha dengan kapasitas hampir seribu tempat duduk. Bahkan untuk mempermudah pelaksanaan event-event besar, teater ini dikoneksikan secara langsung dengan Al Mirqab Hotel yang terletak tepat di sisi baratnya.

5. Al Fanar Mosque

Aku mengunjungi masjid ini setelah mengeksplore Al Ghanim Bus Station. Lokasinya hanya berjarak satu kilometer di utara terminal. Al Fanar adalah Pusat Kebudayaan Islam Qatar yang lebih dikenal dengan nama Al Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zaid Al-Mahmood Islamic Cultural Center. Selain mengenalkan budaya Qatar melalui Islam, Fanar Cultural Center ini juga menyelenggarakan kegiatan sosial dan pendidikan.

6. Souq Faleh

Souq Faleh dan Al Fanar Masque hanya dipisahkan oleh Al Tarbiya Street. Merupakan salah satu dari sekian banyak pasar-pasar tua di Doha. Jika kamu penggemar Abaya, maka pasar ini menjadi tempat yang tepat untuk memburunya, karena harga yang ditawarkan tergolong lebih murah dari pasar-pasar yang lain.

7. Domes Mosque

Sedang asyik berkunjung ke Souq Faleh, tiba-tiba suara adzan Dzhuhur memanggil. Tampaknya aku harus segera mengakhiri eksplorasiku sejenak dan menuju ke sebuah masjid tua di tenggara. Masjid dengan banyak kubah dan tiang ini masih berdiri gagah di tengah modernnya kota. Shalat Dzuhur siang itu dipenuhi jama’ah yang datang dari segenap penjuru. Dan itu adalah shalat berjama’ahku pertama kali di Doha.

8. City Souq

Bersebelahan dengan Al Fanar Mosque di sebelah timur, tepat di salah satu sudut perempatan Al Tarbiya Street dan Al Bareed Street terdapatlah shopping mall modern dengan julangan tujuh lantai yang kemudian tampak mengkerdilkan bangunan Central Municipal Center di seberangnya. Aku memasukinya hanya untuk sekedar berburu fridge magnet lalu mencuri foto suasana di dalam.

Dikenal dengan nama City Souq, mall ini menyediakan pakaian, garmen, sepatu, parfum, mainan anak-anak, stationery, selimut dan abaya. Berlatihlah menawar sebelum berbelanja di tempat ini.

9. Souq Waqif

Berusia lebih dari dua abad, tak membuat Souq Waqif merubah bentuk arsitekturnya. Menjadi satu-satunya pasar tradisional kuno di seluruh Qatar.

Waqif berarti berdiri. Karena pada masa perintisan pasar, tidak ada satupun kios yang dibangun. Hal ini disebabkan karena meluapnya air laut dari pantai Doha yang menggenangi pasar. Bahkan diawal berdirinya, para pembeli akan datang menggunakan perahu atau menaiki onta untuk mensiasati genangan tersebut dan penjual akan berdiri sepanjang hari untuk menawarkan dagangannya.

10. The Pearl Monument

Meninggalkan sejenak Souq Waqif untuk kemudian kutengok ulang esok hari, aku menyasar The Pearl Monument di seberang Al Corniche Street yang menyediakan fasilitas penyeberangan bawah tanah di kolongnya. Kurasa tak hanya traveler, bahkan seluruh warga negara Qatar hendaknya wajib mengunjungi monumen berwujud kerang mutiara menganga ini. Melalui monumen ini, semua khalayak harus tahu bahwa sebelum tahun 1939 yaitu era sebelum ditemukannya minyak di perut bumi mereka, Qatar adalah negara miskin yang pendapatannya bergantung pada hasil tangkap kerang mutiara di Teluk Persia.

11. Corniche Promenade

Mengunjungi The Pearl Monument membuatku bahagia tak terkira, selain mendalami sejarah Qatar, mata dimanjakan dengan indahnya pemandangan Doha Corniche. Promenade sepanjang tujuh kilometer ini menampakkan lengkungan Teluk Doha yang dijejali gedung pencakar langit di ujungnya. Sementara sebaran traditional dhow boat yang diam terjangkar di sepanjang teluk menjadi interior alam yang mengelokkan suasana.

12. Museum of Islamic Art

Tepat di ujung timur Doha Corniche terdapat bangunan yang didirikan layaknya mengambang di tepian laut. Adalah Museum of Islamic Art yang didalamnya dipamerkan kekayaan budaya Islam dari tiga benua yang telah berusia lebih dari 1.400 tahun lamanya. Inilah museum andalan Qatar yang didirikan oleh saudara perempuan dari Emir mereka yaitu H. E Sheikha Al Mayassa binti Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Keberadaan museum ini telah mentasbihkan Qatar sebagai ibu kota budaya kawasan Timur Tengah.

13. MIA Park

MIA dalam nama taman ini adalah singkatan dari Museum of Islamic Art. Sesuai namanya, sebelum mendatanginya, semua orang sudah bisa dipastikan faham bahwa taman ini terletak tepat di depan Museum of Islamic Art. Taman yang sering menjadi venue resmi negara pada perayaan hari libur nasional, selain itu taman ini sering dipakai sebagai tempat berlangsungnya pertunjukan musik, kegiatan bazaar ataupun konser-konser regular lainnya. Sedangkan khusus di hari Selasa dan dimulai pada pukul 17:00, taman ini menjadi area publik khusus kaum Hawa yang biasanya dipimpin oleh personal trainer dalam latihan kardio dan senam kebugaran.

14. Doha Hop On Hop Off Bus

Buat kamu yang tidak mau repot menjelajah Doha. Pariwisata Qatar menyediakan Hop On-Hop Off Sightseeing Tour. Jadi kamu cukup duduk manis dari atas bus dan akan diantarkan ke beberapa destinasi wisata di Doha. Bus ini berentang waktu tiga puluh menit dalam pengoperasiannya. Melewati destinasi wisata utama Qatar yaitu Souq Waqif, Katara Cultural Village, The Pearl Qatar dan Museum of Islamic Art. Untuk memanjakan para traveler, bus ini juga berhenti di Hotel Marriott, Sharq Village and Spa, Sheraton dan Hilton Hotel.

15. West Bay

Hari Kedua….Udara sangat berangin dan dingin tentunya. Menaiki Karwa Bus bernomor 12 dan bersambung dengan nomor 64, aku menuju West Bay. Kompleks bangunan pencakar langit itu seakan melambai-lambaikan tangannya kepadaku ketika kupandangi dari sisi lain Doha Corniche sore kemarin.

Kini aku tepat berada di tengah area bisnis di pantai timur Doha ini. Sebuah area yang mengcover tiga distrik sekaligus, yaitu Al Qassar, Al Dafna dan West Bay Lagoon. Akhirnya dari dekat, aku bisa menikmati Burj Doha, bangunan paling ikonik di Qatar itu.

16. City Center Doha

Menelusuri setiap inchi jalanan di West Bay, aku sampai juga di salah satu shopping mall tertua di Qatar. City Center Doha yang diletakkan di pusat bisnis tetapi ditargetkan melayani para pelanggan dari kelas ekonomi menengah. Tepat berloksi di tengah area West Bay, shopping mall ini terkoneksi secara langsung dengan tiga hotel mewah yaitu Shangri La Hotel, Rotana Hotel dan Merweb Hotel.

17. Doha Metro

Untuk pertama kalinya aku menaiki Doha Metro. Sistem tranportasi masal teranyar milik Qatar yang dioperasikan sejak setahun lalu. MRT tiga jalur (Red Line, Green Line dan Gold Line) yang dimiliki oleh Hamad Group ini ditasbihkan sebagai kereta tanpa pengemudi tercepat di dunia dengan kecepatan jelajah mencapai 100 km/jam.

Kali ini aku menikmati fasilitas mewahnya dari Stasiun DECC (Doha Exhibition & Convention Center) di Wet Bay menuju Stasiun Katara yang merupakan akses mengunjungi Katara Cultural Village.

18. Katara Cultural Village

Doha Metro menurunkanku di stasiun Katara. Hanya perlu berjalan kaki sejauh setengah kilometer untuk sampai di Katara Cultural Village, sebuah pusat budaya di Qatar. Terletak di pantai timur antara West Bay dan The Pearl, perkampungan budaya ini telah berdiri sejak sepuluh tahun lalu.

Katara sendiri adalah nama untuk Qatar sebelum Abad ke-18. Kata “Catara” pada seratus tahun pertama Masehi disematkan untuk menamai Semenanjung Qatar yang terletak di selatan Teluk Persia.

19. Aspire Park

Eksplorasi hari ketigaku di Qatar kumulai sedikit siang. Menunggu matahari meninggi, karena aku akan bermain di area terbuka, yaitu Aspire Park. Nama taman yang diambil dari nama sebuah area, yaitu Aspire Zone yang merupakan nama beken dari Doha Sports City di Distrik Baaya.

Karwa Bus bernomor 301 menurunkanku di Villaggio Shelter Bus tepat jam 11:44. Aku berjalan kaki menuju taman yang terletak di barat Qatar itu. Aspire Park adalah taman indah nan luas yang melengkapi diri dengan playground, air mancur, beberapa coffee shop bahkan menciptakan satu-satunya danau di Qatar.

20. The Torch Doha

Masih di Aspire Zone Complex, melangkah sedikit ke timur, aku tepat berada di bawah sebuah hotel setinggi 300 meter. Sering disebut dengan panggilan Aspire Tower, walaupun nama resminya adalah The Torch Doha.

Adalah buah karya konsultan arsitektur dari Perancis, inilah bangunan yang saat ini masih menjadi yang tertinggi di Doha. Hotel 36 lantai ini telah menyumbang jasanya untuk Qatar sebagai focal point (titik fokus) pada perhelatan Asian Games ke-15.

21. Khalifa International Stadium

Khalifa International Stadium disandingkan tepat di sebelah The Torch Doha. Sering dipanggil dengan nama National Stadium. Seperti bandara megah mereka, gelanggang sepakbola ini juga mencatut nama Emir Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Inilah kandang resmi tim nasional sepakbola Qatar dengan empat puluh ribu kapasitas tempat duduk.

Di empui oleh Qatar Football Association, stadion ini adalah saksi dimana Australia dijungkalkan oleh pasukan samurai biru dengan gol tunggal Tadanari Lee pada perhelatan final AFC Asian Cup 2011.

22. Villaggio Mall

Kunjungan di Doha Sports City, kuakhiri dengan memasuki Villaggio Mall. Mall di pinggiran Al Waab Street ini dikembangkan oleh Gondolania Entertainment, oleh karenanya konsep wisata gondola di kota Venice di adopsi di pusat perbelanjaan satu lantai ini.

Didesain di dalamnya canal indoor sepanjang 150 meter lengkap dengan perahu gondola, mengingatkanku ketika mengunjungi The Venetian di Macau 3 tahun silam.

Retailer utama di Villaggio Mall adalah Carrefour, akan tetapi pusat perbelanjaan ini juga mengakomodasi 200 toko yang menjual brand-brand ternama asal Amerika, Inggris, Italia dan Jerman. Yuk, yang hobby belanja, silahkan mampir ke sini !

23. Al Koot Fort

Hari keempat, aku berniat menelusuri area MDD (Mshreib Downtown Doha) yaitu sebuah kota pengganti Distrik Mushayrib yang pengembangannya direncanakan dengan detail.

Tetapi sebelum memasuki area MDD, aku sempatkan mampir di Al Koot Fort yang telah berusia 93 tahun. Adalah jasa dari Emir keempat Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani yang membangun benteng ini dengan tujuan melindungi Souq Waqif dari kelompok pencuri terkenal pada waktu itu.

Setelah mampir di Al Koot Fort atau Doha Fort ini, barulah aku melangkah memasuki area MDD. Yuk lihat ada apa saja di MDD ?

24. Msheireb Museum

Tempat wisata utama yang kukunjungi di Mshreib Downtown Doha adalah Msheireb Museum yang dikembangkan oleh Msheireb Properties (Pengembang Real Estate Nasional Qatar). Aku dengan tekunnya menelusuri empat rumah warisan bersejarah yang menjadi bagian utama dari Msheireb Museum. Yaitu Bin Jelmood House yang mengungkap sejarah perdagangan budak di negeri itu, Company House yang mengungkap kisah para pioneer pekerja industri minyak Qatar, Mohammed Bin Jassim House yang merupakan rumah yang dibangun oleh putra pendiri Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani serta Radwani House yang merupakan duplikasi model rumah asli Qatar.

Kalau kalian ke Qatar, wajib datang ke sini ya….Free ticket kok, santuy….

25. Msheireb Tram

Menaiki Msheireb Tram adalah cara mudah untuk menikmati keindahan MDD. Transportasi massal ini diluncurkan oleh Msheireb Properties dengan loop track sepanjang dua kilometer dan mampu menghubungkan setiap spot di MDD dalam waktu delapan belas menit saja.

Kamu harus merasakan nyamannya tram listrik buatan Amerika yang menggunakan filtering glass panel yang katanya mampu mencegah masuknya sinar matahari ke dalam ruangan tram hingga 90%.

26. Doha Free Metrolink

Sebelum meninggalkan Qatar, di hari terakhir aku mencoba menjajal Doha Metrolink yang merupkan jaringan feeder bus untuk mengkoneksi siapapun dengan Doha Metro Station dalam radius dua hingga lima kilometer.

Tidak dipungut biaya dalam memanfaatkan jasa feeder bus ini. Pemerintah Qatar menyediakan empat puluh dua jalur Doha Free Metrolink yang beroperasi dari jam enam pagi hingga jam sebelas malam.

Jika kalian mau berwisata hemat di Qatar, carilah hotel yang dilalui oleh rute bus ini. Apalagi kalau hotelnya agak jauh dari pusat kota, pasti akan lebih menghemat kantongmu….Hihihi.

Semoga pandemi COVID-19 ini segera berakhi dan kamu bisa segera melancong ke Qatar….Amin.

Kisah Selanjutnya—->