This is a building that I wanted to spend a minute talking about as it fits the description of what I was just mentioning about taking a western idea, and making it into a distinct look that fits the culture. When first looking at this building it quite obviously has a different style to its architecture but there is a reason this building is designed this way. In Qatar the hawk plays an important role in the life of the people in this area. For generations hunting has been a very popular sport to the inhabitants of the peninsula that makes up the nation of Qatar, and here people hunt by using hawks. In traditional Qatari families hawks are passed down from parents to children. This means after many generations hawks being passed down from generation to generation became more than just about sports, and more about familial tradition. It has become such an important part of
Qatar that the hawk now has its portrait on the 500 Qatari Riyal, which is the highest denomination of currency in the country. The photo to the left is a birdhouse. You can find these throughout the city and what they are, are houses for wild birds which can come and go as they please. The most common birds to find in these houses are pigeons and hawks. The birdhouse looks very similar to the skyscraper above, which was designed to look like a traditional Qatari birdhouse.
Beyond that my week has been pretty interesting. It has still been hot averaging about 110 degrees everyday. While I was taking the photos of the downtown area it was so hot that I actually got a sunburn while wearing a shirt! On Wednesday I went down to one of the local colleges and sat in on two of the classes, which was interesting to see the differences and similarities in regards to how a course would be taught and handled in Qatar in comparison to the US.
I also rode a camel out in the desert for the first time this week. Riding camels out there made me feel like I should be in Indiana Jones or something haha. It was a fun experience, and being out there while the wind was whipping the sand around helped me to appreciate why the men in the region traditionally wear Keffiyehs.
I think that is about all I have to say for now. I've been going down to the Souq quite frequently and swimming in the gulf on occasion, and I'm sure I'm forgetting other things, but I can't think of them right now. As far as the future goes I might be going to a traditional Qatari wedding next week, which takes place in tents in the desert. It should be a great experience if I get to go, and I'll keep you all posted if I do. Below I'll put some random photos up like I did last week.
Salam everyone!!
Random Photos
Favorite building |
lol your favorite building looks like a chinese finger trap.
ReplyDeleteLove,
WALLACE