Ahlan wa Sahlan! Welcome to Doha's traditional marketplace, the "Standing Souq." This market got its name because of the shallowness of the harbor and an inability to dredge it hundreds of years ago. Therefore, ships would anchor out in the deeper water and traders would come in on smaller boats. The Qatari buyers and sellers would spot them coming and hurry out into the water to conduct business with them...standing in the water.
Souq Waqif suffered a major fire in 2003. This actually permitted its modernization during rebuilding, and it reopened in 2008. Even though it looks very old, the buildings are actually rather new. The souq is organically organized so that like businesses are clustered together. This makes it easier for customers to easily and quickly find what they need, at the price that they want to pay.
Here are some of my favorite things to look for: A large photograph of the souq taken in the 1970s, the camel pen, the falcon souq, the spice souq, and the "Majlis Al Dama," a free-to-enter lounge where you can take a rest, have some coffee or tea, and learn how to play damas, a traditional board game similar to checkers.
Also check out the "hamalies" - the older gentlemen with wheelbarrows. You can pay one of these porters to accompany you on your shopping expedition and cart your purchases in his customized wheelbarrow. Some of them like to dye their beards red with henna.
The difficulty rating on this cache refers partly to finding it...and mostly because there are almost always people around. CAREFULLY, STEALTHILY take it to one of the nearby benches to open and sign. I left a pen with the cache. And if you like this cache, please consider giving it a favorite point to encourage me to place and maintain more caches!
FTF: chablewi