Introducing Doha

It’s rare to see a great city in the making these days. It would be misleading to represent Doha as a latter-day New York: much of the new development has been given a heart but hasn’t yet acquired a soul. But that will come as more people flock to Doha, fascinated by the coverage it received during the Asian Games of 2006 and bringing with them the atmosphere that puts the ‘city’ into the buildings. Or should that be Buildings, with a capital ‘B’, for these new goliaths capture the intangible sense of growth and prosperity, optimism and vision you feel when walking around old souqs and new malls alike, or while watching Doha families strolling the grounds of the city’s opulent resorts. ‘Watch this space’ might have been a good motto for Doha a few years ago; ‘enjoy this space’ is probably a better motto for today as the city begins to fill its own shoes, leaving plenty of gorgeous green spots to kick off your own.