Qatar – A Future Global Hotspot

Have you been to Gulf? How is Dubai? Heard there are big malls, beaches, restaurants, nightlife, and of course how can one forget the Desert Safari? The questions and anxiety from the people we know are never ending. Since many years, the glamor of Gulf has been just restricted to one place –Dubai, and there are reasons for it. In the last two decades, Dubai has made a remarkable transformation from a sandy desert to a global hotspot. Now, if I go into the reasons for it, this blog will turn into a biography.

Today, with communication being made easy and new technology coming in, the world has come closer and so people are becoming more aware about the countries that are developing. One such country that has come out from scratch is Qatar. This country was once nothing but a sandy desert and one could see nothing but sand spreading miles away. However, today, the Qatar Government under the leadership of HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar is trying every possible thing to bring the country onto the World map.

The vision is simple and clear – To establish Qatar as a strong cultural heritage destination and at the same time making it a tourist hotspot. Katara is the first step towards that goal. The main aim behind promoting Katara as cultural village is to bring people from various cultural backgrounds under one roof, where they can trounce the backward belief and promote humanity in a new way. Gone are the days when Qatar and the other Gulf countries lived under the shadow of Dubai – a premier global hotspot in the last two decades. Today, with the influx of new ideas and the change in the mindset of the people, Qatar is certainly catching the attention of the world and the day is not far when it will become the Las Vegas of the Middle East!!

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4 Finest International Restaurants in Katara village

Katara is a global cultural center located in Qatar. Besides the regular events in opera and performing arts, there are a lot of international restaurantscatering to native gastronomy from countries around the world.

Each of the 12 restaurants available try and cater to a nation’s local cuisines by replicating the taste and being as authentic as possible. The chefs use authentic ingredients so as to reproduce the taste and enhance the taste buds of thousands of people who throng the place on a regular basis.

Let us take a look at some of the restaurants along with their specialties in Katara:

1) Saffron Lounge: 

An authentic Indian restaurant in qatar that caters to traditional Indian food full of spice and variety.  Tickle the taste buds with the tingling taste of chicken tikka, murgh gosht, and a variety of other traditional Indian dishes that will make your mouth water and ask you for more.

2) Mamig-Armenian: 

Enjoy a delightful combination of Armenian and Lebanese cuisines at Mamig-Armenian. The items on the menu are prepared by native Armenian and Lebanese chefs.  Along with this, you can enjoy the scenic location as you dine on traditional items of the Middle East and it is best Armenian lebanese restaurant in Qatar.

3) L’wzaar Seafood Market:

One of the finest Seafood restaurant in qatar, L’wzaar seafood market is a restaurant for people who like to tuck in on the most authentic and taste the best in seafood cuisine.  Classic Mediterranean and Japanese are some of the cuisines which are served here. With over 50 different varieties of seafood dishes being served here, why go anywhere else?

4)Sukar Pasha Ottoman Lounge:

Turkish: Blend in the Ottoman culture, literally! At Sukar Pasha Ottoman Lounge, you can bask in the glory of the past.  It gives you a chance to relive the rich Turkish culture in style. Enjoy delectable Turkish dishes with an extensive variety of flavored tobaccos. 

The above restaurants offer you the finest dining possibility in Katara. Be it with family, friends, or even an official dinner, you are sure to enjoy every moment spent in Katara.

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Tucking Into Global Cuisine At Katara

A foodie knows no fussiness. A foodie will enjoy any cuisine served to him with delight. At Katara, we bring to you the world cuisine on your platter, literally!

The restaurant area is a curtain raiser for countries who want to showcase their unique culinary skills to all those who are eager to delight their taste buds with original flavors and authentic cuisines.

So whenever you have a fetish for any cuisine, just come to Katara and we’ll make sure that you get to tuck in the choicest of cuisines from many restaurants that are located here.

Here are some of the cuisines that you can look forward to:

1) Indian cuisine: 

Like its culture, Indian cuisine too is diverse and varied. Whether it’s the spicy vegetable and chicken delicacies from the north or the famous fish rice from the east. We assure you of a great time here as you tuck in multiple taste of a diverse culture like India.

2) Lebanese cuisine:

Lebanese cuisine primarily consists of starch based products, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It also has various forms of fish and seafood. Meat is less popular in the region and the cuisine has a lot of flavoring which is unique in taste. The place brings the Middle East and Mediterranean region into limelight.

3) Spanish cuisine:

Yet another Mediterranean dominated region, seafood is extremely popular here. The country is known to use most oil among all regions in Europe. A variety of vegetables and meat are also an integral part of their cuisine.

4) Chinese cuisine:

Chinese cuisine is famous all over the world. It is easy to make, it’s affordable and is tasty to eat as well.  There are various versions of it which are created keeping the local flavor in mind.

5) Mexican cuisine:

Mexican cuisine is a fusion of Spanish as well as Mesoamerican food. The staple diet consists of beans, corn and chili pepper. From the European culture, they received the legacy of meat which includes beef, chicken, pork, sheep and goat along with dairy products such as cheese and different spices and herbs.

There are various other cuisines such as Italian, Thai, French, etc. which are equally popular and famous all across the world. At Katara, get the choicest of cuisines without having to travel to that country under one roof.

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The Global Village Called Katara

Katara is a project initialized by HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the state of Qatar. The project was conceptualized on the basis of hope for human interaction through art and cultural exchange.

At Katara, the emphasis is laid on the importance of diversity in human culture. It is a place where people come together to experience different cultures from across the world.  It has beautiful theatres and concert halls where multi-cultural activities are conducted regularly.

The vision behind the idea of Katara was to make it a lighthouse of art, given the fact that Middle East was globalizing in every sense through theatre, literature, music, visual art, conventions as well as exhibitions.

The village is expected to give the world a glimpse of the future where people of different cultural backgrounds overcome their national boundaries and embrace various forms of art to promote global humanity.

Katara derived its name from ‘Catara’ an ancient name of the Qatar peninsula in geographical as well as historical maps.  A famous geographer, Claudius Ptolemaeus published this map first in 882 AD and later on the same map appeared in the historical atlas of Islam.

Qatari history has given the legacy of a rich cultural and educational wealth which is being used as a catalyst to promote global modernization by bringing people from across the world to connect on a common platform at a global level.

At Katara, our vision is to be a global leader for multi-cultural activities by contributing to the achievement of Qatar National Vision 2030. We are solely dedicated to nurture social development through art and cultural exchange.  Our aspiration is to bring a community of creative and innovative people together who are knowledgeable about the global cultures.    

Katara is an ever-evolving global village which believes in nurturing peace and understanding at a global level. We believe in engaging friendly and likeminded people at a global level for exchanging of different cultures across the world.
We are also proud of our national heritage and respect all cultures across the world. Let’s get together and make the world a harmonious place to live in.

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The First Turkish Festival On The Cards!!

 http://www.katara.net/english/event/the-first-turkish-festival/

Not many of us are aware, but Qatar and Turkey share a unique bond. To commemorate this special relationship between the two countries, Katara is organizing a three-day event from 9 April to 12 April. In order to promote Turkish culture, there’ll be exhibitions and performances to salute the spirit of people living in the country. The event will not just showcase Turkish history but also highlight the modern day aspects of Turkey. The event is sure to witness a huge amount of people right from the VIPs, to the expats, to the local crowd and everyone else. Even students, Qatari families and ambassadors from adjoining nations will be seen in the event. Delegates and government officials will also form an important part of the event.

One of the major attractions in this scenario is that such an event is being held for the first time in Qatar. This is apparently the first event that is being held as a tribute to the Turkish culture. This nation’s culture has experienced drastic alterations over the last few centuries. At present, Turkey may be regarded as the only nation to contain a blend of both eastern and western culture. This event will not just showcase the ancient days when the Ottoman Empire ruled, but even the modern day changes that have been witnessed in the nation. Turkey has had a wide range of rulers and nations invading it which gave it the distinctive and unique culture that the country cherishes in every way.

So, come and see the two cultures inspire and celebrate each other’s tradition and modern day features. Do you still need more reasons to attend this festival?

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Al Dabke Festival – A Salute To This Culture

http://www.katara.net/english/program-tickets/

Al Dabke is a form of dance performed by the Arab people and it has a huge cultural significance. Originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, this form of dance involves people forming up a line and dancing to the tunes of rhythmic beats. The line moves from right to the left and the head of the line faces the other dancers and audience periodically. This kind of dance is generally performed on happy occasions and marriages.

This event to be held at Katara is particularly a kind of commemoration and a salute to this ancient form of dance. More than 20,000 people will be coming all the way to witness the occasion. Katara aims to spread awareness about this ancient folk dance among all the expats and Arabs residing in Qatar. They are also aiming to get a place at the Guiness World Records as the highest Dabke gathering ever witnessed in any country. The idea is to showcase the art, its diversity and significance all across Qatar, through exhibitions, workshops and 3 shows at the Amphitheater and many more events as well.

The Al Dabke festival will be organized from 3 April to 5 April. After all, it’s time to pay tribute to one of the oldest forms of Arabic dance that have evolved drastically all through the years. By organizing this festival, Katara salutes the spirit and positivity that the performance tags along. This type of dance is also well known in areas such as Jordan, Palestine, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria.

Going down the memory lane, this kind of dance was performed as a means to keep the atmosphere at work happy and spirited. In ancient days, the roofs of houses were built using wood, dirt and straws. To bring about uniformity in the construction, this kind of rhythmic dance was performed.

So are you ready to witness this beautiful form of dance?

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Delicious Egyptian Foods – Appetizing And Rich

There are many delicious Egyptian meals that will tempt you to visit an Egyptian restaurant in Qatar or any other place. Mentioned below are such mouth-watering delicacies belonging to the expansive Egyptian culture.

1.Gibna Domiati – Gibna Domiati is nothing but cheese produced from buffalo milk. It is loaded in cans and every family has a can or two at its disposal. It is made in a city at the north of Egypt and is included in a number of dishes as well.

2.Konafah – This dish consists of thin noodles that are heated in a plate till they become firm. Once firm they are mixed with oil or butter and then garnished with whipped cream, nuts and fruit syrup. The origin of this dish is unknown.

3.Kushari- This dish is a mix of pasta, rice, lentils, tomato, garlic, onions and chick peas. It is one of the most popular lunch time foods for people in Egypt. Surprisingly, the dish came into existence through the British Army when they invaded the Egyptian province.

4.Feseekh – This is one of the most traditional dishes of the country and is eaten during festivals. It primarily consists of a dried and salted gray mullet. The fish should first be dried after which salt is added. The preparation process is very crucial as any wrong ingredient or flavor can make the dish poisonous.

5.Halawa – Halawa is a famous dish in the Mediterranean region. It is composed of sesame paste and is available in various forms such as blocks, energy bars, spreads and so on. Generally, pistachios and other kinds of nuts are used to garnish the item.
                                
These are the top 5 Egyptian food items. So have you tried them? Which one is your favorite?     

http://www.katara.net/english/the-village/restaurants/khan-farouk-tarab-cafe/

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