Qatar - I. Falcon festival and Camel race

I have promised to my friends to write about Qatar. Three years of unforgettable experience. However, most of the Qatari people, who are very proud of their country rapid economic growth would be disappointed to see that I'd publish more photos of the desert than of the towers on Corniche. In my humble opinion, the uniqueness of the state is in the people, in their bedu tradition mixed with new technologies.
During my time in Qatar I had the chance to meet many interesting personalities and to enter, to some extent, into the Qatari women's life. I find it amazing. The Western prejudice and ignorance would be quite surprised to realize that under the abbaya there are exceptional women with fantastic brain and impressive courage. None of them will appear on the photos of this blog - I cherish too much their friendship and respect their culture to do it, but my dedication goes fully and entirely to them.

Falcon Festival in the desert

Falcons have accompanied the desert people for centuries. It is the only animal that is permitted to travel in the cabin of Qatar Airways, first class included. Young Qatari boys are given a falcon when they are nearly 5. You can buy one from a special market-place near Souq Waquif in Doha. The training is hard and takes months and years. Live birds, like pigeons, are used for everyday meal. Should never forget you train a predator. Falcons never attach to a human; they just come back for food. The Qatar International Falcon festival under the auspices of HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al -Thani, the Hair Apparent, takes place once a year.

There was a sand storm at the day of the competition, so we had to cover all our face, eyes, nose etc. Normally, Qatari women don't go to this event. Being a foreigner sometimes is an advantage...

 

The driver Kamal with a kid on his lap and Dani's falcon

Qatari boys staring at another hunting falcon

Sun and sand

Camel race

There are camels for everything - to eat, to travel, to compete. Those you see on the pics are especially trained and nourished for the race. The doll on their back is an electric device with a whip. The owner drives his Toyota Land-Cruiser nearby with the remote control. Small kids used to ride the camels during the race before, but not any longer. The prize for the last year winner was a new Bentley and for the next five participants - BMW X6. The rest of the finalists received "only" Toyotas.

 

 

Start

 

 

the Race

 

 and after...