All purpose ‘Going to Qatar’ thread

[Free kick]

 

[red card]

On 11/14/2022 at 1:57 PM, red card said:

A must visit. But expect slow service as your waiter rolls around before taking your order.

 

So, this was actually a Concacaf creation. 

 

https://www.concacaf.com/concacafe

 

[Kimpero]

So, how's everyone who travelled to the "World Cup" liked Qatar? Where can one catch the best beheadings? Any fun stories related to being manhandled for wearing a rainbow?

Oh I completely forgot. Those plastic tents sure look tempting! I hope it's been a relaxing time in those. What's better than flying half across the world to pay $200 per night for Fyre Festival-like conditions set up by slaves!

Edited December 1, 2022 by Kimpero

[Joe1973]

On 12/1/2022 at 6:14 PM, Kimpero said:

So, how's everyone who travelled to the "World Cup" liked Qatar? Where can one catch the best beheadings? Any fun stories related to being manhandled for wearing a rainbow?

Oh I completely forgot. Those plastic tents sure look tempting! I hope it's been a relaxing time in those. What's better than flying half across the world to pay $200 per night for Fyre Festival-like conditions set up by slaves!

How many beheading? I lost track after the 34th beheading I witnessed in front of me, so I apologize if I can't give you a more accurate number.

Why mention beheading? Cause they are Muslims? Cause they are Arabs? The funniest thing about your post is that while you seem to be enjoying the smell of your own fart by thinking you wrote a self righteous post, you don't realize how racist and xenophobic you sound. 

So I'll answer you in hope of you accepting a bit of humility, but won't hold my breath. It's been an incredible experience, a trip of a lifetime, met terrific fellow Canadians, terrific fans from around the world, terrific locals, drank alcohol practically every day, heard and enjoyed all types of music and dances from around this region (around the stadium particularly was spectacular), and fulfilled a bucket list of watching Canada play at a World Cup they qualified for.

Does that give you an idea how things went here my friend?

Cheers 

[Kimpero]

3 hours ago, Joe1973 said:

How many beheading? I lost track after the 34th beheading I witnessed in front of me, so I apologize if I can't give you a more accurate number.

Why mention beheading? Cause they are Muslims? Cause they are Arabs? The funniest thing about your post is that while you seem to be enjoying the smell of your own fart by thinking you wrote a self righteous post, you don't realize how racist and xenophobic you sound. 

So I'll answer you in hope of you accepting a bit of humility, but won't hold my breath. It's been an incredible experience, a trip of a lifetime, met terrific fellow Canadians, terrific fans from around the world, terrific locals, drank alcohol practically every day, heard and enjoyed all types of music and dances from around this region (around the stadium particularly was spectacular), and fulfilled a bucket list of watching Canada play at a World Cup they qualified for.

Does that give you an idea how things went here my friend?

Cheers 

Sounds disgusting. Qataris are racist and you chose to believe their propaganda and contributed to their racist beliefs and stone age ways. Your enjoyment was made possible by the systematic abuse of people that Qataris don't consider to be worthy of even the most basic human rights.

There's blood on their hands, and you choose to turn a blind eye for the sake of a game. Pathetic.

[Free kick]

9 hours ago, Joe1973 said:

 

So I'll answer you in hope of you accepting a bit of humility, but won't hold my breath. It's been an incredible experience, a trip of a lifetime, met terrific fellow Canadians, terrific fans from around the world, terrific locals, drank alcohol practically every day, heard and enjoyed all types of music and dances from around this region (around the stadium particularly was spectacular), and fulfilled a bucket list of watching Canada play at a World Cup they qualified for.

Does that give you an idea how things went here my friend?

Cheers 

I have to concur entirely.  It's an experience that any soccer fan should experience.  The was a great comradery and openness from the fans from all over the world.  The locals were also accommodating and respectful to people who came from different cultures.   Playing the entire world cup in essentially one city really worked and has it's benefits.   I doubt that you can replicate this in North America where everything is so spread out.   Playing in North America will have its share of other benefits.    

Edited December 4, 2022 by Free kick

[maplebanana]

5 hours ago, Free kick said:

I have to concur entirely.  It's an experience that any soccer fan should experience.  The was a great comradery and openness from the fans from all over the world.  The locals were also accommodating and respectful to people who came from different cultures.   Playing the entire world cup in essentially one city really worked and has it's benefits.   I doubt that you can replicate this in North America where everything is so spread out.   Playing in North America will have its share of other benefits.    

I'd also like to point out how pleased I was with the accommodations! I was worried it would be a little Fyre Fest-y, but our apartment ended up being even nicer than advertised, really well run, and had so much fun meeting new roommates. Heard a lot of good things about the simple but fun fan villages and dorms too (less so the tents). 

Was so great to meet so many of you, even if I didn't end up meeting as many as I'd hoped. There were just so many of us! And a great environment just talking soccer with various people around the world. 

Metro ... THIS way!

[Free kick]

36 minutes ago, maplebanana said:

I'd also like to point out how pleased I was with the accommodations! I was worried it would be a little Fyre Fest-y, but our apartment ended up being even nicer than advertised, really well run, and had so much fun meeting new roommates. Heard a lot of good things about the simple but fun fan villages and dorms too (less so the tents). 

Was so great to meet so many of you, even if I didn't end up meeting as many as I'd hoped. There were just so many of us! And a great environment just talking soccer with various people around the world. 

Metro ... THIS way!

Yes, All the appliances were brand new, the apartments were roomy, there was some room service, and we had all the amenities that we could have wanted.   And for what I paid, it would have been impossible to find a hotel that was better overall.  In fact, one could have paid 4-5 times more at a hotel and not have had better conditions.    The staff never missed a chance to greet us and say hi.  

Unfortunately, people who weren't so lucky were the ones who opted for the fan cabins in the desert.  But it sounds like that that eventually got resolved.  

PS.:   The thing I wont miss is those damn "snaking fences/queues" that were all over the metro stations and various venues.   The ones that make you walk 100 metre instead of a direct 10 meters to an entrance.  They were enforcing them even when there was no one else around.  

 

Metro man gives amusing directions to fans at World Cup in Qatar (yahoo.com)

Edited December 4, 2022 by Free kick

[Free kick]

 

 

 

[Free kick]

 

 

[Free kick]

 

This, best illustrates the frustration with the queues   

Edited December 4, 2022 by Free kick

[Joe1973]

2 hours ago, Free kick said:

   The thing I wont miss is those damn "snaking fences/queues" that were all over the metro stations and various venues.

I keep swearing at those queues! Just in between one right now leaving AL Bayt. But I realize that I lost weight through all those queues lol. Girlfriend will be happy when I get back loll long live the endless snaking queues! 🤣

[SoCalTransport]

8 hours ago, Free kick said:

 

This, best illustrates the frustration with the queues   

@Free kick Overall did you enjoy the experience of being at the World Cup?

I had a cruise booked with Azamara to be there but the Qatar part got cancelled, when they banned boats docking during the world cup. I regret not making other arrangements, the proximity of all the stadiums made it unique and easier to catch multiple matches.

[Markoaleks]

For those that attended the WC- this article really does a good job summarizing the event IMO

I felt this article is spot on from our experience in Doha- 

Funny side bar- there is a photo of 2 Welsh lads in the article, met them one afternoon at the Red Lion. They are from Swansea and when asked us about MLS- they could not believe our closest Derby opponent is Montreal ( TFC guy here) and 6 hours away- for them, it is 50km away 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/qatar-the-strangest-sports-event-ive-ever-reported-on-w28mr9r0n

[Free kick]

That article seems to be behind a pay wall so I only could read the first paragraph or two.  
 

In response to @SoCalTransport. Yeah it was excellent.  Our accommodations were great,  the experience was great.  I already mentioned the amount of walking and the grub in another thread.  There were a lot of crowds everywhere and the metro could get packed.  
 

regarding the stadiums.  The stadiums were not bad but when you just look at the pictures you are going to think that these are extravagant pieces of architecture, opulence and comfort.   But pictures can deceive.  Inside this stadiums, you realize that there is no scoreboard (only a giant screen),  the concourse are more narrow, more spartan looking,  and have fewer amenities than BMO field.   There were no escalators anywhere.  The facade of these stadium,  that looks so great in pictures,  is really just a wire mesh that gives it the spectacular look from a far.    This made me realize that,  aside from the ridiculously low capacity,  BMO field is really pretty good for 2026 if compared to Qatar stadiums.

 

PS.:  Khalifa Stadium, which was built in 1976,  was actually the best one of all.  Where Can-Cro was played.  I saw two other stadiums:  Ahmad Bin Ali and Education City stadium.

Edited December 5, 2022 by Free kick

[Markoaleks]

If I can get this unpaywalled will try to post it 

if I can’t, the basic premise of the author was that the event was very antiseptic, hard to get the real “pulse” of Qatar since all the people working events were non-Qatari’s and concluded with the author leaving the country and still not being sure he understood/knows Qatar better after spending time in the country 

[Free kick]

34 minutes ago, Markoaleks said:

If I can get this unpaywalled will try to post it 

if I can’t, the basic premise of the author was that the event was very antiseptic, hard to get the real “pulse” of Qatar since all the people working events were non-Qatari’s and concluded with the author leaving the country and still not being sure he understood/knows Qatar better after spending time in the country 

Some of the accommodations offering (where many of us were staying) were very much integrated into an existing community and neighbourhood.  So i can only partially concur with the author on that.   So we did get to interact somewhat with the community and the people.  The people were all expats from south Asia, Nepal etc.   if you went shopping and to the grocery store,  then you certainly got a feel that this was a different environment.  For, people like media and others,  they were likely in those areas like where the Hilton (ie Canada house events) was and that certainly didn’t feel like a foreign country.  

Edited December 5, 2022 by Free kick

[maplebanana]

1 hour ago, Free kick said:

Some of the accommodations offering (where many of us were staying) were very much integrated into an existing community and neighbourhood.  So i can only partially concur with the author on that.   So we did get to interact somewhat with the community and the people.  The people were all expats from south Asia, Nepal etc.   if you went shopping and to the grocery store,  then you certainly got a feel that this was a different environment.  For, people like media and others,  they were likely in those areas like where the Hilton (ie Canada house events) was and that certainly didn’t feel like a foreign country.  

Yeah, we were out in Al Sadd and did some exploring in that area, which is semi-far from the stadiums (other than Khalifa). The people we met that weren't working in the apartments were expats from south Asia, but that's actually pretty common in Qatar. Only 12% of Qatar are Qatari citizens. But seeing men and women in traditional garb, hearing the morning call to prayer, etc was nice to see. Plus I got to see the falconry store districts in the Souq Waqif. All around, a very worthwhile trip, Canada results notwithstanding. 

I don't know what the WC will be like in 2026 in Toronto/Vancouver, but I suspect it won't catch the same festival atmosphere as we had in Doha, just because the tournament is all spread out. It makes me wish for a more centralized tournament in 2030 onwards. But I don't know which geographically small country could absorb 48 countries fans. 

[Free kick]

6 minutes ago, maplebanana said:

Yeah, we were out in Al Sadd and did some exploring in that area, which is semi-far from the stadiums (other than Khalifa). The people we met that weren't working in the apartments were expats from south Asia, but that's actually pretty common in Qatar. Only 12% of Qatar are Qatari citizens. But seeing men and women in traditional garb, hearing the morning call to prayer, etc was nice to see. Plus I got to see the falconry store districts in the Souq Waqif. All around, a very worthwhile trip, Canada results notwithstanding. 

I don't know what the WC will be like in 2026 in Toronto/Vancouver, but I suspect it won't catch the same festival atmosphere as we had in Doha, just because the tournament is all spread out. It makes me wish for a more centralized tournament in 2030 onwards. But I don't know which geographically small country could absorb 48 countries fans. 

It was quite an experience to be a soccer stadium and prayer sessions break out in middle of the game.  At halftime,  the concourse was full of people with their mats in the concourse having their prayer sessions.  Equally,  there would be prayer sessions in the middle of the day if you were out and about in the town.  The merchants would close their shops (so if you were in a coffee shop, you had to leave) and the sidewalks would lined with people.  

[Free kick]

1 hour ago, maplebanana said:

I don't know what the WC will be like in 2026 in Toronto/Vancouver, but I suspect it won't catch the same festival atmosphere as we had in Doha, just because the tournament is all spread out. It makes me wish for a more centralized tournament in 2030 onwards. But I don't know which geographically small country could absorb 48 countries fans. 

An eye opener for me was the Fan Fests.  I attending the one in Cornish.  I never thought that they could be so interesting.  I now know and understand why their (FIFA) technical evaluations for host cities include a section and evaluation of Fan Fest activities.   Its a big part of the event.  There was giant screens outside in one spot,  live music event  in the same location.  But i am sceptical that when it comes to 2026, that you could make this as something worthwhile attending if it were held in Toronto.   Those events were packed with people and over managed as it was.  Yet that was in a city like Doha.  Imagine in a place like Toronto or Vancouver?  In Toronto it would be a nightmare getting in an out of there.  As if it wasnt bad enough in Doha.   Canadians love free stuff and large masses will converge at any event thats free so I can see that in canada,  you would have to charge a fee for attending that kind stuff.   I would probably stay away in order to avoid the aggravation.   Toronto has been rated as the highest score by FiFA for Fan fest,  so its not the sites that missing,  its the transport and commuting infrastructure thats lacking.

Edited December 5, 2022 by Free kick

[Markoaleks]

@Free kick Interesting take re Fan Fest- the group I was with all felt underwhelmed by the overall  fan fest experience. We also were wondering how Toronto or Vancouver could find a place of that scale in either city to host something similar in scope to what Doha had.  Doha fan fest footprint was massive! 
First world problem to be honest😀  I was in Doha for 2 weeks and went to fan fest a couple of times solely just to have some beers with my son - not to experience any of the other aspects of fan fest 

[maplebanana]

@Markoaleks @Free kick I thought the fan fest was pretty cool for what it was. Fun atmosphere to watch a game, but man was it a pain to get into and especially out of. Not sure about Vancouver, but Toronto could probably set up something like this at Downsview. It was basically like a concert all day, every day. I would also assume that hosting only 5 games in the whole tournament would mean a much smaller number of traveling fans to Toronto, meaning the Fan Fest wouldn't have to be as large as it was in Doha. I'm not sure though - has anyone been to another more traditional world cup and can comment on the de-centralization aspect? Qatar2022 is my only experience with going to a World Cup, and I imagine it's kind of similar to a summer Olympics feel. 

[Free kick]

Its was living hell getting out of there.  I set daily records on my fitbit.  Very frustrating.  

 

 

PS.: My Fitbit states that on the day I went to the fan fest at Cornish, I completed 26,346 steps.  I shattered all kinds of records in Doha.   On the day of the Canada- Croatia game,  i completed 23,771 steps with that insane walk they made us endure from the stadium to the subway.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Free kick

[JamboAl]

4 hours ago, Free kick said:

Its was living hell getting out of there.  I set daily records on my fitbit.  Very frustrating.  

Following on this, I’m surprised no one has said: “thank goodness they didn’t hold this in July/August”.  Those 1 or 4 pm kick offs with the long walks (I’m looking at you Al Thummama) might have killed people in 45-50 C heat.

[Unnamed Trialist]

16 hours ago, maplebanana said:

Yeah, we were out in Al Sadd and did some exploring in that area, which is semi-far from the stadiums (other than Khalifa). The people we met that weren't working in the apartments were expats from south Asia, but that's actually pretty common in Qatar. Only 12% of Qatar are Qatari citizens. But seeing men and women in traditional garb, hearing the morning call to prayer, etc was nice to see. Plus I got to see the falconry store districts in the Souq Waqif. All around, a very worthwhile trip, Canada results notwithstanding. 

I don't know what the WC will be like in 2026 in Toronto/Vancouver, but I suspect it won't catch the same festival atmosphere as we had in Doha, just because the tournament is all spread out. It makes me wish for a more centralized tournament in 2030 onwards. But I don't know which geographically small country could absorb 48 countries fans. 

For 2030 there is a Spain-Portugal bid, which they have tacked Ukraine onto. So that is a relatively small geography, ignoring the Ukraine part, which seems gratuitous.

Spain is a 24/7 fan fest already, you don't have to organise any sort of public viewing because with a bar for every few hundred inhabitants, you are set. I am half joking only: people are still sitting in outdoor patios, they will set up a tv in front of their bar and people have dinner or drink and watch. As I am near the centre of Barcelona and near a lively avenue, I have been living in a fan fest for half my life.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist