Hushed Horizon: Dhows on Doha Bay's Ramadan Sunset

Friday afternoon, 4 pm, the Souq was remarkably still, marking the first Friday of Ramadan, the profound quiet spoke volumes. It wasn't just empty, it was a hushed reverence, reflecting the deep spiritual rhythm of Doha and its people embracing this sacred time.

The “Golden Thumb” stands alone in Souq Waqif. https://souqwaqif.qa/ar/main-home-ar/

Two's company, and what grand company it's been today by the pool just relaxing! But now, relaxation has given way to the eager anticipation of adventure. We're in transit, heading on foot towards the meeting point for our early evening sunset trip around the bay of Doha on one of those beautiful dhows. 

The excitement is building as we bask in the late afternoon warmth. The guide gathers us together, about thirty in total, and like a flock of sheep, we follow him to the boat. Clambering aboard, we find ourselves a seat on a makeshift top deck, which even has a carpeted floor, we effectively plonk our selves down on garden furniture!

Smiling at each other, we couldn't help but reflect on recent boat trips in Australia where we'd been addressed with authoritative, clear safety instructions in case of... well, anything. That simply wasn't going to happen this time, we both chuckled as we sat back and waited, watching the crew cast off. 

The Museum of Islamic Art https://mia.org.qa/ar/

The water, a constant shimmering of ripples, laps softly against the pristinely formed and quite elegant walls of the recently built Museum of Islamic Art which opened its doors in 2008. 

We were soon underway and as we set out an unofficial race unfolded as dhows seemed to compete for the upper hand, leaving the harbour and heading across the bay. Each captain pressed on ahead towards the skyscrapers of the modern side of the city, like a dash for a coveted prize.

Across the bay, the city was still sharp in the daylight, yet a soft haze began to whisper across the distant skyline as the sun began its proper descent into the western sky. The journey towards sunset truly upon us.

As we carried on, the sun really started to drop from the sky and those impressive Doha buildings just seemed to get bigger and bigger. Every minute, the changing light offered a totally different view, difficult to capture with a camera, but you could definitely notice the change. 

As the sun began to properly set, there was a slight chill in the air, the light turning translucent as darkness crept in. The sun, was now scorching both the water and the sky, preparing the world ready for nightfall. 

Then, as it went dark, the city across the bay came alive with lights, what a spectacular transformation!

As we headed back to land, our faces were mirroring the smiles of everyone else, leaving that serene 'Hushed Horizon' as the sunset on the Persian waters finally became yet another memory to be cherished. 

Thank you, Qatar, Doha, it’s been a truly lovely few days under the Persian sky.

Next stop Sri Lanka!