Traditions + Arts + Crafts = Souq Waqif

I love arts and crafts, though I don't have any formal lessons on arts and crafting I really appreciates them much. For me arts and crafts doesn't only requires that you have a good hand or imagination, its more on heart that working toward a masterpiece. Arts and crafts require time and passion, I always wanted to do arts and crafting and to learn how to be good at it, but for now I need to start step by step. I'm really passionately in love in colors, designs, textures, etc. One of my goal this year is to at least learn and try how to paint and DIY crafts.

I spent my weekend with my cousins invading the Spring Festival at Souq Waqif. I love to be in Waqif, feeling ko nasa ibang era ako, you know how much I like vintage stuffs and classic interiors. Likewise, you can see how the locals love and proud about their culture and traditions despite of the modern age and technology. 

Qatar is not only rich in oil and good income its also rich in arts, crafts and culture. Let me share with you some of the things that really captured my eyes and interests.

Henna is a temporary tattoo that dyes the skin for several weeks. Henna is made of dried plants and made into paste adding essential oil. It is applied using cone plastic bottle, toothpicks or sometimes spatula.
Permanent tattoos in the Muslim world are greatly frowned upon, by having henna tattoos they are not violating Muslim traditions.
Henna tattoo is commonly seen to young girls to add some glamor and to adult women during and after their wedding ceremony. Men do not consider having henna tattoo as it is something feminine and something sensual.
I tried henna tattoo before and I am willing to try it again than having a permanent inked that is painful, costly and lifetime.

Like any other Arab countries, Qatar has so many delicacies though I'm not sure if its only the same of others. I've been to Dubai before in one of their heritage place also and tasted some of their native sweets. I just tasted that they love sugar more than we do in our country.
I don't know how they call it (in the picture) but its like a pan cake - there is a mixture of flour and they will just put it on a hot pan and after a minute or two, you have it. And its tasted good, not that sweet compare to other of its kind. You better try their sweets, its authentic that only Arab countries have!

As you walk at the Souq Waqif you will passing by a lot of these chairs. I guess its an Arab mark also, before I only seen them in movies and some trade fair. Though most of the restaurants here in Doha adapted already some modern interiors, you can still find some that really preserves using Arabic designs fabric and some of them are weave using hands and not looming machines.

I took several look and even got myself closer to it, wood + metals = perfect combination talaga. See kung gaano pinagbuhusan ng oras at pagod just to create a door. Hmmm kung bibilhin mo siguro ito mahal talaga.

Come to think of it, incorporating these old or antique into your modern house, ganda siguro pero for sure interior pa lang or architectural mahal na.

Remember this guys usually sa mga books na lang natin ito makikita or even nga sa mga constructions sa Pilipinas we seldom use this kind but here in Souq Waqif you can see a lot of vendor using it. They use it in transportaing their goods from one store to another sympre sa loob lang ng Souq Waqif lang naman.

I'm happy seeing a handicraft center here and talagang babalikan ko sya. I love crafting and DIY-ing, super nakakrelax. According to one psychologist that I know, one must engage into a hobby like crafting kasi nga yun ang outlet mo to release stress, hindi naman ako sporty kaya buti na lang binigay ni Lord na maging interest ko ang art (arte-artehan..hehehe) and crafting...gusto ko yung mga nagkuku-kutkot at naggugu-gupit ako.

Ceramic painted and according to my cousin, its lamp daw..o di ba nice kapag ikaw ang nagpaint or nagdesign ng sarili mong lamp.

Super naexcite talaga ako nung makita ko itong mga hand weaved carpet na ito. I've been looking for sometimes nang ganito pero bihira mo na syang makikita sa mga mall.
See how they incorporated colors on each piece...hays gusto ko lahat ng designs talaga

I asked this pink carpet, though I already expected na mahal sya pero mas mahal sya sa iniisip ko. According kay ate na Pilipina pala ^__^ usually ang pinakamura nila is 1,000+QR and take note depende pa yun sa size ha...pero sa mga collectors for sure they will really invest on it.

Even here in Qatar they also have native products, I don't know nga lang from what materials they are made of pero ang gaganda rin ng design nila di ba.

This set will be good at your wooden table in your patio or garden or if you have a "kubo" in your house or if the interior of your house is summery.

I had a good time being in Souq Waqif again, at least this time nakita ko ng mabuti itong mga items na ito. I mean kasi nga dati kapag nagpupunta ako madilim na though may ilaw naman hindi ko sya ganoon maappreciate but last Friday wala man akong nabili sulit ang mga mata ko and I really do enjoyed!
So guys if you're planning to take vacation here in Qatar don't miss to put Souq Waqif in your itinerary .