Travel industry sources say demand for air travel tickets and holiday tour packages in Qatar is increasing as fears of swine flu decline among the public. An official from a leading travel agency said few people are talking about the swine flu now, and “We have seen an increase in demand for air tickets and our summer package over the past two weeks.”
With the initial outbreak of swine flu many potential tourists chose to stay at home rather than risk exposure to the H1N1 virus. However those infected quickly recovered and people now believe the disease is not as serious or life threatening. The travel industry source said at the beginning of summer there were only a few bookings to usually popular destinations – particularly in Europe, but now the market is returning to normal.
The fifth and current iteration of St. Paul’s Cathedral was consecrated in 1708, but the diocese of St. Paul’s has been in existence since 604AD. After the Great Fire of 1666, the decision was made to rebuild the cathedral from scratch rather than trying to restore the severely damaged Gothic version. The new design, by architect Sir Christopher Wren, was a Greek cross in the Baroque R...
Less known and overshadowed by the Badshahi Mosque, the Wazir Khan Mosque is probably all the more beautiful for its subtlety. This striking mosque was built in the 1630s by the Mughal emperor Shah Jehan. The Mughals were the patrons of the arts and the exquisite tiling on the floors, walls and ceiling of the mosque, is testament to this. The mosque is named after a court physician turned governor...
The Heritage Centre and Museum of Pearl Diving commemorates the culture of pearl diving. From ancient times, Bahrain’s pearls have been famed for their shine and wholesomeness; their sale brought capital to Bahrain till Japan took over the world market with their cultured pearls. The magnificent old court building, made in 1937 and turned into a museum in 1948, is definitely worth a visit. In addi...
The university campus is worth a look for its early 18th century structure and beautiful green campus gardens. Founded in 1789, it was originally run by the country’s first black Jesuit, Father Patrick Healy. At the east gate, the imposing, Flemish style 1879 Healy building is impressive with its tall clock tower. 37th & O Sts NW, Georgetown Tel: (202) 687 6538 (info) Website: ww...