Farewell Dar al Thaqafa
We were sitting in a meeting when two friends rushed in, full of news of the fire down at the Souk al Diraa / Souk al Asseiri, familiarly known as The Fabric Souks. Our friend’s car had been near where the blaze broke out and they had been stuck while the firemen refused to allow her near her car, and finally they moved it out of the way for her, covered with ash and dirty water, but otherwise unharmed.
We all waited breathlessly to hear if the fabric souks were harmed. They weren’t. For such a big blaze, such a long-lasting fire, no lives were lost, no one was hurt, as far as anyone knows.
But in this morning’s paper, I see that while the fire started out a small fire, somehow, it was not contained, and in the clutter and chaos of the older souks, it grew, fed by stacks of stored goods and rubbish.
One of the victims was an old friend of mine – the Dar al Thaqafa. Little Diamond and I would often find treasures there, books you couldn’t find anywhere else. There are other bookstores in this chain, but this one, this Dar al Thaqafa was THE oldest bookstore in Doha, stocking school supplies, children and adult fiction and non-fiction, textbooks and obscure Islamic scholarly works. It was a quiet place, an old fashioned book-store, tucked behind the very tacky toy vender where I once bought both a dancing Osama bin Laden and a dancing Saddam Hussein.
We are sorry to see this old friend go. (They gave me permission to take these photos)
The area was full of small merchants, most of whom I suspect could ill-afford this loss of merchandise and income. I took a photo of an alleyway in the area of the fire (taken in July)
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In a way your move to Doha is fortuitous that you are able to witness and document the transformation of Doha from old seventies building style to the new 21 century city whether by Municipality projects or by fire sweeping through old shops and buildings . The photos you took before are getting valuable day by day
You are so right, in terms of an invaluable and unforgettable experience, watching a country transform so rapidly. When I first came, in January of 2003, I took a panorama of the Doha skyline. I did another this summer, six and a half years later – total difference. You could barely recognize the Doha skyline if you didn’t know the changes.
Some changes – the loss of the Dar al Thaqafa, and the loss of a truly unique building on Karabaa – are sadder.
Oh, what sad news! (tempered slightly by the dancing bin Laden I’m seeing in my mind’s eye …)
Little Diamond – The dancing Bin Laden had music! And cymbals! It was VERY funny. I thought you were with me! Are you in Seattle yet?
I don’t think I was there – I think I was with you on the first shopping trip either before or after that one.
I’m en route 🙂 🙂 🙂 – I’ll be there by tonight!