The beaches of Qatar: with a veil, for men or 'without restrictions' for 30 euros...

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• Qatar 2022 All about the World Cup

"My friend, my friend!!".

Shouts break the silence early in the morning on the

promenade .

Taking off your shoes to step on the sand and approach the shore of this tiny cove has caused the alarm of one of the hundreds of employees who appear every few meters, like an army in search of a cigarette butt.

Most are African, from

, like the security employees.

Migrants, more than 80% of the population in

, are divided by ethnicity and sectors.

Mostly,

in hospitality and technology,

in domestic service,

, citizens of

and

in construction...

"

," he insists, as he bows his head.

When asked where it is possible to do it, she points to the skyscrapers, the financial city and the big towers, among which is the Qatar Energy tower.

At the end she spots a giant pyramid.

"You can swim there, on the beaches next to

," she explains.

"Don't you?" she asked.

Smile.

When I say goodbye, she asks me: "

".

I smile.

THE MOST EXCLUSIVE HOTEL

The Corniche ends at the pyramid, after about 40 minutes on foot in which

are avoided , 'checkpoints' in peacetime under umbrellas where only good faces are found.

They are well educated.

Westerners are not asked at the entrance to this exclusive hotel.

You have to go through a wide hall to get to the path to the beach.

They offer a

.

The salary that, according to what the employee of the promenade told me, he earns in a week.

It will be a coffee.

The path is long, between jasmine, jacuzzis and colored cocktails.

In the arena a young lady awaits at a small counter.

She speaks Spanish but she doesn't want to say if she is Spanish.

She is haughty and 'fashion', very goddess.

She is not there to give towels.

She shows the dataphone that she is carrying in her hand and blurts out: "It's 100 riyals."

About

, yes, with a hammock.

When asked where it is possible to bathe without paying, she answers without looking: "

".

Further north is Doha's most exclusive spot, a peninsula of luxury.

It gets its name not only because of its shape, but because before the hydrocarbon era, the bay was known to the Turks and British for its

and was frequented by pearl divers in the wooden boats that still anchor there. although now to walk tourists.

The entrance to

, a boulevard of barely 200 meters, has two car dealerships.

On the left,

;

on the right,

.

An Asturian grandmother desperately pursues her granddaughter between yachts who answers in English: "

".

I ask him about the beach and he answers that her daughter has been in Doha for 12 years, she runs a hotel and she's not going back because

and doesn't pay taxes.

What a great country ours.

"And the beach?" I insist.

She gets serious and tells me: "You have to go through those buildings."

Upon arrival, two security employees, also Africans, stop me: "Only residents".

To the same question, they reply: "

."

CITY OF IMPRESSED ART

Another trip to get to this old fishing port, now turned into a fake city of art, where galleries follow one another.

Even the supermarket has an

ceiling .

At least you don't have to walk and, if you stop, the air conditioning rises from the pavement grates.

They are not to evacuate water.

It does not rain.

A vehicle like the ones that carry golfers stops and asks me where I'm going.

It's free.

There are hundreds all over the city, like ants in the sun.

I stop at the beach and head for the sand.

Victory!

No. They stop me again: "

.

You have to go further." An Argentine fan who had snuck in is invited out of the arena. "This is a scandal!" she exclaims, babbling the Declaration of Human Rights over the chewed up items. I continue on foot until the following control: "

, continue later".

The post is far enough away to only make out the silhouettes of the women in their black dresses, the 'abayas', in the water and sand.

Qatari women are mostly covered, although there are some who dress like Westerners.

Unlike Saudi or Iran,

.

The pressure is social and family in a conservative community, more than the elite of the

, and who practice

, a strict interpretation of Islam.

The 'abaya' and the veil cover the body and hair, not the face, always heavily made up.

The presenters of the chain

They generally appear uncovered, although the majority are not Qataris, but North African or Lebanese journalists.

The veil is a complex topic and would be enough for a thesis, hopefully at least for an article.

The sun sets very early in the East and the games start shortly.

An English guy who has witnessed the conversation with the security members approaches me and says: "

,

".

I dont believe it.

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