You need a license to buy alcohol
Qatar has only one liquor shop, Qatar Distribution Company (QDC), which is government-owned. From here, residents can buy liquor after obtaining approval and a license from the company they work with. Every resident needs a letter from their company sponsor declaring what they earn each month, as only a limited percentage of their salary can go to purchasing alcohol. It’s a crime to share alcohol with individuals who don’t have a license.
The government healthcare is affordable and awesome
Qatar’s government healthcare agency, Hamad Medical Corporation, provides healthcare to all residents and visitors at highly subsidized rates. For locals, it’s free. Private medical insurance is also available but most residents prefer the government services. There are no consultancy fees at the health centers, either.
Ramadan can be a great time to experience the culture
A blank shot is fired at the Souq Waqif area throughout the holy month of Ramadan to notify patiently waiting families that the fast can be broken. This tradition has continued for many years and is a wonderful sight to watch. The moral police come around during the holy month of Ramadan in malls asking women to dress modestly by covering cleavage, shoulders and knees. Ramadan in the Middle East means late night shopping, visiting friends, family and colleagues houses for extravagant meals.
The Hamad International Airport also poses as an art gallery
Qatar spends a lot of money on art installations, especially in the airport. Proving that art can be viewed and enjoyed beyond the confines of a gallery, Hamad International Airport houses the 23-foot Lamp Bear by Swiss artist Urs Fischer in the grand foyer that cost around 6.8 million USD. It will be soon accompanied by a 32-foot tall wooden sculpture named ‘Small Lie’, by American pop artist KAWS.
Although a desert, Qatar has diverse wildlife
Qatar has a diverse variety of wildlife, especially considering the fact that it’s a small desert with seven months of summer and hardly any rain. Purple Island is full of beautiful mangroves, birds, fish and crabs. Depending on the season, there are a few unique birds that migrate to the area as well. The national animal of Qatar, the oryx, can be seen at Zekreet near the film city.