Where the Streets Have No Name

U2 was not referring to Doha in The Joshua Tree, but the title fits.  The Qataris only recently emerged from a Bedouin to big-city society. Considering that, the concept of street names and addresses is relatively new.  One of my favorite billboards around town asks its residents to “Remember your house number.”

Not an uncommon sight in Doha.

Every street in Doha, and around Qatar, is named; but they get called different things by different people, or when they run through another district, and many of been renamed over the years.  Most of the private and taxi drivers do not know the names of most roads.

So how does one navigate?  Check Google Maps before any excursion and have an idea of where it is in town.  Know the name of the building or complex, drivers are usually pretty familiar with them.  If it’s a small place, private residence, or obscure business, know what it’s near.

I currently live in a very residential area.  Once, I asked a driver to take me to Abu Al Fateh Street in Bin Omran.  He replied, “Where?”  Repeating the street name was useless.  Neither end of it even has a sign designating at as “Abu Al Fateh.”  So I told him “off Al Yarmouk” because it seems like a more important thoroughfare, and there are actually signs on the road calling it that.  “Yarmouk” was all he could say.  Finally, I said “Near Sports’ Roundabout.”  He knew that interchange, and so we were on our way and in the right direction.  Once we got in the right area, I directed him to my building.

So even being driven, rather than driving, be aware of where things are.