1 00:00:01,234 --> 00:00:03,180 Kari: Qatar. Qatar. Qatar. 2 00:00:03,204 --> 00:00:04,681 Or we could just do Qatar. 3 00:00:04,705 --> 00:00:06,249 Qatar. 4 00:00:06,273 --> 00:00:11,288 Kari: Qatar is a country on the Arabian peninsula. 5 00:00:11,312 --> 00:00:12,889 That's it. I want to be a falconer. 6 00:00:12,913 --> 00:00:15,459 People survive in this desert landscape 7 00:00:15,483 --> 00:00:17,861 for thousands of years. 8 00:00:17,885 --> 00:00:19,629 Smells amazing in here. 9 00:00:19,653 --> 00:00:21,198 And they are creating innovative 10 00:00:21,222 --> 00:00:23,967 new ways to thrive here for thousands more. 11 00:00:23,991 --> 00:00:25,002 The new desert design. 12 00:00:25,026 --> 00:00:28,205 A new desert design. Exactly. 13 00:00:28,229 --> 00:00:31,041 I'm Kari Byron. 14 00:00:31,065 --> 00:00:33,944 Imagine living here, here, here. 15 00:00:33,968 --> 00:00:35,512 I travel around the world 16 00:00:35,536 --> 00:00:38,382 seeking out stories of inspiring people... 17 00:00:38,406 --> 00:00:40,384 I mean, that's incredibly innovative. 18 00:00:40,408 --> 00:00:42,219 This is a whole new way of farming. 19 00:00:42,243 --> 00:00:43,453 ...who are working on solutions 20 00:00:43,477 --> 00:00:45,744 to some of the biggest questions of our time. 21 00:00:51,752 --> 00:00:53,597 Thanks to oil and natural gas, 22 00:00:53,621 --> 00:00:57,300 today, Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world. 23 00:00:57,324 --> 00:01:00,070 The capital city of Doha is an international hub 24 00:01:00,094 --> 00:01:04,174 for business, education and culture. 25 00:01:04,198 --> 00:01:06,343 With all the technological conveniences 26 00:01:06,367 --> 00:01:08,879 we expect of life in the 21st century, 27 00:01:08,903 --> 00:01:11,948 it's hard to imagine this incredibly modern, 28 00:01:11,972 --> 00:01:14,051 futuristic urban environment 29 00:01:14,075 --> 00:01:16,953 sprang up in the last 25 years 30 00:01:16,977 --> 00:01:20,557 in the middle of the desert. 31 00:01:20,581 --> 00:01:23,560 Located in the middle east on the Arabian peninsula, 32 00:01:23,584 --> 00:01:25,028 Qatar itself is a peninsula 33 00:01:25,052 --> 00:01:27,597 about the size of the state of Connecticut. 34 00:01:27,621 --> 00:01:30,400 It occupies mostly low lying desert 35 00:01:30,424 --> 00:01:34,237 where temperatures can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit 36 00:01:34,261 --> 00:01:37,607 and less than four inches of rainfall every year. 37 00:01:37,631 --> 00:01:40,577 Sweltering heat, lack of fresh water 38 00:01:40,601 --> 00:01:42,045 and limited natural resources 39 00:01:42,069 --> 00:01:44,736 make Qatar a challenging place to live. 40 00:01:46,940 --> 00:01:50,454 So my question is, how do people make extreme places 41 00:01:50,478 --> 00:01:52,778 like the desert inhabitable? 42 00:01:56,416 --> 00:01:57,928 An hour south of Doha, 43 00:01:57,952 --> 00:02:00,764 the sealine desert becomes a vacation hotspot 44 00:02:00,788 --> 00:02:02,933 in the mild winter months. 45 00:02:02,957 --> 00:02:04,868 There the old ways that help nomadic tribes 46 00:02:04,892 --> 00:02:06,436 survive the harsh climate 47 00:02:06,460 --> 00:02:10,073 are now celebrated over nostalgic luxury weekends. 48 00:02:10,097 --> 00:02:12,442 People come to the desert to camp out. 49 00:02:12,466 --> 00:02:16,079 They enjoy a good campfire. They enjoy the sand dunes. 50 00:02:16,103 --> 00:02:18,815 I get it. I go to the beach every weekend for a cookout. 51 00:02:18,839 --> 00:02:19,983 It was definitely the same. 52 00:02:20,007 --> 00:02:22,419 We still try as much as we can to stay intact 53 00:02:22,443 --> 00:02:24,621 with our ancestors way of living. 54 00:02:24,645 --> 00:02:27,290 Archeologist Shaima Sherif studies Qatar's 55 00:02:27,314 --> 00:02:28,592 earliest inhabitants, 56 00:02:28,616 --> 00:02:31,528 which date back roughly 10,000 years. 57 00:02:31,552 --> 00:02:33,697 If I show you my hand, 58 00:02:33,721 --> 00:02:36,700 this roughly maps out Qatar as a state. 59 00:02:36,724 --> 00:02:38,101 And this is Saudi Arabia down here? 60 00:02:38,125 --> 00:02:39,836 Saudi would be here. 61 00:02:39,860 --> 00:02:41,505 The Bedouin, the country Bedouin, 62 00:02:41,529 --> 00:02:44,774 with the ones in the south region, the al Murrah, 63 00:02:44,798 --> 00:02:47,744 we the northern Bedouin, the al Na'im tribe 64 00:02:47,768 --> 00:02:49,579 and we had the town settlers. 65 00:02:49,603 --> 00:02:53,183 Early Qatarians along the coast survived largely by fishing. 66 00:02:53,207 --> 00:02:55,285 The southern Bedouin were nomadic, 67 00:02:55,309 --> 00:02:56,820 raising herd animals and farming 68 00:02:56,844 --> 00:02:59,456 wherever and whenever conditions allowed. 69 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,658 Whew, the elements are intense out here 70 00:03:01,682 --> 00:03:03,760 between the wind and the sand and the heat. 71 00:03:03,784 --> 00:03:06,396 How does that inform, say, the way people dress out here? 72 00:03:06,420 --> 00:03:09,032 Traditionally, we wear cloaks. 73 00:03:09,056 --> 00:03:14,037 We call them abayas for women and thobes for men. 74 00:03:14,061 --> 00:03:17,073 This is a traditional Qatar abaya. 75 00:03:17,097 --> 00:03:18,808 I thought you might like to try it on. 76 00:03:18,832 --> 00:03:24,381 My hat is driving me bananas, so this is to be perfect. 77 00:03:24,405 --> 00:03:27,651 Abayas are worn over clothes 78 00:03:27,675 --> 00:03:30,387 with the... to cover the head. 79 00:03:30,411 --> 00:03:33,657 The garments honor modesty in the Islamic religion, 80 00:03:33,681 --> 00:03:36,026 but they also serve practical functions. 81 00:03:36,050 --> 00:03:38,428 We can use it to cover our mouths, 82 00:03:38,452 --> 00:03:40,564 to hide our face from the sand. 83 00:03:40,588 --> 00:03:42,566 It's protective. It's very protective. 84 00:03:42,590 --> 00:03:45,001 Traditionally, men wear a similar style of clothing 85 00:03:45,025 --> 00:03:48,939 called the thobe and a headscarf or... 86 00:03:48,963 --> 00:03:50,774 I expected it to be really hot underneath there, 87 00:03:50,798 --> 00:03:52,909 but it's actually, it's... It's very cool. 88 00:03:52,933 --> 00:03:54,110 Yeah, it's very breezy. 89 00:03:54,134 --> 00:03:56,913 The loose fit keeps you cool by convection. 90 00:03:56,937 --> 00:03:59,649 As the abaya or thobe flows in the wind, 91 00:03:59,673 --> 00:04:02,919 air rises between the fabric and your skin, 92 00:04:02,943 --> 00:04:05,021 which also means that a black robe 93 00:04:05,045 --> 00:04:08,258 is as cool as any other color in the desert. 94 00:04:08,282 --> 00:04:09,859 It's very functional, it's very easy. 95 00:04:09,883 --> 00:04:11,261 You can go out in your pajamas 96 00:04:11,285 --> 00:04:12,662 and just have your abaya on. 97 00:04:12,686 --> 00:04:13,964 Do people do that? We do that. 98 00:04:13,988 --> 00:04:16,199 [ Laughs ] We do. 99 00:04:16,223 --> 00:04:18,835 Protecting yourself from the elements is one key 100 00:04:18,859 --> 00:04:20,737 to surviving in the desert. 101 00:04:20,761 --> 00:04:22,872 Another is finding food. 102 00:04:22,896 --> 00:04:27,544 ♪♪ 103 00:04:27,568 --> 00:04:30,347 That's it. I want to be a falconer. 104 00:04:30,371 --> 00:04:31,748 Falconry began in the middle east 105 00:04:31,772 --> 00:04:35,085 about 4,000 years ago as a means of hunting birds 106 00:04:35,109 --> 00:04:36,820 and wild game. 107 00:04:36,844 --> 00:04:38,388 Bedouins discovered they could harness 108 00:04:38,412 --> 00:04:41,680 a falcons hunting prowess through training and Patience. 109 00:04:43,516 --> 00:04:48,798 A diving falcon can reach speeds of up to 125 miles per hour, 110 00:04:48,822 --> 00:04:51,835 snatching their prey with 200 pounds per square inch 111 00:04:51,859 --> 00:04:54,304 of pressure in their talons. 112 00:04:54,328 --> 00:04:56,773 That crunching on bones is intimidating. 113 00:04:56,797 --> 00:04:58,675 That is a strong beak. 114 00:04:58,699 --> 00:05:01,244 Falconry in itself is a tradition passed on 115 00:05:01,268 --> 00:05:04,748 from Bedouin tribes here to the local townsman. 116 00:05:04,772 --> 00:05:07,851 Modern falconry is a competitive sport in Qatar. 117 00:05:07,875 --> 00:05:11,388 Prize birds can sell for as much as a million dollars. 118 00:05:11,412 --> 00:05:14,324 We have state of the art hospitals for them. 119 00:05:14,348 --> 00:05:17,694 They fly first class on planes. They have their own passports. 120 00:05:17,718 --> 00:05:19,896 Wait? What? They have their own passport? 121 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:21,331 They can have their own passports. 122 00:05:21,355 --> 00:05:24,301 Falcons are such important animals to us. 123 00:05:24,325 --> 00:05:26,236 They helped us through tough times, 124 00:05:26,260 --> 00:05:31,174 and it still continues to be part of who we are. 125 00:05:31,198 --> 00:05:33,943 As Bedouins, as settlers in the Arabian Gulf 126 00:05:33,967 --> 00:05:35,345 and specifically to Qatar, 127 00:05:35,369 --> 00:05:38,081 hospitality is the core of our values. 128 00:05:38,105 --> 00:05:40,917 It's the basic genetics of what we are. 129 00:05:40,941 --> 00:05:42,919 So I'm not special? You invite everybody over for dinner? 130 00:05:42,943 --> 00:05:44,487 We do invite everybody. 131 00:05:44,511 --> 00:05:45,989 [ Laughs ] 132 00:05:46,013 --> 00:05:49,159 Bedouin custom dictates that any desert traveler 133 00:05:49,183 --> 00:05:52,162 that comes across your camp must be offered a place to rest 134 00:05:52,186 --> 00:05:54,831 and refuel for the journey ahead. 135 00:05:54,855 --> 00:05:57,634 What started as basic survival in this harsh environment 136 00:05:57,658 --> 00:05:59,869 continues as one of the most important parts 137 00:05:59,893 --> 00:06:01,237 of Qatari culture. 138 00:06:01,261 --> 00:06:05,275 Coffee is a traditional symbol to Qatari hospitality, 139 00:06:05,299 --> 00:06:07,544 and we always love it when the guest first arrives. 140 00:06:07,568 --> 00:06:09,901 [ Speaks native language ] [ Speaks native language ] 141 00:06:13,873 --> 00:06:15,285 Mmm. 142 00:06:15,309 --> 00:06:17,687 That's different than any coffee I've ever tasted before. 143 00:06:17,711 --> 00:06:22,125 It's light like tea, but it's got some spices in it. 144 00:06:22,149 --> 00:06:23,193 Cardamom? 145 00:06:23,217 --> 00:06:25,762 Cardamon and pinch of saffron. Saffron. 146 00:06:25,786 --> 00:06:26,996 And I'll continue to serve it 147 00:06:27,020 --> 00:06:28,965 until you shake your cup. 148 00:06:28,989 --> 00:06:30,567 Like this? Just like this. 149 00:06:30,591 --> 00:06:32,135 This means I'm finished? Means you're finished. 150 00:06:32,159 --> 00:06:33,436 Because you know what this means at home for me? 151 00:06:33,460 --> 00:06:35,271 What? I want more. 152 00:06:35,295 --> 00:06:36,339 So... 153 00:06:36,363 --> 00:06:37,407 [ Laughing ] 154 00:06:37,431 --> 00:06:40,143 Etiquette drives every aspect of the meal. 155 00:06:40,167 --> 00:06:42,712 Guests are to receive the best food available 156 00:06:42,736 --> 00:06:44,214 via the last grain of rice 157 00:06:44,238 --> 00:06:46,516 or the only animal left in the herd. 158 00:06:46,540 --> 00:06:49,686 Tonight, we're enjoying a customary dish of spiced lamb 159 00:06:49,710 --> 00:06:51,421 and rice with nuts and dried fruit. 160 00:06:51,445 --> 00:06:54,190 So, before we eat, we always wash our hands 161 00:06:54,214 --> 00:06:55,959 because we eat with our hands 162 00:06:55,983 --> 00:06:57,961 and we always use our right hand. 163 00:06:57,985 --> 00:06:59,429 Why the right hand? 164 00:06:59,453 --> 00:07:01,498 Your left hand is used for other functions. 165 00:07:01,522 --> 00:07:02,532 Okay. 166 00:07:02,556 --> 00:07:04,968 Basically when you go to the bathroom. 167 00:07:04,992 --> 00:07:06,636 So definitely use your right hand. 168 00:07:06,660 --> 00:07:08,705 Yes. 169 00:07:08,729 --> 00:07:10,106 Is there a technique here? 170 00:07:10,130 --> 00:07:12,842 You try to make a ball with your fingers 171 00:07:12,866 --> 00:07:14,577 and then you use your thumb. Yeah. 172 00:07:14,601 --> 00:07:16,513 And like push it into your mouth. 173 00:07:16,537 --> 00:07:22,218 ♪♪ 174 00:07:22,242 --> 00:07:23,286 That's good. 175 00:07:23,310 --> 00:07:25,955 The thumb technique, that's brilliant, 176 00:07:25,979 --> 00:07:28,591 every bite takes a little bit different than the bite before. 177 00:07:28,615 --> 00:07:30,326 It's almost like I got a new spice. 178 00:07:30,350 --> 00:07:33,596 It's a beautiful sensory experience. 179 00:07:33,620 --> 00:07:37,333 Traditionally, what did Qatari eat besides this? 180 00:07:37,357 --> 00:07:41,704 The people that lived more on the seashore area near Doha 181 00:07:41,728 --> 00:07:44,774 and... mostly had seafood. 182 00:07:44,798 --> 00:07:48,845 And meat was mostly brought out for special occasions. 183 00:07:48,869 --> 00:07:51,681 Oh, is this a special occasion? This is as special occasion. 184 00:07:51,705 --> 00:07:54,172 It's very fancy. There's a lot of food. 185 00:07:56,175 --> 00:07:58,221 This is the traditional way we end our evening 186 00:07:58,245 --> 00:07:59,489 with some [Speaks native language] 187 00:07:59,513 --> 00:08:01,458 So you just blow the smoke on you. 188 00:08:01,482 --> 00:08:03,493 It's like incense. It's incense. 189 00:08:03,517 --> 00:08:06,763 The Bedouin and other early Qatarians survived in the desert 190 00:08:06,787 --> 00:08:08,498 for thousands of years. 191 00:08:08,522 --> 00:08:09,866 Their lessons are still honored 192 00:08:09,890 --> 00:08:12,602 and informed life here every day. 193 00:08:12,626 --> 00:08:14,971 I feel so lucky to share the whole day with you 194 00:08:14,995 --> 00:08:17,407 and learn so much about your culture and traditions. 195 00:08:17,431 --> 00:08:18,875 It was wonderful to have you. 196 00:08:18,899 --> 00:08:21,032 I'm so pleased to be able to share this. 197 00:08:24,604 --> 00:08:29,085 You have to visit the souk to get authentic flavor of Doha. 198 00:08:29,109 --> 00:08:30,609 It smells amazing in here. 199 00:08:35,281 --> 00:08:38,828 ♪♪ 200 00:08:38,852 --> 00:08:41,364 Kari: Qatar is roughly 90 percent desert, 201 00:08:41,388 --> 00:08:43,967 long before oil transformed the economy 202 00:08:43,991 --> 00:08:46,803 and made modern conveniences widely available, 203 00:08:46,827 --> 00:08:48,538 finding food and other necessities 204 00:08:48,562 --> 00:08:50,740 was key to daily life. 205 00:08:50,764 --> 00:08:52,742 In a place where resources are limited, 206 00:08:52,766 --> 00:08:55,433 where do you go to get all the things you need? 207 00:08:59,005 --> 00:09:01,618 Historically, it meant traveling to a port village 208 00:09:01,642 --> 00:09:04,053 to visit a market or souk. 209 00:09:04,077 --> 00:09:06,856 The sea used to reach this point, 210 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,626 and this is actually the reason why we called it... 211 00:09:09,650 --> 00:09:13,496 Amal al Shammari organizes cultural tours around Doha 212 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,933 in the city's historic market, Souq Waqif. 213 00:09:16,957 --> 00:09:18,668 Souq Waqif means the standing souk 214 00:09:18,692 --> 00:09:20,670 because the whole area used to be muddy. 215 00:09:20,694 --> 00:09:22,906 So they couldn't sit down and show the products, 216 00:09:22,930 --> 00:09:24,440 so they were standing most of the time. 217 00:09:24,464 --> 00:09:26,075 And they were just standing, trading. 218 00:09:26,099 --> 00:09:27,510 Yes. It's a very modern city, 219 00:09:27,534 --> 00:09:30,713 but the souk is a real nod the traditional and its roots. 220 00:09:30,737 --> 00:09:31,714 Yes, yes. 221 00:09:31,738 --> 00:09:32,916 And you have to visit the souk 222 00:09:32,940 --> 00:09:36,219 to get the authentic flavor of Doha. 223 00:09:36,243 --> 00:09:38,655 The modern souk was built to look, 224 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:43,092 smell and sound as much as it would have a century ago 225 00:09:43,116 --> 00:09:45,595 when Bedouins gathered here to trade livestock 226 00:09:45,619 --> 00:09:48,097 and other goods like... 227 00:09:48,121 --> 00:09:50,667 Amal: This one is like handmade. It's based on counting. 228 00:09:50,691 --> 00:09:52,969 So it's all manual, old fashioned. 229 00:09:52,993 --> 00:09:55,972 I would say women used to be really creative back then. 230 00:09:55,996 --> 00:09:57,607 Very creative. 231 00:09:57,631 --> 00:09:59,075 ...Was a style of weaving 232 00:09:59,099 --> 00:10:01,644 that incorporates geometric designs. 233 00:10:01,668 --> 00:10:04,113 Bedouin women used it to craft everything from camel 234 00:10:04,137 --> 00:10:06,249 harnesses to tent walls. 235 00:10:06,273 --> 00:10:09,886 Okay, the main one in the middle, it's a tree. 236 00:10:09,910 --> 00:10:13,556 It's like a pyramid, and they call it tower of John. 237 00:10:13,580 --> 00:10:16,626 The main original one is this, the black and white 238 00:10:16,650 --> 00:10:18,094 traditional... is made 239 00:10:18,118 --> 00:10:19,596 with sheep wool and goat hair. 240 00:10:19,620 --> 00:10:20,697 But because with time, 241 00:10:20,721 --> 00:10:22,332 people wanted to have different designs. 242 00:10:22,356 --> 00:10:24,667 That's why they came up with different colors like the yellow 243 00:10:24,691 --> 00:10:27,236 and green and blue, and has been influenced 244 00:10:27,260 --> 00:10:30,106 by the Syrian Iranian Islamic design as well. 245 00:10:30,130 --> 00:10:31,641 This is the most traditional. 246 00:10:31,665 --> 00:10:32,742 This is the most traditional. 247 00:10:32,766 --> 00:10:33,943 So if you wanted the original said, 248 00:10:33,967 --> 00:10:35,311 you always go for this one, 249 00:10:35,335 --> 00:10:36,613 these three designs. 250 00:10:36,637 --> 00:10:39,504 It's mostly black, red and white. 251 00:10:41,540 --> 00:10:44,020 Because of Qatar's unique position on the Gulf, 252 00:10:44,044 --> 00:10:45,455 markets like Souq Waqif 253 00:10:45,479 --> 00:10:49,692 became the intersection of trade routes on both land and sea. 254 00:10:49,716 --> 00:10:54,664 And one local commodity drove Qatar's early economy, pearls 255 00:10:54,688 --> 00:10:57,400 in the old days before oil discovery, 256 00:10:57,424 --> 00:11:01,204 in the summertime, of course, we go in a big boat. 257 00:11:01,228 --> 00:11:04,040 As a teenager, Saad Ismail al Jassim 258 00:11:04,064 --> 00:11:05,642 began diving to the ocean floor 259 00:11:05,666 --> 00:11:07,777 to harvest oysters for their pearls. 260 00:11:07,801 --> 00:11:09,912 Diver used three things to dive. 261 00:11:09,936 --> 00:11:12,048 A weight to take the diver down, 262 00:11:12,072 --> 00:11:14,550 a basket to collect the oyster in. 263 00:11:14,574 --> 00:11:16,786 Third one is a nose clip. 264 00:11:16,810 --> 00:11:18,087 Oh, wow. 265 00:11:18,111 --> 00:11:20,957 Diver takes two minutes underwater. 266 00:11:20,981 --> 00:11:22,291 Long time. 267 00:11:22,315 --> 00:11:25,361 Diving from sunrise to sunset 268 00:11:25,385 --> 00:11:28,197 for three to four months in the sea. 269 00:11:28,221 --> 00:11:32,035 Before Japanese culture pearls took over in the 1940s, 270 00:11:32,059 --> 00:11:34,771 Arabian Gulf pearls were prized throughout Europe, 271 00:11:34,795 --> 00:11:37,206 north Africa and Asia. 272 00:11:37,230 --> 00:11:39,976 The lustrous gems became a key commodity for traders 273 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:41,778 along the maritime spice routes. 274 00:11:41,802 --> 00:11:49,802 ♪♪ 275 00:11:54,247 --> 00:11:55,725 Smells amazing in here. 276 00:11:55,749 --> 00:11:58,528 Most of the products come from Iran and India 277 00:11:58,552 --> 00:12:02,598 because they are the countries that famous with the spices. 278 00:12:02,622 --> 00:12:06,135 Like many middle eastern foods, Qatari cuisine is influenced 279 00:12:06,159 --> 00:12:10,206 by bold aromatic flavors like turmeric and coriander. 280 00:12:10,230 --> 00:12:11,574 Those are huge cinnamon. 281 00:12:11,598 --> 00:12:13,810 This is a natural one, so before they break them. 282 00:12:13,834 --> 00:12:15,545 And perhaps most importantly, 283 00:12:15,569 --> 00:12:16,946 cardamom and saffron 284 00:12:16,970 --> 00:12:17,914 comes from a flower, 285 00:12:17,938 --> 00:12:21,050 but to get these out of the flower, 286 00:12:21,074 --> 00:12:23,419 it takes time and effort 287 00:12:23,443 --> 00:12:26,189 because each flower has only two or three of this. 288 00:12:26,213 --> 00:12:27,290 Can you believe it? 289 00:12:27,314 --> 00:12:28,725 Once you have the saffron, it gives... 290 00:12:28,749 --> 00:12:30,259 A beautiful yellow color. 291 00:12:30,283 --> 00:12:32,462 That's why the coffee is yellowish. 292 00:12:32,486 --> 00:12:34,097 You can smell it. 293 00:12:34,121 --> 00:12:34,931 - Mmm. - Yeah. 294 00:12:34,955 --> 00:12:36,399 Yeah, that smells familiar. 295 00:12:36,423 --> 00:12:39,869 I think that's everything I've eaten since I've got here. 296 00:12:39,893 --> 00:12:42,004 Spice shops aren't just for cooking. 297 00:12:42,028 --> 00:12:43,439 You can also buy medicinal herbs 298 00:12:43,463 --> 00:12:46,843 like chamomile or pumice stones for exfoliating skin. 299 00:12:46,867 --> 00:12:48,244 We're getting beauty products. 300 00:12:48,268 --> 00:12:49,579 We're getting cooking, 301 00:12:49,603 --> 00:12:51,848 we're getting medicine, everything. 302 00:12:51,872 --> 00:12:54,817 Yes. It's an old mini market, I would say. 303 00:12:54,841 --> 00:12:56,119 Yeah. 304 00:12:56,143 --> 00:12:58,287 Markets provided a place to buy, 305 00:12:58,311 --> 00:13:01,858 sell and trade goods needed to survive in the desert. 306 00:13:01,882 --> 00:13:05,661 But they also helped Qatari culture to grow and flourish. 307 00:13:05,685 --> 00:13:08,498 Let's see. I'm going to need these for sure. 308 00:13:08,522 --> 00:13:11,956 In many ways, Souq Waqif still does. 309 00:13:15,094 --> 00:13:16,539 We have a very harsh environment, 310 00:13:16,563 --> 00:13:18,040 we have a very hot summer. 311 00:13:18,064 --> 00:13:20,098 How do you grow produce in the desert? 312 00:13:28,107 --> 00:13:30,887 Kari: The population of Qatar's capital city, Doha, 313 00:13:30,911 --> 00:13:35,992 is 1.6 million people and growing fast. 314 00:13:36,016 --> 00:13:38,661 To keep a modern Metropolis functioning in the desert, 315 00:13:38,685 --> 00:13:40,963 you have to find ways to address the biggest 316 00:13:40,987 --> 00:13:42,965 and most obvious challenge. 317 00:13:42,989 --> 00:13:46,536 You need fresh water. 318 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:49,105 99 percent of the country's water 319 00:13:49,129 --> 00:13:51,741 comes from the Gulf, but that's saltwater. 320 00:13:51,765 --> 00:13:54,577 So it has to go through a process called desalination 321 00:13:54,601 --> 00:13:55,945 to make it usable. 322 00:13:55,969 --> 00:13:59,015 Desalination plants in Qatar use two basic technologies 323 00:13:59,039 --> 00:14:01,784 to turn seawater into fresh water, 324 00:14:01,808 --> 00:14:04,987 either by heat to evaporate and distill fresh water, 325 00:14:05,011 --> 00:14:08,591 or with membranes that filter out salt and other minerals. 326 00:14:08,615 --> 00:14:10,726 It takes about three gallons of seawater 327 00:14:10,750 --> 00:14:12,851 to make one gallon of fresh water. 328 00:14:15,020 --> 00:14:18,167 Desalination produces 480 million gallons 329 00:14:18,191 --> 00:14:19,936 of water a day for Qatar. 330 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,839 Now, if anything happened to those plants, 331 00:14:22,863 --> 00:14:26,576 Doha would run out of water in only four hours. 332 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,801 Think about that next time you take that extra long shower. 333 00:14:33,038 --> 00:14:37,687 Freshwater is key to another big challenge here, farming. 334 00:14:37,711 --> 00:14:39,388 Only about one percent of the land 335 00:14:39,412 --> 00:14:40,890 is suitable for farming, 336 00:14:40,914 --> 00:14:44,827 which is why Qatar has to import 90 percent of its food, 337 00:14:44,851 --> 00:14:46,095 but that's changing. 338 00:14:46,119 --> 00:14:49,732 With new initiatives and pride in buying local, 339 00:14:49,756 --> 00:14:52,602 Qatari grown food is a booming business. 340 00:14:52,626 --> 00:14:58,107 So, how do you grow produce in the desert? 341 00:14:58,131 --> 00:15:00,810 An hour north of Doha, Nasser al-Khalaf 342 00:15:00,834 --> 00:15:03,045 and his family's company, Agrico farms, 343 00:15:03,069 --> 00:15:04,513 grow organic fruits and vegetables 344 00:15:04,537 --> 00:15:07,516 in sustainable greenhouses they've designed. 345 00:15:07,540 --> 00:15:09,051 We have very harsh environment. 346 00:15:09,075 --> 00:15:11,320 We have very hot summer, and we need to create 347 00:15:11,344 --> 00:15:12,989 a proper environment for the plant. 348 00:15:13,013 --> 00:15:14,590 So most of the things they will see, 349 00:15:14,614 --> 00:15:16,025 it has to do with cooling. 350 00:15:16,049 --> 00:15:19,161 Greenhouses are designed to hold heat in cold climates. 351 00:15:19,185 --> 00:15:22,965 So Agrico had to adapt everything from the materials 352 00:15:22,989 --> 00:15:25,701 to the colors and create air cooling systems. 353 00:15:25,725 --> 00:15:27,937 I just felt a breeze, like a cooling breeze. 354 00:15:27,961 --> 00:15:29,138 What is that? 355 00:15:29,162 --> 00:15:31,107 This is the effect of the cooling pad system. 356 00:15:31,131 --> 00:15:33,376 It's basically cells made of cotton. 357 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,811 The water goes through it, the hot air pass 358 00:15:35,835 --> 00:15:37,880 through the water and becomes a cold air. 359 00:15:37,904 --> 00:15:40,716 So you actually are using the heat to create the cool. 360 00:15:40,740 --> 00:15:41,884 That's right. 361 00:15:41,908 --> 00:15:44,553 The effect is called evaporative cooling. 362 00:15:44,577 --> 00:15:46,188 Fans helped circulate the cool air, 363 00:15:46,212 --> 00:15:49,592 reducing temperatures by half. 364 00:15:49,616 --> 00:15:53,596 This single greenhouse goes up to 13,000 cucumbers, 365 00:15:53,620 --> 00:15:56,732 each plant is strung up to increase airflow, 366 00:15:56,756 --> 00:15:58,634 pruned to optimize growth 367 00:15:58,658 --> 00:16:01,771 and watered by a timed drip irrigation system. 368 00:16:01,795 --> 00:16:05,007 You can see the water that's coming out from the dripper. 369 00:16:05,031 --> 00:16:07,109 The fertilizer is mixed with the water. 370 00:16:07,133 --> 00:16:10,579 So it gets its nutrients from the water rather than the soil. 371 00:16:10,603 --> 00:16:11,614 That's right. 372 00:16:11,638 --> 00:16:14,817 It's called hydroponic farming. 373 00:16:14,841 --> 00:16:15,851 Everything is organic. 374 00:16:15,875 --> 00:16:18,421 We are using biological pesticide. 375 00:16:18,445 --> 00:16:20,489 All the fertilizer are organic based, 376 00:16:20,513 --> 00:16:24,293 and the growbag itself, it's the coco pit. 377 00:16:24,317 --> 00:16:26,395 Ground, coconut shells hold plant roots 378 00:16:26,419 --> 00:16:28,230 and conserve water. 379 00:16:28,254 --> 00:16:31,000 Any waste water is also reused throughout the farm 380 00:16:31,024 --> 00:16:33,035 to create humidity where needed. 381 00:16:33,059 --> 00:16:34,370 What kind of yield can you get? 382 00:16:34,394 --> 00:16:36,172 I mean, there's a lot of cucumbers 383 00:16:36,196 --> 00:16:37,606 on each of these plants. 384 00:16:37,630 --> 00:16:41,177 We're getting around 80 to 90 baskets per day 385 00:16:41,201 --> 00:16:43,012 once the plants reach the peak production. 386 00:16:43,036 --> 00:16:44,613 80 or 90 a day? 387 00:16:44,637 --> 00:16:46,582 That's right. That's a lot. 388 00:16:46,606 --> 00:16:49,852 That's just the single variety of cucumber. 389 00:16:49,876 --> 00:16:54,623 Overall Agrico averages five tons of produce a day. 390 00:16:54,647 --> 00:16:57,193 Nasser: We have around 25 factory of greenhouses. 391 00:16:57,217 --> 00:16:59,261 That's like 50 football fields. 392 00:16:59,285 --> 00:17:00,730 Yes, that is. That's huge. 393 00:17:00,754 --> 00:17:01,831 It is, yeah. 394 00:17:01,855 --> 00:17:03,933 Qatar plans to grow up to 70 percent 395 00:17:03,957 --> 00:17:07,403 of its own produce by 2023. 396 00:17:07,427 --> 00:17:08,971 Ready for market. 397 00:17:08,995 --> 00:17:12,341 With hydroponic farming and other sustainable practices, 398 00:17:12,365 --> 00:17:13,609 they're well on their way. 399 00:17:13,633 --> 00:17:16,512 So your biggest challenge has been all the elements. 400 00:17:16,536 --> 00:17:19,782 The sun, the earth, the water, the air, all of it. 401 00:17:19,806 --> 00:17:23,019 So everything is actually against agriculture, 402 00:17:23,043 --> 00:17:27,490 but today, once we provide the right environment to the plant, 403 00:17:27,514 --> 00:17:31,394 then you can see that we can produce more. 404 00:17:31,418 --> 00:17:32,917 Mmm. 405 00:17:35,921 --> 00:17:37,466 Oh, wow. 406 00:17:37,490 --> 00:17:40,202 It is really hard to believe I'm in a desert right now. 407 00:17:40,226 --> 00:17:43,672 Our ancestors were able to cope and survive 408 00:17:43,696 --> 00:17:45,241 and have a life in the desert. 409 00:17:45,265 --> 00:17:48,066 We're trying to bring that modernizer in a sustainable way. 410 00:17:52,838 --> 00:17:55,618 Kari: The futuristic skyline of Doha, Qatar, 411 00:17:55,642 --> 00:17:58,687 was mostly built over the last couple of decades. 412 00:17:58,711 --> 00:18:00,723 Building a state of the art skyscraper here 413 00:18:00,747 --> 00:18:03,726 means contending with the brutal desert sun. 414 00:18:03,750 --> 00:18:06,062 So, how can modern architecture and design 415 00:18:06,086 --> 00:18:09,331 help provide relief from the heat? 416 00:18:09,355 --> 00:18:11,067 This is Burj Doha. 417 00:18:11,091 --> 00:18:13,836 Every detail of this 46 story office tower 418 00:18:13,860 --> 00:18:17,506 was designed to help keep it cool year round. 419 00:18:17,530 --> 00:18:19,675 The entrance sits below street level 420 00:18:19,699 --> 00:18:21,243 and is surrounded by green walls, 421 00:18:21,267 --> 00:18:24,847 which help cool the surrounding space. 422 00:18:24,871 --> 00:18:27,505 I can feel that in my stomach. This goes fast. 423 00:18:30,642 --> 00:18:34,090 While reflective glass and solar protection, 424 00:18:34,114 --> 00:18:37,626 it's the aluminum shell that does the heavy lifting. 425 00:18:37,650 --> 00:18:39,929 This side is the east side where the sun rises, 426 00:18:39,953 --> 00:18:42,565 so the lattice work is really tight knit to shield you 427 00:18:42,589 --> 00:18:43,599 from the heat and intensity. 428 00:18:43,623 --> 00:18:45,935 But over here on the north side, 429 00:18:45,959 --> 00:18:49,138 the latticework opens up where there's no direct sunlight 430 00:18:49,162 --> 00:18:51,107 so it can let in all of the light. 431 00:18:51,131 --> 00:18:54,110 This unique design is inspired by traditional 432 00:18:54,134 --> 00:18:55,578 Arabic Mashrabiya. 433 00:18:55,602 --> 00:18:58,314 Now, those are the ornately carved balconies 434 00:18:58,338 --> 00:19:00,616 that you'll find all over the middle east and Asia. 435 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:02,551 The facade is both practical 436 00:19:02,575 --> 00:19:04,620 and an expression of ancient Arabic design. 437 00:19:04,644 --> 00:19:06,322 In the modern era. 438 00:19:06,346 --> 00:19:09,525 The top two floors are going to be a luxury apartment. 439 00:19:09,549 --> 00:19:13,662 Seriously, imagine living here, here, here. 440 00:19:13,686 --> 00:19:15,965 Even if you live in the nicest place in Doha, 441 00:19:15,989 --> 00:19:18,701 you still got to go outside some time. 442 00:19:18,725 --> 00:19:22,338 30 minutes west of downtown Doha is education city, 443 00:19:22,362 --> 00:19:23,772 a district comprising 444 00:19:23,796 --> 00:19:26,375 five square miles of international universities 445 00:19:26,399 --> 00:19:30,045 and schools for students of all ages. 446 00:19:30,069 --> 00:19:32,081 It's also home to some of the most innovative 447 00:19:32,105 --> 00:19:34,617 architecture in Qatar. 448 00:19:34,641 --> 00:19:36,185 Oh, wow. 449 00:19:36,209 --> 00:19:38,854 It is really hard to believe I'm in a desert right now. 450 00:19:38,878 --> 00:19:40,256 [ Laughing ] 451 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,225 Oxygen park is one 150,000 square meters. 452 00:19:43,249 --> 00:19:45,628 It's sort of a mixed use open park. 453 00:19:45,652 --> 00:19:48,464 It was very well engineered to keep this area cooler, 454 00:19:48,488 --> 00:19:50,466 as you can feel right now. 455 00:19:50,490 --> 00:19:53,702 Local Sidra trees and drought tolerant grasses and plants 456 00:19:53,726 --> 00:19:55,337 help cool the park. 457 00:19:55,361 --> 00:19:57,006 To lower temperatures further, 458 00:19:57,030 --> 00:19:59,675 architects took inspiration from the desert. 459 00:19:59,699 --> 00:20:01,977 Usually when you're at the bottom of the sand dune, 460 00:20:02,001 --> 00:20:04,346 it's cooler than being up top because of the wind. 461 00:20:04,370 --> 00:20:06,582 Yes, I can feel the breeze coming through the tunnel. 462 00:20:06,606 --> 00:20:08,017 It feels like it's whipping around. 463 00:20:08,041 --> 00:20:10,953 That's sort of the design idea behind this phase. 464 00:20:10,977 --> 00:20:14,523 Natural breezeways occur thanks to the covered walkways, 465 00:20:14,547 --> 00:20:19,929 ventilation fans and several strategically placed tunnels. 466 00:20:19,953 --> 00:20:22,831 The temperature just dropped. It's almost cold in here. 467 00:20:22,855 --> 00:20:26,068 Yeah, I mean, it's a shaded area and it opens up to a waterfall. 468 00:20:26,092 --> 00:20:27,469 That's the evaporative cooling from in the waterfall? 469 00:20:27,493 --> 00:20:28,571 Yeah. 470 00:20:28,595 --> 00:20:30,839 Evaporative cooling occurs when hot, 471 00:20:30,863 --> 00:20:33,709 dry air passes over cold water. 472 00:20:33,733 --> 00:20:35,778 The lower temperature water is absorbed 473 00:20:35,802 --> 00:20:37,580 by the higher temperature air 474 00:20:37,604 --> 00:20:40,683 making the surrounding area feel cooler. 475 00:20:40,707 --> 00:20:43,352 Water features have been used as natural air conditioners 476 00:20:43,376 --> 00:20:46,422 in desert climates for thousands of years. 477 00:20:46,446 --> 00:20:49,892 Our ancestors were able to cope and survive 478 00:20:49,916 --> 00:20:51,427 and have a life in the desert. 479 00:20:51,451 --> 00:20:54,830 We're trying to bring that modernizer in a sustainable way. 480 00:20:54,854 --> 00:20:57,166 The new desert design. The new desert design. 481 00:20:57,190 --> 00:20:58,334 Exactly. 482 00:20:58,358 --> 00:21:00,736 Oxygen park was created a few years ago 483 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:02,238 to provide an open space 484 00:21:02,262 --> 00:21:05,107 for exercise, recreation and hanging out. 485 00:21:05,131 --> 00:21:07,343 Seems like everywhere I go in the world, 486 00:21:07,367 --> 00:21:10,079 there's one thing everyone has in common, which is pizza. 487 00:21:10,103 --> 00:21:10,980 [ Laughter ] 488 00:21:11,004 --> 00:21:12,248 Do you come here a lot? 489 00:21:12,272 --> 00:21:13,983 - Yeah. - Spaces like this park 490 00:21:14,007 --> 00:21:16,385 is kind of rare, but it's becoming more prevalent, 491 00:21:16,409 --> 00:21:17,820 which I think is a good thing. 492 00:21:17,844 --> 00:21:20,589 It's also kind of the way that this park is kind of set up 493 00:21:20,613 --> 00:21:24,593 as well and how the builders use the weather to their strengths. 494 00:21:24,617 --> 00:21:26,795 They don't use it and see it as a weakness. 495 00:21:26,819 --> 00:21:29,331 People here often think they can only go out in the winter 496 00:21:29,355 --> 00:21:30,866 and enjoy this weather and so on. 497 00:21:30,890 --> 00:21:34,136 But oxygen park you can just enjoy all year long. 498 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:39,341 ♪♪ 499 00:21:39,365 --> 00:21:42,544 The desert may be a place of extreme conditions 500 00:21:42,568 --> 00:21:45,214 and limited resources, but the people of Qatar 501 00:21:45,238 --> 00:21:48,317 have found a way to adapt and innovate, 502 00:21:48,341 --> 00:21:50,786 all while honoring the cultural traditions 503 00:21:50,810 --> 00:21:53,055 that have helped the. Survive for centuries, 504 00:21:53,079 --> 00:21:54,456 Qatar is doing far more 505 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:57,459 than making this challenging environment inhabitable. 506 00:21:57,483 --> 00:21:59,750 They're making the desert a place to thrive.