In Doha, the capital of Qatar.

It's 8:00 in the morning, arrived in a new port. After sailing through the night with calm seas, the capital of Qatar emerges like a mirage, surrounded by sand and sea, with its modern skyscrapers. Once again, a magical sight.

After breakfast, at 10:00, we head straight to one of the excursion buses that will take us on a 3 and a half hour sightseeing tour of the desert city. Normally, the clock would be set back one hour here, but the captain insists that the ship's time (3 hours ahead) remains, and emphasizes that this should be kept in mind when going ashore. The ship departs at 19:00 according to ship time, but if you go by the local time, you're out of luck because the ship is already one hour away towards Muscat. Well, luckily my excursion is under AIDA supervision. Otherwise, I would be a potential candidate standing at the empty port at 19:00 local time.

In the bus, we quickly arrive at the Corniche, a waterfront promenade, similar to the one in Abu Dhabi. 7 kilometers long, it offers a beautiful view of the city's modern skyscrapers, as well as the traditional dhows in the bay. Impressive also is the cultural village of "Katara". An establishment opened in 2010, to keep the cultural heritage of the region alive. Numerous exhibitions and festivals take place here in replicas of various types of buildings in the country. The preparations for the "Arabian Horse Festival" are currently in full swing. From there, we head east towards "The Pearl", an artificially created island in the shape of a pearl. If you want to rent a 60-square-meter apartment there, you pay around 15,000 euros per month. A real bargain! Well, Qatar is supposed to be one of the richest countries in the world, if I understood the English tour guide correctly. The most important economic factor here is also the export of oil and gas, while agriculture is only possible to a limited extent due to the infertile soil. On the way back to the ship, we visit one of Doha's famous souks. Here you can get everything your heart desires. From spices, dates in all kinds and forms, gold, souvenirs, to birds, rabbits, turtles, and falcons. Yes, there is a real falcon market here. You can get various accessories and even the birds themselves. A trained hunting falcon costs up to $15,000. For comparison: you can get a camel around the corner for only $1,600. Falcon ownership is a symbol of luxury here.

Back on board, I treat myself to a cappuccino and a slice of cake. I can already hear my partner laughing mockingly at home. Shut up, I think, I'm on vacation! Okay, it's not that easy after all. Off to the treadmill, Madame!

For dinner, we go to the "Time Machine" tonight. A culinary journey through space and time. With its extravagant steampunk-style design, you feel like sitting in a huge time machine and traveling. "Outside", clouds pass by, and various gears are turning. Meanwhile, a delicious 3-course menu is served. Absolutely recommended.

The day is perfectly rounded off by the best party on AIDA. Today, the silent party takes place at the BeachClub. I LOVE IT!