Doha Beer Barn

Alcohol is forbidden in Islam, but Qatar makes one allowance for expats: an unmarked liquor store, located right next door to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.  Isn't that sort of like putting the beer barn next to the Baptist preacher's house?

John procured a license to visit the beer barn, but it closes for Ramadan...so of course in the few days right before the holy month starts, every expat in the country runs makes a booze run.  People come out of this place with Sam's Club sized carts stacked with cases of beer, wine, and boxes of hard liquor. 

We needed one box of cheap white vat, two bottles of bubbly, and a bottle of more respectable red for John.  These are some photos I took while waiting in the car (I can't go in because the license isn't mine). Inside those gates is, indeed, a rather large parking lot, but it was full...so expat booze hounds were spilling out onto the street.

By the way...when you leave with your purchase, you have to drive straight home with it hidden in the trunk or in the back of your car.  If you are caught with it, you can be fined or jailed...yes, even if you have the license.