
The city has a feel that it’s in the midst of an economic boom. Construction is going on everywhere and there is no shortage of places to spend your money at. Large themed malls and shopping centers are popular places. There is only one store that sells alcohol and you must have a license to buy from there (this can take residents 4-6 weeks to have one issued). You can go to any of the large resorts for a pricey drink. Qatar does NOT allow visitors or residents to bring in any duty free alcohol or any type of alcoholic drink on arrival; if you bring some it will be confiscated at the airport. There is duty free shopping only when leaving the country.
Education city is a little ways outside the city center and is becoming a city of sort in itself. There is a massive conference hall across the street that was hosting the Doha 2012 COP18 while I was there. Describing the facilities of Education City as opulent is an understatement, especially when going around the inside of the buildings. They have their own server farm hosting a cloud and every classroom seemed to be wired up. There were numerous lectures and presentations offered throughout the week for students and faculty to attend during lunch or at breaks in the day; many of these also offered free snack or a lunch if during lunchtime. The place was bustling with activity while I was there. Overall seemed like a great place to work or study.