Qatar resident Mohamed Ihab is the winner of ‘The Art of Travel’ Instagram contest hosted by Qatar Museums Authority, Qatar Airways and the Orientalist Museum.
The prize is two round-trip flights to any of Qatar Airways destinations.
Ihab’s Instagram photo beat over 6,000 entries from around the world and was voted the most popular by the public.
Inspired by ‘The Art of Travel’ exhibition at ALRIWAQ Doha, the Instagram competition asked people to upload their best travel pictures and add the #ArtOfTravel hashtag.
A total of 68 finalists were shortlisted and opened to the public for voting. The winning photo featured a cat looking out at the West Bay skyline from the MIA Park.  
Although it won over the international audience, Ihab explained that his wife was initially sceptical about the image. “She was making fun of me for lying on the grass just to take a photo of a cat that is not even looking toward us. She started to change her mind about the photo once she saw it, and even more after it was shortlisted.”
Ihab visited ‘The Art of Travel’ exhibition last week to meet members of the Orientalist Museum and representatives from Qatar Airways.  
The exhibition, which concludes today, introduces visitors to the story of Bartholomäus Schachman - a Polish mayor who travelled throughout the Ottoman Empire during its peak.
Over 100 watercolour miniatures painted during his travels take visitors on a journey through the 16th century Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, highlighting the people, places and customs he encountered.
Curated by Dr Olga Nefedova, director of the Orientalist Museum, ‘The Art of Travel’ exhibition illustrates the importance of European-Ottoman relations throughout the 16th century.  
A greatly expanded and re-imagined version of the original Polish exhibition, ‘The Art of Travel: Bartholomäus Schachman (1559-1614)’ takes visitors on a journey back in time.