Tony Walsh

Etihad to Muscat

A flight to remember for a lifetime

Taking Etihad from Heathrow to Muscat I was lucky to have a brand new plane, an Airbus 340 . It was a flying advert for the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix later this year.

As is often the case in The Gulf the flight attendants were from all over the world, mostly Far East, and I’m not certain if there were any Emiratis.

Will Smith in “I Robot” looks over my Etihad meal

The meal was frankly poor – with rubber like Pasta – made worse by being served a couple of hours into the late evening flight. I found the entertainment selection extraordinary – 70films, 100 TV entertainment programs, no idea how many news Channels and presumably as many Audio choices. For a new plane it was a shock to have an aborted landing – with good recovery, thank you Mr Pilot– because a wheel door apparently would not open. Our second attempt succeeded and it was comforting to see the fire tenders moving back into their sheds.

Arriving for transfer at Abu Dhabi into the new Terminal the Muscat flight was waiting in the old terminal – very nice because it’s distinctive. Flashing up on the TV – BBC breaking news Michael Jackson died. I can remember where I was the night Elvis (Presley) died and now will be able to add Michael Jackson to my life’s time line, through this flight.

The Jackson 5 and later Michael were not my favorites but his Music from ‘Off the Wall’ to ‘Thriller’ was so good. What a shock to his family and fans . He visited Oman a couple of years ago and I must say in Oman Michael Jackson was sooo popular that many people here will miss him.

New Ferry Terminal in Khasab Oman

Good news for car drivers

Oman’s Transport & Communications Ministry has confirmed that it will build two ferry terminals in Khasab and Shinas .

The 'Shinas' in Mina Sultan Qaboos — The ‘Shinas’ in Mina Sultan Qaboos

These will take the Ferries, enabling cars to be taken on board. Certainly getting to Khasab in Musandam is not the easiest of places to drive to – it involves 4 border posts each way and a dreadful drive through Ras al Khaimah .

I presume Mina Sultan Qaboos’s quays are good to unload and offload vehicles.

Oman Air adds new routes

Oman Air adds some good new routes this autumn

Frankfurt and Munich will be connected to Muscat by a direct Oman Air flight in September according to Reuters. Then, in October Oman Air will fly into Paris .

The London flights seem to be a success – my flight this June from Muscat to London was busy – Paris and the German cities are also natural links for Oman Airs target clients – holiday makers.

East Anglian Summer Solstice

Cycling though the East Anglian countryside.

Though the Summer Solstice in East Anglia wasn’t a bright sunny day there was no rain; so we enjoyed cycling around the back lanes on the Essex Suffolk borders.

A field of bright yellow (Rape ) and reds (Poppies) with a few yellows and whites ( Ox-Eye Dasies ).

Having had snow recently and a fair amount of rain, the fields are perhaps a bit behind the normal growing season. Poppies seem to be making a comeback – here mixed in a field of Rape .

There is of course a downside to lush vegetation – Aphids by the million drifting across lanes and onto clothes and body.

There are so many nice sights on the route we took; one of my favourites is this picture perfect thatched cottage – complete with dove cots

Shah ‘Abbas in London – Sultan Qaboos in Iran

A bit of Persia in London and Oman in Iran

Walking into the Shah ‘Abbas exhibition in the British Museum’s Reading Room was almost a sense of ‘déjà vu’ as the very English Sir Robert Sherley & wife Teresia gaze down as they did in the Tate’s ‘Lure of the East’ exhibition last year .

This time they were not included because of the gorgeous costumes but for Robert Sherley’s role as Persian Ambassador from Shah ‘Abbas to various European Courts .

In 2007 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque which of course has a very Persian flavour to it with the style of Shah Abbas’s dynasty throughout the interior of the building.

As Sultan Qaboos seems to like Persian art he will enjoy his visit to Iran this month. Perhaps the visit by the Omani Minister of Tourism in May to Homs and other Iranian cities was a build up to this visit – one trusts that the current political uncertainty will not affect His Majesty’s visit.

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As an update – His Majesty’s visit did not take place at the end of June but Sultan Qaboos now should visit Iran during mid-July

The new Cultural Complex in Muscat

A startling new style of building for Muscat

The Architects of the Embassy of Oman in Paris have won a proposal for very modern Cultural Complex in Muscat – dramatic, low rise and probably intended to be Iconic.

The winning design by Architecture Studio will create the National Archives, the National Library and the Omani National Theatre.

The project will be designed on a 40,000 sqm area – broadly the same as the building size of the Grand Mosque. Its estimated budget reaches OMR 40 million.

New services from Nawras in Oman

Nawras Fixed Line phones in Oman

A Royal Decree finalizes Nawras’s fixed line permits. They appear to have permission for a full range of services . Their 3G internet has been my fall back when OmanTel’s internet connection is not working . Will they have number transfer for the fixed line ?

A new Train in Oman

A replacement train for Hoota Cave

The Oman Ministry of Tourism looks as if it will replace the Train in Hoota Cave. A tender has been issued for supply of a new train with the documents being opened end of July . I must admit that I preferred the walk from the ticket office to the cave as it’s a relatively short one and looks over a nice vista.

I wonder what will happen to the old one ?

Tropic of Cancer Oman and my magazine article about it

I chased the sun through Oman along the Tropic of Cancer

On my search for the Tropic of Cancer Oman I almost literally crawled up the slopes of Jebel Misht and then made a very tired stumble back into the car – saw sunset in the Rub Al Khali and had a puncture on the way out.

Tropic of Cancer in Wadi bani Awf — Tropic of Cancer Wadi bani Awf

Its one of the Earths Continue reading “Tropic of Cancer Oman and my magazine article about it “

Harley Davidson Oman

3 Harley’s pass through Muscat

The very distinctive roar of the Harley motor-bike swept through Muscat as members of the Muscat HOG group passed through a gate in Muscat’s wall.

Marta Leite Castro in Oman

A hot time of year to work, but Marta Leite Castro was so cool

It was a pleasure to work with Marta Leite Castro and cameraman Lima.

They were in Muscat for an upcoming Portuguese TV series . We were able to organize some great angles for the filming and Muscat won over another fan.

Book on Flora of Oman

On a humid morning Wild Plants of Oman is launched

Bait Al Baranda hosted the launch of Dr Annette Patzelt’s new book “Wild Plants of Oman’.

For a layman the book has Continue reading “Book on Flora of Oman”

Bull Fights in Oman

Friday afternoon is the traditional time for a few villages on Oman’s Batina coast to hold Bull Fights and recently I went to two.

These Bull Fights, rather than a Spanish style fight where a Matador kills a Bull, are contests between two evenly matched bulls.

The Bulls are usually an owners pride and joy and much personal prestige hangs on the result. The Bulls are given heroic names like Antar (an ancient Arab hero) or even modern ones perhaps Arnold (after Arnold Schwarzenegger).

This variety of cattle, and subsequent event, are said to have been brought into Oman by the Portuguese in the 16thc, and as they are only popular on the thin coastal strip that was under Portugal’s influence this does seem quite possible. Owners may have several Bulls who are led onto the arena under the supervision of a ‘Master of Ceremonies’, who wields a loudspeaker for effect.

The contest is to have the two bulls use brute force or intimidation to make the other animal submit and run away. Sometimes the losing opponent runs before the contest, other times the animals are so evenly matched that after 5 minutes or so they are separated.

Doubtless, with a ton of animal on each side injuries to the animals happen, though after innumerable visits I’ve never seen any; indeed with a value in excess of luxury cars, its in the owner’s interest to keep it from happening.

Oman’s Birds

Oman is home or visited by almost 500 species of Bird; we were delighted to see two of the most magnificent.

Skirting around Jebel Samhan in Dhofar we had two wonderful experiences . Over the coastal region two Verreaux’s Eagles cavorted in the sky above. These are probably the largest Eagles in Oman and since they pair for a long time – I assume this was a male and female.

Verreaux’s Eagles in the skies of Dhofar

Larger still – a flock (if that’s the appropriate name ) of 8 Griffin Vultures glided away over the mountain plateau. The Griffin, along with the Lappet Faced, is Oman’s largest Raptor .

One of a flock of 8 Griffin Vultures over Dhofars Mountains

Turtles on Masirah Island Oman

Masirah Island’s Turtles were the subject for the HAO this evening

Elayne Looker gave a very nice presentation to the Historical Association of Oman about Masirah Island’s Turtles in Oman.

Masirah Island's Turtles in Oman with Elayne Looker — Elayne Looker brought some massive Turtle skulls to her talk, on the right is a Leatherback and next to it is a Loggerhead skull..

She has been surveying and researching on Masirah Island where the worlds largest population of Loggerhead Turtles nest . Elayne gives training to all Turtle Rangers in Oman and certainly the ones at Ras Al Jinz are passing her information on to visitors. Amongst the hazards turtles face are tourism properties near beaches, and the example of one on the main turtle beach in Masirah was mentioned. Other hazards are plastic bags, which resemble jellyfish a key food for many turtles and ‘J’ hooks used to catch fish.