Tony Walsh

Oman’s Ministry of Tourism enters the Cruise business

Loaloat Al Behar at berth in Mina Sultan Qaboos Oman

With the arrival of the Loaloat Al Behar in Mina Sultan Qaboos, Oman’s Ministry of Tourism enters the Cruise business. This was the last yacht of H.M. Sultan Qaboos and was given to Oman’s Ministry of Tourism on arrival of the new very splendid Al Said – its replacement.

Loaloat Al Behar has been refitted in Dubai as a mini (if that’s the right word for 100meters) cruise ship or maxi yacht. Though the deck does not have a pool it does have a mini Jacuzzi is available to cool off in. It will probably appeal to large families or a holiday with friends .

I wonder what the chartering fee will be .

Exploring the Rub al Khali in northern Oman

we climbed to look out over the UAE from the Rub al Khali in Oman

After a long drive we managed to make it to the Rub al Khali border with the UAE in time for sun-set. Not as dramatic as southern Oman’s Rub Al Khali nor with the interest of the Wahiba Sands but this section still has the power to make a human feel insignificant.

It was from this dune that I heard the ‘singing of the sands’ – wonderful.

When camping in the Wahiba a few days ago the sunset wind was strong , here fortunately is was little more than a gentle breeze.

Oman’s water resources

An unbelievably small flow of water allows a village to survive up in Oman’s mountains

In the upper reaches of Oman’s Jebel Akhdar mountains I came across this tiny cascade of water. The groove running left to right is a small man made channel a few centimetres wide in which the trickle is collected in .

A small flow of water for agriculture in Oman

Then in a small fountain/waterfall (bottom right of the image) it drops into a collecting pool which feeds into a Falaj. For some 200 people in a small hamlet this is their agricultural water supply. Its drinking water is another similar sized source – topped up with occasional deliveries from the valley 1500ft below.

Professor David Ford in Oman

A well attended talk in the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Oman

Dr David Ford, The Regius (Royal) Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University was in Oman to give talks about the wisdom of the Christian, Islamic and Jewish faiths today.

David Ford, right, talks to an audience in Muscat

I was able to make it to his evening talk at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque where he mainly illustrated Christian wisdom .

Golden Sands and Golden Honey in Oman

We survived a desert storm to enjoy Omani Coffee and Honey

Arriving in one of Oman’s Deserts the golden dunes of the Wahiba Sands to set up camp we were faced with flying sand and strong winds; a normal sunset event as the weather heats up. We couldn’t really do anything till the wind had died down – and today it really didn’t want to . Eventually having stretched the time of our move into plan B – a departure to a permanent camp – we were relieved that the wind did die down – and up the tents went in the darkness. Steaks cooked and baked potatoes unwrapped and the meal was good to eat. Continue reading “Golden Sands and Golden Honey in Oman”

New Born Kittens in Oman

A real surprise and a happy ending

What a surprise I had at the Car Wash today – In the engine compartment – 5 wet kittens.

They must have been born during the night and perhaps a warm engine compartment seemed ideal.

So – in a box they went, to dry in the sun . Then, after my car was sorted out – a quick drive home to try and re-unite cat and kittens. Fortunately, a likely candidate was fighting with a tom-cat. When she ran off under a car I placed the box near her.

Amazingly, it was the right mother. She grabbed 1 kitten and took it around a corner to a relatively secluded place – and I put the box and others next to her chosen place.

After a few hours she hadnt noticed them – I tipped them near her. Then a few hours later all were feeding – how sweet.

The Klimt exhibition opens in Muscat

Sayyid Ali, the Minister of the Diwan, opened the Klimt exhibition on Sunday

Gustav Klimt in Muscat with the “Golden Age of Austrian Art” was opened today by H.E. Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud Al BuSaidi, Minister of the Diwan.

Included in the display is the Gustav Klimt study sketch for the painting of “Adele Bloch-Bauer” Continue reading “The Klimt exhibition opens in Muscat”

Gustav Klimt comes to Oman

Bait al Baranda Museum in Muscat organises a exhibition of Gustav Klimt sketches

Dropping into Bait al Baranda Museum I met Malik Al Hinai, the Director, making a few finishing touches to the Gustav Klimt exhibition that will be inaugurated this evening, for a public opening on April 13th.

Malik was finalizing the Gustav Klimt exhibition

This is the first of a series Continue reading “Gustav Klimt comes to Oman”

Cruises into Sur Oman

calm seas made a smooth crossing from the Amadea into Port

Sur in Oman had probably its largest visitor ever – the Cruise Ship Amadea .

So big it wasn’t possible to berth – it needed to anchor outside Sur and using lighters ferries passengers into the fishing port. It was great the sea wasn’t rough.

Oman’s Batina Bulls and Bees

close with bees – and a good distance away from bulls on the Batina

Dashing up the Oman Batina Coast I managed to enjoy the sight of Oman’s Little Bee ‘Apis florea’ . These are less numerous than Apis mellifera (the honeybee) – but are probably better adapted to Oman’s summer heat. Unfortunately, like the honey bee they are suffering from a unknown swarm killer (possibly virus ) .

At the opposite end of the scale one of Oman’s Bull Fight spectacles included over 30 bulls brought for their day of glory. Of course, not a drop of blood is expected to flow – this is Bull against Bull – and when it becomes clear which of a pair is the more dominant they are pulled apart and taken off.

Back again in Muscat – it’s raining; a great thing for Oman as always, though apparently in the north-west several deaths have occurred.

Ruwi’s wet roads add a sparkle to Oman

Rain soaks Ruwi – and probably a few Donkeys

Wet Roads isn’t typical Arabia – but today after a few drops earlier in the afternoon Ruwi had a thunderstorm and glistening roads and streets were created.

Those few drops happened just as I finished swimming at Bandar Jissah, I only noticed as the car showed them up . Driving away I came upon these Donkeys. They were wandering through the wadi that goes into Bandar Jissah which must be Muscat’s most popular beach at the weekend. Just behind them is the famous Iron Age Cemetery at Bandar Jissah and its associated Iron Age Village .

Donkeys in Bandar Jissah's wadi — Donkeys in Bandar Jissah’s wadi

They are the first little herd I have seen in the main area of Muscat for many years I suspect they will be spending a wet night in the wadi

Bait Sayyid Nadir Muscat

Just around the corner from Al Alam Palace in Muscat is Bait Sayyid Nadir, one of its few remaining 19thc houses.

The name of the house comes from Sayyid Nadir bin Continue reading “Bait Sayyid Nadir Muscat”

Wadi in Oman

Passing a Camel I searched for a good spot to sleep

Oman’s beachs sometimes have huge numbers of sea birds, mainly Gulls and Terns. Here, on a beach I was driving past, large numbers of Gulls descend on fish scraps thrown away by fishermen .

This beach is long with the gulls concentrated where the fishing boats beach to offload their catch.

A Camels dashes through an Oman Wadi at dusk

With so many birds I sometimes prefer the silence of Oman’s wadis to sleep in; so I drove through this wadi as the sun set – passing this camel who was in a bit of a rush to get somewhere. The night was nice and cool – and the bright full moon lit up the landscape till dawn.

Bentley and Rolls-Royce in Muscat Oman

The Shangri-la in Muscat – home for a few days to dozens of the world’s best cars

The Al Bandar Hotel is a great destination for Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars at the end of their Arabian Gulf Adventure.

Rolls-Royce driving through Oman’s mountains

Arriving into Qatar they drove into the UAE and then into Muscat – via Nizwa .

The Spirit of Ecstasy in Al Bandar’s car park

Probably the Shangri-la will have to wait a very long time before such a superb queue waits to check in again.

Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra

and a very enjoyable evening at Al Bustan

Simon Wright was the guest conductor for last night’s Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra performance at Al Bustan.

He has been Continue reading “Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra”