Tony Walsh – author on Oman & Arabia
Today I had a surprise email – Barbara Studebaker Bailey, has included her tour of Oman with us as a chapter of her book Escapades! which you can order here.How time flys! In 2002 a small group, which included Barbara, traveled almost the entire length of Oman with me.
It was a memorable trip Continue reading “Oman Escapades!”
Some 40 minutes drive from Muscat is Sifah and it was nice to visit to the new Sifawy Hotel there.
Its a small 55 suite property set around a Marina Continue reading “Sifawy Hotel and Sammak Restaurant”
Al Bustan Palace will soon have a new ‘umbrella’ management. Al Bustan opened as the residence for a Continue reading “Al Bustan Palace now a Ritz Carlton”
The sister ship of the Brilliance of the Seas, the Serenade of the Seas will visit Oman on a weekly basis from December 2012.
The passengers Continue reading “Serenade of the Seas will visit Oman 2012”
Since the Shangri-la opened its been one of our favourite hotels in Oman. The setting of course is
nice, the rooms are good, the food tasty – but the stand out for us Continue reading “Shangri-la Oman”
Despite the heat of over 40c a visiting group of Dutch Travel Agents
enjoyed their time in Oman. During their final day we had Continue reading “Dutch Travel Agents visit Oman”
Bringing a splash of colour into Muscat a Kathryn Wilson, art exhibition
in Al Araimi Complex Muscat.
Working in Dubai as an art and photography teacher she graduated from Oxford University as a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and for her exhibition showed paintings inspired by the scale and drama of Oman.
Not only inspired by Oman but her paintings are ideal for the large rooms and cool interiors of many of Muscats new houses.
Gently manoeuvring into Port Sultan Qaboos, the Amsterdam arrived into Muscat .
We took our guests Continue reading “Amsterdam in Muscat”
There must be something about April in Oman.
Last year Tom Jones gave a great concert on 14 Apr 2010 at the Intercontinental Hotel; this year it’s the group Westlife coming on 13th of April 2011 again at the Intercontinental. Its a big year for the group as they have just split from Simon Cowells record label.
Its always good to welcome the Brilliance of the Seas and passengers for Muscat shore excursions tours from the ship.
My own arrival into the port passed by a strike by Continue reading “Ships and Strikes in Oman”
The latest ‘fashion’ in Oman seems to be to hold a protest. Driving through Muscat I saw perhaps the smallest and the most temporary Continue reading “Protest in Muscat”
I was delighted to be invited to a concert held by Sarasin Alpen. Held at the Continue reading “‘Ustad’ Shujaat Khan in Muscat”
Every 10 years Oman undertakes a full population Census. Remote settlements in the desert or tucked away up a mountain are somehow included. Already the process for the 2010 census is underway. The last one (in 2003) included enumeration by hand-held computers, along with old-fashioned spray-painting to number individual inhabitations. The government is bringing forward the next one so that all GCC states undertake theirs at the same time (it will be a first for some). What does the future hold – hand held GPS readers to map locations accurately. With the natural increase in the Omani national population and soaring numbers of foreign workers – Oman should easily top the 3million population figure in 2010.
I enjoyed a visit to Tate Britain during ‘The Lure of the East’ painting exhibition. The canvases, by British artists, included one of Sir Robert Shirley, an envoy between the Persian and British courts, looking quite splendid in Persian style garments; their colour and decoration being Safavid are in the same style as the carpet in the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Remarkably I came across a watercolour by the Victorian artist’ Arthur Melville cited as being inspired by a cock fight in Muscat.
Another piece by him showing an interior with ‘Mashrabiya” was set in a section of the gallery screened with a Mashrabiya – a nice setting .
On the same day I had a meeting with Jessica Harrison-Hall the Curator of Chinese Ceramics at the British Museum. No sooner did I arrive but the door was opened with the instruction – “we need to evacuate the building”. Fortunately, it was only for about 40 minutes and she then very kindly dated some shards I had come across in various locations in Oman. The Hadrian exhibition will have to wait for another day.
The fruit of Baobab Trees (seen below at the base of the mountains in Dhofar, Oman) has just been given EU approval to be used in smoothies and cereal bars.
Oman has probably around Continue reading “Baobab Trees in Oman”
You must be logged in to post a comment.