Tony Walsh – author on Oman & Arabia
Snapshots of my life & visits to Oman. Oman’s built history stretches back 5,000 years, its one of the Arab world’s most enduring cultures. Today its a modern economy with a hospitable population.
We enjoyed the visit into Muscat by EOS, the fabulous Yacht of Barry Diller of Expedia & Diane von Fürstenberg.
Anchored off a friend’s house it was most probably the largest vessel to anchor there. Rather appropriately, the FigureHead of EOS (a Greek Titanic Goddess) was bathed in supernatural light as she gazed out at the cliffs of Muscat.
Omans Gulf Cup – A gripping match – and yes, the best side did win
PHEW – WHAT A GRIPPING GULF CUP MATCH – Oman had a good first half but weren’t able to finish their goal attempts; through to the second half and still no score, nail-biting indeed. On to extra time, first 15mins, nothing, second 15 still nothing – and on to penalties. 5 goals each, and then – the Saudi missed and Oman’s Mohammed Al-Noobi got into the net – a win ; and in MHO a well-deserved win. Just after the match – its a holiday on Sunday was announced.
Heathrow to Muscat with Oman Air
Having only started flying direct from Gatwick to Muscat a year ago Oman Air has changed its flight schedule.
Now it will fly direct Continue reading “Oman Air Flies non-stop from Heathrow to Muscat”
The GCC Leaders in Muscat Oman
– near Al Bustan Palace is a welcome to them all
Special Greetings to you – from Rudolph the Red Nosed Camel and me, here in Oman
Here in Oman, rather than Reindeer, Father Christmas needs to use Camels, sand is quite different from snow of course. Since Father Christmas is no longer as young as he once was, his memory is sometimes poor so he naturally gives all his Sleigh pullers the same set of names.
I was lucky to find Rudolph the Red Nosed Camel, just before they set off last year in Oman. The NORAD Santa Tracker will follow his worldwide journey http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.html .
I know he would want to wish you a very special Christmas and a great New Year for 2009 – as do I.
Oman Air offers a new route from mid January
Oman Air will be flying into Muscat from Heathrow in 2009. I must admit that the schedule suits me well at Heathrow – leaving at 2130 and getting in to Muscat the following morning at 0845 – the flight from Muscat at 13.20 is equally good and arrives at Heathrow at 1740. But Gatwick I found, on what I have to say will probably be only my second visit in my life, was far easier to get around and the train in from Charing Cross was so easy. I don’t expect they will run both – or will they?
Update – new times (as of 30 Aug 2009 – are depart Heathrow 22.35 and arrive 09.15 and from Muscat to Heathrow depart 13.45 and arrive Heathrow 19.05
tradition and Arab Horses
On my way down to Salalah I had a wonderful visit to a local farm and an afternoons racing.
After lunch in the farm, where 3 of the horses who participated were stabled, we arrived for the days events.
Various local dignitaries were present and we were treated to traditional Omani entertainment. It made an enjoyable break on my Oman trip between Muscat and Salalah and helped speed me on my way.
November 18th is Oman’s National Day. This year is the 38th celebration of what is referred to as Oman’s Renaissance since Sultan Qaboos ( حفظ الله صاحب الجلالة) became ruler of Oman . The changes since 1970 have been remarkable – of course it’s human nature to say the good old days were better but I have yet to hear anyone say that about Oman.
Looking at today’s paper – Continue reading “Oman’s National Day”
we enjoyed some wonderful meals on a tour through northern Oman
Some in ‘local restaurants’ others in hotels along the way and finally in Al Bustan Palace.
Fish was certainly the highlight of most meals and Squid featured in a couple. While Oman doesn’t have what seems to be a vast choice of dining options – sometimes it can turn out wonderful meals.
With the opening of Al Bustan Palace Hotel the hotel’s acclaimed restaurants and bars are getting into their rhythm .
Though it will not accept Continue reading “Restaurants in Al Bustan Palace Hotel Oman”
Joining in the celebrations for a wedding in the Jebel Akhdar Oman
Making the steep climb by car up to Jebel Akhdar I arrived in the late afternoon to join the celebrations for a friend’s wedding in the mountains.
The formal betrothal had taken place last year and today would be the start of married life. Of course, it was a busy affair, as all Omani weddings are, with probably most households in the village joining in. Since this was a ‘town persons’ wedding we set off, in a queue of cars , to take the bride to the grooms home .
The next day I managed to have an early morning walk through the mountains before having a very enjoyable lunch at a simple reception to congratulate the groom.
focusing on to mentor, develop and promote promising Omani and International emerging artists Al Tarhal Gallery opens in Muscat OMAN
It was a pleasure to be at the opening of what, I feel, will be a superb showcase for Omani and International Artists .
Al Tarhal is a partnership, focusing on mentoring, developing and promoting promising Omani and International emerging artists. Works by Omani artists like Naima Al Maimani, whose works I am familiar with;
join artist whose works I have yet to discover, like the calligrapher Saleh Al Shukairi. Oman has had a long tradition of traditional decorative works with silver (the exquisite Mans Khanjar and Ladies Hirz necklaces ) and wood (bold entrance doors into major mansions) . Art as pure decoration had yet to fire the imagination of many Omani’s , but with increased awareness and demand, the gallery should have no difficulty in finding Omani’s to mentor.
I uploaded some Oman and Yemen inspired magazine articles I wrote
The Arabian Leopard was the subject of an article in the new daily paper from the UAE http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081009/NATIONAL/76935597. The piece highlights how few of the animals there are – the writer covered the possibility that there might be, or might not be one Arabian Leopard in the UAE mountains. That prompted me to scan in the piece I did about the Leopard for ‘Oman Today’ along with 3 other ones .
The visit I made into Wadi Hadhramaut which Oman Today (again) published in 2007 was a wonderful journey . Seeing ‘hand made’ houses rather than ones made from mass produced material was very stimulating. Each one individual and yet harmonious . To get some nice photos I wandered around just after dawn – in Seyoun waking up a pack of several dozen ‘wadi dogs’ on a mountain slope which made me back away very carefully and in Mukalla enjoying watching the men of the old town take up their places in the tea houses . Along the coast, the scenes of fishermen chasing gulls away from drying sardines spoke volumes of their need to preserve ‘wealth’ .
Bank Muscat asks me to produce brief articles which cover towns where they have branches . I am waiting in hope that they will ask me to do one for their Egyptian branch – and of course pay my travel expenses.
Dr Rory Wilson gave a very good talk to the Environment Society of Oman
With the support of the ‘Rolex Awards for Enterprise’ he has developed a device to track the movement of animals. Rory calls the results a ‘daily diary because, by extrapolating the information which includes 3-dimensional movement sensors and time a scientist can surmise the events of a selected animal’s day – its daily diary.
Why was he in Oman? Last January in Oman he did a small test on an individual Arabian Leopard . It is hoped that, by using this tracking device on Leopard in the wild, more information about the Leopard in Oman will be obtained and – its future made more secure using extensive information rather than limited information and speculation. I wrote about the Arabian Leopard for ‘Oman Today’
The storks spread through the hills feeding on insects; they also congregate in an area next to hundreds of eagles.
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