Oman’s built history stretches back 5,000 years, its one of the Arab world’s most enduring cultures. Today its interconnected through modern highways and impressive mobile telecom networks.
the home side won – but it still would have been good for our team to win
Al Taawn ‘The Co-operation Team’, the football team we sponsor, were at a disadvantage playing against the Island Falcons – it was an away game. Both teams are from Quriyat – but the game was on the Island Falcons own pitch .
‘Al Taawn’ the team Arabesque sponsors
With good attacking players the Island Falcons managed to do what all teams playing at home should do – they won and unfortunately, Al Taawn are out of the tournament
It was a good lesson for Al Taawn, attackers are the way to win.
The Club Cup later in the year will hopefully see Al Taawn at least reach the top two.
Dr Richard J. Schmierer will join the residents of Oman as the new US Ambassador . Previously he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, so will bring a breadth of experience with him into Oman. His diplomatic postings’ include time in Germany, Saudi Arabian and Iraq.
A nice comparison over time of Oman’s rise in wealth and health
that shows the relative wealth and health of Oman and the UK, <<<click and it opens and springs into action. The UK jigs along at the forefront of wealth and health compared to the world while Oman, until the 70s was low on both but then, sharply pulls up after 1970 with oil wealth and its much-admired health services – that, I feel, is focused on prevention far more than the NHS in the UK..
a stand out on the food scene in Muscat – for lots of reasons
Ubhar is one of the more distinctive restaurants in Muscat (unusual addition of an ‘h’ into what is more usually spelt Ubar). Its in a central location in Qurm with a discrete appearance from the outside. Inside however it’s a fusion with dark wood, shocking fuchsia cushions and clear Perspex chairs – almost 1960s retro.
Ubhars metal covered menu
The restaurant opened a few months ago and is probably suffering from the economic slump and a focus by the affluent local population on coffee shops and fast food . They are missing a unique experience . Standouts were the Appetizers, Soup, and Crème Caramel – the very personable service by the maître d’hôtel and his 100% Omani staff.
forget the old Browns – Oman will soon have Greens
The first of Oman’s grass Golf courses has had a soft opening. Between honey coloured mountains and the Gulf of Oman it will be a great alternative to Oman ‘Browns’, the rollered sand golf course we have had till now
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.
Oman’s Transport & Communications Ministry has confirmed that it will build two ferry terminals in Khasab and Shinas .
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.
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 .
The British Museum’s Great Court
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 .
China Blue and White
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.
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.
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 ?
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 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.
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
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