As Evening Approaches at Qurum National Park

“Wonders of the World” at Qurum Park, Muscat

  There seems to be an “abandoned amusement park” inside Qurum National Park with models of some of the famous landmarks around the world.  I can now say that I’ve seen the Eiffel Tower in Muscat!  My princess in a tower waiting for her knight in shining rusty armor  My honey with The leaning Tower of Piza Qurum  Is this supposed to be the Treasury at Petra, Jordan?  “Andy in Oman” meets “pyramid in Muscat”  The Taj Mahal  The park scene just in front of the small abandoned “wonders of the world park” at Qurum National Park

Al Qurum National Park

  The entrance to Qurum National Park on Qurum street on the way to Crowne Plaza.  It’s strange that there doesn’t seem to be a clear English sign at the entrance of such an important site.  Qurum National Park (also called “Qurum Natural Park” on many websites) is the largest park in Oman with more than 1,715,000 square meters of greenery and beauty.  Speaking of beauty, this has to be the most beautiful sight in Oman and the desire of my eyes!  It was a real treat walking around this incredible park.  After 2 years in Oman, I can’t believe I waited this long to visit this gorgeous area!  A great place to bring the kids if you’re in Muscat with family.  Fountains, plenty of palm trees, birds singing, lots of benches and thick, green grass to have a picnic on make Qu’rum Park a very popular place for families on the weekends.  Even the toilets are gorgeous at Al Qurum!    Interesting architecture, no?   With plenty to see and do, Qurum National Park should not be overlooked on any tourist trip to Muscat!  Come and check it out.  You won’t be disappointed!

Muscat Women’s Fellowship (MWF) Fall Retreat at Al Nahda Resort & Spa

  The entrance to Al Nahda.  Al Nahda Resort & Spa (www.alnahdaresort.com) is about 30 minutes from Muscat International Airport.  Muscat Women’s Fellowship (MWF) held their fall retreat there October 21-23.  These are pictures I took when dropping my honey off (and picking her up) and pictures she took during her stay there.  An incredible place!  Fountain in front of the main reception & lobby area.  The main lobby at reception  Some of the materials during the retreat.  The theme of the retreat was “Who Am I in Christ?”  with 4 main sessions: 1) “Woman of Wonder” centred around Hannah (1 Samuel 1:1-28)  2) “Woman of Worship” centred around the Caananite Woman’s Faith (Matthew 15:21-28) 3) “Woman of Worth” centred around Eve (Genesis 1:27, Genesis 3:3-…, Ephesians 5:22-24) and 4) “Woman of Wisdom” centred around Esther (Esther 1).  The room my honey stayed in during the retreat. 12 ladies stayed both nights while Thursday’s sessions had more than 30 women in attendance.  The pool at Al Nahda.  Al Nahda also has spa baths, 24 station gyms, tennis courts, a sand volley ball court and a steam tunnel just to name a few of its services and facilities.   “Nestled in an oasis of thirty acres of gardens, providing tranquility and relaxation.”  Mrs. Che Brown enjoying the grounds of Al Nahda  “The luxury health resort and spa spread over 127,000 square meters, boasts of 108 luxuriously appointed villas & rooms set between clusters of mango trees.”  Mrs. Vinoo Peppin led 3 of the 4 sessions at the ladies retreat.  Vinoo and the other speaker, Ruthie, who lead the session on “Woman of Worth”.  “Al Nahda is not a fat farm or a regimented health clinic.  The emphasis is on improving your health without giving up your life! Whilst here, we want you to have fun, indulge and enjoy your stay.”  The Spa treatment rooms at Al Nahda  Some of the ladies of the retreat enjoying their breakfast buffet: Charlene, Sheena, Janet and Michelle.  A few shots of the desserts available at the Khalab Restaurant International Buffet which is open round the clock. Other food options include Lazeez (a la carte dining), Nozha (casual dining/alfresco), Samar (Arabic experience), room service (round the clock), Waha (lounge Bar in the evenings) and the pool bar.  If you live in Oman and want a nice weekend get-away, Al Nahda is the place! (Tel: +96826883710  email: stay@alnahdaresort.com)

If you are female and new to Oman, perhaps looking for a social network of ladies to support & grow with, why not look into Muscat Women’s Fellowship?! (mwfellowship@gmail.com for more info)

Hospitality – The Pride of Omani Culture!

  This is what is known as a “majlis” in Arabic which means “meeting room“.  It is where guests are met, dined and entertained on their visits to the typical Omani home.  This rather impressive “majlis” is in the Al Ruzaiqi family in Sur.  My friend, Harmen, was invited and because I was with him I had the great pleasure of being invited as well!   Mr. Mussallem Al-Ruzaiqi treating us like kings!  I wish I had taken pictures of the food.  Rice, fish, chicken, fruits of all kinds…(The list is only limited by my terrible memory!)  The one dish I remember vividly was the rice with raisins.  I had never tried that before and man, was it ever good!  Another coffee?!  Actually this was “red tea“-another 1st for me which was DELICIOU.  Tea is not normally “my cup of tea“!    Mr. Mussallem patiently stood there, smiling, as we enjoyed tea AND coffee.  His total commitment to serving us was unlike anything I’ve seen before.   Frankincense was lit to enhance the enjoyment of our after dinner beverages!  Nice touch!  This painting, on the Al Ruzaiqi’s majlis wall, is of Sur in the late ’50’s.  Those are/were 2 old family boats which no longer exist today.  If you look at the white house in the background to the right, that is the old Al-Ruzaiqi home which Mussallem would show us later! (renovated of course)  Here is one of the ancient doors of the family home (the one in the painting).  The harbor in the painting is no longer there, however, due to many changes that have taken place in Sur over the years.  I seriously didn’t take enough pictures on our visit (didn’t want to appear rude by snapping photo after photo!).  We were even greeted by his brother, Abdullah, who is the chief of police in Sur!  Mussallem took us to their family farm as well!  He graciously took hours of his time to feed, entertain and inform us.  If that’s not enough, he gave both of us a bucket of the most delicious Omani dates I’ve ever tried (from his family trees) to take back to Muscat with us as well as 20 fresh eggs from the family farm!  Harmen and Mussallem near the end of our visit to the Al-Rusaiqi home.  This trip to Sur is one that I shall not forget anytime soon! WOW!

If you EVER get invited to an Omani home, do not pass up the opportunity.  You will, no doubt, walk away with a new appreciation of the gracious people of this country.

More of the Beauty of Wadi Shab!

  Another wonderful pic from Harmen! (He gets full credit!)  This beautiful plant is known as “Sodom’s Apple” (Calotropis procera) From Oman Offroad: “Growing in sandy desert, this shrub occasionally reaches tree height and is common in overgrazed areas because goats and camels do not like eating the white latex that it produces.  The large leaves are covered with fine white hairs that create a moisture-retaining microclimate close to the surface of the leaf.  The fruits resemble squat bananas (not apple-shaped like those of the similar plant in North Africa) and contain thousands of seeds that are attached to long silken threads, enabling them to be carried far and wide by the wind when ripe.  The wood was once used to make charcoal for the production of gunpowder. (Arabic name: “ashar”)  Not the best photo of some waterfalls along the path towards the natural swimming pools at Wadi Shab.  Depending on when you go, there can be some really incredible scenes of water coming off the mountains I hear.  A local Omani boy and his donkey.  When I asked him for a photo, he demanded a small amount of money.  YES, I paid him.  You’d think he’d stop scratching his ear for a moment seeing how I paid top dollar for this picture, ha!ha!    A ” water fall trinkle” along the path.  The water oozing out of the rock kind of looks like oil, don’t you think?  I first thought this was a “frog” but came to learn that there are no frogs in Oman!  “Of the two species of toad, this one, The Arabian Toad (Bufo orientalis), is the most common.  It lives in or near water and can survive long periods of drought by digging deep into the wadi gravel and staying in a state of torpor (inactivity) for many months or even years.  Tadpoles are a tasty titbit for many wild animals and after spring rains, wadi pools can hold thousands of them.”   Check out that lizard!  Hard to see?  Ok, here’s a closeup for you!  Jayakar’s Oman Lizard (Lacerta jakari)  “This is one of the two endemic lizards of the Hajar Mountains, and grows to a total length of 60cm, two-thirds of which consists of its tapering tail.  They live near water, often among the rocks that line the walls of a well in an oasis.  Since they are mainly active in the hot season and well camouflaged, they are not easily noticed!”  Oh, yeah, well you were noticed on this trip, little fella!   What you don’t see on this post are pictures of the INCREDIBLE swimming area within a cave at Wadi Shab.  We had to leave our bags (including cameras) before entering.  I am planning on getting an underwater housing unit for my camera sometime soon…The underwater cavern (not pictured here) is one of the most incredible places I’ve been to so far in Oman!  If you have the chance to visit Wadi Shab from Muscat, it’s well worth the almost 2 hour drive and 1 hour hike to the “secret cavern pool” (and 1 hour to return…)!  Bring plenty of water, a swimming suit and shoes with solid threads (a good grip!) if you’re going to brave this hike.  Be warned that this is not a hike for the faint of heart.

Wadi Shab – Not too “shabby”!

  These clever gents from Tiwi have made quite a business for themselves.  They transport families across the river here from the parking area to the walkable side of the valley.  Many tourist websites include this wadi on the the top ten list of must-sees in Oman (and with good reason)!  This awesome close-up was taken by Harmen (www.harmeninoman.blogspot.com ) on his camera.  There are many incredible pools to swim in at Wadi Shab!

Tiwi!

  Such is the beauty of Tiwi! (There’s something about the name “Tiwi” I really love. Is it because it sounds so cute and reminds me of “kiwi”?!  )  This is part of the village of Tiwi as you approach the entrance of Wadi Shab.  This photo was taken by a church friend, Harmen.  Are those bullet holes, you think?  Tiwi looking towards the bridge.  People park their cars under this bridge and hike 45 mins-1 hour to experience the cool swimming pools of Wadi Shab.  Whether you are up for a long wadi hike with incredible mountain views or want to experience unspoiled white-sand beaches, Tiwi is definitely worth a weekend getaway!

White-Sand Beach of Oman

  On the Muscat-Sur Highway, between Quriyat and Sur, is the most popular white-sand beach in Oman.  It is just 5 kilometers past Fins.  The snorkelling here is said to be incredible due to its aquamarine waters.

The Incredible Beach at the Coastal Village of Finns/Fins

  Another small village on the Muscat Sur highway.  The beach along the coast is by far the most beautiful I’ve seen in Oman.  Just look at that water!  What color!  Harmen took this wonderful shot of a seagull floating on the water.  These were the only inhabitants of Fins that we encountered on our quick trip there (on the way to Wadi Shab).  Here is a video to give you an idea of just how awesome this beach is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUtTs8MoSLA   IF you do get the chance to come to Fins (the village), make sure to bring some fins (aka “flippers”) and your swimsuit as the water is out of this world!

Back to Bimmah Sinkhole

  An Omani family enjoying part of their weekend at the famous sinkhole  This Omani gentleman was really enjoying his visit at the sinkhole and more than happy to allow his photo to be taken.  The kids here are so cute! And yes, the family was totally okay with Harmen (a friend from church) taking their daughter’s photo.  As the tourbook “Oman Offroad” states, “daredevils sometimes jump in from up high, but at great risk (it’s a jump of almost 20 metres).”  Notice the guy in the top right corner thinking and thinking about diving in….and FINALLY…  SPLASH!  Notice the huge impact after he hit the water!  The splash was super loud and I was wondering if the guy was slightly hurt as we walked back to our car!  Here’s a short clip for your entertainment!

Beautiful Coast near Hwaiyat Najm Park

  This gorgeous coast is about 1 km from the famous Bimmah sinkhole on the Muscat-Sur highway.  The sinkhole is now known as Hwaiyat Najm Park and well worth a visit.  Sometimes even a short video can show SO much more than a series of pics, so here’s a very short video to give you a feel of what it’s like with the waves rolling in.

Quriyat Fort

  This fort is located in the middle of Quriyat which is about an hour from Muscat along the coastal Sur highway.  We only found it by getting lost on the way to the ocean side fort.  Little is posted or written about this fort as most people incorrectly tend to call the small fort on the ocean “Quriyat Fort”.   The fort has a store room, children(s) bedroom, kitchen and master bedroom.  Each room has old artifacts from what would have been in such rooms some 250 years ago.  A quick look at the childrens room  This picture of this piece of pottery is just a reminder that they obviously didn’t have refrigerators back then.  In order to cool beverages, they would place them in such pieces of pottery and hang them on the walls.  Looking down on the well from the roof of the fort  That’s my new friend, Harmen, from Holland, in the corner of the roof there.  Peekaboo! Displaying the rooftop door leading down to the groundfloor  The Indian “watchman” who collects the entrance fee for the fort (500 baisas) and tries to persuade tourists to sign the guestbook.  This last photo was taken by Harmen with his camera but it was so good I just had to steal it, ha!ha! 

Overall, it was quite an interesting visit to Quriyat Fort to get an idea of how Omanis lived about 250 years ago!

Dibab (also spelled “Dhabab”) Village

  Scene at Dibab village looking northwest up the coast.  Dibab/Dhabab is a tranquil stop along the Muscat-Sur road.  Looking southeast along the coast  Eastward to the sea  Looking westward to Dibab village itself.

The Fishing Village of Quriyat

  Some older men of Quriyat enjoying the shade  Even the sheep of Quriyat were doing what they could to escape the heat!     Quriyat goes far back into Omani history as a vital sea port.  It is well known for its stocks of kingfish and tuna.  A large number of its inhabitants still earn their livelihood from fishing.  This picturesque village also makes an excellent rest stop on the new Muscat-Sur highway.  A few vids for you to enjoy the essence of Quriyat: vid 1, vid 2.

Life’s a Beach in Oman!

  Indians fishing at a beach in Muscat using only fishing line and a hook.  Didn’t see them catch anything…There were also people catching crabs as Che and I collected shells while strolling along the shore.  My honey near a “Filipino looking hut” on the beach.  I’m not really sure what the purpose of those huts is besides providing good photo ops for foreigners!  How nice to live just a quick drive away from the beach!  Life is good!

A Painting that Caught My Eye in the Lobby of The Al Falaj Hotel

  “In the desert of life the wise travel by caravan, while the fool prefers to travel alone”. (Arab proverb)

The Doctor + The Teacher

   The Doctor and the Teacher is a first-person account by Dr. Donald and Eloise Bosch of what life was like in Oman during the 1950s and ‘60s, before the discovery of oil opened the country’s doors to incredible progress.  Having spent most of their working lives as a doctor and teacher in Oman, the Bosches are uniquely placed to share their experiences.

Inside front cover: This book of “memoirs” does not include our personal spiritual pilgrimage.  It does not encompass the faith journey in which we believe that God has led us, blessed us and protected us.  We have acknowledged the hand of the Great Physician and Teacher in the challenges life has presented to us.  And to those who have faithfully prayed for us and supported us, we extend our heartfelt appreciation.  (Dr Donald and Mrs Eloise Bosch)     We dedicate this book to those who laid a sound foundation-the pioneers of the American Mission. And to our colleagues of many nationalities with whom we walked and worked.  Dr. Donald Bosch and his wife, Eloise, at a Ruwi Church evening service of PCO (Protestant Church of Oman).  Don and Eloise are deeply appreciated and loved by the church in Oman and the people of Oman.  Sultan Qaboos has so appreciated their many years of service here that he has provided them with a lovely beach front home as they spend their golden years here in Oman.

From “Foreword”:  Dr Donald and Eloise Bosch have often been asked why they came to work in Oman.  Their answer is simple.  They are members of the Reformed Church in America, a mainline ecumenical Protestant denomination, which has a long history of providing services throughout the world.  It has a department designated “World Ministries” which seeks to place professionals where their skills are most needed.  Hence when they were ready to leave America, Oman needed them.  Except for the time spent relieving medical colleagues in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain and occasional furloughs to America, they have lived and worked in Muscat.

“As a result of their seafaring skills, the country as a whole developed an open, friendly attitude toward foreigners.  Unlike some other Arab communities which remained desert-bound, the Omanis sailed to East Africa, India and even as far as China, bringing back tales of different societies and people.  Hence the wonderful stories, some perhaps slightly exaggerated, like that of Sinbad the Sailor.” (Chap. 1, pg 5)

 Interesting facts:

-The first medical person to start working permanently in Oman was a woman, an American nurse, Mrs James Cantine.

-In the 19^th century, slaves could receive freedom by clasping the flagpole in the courtyard of the British Consulate!

-All the employees of the Women’s Hospital in Muscat were women except for the guard and a maintenance man.

-Sometimes patients to the mission hospital paid with a goat, eggs, baskets of dates, chickens or even gazelles.

-Being the only school to admit girls, the Mission school was the first co-educational school in Oman.

-The road between Muscat and Muttrah was the only 3 miles of paved roads in all of Oman in the 1960s.

-Dr Bosch and Eloise arrived in Oman in 1955.  At that time, the population of Muscat was estimated to be 5,000-7,000 and that of Muttrah, about 10,000-12,000.  Don with some local Omani ladies showing off their silver.  (Their are some incredible photos and stories in this book!)

 I imagine how their faith must have been tested and tried as they sent all their stuff to Oman.  Eloise reports, “Unfortunately, some things were pilfered from our boxes.  Some of the clothes we had purchased for our children and some of Don’s medical certificates and diplomas were stolen.  Other personal effects which couldn’t be replaced were also missing.  But we were grateful that most of our necessities survived.” Attitude changes everything.

“As we arrived at the Mission compound, we were thrilled to see palm branches laced over the entrance and a big sign “Ahlan Wasahlan” (welcome), put up just for the Bosch family.  Many people rushed out to shake our hands and hug us.  We immediately felt that this was where we belonged.”

Dr Bosch – “Here I was, a complete stranger to him and yet he was willing to put his life in my hands.  The answer to such complete confidence lies in the reputation of our colleagues and predecessors, the members of the American Mission, who laid a foundation of goodwill and concern for others.  We soon discovered that Omanis don’t forget.  If you do them a good turn, they will remember it and one day return good for good. (pg 17)  I loved the story of the illiterate man who brought a letter to a scribe at the Mutrah Souq.  Because it was a personal letter, he didn’t want the scribe to hear the message, so he asked him to put ear plugs in his ears before reading so that he wouldn’t hear the contents of the letter!    Classic!

“Hardly any of the Omani staff had been formally educated beyond the sixth standard, yet with careful guidance and training they were able to assume responsibility for most of the work in the hospital.”

“We would encounter amusing situations when we spoke a grammatically correct sentence which the Omani national apparently would not understand, but when the interpreter spoke the the identical sentence, he understood immediately.  The most likely reason for this was that the Omanis did not expect an expatriate to speak Arabic.”  The Bosch family in November of 1962

“We had very serious and sometimes fatal problems with a local custom in which the women, or perhaps their mothers, would pack the birth canal with rock salt immediately after the delivery of a baby.  The ostensible purpose of doing this was to prevent infection and tighten the stretched birth canal.  But the end result was sometimes catastrophic because the salt was an irritant which scarred the cervix (lower end of the uterus), so much so that with a subsequent pregnancy the cervix would not dilate (open) and the baby couldn’t be delivered.” (pg. 20)

“Yet another interesting case was that of a young lad who was brought in with a huge gash in his abdomen, carrying all of his intestine in his loin cloth.  He had been fishing in his little boat when a sharp-nosed fish jumped from the water, stabbed him in the abdomen, and fell back into the water leaving the boy with an enormous abdominal gash through which his intestine naturally extruded.  Alone on the boat, he somehow managed to paddle himself to the shore and was immediately brought to the hospital.  In the operating room it was determined that the intestine itself had not been damaged, hence all that was required was to clean the abdomen, put the intestine back where it belonged and sew him up.  Ten days later, he walked out of the hospital and promptly returned to his little boat, figuring, I suppose, that no self-respecting fish would repeat such a dastardly act.”

“Interestingly enough, many of the Bedouin patients rejected an enclosed room in favour of a spot beneath a tree on the compound.  These folks had lived all their lives in fresh air and could not tolerate a closed room.  So we had to number the trees to mark the patient’s locality.  The patient’s chart would read: Under tree 1, Under tree 2, Under tree 3 and so on.”

There is an fascinating account in Chapter 4 of how slave traffic was a serious problem at the turn of the century between East Africa and the Gulf countries and how a series of events led to the Freed Slaves School in Muscat!  That should be enough to wet your appetite to go out and buy this excellent book!    Available at the “Family Bookshop” in Noor Plaza, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos (MSQ),  Al Khuwair.  If you attend church in Ruwi on Sunday evenings, you can even get this lovely couple to sign the book! 

Muttrah Dolphins

Parable of the Wicked Tenant Farmers with Explanation

  (2 banners from Ghala Church, PCO and the parable they brought to mind) 

PARABLE:  “There was a certain landowner which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and leased it out to tenant farmers, and went into a far country.  And when the time of the vintage drew near, he sent his servants to the tenant farmers, that they might receive the fruits of it.  And the tenant farmers took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.  But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying “They will respect my son”.  But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance”.  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.  When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?”  They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will lease out his vineyard unto other tenant farmers, which shall pay back him the fruits in their seasons.  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the chief cornerstone: this is the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?  Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.  And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.  But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they held him to be a prophet.” (Matthew 21:33-46)  Explanation of the Parable:  In the parable of the wicked tenant farmers, the landowner represents God the Father, and the vineyard is Israel, a symbol of the theocracy that was familiar to the Jewish leaders (Ps 80:8-16, Is. 5:1-7).  The tenant farmers were the priests and religious leaders, and the far country is heaven.  The anticipated fruit represents spiritual evidence of true conversion, which was to be the end result of the work of the tenant farmers.  The servants sent by the owner represent the Old Testament prophets who came to correct religious abuses in the nation and were also rejected by their contemporaries (though venerated by subsequent generations).  Last of all indicates that Jesus was God’s final emissary to Israel.  None has ever appeared since Him, and none ever will until the Jews recognize Christ as their final Prophet and Messiah.  The desire to kill the rightful heir of the Father had already been expressed by the Jewish leaders (John 11:47-53).  Jesus cleary foretells His coming rejection and death with the statement, “they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.”  “What will he do unto those husbandmen?” is the condemning question of the judicial parable.  Their reply again unwittingly condemns their own attitude of rejection of Jesus.  The other tenant farmers are the Gentiles.  Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23, relating His present rejection to His ultimate triumph (Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:6-7), where “the stone which the builders rejected” is also quoted in relation to Christ.  The Sanhedrinists represent the builders of Israel’s religion, who rejected the real cornerstone of God, Jesus, the true Cornerstone of the foundation of the church.  The warning “the kingdom of God shall be taken from you” was fulfilled at Pentecost when the kingdom was mediatorily transferred to the church.  Yet, within this warning of judgment, Jesus offers mercy to these falling “on this stone“, meaning, falling upon Him in repentance and faith.  But His falling upon man in judgment will “grind him to powder“.

Yet Another Use of The Palm-Tree Branch…

  The Romans rewarded Olympic winners and successful generals on their return from conquests with palm branches.  Palm branches were waved in the air and thrown in the path of Jesus during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  In Oman, Indian street cleaners have started a new trend of using palm branches to clean the streets.  (Hard to find a good broom with a LONG handle! I hear ya!)

Oman – An Artist’s Paradise!

  Here’s a lady I noticed painting a palm-tree scene here in Oman.  It made me wish that I had artistic abilities; the scenery can be so gorgeous here at times that I often wish I had the talent to put paint to canvas.  (But then that’s what my camera’s for, right?)   “Painting is poetry th’at is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”~Leonardo da Vinci  “The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”- Michelangelo  This friendly Omani lady not only okayed this photograph but was pleased to be photographed! 

By the way, if you are interested in taking oil painting/drawing classes and you live in Muscat, the Daat Art Centre in Qurum is open every afternoon (24568049).  Who knows, you could find your artwork in Bait Munza or The Bait Al Baranda Museum someday! 

WITH GOD…

  Nice banner at Ruwi Church!  Notice that this Bible verse doesn’t say that “All things are possible FOR GOD”. (Duh! of course!) It states that “All things are possible WITH GOD“.  The trick is to do your homework; read the Bible, assess your situation and realize if you are “with God” or not… Here’s an interesting look at related passages – http://www.topical-bible-studies.org/05-0007.htm  Keep up the great work, PCO church banner team!

Preparing for Halloween in Oman

  Well, it looks like they have the halloween costumes and trinkets up for sale at Carrefourre here in Muscat.  I wonder if Halloween stuff is mostly for the expats or if Omanis get into Halloween celebrations of some type.

Of course, as a Christian, I have strong ideas about Halloween especially seeing how it is related to death, the grave, evil and hell.  I don’t believe it is all “childs play” and I like Hank Hanegraaff’s attitude towards Halloween who wrote this:   http://www.equip.org/PDF/halloween.pdf

Here’s a “cute“ video involving 2 Halloween pumpkins for you all. (warning-it’s violent…) http://sendables.jibjab.com/sendables/12/pumpkin_massacre

Oman History Visited through a Few Photos

  A school boy in 1860 A.D. (painting in Bait Al Zubair Museum)  An old Omani classroom from 1971.  (Al Saidiyah)  Sultan Qaboos when he was a young boy  Sultan Qaboos and his father, Sultan Said Bin Taimur.  Very little is spoken in the sultanate about how Sultan Qaboos took power from his father on July 23, 1970.  Sultan Said Bin Taimur ruled Oman from 1932 to 1970.  After coming to power at the age of 22, he became more and more isolated, closing Oman’s borders and tried to shield his country from outside influences.  Apparently, there were many restrictions under his rule and this kept Oman in a dark period that has been compared to the middle ages.  It has been written that he became even more unpredictable after an assassination attempt in 1966 and he even forbad football, music and spectacles!  He even punished people who appeared in his dreams.  When Sultan Qaboos came to power, his father was exiled to London until his death in 1972 (the year I was born).  I often wonder if they kept in touch at all after the “coup d’etat”.  Here is a nice diagram showing the different years of rule of Oman’s leaders.  May there be many more for Sultan Qaboos!  Service in the Royal Palace, 1875 A.D.  Muscat in 1890 AD  Muscat in a Portuguese drawing which illustrates the wall surrounding the city of Muscat and the major buildings enclosed within it.  It is assumed that this drawing was made after 1622 AD as that is when the city walls were built.  The drawing also shows farms and wells outside the Muscat walls as well as the 2 gulfs of Kalbooh and Muttrah.  The 2 pictures above are of ancient doors displayed in Bait Al Zubair Museum.  These 2 doors are from the Bait Al Adam Museum.

I hope you enjoyed that short trip through a bit of Oman’s history.  Here’s a quote to leave you with from the Englishman, John Ovington, who was chaplain to King James II.  He visited Muscat in 1633 AD and wrote, “These Arabians are very courteous and extremely civil to all strangers; they offer neither violence or affront in any way; and tho’ they are very tenacious of their own principles, and admirers of their own religion, yet do they never impose it on any; nor are their morals evened with such furious zeal, as to divert them of humanity and a tender respect…In fine, these are a people naturally temperate and just, and endued with those excellent qualities which Grecian philosophers and Roman moralists endeavoured to inspire into their subjects, tho’ they missed their aim.”

Sing to the LORD all the Earth!

  This Ruwi Church banner comes from 1 Chronicles 16:23 (“Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation.”) and Psalm 96:1 (“Sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.”)  Here’s a song to match this lovely banner – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8rY7dwwqYs  Good job, PCO banner creation team!

Oman Dive Center

      If you love snorkelling or scuba-diving, this is the place for you!  Located out of town between Bandar Beach and Al Bustan Palace and the Shangri-La, the area is gorgeous.  In fact, it’s one place that I frequently take people out to see due to the incredible views.  This a nice dive-site map found at the Dive Center giving you an idea of what the coast is like near Muscat.  Check out those cute Barasti (traditional Omani) style huts (35 available) situated on the beach at the Center.  Instead of getting a hotel somewhere else and making the trip everyday for diving, I strongly suggest those coming to Oman to rent a place here if you want to get a scuba-diving license.  Check out the informative Oman Dive Center website at www.omandivecenter.com .  They have info in English, German, Italian and French! (as well as other languages)  They have a restaurant (named “Odyssey”) at the center and a bar (open noon-11:30pm) which is known as the best beach bar in Muscat.  One thing to warn you about if you come out simply to hang out at the Center: they charge you for parking unless you are there for only 20 minutes or less.  Just look at the color of that water!!!  Be sure to check out their website and consider the scuba-diving courses if you’re working/living here in Oman.

Prayer Room Toilets?

  I think those are separate rooms, right?!  There is a “/” in Arabic but without one in English it makes it look like everything happens in the same room.

The Sky’s The Limit With Oman Air!

  Zapporah and Sheila are 2 of the new Filipina stewardesses (“flight attendants” for you more politically correct types!) hired by Oman Air.  Here they are on a sunday service in Ruwi Church.  They recently hired 60 new Filipinos as well as a number of others of other nationalities.  We got to know Sheila after answering a few of her questions about Oman when she found my blog on a google search about life in Oman.  They are currently undergoing training.  Welcome to Oman, ladies!   May God bless you as you continue trusting Him during your stay here!

Flowers for the Sultan

  Cyril, Soonali (Cyril’s daughter who came to Oman to assist her father in returning to Sri Lanka), Che and Pastor Peppin in the Good Shepherd Chapel, Ghala Church

  You might not read anything about the departure of Cyril Amarasekera in the local papers but I find his experience here in Oman at least worthy of a blog post!    Cyril arrived in Oman back in 1981 and has served the Sultan of Oman, Sultan Qaboos, for the past 29 years!  He has been one of the sultan’s florists serving in several of his palaces  including Salalah.  Cyril has provided many extremely interesting stories which probably can’t be repeated here.  His majesty met with Cyril in person this week to thank him personally for his faithful service.  The sultan was extremely generous with Cyril as he left the sultan of Oman.  It has been a real pleasure getting to know Cyril and praying/worshipping with him at the Ruwi Church compound on Sundays and the church in Oman sends him off with the blessings of God, wishing him all the best as he heads home to his family in Sri Lanka.  You’ll be missed, brother!

Time for “Time Out”

  The new autumn edition of Time Out magazine is now available! (1.5 RO)  I always enjoy reading this magazine to find out what’s new in Muscat, Oman and I find this edition especially informative.  Well done, “Time Out”!

The Passionate Tourguides of Ras Al Jinz Turtle Nature Reserve

  Abdullah Aziz was one of our informative tourguides at the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve near Sur.  He graduated from Sultan Qaboos University (as had many of the guides there) about a year and a half ago and loves telling people all about the nature reserve and the turtles found there.  Here’s a short clip of our tourguide explaining the reserve.  The people here are taking conservation more seriously.  Anyone who visited the reserve earlier than 7 months ago might have been sad to see the lack of effort (see here for an example of how it used to be: Pity the Poor Turtles of Oman).  They no longer allow photography of the turtles (except after sunrise) and people can no longer camp right on the beach (which I can’t believe they allowed before!!!).  If you do go, make sure to make a reservation.  They have night tours and morning (4am!!) tours.  If you are a photography maniac, such as myself, I would recommend taking the morning tour.  Photography is not allowed in the late-night tour.  Of course if you are willing and able, I highly recommend doing both as I did.  Here are some of the friendly Ras Al Jinz tourguides at the center.  Check out their website at www.rasaljinz.org  If you like maps, it’s located here. (and then click the “-” symbol about 8 times to see more of the area.)  My honey at the nice giftshop they have at the centre.

If you live in Oman and have never been to Ras Al Jinz to see the turtles, you really should get out there and see them.  You won’t be disappointed!

The Beauty of the Green Turtle

  An exhausted female green turtle dragging her approximately 100 kilo body back to the sea just after sunrise after laying about 100 eggs  About 20,000 green turtles come to Oman beaches each year to lay up to 60,000 egg clutches. (at around 100 eggs per “clutch”)  Here is an almost 6 minute video of one of the turtles I was blessed with the opportunity of observing while visiting the Oman Turtle Reserve at Ras Al Jinz:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btbkq40QdlI

Green Turtle Hatchlings in Oman & Their Struggle to Survive

  One of the hatchlings we saw headed for the sea.  They say that out of 1000 eggs hatched, 1 might survive to adulthood.  One of our tour-guides pointed out these fox prints.  Foxes lay in wait to eat eggs (if they can find them) or hatchlings as they try to make it to sea.  Crabs also wait along the water’s edge to feast on the baby turtles.  Shells of one of the eggs.  Did this one make it or are these the remains of a fox’s breakfast?!  The only male turtle on the beach was this dead one that washed up on shore.  This beach cliff separates the 2 beaches at Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve which are set apart for tourists to observe the laying/covering/hatching of turtle eggs.  One of the green turtle hatchlings which a couple of kids in our tour-group found and were permitted to carry to the sea.

Green Turtles Laying Eggs

  These turtles lay about 100 eggs when they come to nest.  The eggs look like perfectly rounded golf balls.  The guides wait till the turtles start laying their eggs (which can take 10-15 minutes) and then they allow the tourists to come one at a time to get a closer look.  Once the eggs are laid, the mother leaves the babies to fend for themselves.  There is no longer any connection between the mother and her babies.  Once the turtle has finished laying her eggs, she throws dirt around and makes quite a mess in the general area to disguise the whereabouts of the eggs to potential predators.

Surely Surreal Sea Scenes Surrounding Sur

  A zoomed in shot of hard working Omani fishermen off the coast of Sur.  Fishing boats, birds in the air and children on the beach-That’s Sur!

I don’t think you can ever have enough pictures of fishing boats, fishermen and the ocean in general.  I think my fascination with fishing and fishermen comes from the Holy Bible.  Some of Jesus’ first discples were fishermen.  These were not high-class, intelligent theologians but “people of the earth” who worked hard with their hands and no doubt had “mouths like sailors” before Christ did a work in their lives.  Here is one of my favorite “fishing passages from the Bible”; where Jesus calls 4 of his first disciples to follow Him:  “Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.  And Jesus said unto them, “Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.” And straightwaythey forsook their nets, and followed him.  And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.  And straightway He called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after Him.” (Mark 1:16-20)

Forts of Sur

“Sur” in Arabic means “a walled fortified area“.  It’s pretty easy to see why they chose that name for this town after even a short ride around this city of about 70,000 which is located about 300 km SE of Muscat.   Sunaysila Fort is the main fort in Sur 

Bilad Sur Castle is a much more impressive fort.  “Bilad Fort was built in around 1800 AD to defend Sur from attacks staged by tribes from the interior, and is based around a large central courtyard with watchtowers at each corner.  The two main towers have small extensions, built to enable the defenders to get a higher vantage point from which to spot the enemy.  The fort is surrounded by lush date palm plantations, and makes a pleasant day out.” (from “Oman: The Complete Residents Guide”)

A Few Things in Oman that Make Me Go “Hmm….” (AKA “Signs and Wonders”)

“Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes)  I wonder if this sign is referring to a “praying area“, a “prayer area” or if there is a new dynamic activity in Oman known as “prayering“?!  Hmm…  Wow! Those must be some fast camels! If the speed limit is 100 km/h for camels, I wonder what it must be for cars and trucks!!!  Hmm…  I wonder how many channels this satellite gets.  More importantly, I wonder why this tent in the middle of nowhere (“Khawr Grama”  to be exact) feels the need to have a satellite.  Bizarre, no?!  Has the global financial crisis come to this?!  Pirates are now forced to size down to “pirate bicycles”?!  What is the world coming to?!   Finally, I want to know who “Educe” is, why he is peeing in the beautiful outdoors of Oman when there are plenty of public toilets available and why, oh why did he or his friend feel the need to announce his private matters for every car going by to know?!?  I simply cannot understand some people!!!  Hmm…

The Tranquility of Ayjah Bay, Sur, Oman

  Although not a bustling seaport that is was centuries ago, Sur is still famous for making these ancient looking wooden Arabian ships known as the “dhow”.  “How now, brown cow dhow?!”   Okay, now I’m just being silly!  Fishing weights in one of the boats at Ayjah Bay

The Ayjah Lighthouse in Sur, Oman

  The Ayjah Lighthouse in Sur is quite impressive.  There is something captivating about the architecture of this 3-story tower and its domed roof, especially in the backdrop of Ayjah Bay with the new bridge being constructed beside it and all the boats surrounding it.  This charming lighthouse is located on Ras Ayqah, the high point on the east side of the Sur harbor entrance.  To get a better idea of its location, here’s a nice satellite shot. (Click on “here” in the last sentence! )   I love this shot of the “three watch towers of Sur” through one of the fort like windows of Ayjah Lighthouse.  View of Ayjah Bay from the lighthouse

Many people rush to see the turtle nesting site outside of Sur and fail to spend some quality time in the town itself.  If you ever make it to the lovely town of Sur, make sure to enjoy the serene beauty of Ayjah Bay!!!

Ras Al-Hadd Castle

  Some people ask me whether it’s easy for foreigners with little or no Arabic knowledge to get around Oman.  It is extremely easy as English signs are everywhere to guide the curious traveller.  I, for example, didn’t even know there was a castle at Ras Al-Hadd until I saw this sign while exploring the area!  The castle of Ras Al Hadd marks the easternmost corner of the Arabian Peninsula; the first area of Oman (and the entire Arabian peninsula, for that matter) to be greeted with the sun’s rays!   This restored fort, which is more than 450 years old, was an important site for ancient seafarers.   You don’t see many of these “hazardous to visitors” types of warnings around!    It must not be forgotten that the chief end of such forts was not tourism but defense.  This castle has three towers and a large courtyard and took ten years to build.  I read that the courtyard was big enough to provide shelter for the villagers, who would come inside for protection whenever the town was threatened with invasion.  There is an underground escape tunnel that extends from the largest tower and comes out 200 m away outside the fort into what was then the local village.  The main door (or “gate”) to the castle.  Notice the “door-within-a-door” which is a cool feature on many of the forts of Oman I’ve visited.

Some Friendly Omani Rovers

  These 3 gentlemen are members of a group known as “Rovers“.  The only “Rovers” I had heard about before meeting them were “LandRovers” (the vehicle) and “The Irish Rovers” (an OLD band from ages past-if you know who they are, you must be pretty old yourself, ha!ha!)  Anyway, I was somewhat suprised to learn that there are cubs, brownies, boy scouts and girl guides in Oman!  These guys set me straight and informed me that “Oman Rovers” are like boy scouts but they go to college or university.  His Majesty the Sultan has done a lot to encourage young people in such activities to build the nation and develop human resources for the future.  Here’s something fascinating I read on-line, “In 1983, in recognition of the keen interest he has shown in the scouting movement, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos was installed as Chief Scout and under his patronage the movement has expanded in all areas of the Sultanate.”  The sultan is the Chief Scout?! You learn something new everyday!  Here is more on the scouts in Oman: http://omanscouts.gov.om/EN1introduction.htm

The 1st Tiger I’ve Seen in Oman!! Well…kind of!

  I quickly saw this sign on the drive from Sur to “Turtle Beach” (Ras al Hadd).  The sign appeared so suddenly that the only thing I had time to read was the word “tiger”.  On the way back, I stopped to take a closer look…  There’s the “tiger figurine” in the distance on the drive from Ras Al Hadd to Sur.  It seems that a few locals painted the side of the roadside cliff as they felt it was shaped like a tiger.  It has become a small landmark now and hence the warning sign which asks drivers to be careful not to hit people who may have stopped their vehicles to take a pic or two.  By the way, as far as I know, there are no tigers in Oman.  I have heard, however, that there are a very small number of leopards here.  Read up on it here, if you are interested:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/world/oman-nepal-leopards.html#cr

These pics are just a small example of why I try to bring my camera wherever I go as you never know what you’re going to see here in Oman! 

A Date Merchant from Bediah, Oman

  This poor farmer was out in the killer heat near the Sur Clock Tower selling dates for 500 baisas (1/2 an Omani Rial) for 1 kg!  I bought 2 kilos; not that I like dates, but in order to support this man and his family.

The Sur Clock Tower

Overwhelmed by the Blessings of God!

  This was the cake waiting for me when I got home today!  My wife, Che,  and my sister-in-law, Marites, cooked me up an incredible meal with all my favorite dishes.  Here is my wife at The “Scientific Polyclinic” in Qurum.  Dr. Nardine Al-Manaseer has been a great help to us.  By the way, what are the chances that this doctor would make an appointment for our 3rd check-up on September 1st, which just happens to be my birthday?! The so-called coincidences that let us know God is guiding and blessing.  What better gift than knowing that my wife and baby are healthy.  The doctor said, “I don’t normally make comments this early in the pregnancy about the gender, but I think it’s a boy!” Please, God, let it be!!!

  This new banner at Ruwi church expresses my gratitude to God.  It comes from Nehemiah 8:10 and Psalm 21:1, “The king shall joy in Thy strength, O LORD; and in Thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!” AMEN!

Bimmah Sinkhole

  This is a new sign and I believe a new park since my wife and I drove the Muscat-Sur road some 8 months ago.  The “Bimmah Sinkhole” is located 6 kms after Dibab village and is not to be confused with ”Bammah” village which is about 20 kms further.  “Hawiyat Najm Park” or “Sinkhole Park” is quite impressive.  We skipped it last time but we are very happy that we decided to check it out this time!  The water was such a vibrant green! Chilin joked that it looked like a giant WC (toilet) because of that color which resembles a toilet bowl cleaner.  Apparently, the green and blue colors are a result of the saltly sea water meeting with fresh water.  This sinkhole is about 500 meters inland and is 40 meters wide and 20 meters deep.  The sinkhole is said to connect all the way to the ocean.  My beautiful wife at the top of the sinkhole  Yours truly enjoying the view from above  It’s a LONG way down! Are those ants near the tree?!    Those concrete steps are bigger than they look and you really do have to be careful when walking up and down.  If you look real hard, you can see tiny fish that love to nibble peoples’ toes!  It’s quite therapeutic!  My wife seems to get more beautiful with each passing day!  Mr. Chilin Tang taking a few pics with his incredible camera  Mabel Seow really seemed to enjoy soaking her feet in the sinkhole.  A Kodak moment at the Bimmah sinkhole, ha!ha!  Notice the French family taking a dip in the sinkhole.  I would definitely recommend bringing your bathing suit if you get a chance to make it out there. There are toilets/change-rooms at the entrance to the park!  Geologists say that this interesting site was created when limestone collapsed but the locals say that a piece of the moon fell to the earth and made this hole.    Here’s an interesting view from above: http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=d6f77f4c-5bce-4184-b683-4e99ce838bcc     These local Omani boys took a break from the Ramadan heat to snap a few pics of one another in the sinkhole on their cellphones.  If you live in Muscat and plan a trip to Sur, don’t pass this place by!  We loved it!   (In the past, you needed a 4X4 to get here but this is no longer necessary due to the wonderful new highway!)

Arab Female Dress in 1780 A.D.

    I found these pictures at the Bait Al Zubair Museum fascinating.  Look at the colors! It made me wonder, “If this is how Arab women dressed in 1780, when exactly did the “dress completely in black concept” begin here in Oman and elsewhere?”  I searched quite a bit on-line for the answer to this question and a couple of things I read made sense to me.  One person said that in this part of the world, ”the woman is the shadow of the man” and therefore they wear black.  Another thing that made sense to me is that with any other color, it might be possible to see through a lady’s clothing, but not so with black clothes.  Hmm.  Anyone know when and why this idea of women wearing black was introduced in Oman?!

Oman “Rocks”!

  This week marks the beginning of my 3rd year in Oman.  I must say that Oman has been good to me.  I met the woman of my dreams here, found a great group of believers to fellowship with, got a wonderful job and then got married  to the love of my life.  God only knows what the Lord has planned next!  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

A Christian Home?!

You’d think so with all those crosses, n’est pas?! (This home is in Al Hail.)