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.