SMS parking service of Oman Mobile has enhanced the modern image of Oman.
“SMS parking is provided in co-operation with Muscat Municipality and has conveniently facilitated the life of subscribers and enhanced the modern image of Oman,” said Zuwaina al Rashdi, Branding and Marketing Communication Manager. (more)
Tsk! tsk!
I love reading Omantel/Oman Mobile press releases. They spice up my day!
Post-Gonu, it looks like Nando’s at CCC has lost its magical touch. The restaurant’s interiors have brightened up, staff is affable like before, but their food lacks soul. Somehow, they’ve lost the magical touch with which they used to dish out Chicken Espetada (pictured above), my favourite thingy at Nando’s. Hope they get back to rhythm very soon.
Al Rafeel Restaurant near the Muttrah Souk main gate is another promising outlet which serves Indian, Chinese, Continental food, and doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket.
If you manage to get a parking in the ever busy street, head to the restaurant which is located in the first floor. The seating area is decent, sans all the glitz, and the view outside is just amazing. Imagine tucking in your favourite food by watching all the action over Muttrah corniche!
Al Rafeel serves some great sea food and sizzlers, we were told, but unfortunately due to ‘red tide’ scare, we decided to give the fish a miss. We settled for a light dinner of chicken kabab, rotis (Indian bread), chicken tikka masala and jeera rice.
The food was very decent, and the bill came up to RO 7. During peak season, the restaurant is frequented by tourists visiting Muttrah souk. Al Rafeel is one such restaurant which proves my theory: Low profile restaurants dish out great food!
The controversial plan to limit how long expatriates can live in the Gulf has raised its head again, with news that labour ministers have submitted a proposal to the GCC Council of Ministers to bring the cap into force.Labour ministers sparked outcry among expatriates last year when the plan to limit unskilled and semi-skilled workers to six years in any one Gulf state was first announced.
The final decision on the cap was supposed to be made by Gulf leaders at last year’s GCC summit in Doha, but was deferred until this year’s summit in Muscat. Some media reports claimed the decision was postponed due to pressure from businesses, which had been vocal in their opposition to the cap. (more)
Oops, I don’t fall under any of these…
Sources citied by the newspaper said doctors, lawyers and consultants are some of the professions that might be exempt.
Why this rule?
Advocates of the cap say it is necessary to stop the erosion of local culture and to stem soaring unemployment among nationals, while opponents accuse ministers of being shortsighted and misguided, claiming the move could have dire consequences for the region’s economies.
How could low-end expatriates be blamed for erosion of local culture? Can anybody on this earth explain how a construction worker be held responsible for this? The poor chap is almost dead working the whole day under tiring conditions, and harming local culture will be the last thing on his mind.
Where is local culture when five-star hotels are allowed to serve liquor during the holy month of Ramadan so as to make tourists feel at home? Where is local culture when dance bars are allowed to operate in residential areas?
If somebody has to be blamed for erosion of local culture, then it has to be the affluent expats (Page 3 types) who are doing all the damage in places like Dubai, Bahrain and Doha. Thankfully, Oman is free from this syndrome for now. And, yeah, locals and expats (mostly NRIs) have co-existed peacefully in Oman for centuries.
Related read:
‘Select’ way of business
PS: The above image is part of a TRA print ad which appeared in daily newspapers today.
Verdict for me:
Likelihood of you being FEMALE is 46%
Likelihood of you being MALE is 54%
Oops, I missed being female by a whisker. Actually, the website uses browsing history to determine the gender. If you get damaging results, don’t fret, just clear the cache…and try again.
Ah, feeling better?
(Pic source: Reuters)
Indians across the globe celebrate Independence Day by participating in flag-hoisting ceremonies and organising cultural programmes with patriotic fervour…
…and in Muscat, Indians will celebrate by way of rain dance at Al Sawadi Beach Resort on August 14, 2008.
I can see Mahatma Gandhi rolling in his grave!