Monthly Archives: April 2009

Trivia about Oman

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* Some decades ago in Oman, the old silver Maria Theresa dollar coins (commercially referred to as ‘thalers’ and which were once accepted as urrency in Oman but no longer) were melted down to produce much of the raditional silver jewellery still seen.

* Ain Al Kisfa just outside Rustaq town is Oman’s natural spa. The Government has made facilities for people to dip their legs into the hot water to experience the medicinal properties it is known for.

* There are 4112 aflaj in Oman. Out of these, 3017 were found active while 1095 were categorised dead. Water from aflaj irrigates about 33 per cent of Oman’s farmed land. Falaj Al Jeela, Falaj Daris, Falaj Al Muyassar, Falaj Al Khatmeen and Falaj Al Malki are on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

* The Gravity Point, a thirty-minute drive from Salalah, is where your vehicle will roll uphill even if you switch off its engine. This phenomenon can be experienced over a stretch of 200 meters.

* The house of Imam Ahmed bin Said Busaidi (1744-1783), the founder of the Al Busaidi dynasty, can still be seen, though mostly in a dilapidated condition, at Harrat Al Jami in Adam, near Nizwa. The current ruler, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, is the seventh descendant of Imam Ahmed bin Said Al Busaidi.

* Habta souqs, pre-Eid open markets, provide the outlet for local produce and products. As Eid approaches every year, Habtas spring up all over the country three or four days before the event. The open-air markets usually attract huge crowds looking for the best bargains in things ranging from cattle and goats to household knick-knacks. Mandoos (traditional wooden chests with brass fittings) were used as dowry chests (wedding trousseau) filled with treasures for the bride.

* Traditionally, the groom’s female relatives, accompanied by musicians and dancer’s, brought offerings that consisted of money, gold, fine fabrics, garments and household equipment in mandoos.

* With 2869 oil producing wells in Oman, the economy is driven by oil and about 40 per cent of the GDP is accounted for by oil. The major countries that buy crude from Oman are China, Thailand, Korea and Japan.

* The main prayer hall of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque has 35 chandeliers made of Swarovski crystals with the central chandelier measuring 14 metres in height with 1,122 lights and weighing 8 tonnes.

(Source: Thursday magazine, Times of Oman)

The bill that wasn’t

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When our friend suggested that we have coffee together yesterday evening, we jumped at the offer. Later, since we were a bit hungry, we told him that we could shelve the coffee plans and have an early dinner at Kobe Sizzlers instead. He agreed. We also made sure that since we had planned the impromptu dinner, the bill was upon us. Our friend disagreed and we argued a lot before entering the restaurant. We ordered a few sizzlers, grilled chicken and drinks and all went on well. Like always, the sizzlers were sizzling and tasted good. A single sizzler portion is too much for a person, and we had to really struggle hard to polish it off.

Once done, with no mood and no space to have desserts, we were awaiting the bill. After a while, the waiter came with a bill-folder-like-thing, and soon my wife and our friend, who were sitting close to the waiter, jumped from their seats and tried to pull the bill-folder-like-thing from waiter’s hand. The startled waiter tried hard to escape from their clutches. They wouldn’t relent. Sick and tired, he gave up after a while and pleaded, “Sir, this is the menu.” He had come back to check whether we would be interested in desserts after the main course. That’s it. We burst into peals of laughter and couldn’t stop laughing for nearly five minutes. Even now, while writing this post, I am in splits. I can’t forget the facial expression of the waiter at that moment. It is a different story that our friend barged into the cash counter and paid the bill.

Related link: Kobe sizzlers review

New tourist attraction: ‘Underwater tour’ of coral reefs of Bandar Al-Khayran

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A press release says:

Her Excellency the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Rajiha bint Abdulameer bin Ali, announced at Marina Bandar Al-Rowdha today the start of a brand new tourist attraction. The semi-submersible vessel Al-Khayran will take visitors on an ‘underwater tour’ of the coral reefs of Bandar Al-Khayran. Visitors will sit in air conditioned comfort 2 meters below the water line and watch fish, turtles and other sea creatures which inhabit the coral reef, through large viewing ports in the underwater hull.

Passengers will embark in a fast transfer boat at Marina Bandar Al-Rowdha for the half hour trip to Bandar Al-Khayran where they will board the semi-submersible. They will then experience the wonders of the underwater world in air-conditioned comfort for about 1 hour before re-embarking in the fast transfer boat for the return trip to the marina. The whole round trip will take just over two hours.

Unlike conventional submarines, the semi-submersible does not dive but remains on the surface. It is a safe and comfortable way to explore the wealth of fish life, plants and corals beneath the waves. Despite this, passengers are deep enough below the surface to appreciate passing turtles and reef fishes, and to admire the wealth of coral
and to take photographs through the large viewing ports.

On the way to Bandar Al-Khayran from the marina the passenger boat will pass the villages of Al Bustan, Qantab, Yiti, Bandar Al Jissah, the Shangri-La resort and the Al-Bustan Palace hotel. There is also a good chance, depending upon the season, of spotting dolphins or even whales whilst the boat is in transit between the marina and the semi-submersible. The whole two hour trip is full of opportunities to spot things rarely seen and passengers are sure to enjoy the experience. For more details, visit http://www.alkhayran.com/home.aspx.