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Made By Pakistani

In Khasab, Musandam, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

In Khasab, Musandam, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Driving along excellent roads and looking at all the buildings that have gone up in the last forty years, you wonder how Pakistan has been able to supply all this manpower needed to support the incredible development of Oman. And Oman is not even “using” that many: only 25% of its population are expatriates. This is nothing compared to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States, where their numbers climb as high as 90%. There is clear order. Bangladeshi work the fields, Indians run shops and restaurants. Young women from South East Asia seem in high demand as waitresses, hotel staff and flight attendants. Continue Reading →

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Dhows Made In Sur

Dhow Traditionnal Building, Sur, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Dhow Traditionnal Building, Sur, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Dhows have been plying the oceans for thousands of years, taking Arab traders to India and as far as China. The city of Sur has a long tradition of building these wooden vessels, especially the very big ones, called Ghanjah. Of course, nowadays modern container ships do the job, but dhows have not disappeared and the dhow shipyard in Sur is the largest of all the Arabian countries. Continue Reading →

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Ras Al Jinz – Nightly Tour Of Turtle Beach

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia Mydas), Ras Al Jinz, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula - This picture was actually taken in Cap Skirring, Casamance, Senegal

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia Mydas), Ras Al Jinz, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula – This picture was actually taken in Cap Skirring, Casamance, Senegal, April 2002

Thousands of Green Turtles arrive at the beaches of Ras Al Hadd and Ras Al Jinz every year to lay their eggs in the sand. To do so they dig a deep hole with their powerful flippers. A truly moving experience! Continue Reading →

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Al Kamil – Khalfan’s Very Own Museum

Al Khamil, Khalfan Alhashmi's great Museum, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Al Khamil, Khalfan Alhashmi’s great Museum, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

A bit overdosed by fortresses, we reluctantly turned off the road when our guidebook announced another one. What also made the decision easier: the name of this small town had a nice ring to it – Al Kamil. Strangely, we could see the fort right in front of us, but we could not find the right alley to get there… We were about to give up when suddenly a smiling face appeared from behind a beautifully carved wooden door. The enthusiastic young man was Khalfan bin Khamis bin Halais al Hashmi, the grandson of the sheik who had given the castle to the government. For the next 1½ hours, we had the most unusual, unforgettable tour of this museum. Continue Reading →

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Wadi Bani Khalid – Paradise Lost

Wadi Bani Khalid, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Wadi Bani Khalid, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

If there ever was a Garden of Eden, it must have looked like Wadi Bani Khaled – much more than the usual picturesque oasis! Here emerald colored pools lined with palm trees and reed welcome the visitors. An easy trek leads into a narrow canyon with more pools surrounded by large boulders. Continue Reading →

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Luncheon In The Dunes

Wahiba Sands, or Ramlat al-Wahiba (also called Sharqiya Sands), Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Wahiba Sands, or Ramlat al-Wahiba (also called Sharqiya Sands), Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Up at the crack of dawn… How does the desert look like early in the morning? Nothing special actually, with the sun still hiding. Slowly the camp came to life and the Bedouins got the camels ready. We spent a long time studying every move of these animals close up. Even got to feel their very moves during an hour-long ride through the desert – a heavenly experience. Back in camp, we realized that most visitors just stay for one night. Continue Reading →

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Ramlat Wahiba – Not Just For Us!

Sand Dunes, Wahiba Sands, or Ramlat al-Wahiba (also called Sharqiya Sands), Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Sand Dunes, Wahiba Sands, or Ramlat al-Wahiba (also called Sharqiya Sands), Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Wahiba Desert, 10.000 km2 of reddish dunes rolling all the way to the Indian Ocean! The simple beauty of this and the feeling of vastness leave nobody untouched. The more entrepreneurial Bedouins have turned the fascination with this endless desert into a successful business idea. Within a 20 to 30 kilometer range of the oasis of Al Wasil, various families have set up camps in the desert. Continue Reading →

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Al Mudayrib – A Myth

Al Mudayrib Oasis, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Al Mudayrib Oasis, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Without blinking we took a long detour, when our guidebook described Al Mudayrib as the most stunning oases in the region. Well, there was absolutely nothing worth coming such a long way… So we decided to admire what we had, a gigantic bulk of cars / trucks parked in front of a mosque. People had come from all around, even smaller villages, for Friday prayers. Via speakers the praying and singing was clearly audible outside. Continue Reading →

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Goat Market In Nizwa

Omani Woman at the Cattle Market in Nizwa on Friday Morning, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Omani Woman at the Cattle Market in Nizwa on Friday Morning, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Being there early is essential! Later in the morning, carloads of tourists roam the place. Even before the selling began, the round podium in the center of the roofed-in arena was filled with men dressed in white Dishdasha, looking elegant and important. A sudden noise of shuffling feet announced the selling and the crowd of humans and animals in the circle started moving. Soon the noise increased, as the men were calling out the price and touting the qualities of the goats, which they were dragging or carrying around this base. Continue Reading →

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Oasis – Mania

Wadi close to Tanuf Ruins, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Wadi close to Tanuf Ruins, Sultanat of Oman, Arabic Peninsula

Oases are clearly visible from afar, announced by large palm groves. In the middle of desert-like areas, they herald the abundance of water. It comes from either mountain / underground springs or Wadis and turns the otherwise dry areas into lush gardens. Inside this maze of trees and under their leafy umbrella, all you hear is water gurgling, gushing & rushing. A sophisticated system of channels, called Alfaj, distributes the water among all families and their gardens. And this is meant literally: Falaj, the singular form, means in Arabic “to distribute justly”. Continue Reading →

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