Muscat in a Day!

While it may not be very large, Muscat—the compact capital of the Sultanate of Oman has something for everyone. From shopping sprees and culture lessons to an abundance of sea-centric activities, this city has it all, and then some more...

By Raul Dias

If you look up the etymology of the word ‘Muscat’ you will find that it literally translates from Arabic to mean “place of anchorage”. And there couldn’t be a more apt way to describe this tiny, yet bustling capital city of the Sultanate of Oman that exudes a relaxed, small-town vibe despite having everything a dynamic modern-day city should have.
Established in 1793, today Muscat is the main metropolitan area of Oman and the most densely populated region that one third of the country’s two million people call home. A great place to set anchor and explore the rest of Oman at leisure, Muscat too has a lot to offer the traveller, however brief your stopover here is.
We bring you a few ways to get the most of your jaunt in this Middle Eastern coastal city:

Soak in the Souk
There’s no doubting the fact that one of the best ways to acquaint yourself to any Middle Eastern city is by sauntering down to the local marketplace called a souk. And Muscat is no different. The bustling Muttrah Souk, just off the meandering Corniche in Old Muscat is the perfect Ground Zero for a slice of local life. From the intricately decorated curved dagger called the khanjar that is the symbol of Oman and fragrant frankincense (see box)-selling stalls, to others peddling soft Pashmina shawls and colourful belushi dresses for women, this souk has it all. With its labyrinthine lanes and alleys, the souk is a treasure trove for souvenir hunters with its hundreds of shops selling multi-hued glass lamps, sheeshas and other metallic curios and trinkets like typically Omani pendants and lockets.

A dose of serenity at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
20,000 is the number of worshippers it can accommodate at one time. 1,122 is how many bulbs its eight tonne Swarovski crystal chandelier holds. And 1,700 million knots make up the Persian carpet that covers the floor of its main hall. As one of the largest mosques in the world, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is THE place to immerse yourself in serenity and peace. Opened in 2001, this edifice is hemmed in by four minarets which together with a fight—and larger—central minaret represent the five pillars of Islam. Truly a must-visit place in the city!

Scent’s Appeal
Let your olfactory senses lead you to the very well-appointed Amouage Perfume Factory in Rusayl for a heady dose of aromatherapy. Established over 25 years ago by the Omani Royal Family to revive and maintain the art of ancient Arabian Perfumery, the factory is ‘Ground Zero’ for lovers of fine fragrance. Here you can see how essential oils and traditional ingredients like silver, ambergris and myrrh and others like tonka beans and lavender amalgamate to create magic. You can even get a customised perfumed made here just for yourself with the formula kept aside for future orders!

Omani Heritage Gallery
Shop with a conscience at the wonderful Omani Heritage Gallery that’s located in the Shatti Al Qurm. Part of an NGO that supports local Omani artisans working in traditional crafts, the gallery is where you can pick up some high-quality products including jewellery, tribal weaving, woven baskets and copper articles. But remember, unlike the Muttrah Souk where bargaining is the norm, this is a fixed price place with all profits going directly to the artisans. 

Do the Museum Circuit
For a city as small as Muscat, it sure packs in a mighty punch with its world-class museums. Start off with a visit to the National Museum—located bang opposite the ornate Al Alam Royal Palace in Old Muscat—for its well-curated exhibits of everything from displays of jewellery and traditional costumes to the mighty Omani dhow sailboat that occupies prime position. Don’t miss checking out the 8^th century letter believed to have been written by the Prophet Mohammed to the rulers of Oman, spreading the Islamic faith to the country. For a better understanding of Franco-Omani relations, pop into the Bait Al Faransi museum that is housed in the former residence of the French Consul in Muscat. Other superb museums include the Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum in the Ruwi neighbourhood and the wonderful Natural History Museum where you can uncover the Sultanate’s history in fossils with the ‘Oman Through Time’ exhibit. 

Encounters of the Sea Kind!
With an enviable coastline, Muscat offers a plethora of aquatic activities for you to enjoy. The Arabian Sea around Muscat has no strong currents, making both diving and snorkelling both fun an easy for divers of all levels. Fancy the more armchair kind of sea encounters? Sign up for a half day glass bottom boat tour leaving from the marina at Sidab in Old Muscat every morning at 8 am. The 22-seater boat cruises along the Muscat coastline, affording you sights of not just beautiful corals and other marine life, but also of the rather playful humpback dolphins and mighty whales that glide through the azure waters.  

A Sun Worshipper’s Paradise
With its soft, golden sand, the city’s Qurm Beach is one of the Sultanate’s best public beaches and a great place to unwind after a hectic day’s sight-seeing. Located a stone’s throw away from the business district of Qurm Junction, this beach along Al Shati Street is particularly popular with locals at sunset. The promenade that runs alongside it makes for a pleasant evening stroll with stops made for some cooling iced mint lemonade called limonana bought at one of the many fruit juice stalls.

Night Out at the Opera
Boasting of one of the best opera houses in the world, Muscat’s magnum opus of an opera house stands proud near the seaside dunes of Al Qurm. Spanning across 80,000 sq.m, the building reflects typically Omani Arabesque architecture with flourishes of European grandeur peeking through every now and then. The Grand Auditorium is where you will see the Sultan of Oman’s gilded private box. In the past, the Royal Opera House has hosted world greats like Diana Krall, Youssou N’Dour and the celebrated Mariinsky Ballet who have all performed to a sold-out house.       

The khanjar and frankincense: Two Pillars of Omani Culture
* Tucked into ornate belts, the traditional curved dagger called the khanjar has been worn for centuries by Oman men as a defensive weapon and represents bravery and valour. Today considered the national symbol of the Sultanate, you will see its iconic shape on the country’s flag and printed on currency notes.
* The treasured resin harvested from the Boswelia Sacra tree found in Oman’s southern Dhofar region, frankincense is an inalienable part of the Omani identity which you will encounter all over the Sultanate. Omanis particularly like to use it as a perfume and you will surely recognise its distinct fragrance on the many hands that you shake or on entering shops and restaurants.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the July 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Oman on a platter!

A delicious confluence of cuisines—thanks to its British, Portuguese, African and yes, Indian influences—the food of Oman is one that is richly layered and nuanced with flavours and textures that are both exotic and comfortingly similar at the same time.

 

By Raul Dias

If the legendary Arab hospitality is at the very heart of Omani life, then the cuisine of this most eastern of all middle eastern countries is undoubtedly its soul. Richly nourished by multifarious influences, its food is flavoured with a pinch of culture and a dash of history. This ranges from the colonial grip exerted by Portugal and Britain in the 15th and the late 18th century respectively, to its very own colonisation of the East African island of Zanzibar (which was regarded as the second capital of Oman after Muscat!) in 1698 and finally to its centuries of trade and commerce with India.
The sultanate’s 2,000-mile-long coastline, that stretches from the Musandam Peninsula up north in the Strait of Hormuz, right down to the tropical city of Salalah along the Arabian Sea coast, has bestowed upon its cuisine a bounty of seafood that takes prime position at most meals. Thus, all this, setting the stage for a table that runneth over with an edible pastiche of dishes and delicacies that are as much exotically Omani as they are comfortingly similar.

Exotic Flavours Aplenty
There’s no denying the fact that bread is the most important part of any middle eastern table. And Oman is no exception. Chief among these is the crepe-like, paper-thin flatbread called khubz rakhal that is the de facto anytime snack when loaded up with everything from a thick layer of salty feta cheese to honey and beaten eggs.
Other popular breads like the khubz al simsim and the khubz al takhien are used to scoop up lightly spiced gravies like the prawn and tomato marak shibass or to enrobe morsels of roasted lamb leg and Oman’s rather tangy and spicy version of kebabs called mishkak inspired by the Portuguese roast dish of asado.
Interestingly, two very popular vegetarian Omani dishes owe their genesis to Zanzibar. The first being the triangular spiced mashed potato-stuffed, deep-fried pastry called sambusac and the other being the decidedly East African coconut-creamed spinach that’s eaten with rice and fried fish.
If there is one local dish that should put Oman firmly on the world’s culinary map, then that would have to be its national dish of shuwa. An elaborate preparation that sees chunks of meat marinated in a spicy date paste and spit-roasted in a pit dug in the ground, shuwa is a communal activity undertaken by the entire village. The meat is marinated with a variety of spice rubs and then wrapped in banana leaves, which are in turn placed into the subterranean oven and left to slow cook for 24 hours.

The Indian Connection
Centuries of trade between India and Oman and the huge Indian diaspora—that is found in great numbers till today in Oman—has resulted in an interesting and unique blend of the two cuisines. Though much milder than a robust Indian-style biryani and more on the lines of a Kashmiri yakhni pulao, the local Omani iteration of machboos is a yummy one.  Basically, a rice dish, machboos is flavoured with saffron and cooked in the same stock that the chicken or meat was cooked in. For the vegetarian, the kabuli pulao steps in and tastes almost like its desi counterpart back home in India.
A doppelganger of the pounded wheat and meat Hyderabadi dish of haleem, Omanis call their version harees. Here too, wheat is mixed with meat or chicken and cooked until it forms a thick paste that’s served with ghee. Only the unexpected drizzle of date molasses sets the harees a wee bit apart and makes it a rather acquired taste.
Coated in a luscious, silken coconut milk sauce and simply called white tuna curry, this one is a dead ringer for the meen moilee of Kerala. It was introduced to the Omani palate by migrant workers from the southern state of India that has an equally impressive, long coastline.

Sea and Tell!
Speaking of seafood, one of the greatest places to acquaint oneself with this Omani staple is at the Muttrah Fish Market in the old quarter of Muscat. A stone’s throw away from the stunning corniche waterfront, tucked away at its end, this is the place to get a sense and feel of the hustle and bustle of an Arabic market. From 6.30 in the morning, fishermen drag their dhows up to the beach next to the market to unload everything from king fish to the typically Arab hammour fish and Sultan Ibrahim (threadfin bream) to octopus that are sold off within minutes.
If there is one fish dish that you must try when in Oman then that would have to me mashuai. Consisting of a whole spit-roasted kingfish, served with a side of lemon rice and garnished with half cut lemons, this preparation truly lets the fish’s sweet flavour come though, sans any spicy overkill. Another dish not to be missed is the tangy, citrusy seafood paplou soup. This soup that is made by the Lawati Omanis, whose ancestors trace their roots to traders from the Old Muttrah neighbourhood and South Asia is a delicious blend of tuna and tuna roe, all jazzed up with a dried lime and a spritz of fresh lime juice. 

Sweeter Side of Things
No visit to a local Omani home or business place is ever complete without a cup or two of kahwa. Not to be confused with the spiced kehwa Kashmiri tea, the Omani kahwa is a shot of strong, black coffee mixed with cardamom powder, poured into tiny porcelain cups out of a traditional brass coffee pot called a dallah. Its accompaniments are always the same: dates and Omani halwa (see box). The former is particularly important, as Oman has over 250 indigenous varieties, with the reddish-brown khalas dates kind being the most preferred.
Thanks to the British, tea is also a very popular beverage in Oman. Similar to masala chai, chai karak in Oman is made with condensed milk, cardamom, saffron and dried thyme leaves called za’atar. One of the best ways to enjoy tea time in Oman is by munching on a plate of the deep fired doughnut-like balls called luqaimat—very similar to the East Indian community’s sweet-savoury foogias. Only here, the luqaimat are doused in the local Omani honey from Sohar, that has a distinct flavour thanks to the samr, sidr and ghaaf trees that bees pollinate.
   

The Omani Halwa Influence
In a very interesting twist of circumstances, there is empirical evidence that shows Omani halwa as the progenitor of the very popular Bombay halwa. All this, thanks to the centuries of trade between the two coastal cities of Muscat and Mumbai, each on either side of the Arabian Sea.
Here are a few similarities:
• Both are sticky, gelatinous sweets with a translucency about them.
• Both are made with a tapioca starch-wheat flour mixture, sugar, ghee and rose water to which cardamom powder, nutmeg and saffron are added and then the mixture stirred manually for hours.
• While Omani halwa is naturally brownish-reddish in colour, Bombay halwa is artificially coloured green, perhaps to mimic the oodles of chopped pistachios that go into garnishing the former.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the June 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Notes from Oman

By Raul Dias

Ever the aviation geek, I realised recently that—barring the now-defunct Mumbai-Karachi flight—the Mumbai-Muscat flight of a mere two and a half hours is the shortest international flight out of my home city, direct or otherwise. Yes, even the direct flight to Kolkata is longer for us Mumbaikars!
But then, there has always been some sort of close affinity between Oman and India for centuries. An invisible bond that lasts to this very day. At Mumbai’s street shopping hub of Colaba Causeway, one can still see scores of visiting Omani merchants go about their business, easily distinguishable from their other Middle Eastern neighbours thanks to their distinct wrap-around head gear called the massar. A friend in the henna export business tells me that her number one clients are Omani, with no Omani bride’s trousseau being complete without loads of the stuff that she has applied on her hands and feet, much like an Indian bride would.

The Indian Connection   
And it’s the same story, albeit told a bit differently in the souks of Muscat. Especially at the bustling Mutrah Souk in the old quarter of the city, just besides the beautiful Muscat Corniche. Here, the default lingua franca is Hindi with both local Omani and vendors from the Indian subcontinent peddling their wares lustily in the language.
As I sit down for a meal of the decidedly biryani-meets-yakhni pulao lamb and rice dish called suwa, at a local Omani home a little outside the town of Jabreen, my host Nadir greets me in shudh Hindi. And guess what? He’s never been to India in all his life. His linguistic skills are courtesy of the many Indians that call Oman home.
At the airport in Khasab, up north in Oman’s rugged Musandam Peninsula—as I wait to board my return flight to Muscat—the official checking my passport claims to have seen me shopping the night before in the town’s Lulu Hypermarket. And why wouldn’t I be? It’s one of Khasab’s ‘hot-spots’ on the weekly holiday of Friday with scores of bargain hunters shopping the night away as late as 12am!
As one of the Middle East’s largest supermarket chains, Lulu has 18 such mega marts across Oman selling everything from bisi bele bath paste to Arabic baklava. Once again, an Indian connection springs up in the form of a certain Yusuff Ali M.A. who hails from Nattika, in Kerala’s Thrissur District and who founded Lulu in the year 2000.

Same, Same, but a Little Different!  
Coming back to food, the ubiquitous fried dumplings called luqaimat that I am served at almost every kahwa coffee session are dead ringers for the East Indian community’s fuggias. The only difference is that the luqaimat are doused in either honey or date syrup and served as sweets as opposed to the fuggias’ savoury role in mopping up curries.
The laban that’s almost always served after a heavy meal is another doppelganger. This time of India’s cooling dairy drink—chaas. The only distinguishing factor is that this buttermilk iteration is generously spiked with salt and thicker in texture than the spicy chaas.
Interestingly, this cultural intermingling also works in the opposite direction, with Omani flavours often influencing desi ones. And this is made amply evident when I visit the Nizwa Souk. The Omani halwa that I pick up at one of the shops here, I’m told, is what the gooey, translucent Bombay halwa is based upon. This saffron-pistachio-date redolent sweet that I am offered a taste of, is bolder in flavour with a lingering taste of spices like cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg…that came from? You guessed it—India!

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 13th May 2018 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 7 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/travel/notes-from-oman/article23854701.ece)

Oh-Man!

Known as “The Norway of Arabia” thanks to its mighty fjords, the rugged Musandam Peninsula is not only the most northerly governorate of the Sultanate of Oman, but also the place to indulge your every adventure-laced fantasy—from snorkeling with dolphins to fossil hunting—as Raul Dias discovers.

While the Musandam Peninsula may not be very large at just about 3,000 sq km, this northern most governorate of Oman is also its most stunning with its dramatic fjords, picturesque rocky inlets and vertiginous mountains that seem to plunge into the sea below. Separated from the mainland of Oman by the UAE, getting into Khasab, Musandam’s capital is possible by a short flight from Muscat. While the drive overland involves several border crossings with the UAE and thus not recommended.
Commanding a strategic position, jutting out into one of the busiest shipping lanes of the world—the Strait of Hormuz—much of Musandam’s attractions lie along its rugged coastline that easily serves as the Middle Eastern doppelganger of the mighty fjords of Norway. No wonder then, that this part of the country is known by its moniker of “The Norway of Arabia”.
Here are a few ways to make the most of your trip to this ‘other’, cliché-busting side of the Middle East:

Of Ancient Fossils, Petroglyphs and Rock Carvings…
Jebel Harim or ‘Mountain of Women’ is the first stop for most travellers seeking adventure in this part of Oman. And their purpose is singular: to scope out the pre-historic fossils of molluscs and trilobites found in abundance over the slopes of this once sub-oceanic mountain that today stands proud, 2,087 mt above the very sea level that it once lay submerged under.
Equally dramatic are the petroglyphs in the mountain village of Sayah. Surrounded by lush palm and acacia trees and the dry river beds called wadis, it’s the rock paintings that command serious attention on this plateau. Over 3,000 years old, the petroglyphs’ depiction of ancient agrarian scenes are vivid and striking even today, thanks to the ‘paint’ mixture of sulphur and pigeon droppings.
Turning left at the village of Qida about 4 km from Khasab, along the coastal road to Bukha will reward you with a view of the magnificent rock carvings the village is known for. Similarly, the village of Tawi, at the far end of the wadi, is where you can come across fine examples of rock art that show dramatic depictions of warriors and animals in action.

Cruise the Fjords Aboard a Traditional Omani Dhow
Back on sea-level, sailing the intriguing lapis lazuli-hued waters of the Arabian Sea is a great way to get a bit of aquatic action into your Musandam trip. Take a four-hour long cruise in a traditional wooden ship called a dhow that careens from Khasab Harbour, along the waters surrounding the 17 km-long Musandam fjords.
While munching on the sweetest khallas variety of dates, bowlfuls of saffron-rich Omani halwa and potent shots of kahwa coffee dispensed out of a gleaming gold coffee pot called a dallah, chart you own courses of action as the dhow drops anchor off Telegraph Island. An island that once served as a repeater station to boost telegraphic messages along the Persian Gulf submarine cable (part of the London to Karachi telegraphic cable) for the British when they occupied parts of Oman in the mid-19th century, today Telegraph Island is a rubble-ridden tourist pit stop.
And while some of you can kit yourselves out in snorkelling gear and slice though the cool, coral-infested waters of the fjords, others can hone their kayaking skills. Or perhaps, loose yourself in the soundtrack of the day — provided by pods of friendly dolphins who follow the dhow, squeaks and clicks pat in place!

An Infusion of History and Culture
Why not end your day in Musandam with a bit of history and culture thrown in for good measure? Once you de-board the dhow, you will find yourself at the mighty gates of the Khasab Castle, a stone’s throw from the harbour. Now converted into a museum, this picturesque stronghold was constructed in the 17th century by the Portuguese who were seeking dominion over the maritime trade on the Strait of Hormuz in nearby Iran, which can easily be seen from the castle’s ramparts. A series of rooms and exhibits depict traditional Omani life and trade. Don’t miss out on checking out the central tower where there’s a small display of local Musandam axes.
A short walk away from the castle is the smaller Kamadra Fort which affords sublime mountain views from the battlements. A perfect spot to watch the sun sink into the depths of the Arabian Sea as the night sky takes on a shimmery, star-spangled cover!

FACT FILE

Getting there
The best way to get to Khasab is by a short 40 minutes flight on Oman Air from Oman’s capital Muscat. There are three daily direct flights from Mumbai to Muscat on Oman Air (www.omanair.com). Indian passport holders need a visa to enter Oman. With a new e-visa system introduced, visiting Oman has just become a lot easier to those who are coming to the Sultanate on holiday, business or just to visit.

Getting around
Travel within Khasab is easy with many taxis plying between its neighbourhoods. It is also possible to hire a vehicle for a self-drive vacation; do note that in Oman vehicles are driven on the right side of the road.

When to visit
With Northern Oman enjoying a pleasant climate during the Autumn, Winter and Spring seasons, the best months to travel to the Musandam Peninsula are from November to March. Summers from April to October can get very hot.

Accommodation
The town of Khasab has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. Some of the best options are:
* Atana Musandam (www.atanahotels.com)
* Khasab Hotel (www.khasabhotel.net)

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 20th April 2018 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India on pages 18 and 19 http://www.afternoondc.in/48-hrs/oh-man/article_221212)