Going the Distance FASTING FOR THE FIRST TIME
Haunting Hamra / Kart Crazy Peru Postcard / Iftar at Shangri-La Summer Movies / Mosque at Night Mind Over Matter: THE POWER 34 OF MEDITATION
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QUEEN OF THE ROAD: Harley hotshot FUTURE PHONES: Latest cool devices
Your top guide to the best of Oman, every week
JUL 18 - 24 • ISSUE 279 • WEEKLY
Cool to be kind
Reaching out to those in need
PLUS!
Fashion
GET KNOTTED
Feature
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LATE SHOPPING
Car of the Week
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CLAWS OUT
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TREND BAROMETER
GOING UP
SPEED Ramadan is the month when the action happens at night, and those who want to put a little oomph into the month of reflection are heading to the Oman Automobile Association. The Ramadan Motor Sports Festival kicked off with around 5,000 people enjoying a night of drift racing on Thursday. It’s on for the whole month – and the race to watch is the fast-growing stunt driving craze of gymkhana.
GOING DOWN
Mortality A Danish study shows that people who were born in 1915 are far more likely to survive well into their 90s – and they are also in better physical and mental shape. In Denmark, the chance of surviving into the tenth decade has risen by about 30 per cent each decade. A good reason to stay healthy while you’re still relatively young.
THIS WEEK… We’ve been fasting, enjoying Iftar at some of the best venues in Muscat – and appreciating the spell of unusually cool Ramadan weather.
EDITOR’S
NOTE
Welcome to the new look Y Magazine your indispensable guide to everything modern Oman has to offer.
Fast forward
A
s editor Penny Fray enjoys a well-earned break, Team Y looks at the meaning of giving this Ramadan. Benjamin Franklin once said: “The only things certain in life are death and taxes.” Let’s amend that with another certainty - that there are people worse off than you who could do with some help. To give alms, or zakat in Islam, is something that the great religions hold dear, and believers are obliged to give to the poor and needy, especially at this time of year. In this week’s Y, we look at some major initiatives taking place in Oman this Ramadan, as companies and individuals do their bit to create a more caring, supportive society. And you don’t have to be a major corporation to make a difference. Whether it’s donating household items or food in the malls, or in your neighbourhood, it’s a way to show thanks for your blessings and give something back. We also look at fasting, meditation and what to do when the sun goes down. Team Y
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EDITOR IN CHIEF Sayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Eihab Abutaha MANAGING EDITOR Penny Fray SECTIONS EDITOR Kate Ginn
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JUL 18 - 24 / ISSUE 279
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contents JULY 18 2013
Your Oman
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06 The Big Interview Elsa Abinader 08 Your Oman No Make-up 1o News After Iftar
Features 18 Cool To Be Kind Giving It Back 22 Ramadan Round-Up Feast of Fun 24 Gallery & Prayer Grand Mosque at Night
This Week 14 This Week Qaranqashow 16 Movie Listings Summer Preview
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Food & Drink 27 Trend Nespresso
Cars & Outdoors
28 Food Fasting 3o Restaurant Review Al Tanoor
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36 Destination Al Hamra 40 Indoors Go-Karting 42 Postcard from... Peru 44 Car of the Week Jaguar F-Type 46 Y-Fi Smart Phones 32 Fashion Natty Knots 34 Meditation Seven Steps
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Health & Beauty
46 NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE...
DOUBLE TROUBLE secrets of the loom iftar on the move steam power
YOUR
News
Gallery
INTERVIEW
OMAN
ROAD H.O.G
ELSA ABINADER, REGIONAL MARKETING MANAGER FOR HARLEY DAVIDSON MENA Words: Kate Ginn
Tell me about your career in 60 seconds or less. I started to work 10 years ago as a marketing coordinator for a French retail store in Lebanon, moved to advertising agencies, and then travelled to Dubai as a marketing manager for Galeries Lafayette in Dubai Mall. Now I’m a regional marketing manager for Harley Davidson MENA. Your last job was PR and marketing for a department store. What drew you to make the big switch to motorbikes? They’re both a lifestyle – Galeries Lafayette was a fashion statement and Harley is a life statement. What are the challenges of being a woman in a maledominated market such as yours? None really. People have a hard time believing in you at first but then, when expertise is there, it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman does it? It brings admiration actually. Your dad was a biker in Lebanon back in the 1980s. Sounds like a love of bikes runs in the family. When did you first start riding? Maybe it was unconsciously; I only started riding myself two years ago when I actually joined Harley. A few months earlier I was a pillion passenger with my boyfriend. Sitting astride a big bike is quite a macho thing. What attracts women to motorbikes and are more women in the Middle East, such as Oman, becoming bikers? It is a statement of being able to ride as well, and enjoy the formidable lifestyle Harley is. I think what attracts women mostly is a challenge at first, but then it’s being able to belong to a brand where everything seems possible. It’s about owning a unique bike, customised to your own taste, taking it out whenever, wherever and enjoying the beautiful sceneries around the region – especially in Oman – and building new friendships amongst the H.O.G (Harley Owners Group). You own a Softail Slim Harley Davidson. Tell us about the best place that you’ve ever ridden your bike and where would be your dream location to ride a Harley? Best place I’ve ever been so far is Key West, Miami. Someday I hope to ride in the great mountains of Europe, from France to Italy, to Spain and Portugal. I have to say though, that riding in the region, especially in Oman, has been incredible as well. The silence of the desert in the early mornings at sunrise, or the beautiful coastline of Khasab, is just marvellous. You are based in Dubai. What reaction from fellow road users do you get when you’re out and about on your Harley? Thumbs up, smiles, looks of shock… Harley Davidson is an enduring brand - it was founded back in 1903 and is still going strong with celebrity owners from Brad Pitt to Pamela Anderson. What is the appeal? One common love and passion: the open road, the rumble of the engine and the ability to customise their bike in a truly unique way. There are no two similar Harleys in the world. Describe your character in three words? Bold; Creative; Always positive and patient. Your life sounds very busy and full on. When not working or riding bikes, what do you do for fun or to relax? I love the beach and to travel and discover the world. I also like watching movies and love cooking for my boyfriend.
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Elsa’s tips to making it to the top: Believe in yourself Work hard Don’t let anyone put you down
The Voice of Oman Rumaitha al Busaidi on the joys of no make-up during Ramadan
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just so love the ninth month of the Hijra calendar. It brings out so much of the spiritual side that most of us tend to lose during the other 11 months. I love how families get together and chit-chat for hours on end about anything and everything, I love how masses of people fill the mosques for Taraweeh prayers, and the inner comfort you receive knowing that we will all stand united if a disaster strikes. I love how lantern light gives the entire atmosphere a soft touch of tradition and warmth. But one thing that I love the most is the no-makeup phenomenon. It’s the epitome of Ramadan, seeing women for what they truly are. Bye-bye cakedup faces with full-coverage foundation. Bye-bye shocking neon lips and thin to nonexistent eyebrows. Bye-bye make-up! I am all for looking as simple and neutral as possible, but then I can’t help but be flabbergasted at how different many women look au naturel while fasting. It’s a different kind of beauty with zero products on their faces. Why can’t you look natural like this all year round? Sadly, it is only a temporary thing until the first day of Eid comes along and everything is back to the full make-up routine. May you all have a blessed and spiritual Ramadan.
Next week: ISOBEL SPAVEN-DONN
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correspondence The first thing he said to his son was to join the queue just behind me. Then he went to buy Winner! some foodstuffs, telling his son Reply of to take care of his little sister. the Week When the father left, the girl started to cry. The boy took her hands to comfort her. I told the boy to stand in front of me. He happily stepped forward. When the father came back, he asked his son to stand behind me. I said it was me who asked him to stand in front of me. The father said: “My son, this is your first lesson in Ramadan – be patient.” I firmly believe he has seen God through his fasting and prayers, and, through his good deeds, I could see the God in him. What more can a father teach a son – to be patient. Patience is waiting; not passively waiting, but to keep going when the going is hard and slow. A lesson for a lifetime.
A lesson in patience On the first day of Ramadan, the supermarket was very crowded. I was there to buy some groceries, impatiently waiting for my turn to pay the bill. I was the last in the queue. I looked around. Everyone was impatiently waiting their turn. Some were looking at their watches then the queue. From some faces, I could read they were tired – they were fasting and it was 5.50pm. Behind me a young Omani guy came with his two kids, a boy about five and a girl aged about three years old. This guy was not like the rest of us – he was not tired; a Bible verse about fasting struck me when I saw him: “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:17,18).
Best regards,
Koshy George, Muscat I was on the verge of getting off at the wrong point when a co-passenger who had overheard me, stopped me from alighting and guided me correctly. Had I stepped off the bus at that unearthly hour, I would have been stranded at a little known, out of the way place.
Debate of the Week We asked:
Ramadan is a time of giving. Have you experienced the kindness of strangers? Niall Ó Conaill Myself and my sister were in Carrefour and the Ramadan queues were hectic. As we came to the back of a queue, an Omani woman waved at us both and told us to take the place after her in the next queue down. She was very kind as she knew we only had a few things in our basket. It was only a small gesture of kindness, but it made us smile and I think this is the true meaning of kindness. Sami Ul Asad Once, I was on a long distance bus journey to an unfamiliar destination. It was nighttime and
WRITE TO US AND WIN A VOUCHER
Vijayalakshmi Shetty I have experienced the kindness by strangers many times. Thrice when my tyre punctured on the highway and passing drivers stopped to help me replace it.
Next Week’s Debate: Out of all your personal possessions, what would be the hardest to give away and why? Tell us about it on Facebook.
Dinner For Two
SEND US YOUR letters, photos, news and views to info@y-oman.com / @ytabloid / www.facebook.com/ytabloid. Impress us and the winning correspondent will receive a RO20 voucher towards lunch or dinner at Park Inn. Terms and conditions apply.
RAM-SAHRA YWeekely 24x34 E.indd 1
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NEWS
Gallery
Interview
THE BIG CLEAN-UP
Once the feasting of a mass Iftar is over, the clear-up begins, reports Kate Ginn
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s is always the way after a big dinner party, someone has to clear up. In the case of this get-together, it was quite a big operation as you can see. Dozens of blue boiler-suited workers are busy cleaning up following the huge free Iftar held most nights in the shadow of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat. With yellow plastic bags in hand, the leftovers and detritus left behind were taken away and the long floor mats were packed away, for another night at least. Hundreds of workers benefit from the Iftar, arriving en masse to break fast together with food and water donated from charitable groups.
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NEWS
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Interview
RALLYING SUPPORT Stars give backing at ceremony for Oman’s young racers
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Images: Jerzy Wierzbicki
heir more usual surroundings would be a sporting arena competing to achieve success of their own. But sports stars including footballer Ali al Habsi, the racing driver Ahmad al Harthy, tennis ace Fatma al Nabhani and international rally champion, Hamed al Wahaibi, took time out of their schedules to celebrate the new generation of young sporting talent. They were at Muscat City Centre to mark the signing of an agreement supporting the Oman Youth Rally Cup. The project has seen 36 young people chosen to compete in the tournament. HE Sheikh Saad al Saadi, the Minister of Sports Affairs, was also present. Oman Oil Company, Sohar Aluminium, Oman India Fertiliser Company and Salalah Methanol Company have pledged support. They also unveiled 20 Golden Rules for safer roads from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). FIA’s Ten Golden Rules 1. Whether you are a driver or a passenger, always wear your seat belt. 2. Highway Code rules are designed to protect us: let’s respect them. 3. For your safety and that of others, always observe the speed limit. 4. Check the wear and the pressure of your tyres regularly, not forgetting the spare. 5. When under the effect of anything, don’t take the wheel. 6. When you take the wheel, put your children in child car seats. 7. Don’t use your mobile phone when driving. 8. If you feel sleepy or tired, pull over for a rest. 9. Always wear a helmet when you’re on two wheels. 10. On the road, be courteous and considerate to others.
DOG DAYS
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Found wandering in Qurum, can you give this doggy tail a happy ending?
ne look into these soft brown eyes and a nudge from the wet nose, and your heart should melt. At least that’s what this playful pup is hoping. She was found sad and hungry outside a house in Qurum. No one is quite sure where she came from, whether she was abandoned by an owner or was parted from her mummy. Either way, she’s being looked after in a temporary place but really needs somewhere permanent to hang her dog bowl and call home. Named ‘Ricki’, after her penchant for ricocheting off furniture and walls in a furry ball of excitement, she’s learning manners and social niceties well. Ricki gets on equally well with other dogs and humans, and loves nothing better than being fussed over. She would make a wonderful, affectionate and loyal pet for any family. If you would like to make Ricki’s tail way, contact editor@yoman.com
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As happens each Ramadan, children will be visiting their neighbours’ houses to sing songs and receive sweets for Qaranqashow. Bait Al Zubair will be holding its own special Qaranqashow–with up to 1500 children expected to attend this popular event. The sponsors include Al Zubair Corporation, Oman Sweets, Oasis Water and Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa among many others. For more details visit Bait Al Zubair’s Facebook page.
Gallery
Movies
Meeting of Minds
Paint a Picture
July
Qaranqashow
July
T H E W H AT ’ S O N G U I D E
Meethaq, Bank Muscat’s Islamic banking arm, is hosting a series of seminars and workshops in different parts of the Sultanate in partnership with Glory Makers Centre, under the title of ‘Changing yourself in Ramadan’. The seminars will be held with the aim of enhancing awareness of humanitarian and cultural aspects of Omani society, and will be conducted by renowned professors and lecturers. For more info call 24767103 / 24767722.
Muscart’s Wendy Butler will be hosting art workshops for children aged 7 to 12 on Tuesdays and Thursdays till the end of Ramadan. She will explore printmaking, patterns, texture and famous artworks. Registration for the workshop is on a firstcome, first-served basis. Classes are at MuscArt, Ghubra Plaza on 18 November St, from 10am to midday. For details call 244 93912 or email inquire@muscart.net
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RAMADAN nights Dar Al Atta’a and Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa have joined together to stage several events during Ramadan. Al Mazzar Souq at the Heritage Village, Qurum, is the venue for the Qaranqashow for children on July 25 from 7pm, while on July 26, embassies and individuals will come together to showcase products for a Cultural Day.
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Day of Pride On Tuesday the whole of Oman celebrates the beginning of the Blessed Renaissance that began 43 years ago. Ministries, the Royal Armed Forces and citizens will enjoy the national holiday in honour of the country’s modernisation and progress under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
Your new Mercedes-Benz now comes with even more options. Throughout this special season the choice is yours when you purchase any new Mercedes-Benz passenger car from Zawawi Trading Co. While a complimentary gift and free registration are assured rewards, you can also choose one additional benefit from the following: • Sports styling accessory kit • One-year comprehensive insurance • 5-year/75,000 km service package Then to make your purchase truly memorable, select one more from the following: • Low rate finance • Paint protection Offer valid from 4 July to 31 August. Call 800 77 333 to find out more. www.mercedes-benz.co.om www.facebook.com/MercedesBenzOman
Download our mobile application ‘MercedesOman’ Muscat: P.O. Box 58, Postal Code 100, Tel: 24562077, Service Toll Free Number: 800 79 777, Salalah: P.O. Box 735, Postal Code 211, Tel: 23212159, E-mail: sales.passengercars@mercedes-benz.co.om Ramadan Showroom Timing: Sat - Thu: 9:00am - 1:00pm & 6:00pm - Midnight, Spare Parts Reception Timing: Sat - Thu: 7:00am - 4:30pm, Service Reception Timing: Sat - Thu: 7:00am - Midnight for Passenger Cars, Sat - Thu: 7:00am - 4:30pm for Commercial Vehicles
THIS WEEK
MOVIES MOVIES as a divorcee teacher who becomes the subject of false rumours from a jealous pupil, leading to a hysterical campaign against him. Three items that end up in a Southern pawnshop connect a cast of desperados and deadbeats including Elijah Wood and Brendan Fraser in the black comedy Pawnshop Chronicles. In The Hot Flashes, Daryl Hannah, Brooke Shields and Virginia Madsen are members of an unlikely basketball team of middlein August and beyond. aged Texan mums who Pacific Rim is the mega-budget monster take on the school champs clash from visionary Spanish director to raise money for breast Guillermo Del Toro. Released at Eid, it cancer prevention. aims to eclipse Transformers with an epic What was it with all those battle of human robots vs monstrous American hauntings in aliens from the deep. the 1970s? The Conjuring is The Hunt is a powerful tale of false another real-life based tale accusation starring Mads Mikkelsen of spooky goings-on in a remote farmhouse where a family are being terrorised. Paranormal investigators are called in to try and exorcise the dark spirits. R.I.P.D. stars Ryan Reynolds as a recently deceased cop who joins Jeff Bridges, a Wild West veteran, in a squad of ghost police officers in this action fantasy. One release that promises to divide audiences is Only God Forgives, a violent arthouse thriller starring Ryan Gosling as a Bangkok-based drug dealer with revenge in mind. Kristin Scott Thomas plays his terrifying mother. Woody Allen returns to his native New York for Blue Jasmine, his latest effort starring Cate Blanchett as a stylish New York housewife suffering a full-on breakdown. Springsteen & I is a crowd-sourced documentary from Ridley Scott featuring the heartfelt videos made by blue-collar fans of The Boss, alongside concert footage. Can The Wolverine really be the sixth installment of the X-Men saga? Hugh Jackman finds himself alone in Japan without his beloved Jean, fighting samurai and his own demons. Mary Shelley gets a radical makeover in the boldly conceived Frankenstein’s Army. Set on the eastern front toward the end of World War II, Russian soldiers discover a Nazi lab using the legendary doctor’s work to revive dead soldiers. Roll on August. Previews by Joe Gill
Summer Preview If you like the cinema all to your self, Ramadan is the time to go. One hitch – there are no major releases until August. While in Europe and America big new titles are scheduled for the July holidays, it’s the quiet season in the Gulf. But don’t despair – here is Y’s roundup of some of the blockbusters, thrillers and grown-up dramas on their way to us
THIS WEEK’S MOVIES
For more information and times, go to: City Cinema: citycinemaoman.net Al Bahja Cinema: albahjacinema.net Star Cinema: Tel +968 24791641
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At a time of generosity of spirit, Kate Ginn reports on the many ways that people are reaching out to those less fortunate in the community.
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ith a combined final effort, the last of the 1,200 food hampers were packed and loaded into the back of the truck ready to be distributed. Each one was bound for an underprivileged family in need somewhere in the Sultanate. These are a vital lifeline for people who, due to circumstance, are materially less blessed than most. Thanks to the benevolence of organisations and individuals during Ramadan, such philanthropic gestures as this one by HSBC Bank Oman are commonplace throughout this month of giving. More than 60 employees from the bank also willingly gave their time to pack the food hampers. Others helped the Al Rahma Charity Team, which assists families and low-income people with financial or in-kind help, carry out the handouts in Batinah, Sharqiyah, Dakhiliyah and Muscat. “The response we received from so many employees this year to offer their hands-on support at a time of commitment, compassion and giving was truly moving,” says Fawziya al Khanjari, head of government relations at HSBC Bank Oman. Kind hearted and unselfish acts such as these do not cost money, only time, and can mean so much to the recipients. It’s also reflective of the selflessness that is shown during the holy month, with people coming together to help, in any small way they can. What may seem insignificant to some, such as enough food for a family Iftar, can be enormously important to others. Across the country, in grand or simple ways, people and organisations are showing they care by pledging altruistic help, whether it’s free Iftar meals for labourers far from home or food parcels for families in the Interior. At the weekend, the annual Nawras Goodwill Journey set off on a ten-day voyage of compassion to spread smiles across Oman. They didn’t have to travel too far for the first stop – the Omani Women’s Association in Seeb, where donated domestic items including cooking equipment, televisions, as well as gifts and toys for children, were given out. Under the theme ‘Multaqeen’, meaning ‘We will see you again’, the donations will help projects set up by the Ministry of Social Development, enabling communities around the Sultanate to be more self-sufficient. In Al Batinah, sewing machines were handed out, while in Sohar and Daba, colouring books, story books and 018
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Seeing the joy on the face of each child is what this journey is all about
It really is a pleasure to spend time with the people here, talk to them and hear their stories. I am very grateful for this opportunity and it is definitely a life-changing experience that I will cherish forever
educational multi-media packages were handed over to kindergarten schools run by the Women’s Associations. Buthina al Rahbi, a first-time Nawras Goodwill volunteer, says: “Seeing the joy on the face of each child is what this journey is all about. “We are humbled to make a difference by improving the daily lives of some of those who are less fortunate in Oman. The community have been very welcoming and we could see the excitement from a long way away as crowds gathered outside the school. “It really is a pleasure to spend time with the people here, talk to them and hear their stories. I am very grateful for this opportunity and it is definitely a life-changing experience that I will cherish forever.” Buthina and her fellow Goodwill Messengers, as they are known, will be venturing north as far as Al Buraimi and then heading south on the second leg to Al Mazyoona in Salalah. In total over Ramadan, they will travel 5,400 kilometres, visiting over 805 families and 4,000 individuals. “They will be spreading joy to those most in need by providing important donations that these communities rely on,” says Saleh Nasser al Riyami, Nawras board director. Mohammed al Balushi from Al Buraimi was one of the lucky ones who received a package of household goods. “I am truly thankful for the kind donations,” he says. “My house is now a home with the equipment to cook and clean properly.” The incredible figures speak for themselves. Since the programme began, it has helped more than 7,000 families, travelled in excess of 48,000 kilometres crisscrossing the wadis and roads of the country, and visited over 150 organisations. Corporate social responsibility is, of course, nothing new, but it steps up to a whole new level during these four weeks. Even the malls have got in on the act. It helps when you have a captive audience of shoppers pouring through the doors after Iftar. Both Muscat City Centre and Qurum City Centre have joined up with a ‘Make a Difference this Ramadan’ campaign, with collection boxes for donations of non-perishable food, books, clothes and even unwanted mobile phones. All items will be passed on to underprivileged families in the local community. More than 10,500 items were collected last year. Similar initiatives are being run by Bank Muscat. Over the years, its Tadhamun project has benefited numerous low-income families with donations of household goods and appliances, from air-conditioners to cooking ranges. While it has a practical benefit, the bank says the idea is also to promote social responsibility as a concept for everyone from all backgrounds to embrace. “We are gratified that the initiative will give the gift of a better life this Ramadan,” says Essam al Sharji, Bank Muscat’s head of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Food packages were also donated by the Khimji Ramdas Group to the Al Noor Association for the Blind to be given to 250 members in Sohar. Meanwhile, staff from Saraya Bandar Jissah, on the outskirts of Muscat, and charity organisation Dar Al Atta’a have been volunteering their time to deliver food and support packages to 150 homes of those in need in Qantab. “The gratitude shown by the families inspires us to continue year on year with this,” says Sheikh Hamood Sultan al Hosni, CEO of Saraya Bandar Jissah. “Ramadan is the month of giving and good deeds, and calls for us to extend a helping hand to the community and amongst all Muslims. “We believe that the more a community acts together as one, the more we can accomplish things quickly and for the better.” Dar Al Atta’a has also set up 100 boxes throughout Muscat for donations of used clothing for the poor. Check where you live and you will probably spot one of the distinctive blue, orange and white collection points, where items can be dropped off at any time. JUL 18 - 24 / ISSUE 279
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Free Iftar for workers in Al Hail
More than 4,000 packages containing food, ready-to-eat meals and other rations have been distributed in villages in South Sharqiyah governate, with the help of the Oman Charitable Organisation. Women worked side-by-side with their fellow male volunteers packing up essential items such as flour, oil, milk, sugar and salt, to be handed out by the Omani Women’s Associations in various areas. Mass Iftars for low-income workers in Oman are being held by almost all mosques in the country, organised by the community and mosque management. Around 300 people are being served Iftar daily at a tent set up in Wadi Kabir by Dar Al Atta’a, thanks to a donation by Bank Sohar. These simple spreads of dates, Laban, a basic appetizer and main course might not be much but are, quite literally, a lifesaver for those unable to break fast properly. Whatever can be offered, whether it’s time, a few rials, or even just a kind word to a stranger or someone in need – it all make a tremendous difference to another person’s life. Which is, after all, what the essence of Ramadan is all about.
Packing up parcels for HSBC’s drive
Food and toys for families in Qantab
All set for the Nawras Goodwill Journey
Children and adults holding up 9 fingers celebrating the 9th Nawras Goodwill Journey
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Ramadan Mubarak
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Ramadan Timings: Saturday to Thursday: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm and 4.00 pm - 12.00 am Friday: 7.00 pm to 12:00 am
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SNACKING & SHOPPING When the sun sets each day this month, the focus shifts to more pleasurable pursuits. Here Jerzy Wierzbicki and Mich Rimmer capture the best Iftars and shopping around Muscat.
THIS RAMADAN AL ARAIMI COMPLEX BRINGS YOU
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hile the day is a time for reflection, rest and selfrestraint, the night is a different story. Whether you want to celebrate Iftar with your family or meet friends for some retail therapy and Eid present hunting, there are plenty of places to make it happen. Large white Iftar tents can be seen dotted around the city, beacons of hospitality and symbols of thanksgiving for food. Most hotels and restaurants are laying on special Iftar buffets or meals to suit every taste and budget. Afterwards, take a wander round the malls for a bit of window shopping or serious buying. Many stores have Ramadan deals so you can bag a bargain without feeling guilty. Be it eating or spending, enjoy the best that the city has to offer at this special time.
Iftar at Radisson Blu Hotel Muscat
Enjoying the Iftar buffet
All products from the SABCO Centre
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RAMADAN GALLERY
The Light
Fantastic THE SULTAn qaboos GRAND mosque at night
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Isha
Maghrib
Asr
Dhuhr
Sunrise
Fajr
Date
Ramadan
Prayer Time - August
Source: The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.
“There is an unseen sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness. We are lutes. When the sound box is filled, no music can come forth. When the brain and the belly burn from fasting, every moment a new song rises out of the fire. The mists clear, and a new vitality makes you spring up the steps before you.” – Rumi EID-AL-FITR After 30 days of fasting, the end of the month of Ramadan is observed with a day of celebration, called Eid-al-Fitr. On this day, Muslims gather in one place to offer a prayer of thanks. It is traditional to wear new clothes, visit friends and relatives, exchange gifts, eat delicious dishes prepared for this occasion, and wait patiently for the next year. Ground Level, Muscat Grand Mall +968 2 2009551 JUL 18 - 24 / ISSUE 279
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TREND New Restaurant
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classy COFFEE A cup of the black stuff is one of the ways people like to begin Iftar. Nespresso, famous for its stylish, retro coffee makers, has now opened a boutique in the Opera Galleria, bringing the connoisseur drinking experience to Muscat.
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FOOD AND DRINK
T rend
New Restaurant
Reviews
Fast for a day
While millions of Muslims fast for Ramadan, for Joe Gill and Kate Ginn, it is a new experience. .
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urprisingly, fasting is making something of a comeback in the West, as people rediscover the benefits of abstinence for their health and well-being, with a nod to spiritual purification. To go without food or water for long periods is an important discipline for adherents of most of the world’s major religions, although not for western Christianity. Outside of Islam, it is not always obligatory and the practice varies a great deal. For most westerners, not being able to eat or drink for extended periods is utterly remote from a life in which the great majority enjoy easy access to convenience food and refreshments of all kinds. Fasting, of course, doesn’t come without risks, the biggest, paradoxically, being weight gain. When you stop fasting and return to your normal diet, your metabolism may have slowed, causing you to store more energy. The end result can be gaining the weight you lost, and putting more weight on from consuming the same calories you ate before the fast. On the plus side, there is a potentially significant health benefit from long-term fasting. According to studies of humans and rodents, calorie restriction and longevity are connected. One study found that signs of aging, such as insulin level and body temperature, improved within a group on a restricted calorie intake, compared with a similar group of overweight men and women. Whatever the health effects, fasting has been with us for centuries and will continue to play an important part in spiritual life.
It made Joe Gill think of tougher tests
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s a westerner growing up in a Christian country, fasting is something unfamiliar and exotic. Nothing in my upbringing required me to forego food or drink. I first encountered the practice during travels in the Middle East, when I met Orthodox Christians and Muslims who fasted regularly. When I decided to fast for a day during Ramadan, my first thought was: will I be able to see it through? Some Muslim friends didn’t think I could do it.
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Despite some trepidation, I knew I was only doing what more than a billion Muslims do every day for the whole month. I took advice from friends and colleagues, waking at 3.30am for my equivalent of Suhoor. I ate cereal, sweet bread and a one-egg omelette, and drank lots of water. I felt very full, but was able to get back to sleep quickly. During the day I took each hour as it came. The good thing was being at work with jobs to keep me occupied. By 11am, I was hungry and tired, although not especially thirsty. I could feel my ability to concentrate diminishing. Even conversation required effort. My eyes flitted to the bottle of water sitting on my desk. I felt a slight burst of hunger around lunchtime, but ignored it. By early afternoon, I felt a sense of achievement and clarity. I was definitely tired, but I was not especially thirsty and the hunger was manageable. I left work around 4pm and returned home to sleep. Lying down, I felt uncomfortable, as if my body was craving hydration, my organs quietly complaining. Then I slept. At 6pm I awoke, got ready and went out to meet friends for Iftar. It was a half hour drive, and my stomach rumbled the whole way. I kept checking the clock, which hardly moved. We met at Left Bank in Qurum, with a stunning view of the sea near Shatti Street, and waited for the call to prayer. When it came, we each ate three dates and drank a little water, before embarking on our Iftar feast. I enjoyed my meal, although a rush of blood to my head gave me a slight headache. It felt good to have managed my first day’s fast and I was surprised that it wasn’t tougher to get through. Whatever discomfort I felt, I knew it was nothing compared to the suffering others experience. I thought of my wife giving birth to our daughter – now that was truly heroic. My fast, after all, was for one day only. For the real experience of Ramadan, I would have to commit to a longer period of fasting. In future, who knows.
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Kate Ginn had family in mind
efore starting the fast, I had a very strong image in my mind as my motivation for going without food or water for a day. It was not, as you might imagine, photographs of starving babies in Africa or the families throughout the world who struggle to afford a meal each day – though all these reasons would be powerful enough. Instead, I pictured my stepmother, Ann. A month or so ago, she was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and is about to start her second cycle of chemotherapy. Aside from the nausea caused by the drugs, the tumour is blocking her food pipe, making it difficult to eat, and she hasn’t had a solid meal for some time. So it was Ann that I thought of when I awoke at 3.30am and prepared a small plate of food. If she could cope with weeks of hardly eating and pain, then a day was a small sacrifice in comparison. My stomach rebelled at being forced to eat in the early hours before sunrise and managed just a little bit of porridge and banana, washed down with a litre of water. Mornings are usually kick started with an extra-strong coffee and my body reacted very grumpily to going without. By the time I arrived at work, I was in a bad mood – and thirsty. My Muslim colleagues were very supportive, offering advice.
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They seemed genuinely pleased I was attempting to be in their shoes, albeit for just a day. By 11.30am, my throat was parched and I experienced a shooting rush of euphoria, similar to the ‘high’ that I used to reach while running. I felt alive and alert – my senses were heightened and my mind clear. I didn’t even care when a non-Muslim colleague begun drinking tea opposite me. Inevitably, it didn’t last and by 1pm, my head felt like it was enveloped in fog and there was a pounding over one eye. I could cope with the hunger gnawing at my stomach but the need for a drink was more insistent. Dehydration is a funny thing. It can play with your mind. My Muslim colleague had warned that fasting was a battle between the body and mind. My body slowed down, my reactions and thoughts were crawling along. Trying to work was a chore. I went home at 4.30pm. My driving was erratic to say the least and my energy levels had dipped alarmingly. Another brief burst of exhilaration was followed by a need to lie down. The last hour inched past. There was a horrible taste in my mouth. I wasn’t thinking of food – I could have gone without for longer – but water. My body felt arid, as dry and dusty as the desert. By Iftar, I wasn’t ravenous, surprisingly, but strangely calm. The food tasted good but I was full quite quickly. Fasting did not give me any grand insight or a moment of epiphany. What it did do, however, is make me appreciate being healthy enough to choose whether I want to eat or not.
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I F T A R review N e w R e s t a u r a n t Info Box
Al Tanoor Restaurant Al Bandar Hotel Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa Tel: 24776666 Opening hours: 7pm-midnight (Iftar) Service: Buffet or A la Carte Price (for two with water): RO40
Mid-top
Sunset Supper
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ith Iftar approaching, my friend and I wanted to see the sunset in a spectacular setting before we sat down to eat. Truth is, she was fasting and I was not, so of course, we would be eating after sundown. We drove out of the city to Barr Al Jissah as dusk descended, feeling like a special treat was awaiting us. Al Tanoor restaurant at the Al Bandar Hotel – one of half a dozen restaurants in the resort – offers a wide-ranging buffet option as well as à la carte. You know it is Iftar because of the small plate of dates and apricots placed on each table. A glass of water and a few dates broke the fast and set my friend up for the more substantial dishes to come. There was also a beautifully presented mezze of olive paste, labneh and a rich tomato-based dip. The danger with any buffet – especially one with a range as large as Al Tanoor’s – is that you are blinded by all the options, and end up with a mishmash of flavours, each cancelling the other out. I decided to restrict myself to the Omani dishes to give my meal a distinct theme. We sat close enough to the hot buffet to get a good view of the local specialities on offer. I chose the harees – a lamb and barley stew, which is something I’ve never come across before. Apparently an Eid speciality, it looks a bit like porridge, with flecks of tender meat in the oats. I also sampled the mishkak – skewered lamb grilled on charcoal, and some of the delicious-
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News
In the first of our Iftar reviews, Joe Gill finds the food at Al Tanoor slightly outclassed by the lush surroundings looking chicken casserole. So you see – I couldn’t help myself, I had to try everything. The subtle, warming combination of oats Perfect se 10 and meat in the harees was a real winner, tt huge cho ing, while the chicken dish was intensely tasty. The flavours ice but n mishkak, however, was a little on the tough side. memora ot so ble I should mention the kibbeh – not bad – and a spinach and lamb pastry that fired up the taste buds. My friend chose salmon steak on a bed of vegetable – no surprises, but it hit the right notes. As a side, we shared a plate of fresh leafy salad with a delicious lemon and oil dressing. Throughout my meal, I made sure not to eat so much that I was too full for desserts. Al Tanoor has an eye-popping array of Arabic sweets. We walked around the display and took a sample of several of the delicacies, without overloading our small plate. They were good, without being spectacular. This is probably the verdict overall – more than satisfactory, with a couple of standout flavours. Possibly the enormity of the choice of dishes does dampen your ability to really savour the good ones. One niggle was an over-keen waitress who tried to take our plates away no less than four times. The hovering plate snatcher is a common hazard, but still an irritating one. Thankfully, we were not going to be rushed. After we had finished, it was cool enough to step outside and enjoy the gorgeous surroundings of palm-fringed pools and the soft roar of the sea. Ambience is one of the bonuses of eating at the Shangri-La resort – you feel like you're on holiday – even if the food, though good, was not quite as memorable. VERDICT
7.5
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HEALTH& BEAUTY
Health
Beauty
FASHION
TO HAVE AND TO HAVE KNOT
Sleek silk squares, cosy cashmeres, wraps and resort-ready sarongs – all these pieces can be worn in countless ways and transform your entire ensemble without breaking the bank.
Forget beanies because fashionistas are turning to the headscarf for a touch of old school glamour. Vogue editor Giovanna Battaglia recently accessorised her fierce leather coat with a retro silk scarf.
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Model is wearing a scarf from F&F
IT’S A COVER UP
The skull motif is synonymous with Alexander McQueen. Putting a soft twist on the iconic design, this silkblend scarf features a contrasting abstract floral print. Lightweight and soft to touch, it works for every season. RO189 from mytheresa.com
Penny Fray discovers why scarves are this summer’s hottest buy
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t killed the pashmina as the premier plane accessory and overtook the trophy bag as the easiest entry into high fashion. We are of course talking about the designer scarf – you know, the neck nest seen on practically every celebrity mummy ‘papped’ outside the school gates. Fashion people are now proclaiming 2013 as the year of the scarf, as runways from Marc Jacobs to Ralph Lauren turned to the silk square for style inspiration. Chic, versatile and covering a multitude of sins, iconic prints include the Louis Vuitton leopard skin and Alexander McQueen’s scary skull number. I personally love big, soft bundles of material to maintain my modesty during Ramadan. The scarf also looks amazing as a head cover or bag bandana. But it’s not just about the girls – metrosexual men like footballer David Beckham and actor Jude Law have both been spotted wearing skinny numbers over a low-neck t-shirt. So, what are you waiting for? Get set to invest in this season’s ultimate accessory. Bring out the animal with this ubiquitous leopard print scarf from La Redoute. From RO9
Coral is summer’s hottest colour, that’s why we love this bargain number from Internacionale. From RO3.5
I adore the simple sophistication of this grey silk/ cashmere scarf from Lanvin. From RO290
Try an accessory audit and opt for Stella McCartney’s chic take on animalistic attitude. Monochrome cool lends a sophisticated feel to this print scarf as the feisty design makes it a cool finishing touch for pulled-together looks all year round. From RO174
This essential foulard from Mango works with almost every outfit. From RO9
Sartorial Scarf: PENNY FRAY SHARES SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH TO UTILISE THE ACCESSORY DU JOUR. 1 Turbo charge your fashion credentials by embracing the turban. 2 Invest in the best. The Hermès silk scarf never fails to look tres chic, especially when attached to a Birkin bag. 3 Who says you have wear a scarf ? Drape your favourite piece over the sofa or transform into a cushion for added home decor élan.
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HEALTH& BEAUTY
H ealth
MIND OVER
MATTER
I
Beauty
It’s a good month to take control of your life and your feelings – with the help of meditation you can, says Kate Ginn
magine starting the day with a sense of inner calm and a clear mind ready to seize the moment and overcome any obstacles that might come your way. Then picture ending as night falls with a similar feeling of peace and joy at being at one with yourself and the world around. Well, practitioners of meditation believe that you can achieve this state on a daily basis and enjoy the benefits that it can bring. Meditation, put simply, is a mental discipline in which the mind is taken beyond ‘conditioned’ thinking and into a deeper state of self-awareness. Much like any other technique, meditation can be learned. “People think it (meditation) is about sitting cross legged on a beach, chanting,” says Rosie Malcolm-MacEwan, a therapist from the Al Harub Medical Centre in Muscat. “In fact, everyone in the modern world with an open mind can get some benefit from it. “We all need to de-stress from the fast-paced lives that we lead Everyone wants and needs to be calmer.” Rosie, who has been working in the well-being sector for more than 32 years, has developed her own method of meditating. She has also devised a special series for Ramadan. Called ‘7 Days 2 Change’, the seven meditations are online, allowing even people with busy lives to take part. Each one lasts between 13-15 minutes and takes on a different theme. Every day is like a new journey, covering areas such as bereavement and loss, fasting and thinking, and forgiveness and embracing kindness. Posted free on Facebook, it’s a very modern way of meditating. “It’s non-religious and can be used for all cultures,” says Rosie. “The idea was to create something for all those who would like to have meditations to use for self development.” All meditation uses an ‘anchor’, something to focus on. It can be a lit candle or a picture in the mind. In Rosie’s case, it is breathing. She recommends sitting in a comfortable chair. “If you’re lying down, the brain will take it as time for sleep,” she says. “You want to be in the state just before you go into a deep sleep This is your optimum healing time. You will awake feeling more energised and creative.” The key time to meditate is in the morning, just after waking or before breakfast. It’s best to meditate between 6am-4pm, when the
Fashion
Rosie’s 7 Meditations 1. Berea
v 2. Anger, ement and Loss Irritability and 3. Fasting and Thin Evil king 4. Forgive Embracin ness and 5. Fears a g Kindness nd L 6. Peace a etting Go nd 7. Accepta Love nce
body is at its most alert. “A lot of people say to me that they are so busy, they don’t have time to meditate,” says Rosie. “You need to make time for yourself. Think of it as an investment in your health.” According to Rosie, there have been more than 2,000 research studies on the use of meditation worldwide. “We still don’t know exactly how meditation works but it has been proved to be effective,” she says. “One study at a workplace found that just 10 minutes meditation a day led to more productive staff and less sickness.” Her seven meditations have been prepared to reflect the many modern dilemmas or situations that can affect anyone. Anger is one emotion that many of Rosie’s clients at the clinic seek help to deal with. “People don’t really take ownership of their anger and feelings. “With meditation, you don’t suppress the feeling; you allow it to be released so that you can work through things. “You have to accept you have anger in order to dissolve it.” Another area she touches on is forgiveness. This means forgiving yourself and others. Unrealistic expectations can also hold many people back, along with fear. The meditation also looks at living in the present. While the ‘7 Days 2 Change’ programme has been devised for Ramadan, it can be used at any time when the need arises. Each meditation can be ‘dipped’ into for guidance. “You use it for seven days in the order 1-7, twice a day, preferably morning and evening, until change is felt. Or the seven days can be continued and repeated for the whole of Ramadan,” says Rosie. “You can carry on using it for as long you feel the need and the benefit from it.” Converts can carry on with a four-week course with Rosie to explore meditation more deeply. “The hope is to get into the mindset of being thankful and blessed, which you really are compared to others,” she says. * 7 Days 2 Change is available on facebook.com/ rosieinthedesert. Rosie Malcolm-MacEwan can be contacted at Al Harub Medical Centre. www.alharubmedicalcentre.com Tel 24 600750 / 96174080.
Diabetes can lead to long term health complications like heart attack, kidney failure, brain damage, blindness and foot problems. Treat Diabetes and protect your future.
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My Hood
Cars
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INDOORS
CARS AND INDOORS
If Walls Could Talk
Al Hamra is a splendid example of a traditonal mud-brick Omani town at the foot of Jebel Shams
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www.radiomerge.fm
This Ramadan join us live at La Mer every Sunday for “Fawanees Ramadan” from 9pm till midnight. Be part of Oman’s glamorous Ramadan where all nationalities meet, La Mer with Merge 104.8
Ramadan Mubarak
CARS AND OUTDOORS
Destination
Al Hamra Step back in time to an atmospheric little town where old mud brick houses evoke days gone by, says Jerzy Wierzbicki
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travel guide
own little narrow streets, the shells of ruined mud-brick houses were like ghosts from the past. Now mostly empty, the homes would have once been filled with life. Each one is a little piece of history and if those old walls could talk, the tales would provide a fascinating insight into the ways of the Sultanate hundreds of years ago. This is Al Hamra, a 400-year-old town, with some of the oldest preserved houses in Oman. While many of the mud-brick houses are now crumbling ruins, some are still inhabited, giving this place an even more magical feel. Ad Dakhiliyah is a region rich in history and gems such as Al Hamra are waiting to be discovered. Located at the entrance to Jebel Shams Mountain, the highest in Oman, it’s a popular location for tourists and residents. For heritage lovers, the town built on a tilted rock slab offers a unique experience. I have visited a few times before but never got lucky in terms of taking images, with the time or light not good enough for photography. Taking photographs is often like that; you have
to be patient and wait for your chance. Mine finally came a few weeks ago. I decided to return to Al Hamra again after reports from some friends that the weather on the mountain was moody and cloudy, perfect conditions for the pictures that I had in mind. I grabbed just one camera along with a standard lens and headed there on a Friday. My luck was in. The light was perfect. Grey clouds on the sky, lower temperatures and an inconstant sun all helped achieve the effect I was looking for. Arriving in the early afternoon, I quickly moved into the ruined part of the old town. The atmosphere there is really fantastic, stirring the soul. With its compressed, narrow streets lined with mud-brick homes, it looks similar to many ancient cities in the Middle East. In fact, it reminded me of my visit to the ruins of Old Babylon, the remains of which are found in present-day Hillah, Iraq, about 85 kilometres south of Baghdad. Al Hamra is much younger than the oldest cities in Mesopotamia, so the buildings are in better condition. The character of the town is identical to how it
would have been hundreds of years ago. A small narrow street led me to the highest part of the town. The silence surrounded me, as I walked alone in the slightly eerie, abandoned town. I had only the wind for company – and a small black cat that had been watching me during my walk. I took several photographs and the lower contrast on that particular day was on my side. I could get details in the shadows with the backdrop of the glowering sky. On one of the higher streets, I found a small mud-brick tower partly ruined and covered by fresh green foliage. It is one of my favourite shots from Al Hamra. After an hour’s walk delving into the past, I got back to the car. Dark storm clouds covered the sky and I heard thunder rumbling in the mountains. I got in and moved to the hilltop just next to Al Hamra, which afforded a great overview over the entire old town. The contrast between warm brown houses and the cool grey sky was very effective. I got my shots and the story as well as another excellent and unforgettable experience in Oman.
Go to Nizwa and continue your trip to Al Hamra. Just follow the road signs, as the way is well marked. You don’t need a 4x4 car as long as you are not planning to visit the Al Hajar Mountains range nearby. GPS Location: 23°07′00″ N 57°17′35″E JUL 18 - 24 / ISSUE 279
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OUTDOORS INDOORS WWi i- -FFi i OUTDOORS
Midnight oil The OAA Ramadan Motor Sports Festival is underway – and for this month only, you can race through the night. Joe Gill is in the pits
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oot down as you burn up the tarmac, it’s just you against the clock and six other gokart drivers. You lean over in preparation for the upcoming curve in the road while looking back nervously at the kart snapping at your heels. Each lap you try to improve on your speed and take the turns with more finesse, slowing and braking as little as possible. Once you know the kinks and twists of the track, you can hopefully avoid spinning out or losing too much speed. I see two karts spin out in front of me and the yellow flag goes up as stewards run onto the track to help the stalled drivers back into the race. I pass them thinking, well, having started at the back in the paddocks, I’m now ahead. Go-karting is serious fun. As part of this month’s Motor Sports Festival, the Oman Automobile Association is running late-night go-karting sessions from 10pm till 1am throughout Ramadan at its track near Muscat airport. The first thing you notice about the track is its
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size – and the huge floodlights. Compared to the gokarting facilities I’ve used in the UK, this feels like a massive step up, almost a mini-Formula 1. The sport is, after all, where many of the great racing drivers of today first honed their talent, before evolving into the icons of speed the world knows them as now. From Oman’s Ahmad al Harthy to Britain’s Lewis Hamilton, go-karting was crucial to their professional development. Al Harthy used the old Automobile Association track when his brother took him there aged seven. The facility at the association was closed for seven years before reopening in February as a state-of-theart track. Now go-karting enthusiasts in Oman can enjoy the sport on home soil again. The width of the track gives the drivers a sense of space and room to manoeuvre. Still, as I discovered, overtaking, even on a wide track, is all about the ability of the respective drivers to block and bypass each other. This new high-tech development allows the controllers in their tower high above the track to stop cars remotely if the drivers have been misbehaving.
There’s no need for a black flag here. There is a changing room for boys and girls at the Automobile Association track, and I saw at least one young woman in her racing gear getting ready to take her place in the paddocks. To use the karts you must be around 1.55 metres or taller, which means most children aged seven or eight can enjoy the sport. With helmet, gloves and race suit on, we all look pretty similar as we hurtle around the track, with only our kart number to tell us apart. Fastest lap time is what determines your place on the scoreboard. I had to say I was pretty happy with my third place at the end of the race, even though I was lapped twice by the two leading drivers. A race takes about 15 minutes and costs RO10, although you quickly lose track of time when you are driving. I was tempted to go again – the buzz and adrenaline and a big smile were still with me as I drove home around midnight. The Motor Sports Festival continues with latenight racing from 10pm-1am through Ramadan.
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GO KART FACTBOX Most karting historians credit Californian Art Ingels as the first person to build a racing go-kart out of scrap metal in 1956. American company McCulloch manufactured the first racing kart in the late 1950s. Motorless karts are driven for Soap Box Derby races. Outdoor racing karts use small two-stroke or four-stroke engines, producing up to 15hp. High-powered racing karts, Superkarts, can exceed 260 kph, capable of beating racing cars on long circuits. Go-karts for general use reach speeds of between 25ph to 50 kph. There are nearly 80 indoor kart tracks in the United States. An Indoor Karting World Championship is held every year. F1 drivers who have progressed from karting include Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber, Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
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INDOORS
Karen Wilmot, midwife and founder of Pregnant in Oman birthing services in Muscat, recommends
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PERU
Greetings from Peru, the land of Incas, the Amazon River, rainforests and the Andes mountain range. It’s also the home of Paddington Bear, who travelled as a stowaway from ‘Darkest Peru’ to London in a lifeboat and ate marmalade the whole way. I chose to fly to Peru when I went at the end of last year and it was my first real taste of South America. I’m South African and well travelled but this wonderfully diverse country captivated me from the minute that I landed in the capital, Lima. From quaint cobble-street villages to extraordinarily beautiful views, and fabulous food to magical sights, Peru has so much to offer. You’re also guaranteed a warm welcome from the locals, who exude an open, earthy charm. By all means follow the well-trodden path to one of the best-known attractions, the Inca site Machu Picchu, but do explore further. There’s so much more to see and do.
My Favourite Place:
The Amazon Basin. I spent two weeks in the jungle learning about traditional plant medicine, as I’m interested in looking at different ways of healing. I had to go down the Amazon River to get there. During my time in the rainforest, I saw a variety of wildlife from pink-nosed dolphins on the river to a three-toed sloth. Sleeping out in the jungle, seeing the stars so clear at night, was an unforgettable experience.
Highlights:
I have many amazing memories but there are a few ‘must-dos’ on my list. Of course, no trip to Peru is complete without seeing Machu Picchu, a 15th century Inca site, 2,430 metres above sea level overlooking the Sacred Valley. Be warned though, 500 tourists a day visit the site, so you will have to share your spiritual moment with quite a few others. I much preferred Cusco, a city in southeastern Peru and the site of the historic capital of the Inca Empire. Wander around the ruins of the walled complex of Saksaywama on the outskirts of the city, before relaxing in the Plaza de Armas with a plate of choclo con queso. These huge, pale cobs of corn served with a hunk of cheese make a great, cheap snack.
Lowlights: Peru is a country of elevation and with such heights invariably comes altitude sickness. It mostly strikes near the 3,500 metre mark and believe me, it can be pretty debilitating. I felt really breathless, had bad headaches and lost my appetite completely for a day after arriving. It can also cause nausea – but luckily I missed this. Drinking a cup of the local coca leaf tea seemed to help. It took me a few days to acclimatise, so be prepared.
Souvenirs: OOn your departure, expect your suitcase to be groaning with mementoes from your time in Peru. Most tourists have to buy something made from the alpaca, which looks like a llama and grazes on the level areas of the Andes. The hair from these cute animals makes lovely knitted items such as blankets, bed throws and socks. Silver jewellery, especially with enamel and gemstones, tend to be very good value.
Top 5 Places To Visit:
Where To Stay:
Whether you’re a backpacker or first-class traveller, you’ll find something to suit your lifestyle and budget. I came across simple hostels, five-star hotels and jungle lodges. In Iquitos in the Amazon, I stayed at La Casa Morey, originally built and owned by a rubber baron but restored and reopened in 2001. Its period furniture and restoration takes you back in time so you can imagine how life was during the beginning of the 19th century. It’s a great way to start or end your trip in the Amazon. Ask for a riverside room. www.casamorey.com
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1. Plaza de Armas in Cusco 2. Machu Picchu 3. Lake Titicaca 4. Ollantaytambo 5. Iquitos, the heart of the Amazon
I n d o o r s postcards from
Congratulations Dr. ASHIK SAINU Al Raffah Hospital congratulates Dr. Ashik Sainu Mohiyadheen, Sr. Consultant - Gastroenterology & Hepatology, on successfully completing Endoscopic Ultrasound Workshop From UK’s Royal College of Physicians & European Endoscopy Association. We have more reason to be proud on your professional achievement. Your accomplishment will enhance your expertise and will benefit the patients that you serve. We, at Al Raffah Hospital are proud to have you in our team. Internal Medicine • General Surgery • Gastroenterology & Hepatology Laparoscopic Surgery • Cardiology • Pediatrics Neonatology• Urology • Gynecology Orthopedics • Dermatology • ENT • Plastic Surgery • Ophthalmology • Dental Pathology • Radiology • Anesthetisiology • Diet & Nutrition • Pulmonology Neurology • Nephrology • Psychiatry • Pharmacy & Laboratory Services MOH No. 160/2013
For appointments call 9855 0066 7 HOSPITALS 78 PHARMACIES Care Beyond Boundaries
Al Ghobra Round About, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman Tel: +968 2461 8900/1/2/3/4, Fax: +968 2449 7210 Email: muscat@asterhospital.com
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35 MEDICAL CENTRES OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
CARS AND OUTDOORS
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CARS
Jaguar F-Type S / F-Type V8 S Engine: 3 litre V6 or 5 litre V8 0-100kmph: 4.9 seconds / 4.3 seconds Max Speed: 275kmph / 300 kmph Transmission: ‘Quickshift’ eight-speed Starting Price: RO34,000 (F-Type S)
They say: ‘Thrilling drive for luxury car enthusiasts’ We say: ‘Rock’n’roll roadster’
Check this out
Car of the week
The Jaguar F-Type is a superb luxury sports car that goes head to head with all its rivals
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here were only two of them in the country at time of writing, but the order book of Oman distributor Mohsin Haider Darwish is growing for the new Jaguar F-Type. It’s not hard to see why. This luxury front-engine, two-seater sports vehicle has been making waves since it was Standard leather and Suedecloth sports unveiled at the Paris Motor Show seats with partial electronic adjustment last September. But good things Ten-speaker Meridian audio system in come to those who wait. If you are in line to drive the 380W, or optional 12-speaker 770W Convertible roof that contracts or opens top of the range F-Type V8 S, you will experience its five in 12 seconds litre engine accelerating from Proximity key 0-100kmph in 4.3 seconds. 19-inch ‘Propeller’ wheels When you hit that start Heated exterior mirrors with integrated button and hear the fearsome LED turn signals and puddle lamps roar in idle, you will very likely Configurable interior ambient lighting be tempted to blast through 100kmph – still, it seems V8 S features: inconceivable that you’ll reach Fully power-adjustable sports seats the maximum speed of 300kmph Full leather upholstery anywhere outside Bahrain’s Rear parking sensors Formula 1 track. Touchscreen visual aids The two other new models, Dual-zone automatic climate control the F-Type and F-Type S, are Auto-dimming exterior mirrors powered by Jaguar’s new 340PS 20-inch ‘Cyclone’ wheels and 380PS supercharged petrol
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engine, and can accelerate, respectively, to a blink-andit’s-gone maximum speed of 260kmph and 275kmph. All three models are equipped with an eight-speed ‘Quickshift’ transmission and a reassuringly powerful braking system. ABS, electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist are standard across the range. The F-Type’s rigid and lightweight aluminium body is designed to achieve an ideal weight distribution to assist rear-wheel driving and ultraresponsive control. It’s no exaggeration to say that to sit in the driving seat is to experience a thrilling level of connectedness and agility from gears, throttle, brakes and suspension. Aside from all of this performance enhancement, we ought to mention the aesthetic appeal of the new F-Type – it’s a hugely stylish roadster. A futuristic design includes ‘heartlines’ along the front and rear wings, not to mention its intimidating mouth that looks
ready to eat the road. The convertible roof is fashioned in a traditional fabric, which still provides full thermal and sound insulation – and can be opened or closed in 12 seconds. The material is designed to saves weight and assist the car’s low centre of gravity. Inside, the seats are highly adjustable and the steering wheel has thick, F1-style rims. The F-Type comes with not one, but three top-of-the-range audio systems, enveloping the occupants with 10 speakers and 380 watts of sound, or 770 watts for the 12-speaker option. The boot is definitely on the small side compared to its main rival, the Porsche Boxter – and that is where the competition is for the F-Type S at least. For the Jaguar V8 S, it’s a faceoff with the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, the Chevrolet Corvette Convertible and the MercedesBenz SLK55 AMG. You’ll be pleased to here that Mohsin Haider Darwish are promoting the F-type with festive price offers.
Ramadan Mubarak
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-FI THE TECH IN YOU
KEEP SHINING It’s a time for cleansing body and soul and this app will allow you to take care of the physical side of things. An activity tracker, it turns your smartphone into your personal trainer. Simply clip the Misfit Shine onto your person and the app will do the rest. The cute little disc, crafted from aircraft-grade aluminium, keeps tabs on your movements during the day. It’s water resistant, so you can even take it swimming with you. Tap the disc onto your phone later to see if you are doing enough to stay fit and healthy. We love its simplistic style. RO38 misfitwearables.com/shine
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SMART PHONES
Love them or loathe them, they’ll a vital part of our everyday life. Kate Ginn gives you some ideas how to make your phone the smartest on the block BABY LOVE Keep on eye on your little angel remotely from any location with this amazing monitor beaming pictures to your phone. Its wideangle, 3-megapixel camera gives you high-resolution pictures and the technology allows you to navigate round baby’s room with a touch of the screen. You can even talk to your baby and sing a lullaby while you’re late at work or in a restaurant. An automatic alert lets you know immediately if baby starts crying and you can also keep an eye on the temperature and humidity of the room. The Withings Smart Baby Monitor is only for use with iPhone and iPads. Available from Amazon for around RO92.
THE KEY It’s a familiar scenario to all of us at one time or another. You’re running late, dashing around to get ready and you can’t find your keys. You’ve searched everywhere but to no avail and the frustration is pushing you to boiling point. Now you can use your smartphone to help you – as long as you have an iPhone or iPad. Simply tie the Hone Bluetooth device to your keys and when they are lost, press the Find button on your phone or pad. The device will light up and emit a sound to indicate its position. You’ll find your keys and keep your temper. Smart and elegant, around RO19. Check out www.kickstarter.com
EDITOR’S Pick Zoom in You might not be a David Bailey but the technology on the new Nokia Lumia 1020 can help you take professional quality photographs time after time. The zoom on this phone allows you to discover more detail than the eye can see, while producing some of the sharpest images possible by a digital camera. A new feature called dual capture also means you can simultaneously take a high resolution 38 megapixel picture and create a 5 megapixel SHOT for easy sharing on social networks. How smart is that? Coming to Oman soon. www.nokia.com/mea 046
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