Y Magazine #559, February 28, 2019

Pledge of a lifetime

Y’S ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN IS BACK! ‘Oman’s Best Mum’

ENTER AND WIN THIS MOTHER’S DAY

News: DRIVER INVOLVED IN 10 HIT-AND-RUN HELD

CATCH THE LATEST UPDATES ONLY ON WWW.Y-OMAN.COM

DESTINATION: Al Ansab Wetlands TASTE TEST: Semsom

DUMPING GROUNDS

YOUR TOP GUIDE TO THE BEST OF OMAN, EVERY WEEK

FEB 28 - MAR 06 2019 / ISSUE 559 • WEEKLY

PLUS!

OMAN’S BEACHES, PARKS, AND GREEN SPACES ARE BECOMING MORE GARBAGE-CLOGGED BY THE DAY AS WE TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE FACT THAT WE’RE TRASHING THE GIFT MOTHER NATURE GAVE US. CHANGING THE ‘DISPOSABLE’ MENTALITY OF THOSE WHO LITTER IS HALF THE BATTLE – REPAIRING THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE, IS THE OTHER. Y INVESTIGATES.

FASHION: REMEMBERING KARL LAGERFELD 01 NOVEMBER 24 / ISSUE 258

40

FIRST DRIVE: THE VERSATILE BMW X5 XDRIVE50I

34

YUMMY OMAN: MUSCAT’S BEST BREAKFASTS

44

EDITOR’S

NOTE

Welcome to Y Magazine – your top guide to the best of Oman every week.

IN THIS ISSUE…

H

uman nature is, at its most problematic, the tendency to do what is easy rather than what is best. How many times have we caught ourselves cutting corners on a daily basis when it comes to facing life’s small inconveniences head on? We throw away our single-use plastics and other recyclables because it’s too time-consuming to sift and separate them. We save too little and waste too much, throwing away our excess food to rot in a landfill rather than investing in home compost. And, yes, we toss away our litter sometimes when there’s no trash receptacle in sight (or at least one within easy walking distance).

In the face of the adage of ‘waste not, want not’ we’re a society that has its blinders fully secured – oblivious and, most alarmingly, lazy. And it’s our environment that’s paying the price. Case in point? The level of trash and refuse being left behind on Oman’s beaches, public parks, and green spaces; not to mention its wadis, roadsides and urban areas.

In this week’s cover feature we’re getting our hands dirty – literally – to shed light on the country’s chronic problem of littering. In spite of greater municipal crackdowns on litterbugs and barbecuing on beaches now a punishable offence – should stricter fines be imposed on those caught sullying the Sultanate? We show you the alarming toll it has taken on the nation’s marine and bird-life, while asking the experts what it will take to kick our bad habit. Flip to Page 18 to read on.

Also in this issue, we’re proud to kick off two of Y’s favourite community events – our annual Y Road Safety campaign, which will see children from across the Sultanate take the pledge, along with their parents, towards better safety on the roads.

This year, we’re tying it in with the upcoming GCC Traffic Week and we’re thrilled to bring you all the details.

Plus, Mother’s Day is just around the corner as we simultaneously launch our Y Mother’s Day campaign where we’ll be awarding one young artist with the most creative expression of motherly love with a top prize to pamper their Mum! Until next week, happy reading!

Team Y

EDITOR IN CHIEF Sayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi

PHOTOGRAPHER Shaquel al Balushi

ADMIN MANAGER Yousef Al Harrassi

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Feroz Khan

REPORTER Hassan Al Lawati ART DIRECTOR Matthew Herbst

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Acting General Manager Salim Al Amri We’d love to hear your news and views. For editorial enquiries, please info@y-oman.com email Want to read Y on the go?

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Write to us at Y Magazine, SABCO Media, PO Box 3779, Ruwi 112, Sultanate of Oman.

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

03

contents

FEB 28 - MAR 06 2019

Your Oman

This Week

08 Voice Of Oman Ammujam 10 News

Driver involved in hit-

and-run held 12 News

Al Amerat walkway to

open soon

10

16

Teeing off The 2019 Oman Open kicks off this weekend at Al Mouj Golf and will run until March 3.

34 First Drive

BMW X5 xDrive50i 38 Y-Fi

Must-have audio gadgets

38

18

23

17 Movies

Claustrophobes,

watch if you dare,

as the thriller ‘Escape

Room’ hits theatres 28

across Oman

Dumping grounds Rampant littering continues apace as the Sultanate’s dirty little secret. Team Y assesses its environmental toll and how we can change our community’s ‘disposable’ mentality.

Mum’s the word Think your mum is the best in the biz? Show her just how much you love her and enter our Mother’s Day competition for a chance to shower her with prizes Pledge of a lifetime Y’s annual Road Safety Pledge campaign kicks off in the lead-up to GCC Traffic Week – and we’re calling all children in Oman to take part!

18

17

Cars and Adventures 32 Destination

Al Ansab Wetlands

Features

Health and Beauty 40 Fashion

Remembering Karl Lagerfeld 42 Beauty

Making scents

Food and Drink 44 Yummy Oman

Muscat’s best breakfasts 46 Taste Test Semsom

40 NEXT ISSUE...

FEATURES / COFFEE WITH Y / NEWS / MOVIES / EVENTS / BEAUTY / DESTINATION / TRAVEL / FASHION / FIRST DRIVE

44

brity ch and the latest celeve got at w to ts tis ar e th we’ From ate hits of the week, gossip, to your ultim from the pulse of the music your superstar dose Radio Oman 100.9 FM world, with Virgin

A Grande feat?

Ariana Grande has come close to equalling a record held by the Fab Four themselves – The Beatles, in 1964. John, Paul, George and Ringo then held the Top 5 spots on the Billboard singles chart. Fast forward to 2019 and Ariana Grande has become the first artist since then to snag the Top 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts with ‘7 Rings’ at number one for a fourth week in a row, ‘Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored’ at number two, and ‘Thank U, Next’ at number three. We guess Ariana’s pretty happy!

Gaga calls it quits Lady Gaga has officially confirmed that she and fiancé Cristian Carino have broken up after two years together. After the pop icon confirmed their engagement in October, rumours of their split began circling when she showed up solo at the Grammys just a few weeks ago – and with her engagement finger noticeably bare. After returning from a recent girls’ trip to Mexico this week, Gaga added another accolade to her roster by winning her first Oscar, at the 2019 Academy Awards for the song ‘Shallow’ from the movie ‘A Star Is Born’.

Drama in K-Land

After the recent cheating scandal between her sister Khloé Kardashian and partner Tristan Thompson, Kim Kardashian has officially stopped following Tristan on Instagram. Having just recently welcomed their daughter True together, this isn’t the first time that infidelity has threatened the couple’s bond. But after Tristan was spotted with another woman – which just happened to be Khloé’s younger sister Kylie Jenner’s 06

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

best friend Jordyn Woods, the plot has thickened beyond all soap opera standards. It’s been reported that Jordyn has already moved out of Kylie’s house and the Kardashian sisters have also unfollowed her on social media too.

Escandalo!

Oscar’s big night

The 91st Academy Awards were held on Monday, February 25 and were for the first time in decades, without a host.

Instead, it was a ‘Saturday Night Live’ reunion as Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph – three of the industry’s funniest comediennes, took the stage to kick off the show with a silly and pun-filled introduction. In an evening full of surprises, here were some of the highlights: Rami Malek took home the Best Actor nod for his portrayal of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’; Olivia Colman won Best Actress for her turn as Queen Anne in the historical comedy ‘The Favourite’ – an award pundits had expected to go to Glenn Close for her role in ‘The Wife’. The biggest turnabout of the night came when ‘Green Book’ beat ‘Roma’ in the Best Picture category.

How many of this year’s nominated performances have you seen?

Kate’s got a baby bump!

We know the talented Kate Mara from films like ‘The Martian’, ‘Fantastic Four’ and the Netflix series ‘House of Cards’.

Now she and her husband Jamie Bell (‘Billy Elliott’ and the upcoming ‘Rocketman’) have just announced they’re expecting their first child together! The two have been married since 2017, with pregnancy rumours first sparked at the recent 2019 Golden Globes when Kate was seen wearing a billowing gown. Since then, she was recently spotted at Elton John’s annual Oscar party rocking a short, long-sleeved silver dress that clearly showed off her baby bump.

Congrats to the happy couple!

Pink is back with a new album!

Pink has released the first track off her new album ‘Hurts 2B Human’.

‘Walk Me Home’ was co-written by Nate Reuss from the band Fun!. This is the second time the dynamic duo worked together after their 2012 collaboration on ‘Just Give Me A Reason.’ ‘Hurts 2B Human’ is slated to drop sometime in April.

Kehlani releases mixtape Kehlani has been keeping herself real busy; she’s currently working on a new album and is also expecting her first child. On top of that she’s managed to find the time to release a mixtape titled ‘While We Wait’ featuring appearances from artists such as Musiq Soulchild, Ty Dolla $ign, and 6LACK. Meghan Trainor releases new EP Meghan Trainor just got married so, in celebration of that, she’s released a new EP titled ‘Love Train’. Meghan says the sixtrack project is an ‘appetiser’ to her upcoming full-length album ‘Treat Myself’ which was supposed to be released last month. ‘Love Train’ features previously released singles such as ‘All The Ways’.

Be sure to keep it locked to Virgin Radio Oman 100.9 FM, and don’t miss your Tea Time with Maya Noise, daily on Chad in the Morning.

THE VOICE OF OMAN

CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGNER AMMUJAM ON WHY IT’S VITAL WE CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE ON HOW WE DISPOSE OF RUBBISH

correspondence DEBATE OF THE WEEK WE ASKED: With barbecuing on beaches made a punishable offence by the Muscat Municipality, the country’s stance on littering is clear. However, the issue is still a matter of concern in the interiors, with litterbugs tainting cities, towns, wadis, beaches, and roads. What more can be done to curb this act – and should stricter fines be levied upon violators?

KAMAL GANATRA

T

hey say that home is where the heart lies – and those of us who have been residing here for the last two or three decades are proud to call Oman our home.

But, when it comes to volunteering for the betterment of a land, one shouldn’t bring matters such as nationality into the picture; it must be done wholeheartedly. And in the case of our recent Al Hail Beach cleanup drive, those who believe in protecting the environment have come forward.

This means that those who frequent the beach – the people living around the beach and the fishermen – are all now happy with the work and a few of them have also joined us.

The problem with this beach is that it was used a ground for storing nylon nets and other plastic fishing equipment. This means a lot of it has now been buried under layers of sand for several years.

With all the items that we find here, however, we are also concerned to find items such as skewers, cigarettes and engine oil canisters that can harm the people just as much as the environment.

So perhaps it’s now up to us to stand together and educate the people about the health effects that some of these items can cause.

One way would be to host events and invite the residents to tell them about how some plastics can cause cancer but in other cases try to reach out and show them what happens to the marine and wildlife.

Has our mission worked? Not yet, but we’re getting there… one step at a time.

08

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

Jail time and hefty fines should be given to people caught littering in Oman, as the Sultanate seeks to retain its reputation as a place of natural beauty. Not wanting to tarnish its image as the “Switzerland of the Gulf ”, Oman is getting tough on litter bugs, with more severe penalties being imposed on those caught in the act. Oman boasts some of the region’s best natural sites, but they have also been blighted by visitors leaving behind more than just memories. It is disheartening to witness the scenes of discarded barbecues, leftover picnics and camp fires. Awareness at grassroots level is important, which starts at everyone’s home, and at offices and schools etc.

PRANAVESH V.

Stricter fines and legal actions aren’t enough to solve the problem. People will find ways around these. General awareness is lacking on this issue.

People should feel that it is their own country and it is their responsibility to keep it clean and neat.

MUTHUMARI PANDIAN

only stinks but attracts rodents, insects and other vermin that are a risk to public health. Recently, we faced lot of issues with Dengue. So we must also regard this as a serious issue, and it’s our responsibility to control it.

AMOHAMED ABDELMAGUID MAHMOUD

It is unnecessary to impose stricter fines on the culprits. If the fines that have been approved recently are sufficient, perhaps increasing the violations without the individual’s awareness of the importance of preserving the environment will lead to an adverse result. It is vital that social awareness is conveyed to children and young people. This, and the work aimed at maintaining the environment, as well as the ubiquitous provision of garbage cans, can help to reduce the problem. However it requires an element of community solidarity to work towards preserving the environment.

JERRY AQUINO

I think the pastime of barbecuing on the beach is not the biggest contributor to the waste issue. It’s the littering that is the eyesore and has the biggest impact on our environment. This is the biggest cause for concern, and fines should be imposed and levied upon violators. Perhaps, then, people will think twice about dumping their rubbish anywhere they want.

Keeping our surroundings clean is our responsibility. We must all shoulder and fight against the problem of litter and the damage to our environment. Apart from human beings, millions of other creatures are living on this planet. Polluting nature is one of the worst things we can do, and we are doing it. Nowadays, JASON D’SOUZA because of our surroundings, we are facing many A measure like ‘Pay Fine or Collect an Area’s Litter’ dangerous diseases, and some don’t have any could have an impact on people’s attitudes and medication to cure them. Dumped rubbish not

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mindsets, especially in those of the litterbugs. This could then lead to the authorities offering guilty litterbugs a choice: pay the fine or spend an hour collecting an area’s litter. Apart from this, educating the public with periodic awareness campaigns could also take place in neighbourhoods, to instill a sense of pride and good behaviour. Special sessions that focus on lessons on cleanliness and the importance of proper rubbish disposal could also be conducted in schools and colleges. Social media platforms could also be used to create awareness. Residents should be encouraged to remain vigilant and report litterbugs to the authorities, using their smartphones. Repeat offenders could be handed a compulsory fine without any possibility of evading it. After all in the end, clean spaces create happy faces!

PARUL JAIN

Beach patrol teams can help to remind visitors that they need to leave the places they are visiting clean. Small boards could be put up to help people realise

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the importance of cleanliness.

Levying more fines will only help a little, but empowering the citizens with education will solve the problem. Schools can take up beach-cleaning programmes as a part of their community service classes. Oman is considered ‘a photographer’s paradise and a sea diver’s sensation’. So let us join hands to protect this slogan. Otherwise, it will soon turn into a myth.

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VISHNU GANGADHARAN was spotted with his favourite Y Magazine in Muscat.

MAHITHA UPADRASTA

The municipality should take the initiative to put up sign boards to reduce barbecuing on beaches.

Offenders should be severely fined. Separate bins should be arranged as per the types of waste, to prevent littering.

If people want a barbecue, a separate place should be arranged for them by officials for them to enjoy. The authorities could also bring in regulations to restrict barbecues to once a week.

This would not only help to stop litter, but also curtail pollution caused by barbecue smoke.

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Send it to: info@y-oman.com

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FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

09

YOUR

OMAN

OMANTEL FLIES FLAG AT TELECOM FORUM

T

BIKINGMAN OMAN

elecom giant Omantel has been taking part in the 2019 Mobile World Congress (MWC19), which kicked off in Barcelona on Monday.

Organised by GSMA, the four-day event brought world-leading telecom and ICT companies and regulators under one roof, making it a great platform for hunting down the latest technologies and ICT solutions, and to keep professionals updated on industry trends.

Muna Al Mamari, Acting Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs at Omantel, said: “Omantel is keen on bringing the latest technologies and smart solutions that drive ‘eOman’ forward.

“Telecom and technology sectors are in a rapid growth globally. As MWC19 brings together thousands of companies, it offers a great opportunity to strike deals with tech-giants and have one-on-one meetings with top experts in the industry.

“Moreover, the event focuses on elements that make the Fourth Industrial Revolution – including 5G, artificial intelligence, and many innovative technologies.”

A DRIVER INVOLVED IN

HIT-AND-RUN HELD

BACK IN THE SADDLE A

n Omani motorist believed to have been involved in a road incident that resulted in the death of one person and injured another has been arrested.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, an ROP official said the incident happened in Al Khoudh at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

A

thletes from 23 countries gathered in Barka on Sunday to kick off BikingMan, reckoned to be the toughest cycling race in the Middle East.

Contestants were attempting to ride un-aided across Oman in under 120 hours.

They faced a route of 1,000km and 7,500m of elevation gain, which includes some of Oman’s most challenging conditions.

These included the Al Hajar Mountains, the Jebel Shams climb, and the Ash Sharqiyah Region. The final stretch took in the landscapes of the Muscat/Salalah coastal highway, to the finish line in Muttrah, Old Muscat.

The race was organised by BikingMan, the Ministry of Sports, and the Oman Cycling Association.

010

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

Officers from the Al Khoudh Police Station arrested the driver on the basis of evidence gathered at the scene.

The spokesman said: “An Asian national died while an Egyptian was injured. The Egyptian national was taken to hospital.”

THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE

GALLERY

THE 2019 TOUR OF OMAN SAW LAST YEAR’S CHAMPION ALEXEY LUTSENKO CROSS THE FINISH LINE ONCE AGAIN TO CLAIM VICTORY

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

011

YOUR

OMAN

SULTANATE A STAR TURN AT VILNIUS BOOK FAIR

O

man’s pavilion at the International Vilnius Book Fair proved to be a hit with visitors of all ages, the ONA reports And the event, held last week in Lithuania’s capital city, showcased the Sultanate through the work of two notable chroniclers of travel.

Mariusz Oszustowicz, a Polish-Lithuanian photographer, presented a collection of his photographs from Oman — landscapes, portraits, and cityscapes — followed by traditional Omani music. He also hosted a quiz on Oman.

Eglė Likaitė, a Vilniusbased travel guide, who first visited Oman five years ago said she fell in love with the country and its people instantly. She also answered numerous questions about life in Oman.

Their involvement was organised by the Honorary Consulate of the Sultanate of Oman in Lithuania, in cooperation with the Ministry of Information of Oman.

And visitors to the pavilion didn’t miss out on refreshments, and were treated with Omani coffee, dates, and halwa.

CUSTOMERS WIN AFTER CORPORATE GIANTS’ DEAL

S

hell Oman and Bank Muscat have joined forces to help serve customers more speedily at service stations.

Under a new deal, Shell service stations will be provided with Bank Muscat POS systems to process all debit and credit cards.

On signing the agreement, Dr. Mohammed Mahmood Al Balushi, Chief Executive Officer of Shell Oman, commented: “The MoU enables us to leverage digital technology to offer innovative, secure, and convenient payment channels to our customers.

We want to make our customers’ journeys better, and we believe that the digital technology advancement of Bank Muscat makes this partnership ideal. Our teams are working in parallel to develop mobile payment as an additional convenient cashless option for our customers and to continuously improve the digital experience for our customers at the forecourt.

It’s part of Shell’s global strategy that has already introduced mobile and cashless payments years ago in large international markets like the USA, the UK, and China. We want to offer our customers in Oman more speed, convenience, and security in their transactions anytime and anywhere in our network of more than 190 Shell service stations, strategically located throughout the Sultanate.”

AL AMERAT WALKWAY

TO OPEN SOON

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FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

A

new walkway and bike trail are being built by Muscat Municipality in the Al Mahaj area in the Wilayat of Al Amerat near Al Amerat Park, the Oman Observer reports.

The construction of the 1,700-metre-long, 4-metre-wide walkway and cycle lane is part of a municipal move to undertake projects to better serve the public, says Engineer Essa bin Salim al Riyami, Director-General of Muscat Municipality in Al Amerat.

It aims to promote recreation, such as walking and biking. The project will involve green spaces and a roadside garden as well as a bike route, which will be lit.

The development is expected to open soon.

EYE ON THE GOAL

GALLERY

IN A FLURRY OF TALENT AND SKILL, YOUNG ATHLETES FACE OFF AT TAISM DURING THE RECENT SAISA BOYS SOCCER TOURNAMENT

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

013

YOUR

NATION’S PRIDE

OMAN

THE FIFTH ANNUAL Y PORTRAIT BY A NATION AWARDS CEREMONY HONOURED THE SULTANATE’S YOUNG ARTISTIC TALENT AT THE KEMPINSKI HOTEL MUSCAT

014

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

GALLERY

THE ‘Y’ WE ARE SOULMATES COMPETITION CROWNED THE BEST HUSBAND AND WIFE COUPLES AT THE CENTARA MUSCAT HOTEL

Photography by Saviour Peter

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

015

TEEING OFF

Some of the world’s best golfers will be hitting the links at the Oman Open, which starts Thursday, February 28 at Al Mouj Golf. The event, which runs until March 3, will include Ryder Cup stars David Howell and Chris Wood. Also competing are European Tour stalwarts Chris Paisley, Bernd Wiesberger, and Joost Luiten. Entry is free for spectators.

FEB 28

WEEK

WHAT TO DO. WHAT TO SEE. WHAT TO HEAR.

F E B R U A R Y One of India’s top names in stand-up comedy, Kanan Gill, is bringing his ‘Teetar’ world tour to Oman on Thursday, February 28 at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. Gill began as a popular YouTuber known for his scathingly hilarious ‘Pretentious Movie Reviews’ series which takes a stab at Bollywood. From there he’s built a successful stand-up career, and this marks his first show in Oman. Tickets start from RO9 and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. For more information visit www.muscat.platinumlist.net.

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Sheraton’s signature steakhouse, Asado, is still running ‘Gaucho’ night every Thursday evening, offering up some truly succulent prime cuts for meat-lovers.

Guests can experience the true essence of Brazilianstyle dining, where different meats are artfully carved fresh-off-the-skewer and onto the plate in a rhapsody of all-you-can-eat.

To complement the evening, a talented Brazilian guitarist and saxophonist will entertain guests, playing funky South-American beats to rev up the tempo.

Gaucho Thursdays will transport your senses to South America, where fire-kissed meats are served with passion and a pulsing energy. For more information or to make a booking, please contact: (+968) 7111-9006.

FEB 28

LAUGH IT UP

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A TASTE OF BRAZIL

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Bigger Cast: Julianne Hough, Kevin Durand, Tyler Hoechlin

Escape Room Cast: Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Jay Ellis When six strangers all receive little boxes offering them a chance to win a million dollars, they jump at the chance.

The desire to spend a holiday weekend doing something rather different only adds to their intrigue and pricks their sense of ennui.

So, when they meet in a penthouse apartment they wonder what they have to do to win the money.

Then it becomes clear that escaping

Take Point Cast: Jung-Woo Ha, Jennifer Ehle, Spencer Daniels

it, with its labryrinth of calamityridden rooms, is the name of the game.

Presumably, the last person standing will be the winner but at what cost?

It reminds us a bit of Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’ in terms of plot but with way more CGI-driven thrills and chills.

And the use of Malvina Reynolds’ classic satirical song ‘Little Boxes’ is inspired, too.

Good fun. .

It’s 2024 and the US presidential election is looming. The incumbent is going to lose because of a bumbling strategy towards North Korea.

However, help is at hand from a CIA agent (Ehle), who has a plan to get him re-elected by disrupting peace talks between North and South Korea.

There’s nothing like waging a war to make a politician popular at home is there? The idea is to let the president destroy North Korea’s arsenal and thus restore his image with the voters as a hard man who acts as tough as he talks.

This time, though, it goes belly-up (quel surprise!) and now the CIA-backed mercenaries led by Ahab (Ha) find themselves in the middle of a crossfire between North and South that could bring about World War III. It’s OK, if a bit Marvel comics.

Joe and Ben Weider were the godfathers of the bodybuilding and fitness industry.

Along with setting up a multi-million pound industry, the brothers helped Arnold Schwarzenegger on the road to stardom.

This true story tells how they fought poverty, hardship, and prejudice to achieve their dreams.

Joe Wieder (Hoechlin) pencils out his ideal version of what he wants to look like, devises an exercise and diet program, and places his findings in a magazine.

From there, the brothers start building a career as well as an impressive array of muscles.

It’s an inspiring-enough yarn but a warts-and-all portrait of the world of bodybuilding, it ain’t.

For one thing, it doesn’t acknowledge the existence of steroids – or some of the uglier aspects of the business.

Still, harmless enough stuff.

!

BOO! Cast: Rob Zabrecky, Aurora Perrineau, Jill Marie Jones

Groan! Not another film where some people become entangled with a super-scary, supernatural force…

In this one, a family refuses to heed a warning found in an innocent prank note.

After all, who passes on a chain letter?

Well, it was bound to happen. The father, James, (Zabrecky) is a ‘master in his own home’ old-school Dad who rules with a rod of iron while his downtrodden wife Elyse (Jones) is finding it hard to keep it together as her teenaged daughter Morgan (Perrineau) finds plenty to rebel about.

Director Luke Jaden cleverly harvests the tension in the family dynamic as a precursor to the horror he intends to deliver a bit later on.

N WI

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION Which famous body-builder’s career did the brothers in ‘Bigger’ help to launch?

LAST WEEK’S WINNER Johan Thomas Sunil

WIN FREE MOVIE TICKETS! Read our movie section and answer the question to stand a chance to win two tickets to watch movies of your choice! Send your answers to info@y-oman. com, along with your contact information.

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Now open near you at VOX Cinemas, Muscat Grand Mall Book your tickets at voxcinemas.com or the VOX app FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

017

DUMPING

GROUNDS LITTERBUGS ARE A SCOURGE ON OUR WELL-BEING AS WELL AS OUR ENVIRONMENT, WITH OUR DISPOSAL HABITS BECOMING A SERIOUS THREAT TO OUR HEALTH. TEAM Y REPORTS ON WHY IT’S CRUCIAL WE START TAKING MORE CARE OF OUR TRASH

018

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B

eaches indulge us, but we are not returning the favour.

Whether we play sports on them with our friends, stroll at the water’s edge or simply soak up the sun, they are one of our main vehicles for relaxation.

But like everything that’s for free, we can take them for granted and even abuse them.

And that’s exactly what we’re doing. Oman’s beaches are becoming health hazards that will curtail our recreation, have a significant effect on wildlife and ultimately damage our wellbeing.

The Al Hail beach is one that offers visitors a contrast. On one hand, it is a leisure beach with an immaculate coastline that stretches for for miles alongside tranquil waters.

But on the other, only a few metres from its start and past the Al Mouj locale, the beach hides its darkest secret.

It’s one that has led to the slow and agonising death of several marine and aviary life – who suffer starvation and suffocation.

There have been fish washing up on the shore and birds dropping dead, and the problem has come to light as the beach becomes strewn with litter – and it is what we humans dump on the beach, daily.

It’s not an isolated situation.

Some of Oman’s beaches – among other attractions, such as wadis, towns, historical and religious spots – have all quickly turned into makeshift dumps despite having bins provided by the Muscat Municipality and be’ah (Oman Environmental Service Holding Company S.A.O.C).

But, it’s here at the Al Hail beach where the problem is most apparent.

It’s here that expat Ammujam and an army of 20 volunteers toil away on weekends from before sunrise and into the midday heat for the betterment of the beach.

Yet, it has been five weeks of laborious cleaning – and they’re far from over, despite having had an excavator and bulldozer supplied by the Municipality.

But the group can hardly cover more than 200 metres per day.

Cigarette butts, barbecue skewers sharp enough to penetrate skin and plastic bottle caps galore;

there’s much that they find every morning.

What’s on the surface is only part of the picture – and this becomes clear when the bulldozer digs into sand. A light tug reveals our greatest fear: nylon fishing nets, plastic waste and used tyres.

Before we know it, the municipality machine has pulled up enough junk to fit a whole tipper truck with waste – all from a mere 100-metre radius.

It seems that the visitors and the fishermen heading to the Al Hail beach haven’t received the Municipality’s memo on littering, barbecuing, and even driving on the sands… and it’s not just putting the lives of animals and fish at risk but humans too.

As it turns out, fish caught in the Seeb and Al Hail area have been found to have traces of plastic in them, according to Muneer al Balushi, a fisherman operating out of this beach.

He knows full well that speaking out will affect his business but unabashed, he says (in Hindi): “I wouldn’t eat the fish I catch.

“It’s full of waste and plastic.

Just last month, I remember catching a fish and while cutting it open to sell to the people, I found a piece of nylon in its sac.

“Since then, I’ve stopped eating fish and I’m now on the side of the beach cleaners. I will support this movement to clean Al Hail and Seeb beaches.”

Post clean-up, Ammujam raises this concern with us, as she shows us how these minute plastics can end up back in the ocean and eventually back into what we eat.

“It’s all a circle. What you throw today will somehow end up back on your plate.

“Smaller than a hair, these plastics can often go unnoticed – even by marine life.

“A lot of people tell me that they’re afraid of buying fish from the markets as they don’t know how much plastic is present in their stomachs. We’ve done enough to damage the environment and now it’s up to us to rebuild it.

“It’s ironic how these little things we leave behind are now coming back to haunt us,” she says, before picking up more nylon strands.

As per a study conducted by the United Nations in 2014, the global production of plastics stood at 311m tonnes, of which, an estimated 4.8 to 12.7m tonnes of plastic was discarded into the oceans.

Worryingly, it is believed that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than marine life. Currently, estimates put plastics in the sea at about 165m tonnes.

And much like plastics, nylon – a synthetic textile and a polymer – forms the core of the fishing industry as it is crucial in making fishing nets. These thin, fibrous materials break down into small fragments when exposed to the sun and will eventually be ingested by marine life.

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

019

WHY BEACH POLLUTION

PREYS ON BIRDS 1 A ‘fly-way’ for migratory birds, Oman welcomes more than a thousand seabird species stopping here for wintering.

4 These seabirds even skim floating plastic, mistaking it as their prey. They ingest plastic particles, micro-plastics and other nonbiodegradable, and researchers have found that 29 per cent of seabirds have plastics in their guts.

2 Flying from faraway lands of Alaska, Siberia and other Mediterranean coasts to Oman, these seabirds can be spotted along the beaches, salt flats and khors, enjoying the rich marine food sources.

5 There has been a hike in migratory birds

3 They can digest whatever biodegradable wastes

each winter, with a promise of an unpolluted seaboard?

they eat from the nearby litterbins and other wastes sources but being scavengers, they are at a high risk

But the material is not a contaminant by nature. It’s the carelessness of fishermen that leads to their nets being buried deep under the sand during strong winds.

In an interview with a Muscat Municipality official, who prefers to remain anonymous, we learn that littering has now progressed to being a nationwide crisis and has gone beyond the eyes of the governing bodies in areas outside the capital where tourists and visitors flock (i.e. wadis, beaches, villages, historical sites).

He says: “We’ve upset the balance of the ecosystem with our ill-manners. For someone visiting a wadi or beach, littering may only seem like a harmless violation. But, multiply it by the several thousand that visit these places daily – of which a few are violators – and you’ll begin to realise the extent of the problem.

“But littering is not the failure of the country but rather that of its people. It’s easy for one to blame the regulatory body when they don’t realise the extent to which the people have become accustomed to littering.

“For instance, we’ve implemented a new law that prohibits people from barbecuing in beaches across Oman. And we

020

of swallowing pollutants lying around.

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noticed the backlash we received from social media.

“Yet, we stuck by our beliefs and kept enforcing it. Today, if you’re caught barbecuing on the beaches, you’ll need to shell out RO100.

“But yes, we have a long way to go. People are still breaking the rules and it’s hard to keep an eye out for those violators that slip between the cracks.

“Still, we believe in a litter-free country and we’ll strive towards it,” he adds, before pointing out that offenders are currently asked to pay RO1,000 in fines for fly tipping. Fines are doubled for repeat offenders and offenders are given 24 hours to clean up the waste.

As optimistic as all that sounds, zoologist and professor at a leading university in Oman, Sultan al Raisi, raises a concern that’s never been talked before: a fall in migratory birds visiting the Sultanate due to loss of habitat from littering.

“The Sultanate is home to some of the rarest birds you’ll find in this part of the world.

This is because it falls in a trail of birds that migrate starting from Siberia to Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Oman and finally India.

“The good news is that Oman still sees almost all species still

flying by and halting at Oman shorelines in recent years.

6 Shouldn’t we take a pledge to welcome them

visiting the country but the bad news is that there has been a sharp drop in the number of birds.

“Take seagulls for instance. We see these large birds seasonally – mostly during winters. We’ve noticed that the numbers visiting have reduced over the past four years or so.

Sultan explains how the consequences of this could range from a changing culture to more serious concerns such as climate change, as these birds avoid the long 5,000km journey to Oman.

“The birds don’t care about whether they’re visiting Oman, the UAE or Sri Lanka. All they care about is that they have an adequate supply of food and that the temperatures are higher than that of the other countries.

“While the latter does still stands true in Oman, there’s a very likely chance that – on a macro scale – these birds noticing either a change in their habitat or in their staple diet of fishes, which are undoubtedly being tainted with more microfibres and plastics.

“And what’s worrying is that if these trends continue, these large birds will be filled with plastic waste, which can cause severe health problems and fatigue during migration, and if the plastic is sharp, even punctures to internal organs can

cause a painful death,” he adds, before stating that seabirds are drastically decreasing in number and that more than 48 per cent of all dead seabirds he tests in Oman have plastic in their guts.

His facts tie in with a report published by National Geographic in 2015 that stated that the seabird population had dropped 67 per cent between 1950 and 2010. And as believed, Sultan asserts that it is the added plastics in their diet that’s slowly taking this bird population down.

The evidence is all around, with carcasses of half-eaten seagulls lying on one corner of the beach. Devoured by cats to the bone for the most part, we come across one with its gut left aside – it has a blue plastic cap inside it.

We also see birds with plastics stuck to their beaks and nylon between their feet, which as per Muneer – the fisherman – is a common sight, and as per Sultan, the birds can’t be saved as they’re ‘difficult to trap and clean’.

Other victims of littering are turtles that mistake plastics for jellyfish and eat them.

But, these are only a few of the concerns arising from our excessive littering habits, and there are several others that tie in with not just the lives of aquatic and aviary life but also our health and well-being.

The effects are ostensive and its consequences far more apparent than ever before.

It could be from something as excruciatingly painful as stepping on a skewer or nonchalantly breathing in air laced with toxic vapours from plastics but one thing’s certain: it’s a case of ‘what goes around comes back around’ – at least according to Ammujam.

“One would think that the people would heed the rules of the land when there are fines involved but that doesn’t seem to be the case,” Ammujam points out, as she picks up a plastic bottle from the beach that was discarded just minutes after they’ve cleaned the area.

Its culprit unknown, it’s clear that she’s frustrated as she explains how visitors disregard dumping their waste in bins set up simply because they’re placed a few metres away from the shore.

She’s right as we learn that green bins by be’ah mark much of the area surrounding the beach, offering visitors plenty of options to dump their waste.

She tells us: “I’m irritated by this behaviour – yes. But we’re not giving up.

“Plastics such as these are a great harm to humans just as much it is to the wildlife. The vapour it emits when heated is carcinogenic (cancer causing) and some of this can seep into the waters and eventually end up back in our systems through the food we eat,” she explains.

While statistics pertaining to cancer caused by plastics cannot be estimated, experts say that the chemicals that leech into your food or drinks can result in cancer over time.

According to health website Everyday Health, plastics such as polystyrene used in

WHY WOULD YOU NOT EXPEND A FEW SECONDS OF YOUR TIME TO SIMPLY PICK UP WASTE – AND THOSE THAT YOU PRODUCED IN THE FIRST PLACE – AND DUMP IT WHERE IT BELONGS? Styrofoam – an integral part of building boats in Oman – is known to pose ‘definite health concerns especially during high temperatures’ due to the addition of bisphenol A (BPA), a compound that has been strongly linked to cancer.

“Look around you,” says Ammujam. “Everything you see is a gift to us and to be a part of it is something we’re blessed with.

“So, why don’t we all take a step to regard it by simply heeding the law and keep our litter with ourselves until we can safely discard it,” she asks.

Ammujam and her team, with the help of the Muscat Municipality, is currently helping in the cleanup of beaches and educating the fishermen about safely stowing away nylon nets and other plastics away from the beaches – and the response has been favourable, she reports.

But even as the beaches slowly regain their sheen, there’s one part of the land that’s been left disregarded: the ancient graves of Oman that have been touted to be more than 2,000 years old and the wadis that surround them.

To understand the severity of the situation, we take a trip to

the outskirts of Seeb and into the wadi, which has proudly laid host to graves that date back to the early years of life in Oman.

The sights are grim, though, as the clearly marked and segregated beehive tombs are peppered with waste from passersby and construction debris dumped by workers in the vicinity.

We raise this in a conversation with our source from the Muscat Municipality. Shocked by the images and the disrespect it causes to the departed souls, he says: “We always knew that littering existed in wadis and we’ve cleared up these areas before.

“However, as the Municipality, we need to be made aware of any incident of littering – especially in marked areas such as this that are of importance to our land and its people.

“What if the graveyard was one where your loved one rested?” he asks.

“It’s the duty of every citizen to share with us pictures of litter, and perhaps even help us by disposing of these wastes if

possible. There’s no better way to set an example than by practising what you preach.

“If things are a bit out of your hand, though, call us on our hotline number – 1111 – and report the incident to the authorities. This needn’t just be in a graveyard or beach but anywhere in Oman,” he adds, before lauding the efforts of Ammujam.

The Indian-expat’s motto is simple and one to live by: “It doesn’t matter which country you’re from or which part of the world you’ll head to next. This is where we live now and it’s a place that has treated us with nothing but love and respect no matter what we throw at it.

“Why would you not expend a few seconds of your time to simply pick up waste – and those that you produced in the first place – and dump it where it belongs?

“Perhaps that’s where this negative act of littering belongs: in the trash.”.

Ammujam and volunteers from the Al Hail beach cleanup team spend up to six hours on a weekend clearing waste dumped by fishermen and visitors.

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021

DRIVING

AMBITION

Pressing an app, hailing a cab, or having things delivered has never been easier. In this week’s Coffee With Y, a transport titan’s head honchos tell us why social change is good for business

C

areem has come a long way – and its journey has been nothing short of inspirational.

From ground zero as an idea of two management consultants in 2012, it is now the largest transportation network service and ridehailing app in the Middle East in 2019.

A success story that began in the UAE now touches the lives of millions of customers across various countries, and the results speak for themelves the company now has more than one million employees, and is valued at more than US$2 billion (RO770,000).

And even as they claim to stand for ‘values’ that correspond with ‘making a difference in the society’ with their services, it’s clear that a great deal of persistence has gone into making this company what it is.

To hear more about the company’s mission and vision, we speak to Bassel al Nahlaoui, the Managing Director; and Khaled Nuseibeh, the General Manager of Careem GCC – all courtesy of the Startup Grind Muscat – a platform that aims to help budding entrepreneurs network with established players in the field.

Here’s an excerpt from our interview:

Q

Y: How was Careem able to penetrate the Omani market that has long been known to house its own in-house, privatised travel networks?

Bassel al Nahlaoui: OHow we win with the human element is the reason for our success. Careem puts customer support at the top of its focus and invests in a multi-channel approach with an emphasis on serving local dialects. With our investment in contact centres in all the core operating markets, the customer can speak to someone during their ride to resolve any issues quickly. Eighty per cent of all inquiries, on average, are handled within 20 seconds or when needed by the relevant teams. For priority customers, this increases to 90 per cent of inquiries within just ten seconds.

Customer care goes beyond having a dedicated department for us; it’s part of our DNA and culture.

A

Q A 022

Y: How has the brand fared since its re-entry into Oman in 2018, and how has the response been to Careem sitting as a travel solutions provider alongside Marhaba in the country?.

BH: Careem in Oman has one of FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the region (a figure we measure through our in-app rating and feedback system). This is particularly remarkable for a newly- launched market and is a strong testament to the caliber of captains (the drivers) from Marhaba. More importantly, captains are happy that Careem offers them additional income with full flexibility. Captains can choose the time, days, and areas to work that suit them best.

Q A

Y: How does Careem respond to its competition – and has it taken away any of its initial charm?

Khaled Nuseibeh: Competition for new industries such as ours is a good thing. We always welcome competition, but we want to look at the size of the opportunity before entering a new market. Moreover, we’re always trying to innovate, and we’ll be expanding into other ventures alongside the existing services.

So, in the near future, we’ll be having a new food delivery system in place, a mass transportation system with buses, and a peer-to-peer (P2P) service that allows transactions to be transferred between two users. Aside from all that, we believe in attracting local talent from the Middle East.

Bringing back Arab talents to work in the region is important to us.

Q

Y: Equality is another aspect that Careem has been praised for. How many employees are Careem aiming for in Oman, and more importantly, will there be a drive to attract more women into the field here in the country?

BH: Overall at Careem, there are currently 76 nationalities working for us.

The tech team at Careem currently has more than 500 people comprising 49 different nationalities. With women captains on the road in the UAE, Egypt, Pakistan and of course, Saudi Arabia; we remain committed to expanding the economic participation of women. We’re aiming to reach 20,000 female captains by 2020 by providing the support systems and infrastructure to make this dream a reality. In 2017, Careem signed the Women Empowerment Principles, the UN Women and United Nations Global Compact. Doing so reaffirms our participation in contributing towards gender equality.

A

M

others are the lifeline of the family – there’s no denying that, and it is high time we give our mums the credit they deserve. That is why Y Magazine has teamed up with PUCK to show the mums of Oman just how much they’re loved by their children, in a special competition to coincide with Mother’s Day in the GCC, which is celebrated on March 21.

This is the fifth edition of the competition – and following trend, this year’s will even be bigger and better than ever!

In 2018, we saw our boxes inundated with hundreds of entries as children across the capital put their feelings down on paper, proving why, in their opinion, their mum was the best in the world.

It’s not just the title of ‘Oman’s Best Mum’ that’s on the line.

Thanks to PUCK, there will be several valuable prizes up for grabs for the top three entries. And, if this isn’t motivation enough to show your love, then we don’t know what is – just think of all the treats you could buy your Mum as a thank you for all that she does for you.

The first real human interaction a child has once they’re born is with their mother. It’s a bond that’s strong and beyond what words can convey. But, every now and then, we must try and express our love for our beloved mothers. And Team Y is thrilled to bring our loyal readers a competition that will do just that!

To enter, you’ll need to be age 16 or under.

Just pick up a special card, which will be slotted into the March 14 issue of Y Magazine and fill it with a heartfelt message of love for your mum.

Remember, our judges will be selecting the winners based on content and creativity so don’t be afraid to get artistic Last year, we received poems, drawings, touching words and simple displays of gratitude, so getting creative is a must.

Look out for the A5 card in the March 14 issue of Y. Complete your entry and be as creative as you like with words and pictures – good luck and remember to say it with love!

COMPETITION

d r o w e h t s ’ m u M

Calling all children across Oman! Show us just how much you love your Mummy this Mother’s Day and enter for a chance to crown her as ‘Oman’s Best Mum’, as we kick off our annual competition once again!

AND FINALLY: ● The top three entries will also be framed and given back to the participants for them to present to their mothers as a keepsake. ● The competition closes on March 30 and our winners will be awarded their prizes with their mum at a special ceremony.

COMPETITION RULES: ● The competition is open to children aged 16 and under. ● Cards must be decorated and written by children only.

Entries will be disqualified if there is evidence of parental involvement. ● Entries received after the closing date, March 30, will not go forward to the judging stage. ● Children of employees of SABCO Media or associated companies are excluded from taking part. ● The editor’s decision is final. ● Winners will be notified by email or telephone. ● Winners and their mums must be able to attend the prize ceremony in Muscat on a date to be confirmed.

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A LINE IN Dune-bashing in the desert is one adventure done better in Oman than anywhere else.

When the sun is up, what better way is there to enjoy the great outdoors under the Sultanate sun? Swati Basu Das reports, and offers tips on how to do so safely 026

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

T

he sand dune is an integral part of both the culture and tradition of our country.

The 200km swathe of sand tracks here at Wahiba Sands stretches northwards and paves the way to the Empty Quarter (Rub Al Khali).

This huge expanse of empty desert land gives rise to some of the highest dunes that attain 300metres and come swirling down along the wind, sweeping your feet.

Constantly moving, the sand tracks are never predictable but offer the treat of entering a golden emptiness. They are brilliantly-yellow during the day, fading into dull honey hues by the sunset, changing their delineation constantly.

This 12,500 sq km dazzling dune is not only home to the local nomads, the Bedouins, but an alluring landscape for visitors, who love exploring the sands and for whom this is an adventure of a lifetime.

As sand rules the land, so does the thrill to explore as it guides every pounding heart that is visiting an empty massiveness.

What entices desert lovers, apart from the mirage landscape ahead, is, driving through

these sandy mounds and tearing over the desert sandbanks.

Dune-bashing, as it is commonly known, is one of the most sought-after activities in the desert. As winter rolls in, from November to March, the number of 4x4 track-lines piles up and cuts those ever-changing contours into the sands.

As your buggy pushes up the dune, stoops to the tilt and glides down the sandy slopes, you are sure to sway.

Be it the altering terrain, slopes, slides, climbs and sudden sinks; dune-bashing adds zing to the desert adventure.

But expert drivers believe in following the rules of nature. The best time for such activity, they say, is after 3pm, which helps to follow the tracks and the heat tends to dissipate by that time.

My dear friend and desert guide Yahaya believes in following the tracks of previous cars as markers to ensure the path is safe to venture onto and this means there is less of a chance of sinking in the sand. It really does help to keep him from straying. Experience counts, clearly!

Are your wheels ready to celebrate the dunes?

Here are some tips to get you started:

Arun D'Souza of Adventure Oman says: “Becoming an expert in this field is not a one-day practice, it requires an understanding of the terrain and the science behind a smooth drive. Few techniques and expert know-how can guarantee a fun-filled drive along the gorgeous dunes.”

Travel by convoy

◆ Safety comes first while practising this extreme sport. Sinking is common as is drifting away from a well-worn path. Experts suggest maintaining a convoy. The crew’s vehicles serve as head and tail of the convoy and helps riders to stay alert of the dune crest. The convoy will keep you on the right track, quite literally. Carrying a Sat phone is a must.

Correct your technique

◆ Adjusting to the dunes and respecting the laws of nature are basic requirements. Imitating a professional could lead to a dangerous landing. A perpendicular crossing of the dune should ensure that all four wheels on the crest are at an optimum speed.

Avoid danger by crossing over the dune crest and diving on to the other side of the dune, unless you are sure of what kind of sand lies on the other side. Keeping the tyres of the vehicle deflated will give you a better grip on the sand as any lack of momentum can stuck your vehicle down, even on flat sand. Deflating the tyres to 7PSI up to 14 PSI, depending on the vehicle one is using, is the way to go. Sometimes even the original rims of a tyre can be replaced by a wider rim of 8.5 inches and deflating them to 7 PSI.

Avoid health hazards

◆ Though practised mostly during winter, the sand and the sun are the main causes of dehydration among those who practise this sport for long hours. Sweating and poor replacement of lost body fluids can lead to dehydration. It is important to carry a minimum of eight litres of water per person for a whole day session along with a few oranges, dates, snacks and energy drinks.

Gear up well

◆ Getting stuck in the sand is common. Staying well geared up means stocking up on and bringing recovery winches, Garmin for navigation, a tire deflator, an air compressor, shackles and a shovel. Wooden planks play an important role during tyre pop out while spare wheels and sufficient levels of fuel will help prevent any mishaps.

Dunes to venture

◆ It is important to trail through the right sand texture and known path before fuelling up your car for such an adventure.

Existing tyre traces will ensure a safe path for any beginner or inexperienced driver. Follow the rules and regulations of the convoy and avoid areas that are restricted or prohibited. The sand dunes at the Wahiba Sands and the Wadi Al Abiyad Sands at Barka (also termed as Barka Dunes) are places where one can catch glimpses of numerous off-roaders enjoying the climb, falls, and twirls and turns at the dunes.

>

Injuries to boy, 10, sparks safety concerns

Earlier this month, a 10-year-old boy from the Indian School Muscat injured his left hand after his buggy was hit by a quad-bike.

His mother said: “His left arm was ruptured and required major surgery. He went through two major operations in just a one-week span.”

Children, some under-age, are jumping onto the off-road driving craze and hopping into ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles).

At times these four-wheel quad-bikes and buggies can be difficult to control and can become unstable at certain speeds. They can topple and injure their riders, as a result.

It’s vital these minors undergo a safety certification course before riding any ATVs along rugged and uneven terrain. ■

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

027

COMPETITION

Presented by

e m i t e f i L A f O e g d Ple Children will write it and parents will sign it – let’s take the pledge together towards safer roads. In celebration of the upcoming GCC Traffic Week on March 10-17, Y calls out for families to join the ‘My Road Safety Pledge’ and stand a chance to win a top prize

R

oad safety awareness plays a significant role in shaping the attitudes and behaviour of children and young people – guaranteeing they become responsible drivers, passengers and pedestrians in the

future.

With the highest number of deaths on the road in the GCC, figures for the Sultanate are staggering – with one death for every ten accidents, and 3,845 accidents occurring in 2017 alone, based on the latest available data. Of those incidents, 640 resulted in fatalities.

028

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

To teach children from a young age to be aware of traffic rules and regulations, Y Magazine is once again conducting the ‘My Road Safety Pledge’ competition in conjunction with the regional GCC Traffic Week.

To participate in the competition, children will write a ‘My Road Safety Pledge’ on behalf of their parents in a custom-made card which will be distributed next week in the March 7 issue of Y Magazine. The ‘My Road Safety Pledge’ card has a space where children can pen the pledge on behalf of their parents.

The Road Safety Pledge has to be counter-signed by their parents as the purpose is also to promote the

In Association With

message of road safety to parents through their children. The best three pledges will win a cash reward.

Once the Road Safety Pledge is written on the supplied card, parents are requested to drop the card at designated drop-boxes coming soon across Muscat.

Participants can also look forward to an on-

ground activation event on March 21 where children will colour the cards and take the Road Safety Pledge, with the winners being announced at a special upcoming ceremony where they’ll receive their prizes. More details will be coming soon – so be sure to pick up your latest copy of Y Magazine every week at select locations across Muscat! ■

7 TIPS TO KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE ON THE ROAD Besides teaching children road safety rules, parents should also keep in mind the following tips to ensure that their little ones stay safe on the road: ① Buckle up and ensure that your child always wears the seat-belt or is secured in a car-seat. ② Use the child lock feature to prevent your kids from opening car doors by themselves. ③ Teach them about the rules practically – take them for walks and cycling and teach them how to do it correctly.check if they are breathing. ④ Show patience when driving and set an example for your kids by being calm and refraining from rushing out on to the road. ⑤ Be punctual and disciplined to avoid speeding and rash driving. ⑥ Don’t use mobile phones or other gadgets when driving.

COMPETITION RULES:

● The competition is open to children ages 16 and under. ● Cards must be completed by children only and then signed by a parent or guardian. Entries will be disqualified if there is evidence of parental involvement. ● Entries received after the closing date of March 30 will not go forward to the judging stage. ● Children of employees of SABCO Media or associated companies are excluded from taking part. ● The editor’s decision is final. ● Winners will be notified by email or telephone.

FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

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Outpatients) • Oman Medical College CBD • Al Maya Hypermarket • Alizz Islamic Bank • Bahwan Travel Agencies • Bank Sohar • Copper Chimney Restaurant • Costa Coffee • HSBC • Lama Polyclinic • NBO • Oman Arab Bank • Standard

Chartered Bank • Woodlands Restaurant Darsait • Indian Social Club • SPAR

• KIMS Oman Hospital • LuLu Hypermarket • Muscat Bakery • Shell Petrol Station

Al Falaj/Rex Road • Al Falaj Hotel • Badr Al Samaa Hospital • Golden Oryx Restaurant • Kamat Restaurant • Toshiba Showroom Ghala • National Mineral Water Ghubra • 1947 Restaurant • Al Hayat

International Hospital • Al Maya Hypermarket • Bank of Beirut • Costa Coffee • Crêpe Café • GMC Showroom • LuLu Hypermarket • Moka & More • Oman Oil Petrol

Station • Park Inn • Porsche Showroom • Al Raffah Hospital • Stationery Hut • The Chedi Muscat Al Hail • Burger King • Caledonian College

of Engineering • Markaz Al Bahja Mall • McDonald’s • Omantel • Starcare Hospital Al Khoudh • Al Fair • Badr Al Samaa Hospital • Pizza Hut Al Khuwair • Badr Al Samaa Hospital • Bait Al Reem Mall • Caffè Vergnano • Centrepoint

(Splash) • Diplomatic Club • Grand Hyatt Muscat • Harley-Davidson Showroom • HSBC • KFC • SPAR • Khimji’s Watches • KM Trading

• Landmark Group • McDonald’s • Muscat Bakery • Oman Bowling Center • Oman Oil Petrol

Station • Oman United Insurance • Omran • Pizza Hut • Radisson Blu • Shell Petrol Station • TGI Friday’s • The Great Kabab Factory • The Tikka Place • Zahara Travel • Zakher Mall Mabela • Gulf College Oman Mawalah • Chili’s Restaurant • Costa Coffee • Al Makan Café • Starbucks • Tim Hortons • VLCC Wellness MBD • Bank Dhofar • Centrepoint

(Splash) • SPAR • NBO • Oman Oil Petrol

Station • Pizza Hut • Pizza Muscat • Shell Petrol Station MGM • Caribou Coffee • Gloria Jean’s

Coffees • Just Falafel • Ooredoo • Paul • Tim Hortons Al Mina • Bait Al Baranda • Bait Al Zubair MSQ • Al Fair • Arab Open University • British Council • Costa Coffee • D’Arcy’s Kitchen • Hana’s Slimming &

Skincare Centre • Kargeen Caffe • KFC • MacKenzies Café

& Deli • Mood Café • Oman Oil Petrol

Station • Papa John’s Pizza

• Pizza Hut • Saharz Beauty Salon • Starbucks Al Murtafa’a • Bank Muscat • KFC • Muscat Hills Golf &

Country Club Muscat International Airport • Caribou Coffee • Majan Lounge • Plaza Premium Lounge Mussanah • Millennium Resort Muttrah • Shell Petrol Station Qantab • Al Bustan Palace • Marina Bandar Al Rowdha • Oman Dive Center • Shangri-La Qurum • Al Araimi Complex • Balance Health & Fitness • Bank Nizwa • BMW showroom • Burger King • Chili’s Restaurant • Crowne Plaza • Finland Eye Center • Fun Zone • Gloria Jean’s

Coffees • The Jungle Restaurant • Left Bank • McDonald’s • Mercedes-Benz Showroom • Mumtaz Mahal Restaurant • Nandos • Nissan Showroom • Oman Oil Petrol

Station • Pizza Hut • Qurum Commercial Complex • Ras Al Hamra Club • SABCO Centre • Second Cup • Starbucks • The Sultan Center • Tche Tche Café Rusayl • Jotun Paints • Knowledge Oasis Muscat-1 • Knowledge Oasis Muscat-2 • Knowledge Oasis

Muscat-3 • Knowledge Oasis

Muscat-4 (ITA) • Middle East College • Omantel • Waljat College of

Applied Sciences Ruwi • Apollo Medical Centre • Kamat Restaurant • KFC • Khimji’s Mega

Store – Swarovski Showroom • Khimji’s Watches • KM Trading • Oman Air • Oman UAE Exchange • Oman Trading Establishment • Saravana Bhavan Sarooj • Al Fair • Al Masa Mall • City Cinema • Ayana Spa • Cosmeclic • Emirates Medical Center • McDonald’s • Shell Petrol Station • VLCC Wellness Sawadi • Al Sawadi Beach Resort Seeb • Golden Tulip Hotel • McDonald’s Shatti Al Qurum • Bareeq Al Shatti Complex • Caribou Coffee • D’Arcy’s Kitchen • German Eye Centre • The Indus Restaurant • InterContinental

Hotel Muscat • Jawharat Al Shatti Complex • Kaya Skin Clinic • Muscat Eye Laser Center • Oasis By The Sea • Second Cup • Starbucks • VLCC Wellness Sifah • Sifawy Boutique Hotel SQU • Diplomatic Club • College of

Economics and

Political Science • Students Banking Area • Reception/ Canteen Wadi Kabir • Al Maya Hypermarket • LuLu Hypermarket • Muscat Pharmacy • National Hospitality

Institute • Pizza Hut • Shell Petrol Station Wattayah • Ahli Bank • Best Cars • BLS International Services • Chevrolet/GM showroom • Ford Showroom • Hatat House • Honda Showroom • Hyundai Showroom • Kia Showroom • Lexus Showroom • National Travel & Tourism • Passage To India Restaurant • Shell Petrol Station • Subaru Showroom • Suzuki Showroom • Toyota Showroom Al Mouj Muscat • Almouj Golf • Costa Coffee • Oman Sail • Shakespeare & Co. • Al Mouj Muscat

Head Office Other Regions Barka • Al Nahda Spa and Resort • LuLu Hypermarket Nizwa • University of Nizwa Sohar • Centrepoint

(Splash) • Crowne Plaza • National Gift Markets • Ooredoo • Pizza Hut • Safeer Mall • Sohar Beach Hotel • Sohar Port and Freezone • Sohar University

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CARS AND ADVENTURES

Cars

Y- F i

Gaming

NATURE’S REFUGE

A cormorant prepares to take flight from the waters of Al Ansab Wetlands, a new protected sanctuary

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CARS AND OUTDOORS ADVENTURES

D E ST I N AT I O N P o s t c a r d s f r o m

Y- F i

Outdoors

Destination

AL ANSAB WETLANDS MUSCAT ISN’T SHORT ON BEAUTY SPOTS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK, BUT HASSAN AL LAWATI ENDS UP FINDING A NATURAL WONDERLAND IN A VERY UNLIKELY PLACE 032

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Cars

D

TRAVEL GUIDE

riving along the bland, uninspiring roads of the Ghala Industrial Area, I couldn’t help but harbour a sinking feeling of ‘Am I on the right track?’

I was supposed to be indulging myself in a green natural reserve, but sun-drenched Ghala and greenery do not go hand-in-hand.

“You have reached your destination,” uttered my travel buddy, Google Maps monotonously.

No kidding, really?

There was I, just next to one of Muscat’s busiest and dustiest districts, at Al Ansab Wetlands, a stone’s throw away from the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.

What was meant to be a dumpster for refined water has now become home to more than 300 different species of local and migratory birds, and is a delightful place to visit.

As I entered the wetlands, I was greeted by two members of staff, both of whom are wildlife experts.

They guided me through the area and imparted a great deal of intriguing information concerning the species of animals and some of the details of the surrounding plants.

Their team conducts weekly checks to keep track of the numbers and the types of animals in the natural reserve, which is owned by Haya Waters.

Two sets of binoculars are made available to visitors so they can get a closeup view of the flamingos that chill in the middle of the ponds.

Between October and April, Al

Ansab Wetlands draws an influx of birds escaping the cold winter in other countries.

However, many birds leave the wetlands during summer in search of cooler temperatures.

The natural reserve is open to the public and is a haven for a multitude of rare insects while boasting an impressive array of exotic Omani plants.

It’s all very easy on the eye. It’s a pleasure to see such verdant treasures amid a concrete jungle; with Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre dominating the view on the right hand-side while on the left, Muscat Expressway slowly fades away as one heads into the mini-forest.

While admiring the scenery, I saw schoolchildren scampering about, all vociferously quizzing the experts on the vegetation and birds.

Others were falling over themselves to snap pictures of massive ants and other creepy crawlies.

When you close your eyes, you can hear the subtle trickling of water as it runs beneath the sturdy, wooden bridges.

Here, I felt as chilled as any time I have ventured farther into one of the many wonderful wildernesses Oman has to offer.

There’s a back-to-nature tranquillity about this place that is positively becalming, and it can be enjoyed without having to go too far from home.

So, what are you waiting for? Do go and enjoy yourselves.

HOW TO GET THERE Follow Route 1 along Seeb Street in the direction of Qurum until it merges with Sultan Qaboos Street.

Take the exit for the Oman Exhibition and Convention Centre and keep an eye out for the turn-off onto 99

Street. Make a left onto 99 Street and follow the road until you reach the Haya Water Complex.

The wetlands are open to the public Sunday-Thursday from 6:30 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. Visitors will need to fill in an online booking form before heading to

the area, as per the company’s policy.

It’s advisable to bring water and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Call (+968) 8007-7111 for more information.

Coordinates: 23°33’49.7”N 58°19’43.0”E

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FIRST DRIVE

CARS ADVENTURES

T

BMW X5 XDRIVE50I

The German giant’s incarnation of the X5 series proves to be the closest you’ll get to a perfect SUV, says Team Y

he recipe for an SUV is fairly simple: you throw in between five or seven seats into a tall-body platform with a boxy frame, and cram in a frugal motor somewhere.

While there’s a plethora of manufacturers that put in that level of insipid engineering to keep up with the ever-growing demand, the BMW X5 sits as anything but that – no, really!

In fact, the X5 has stuck by as the embodiment of the long-lost term SUV, thereby fighting a lonesome battle to honour the full-form of the acronym that goes: ‘sports utility vehicle’.

There’s little wonder then that it has always stood as the benchmark in its segment – one that offers luxury credentials with supreme levels of engineering and oodles of driving feel to keep things more in line with the brand’s vision.

This means that for the most part, the allnew factory-fresh X5 dons an attire akin to its predecessor. But, look closely and you’ll realise that

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the subtle changes give way to more perceptible ones – some that are so well disguised that you’ll need to be a bit pedantic to notice them, if at all.

The most obvious change lies in the fascia with the large kidney grilles, which are without a doubt the most adventurous we’ve seen Bimmer designers get of late. It all paves way for functionality, though, as the grille houses vents open and close to aid cooling, shutting away to keep the aerodynamic quotient high when hypermiling.

Aside from that, the ‘BMW Laser’ laden lights are housed in the traditional but relatively refined X5 headlamps and a completely-redesigned front bumper that has outrageously large intakes – unique to our xDrive50i tester – which we love. Still, with an approach angle of 25.2-degrees and ground clearance of 8.425 inches, it remains a respectable off-roader.

Then there’s the side profile, which may be reminiscent of the outgoing model but there are changes afoot. The most obvious of these is the beltline, which now sits flush with the rear door thereby giving the rear section a whole new look.

There’s also a sharp character line that now kicks up from the rear door and runs through to the C-pillars to render the mirage of a shorter SUV. Meanwhile, the posterior is where all the changes take shape. So, you now get new sets of tail lamps and a tall tailgate to complement the dual chrometipped exhausts that hide the loud quad bangers.

On the upside, BMW still maintains the poweroperated split-folding tailgate that provides added functionality; posing as anything from a seat to a bumper protector when loading heavy goods.

As upscale and well-built the interior of its predecessor was, the new X5 takes up that winning

formula and improves it. This means you now get a plush cabin that’s dressed from head to toe in highquality leather and soft-touch fabrics and similar plastics.

It’s also a tech fiesta with enough gizmos to make even a millennial feel outdated. And taking the centrestage from the tech front are the 12.3-inch screens – the largest screens ever fitted to a Bimmer.

The primary one is a touchscreen unit that takes care of the entertainment functions, navigation, owner’s manual and the performance apps for when you’re in the mood for some corner bashing on a racetrack. The latter displays the instrument cluster with integrated maps and a handful of other functions.

What we did test, though, was the BMW Gesture Controls, which allows users to control the volume and track functions by simply making hand gestures in front of the screen. It’s a gimmick, yes, but also a conversation starter when

D e s t i n at i o n

P o s t c a r d s Fr o m

Y- F i

Gaming

CARS

BMW X5 XDRIVE50I Specifications: • Engine: 4.4-litre twinturbocharged V8 • Transmission: eight-speed automatic • Power: 462hp • Torque: 650Nms • Top Speed: 250kph Four-wheel drive 12.3-inch touchscreen and instrument cluster BMW Gesture Controls 20-speaker Bowers and Wilkins Audio system Lane-Keeping Assist Electric power steering 22-inch alloy wheels Panoramic sunroof Ambient mood lighting Swarovski crystals BMW Laserlight Semi-autonomous driving

you’re out with your friends.

Other features include a Bowers and Wilkins Diamond 3D Audio system with 20 speakers and 1,500 Watts of thumping power, an ambient air system with eight scents, heated and cooled cup holders, wireless phone charging, and a six-colour ambient lighting system with welcome lighting. Cabin space is up there with the best in the class, with plenty of leg and head room for five passengers and just enough power outlets to keep each passenger’s smartphone charged. There’s not much talk about passenger volume but it’s clear that the X5 has grown, with nearly an inch of leg room upfront and double that in the rear. Even cargo space is impressive with its 646 litres capacity that can hold four full-size suitcases and six smaller bags at a go.Functionality, check. Technology, check. Design, check. With all that out of the way, let’s delve into the heart and soul of the X5 – the 4.4-litre twinturbocharged V8 motor that’s coupled with an eight-speed ‘Steptronic’ transmission that then channels all the 462 ponies and 650Nms of torque to all four wheels.

In true BMW fashion, the engine redlines past the 6,000rpm mark, with just about enough power kept in the high ranges to keep the

transmission enthused to hold gears. It’s a phenomenal (and truly tried-and-tested) engine with a good decade or so of life in it with BMW. The results speak for itself too: nought to 100kph flirts between the 4.5 and 5 seconds’ mark and it’ll continue to roar on – albeit, with an almost gentle V8 burble when pitted against the ‘Muricans or even competitors from the German pool – to an eye-watering 250kph (or more if the limiter is taken away).

All this savagery can be put down to the sheer torque that kicks in at just a smidgen past the 2,000rpm mark.

It’s hard to pin down what makes the BMW X5 a machine that exudes sheer driving pleasure – but it certainly has something to do with the forgiving chassis and how the air shocks can adapt to road undulations in (nearly) physics bending ways… at least in ‘Dynamic’ mode, when all the systems are at its sharpest.

This also allows the SUV to attack corners with ease.

It’s not as precise as, say, its more athletic variant – the X5M – but we found it outdid everything else from the German stables that compete with this

LIKE A GREATEST HITS CASSETTE WAITING TO UNFOLD BEFORE YOU, THE ALL-NEW BMW X5 PAYS HOMAGE TO ITS PAST AS IT LEAVES BEHIND ITS SHORTCOMINGS FROM YESTERYEAR AND BRINGS FORTH A FUSION OF WHAT HAS ALWAYS MADE THIS SUV A LEADER IN ITS CLASS: THE DRIVE AND REFINEMENT ‘M-Sport’ variant.

Perhaps it’s the staggered 275/30 and 315/30 rubber the 22-inch rims wear – but the grip on offer is beyond belief.

It’s almost like a child holding on to their mother in a crowded mall; the grip never seems to run out.

Steering feel from the electric system is virtually non-existent but there’s an eagerness to the way it corners.

Meanwhile, the large brakes inspire confidence even in the meekest of drivers, and the force applied is linear when compared with an SUV offering from Asia or the USA. Like a greatest hits cassette waiting to unfold before you, the all-new BMW X5 pays homage to its past as it leaves behind its shortcomings from yesteryear and brings forth a fusion of what has always made this SUV a leader in its class: the drive and refinement.

The X5 always been the market leader – and this fourth-generation version of the SUV only asserts this further. It’s the closest we’ll ever get to a perfect SUV.

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&

CARS ADVENTURES

INCREDIBLE INDIA

Follow the coffee and spice trails of Karnataka’s Coorg.

1. Sip freshly-harvested Coorg coffee and snacks at Big Cup Café.

2. Contemplate nature atop a plantation tree house.

3. Pick up tasty food souvenirs from Mercara town.

4. Bask in nature’s bliss at picture-postcard Abbey Falls 5. Try out traditional Kodava recipes at homestays.

Selected photography: Aftab Kola

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Destination

Cars

Y- F i

G a m i n g POSTCARDS FROM

Aftab H. Kola recommends

COORG, KARNATAKA, INDIA T

ourists visiting south India have a new address - Coorg, or Kodagu, in the state of Karnataka. Beckoning the tourists are slender areca palms, tall silver oaks swathed in pepper creeper, and gurgling brooks; all amid an extremely serene climate. Perched at about 1,600 metres above sea level, the area is teeming with coffee and spice plantations, and a tour through one is one of the major highlights of a holiday in Coorg.

Mercara (locally called Madikeri), Coorg’s charming capital, is home to a great many sights. The must-sees include the picturesque Abbey Falls; the Rajah Gate, which offers a panoramic view of undulating paddy fields; the Omkareshwar Temple; Gaddige and the royal tombs; and the Madikere fort. The most ‘happening’ place near Mercara town is the area around Raja’s Seat, which has been developed into a public garden with a mini- train.

To commune with nature, visit the fog-enveloped spectacular mountains around Mandalpatti, located 20km from Mercara.

Another must-see is the Cauvery Nisargadhama, a spectacular emerald green meandering riverine island that is carved by the River Cauvery, just as it reaches the plains. Bhagamandala, in the foothills of Talacauvery and 39km from Mercara, is known for its solitude. Keen anglers can head to the Valnur fishing camp near Kushalanagar on the banks of the Cauvery. For adventure seekers, Coorg offers plenty of options for trekking in spots such as Thadiyandamole, Pushpagiri, Brahmagiri and Nishanibetta.

It’s no wonder that Coorg, known as the ‘Scotland of India’, is heaven on earth.

My favourite place Situated amid lush green forest and on the banks of the Cauvery, the Dubare Elephant Camp is home to 22 elephants. The camp can be found amid deciduous reserve forest and is set picturesquely just across a gurgling stream. It’s a place where tourists can enjoy elephant rides but if you don’t fancy doing so then you can opt to feed one instead, with coconuts and papayas. There are also plenty of photo opportunities to be had, such as watching an elephant being bathed. The camp is also home to a resort.

THE DU BARE ELEPH ANT CA MP

LS AT THE D U S K FA L V IL L A HONEY POT

Highlights Situated near the Kushalnagar in North Coorg, Harangi Reservoir is worth a visit for its surreal landscape. Six kilometres from Kushalnagar and 35km from Madikeri, you can visit the Namdroling Monastery. It’s the largest teaching centre of Nyingmapa and a bastion of Tibetan Buddhism that offers a slice of Tibetan culture. For wildlife adventure, The Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarhole) is known for tiger watching. From the Park, don’t miss out on the nearby Iruppu Falls. But, of course, this is coffee country and the air wafts with the fragrance of coffee blossoms from the plantations. Most of the homestay options and a few of the resorts can be found on coffee estates. As you explore, the freshness in the crisp air will caress your face as the whiff of coffee beans and spices permeates the air around you.

Lowlights None.

Souvenirs Of course, fresh coffee is available everywhere. Spice stores all around the region sell neatly-packaged locallygrown black pepper, white pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, mace, black stone flower, aromatic oils and home-made chocolates. Buying Coorg honey is highly recommended.

Getting there Air India Express operates flights from Muscat to Mangalore. From Mangalore, it’s a three-hour journey by bus or taxi. Mercara is 260km from Bangalore.

Where to stay There are hundreds of homestay options and great resorts to choose from. For a homestay, Honey Pot Homes cocooned in the sprawling Sandalkad Estates on Main Highway comes highly recommended. In the resorts category, the Evolve Back Resorts, formerly known as Orange Country Resorts, is heavenly.

KOOR CHERR G’S COFFEE IES HA RVEST

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-FI

THE TECH IN YOU

D e s t i n at i o n

Cars

Gaming

Y- F I

EAR TO THE GROUND

The Y Geek Squad gives you the lowdown on the latest audio gadgets and apps around

PAPER THIN Bluetooth speakers are shrinking in size but we never expected to see one as miniscule as this, not even in a thousand years. A speaker no bigger than the size of a coaster – that’s the Lenovo 700 Ultraportable Bluetooth Travel Speaker. It does exactly what it says on the tin: it provides users with an ultra-portable solution to music like nothing else on the market. At 11mm in thickness, we wouldn’t be surprised if you lost it in your handbag! Yet, it’s quite sturdy with its metal body, and the five-button approach makes it one of the more usable portable speakers out there. Get it from lenovo.com for RO57.7.

AUDIO MIXER INDUSTRY STANDARD The Japanese know a thing or two about music production. The Sony WH-1000XM3 may sound like the name printed on a fax machine from the late 1980s but when wrapped around quality engineering of trained sound engineers, it turns out to be the best pair of noise-cancelling headphones we’ve ever come across. These over-the-ear headphones come packing a frequency response of 4Hz to a blistering 40KHz – all encompassed in a 40mm dual-layered diaphragm. With Bluetooth connectivity that provides you with 30 hours of non-stop streaming, this sits as one of our favourites.

At RO125, it’s also a bargain. Buy yours from amazon.com.

From DSLR cameras to high-tech telemetry, smartphones are quickly taking over the functions that were once taken care by gadgets costing tens of thousands of Riyals. And now, you can add audio mixer to the mix. To achieve this, you’ll need this little gadget – the Roland GO: MIXER PRO Smartphone Audio Mixer – an audio mixer that you can use to connect up to nine instruments or mics and then create your own music.

The resulting stereo signal is clean, and you can also remove background noises and the like with the built-in audio segregators. It can replace your RO1,000 mixers but you can’t put a price on talent. Start making your own music with this device from sweetwater.com for RO57.7.

SPOTIFY ME

EDITOR’S PICK

WHETHER YOU’RE HAVING A BLAST FROM THE PAST WITH 1960S BANDS SUCH AS THE BEATLES, THE DOORS, AND THE WHO OR SIMPLY RELAXING WITH SOME MELANCHOLY TUNES FROM MODERN ARTISTS SUCH AS THE WEEKND OR CHARLIE PUTH, MUSIC STREAMING APP, SPOTIFY, IS THE ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS. CONSIDER IT THE LARGEST AUDIO LIBRARY YOU’VE EVER SEEN, AS IT PRESENTS USERS WITH AN EASY-TOUSE INTERFACE TO PLAY THE MUSIC OF THEIR CHOICE. THE APP ITSELF COMES FOR FREE AND YOU CAN STREAM THE MUSIC OF YOUR CHOICE WITH ADS ONLY INTERRUPTING YOU IN BETWEEN TWO SONGS. SHELL OUT AN ADDITIONAL RO2.9 AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO IT ON YOUR PHONE AD-FREE AND WITHOUT THE NEED FOR AN INTERNET CONNECTION. DOWNLOAD IT FROM GOOGLE PLAY OR ITUNES FOR FREE.

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Virtual Velocity

The Y Geek Squad gives its take on the top VR games of all-time

F

rom sitting face-to-face with the goggle-box to immersing yourself in it, gaming and video technology has come a long way.

The results speak for themselves: there’s never been a better time to be alive. Be it sitting on the sofa with a bowlful of popcorn or handling the game controller in a do-or-die match with your mates, the concept of virtual reality (VR) has taken longstanding technology and given it a thorough overhaul.

As odd as it seems, it’s one we approve of. Here are five of our absolute favourites in VR gaming.

ARIZONA SUNSHINE

The sun’s shining over Arizona alright but what comes next is an unscripted bloodbath of zombies trying to slurp that precious red-blood nectar from your neck. This VR game takes what is a serene setting and turns it into a gorefest that would put the ‘Poltergeist’ movie to shame. As is the norm with games such as these, this PlayStation/ PC game requires motion controllers that you can then use to imitate various weapons. It’s a breathtaking spectacle of what can be achieved and how far we can go with animation in modern times.

PLATFORMS: PLAYSTATION VR AND PC

THE CLIMB This game may share a name with a Miley Cyrus song but that’s where the similarities end… or is it? While the former talks about shattering down walls and battling for safe spaces created for those struggling with mental health issues, this one simply gives you a chance to climb stone walls. Talk about taking song lyrics literally. It’s still a fun game that offers you a glimpse of what’s in store for firstperson games in VR. The graphics are mind-boggling and the physics engine is near-lifelike.

PLATFORMS: PC, OCULUS RIFT

DOOM VFR Just when you thought that every horizon was explored and every nook and cranny conquered, pioneers of the first-person shooter gaming arena, Doom, came forward to unveil their latest title – the Doom VFR. With a completely standalone storyline and a slick VR engine, the game took taking the charge to aliens and creepy crawlies to a level otherwise unexplored – and it has worked to its benefit. The impact it left was a unifiable platform that several other developers could build on.

PLATFORMS: PLAYSTATION 4, PC

ROBINSON: THE JOURNEY The story of Robinson Crusoe is one we’re all aware of, but here’s a Robinson that’s stranded (surprise, surprise!) in a planet where dinosaurs still roam. It’s a story woven extensively into the sci-fi genre but one that works as a game for those looking to experience life on another planet as an alien to its inhabitants. The final product is a Jurassic World-esque game but with the added function of VR. Certain segments of the game are truly nightmarish, and it’s best to be prepped for some real scares.

PLATFORMS: PLAYSTATION 4, PC

THE LONDON HEIST A sea of drab VR game releases later, one promising one slips through the cracks. In fact, it’s a lot more than just a promise. The London Heist blew our minds from the onset – and it’s the best VR game we’ve ever laid our hands on.

The game chucks you straight into the heart of a gang and expects you to interact with them and grow as a top-dog mobster.

It’s truly immersive and puts you through unconventional challenges that would irk even the thick-skinned. The final product is, without a doubt, the most polished video game that adopts virtual reality as its core selling point.

PLATFORMS: PLAYSTATION 4 VR

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

The fashion world went into collective mourning after the February 19 death of visionary icon Karl Lagerfeld who helmed the ateliers of Chanel and Fendi for 36 and 54 years, respectively. In tribute to his larger-than-life persona and unparalleled creative eye, we’ve rounded up our favourites from more than a half-century’s worth of quintessential Karl.

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Health

Beauty

FASHION

gh e hi you h t d to helps n e igh tarratt h e S th lee From t, Ash . e stre he look t get

Photo credit: www.vogue.fr, Jean-Claude Sauer/Paris Match via Getty Image

1974

Photo credit: www.wmd.com

1965

Inheriting 70 years of fashion legacy, in his first couture collection as new Creative Director for Chanel, Lagerfeld broke the mould by eschewing inspiration from the brand’s signature 1950s renaissance – think the iconic tweed ‘Chanel suit’ with contrasting bound edges. Instead, he ushered in a new age for the atelier – much of it honed on his iconic model-cum-muse Ines de la Fressange, which would continue up until his passing.

Photo credit: www.thetelegraph.co.uk/Getty Photo credit: www.wmd.com

2010

Lagerfeld’s longtime muse and friend, Diane Kruger stepped out on the red carpet at the 2010 Academy Awards in this high-necked, ruffled delight from Chanel that was a study in contrasts. From the adroit juxtaposition of black and cream detailing, to the almost floral delicate gossamer ruffling and a mermaid tail to soften its edges, the whole look reels with ultra (modern!) femininity. With celebrities lining up to walk the red carpet in one of Lagerfeld’s ethereal creations, the brand quickly became one of the most frequentlyrequested labels and a staple of Oscars fashion.

2019

Photo credit: Fendi Photo credit: www.wmagazine.com/Victor Virgile

1991

In what Silvia Fendi once called ‘fashion’s longest love story’, Lagerfeld took the helm at the Italian fashion house in the middle of the swinging 60s, arriving on his first day in a Cerruti gaucho-style hat and tweed jacket with sunglasses and looking, in his own words, ‘disreputable’. His goal? Revitalising the Italian furrier’s oeuvre in line with the times – a feat he encapsulated in one of his first pieces for the Roman label, an iconic jaguar coat that broke every fur barrier.

It was the golden age of the supermodel as runway legends Helena Christensen, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Claudia Schiffer took the catwalks by storm. And Lagerfeld dressed them all.

During Chanel’s renaissance in the 1990s, its couture shows were a who’s who of iconic names. It was also during this time that Lagerfeld’s own signature look of dark sunglasses, finger-less gloves, black blazer, and high, starched-collared shirts emerged. Here, Linda Evangelista walks the runway in Paris for Chanel’s Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 1991-1992 collection.

1983

Lagerfeld began designing for French fashion house Chloé in 1963, helming its collections throughout its hey-day up until 1978. He returned to the label for a stint in the mid-90s from 1992-1997 where the likes of Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell brought his merger of haute couture and ready-to-wear creations to life. But it was his striking pointed collars and prints of the 70s that were the label’s hallmark under his tenure. We love the bold palette paired with soft, scarf-like draping of this 1974 ensemble that gave us a first inkling of Lagerfeld’s innate ability to meld structure and softness into one.

Working on the Autumn/Winter 2019 collection for Fendi up until his death from pancreatic cancer, when news of Lagerfeld’s passing came on Tuesday, February 19, the show still went on that Thursday, two days later, in a tribute to his legacy. Here, model Gigi Hadid closes the collection in a yolk yellow silk semi-sheer dress adorned with the late designer’s iconic ‘Karligraphy’ FF insignia – a logo he created for Fendi in 1981.

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

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SCENTS Smell may be fleeting but it supports a 52 billion-dollar industry. Fashions evolve over time, and the past 20 years have brought resounding changes: some good, others not so much. Virginia Insua helps you follow your nose

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like to draw an analogy with movies. In that business, too, the cost of introducing something new and inducing the public to buy is a huge investment.

Instead of building a new marketing campaign from scratch, why not roll out a sequel?

Perfume flankers are the equivalent of film sequels in the sense of building on an already recognisable (and successful) brand.

In the case of ephemeral scent, one may not see any narrative through-line at all: Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle, the most popular flanker of all-time, has more to do with the ‘fruitchouli’ trend and Angel

by Mugler than the original Coco, a spicy oriental from 1984.

You can’t knock all flankers as mere money-train additions: Hypnotic Poison by Christian Dior, for example, is an achievement memorable in its own right. More recently, I’ve found Prada L’Homme Intense and YSL’s L Homme Intense to be more complex and memorable than their predecessors. Mind you, if I see another ‘intense’ I’m going to scream.

Meantime and until that happens, here are some of the most exciting EDFs to get us all spritzed up for spring:.

Incarnations for a new genre Gourmand fragrance: Intended to bridge the olfactory and gustatory senses, featuring ‘yummy’ notes such as berries, chocolate and vanilla. The most influential progenitor of this now mainstay group was Angel by Mugler; today ubiquitous but no less startling. However, I have never found anything to rival Bond No. 9’s mouth-watering and sensual Chinatown.

More recently, rhubarb notes provide a fun take on ‘fresh’.

Aedes de Venustas’ namesake perfume is my favourite example. Hermes’ Eau de Rhubarb Écarlate is another although here I find the rhubarb top note more fleeting.

Top notes at the expense of base notes In recent years, much of mainstream perfumery’s budget seems to have gone into the top notes, probably with the rationale that with enough initial fireworks you’ll be compelled to buy.

Unfortunately, too often the scent fizzles out in quality at the end. Recent case in point: Paco Rabanne’s Olympéa. I swear its woodyamber drydown is the same chemical concoction shared by numerous penny-pinching beauty conglomerates.

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Oud The resinous heartwood of an agar tree under fungal attack, oud has taken centre-stage on the global perfume market although it has long been eminent here in the Middle East, burned as incense or soaked in rose oil. In the west it was first front and centre in YSL’s M7, for men. Woody, resinous and complex fragrances featuring oud are everywhere now and released with remarkable frequency onto the market. With agar trees now a potentially threatened species, we can only hope oud doesn’t go the way of Indian sandalwood.

Incensed by incense, or not Comme des Garçons Series 3 Incense series is the most famous example. You feel your soul rising on a contemplative wing. Along with Giorgio Armani’s insanely expensive Bois d’Encens, these are choices for the purist. The most beautiful and complex incense perfume, perhaps one of the most beautiful perfumes that I’ve ever smelled, period; is Korrigan

by Lubin. I like its dry down best: creamy without being sweet, smooth with no hint of abrasion, a perfume with the sensuality of a Rodin sculpture and its glow of purest marble.

Niche and artisanal Starting with L’Artisan Parfumeur in 1978, niche and artisanal perfumes now account for a larger part of perfume sales than ever. Lush’s Gorilla perfumes may be part of a larger commercial organisation but they represent well the spirit of niche and artisanal work. Founded in 2000, Frederic Malle’s firm has pulled together famous ‘noses’ and released some stunning work, such as Dominique Ropion’s ‘Portrait of a Lady’.

And where perfume is not just as a signature but an experience, Killian Wells is a young up-and-comer to watch. Finally, this very month former perfume outlier Jo Malone releases her Wild Flowers & Weeds collection, with perfumes such as Nettle & Wild Achillea.

You can go right past the garden and into the English countryside!

So, there you have it: Y’s take on the most bewitching aromas to adorn your overall look. Oh la la!

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THE CRYING

GAME Has letting one’s emotions out become over-indulgent? Or could letting loose on the lachrymal ducts be just what the doctor ordered? Gemma Harrison reports

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mid the annual snoozefest that is the Oscars ceremony, there’s always the winner that’s bound to break down when their big moment comes.

Who could forget Gwyneth ‘Tiny Tears’ Paltrow’s infamous Oscar speech in 1999, which was squirm-in-your-seat embarrassing. Or Halle Berry’s three years later, which was equally toe-curling.

But stars have never been known for doing things by halves and, since then, it seems that breaking down has become not only acceptable but rather endearing.

The concept of the traditional British-style ‘stiff upper lip’ i.e. keeping one’s emotions in check until you can be by yourself is now seemingly regarded as a bit old-fashioned.

Previous generations regarded crying as a sign of weakness, which is why so many people struggle to deal with their emotions. They simply don’t want to admit they’ve lost the plot, can’t take any more, or whatever.

But there are some medical experts who believe that holding back the tears is harmful. In times of great stress and distress, there’s nothing like a big blub.

In fact, in Japan, ‘crying clubs’ exist as part of a recent social phenomenon called ‘rui-katsu’ (tearseeking).

During sessions, adults can gather to watch tear-jerking movies and hopefully have a good sob as a way of releasing stress. Well, there might be something in it. I have felt tears well up during or after certain movies but have kept them in check (unless I was watching the DVD at home, alone, with lots of ice cream).

Mind you, I sometimes wonder if I should just let it all hang out as I’ve witnessed Cristian Ronaldo or Lionel Messi open the floodgates, in public, many a time. They were not happy tears, either.

But here’s the good news. From a basic health

point of view, a good cry is good for us. Tears contain a number of stress hormones and other chemicals. Weeping helps to release them, as some research studies have claimed.

Tears also lubricate the eyeballs and eyelids and prevent the dehydration of various mucus membranes. And some experts believe that by bottling up emotion means one’s ability to express it may become impaired.

Australian psychologist Christine Bagley-Jones says we might cry when we’re feeling hopeless, when empathising with another’s situation, or with joy.

Brisbane-based Ms. Bagley-Jones says: “So yes, from a social perspective, crying can be good for you. It can solicit empathy or sympathy and it can aid in establishing trust. People will more likely trust a person that has that capability of showing those kinds of emotions.”

But there’s a downside, too. Crying too frequently or at inappropriate times can become trying for the people around you.

Bagley-Jones says: “Over-crying may suggest a lack of emotional regulation. That’s when your emotions become the boss of you rather than the other way round.

“By not being able to manage difficult situations where some emotional strength would be welcome, other people may grow a little bit weary of you.”

For all that, it remains to be seen if Japan’s ‘crying clubs’ will catch on anywhere else.

Meantime, Y offers a few tips to help wash out your heart and mind: DO cry over spilled milk You don’t have to wait until after a funeral or the anniversary of a loved one’s death. It’s OK to cry for yourself, too, as a way of relieving stress in the case of extreme disappointment or distress.

DON’T put a deadline on despair The reasons for your tears are what they are.

There’s no time limit for when a time of grieving or disappointment is done. It’ll be over when it’s over, and when you’re ready.

DON’T be afraid to cry in public People will be sympathetic to unfettered emotion. Former tennis champion Jana Novotna famously wept on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent after losing her first Wimbledon final – and reduced a nation to tears.

DON’T will yourself to cry Tears are like new-born babies. They come when they come. If you feel you want to cry to relieve your tension but can’t, then don’t stress about it. It may take an emotional trigger to set you off and eventually make you feel better.

Team Y says: “This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of a medical expert if you have any questions regarding a health issue”.

(Sources: Japan Times, Psychology Today, The Times of India, ABC News) FEB 28 - MAR 06 / ISSUE 559

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YUMMY

RISE AND SHINE

Start your day with a full belly at some of our favourite spots around Muscat

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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but if you fancy forgoing the frying pan for a spot of Eggs Benny served a la carte, here are some of the top tables in Muscat offering up some truly delicious early eats!

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hether you’re racing against time or looking for a leisurely Saturday brunch out, you remember your mother was right (isn’t she always?) – breakfast is the best source for fuelling your body for the day ahead.

Sceptical? There’s science to back up this claim. According to the US-based Mayo Clinic – a non-profit academic medical centre – taking your morning meal on time can kick-start your metabolism, improve concentration and help regulate blood-sugar levels. Those who eat breakfast regularly also tend to be more physically active, have good cholesterol levels, and an easier time managing their weight.

So, whether you prefer waking up to the smell of veal bacon and eggs on a Friday morning or would rather eat out and have your coffee and egg-white omelette with the rest of the weekend breakfast crowd, it’s a meal not to be missed. Here are some of our favourite places around the capital to chow down!

The Crêpe Café This chain of franchises has several tasty locations dotted around Muscat, but we love the view and ambience of their outlet at Oasis by the Sea. Serving up both savoury and sweet versions of the French staple, its outdoor terrace is the perfect spot to drink in the morning seafront view of Qurum Beach, while tucking into one of their signature savoury crêpes. A light, fluffy batter made from just flour, water and eggs makes them moreish, rather than heavy or stodgy.

The best part? You can fill them with pretty much any topping you like. We love ours topped with a serving of eggs-over-easy and fried onions with a side of sausages, while their signature Nutella crêpe is also pretty sweet (no pun intended)!

Location: Oasis by the Sea, Shatti Al Qurum Timings: 8:30 a.m. till 12 midnight, daily Contact: (+968) 2452-2569 www.crepecafe.com

Eggs Neptune This briny twist on the classic Eggs Benedict pairs succulently sweet crabmeat with a silkysmooth Hollandaise sauce to take your breakfast to the next level.

Total time: 45 minutes Yield: 6 servings

This stunning marina-front restaurant is worth the drive to Al Bandar alone! Located pool-side, this fine-dining outlet isn’t just a mainstay for the lunch and dinner crowd. It also offers a more casual breakfast service that serves hearty helpings ranging from traditional Arabic spreads to a pretty decent version of a full English breakfast – plus vegetarian varieties too. Our faves? Their array of omelettes and eggs a la minute served with grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and hash browns. Craving something sweeter? Hit up an order of their pancakes or waffles topped with strawberries, fresh cream and honey. Talk about value for money – breakfast will run you a lean RO3 to RO9 per order, max!

Location: East Breakwater, Marina Bandar Al Rowdha Timings: 8:30a.m.-11:00 p.m.

Contact: (+968) 2474-0038 www.marinaoman.net /blue_marlin

Penny’s Kitchen Location: 18th November Street Timings: 8:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m., Sat-Wed 8:00 a.m. till 12 midnight, Thurs & Fri Contact: (+968) 2413-8466 This homestyle diner near Azaiba is one of the city’s best-kept secrets when it comes to hole-in-the-wall eateries. It has become well-known for its comfort-food laden menu that offers everything from homemade pizzas and pasta to burgers, wraps and serious lunch combos. But on a weekend morning, come hungry and come for their Big Breakfast.

What will you get? A mammoth portion of baked beans, veal bacon and beef sausages with fresh toast, butter and jam, eggs as you like them and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. Keep cup after cup of their hot coffee on tap and you’ve got yourself a meal worth waking up for!

Ingredients: § 6 large egg yolks § ¼ cup lemon juice § 2 Tbps Dijon mustard § 1 ½ cups melted, unsalted butter § 1/2 tsp salt § 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper § 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper § 6 English muffins § 3 cups Dungeness crab, picked over and at room temperature § 12 large eggs Method: § Make Hollandaise sauce: in the bottom of a double-boiler or in a medium saucepan, bring 2.5cm of water to a simmer over high heat and adjust heat to maintain simmer. Put egg yolks, lemon juice and mustard in top of a double-boiler or in a roundbottomed medium bowl and set over simmering water. Whisk yolk mixture to blend. § Whisking constantly, add butter in a slow, steady stream (it should take about 90 seconds). Cook sauce, whisking, until it reaches 60°C then adjust heat to maintain temperature (remove from simmering water if necessary).

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Add salt, pepper and cayenne and continue whisking until thick, about 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from stove and set aside.

Preheat oven to 230°C. Split English muffins and arrange on a baking tray in a single layer. Bake until toasted, about 5 minutes.

Put two muffin halves on each plate and top with crabmeat, dividing evenly.

Poach eggs: Bring 2.5cm of water to boil in a 30cm-wide pan.

Lower heat so that small bubbles form on the bottom of the pan and break to the surface only occasionally. Crack eggs into water one at a time, holding shells close to the water’s surface and letting eggs slide out gently. Poach eggs, in two batches to keep them from crowding, 3 to 4 minutes for soft-cooked. Lift eggs out with a slotted spoon, pat dry with a paper towel, and place 1 egg on each crab-topped muffin half.

Top each egg with 2 to 3 Tbsp reserved Hollandaise sauce and serve hot.

(Source: www.myrecipes.com)

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(Photo credit: Lance Co.)

The breakfast

The Blue Marlin

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FOOD DRINK

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N e w R e s t a u r a n t REVIEWS Info Box SEMSOM

First floor, Muscat Grand Mall, Baushar Opening hours: Noon to midnight, and 24 hours on Thursday Contact: (+968) 2439-8718 Dinner for three: RO29.5

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Verdict : 10/10 SERVICE 8.5/10 FOOD 7/10 AMBIENCE A simple twist on Lebanese dishes that elevate the palate to beyond any other such fare we’ve tried before.

SEMSOM

Y Magazine reviews anonymously and pays for its meals

TEAM Y FINDS A SLOW BURN ON LEBANESE CUISINE MORPHS INTO A TANTALISING TASTE-FEST TO RAISE THE BAR FOR HUMMUS ADDICTS EVERYWHERE

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Lebanese restaurant with a twist: that’s what Semsom pegs itself to be.

It’s a worrying formula – mixing the best of Arabic cuisine and tailoring it to suit the palates of a wider audience. In some ways, we think of it as turning a Shakespeare play into a Hollywood flick starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. It just won’t work, will it?

Whether it’s our mulish mindset or the general sense of caution we displayed as we were presented with a red plate of mutabal – as opposed to the off-white colour and coarse texture it usually carries – there’s no denying that Semsom deserves a chance; and golly, it delivers.

Nestled in the heart of the Muscat Grand Mall but decked out like a fine dining restaurant we’d normally expect to see at a five-star hotel, Semsom has a lot playing in its favour, from general aesthetics alone.

Hop into the seats and you’ll quickly notice that the décor is inspired from the UK of yore and the ornaments are more Turkish than Lebanese. A bit pretentious, yes, but it’s all in a good cause.

Things slowly start taking shape when you glance through the rather elaborate menu.

From grills to mezze platters, they’ve got it all.

Our waiter, a very courteous man, slowly – and patiently – dumbed down the more complex dishes on the menu for us.

But we ordered up a plate of plain hummus and one topped up with falafel and veggies. To wash it all down, we then opted for a bowl of vegetarian soup and tabbouleh. To dip our toes (figuratively, of course) into their wide variety of signature dishes, we also asked for a plate of the beetroot mutabal. It was a strange dish indeed but more on that to come.

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course, we were prompt in proclaiming the fish fillet wrap to be a throwback to those prepped by chefs from the region in the mid-1990s. Deep fried hamour fish was encrusted in the impeccably-done deep golden-brown batter. Coupled with fresh parsley and light mayonnaise sauce, all wrapped up in freshly-baked bread; the dish took us back to the good old days when local chefs valued quality over quantity.

Next in our line of attack was the mixed grill platter. Decked with lusciously-brown and soft chicken, mutton and beef kebabs; and accompanied by grilled veggies and garlic mayonnaise, the platter too gained a favourable spot in our review. Mind you, it had a lot to compete against.

From the grill front, we found the soft but wellspiced chunks of chicken and the beef standing out from the rest. The grilled vegetables could receive a thorough makeover though, with almost semi-grilled chunks of onions and capsicum thrown straight onto the plate.

Yet, it’s a must-try if you’re heading to Semsom as a group. Also among that list is the chocolate fondant.

With its chocolate-rich crust and thick, creamy chocolate insides; the hot fondant took us by surprise. That, paired with Lebanese-style vanilla ice cream, paved the way for the ultimate culmination of a culinary journey that we weren’t sure would even work.

In the end, we were also given complimentary white coffees – a caffeine-free infusion of zerocalorie orange blossom water. Perhaps this was the fragrant end that the chef had planned for us.

Semsom may stand by its unorthodox dishes and seamless attention to detail but what we loved about the restaurant is that it finds relish with its simplicity to create truly complex dishes.

It’s a case of food above all else... ■

The soup was the first to arrive. Served in a rather sizeable bowl and filled to the brim with veggies, the clear soup was delectable. Flavoursome and zesty, the clear broth locked in all the seeping nutrients of the fresh vegetables sprinkled into the soup. Our only complaint would be that it was a tad too oily (olive oil, nonetheless) for our liking.

It’s a dish worth sipping on a cheat day, perhaps.

Meanwhile, our waiter also brought us a complimentary plate of zatar dip. The zatar-and oil-heavy dip took the rendition of a Lebanese chutney but kept itself in the realms of savoury dips with the added sumac and pepper. It was flavoursome, yes; but again, a bit too greasy for someone on a diet.

Next to arrive were our plates of hummus, tabbouleh and the blood-red beet mutabal – all brought to us by a string of waiters after a special appearance by the (Lebanese) chef.

Describing the emotions that followed as we dipped the freshly-baked bread into the thick but creamy hummus cannot be described with simple words. A tingling symphony was set in motion in our taste buds as we slowly munched the bread and the accompanying generous servings of hummus. Perhaps this is what they serve in heaven, proclaimed our mate, who had long detested the dish and was now converted into a hummus aficionado. Maybe it was the richness of the chick peas or the almost batter-like smoothness to the dish that gave it the edge over any other hummus we’d tried in Oman.

Hummus lovers will truly fall in love with Semsom – we assure you.

This thought extended itself to the wellseasoned and freshly-prepped tabbouleh and the beet mutabal. The former is the embodiment of Do you have a favourite restaurant that you’d like to see perfection on a plate; sitting ever so neatly in our thick bread before we gobbled it all up. The latter, reviewed? Let Y know at editor@y-oman.com despite its perfect consistency and tanginess, can be an acquired taste.

Between all the fare, we also asked for a platter of mixed grill, a fish fillet wrap and a plate of chicken ras asfour with cashew nuts.

Arriving in reverse order – and rightly so – we first dug into the chicken ras asfour. A seemingly small plate, the dish took us away with the flawlessly-fried chicken cubes and crunchy cashews that were doused in mild Lebanese spices and olive oil. It was another star to the chef.

Having taken a couple of strides into the main

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