Y Magazine #568, May 10, 2019

Portals to the past

KNOCKING ON THE ANCIENT DOORS OF OMAN 2019 Ramadan Giveaways

THE BEST OFFERS ALL MONTH LONG!

News: OMAN GETS TOUGH ON FOOD 12 SAFETY VIOLATIONS

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

DESTINATION: Bandar Al Khiran TASTE TEST: Palayok YOUR TOP GUIDE TO THE BEST OF OMAN, EVERY WEEK

MAY 09 - 15 2019 / ISSUE 568 • WEEKLY

Future?

PLUS!

AS THE ADVANCEMENT OF FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY, OR FINTECH, CONTINUES TO MAKE RAPID INROADS IN OMAN ACROSS SECTORS OF BANKING AND E-COMMERCE, ARE CONSUMERS TRADING EASE OF TRANSACTION FOR SOMETHING MORE SINISTER? Y INVESTIGATES THE RISKS INVOLVED WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING OUR PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL DATA IN AN EVER-SHIFTING DIGITAL REALM

YUMMY OMAN: IFTAR DELIGHTS 01 NOVEMBER 24 / ISSUE 258

44

POSTCARD: CHIANG MAI, THAILAND

36

THE Y GEEK SQUAD: TOP TECH FAILS

38

EDITOR’S

NOTE

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

IN THIS ISSUE…

A

world without paper seems a wonderful prospect, doesn’t it? From an environmental perspective it’s the golden ticket. Think of the trees that could go on growing and supplying us with the air we breathe. Would the pulp and paper industry fully grind to a halt? Perhaps, eventually. It would certainly be a spanner in the works.

But as financial technology, or FinTech, advances we stand on the brink of a world with paperless currency – and it’s a dividing factor among the general banking populace. As FinTech begins to make inroads into the Sultanate, how much longer would it take for us to deem traditional banking impractical?

With the prospect of completely paperless transactions on the horizon in Oman, we examine in this week’s cover story if the future of such transactions is one in which our personal data and security are also being put at risk – and, if so, what steps are being taken through financial governance in the Sultanate to protect customers. Flip to Page 18 to learn more as we delve into the shortcomings and flaws in this ever-growing sphere of commerce.

Also in this issue, we’re kicking off a whole month of Ramadan offers and promotions, starting with some incredible giveaways on Page 31, and much more!. Plus, in a trip back through history, we explore how the cultural heritage and craftsmanship of Oman’s ancient wooden doors lives on – but not without the risk of being lost thanks to would-be thieves and vandals.

Plus, we bring your our top summer essentials for stylish gents in our Fashion pages, marvel at some of the worst tech failures in recent memory over in Y-Fi, explore the abundant waterways of Bandar Al Khiran in Destination, and head into the kitchen with an Omani chef in Yummy Oman to show you how to prepare a delicious traditional iftar the whole family will love this Ramadan.

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

FOLLOW US ON:

@ytabloid /ytabloid

MANAGER – DIGITAL MEDIA SALES Umair Mehmood

/ytabloid ymagazine

www.y-oman.com /ymagazine

Y Magazine is published by SABCO Press, Publishing & Advertising LLC / Y is a SABCO Media product.

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?

Scan our digital issue here: Download any QR reader from iTunes or Google Play to read Y on the go

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

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

03

contents MAY

Your Oman

09

-

15

2019

This Week

08 Voice Of Oman

Fares Ghandour 10 News

Oman Air is ‘leading

airline in Middle East’ 12 News

Child abuse cases have

doubled in Oman

10

16

An opulent iftar Break your fast with an indulgent iftar in The Kitchen at the Kempinski Hotel Muscat!

17 Movies Charlize Theron

and Seth Rogen come

together in on-screen

genius in the

presidential comedy

‘Long Shot’.

17

Cars and Adventures 34 Destination

Bandar Al Khiran

Health and Beauty

38 Y-Fi

Top tech fails

40 Fashion

The boys of summer

Features 18

Banking on the future?

As financial technology (FinTech) continues its advance into Oman, turning our transactions all the more paperless, we explore its very real implications to the security of our personal and financial data.

26

Through every door…

Oman’s historical carved wooden doors are an indelible part of the Sultanate’s cultural heritage – and they’re at risk of being lost.

28

Coffee with Y We sit down with Eng. Nasser Saleh, CEO and Founder of MadfooatCom to learn about his inspiring rags-to-riches success story.

Food and Drink 44 Yummy Oman

Iftar delights 46 Taste Test Palayok

42 Beauty

Lash it up!

38

40

NEXT ISSUE...

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

44

C R EDIT CARDS

RAMADAN MUBARAK

80% Cash Withdrawal Terms and conditions apply

Secure Online Shopping

Access to Airport Lounges around the World

WHEN YOU USE YOUR ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK CREDIT CARD TO SHOP DURING THE LAST 10 DAYS OF RAMADAN!

Exclusive Discounts & Special Offers

15% Off Oman Air Holidays Packages

THE VOICE OF OMAN

FARES GHANDOUR, PARTNER AND PORTFOLIO MANAGER AT WAMDA CAPITAL – A LEADING INVESTMENT FIRM – TALKS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACED BY FINTECH COMPANIES

correspondence DEBATE OF THE WEEK WE ASKED: As Financial Technology – or FinTech – increases its stronghold in Oman with newer additions such as cashless mobile payments and online money transfers, do you think that companies have customers’ best interests in mind with concerns over safety and security? What do you think will be the greatest challenges it faces when entering the Oman market?.

GAUTAM GHOSH DASTIDAR

F

inTech is the future of banking and finance – that’s the byproduct of digitisation of these fields. But, we’re still years away from relying on it completely as a mode of transactions and other financial

activities.

The greatest challenge that the sector faces currently is support regulators.

For instance, in the GCC and the Middle East in general, this is taken care by the government authorities; Central Bank of Oman in the Sultanate.

While we’ve seen a handful of these countries hand over sandboxes for companies and startups to test out their software before a public rollout, I would say that a mass setup would still require the regulators to have complete faith in the safety and security aspect of these frameworks.

As it currently stands, it is the government regulator that sets the framework for the company here, and they must work around it. And that’s a very interesting move, as this eliminates a lot of the risk involved with transactions.

Customers are investing their money into this software with complete confidence – and it’s up to the company to ensure that their demands are met.

It mustn’t be a case where you wake up one day and find out that all your money has gone.

The security aspect aside, it’s also expensive to start a FinTech company.

It requires a lot of patience and there’s a very high risk of failure as most investors will be a bit circumspect when it comes to investing in such startups.

Once the regulators start supporting these FinTech companies in full force and when there’s a bit more space for companies to work with the frameworks, then it will definitely take off.

But for now, at least in this region, the applications are narrow.

08

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

Technology is but a branch of applied science. The application of science is a continuous process of trial and error – a fundamental method of problem-solving.

It is characterised by repeated, varied attempts, which are carried on until success is reached.

As success itself is a relative term that never turns incessant, it is perhaps too early to find out if FinTech is ultimately going to be a boon or a bane for the Omani market. Even though companies have customers’ best interests in mind with concerns over safety and security, it may or may not work. For instance, now and again there are cases in Oman where online flight booking processes stay incomplete until the customer physically appears in the company’s office and stands for hours with a queuing ticket distributed by another computer system. Kiosk payment for utility services is still quite chaotic. The greatest challenge FinTech faces when entering the Oman market is, therefore, the man-made malware itself – we may call it a kind of anthropocentric virus.

The basic need of the hour is, therefore, training the professionals who would be fit to deal with the national transit from hard money to its soft version, and conduct more and more awareness campaigns among the public.

MUTHUMARI PANDIAN

Yes. It’s a revolution of the digital era. Fin Tech has strengthened and enhanced our market in globally. In ancient times, we used the barter method, and then later we used coins and papers.

Today we are selling goods using our finger tips in international markets. The internet is a genie; it shrinks the world and we place it in our palm. When the market becomes digitalised,

For 2 people at

we need digital security solutions to protect our products and payments against cyber-attack and online threats (hacking, malicious links, customer fraud and scam, malware and phishing, etc.) Lack of visibility into the attack surface and the inability to prevent cyber-attacks are the big threats to online based marketing activities. In this digital world, personal information is a significant target for cyber criminals and the hackers. Debit and credit cards have been much easier and convenient than cash but in today’s world of cybercrime, there is always a danger of passwords and personal details being stolen during online transactions. E-wallets are the best solution for this problem. It makes the payment as simple. It stores our card details which are used for transactions made online through our PC or smart phone. It needs to be linked with our bank account to make the payments. It’s designed for cashless and cardless transactions. Therefore, we no longer need to remember multiple PIN numbers and passwords.

By installing the software, we can easily set up the ewallet account with relevant information. Thawani Pay, Oman’s first FinTech company. It has initiated a cashless digital society where all the payments can be made through smartphones.

New Debate: Ramadan is a time for generosity and giving unto others. But should such acts of kindness be limited to such special occasions only? Tell us how giving back has made a difference in your life.

Share your view with us and you could be in with a chance of winning dinner for two.

NEWS

O

OMAN AIR IS ‘LEADING AIRLINE IN MIDDLE EAST’

man Air has won three categories at one of the global tourism industry’s most prestigious awards ceremonies.

The airline was named ‘Middle East’s Leading Airline: Business Class’ and ‘Middle East’s Leading Airline: Economy Class’.

As Oman’s national carrier, the company was honoured at the 2019 World Travel Awards Middle East ceremony held at Warner Bros World in Abu Dhabi.

The airline’s in-flight magazine, Wings of Oman, also grabbed the ‘Middle East’s Leading Inflight Magazine’ award.

Oman Air has now won the ‘Middle East’s Leading Airline: Business Class’ title every year since 2016 (as well as in 2014); and the ‘Middle East’s Leading Airline: Economy Class’ title for six years running – from 2014 to 2019.

Abdulaziz bin Saud al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Air, said: “Winning three categories of the prestigious World Travel Awards is a remarkable achievement for Oman Air, especially when we were pitted against some of the world’s largest airlines.

“These wins are very important to Oman Air as they indicate that our staff are continually raising the bar in service excellence to provide a safe and wonderfully enjoyable flying experience for our guests.

“At the same time, we are proud to be expanding our global reach as we fly to an increasing number of new destinations, and continue to add new aircraft to our fleet.”

The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. The brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality in the travel industry.

VODAFONE TO HELP RUN OMAN’S THIRD MOBILE NETWORK

V

odafone is to become part of a group with the green light to run Oman’s third mobile phone network.

It will be a strategic partner, for the planned network, for which the licence is likely to be issued soon.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) confirmed that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between a private company and Vodafone.

The deal completes the procedure for obtaining the licence for Oman’s third mobile operator.

On its Twitter account, the TRA said: “What has been reached is the signing of an MoU between the company owned by local investment funds and Vodafone as a strategic partner.

“The MoU has been signed to provide mobile telecommunications services in the Sultanate in accordance with directives of the government in this regard.”

OMAN HAVE DOUBLED

C

hild abuse cases in Oman in 2018 rose 100 per cent as compared to 2017, Muscat Daily reports.

According to figures released by the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), 721 child abuse cases were registered last year compared to 330 in the whole of 2017.

All the child abuse cases were reported on MoSD’s

010

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

toll free number 1100.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Shams bint Said Hamoud al Hajri, director of Family Protection Department in MoSD, said: “We have registered 721 child abuse cases in 2018.”

The Governorate of Muscat reported the maximum number of female) followed by North Batinah which cases at 323 (183 male, 140 saw 150 cases (83 male, 67 female).

Image for illustrative purposes only. Photo credit: Shutterstock

CHILD ABUSE CASES IN

YOUR

OMAN

TOURISM DEAL BOOSTER FOR 2,000 JOBS

T

he Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has signed a deal with Bin Sheikh Holding Company for a project in the wilayat of Seeb.

The RO120million scheme will comprise Omani heritage markets, hotel facilities, a cultural and commercial centre, restaurants, cafés and a harbour area spread over 97,804m.

The project will be completed in two-and-a-half years at a cost of RO120million.

Mohsen bin Mubarak Khawar, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bin Sheikh Holding Company, said: “It will provide about 2,000 jobs. It will have traditional Omani souqs, restaurants, cafés and shops which will be leased for 50 years.”

H E Ahmed bin Nasser bin Hamad al

Mehrzi, Minister of Tourism, signed the agreement on behalf of the government while the investing company was represented by Khawar.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Khawar said: “The ministry is encouraging investments in the sector by providing all necessary facilities.

“It helps in setting up hotel facilities to cope with the growth in the tourism sector in the Sultanate. The project will be an important addition to the tourism sector comprising traditional and modern elements with focus on civilisational aspects.”

H E Ahmed al Mehrzi also signed ten other pacts to develop hotels, hotel apartments, tourism resorts, restaurant complexes and tourist camps in various governorates of the Sultanate.

FRANKINCENSE BRINGS IN THE VISITORS TO DHOFAR

T

he number of visitors to Land of Frankincense sites in the Governorate of Dhofar during April stood at 13,162, according to the statistics from the Department of Frankincense Land Sites at the Office of His Majesty the Sultan’s Advisor for Cultural Affairs.

Al Baleed Archaeological Park and Museum of Frankincense Land received 6,278 visitors, Samahram Archaeological Site received 4,382 visitors while Wadi Dokka received 643 visitors and Ubar Archaeological Site received 1,859 visitors.

Al Baleed Archaeological Park Samahram and Wadi Dokka are registered sites on the World Heritage List under the name ‘Land of Frankincense sites’.

The Office of His Majesty the Sultan’s Advisor for Cultural Affairs is developing several archaeological sites and providing them with utilities to serve the goals of cultural and archaeological tourism in the Governorate.

OMAN GETS TOUGH ON

FOOD SAFETY VIOLATIONS

T

he Minister of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources (MRMWR) has amended the Food Safety Law with new penalties, the Oman Observer

reports.

It means that selling food products in unlicensed places or selling unsourced products (not having or attributed to a known source or origin) will mean a fine of not less than RO100 and not more than RO500.

Establishments will be fined between RO100 and RO500 if members of staff fail to meet standards in food safety, as per the guidelines issued by the quality control

departments.

Establishments will be charged for between RO100 and RO5,000 for manufacturing food items without a licence or dealing with counterfeit or harmful substances unsuitable for human consumption.

As per the decision, restaurants and cafes, fast food restaurants, bakeries, kitchens, food processing plants, mills, livestock slaughterhouses, shopping malls as well as areas designated for refrigerated, frozen, canned and dry food products will come under the law.

The places designated for storage and preparations of food should have cameras installed for any kind of supervision.

ALL PRIVATE SCHOOLS NEED SECURITY BOSS, SAYS MINISTER

A

ll private schools in Oman must create the post of a security supervisor, according to a decision issued by the Minister of Education on Sunday.

The decision applies to all schools that cater to 100 pupils or above.

012

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

The Minister of Education issued the Ministerial Decision 105/2019 that amended certain provisions of the regulations for private schools.

The decision, which will be published in the Official Gazette, comes into force the day after the date of its publication.

GALLERY

THE 2019 OMAN WATER AND ENERGY EXHIBITION WELCOMED INDUSTRY DELEGATES DURING THE THREE-DAY EVENT HELD AT OCEC.

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

013

YOUR

OMAN

AT STARTUP GRIND, ENG. NASSER SALEH, CEO OF MADFOOATCOM SPEAKS ON HOW HE MADE HIS BUSINESS DREAM A REALITY

014

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

GALLERY

GALLERY

OMAN AVIATION GROUP REVEALED ITS NEW BRAND IDENTITY LAUNCH DURING A RECENT PRESS CONFERENCE EVENT HELD AT OCEC.

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

015

THE WHAT’S ON GUIDE

THIS

WEEK

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

M

A

016

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

Y

AN OPULENT IFTAR

DURING RAMADAN

Enjoy an enticing iftar at The Kitchen in the Kempinski Hotel Muscat, featuring authentic Levantine cuisine, live cooking stations, daily live entertainment, and a warm atmosphere to bring the family together. Held every day during Ramadan from sunset to 10:00 p.m., the price is RO22 per person, inclusive of soft drinks and juices. Kids age six to 12 dine half-price, while kids below six dine for free. For bookings contact their culinary concierge (+968) 2498-5000, or email Dining.muscat@kempinski.com.

MOVIES MOVIES FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TIMES, GO TO: City Cinema: citycinemaoman.net Al Bahja Cinema: albahjacinema.net VOX Cinemas: oman.voxcinemas.com Star Cinema: Tel +968 2479-1641

It’s a mysterious creature with an injured wing, and along with her friends, Sydney sets about healing it.

With that and the ranch to save, Sydney makes new friends along the way and is determined to save her home and her family’s livelihood.

This is a family-friendly movie headed by an enterprising tween with a resilient head on her shoulders.

It’s full of smiles, and enough warmhearted moments to keep the story ticking along.

Kia and Cosmos Cast: Joy Sengupta, Swatiska Mukherjee, Ritwika Pal Kia (Pal) is a teenage girl with a developmental disorder who finds solace in reading thriller novels.

After the murder of Cosmos, the neighbourhood cat; she ends up whiling away her hours writing a novel of her own.

But when Kia’s father Kabir (Sengupta) disappears, she finds herself in a mystery of her own.

With the help of her best friend and a quick-witted rickshaw puller, she finds herself on an adventure that takes her

Pegasus: Pony With a Broken Wing Cast: Eliza Jarrett, Charisma Carpenter, Tom Arnold

from Kolkata to Kalimpong.

This charming film deserves credit for handling Kia’s condition in an intelligent, positive way without being patronising.

Whatever the result of her amassing the clues, it’s a film that doesn’t stint on showing the harsh realities of life.

It’s a resolutely upbeat, perceptive, and humane film that adults of all ages will ‘get’.

A true delight, in fact. Film of the week.

Long Shot Cast: Charlize Theron, Seth Rogen, June Diane Raphael

Primal Rage Cast: Casey Gagliardi, Andrew Joseph Mongomery, Jameson Pazak

When Sydney (Jarrett) finds her family’s ranch is being eyed up by a team of dastardly developers, she is desperate to stop them.

As soon as she feels sure nothing can be done she ends up praying to the Almighty for help.

Then Pegasus, a pony with a limp, appears in a forest like the almost proverbial Greek myth.

US Secretary of State Charlotte Field (Theron) has her eye on the top job after the President tells her he wants to become a movie star, and therefore won’t be running again.

Charlotte has to assemble a team that will help her into the Oval Office.

While spin doctors get set to package her like a new washing powder, Charlotte wants to stay true to her staunch principles, e.g. on environmentalism.

To do that, she turns to Fred (Rogen), a school-friend from way back, to write her speeches.

Mind you, Fred is ‘old-school’ i.e. a journalist who has little time for softsoaping and thinks everyone has the right to his opinion.

As he and Charlotte work together, she finds her voice again and he learns to care about people other than himself.

This witty film is all slightly satirical but great fun.

Ashley (Gagliardi) and Maxwell (Montgomery) are two young people who have just got back together, after Maxwell’s release from jail.

As they try to patch things up, they take a trip into the wild for a little restorative R&R. But in this part of the US Pacific Northwest, they find that people are a little short on folksy friendliness.

Never mind the unsavoury locals they encounter at a service station, they soon hear of a mysterious mythical creature that Native Americans call Oh-Mah. Lost deep in the forest, it’s not long before they find themselves being stalked by a terrifying creature with one heck of a big foot.

As the body count goes up, it’s going to take all their survival skills to fight off this mysterious monster as well as the sinister locals.

LAST WEEK’S WINNER Praveen Kumar

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

017

BANKING on the future?

AS TECHNOLOGY TAKES ON OUR DAILY TRANSACTIONS, TEAM Y EXAMINES HOW READY WE ARE FOR A WORLD WHERE CASH IS A THING OF THE PAST, AND WHY CONCERNS OVER SECURITY SIMPLY WON’T GO AWAY 018

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

I

magine a world with no physical money at all: no papers, automated teller machine (ATM)s or even banks that you can walk into for a quick cash deposit or withdrawal – spooky, isn’t it?

As it turns out, the Sultanate is on the way to implementing such a virtual cash system; one in which you’d simply be required to wave your phone over a receiver to pay your bill at the market after a shopping spree, or simply top-up your digital wallet to catch a cab or book a flight ticket.

This breakthrough system is the brainchild of modernisation rising from Financial Technology (known simply as FinTech) –but it’s one that has been tainted with everything from cyber security threats to receiving the sneering label of promoting the illicit virtual black market for activities such as phishing and hacking.

And believe it or not: you’re slowly being strapped into it without your knowledge or consent.

Consent, however, is a matter that Samantha *, a personal trainer and yoga instructor, wants to discuss.

Looted of nearly RO1,100 in late 2018 in a case of credit card phishing, the trainer has qualms over the complicated forms of cashless payments taking shape in Oman.

In an interview with Y, the trainer asks: “Would you trade convenience for safety, and more importantly, do you trust technology to the point that you would trust it with your money?

“I did, but not anymore,” she says, before going on to reveal how her card was used many times in the span of a few hours for online shopping in September 2018, due to which she’s still short of RO1,070.

“All I did was head out to a restaurant and a swim with my friends on a Friday. What I came

back home to, however, were messages of my card’s activity to buy some gadgets.”

She says that the online fraudsters – whose location was traced back to Russia – also went on to buy a bike and several gift cards to then eliminate an easy trail for storebased purchases.

She then adds: “The bank (name withheld for legal purposes) had, however, failed to alert me about any suspicious activity due to which I lost the money. This came as a shock as they usually call me up even for my shopping activities in Muscat – like when I bought a new treadmill for my home.

“Thankfully, they’ve been quite understanding and immediately blocked the card, and upon their advice and following a formal complaint to the bank and the Royal Oman Police (ROP), they’ve also launched an investigation into it,” she adds, as she continues to wait for an update from the bank.

Unfortunately for Samantha, tracing down hackers and phishers from other countries can be difficult, says Zahra al Busaidi, an IT expert whose team specialises in designing and working with teams involved in setting the framework for mobile banking services in Oman.

She explains: “One of the greatest issues about FinTech related services such as online banking, peer-to-peer banking and even e-wallets is that when things go wrong, it’s hard to trace who is at fault.

“But the truth is that things rarely go wrong.

“I won’t jump to conclusions,

WOULD YOU TRADE CONVENIENCE FOR SAFETY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, DO YOU TRUST TECHNOLOGY TO THE POINT THAT YOU WOULD TRUST IT WITH YOUR MONEY?

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

019

ONE OF THE GREATEST ISSUES ABOUT FINTECH RELATED SERVICES SUCH AS ONLINE BANKING, PEER-TO-PEER BANKING AND EVEN E-WALLETS IS THAT WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, IT’S HARD TO TRACE WHO IS AT FAULT

but I have worked with the team in developing the app that Samantha used daily for conducting her mobile banking facilities – and it is watertight.

“So, the only ways I can see this taking place is if she has sent details to someone or if her phone was somehow infected with a malware or virus. We’re always on the lookout for loopholes in codes, and we make sure to seal off all forms of potential threats.

“But, if it is indeed a lapse from the bank’s side, it would have recognised that, and necessary steps would have been taken to get the issue sorted.

“That’s also the beauty of FinTech. When done right, the customer gets more safety and security, and more control over their funds in their hands – but this one instance is a sporadic occurrence and is something that should be solved quicker.”

However, Samantha swears to us that she keeps her bank credentials safe.

Our quest to learn more about

020

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

this technology leads us to Eng. Nasser Saleh, the CEO and Founder of one of the largest FinTech companies companies in the Middle East that specialises in ePayments of bills across the region, and soon in Oman – MadfooatCom. He begins by explaining the definition of the term to give us a sense of perspective: “FinTech itself is a technology that aims to present the public with financial services that rival and disrupt the centuryold forms of stalwart financial methods (i.e. cash payments, withdrawals) with newer forms such as mobile banking and investing, easy online loan procurements and even cryptocurrencies.

It has since become a phenomenon and widely-backed FinTech startups are now surfacing to take a large piece of the market share – close to 40 per cent across the globe.

What’s more astonishing is that these companies form a network of both startups – examples of which are SMEs such as MadfooatCom and even leading transportation solutions provider Careem – and established agencies such as banks

and other financial institutions.

In Oman, the regulations and licences for a FinTech company are currently the undertaking of the Central Bank of Oman (CBO).

The CBO, despite its traditional roots, says that it believes in the tech as it aims to provide easier, accessible and affordable financial services to their target customers over the coming years.

Its current scope as per the regulator spans more than six vertical business lines, namely: insurance, payments, deposit and lending, capital raising, investment management, and market provisioning.

In his keynote address to the Islamic Finance News Oman Forum, H. E. Tahir Salim Al Amri, the Executive President, Central Bank of Oman, said: “For the promotion of digital economy, CBO is taking coordinated initiatives and studying the diverse needs and potential applications of FinTech from business, regulatory and technology perspective.

“We are also ensuring that the features of existing mobile payment clearing and switching systems are further expanded to promote the use of mobile banking services and mobile wallets in Oman, even to nonbanking customers,” he added.

The services offered by these don’t end with these, either.

Careem GCC’s General Manager, Khaled Nuseibeh, recently revealed in an exclusive interview with Y that it would be offering customers in Oman a peer-to-peer payment system where they can transfer money from

one party to another.

With Careem’s multi-billion-dollar buyout by American transport giants Uber, however, we’re left to believe that this could effectively translate into the Uber Cash – an e-wallet with which you can pay for Uber’s services.

“Its sole intention is to make the lives of the people easier,” he adds with a smile – but as we learn, there are several concerns that need to be addressed across other aspects of FinTech not relating to his company.

And it is only upon investigating that we realise that Samantha is only a victim in one case – and that there are plenty more issues to iron out.

That said, it is up to the Oman National Computer Emergency Readiness Team (OCERT) to uphold the safety and security of online banking services.

One official from OCERT, who wishes to remain unnamed, says that the concerns regarding FinTech don’t end with credit card phishing.

He says: “From a safety and security perspective, credit card phishing is only a small portion of what we need to focus on as OCERT in the FinTech sector. There can be issues such as leakage of data from secure cloud systems, corruption that can lead to sale of customers’

FROM A SAFETY AND SECURITY PERSPECTIVE, CREDIT CARD PHISHING IS ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AS OCERT IN THE FINTECH SECTOR

personal details for rewards, and revelation of data to governments.

“But one of Oman’s greatest concerns – its government asking for personal information – can also mean that it’s working towards forming frameworks to regulate FinTech companies. And that can in turn solve the former two issues.

“So, no private body can simply come forward and set up a company without registering themselves with the CBO. And that’s why we can safely say that the risks in general in terms of one’s assets’ safety and security are lower.

Even Nasser is in support of this view: “The privacy of your credentials is vital – and our FinTech company takes great care to keep your details safe within our secure and encrypted systems.

“Though, your question of whether governments should possess your personal information would be of more importance in the West where

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

021

the governing bodies have only limited knowledge of its people.

“I think we must ask ourselves in this region (Middle East), how much the governments already know about us. Any individual entering the country is already liable to provide a retina and a fingerprint scan. So, up to an extent, there’s not much else that a FinTech company can add on to it.

“Besides, with Oman coming up to provide a very centralised solution, this could be used to streamline processes further and make one’s transactions even safer too – so I see it as a win-win.”

He then implies how the real threat will be in keeping the information from leaking out to private parties and hackers.

Disadvantages aside, the Nasser reveals that FinTech has shown positive signs of growth in its almost decade-long existence – and in the process, has also ironed out several concerns from the past.

He explains: “The job market was one that was affected greatly upon the inception of FinTech in 2008.

“While a considerable number of jobs were lost when financial institutions were adopting more cashless modes of payments around the world, initially, it has turned

022

DEC 1809- -2415 // ISSUE MAY ISSUE 349 568

around now, and several people are now being trained for tasks surrounding FinTech.

“Moreover, what we’ve seen with our company is that we created several indirect jobs in the market.

So, we were successful in being able to create a stronger job market than what was the case in the past,” the CEO adds.

He’s not far off either, as experts from financial company ING say that not only is FinTech helping small companies in countries grow and create jobs, it’s also set to create nearly one billion jobs in Asia and Africa alone.

How these predictions will affect Oman and the rate at which Fintech will be adopted in the country remains to be seen.

A spot investigation into the public trends reveal that opinions are still split, but are leaning towards a unified system in which both FinTech and traditional cash-based systems are in use.

Sunil Sudhir, an investor and a financial expert with more than two decades of knowledge of the Oman market, is doubtful whether FinTech can make the impact that some of the entrepreneurs are claiming.

“Challenges are meant to be crossed,” Sunil says. “But the challenges are far beyond what can be achieved in the next decade or so. Currently, a mere 46 per cent of the 4.6 million people in Oman use

FOR THE PROMOTION OF DIGITAL ECONOMY, CBO IS TAKING COORDINATED INITIATIVES AND STUDYING THE DIVERSE NEEDS AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF FINTECH FROM A BUSINESS, REGULATORY AND TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE

bank accounts.

“It’s a large number to cross. For them to adopt FinTech as their primary mode of transaction, I think there must be something more value added for them than just the regular services that are offered.

“And that’s where the real test lies.

They say that technology is changing the world for good – it’s a belief that is echoed by those who have reaped its rewards; be it in the field of medicine, science, agriculture, or even something we rely greatly on, like in the field of communication with smartphones.

“Yet when it comes to our hardearned money, a bulk of people would rather keep it in their hands as physical currency or store it up in financial institutions such as banks that can then dispense it all at the push of a button.

“FinTech goes against the human

conviction of giving up control over what they’ve earned. As American businessman Dave Ramsey once said: ‘You must gain control over your money, or the lack of it will forever control you.

“It’s worth a moment’s thought,” he says, as we learn that as of April 29, 2019, Samantha still hasn’t been reimbursed her missing cash.

Name changed to protect identity

YET WHEN IT COMES TO OUR HARDEARNED MONEY, A BULK OF PEOPLE WOULD RATHER KEEP IT IN THEIR HANDS AS PHYSICAL CURRENCY OR STORE IT UP IN FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS BANKS THAT CAN THEN DISPENSE IT ALL AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

023

T

hrough every

door‌

Oman has a tradition of adorning homes with entrances that are ornate as well as inviting. Swati Basu Das gets her foot in the door, and goes back in time 026

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

I

t’s 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon, and the blazing hot summer sun isn’t too scorching even though we have been travelling for more than two hours.

After parking our car, as we stroll through a narrow alley of a village at the foothills of Jebel Al Akhdar, an enchanting wooden door in front of me grabs my attention. I am standing there, just awestruck.

Staring at the spellbinding doorway, I can’t help but whisper “Is there anybody there?” while standing in front of it. While waiting for a reply from behind the door, I can only admire all its intricacies, curves and the artist’s impression on it. My lens wastes no time in capturing the sublime details on the pale, old yet sturdy wooden frame.

The iron latch of this flamboyant antique door has been pulled up and firmly locked.

Abandoned centuries ago, the mud walls of the house have aged with time, and the roofless structure is standing in silence. It highlights how beguiling the entrance is while serving as a tribute to the denizens who once welcomed their guests here with pride.

As he admires the 200-year-old door with considerable pride, Nasser Mohammed Al Forkani, who lives in Nizwa, says: “Carved wooden doors are an integral part of Omani architecture. Some have simple designs on them while the one in front of us has heavy embellishments like the metal spikes on it.

preserve its gloss.

He says: “The wood and the design of this door hold the essence of the land. The walnut tree wood used to make this door comes from the green mountain – Jebel Al Akhdar.

“The flowers and leaves carved on it are the sketches of the walnut and pomegranate trees grown in this region. The geometric patterns throw light on the Islamic architecture.”

Displaying the typical Islamic art form, the designs of Omani wooden doors are quite uncommon. From floral motifs, geometric patterns, Arabic calligraphy to Quran verse; the designs delicately embossed by skilled craftsmen of Oman on doorways are outstanding.

These doors not only have inscriptions on them but are also majestically decorated with ironworks and metal pendulums that clink as the door opens. The protruding wooden frame on it makes its appearance Every door you come across is exquisite and striking. even bolder.

No two designs are similar.”

Nasser, a master wood craftsman, says: “The As captivating as they can be, the wooden doors designs of the doors reflect the taste of an individual. that enhance the entrance of any Omani home are “Most people love the floral and geometric part of a centuries-old legacy. The love for artistic patterns. The rock art is also peerlessly crafted on doorways is evident in every house, be it ancient or some the wooden frames on demand. The woods contemporary. mostly imported from East Africa and India include Each of these doorways highlights a history of birch, oak, teak and mahogany. They are considered its origin. While some have recently been fixed to be the best for these frames.” and regularly maintained, some lay broken in a But why have the doors been adorned with such corner having lost their sheen over the years and go finesse? Why did one highly-talented artisan put so unnoticed. Showcasing a bygone era these doors still much effort into embellishing the entrance? There’s exhibit a faded grace. no easy answer but we appreciate the results.

One spot at Nizwa Fort is more than a thousand Giving the home an earthy feel, the Omanis’ years-old and well-burnished. The fortified double- fascination for wooden doors expresses their status sided door of the fort has a smaller door on one and hospitality. side within the bigger door. The designs on the These double-sided front doors are considered to door and its lunette shed light on patterns that are impress and influence the guests. predominantly Islamic. The solid iron nuts nailed “Doors are the first thing anybody will notice before in a row on the frame make the door look wellentering into the house,” says Nasser. “A grand door defended. says a lot about the individual residing in it.”

Ali, the guide at the fort, explains that Omani A timeless piece of art, these regal wooden doors of artisans meticulously engraved this, and Oman will unlatch to amaze us forever, and always maintenance work is done every two years to with a warm welcome.” ■

Vulnerable to theft and vandalism, these ancient wooden masterpieces may soon disappear. Theft and smuggling of these ornately carved doors have become quite common in recent years.

The 150-year-old ‘Bab Al Sabah’ or the morning door of Al Abss Fort in Khabourah was reported missing in the year 2017.

Nasser says: “The incidents of damage are more in the interiors. The motive is to capitalise on the increasing demand of these antique pieces. There are owners of these old houses who will sell these doors to dealers at an excellent price or even use them to decorate their indoors.”

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

027

THE FUTURE OF FINANCE

IN THIS WEEK’S COFFEE WITH Y, WE TALK TO A MOGUL WHOSE MASTERY OF MONEY MANAGEMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST HAS MADE HIS COMPANY A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

020

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

M

any of today’s celebrated businesspeople started as nobodies in their fields but their influence, for good or ill, cannot be denied.

Whether it’s Microsoft’s Bill Gates or Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, their stories include a struggle before success.

And scripting his own story is Eng. Nasser Saleh, who says he started with a zero balance in his account before setting up what has since become a multi-milliondollar company with roots in the GCC region, including Oman – MadfooatCom. Nasser’s concept of building a company with its base in his home country, Jordan, has been revolutionary in every way.

His idea to integrate technology with banking was unheard of in the region at that time (2008), and unlike several players in the sphere, he had no business training.

But despite that, he tells us in an interview – before his speech to the youth of Oman at the Startup Grind Muscat event – that, back then, his lack of funds was his only concern.

“Being a salaried employee meant having a stable income every month but it also meant having not much left by the end of it after bills and house matters,” he says, with a smile as his wife Noora looks on.

The electrical engineer’s days in the field of IT in his former companies AlRahji Bank (Saudi Arabia), Accenture, and even Microsoft (USA) didn’t leave him with much after his commitments.

“All I had was a wife who supported me, and an idea in my head that came through when I went to pay my electricity bill and couldn’t because they wouldn’t accept my credit card.”

The University of Jordan

graduate didn’t hold back with his vision though, despite constant setbacks, to pushing his idea in 2011.

He says: “Being an employee all my life and not having the connections, the capital or even the knowledge to start a business made me feel that my idea wouldn’t click – so I just put it aside until 2010.”

But, it was during a startup incubator and accelerator in Jordan – Oasis 500 – that then set the idea in motion.

“They liked the idea of having an e-payment FinTech company – but they had only one demand: I must resign from my job.”

Eventually, Nasser was given US$15,000 (RO5,775) – and he then started the journey.

Advising the youth of today about selling your idea to the masses and not going on impulse, Nasser says: “At the start, you are an idea. You need to convince the investor that you’ll become something. That’s not an easy task.

“But if the investor believes in you, there’s a chance that the public will also believe in you.”

Nasser’s next challenge was to set up the framework, and gain the trust of the government.

“I started searching for solutions, talking to mentors, trying to talk to other entrepreneurs facing similar issues.

“It’s also a good idea to be in touch with others in your field.

Discuss points and learn from them,” says the owner of the US$20m company.

To tackle his next challenge – the framework – he approached the government.

“We approached the Central Bank of Jordan directly for this – as is the norm for FinTech services.

“It was a long process that took two tenders that we had to win against bigger and established businesses (not FinTech companies), and only then could we begin functioning.”

His service ‘eFAWATEERcom’ is now linked to 95 per cent of all banks in Jordan, mobile wallets, post offices, payment service providers, and more than 150 billers with more than 350 services (government, utilities, telecoms and even universities).

The system has also processed more than US$13bn from 12 million paid bills – resulting in the company being selected in 2018 by Forbes Middle East as one of 12 of

the most innovative companies in the region.

“The key to a successful business is confidence. You are the face of your company,” Nasser asserts, before adding: “If you believe in yourself and the company, the money will come at the end of the month but you need to keep pushing to make yours a successful project.”

But, with MadfooatCom pitted against the greatest player the world has ever seen – tangible money – the company maintains a positive outlook and sticks to its game plan.

Its strategy has been simple: coexistence.

“The key to our success was integrating physical currency with online transactions,” says the CEO. “The two need to co-exist.

Automation doesn’t necessarily eliminate jobs.

“Our biggest competitor – believe it or not – was cash, and companies that collect money through physical branches.

“When you move transactions from tellers to online, cash collectors will face issues. Now, they utilise staff in different tasks. Also, we created several indirect jobs that we weren’t even aware of.”

Nasser is confident that Oman will become a major player in the FinTech industry and is setting up base here with some classified projects with local financial companies.

“Oman is going through a

THE SUCCESS OF FINTECH HAS ALWAYS BEEN CROSSSHARING OF IDEAS AND PLATFORMS SO SOMETHING THAT MY COMPANY CANNOT DO, THE OTHER COMPETITOR WILL OFFER TO US transitional phase now – and the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) is pushing for companies to take FinTech very seriously.

It’s amazing; the support that they’re offering the startups here.”

Nasser, who was awarded the “Order of King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein for Excellence of the Third Class” in 2017, intends to help the young people of Oman come up with their own plans.

“The success of FinTech has always been cross-sharing of ideas and platforms so something that my company cannot do, the other competitor will offer to us,” he says.

“This gives more space for local companies to grow and will also create a healthy work environment where everyone operates in respect for each other.” ■ MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

021

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

Three and counting…

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have just revealed that they have another (child) on the way. The actors announced the news at the ‘Pokemon Detective Pikachu’ premiere in Japan, but only after Blake got tongues wagging with her stunning yellow retrofete dress that revealed her baby bump. This will be their third child, and a family source said: “They are so happy and excited about having another baby. They really are the most in-love and in-tune couple and very hands-on parents. They’d have a dozen kids if they could.”

Game of rings Sophie Turner may be a master schemer as Sansa Stark in ‘Game of Thrones’ – but it seems that there’s more good news for her fans.

She has tied the knot with long-time beau, Joe Jonas. We learn that they got married right after the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. And in true Vegas fashion they had their vows handled by an Elvis impersonator (so original!). It is said that brothers Nick and Kevin were the groomsmen, while Diplo and Khalid were also present by their side. Everything seemed to be on a whim and was secretive too – but this won’t be their only wedding. They had to get married in the United States first to make their marriage legal, and they are having an even bigger wedding in Europe soon.

Jaden goes West Self-proclaimed icon (as inferred from his middling hit

030

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

song ‘Icon’), Jaden Smith, has revealed that he will play the role of rapper and businessman Kanye West – another selfdeclared prominent figure – in a new anthology series, ‘Omniverse’. Season One of the show will explore the rapper’s ego through alternate reality. The show is written by Netflix series producer, Lee Sung Jin. Cardi B climbdown

Just when we thought that the whole Cardi–Nicki feud had come to an end, we saw signs of its life again on social media this week. The events unfolded just after the Billboard Music Awards, where Cardi B had raked in more awards than she could hold in her hands; including the one for the ‘Top Female Rap Artist’.

Instead of celebrating those wins, however, she had to shut down online speculation that claimed she had said: “I just won six awards tonight, tell Nicki to come out of hiding instead of worrying about me.”

Cardi completely refuted this comment as completely fake. Even the fan account that posted the comment admitted it was fake later in the day.

You Oughta Know…

Alanis Morisette’s 1995 classic, megaselling album ‘Jagged Little Pill’ is creating waves even more than 20 years after its original release.

This time around, it will debut on Broadway as a musical based on a script conceived

by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody – who also wrote the hit movies ‘Juno’ and ‘Tully’. The production will begin soon, as previews are expected

by November 3 while the opening night is slated for December 5. Pre-sale tickets will be available from this week onwards.

Bastille’s Back!

Bastille is out with a new single called ‘Joy’. With hit songs such as ‘Happier’ and ‘Pompeii’ under the band’s belt, they have confidently released their latest single and announced their upcoming album called ‘Doom Days’. The album, which will debut on June 14,, is set over the course of a single night, and intends to take the listener on a big night out in search of distraction from the surrounding apocalypse.

New album from Iggy Rapper Iggy Azalea seemed to have gone a tad silent amid all her contractual agreements with her former label but is slowly gaining steam again. Her comeback songs ‘Kream’, ‘Kawasaki’ and ‘Tokyo Snow Trip’ from her EP ‘Survive the Summer’, and new singles ‘Sally Walker’ and ‘Started’ have all gone down well with critics. That said, she is now in the final stages of revealing her highly anticipated sophomore album, called ‘In My Defence’.

Style is everything The posterboy of rom-pop (romance pop), Shawn Mendes, has just put out a new single, called ‘If I Can’t Have You’.

He announced its impending release on Instagram last week, before going on to say: “I’m going through this phase right now where I’m testing out all the styles I can possibly be doing. Pop is what’s in my blood. In the last six months, I wrote about 45 songs and they’re all over the place and different vibes.”

The accompanying music video received 18.5 million streams on YouTube in 24 hours, making it his personal best in a day.

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.

Ramadan Giveaways

THE HOLY MONTH IS ABOUT SHARING AND GIVING AND Y HAS ROUNDED UP THE SEASON’S BEST OFFERS TO MAKE YOUR NEXT IFTAR OR SOHOUR A MEMORABLE ONE!

InterContinental Muscat The InterContinental® Muscat, built in the 1970s, was the first international hotel to rise in Oman. The hotel sits on a prime beachside location on acres of palm-filled gardens between the Al Hajjar Mountains and the green-blue waters of the Indian Ocean. This five-star resort is located in the heart of the city’s residential, government, and diplomatic quarters.

The hotel’s Palm Beach Club boasts a tennis court, a 25-metre Olympic-size pool, a leisure pool, a fully-equipped fitness centre, sauna, Jacuzzi, and easy access to the beach. Defined by its history, elegance, and world-class service, the InterContinental® Muscat continues to remain the choice for the most sophisticated travellr.

This Holy Month of Ramadan enjoy their extensive iftar buffet with a wide variety of Arabic cuisine including kunafa, shawarma, Omani shuwa, saj bread stations, barbeque and live cooking stations, a selection of Ramadan juices, and other international dishes at Musandam Café Terrace & Restaurant..

Sundus Rotana Comfort, convenience, and modern elegance come together at Sundus Rotana, a contemporary upscale hotel conveniently located minutes away from the Muscat International Airport and the new Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. At Sundus Rotana Muscat, exclusive arrangements have been prepared for the Holy Month of Ramadan with room rates starting at RO35 and an authentic iftar and suhoor experiences.

Get your chance to win an iftar

This Ramadan, your iftar could be the start of an amazing weekend or great family getaway.

Dine and get a chance to win weekly raffle prizes. For inquiries, call (+968) 9137-3243 or book via OpenTable.

voucher for 2 people and experience an Oriental ambience offering unrivalled service and hospitality at Sundus Rotana Muscat.

To win:

● Post a picture of your favourite iftar meal or your favourite Sundus Rotana experience. ● Tag and like Sundus Rotana’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Embark on a unique journey this Ramadan with Sundus Rotana Muscat’s traditional and international iftar specialties. For more information, call (+968) 2451-1877, or e-mail ginger.sundus@rotana.com.

Crowne Plaza Sohar

Planning to have a weekend retreat for you and your loved ones like never before?

The Crowne Plaza Sohar, surrounded by beautifully-manicured gardens and a luxurious retreat is a short distance away from Oman’s key commercial hub. Set on an elevated landscape, this non-smoking hotel offers 126 modern well-equipped rooms. The Crowne Plaza Sohar is a blissful retreat for families, couples, and business travelers alike, with a prime business location of Crowne Plaza Sohar close to the UAE border, just 9 km away from Oman’s commercial area and 2 km away from Sohar Airport (OHS).

For a chance to win a one-night stay for two people at the Crowne Plaza Sohar, simply answer the following question: How many rooms are at Crowne Plaza Sohar?

Email your answer, including your name and phone number, to editor@y-oman.com to enter!

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

031

GRAB IT BEFORE IT’S GONE GET YOUR FREE COPY OF Y AT THE FOLLOWING DISTRIBUTION POINTS… Capital Region Azaiba • Amara

Dermatology Clinic • Audi Showroom • Bentley Showroom • Costa Coffee • Al Fair • Jaguar Showroom • Jeep Showroom • Al Maha Petrol

Station • Mazda Showroom • McDonald’s • Mitsubishi Showroom • Oman Arab Bank • Oman Oil Petrol

Station • Peugeot Showroom • Range Rover Showroom • Sayarti Auto Care • Shell Select • Skoda Showroom • The Sultan Center • Volkswagen Showroom • Volvo Showroom • Yamaha Showroom Bawshar • College of Banking

and Financial Studies • Dolphin Village • Modern College

of Business and Science • Muscat College • Muscat Private Hospital

(Emergency and

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 • 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 • 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

TOO LATE? DON’T WORRY. GET Y INSTANTLY ONLINE USING YOUR MOBILE DEVICES & PC

Visit www.y-oman.com/current-issue/ No downloading required FOLLOW US ON:

@ytabloid

/ytabloid

www.y-oman.com

/ytabloid

ymagazine

/ymagazine

Ad v e n t u r e s

Cars

Y- F i

Gaming

CARS AND ADVENTURES

POD PLAY

A group of lively dolphins frolic and splash off the shores of Qantab – a morning treat for intrepid weekend water worshippers who aren’t afraid to catch the early tide.

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

033

&

CARS AND OUTDOORS ADVENTURES

D E ST I N AT I O N C a r s

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

Y- F i

Destination

Bandar Al Khiran Through waterways carved into the living rock, Ashlee Starratt finds marine life abundant amid the saltwater coves and crannies of Bandar Al Khiran 034

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

Gaming

O

man’s Al Hajar Mountains hold their secrets close. Driving through their winding bends and rollercoaster heights and drops, we sometimes forget what lies secluded below. The fishing village of Qantab is one of these hidden hamlets.

A tiny fishing village with no more than a few dozen houses, the soul of its livelihood can be found on the beach and the boats that line it. It’s here where we begin our journey over water to Bandar Al Khiran, one of Muscat’s most popular day-tripping destinations – and getting there means all-aboard.

As we wind our way through the rigs and fishing nets along the water’s edge to meet our local captain Ayuba, the cobalt blue waters and the open sea beckons. We cast off, the white-washed buildings of Qantab fading to miniature against the backdrop of the mountains; an Omani tableau if ever there was one.

A 15-minute journey over the gentle waves brings breathtaking views as the rugged coastline and sentinel peaks of the Al Hajar range spread out before us. To our right is the monolithic Al Bustan Palace, the Diwan; and, in the distance the Bandar Al Rowdha Marina. To our left, the craggy cliffs lead us past the hidden beaches of the five-star mountain resorts that line the coast, sprawling oases all.

And straight ahead? The open sea, meeting the line of the horizon. It’s there we’re headed in the hope of catching a glimpse of the pods of dolphins that frolic among the white-caps in the early morning hours.

We’re not the only ones either hoping to strike luck, as several other boats soon join our small convoy.

With some of the region’s most rich and bio-diverse waters, Oman is blessed with marine life in abundance,

TRAVEL GUIDE

HOW TO GET THERE If you’re taking a boat to Bandar Al Khiran from Qantab, take the Sultan Qaboos Highway from Qurum all the way past Wadi Kabir and take the right-hand exit before you reach Al Bustan, towards Qantab and the Shangri-La Bar Al Jissah Resort. Drive up the mountain until you reach the

with several species of bottle-nose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, and spotted dolphins calling its offshore waters home. We’re not sure which ones we saw splashing and breaking the surface of the water on this morning, but it was a treat to be able to get up close.

After an hour’s chase, we turn our rudders back towards the coastline for the 20-minute journey by boat to Bandar Al Khiran. This coastal town is a popular spot for the snorkelers, divers, and watersport enthusiasts who come to bask in the clear waters of its inlets and coves. Feeling like a band of smugglers, weaving in and out of the craggy arch-ways through the rocks, we head deeper down the estuaries that stretch like fingers through the landscape.

Passing green swathes of mangroves and small secluded crescent beaches where people have set up small picnic barbecues ship-to-shore, we reach a lagoonlike area and drop anchor. Donning our fins and snorkel gear we jump ship and waste no time exploring the reefs teeming with marine life a few metres below our feet. We bring crusts of bread to toss to the schools of colourful blue, yellow, and indigo fish who make short work of the soggy crumbs in a frothing frenzy, and, yes, we even spot one elusive turtle gently paddling away from the convoy of watercraft that have set up shop in the area, with their groups of people floating and bobbing in the gentle current.

Like so much of the Sultanate, Bandar Al Khiran is a special place, close enough to the bustle of the capital to make it a favourite weekend escape, yet remote enough to remind us that, if we give her the chance, Mother Nature can still thrive in balance. Let’s hope it stays that way.

first roundabout. Take a left into Qantab and follow the main road directly down to the beach.

If you prefer to visit Bandar Al Khiran by car, keep driving past the exit for Qantab and turn right at the next roundabout near Shangri-La and follow the signs for Yiti. Once you get closer to Yiti you’ll begin to see the signs for Bandar Al Khiran. Follow them until you see the sign for the Bandar Al Khiran

protected environmental reserve and turn left. Follow the dirt road through the village and up the embankment until you reach what’s known as the Bandar Al Khiran look-off. It’s a steep climb but you don’t need a 4x4 to make it up the hill.

GPS coordinates: 23.5174° N, 58.7486° E

Photography by Saviour Peter MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

035

&

CARS ADVENTURES

HISTORY ON HIGH The cultural past is everpresent in the Land of Smiles’ mountainous northern city

1. Visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the city’s stunning main temple.

2.Try your hand at the Lanna craft heritage which includes basketry and weaving.

3. Join the locals for a bit of shopping at the Night Bazaar and Warorot Market.

4. Experience the Flight of the Gibbon where you glide through the towering forests on a sling.

5. Visit the serene and beautiful Royal Park Rajapruek.

036

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

Destination

Cars

Y- F i

G a m i n g POSTCARDS FROM

Aftab H. Kola recommends

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND B

eneath the leafy canopy of mountain flora, Thailand’s biggest northern city, Chiang Mai, presents an exciting alternative to the country’s capital, Bangkok.

King Meng Rai founded Chiang Mai as the capital of the Lanna (A Million Rice Fields) Kingdom in 1296 during the same period of time as the establishment of the Sukhothai Kingdom. The moat that encircled the original city still runs through it.

Chiang Mai’s mountainous topography and scenic vistas make the province a great destination for adventure sports such as trekking, cycling, mountain biking, river rafting, cave exploration and boat trips.

Among the most popular trekking trails is the Doi Inthanon National Park, where more than 300 bird species and a wide variety of orchids and pine woods and flowers can be feasted upon.

There is yet another thrilling adventure, the Flight of the Gibbon, where you can glide through the towering forests of Chiang Mai on a sling. The chance to soar along the tree cover where you get an idea of the lush vegetation below is not to be missed.

Elephants are the country’s symbols. Until 1916, the national flag consisted of a white elephant on a red background. Moreover, every March 13 the country celebrates National Elephant Day. Northern Thailand is home to popular pachyderm, with most of the 4000 elephants based in denser jungles, and Chiang Mai has its share of elephant camps. Chiang Mai Zoo in Thailand is home to a wide variety of majestic and fascinating wildlife, including rarer species like the panda.

Like every nook and cranny of Thailand, Buddhist temples dot the landscape of Chiang Mai. Among the three hundred temples, the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Chiang Mun, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, and Wat San Fang are some of the more famous ones.

If you are looking for refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of city life, Chiang Mai offers stunning village escapades where one can experience Thai culture and traditions.

Then there is the lost city of Wiang Kum Kam, one of the fortified cities built by King Mengrai, which is teeming with Buddhist shrines. One can hire a tram, horsedriven carriage or a bicycle to go around these sites. So, when you go to Thailand, Chiang Mai should not be missed.

THE GE NTLE G IA N T S O ELEPH ANT CA F MAE SA MP

My favourite place

R OY A L AS AT THE T IS V H S U L APRUEK PARK RAJ

Established in 1976, the valley of Mae Sa Elephant Camp is where you can spend half a day with a large number of handsome, giant mammals, amid the natural environment. With more than 40 years of caretaking experience, tourists can enjoy the elephant shows and elephant rides through the lush tropical jungle of Chiang Mai’s Maesa Valley, visit Elephant Painting Exhibition Hall and learn how to train the elephant paint, etc.

Highlights AThe Chiang Mai Night Safari offers an exhilarating and adventurous trip for all ages. Considered to be one of most exciting Night Safaris in the world, it spans an area of more than 300 acres. Located just 10km from the centre of Chiang Mai, The Night Safari is essentially a zoo set out like a theme park.

There are about 1400 animals from over 134 species, many of which are threatened. Theme shows like Night Predators, Creatures of the Night Show, and the Tiger Show are popular. The night ride will ensure you see Asian elephants, gaurs, white tigers, white rhinos, deers, hyenas, lions, wildebeests, yaks, giraffes, zebras and other animals.

Lowlights None.

Souvenirs Northern Thai clothing, essential oils, intricately-designed rice boxes, Thai sky lanterns, Thai umbrellas and soap carvings.

Getting there Oman Air has regular flights from Muscat to Bangkok. From Bangkok, fly to Chiang Mai by Thai Airways or AirAsia.

Where to stay dusitD2 Chiang Mai, which is just off the famous Chang Klan Road in the heart of Chiang Mai’s city centre. dusitD2 Chiang Mai is surrounded by the city’s bustling night bazaar, restaurants, and entertainment.

You’ll find most of the global names in hotels represented here, and there are also plenty of options to suit every budget.

A GIAN T PA CHINAG NDA AT THE MA Z OO

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

037

-FI TRAVEL BUDDY If you were among those who loved the ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’ flick from 2009, you’d also have rooted for the hero cop’s batterypowered, two-wheeled, self-balancing Segway that he used to apprehend kidnappers who held hostages at the mall.

However, much like the movie itself, the Segway flopped too.

Rooted by the tech big gun Steve Jobs and then publicised by several other movie and pop stars, the Segway should have been a success story – but it has been marred by one great factor: its price. At RO1,950 – or US$5,000, it costs much more than a decent secondhand car, and is obviously less safer. The nail in the coffin for the brand, however, was when the (then) President of the US, George W Bush, fell off one in 2004. Today, these Segways are ridden around by mall cops and some librarians.

You can still buy one from segway.com for roughly the same cost.

D e s t i n at i o n

Cars

Y- F I

#FAIL

The Y Geek Squad takes a look at some devices that didn’t quite deliver OUT OF THE WINDOW This one is bound to receive a bit of a backlash – but we’re still sticking to our guns in saying that all Windows 10 Mobile OS-powered devices (save for the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL) flopped so hard that loyal customers were left confused and in the dark. While that’s not a testament to the phones themselves (some were better built than the iPhones of the era), we can’t say the same about the Microsoft operating system itself. Among the downsides were its drab tile-based navigation panes, a lack of developer support in its app store, and its halfhearted Xbox integration. While the latter could have saved the brand from its inevitable doom, the whole project now stands as an example of how ingenuity – even for the giants – is key to surviving in the tech world.

EYE SPY Eye-spy-with-my-little-eye, a failed Google product. Let’s cut to the chase: the Google Glass may sit as one of Google’s many failed concepts – but it’s one that we didn’t quite expect to see nosedive to such an extent. This contraption from Google imitates a spectacle that displays information right in your line of sight – like a smart glass of sorts. It’s a concept that should have worked but it’s safe to say that the world just wasn’t ready for Google’s innovation. Perhaps it was the RO577 price tag or the crude and in-your-face geeky design that led to its failure.

That said, today the glasses are solely designed for enterprises, perhaps for those dreary board meetings to control slides or as a portable teleprompter.

UP IN FLAMES

THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7 WAS A BRILLIANT SMARTPHONE UNTIL IT STARTED GOING UP IN FLAMES. WITH MORE THAN 2.5MILLION DEVICES PULLED FROM SHELVES OWING TO BATTERY LEAKAGES THAT THEN RESULTED IN EXPLOSIONS, AND IN A HANDFUL OF CASES, THE SMOKING OF THE BATTERY; THIS SITS AS ONE OF THE GREATEST TECH FAILURES OF ALL TIME. IT’S A PITY AS THE PHONE ITSELF – COMPLETE WITH ITS RESPONSIVE S PEN, POWERFUL SNAPDRAGON PROCESSOR, AND ABOVE ALL, THE 12MP CAMERA – WAS TOUTED AS A LEADER IN THE TECH ARENA, A TITLE THE BRAND HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO RECAPTURE. DON’T BUY IT, AS EVEN REPLACEMENT DEVICES – THOSE THAT WERE REPORTEDLY FIXED – ENDED UP WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT’S CONSIDERED A COLLECTORS’ ITEM TODAY, AND IS AVAILABLE ONLY ONLINE. BUT, IF YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON ONE, WE’D ADVISE AGAINST POWERING IT ON.

EDITOR’S PICK 038

Gaming

JULY MAY 09 03 - 1509 // ISSUE ISSUE 568 327

Days Gone

Info Box

Developer: SIE BEND STUDIO Publisher: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT Genre: ACTION-ADVENTURE, SURVIVAL HORROR Platforms: PS4

The Y Geek Squad tries out a new title aimed at fighting zombie-like creatures, called ‘freakers’

M

eet the latest genre in gaming that we just cooked up: rinse and repeat. And at the forefront of it all is the “new” gaming title, ‘Days Gone’; a Sony Interactive Entertainment and SIE Bend Studio initiative designed to... well… kill zombies.

If the words ‘painfully generic’ can’t convey the purpose of this game, then we don’t know what will. But, for a game revolving around a dandy outlaw biker dude going by the name Deacon St. John, there’s more to it than what meets the eye – if you can sit through the initial phase of the game.

Offering players with an open-world medium to ride around in Deacon’s bike, this action-adventure, third-person perspective shooter game takes you through a post-apocalyptic rural Oregon where you’re forced to bash, smash or shoot zombie-like creatures that go by the name ‘Freakers’.

To top it off, he’s also trying hard to avenge the (suspected) death of his

wife – which takes you through a whole different storyline too.

And while different storylines mean different missions to trawl through at any given moment, the one that ‘Days Gone’ offers somehow seems a tad tedious.

Missions, for instance, can come across as repetitive and the 60-hour game can soon become an act of riding around your bike and avoiding zombies just to get through the tasks as quickly as possible.

The unsatisfying storyline aside, the game offers a unilateral perspective; forcing you to question whether your best mate, Boozer (yes, that’s his name), matters to you at all. There are moments of bonding that evoke a sense of life to the game but at other times, you’re acting all alone.

Killing freakers is a satisfying prospect that’s only marred by freezing frames and audio syncing issues on the PS4 platform. There are plenty of weapons to unlock as you progress through assignments, and for the first time since the Batman games,

we even find melee fighting modes to be engaging.

Meanwhile, the bike handles well and is a great way to travel from end to end in a short span of time. It can also star as a medium to avoid combat although it is greatly susceptible to Freakers and other worldly elements.

It’s also worth noting that there are several minutes of cut scenes to sit through – most of which are cringe-worthy, and in some instances, crude and R-rated.

With very little medium to interact with cut scenes, it’s also quite hard to sit through; albeit, some of these are vital to the story itself.

That said, Deacon himself is a loveable and charming character that can be worked upon by developers to create a future title with a bit more substance – something like the Joel-Ellie protagonists from the ‘Last of Us’ series.

But for now, ‘Days Gone’ sadly remains on a platter of actionadventure titles that we’d rather forget, even if several positive elements creep up to reveal itself in a genre that has been done to death by now.

JULY MAY 03 09 -- 09 15 / ISSUE 568 327

039

HEALTH& BEAUTY

Health

Beauty

THE BOYS OF SUMMER

FASHION

Barbecues on the beach and weekend wadi-hopping call for a summer wardrobe that’s stocked with easy-breezy essentials, like this comfy ensemble. So listen up boys – because basics don’t have to be boring!

040

FEB 1109- 17- 15/ /ISSUE MAY ISSUE407 568

T t Ge

k o o L e h

The ultimate summer accessory, sunglasses say as much about your personality as they do your style. And it doesn’t get more iconic than a pair of classic Ray-Bans. You’ll want to wear this updated version of their famous Wayfarer frames day…and night. Snag them for RO54.9.

, reet ook t s l gh e hi get the h t d to you to n e gh ps e hi att hel h t rr Fromlee Sta Ash When it comes to keeping cool in the Omani summer – you’ve got to play it cool. Opt for light, breathable fabrics such as linen or woven cotton in any one of the season’s vibrant palette of hues. This cotton collared tee from H&M is comfortable summer style at its best. (And it’s just RO4.9!)

Make a stylish pair of Bermuda shorts your go-to summer staple this season.

Their inch-above-theknee length means they’re a versatile choice – dress them down for an outdoorsy afternoon or dress them up for a dinner out with friends. We love these subtle flamingo print pair from MANGO. Grab them for RO19.2.

Keep shady and chic with bit of head-gear that’s no-muss and nofuss. We’re digging the island vibes of this raffia straw trilby version from Whiteley Hats Brighton.

Don it for RO11.3.

You’ll want to live all summer with these lightas-air Furoshiki shoes from Vibram. These Japanese-style wrap shoes are like a secondskin – made from freeform fabric – and are as close as it comes to ‘going barefoot’.

Own them for RO42.2.

Hitting the beach? Don’t be afraid to boldly go where few aqua-men have gone before and reach for a pair of swim-trunks in a wild print.

These tropical jungle-ys from MANGO are ace. Price: RO17.8.

Spending the day outdoors? Keep the elements out of your pocket with a waterproof wallet that will keep your cards and cash safe.

This sleek card and passportholder from Tenn Well with a polyester, nylon, and burlap blend is just the ticket. And at RO3.8, it’s a steal!

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

041

HEALTH& BEAUTY

Health

BEAUTY

Fashion

Home

Family

Look for a mascara brand that is made up of natural ingredients like mineral pigments, oils, butters, etc.

Remove your mascara every day Just as we insist on removing our make up every day before going to bed and doing our skin care routine, it is important to clear up your eyelashes as well. Clean them well with an eye makeup remover and wash them off with lukewarm water. This will let the lashes breathe again.

Some products to care While you shop for skin care, make sure to shop for an oil cleanser or balms. The oils will help to break down the makeup or even the smallest dirt, and also clean your face and open up the pores.

Rub the cleanser in a gentle and circular motion making sure you coat your lashes well. Finally remove the cleanser and wash it off with lukewarm water. You will instantly see the difference.

LASH

‘EM UP!

S

Our eyelashes are often our most neglected feature.

Christine Karan offers some tips on how to buff them up as part of your daily beauty routine

cientifically speaking, the role of our eyelashes is to act as a filter to prevent fine dust or sand from entering and harming our eyes.

However, these days they are regarded more as a ‘beautifying’ aspect of the human body, and it’s true that eyelashes add a certain aura to one’s look.

But the fact is that most of us don’t bother to maintain our eyelashes.

Do you know the life of a healthy eyelash is about three months? And at any given time, 90 per cent of our lashes keep growing, actively protecting our sensitive eyes?

However, the regular application for mascara (and multiple layers), powders, eyelash glues and fake lashes can lead to eyelashes getting broken, falling out or even stopped from growing.

The solution: pay attention to your eyelashes just as you do to your skin and hair.

Here are a few ways to care for your eyelashes: .

Drop the waterproof mascara Waterproof mascara tends to have a high level of chemicals that can lead to dehydration of your lashes and break them down before they complete their three-month life cycle.

042

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

Condition your lashes Remember, eyelashes are hairs, meaning they will need conditioning too. The best and the natural solution is good old coconut oil. Massaging a peanut size amount of oil on your lashes before sleep will help them hydrate and grow thicker and you will be waking up looking like a Disney princess.

Mascara is important for giving your eyes that extra pop. However, cleaning, conditioning and caring for your eyes are also important. So keep those lashes clean, healthy and strong… you won’t need those fake lashes.

Beauty

HEALTH

Fashion

Home

Family

SLEEPY,

HOLLOW

S

ome health problems or illnesses can be hard to define or diagnose.

As our modern world seemingly has a syndrome or a technical term for every conceivable condition, a level of cynicism can often ensue.

This is the case with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

Now I’ve felt run down at the best of times.

Being a working Mum with three kids will do that to you.

While I’ve been so tired of an evening, I’ve often wondered if I’ve got enough strength to handle the next day. I’ve usually felt OK by morning. I was simply, as my Scottish aunt would say, “a wee bit wabbit.”

But for some people, just facing the day is an interminable struggle. And they don’t know why.

I once had a neighbour who confided in me that she couldn’t stand to wash the dishes. My reply was: “Neither can I. That’s why I bought a dishwasher!”

I wasn’t being glib but had simply got the wrong end of the stick. In the weeks that followed, it became clear that she literally didn’t have the energy to do the washing up.

CFS is a much-misunderstood condition that has unfortunately been ignored or dismissed as being illusory, imagined, or non-existent.

However, the ME Association in the UK has estimated that as many as 24 million people in the world are affected by it.

The trouble is, trying to spot it and what to do about it.

Dr. Charles Shepherd, medical adviser to the ME Association, says: “It’s an invisible illness. When you see us, we might not always look ill, but when our symptoms flare, the effects are obvious.

“It can feel like a constant flu, the smallest exertion can floor us, our bodies are painfully sore, restful sleep eludes us, light and noise are intolerable, and ‘brain fog’

What do you do if you’re constantly tired, and sleep isn’t solving the problem?

Gemma Harrison looks at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and finds out what forms of treatment can get you up and about again causes confusion.

“ME remains a hidden disease. There’s no known cure and no effective treatment – and it can lead to greater functional impairment than multiple sclerosis or cancer.”

According to the Mayo Clinic in the United States, CFS is ‘a complicated disorder that is characterised by extreme fatigue that can’t be explained by any underlying medical condition.’

The cause of the syndrome is unknown, but stress and viral infections can often be indicators.

Symptoms include fatigue, loss of memory, interrupted concentration, headaches, and extreme exhaustion for no apparent reason.

It’s an illness that can affect all ages but mostly afflicts people in their 40s and 50s.

The severity of the symptoms can vary but sufferers can often feel sick, dizzy, and continually tired. They may have trouble remembering, and experience problems with their joints and muscles that they hadn’t had previously.

There are no easy fixes. A visit to your doctor may require you to undergo blood and urine

tests.

Treatment is going to depend on the nature of your CFS/ME problem, and they cover both specialist treatments and lifestyle changes. Some of these include: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) BCBT is a treatment that aims to aid your recovery by examining your outlook on life. A CBT counsellor would help you address your symptoms, try to assess the triggers, and how you can recognise the symptoms and cope with them.

Graded exercise therapy (GET) GET covers an exercise program that aims to set goals for carrying out a physical activity, such as walking, doing the housework, swimming, or even getting ready in the morning. Gradually, the time you take to perform a task should reduce.

Eating healthily and regularly Nutrition is important, and you might find yourself in a vicious circle if your condition is preventing you from shopping for, and preparing food. You will need practical advice on how to deal with this. If your diet is making you sick, speak to your doctor.

Review your sleeping habits Your rest or lack of it may consist of insomnia, interrupted sleep, excessive sleep, or a seemingly insatiable appetite for sleep. Try and make your sleeping patterns regular. If things don’t improve, then consult your doctor.

Editor’s note: 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: The ME Association, The Mayo Clinic, NHS UK) MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

043

Trend

YUMMY

New Restaurant

Reviews

A TRADITIONAL TABLE

Make your next Ramadan gathering all the more memorable with these traditional Omani dishes!

044

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

Iftar Celebrating our lives and giving thanks for our friends and families is an integral part of Ramadan. Swati Basu Das offers up some recipes that herald the best of Omani cuisine for your iftar

I

t’s always good to catch up with friends and family over a meal. And during the holy month of Ramadan, an evening meal ‘Iftar’ (breaking fast) is when family members share casual conversation, smiles and laughter.

More importantly it is the time of day to serve and taste the assortment of nutrients and flavours that are cooked and baked with love.

An experience in itself, iftar meals can be as grand as you like. Given the chance, one should never miss getting up, close and personal to savour the moment of ‘iftar’, irrespective of their religion.

Breaking the day-long fast with nutrient-filled soft, chewy dates is not only religiously significant but has medically been proven to re-energise the body. Local honey and a cup of ‘Kahwa’ are then relished to replenish the body and soul.

If you thought these are the starters to be consumed before switching over to the Maghrib prayer, then you would be underrating the lavish spread of iftar menu. Remember, it’s grand.

To start with there are neatly-cut exotic fresh fruits, kebabs (grilled meat/fish), vegetable/meat sambosas (deep-fried stuffed triangular pastries), soups and salads. The main course consumed after the Maghrib prayer includes a lavish spread and that happily ends with finger-licking sweet treats.

The sumptuous traditional Omani cuisines like harees (mix of wheat and meat), mashuai (roasted kingfish), maqboos (saffron flavoured rice), sakhana (a typical Ramadan recipe made from wheat, dates, molasses and milk), and Omani halwa are best served to break the fast.

Any cook can ensure a gastronomic journey filled with pleasure during Ramadan.

This Omani recipe by Chef Yaseer Al Malkhy, of Sea Giants restaurant at Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve, will make your iftar truly memorable.

Dijaj Kabuli

This comforting mixed rice dish celebrates the humble chickpea and is fragrant with a delicate blend of Omani spices Ingredients: § 400 grammes (g) rice § 500g chicken, diced § 1 onion, coarsely-chopped § 150g chickpeas § 50ml ghee § 5g whole garam masala § 10g Kashmiri chili powder § 5g coriander powder § 2g turmeric powder § Salt, to taste § 10g raisins § 10g roasted cashew nuts

§ 10g coriander leaves Method: § Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes. Heat ghee in a pan and add the whole garam masala and fry the onion till brown. § Add chicken and fry for five to seven minutes, then add the Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and raisins. § Strain the rice and add it to the preparation with 800 ml of water.

Cover and cook till the rice is fluffy. § Serve hot with garnishes of the green coriander leaves, cashew nuts, and sautéed chickpeas.

Samak Mashwi

Succulent kingfish becomes redolent with garlic and cloves in this humble Omani favourite.

Ingredients: § 1 whole kingfish, cleaned and deboned. § 100ml, lemon juice § 5 garlic cloves § 50ml, olive oil § 1-5g, ground cumin § 2g oregano § 2g chili flakes § Salt and pepper, to taste § 10g parsley to garnish Method: § Clean the kingfish by rubbing it

with salt and half of the lemon juice then keep aside. For the marination, combine all the ingredients together and pour into a food processor for a few minutes, then keep this mixture aside. § Coat both sides of the fish with the mixture for maximum flavour, cover the fish, and place it in the refrigerator to marinate overnight. § Place the fish on a hot grill and cook each side on a medium high heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Once the fish is cooked and flakes away at the fork remove it from the grill and serve hot with a garnish of chopped parsley.

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

045

&

FOOD DRINK

Trend

N e w R e s t a u r a n t REVIEWS

ge

an id-R

M

Info Box

PALAYOK Dar Al Massarah Building, Al Khuwair, behind Burjeel Hospital Opening hours: 11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m., daily Contact: (+968) 2202-4468 Boodle fight for five: RO35.5

Verdict : 7/10 SERVICE 7/10 FOOD 7/10 AMBIENCE

Homestyle family restaurant serving authentic Filipino fare in generous portions and at extremely competitive prices.

PALAYOK

Y Magazine reviews anonymously and pays for its meals

TEAM Y’S MEMBERS BRING THEIR APPETITES TO THE RING AT THIS FILIPINO STALWART. THEIR OPPONENT? A BOMBASTIC BOODLE FIGHT!

T

he essence of Filipino food is, at its most fundamental, the embodiment of what makes the culture it sprang from so unlike any other. With bold flavour profiles in a Southeast Asian region already saturated with an incredible variety of culinary identities, Filipino food is uniquely singular.

It’s home-food, it’s street food; it’s hearty fare for a hard-working people, with influence and ingredients stemming from their indigenous roots, their seafaring tradition, and the country’s colonial Hispanic and American ties.

For Filipinos family is everything; and the good times and the bad are shared where the heart is – around the dinner table. It only makes sense that their culinary identity be interlinked with this concept of togetherness. Filipino food is meant to be shared.

And if there’s one restaurant in Muscat that takes this concept to the extreme, it’s Palayok.

With several locations throughout the city, Team Y decided to stop by their newest locale in Al Khuwair to sample the behemoth of all Filipino offerings – the boodle fight.

If you’re scratching your head at this most cartoonish of names, which conjures up images of Foghorn Leghorn going a few rounds against Woody the Woodpecker, you’d be forgiven. It’s much tastier than that.

Ideal for five to six hungry people at a go, a ‘boodle fight’ which, according to Urban Dictionary, earns its moniker from a ‘military style’ of eating where food is ‘piled high on top of banana leaves, laid out on long tables’ and eaten by hand. When the signal to begin is made – the

046

MAY 09 - 15 / ISSUE 568

‘eating combat’ commences.

More than intrigued, we call ahead two days in advance to put in the order for our dine-in boodle fight and here we are, appetites at the ready. Our table is smack-dab in the middle of Palayok’s brightly-lit dining room so our fellow guests can mark our progress and pick their champion.

Its décor is simple yet comforting – no pretension here: just humble tables, attentive smiling service and food, friendship, and fun.

After washing our hands and making sure we’re stocked up on napkins, our waiter begins to layer our leaves with a mountainous trail of garlic fried rice, which will be the bedrock of the feast. We watch solemnly as the spread is ‘decorated’ with steamed okra, cool cucumbers, and delicate slices of mango which taste surprisingly delightful when dipped in the salty fermented shrimp paste – the quintessential condiment at any Filipino table.

First up are delicate skewers of chicken barbecue, grilled in a fire-engine red sweet sauce.

Then stuffed grilled squid made plump with a delicious roulade of peppers and veggies. Neither are overly greasy and the squid is grilled to perfection, slicing away easily with zero rubberyness – just excellent flavour. Up next is the soup course as a steaming tureen of laswa, a comforting vegetable stew in a clear broth arrives at the table.

At the risk of seeming overly-simplistic, its depth of flavour comes from the acidity of the tomatoes and the mouth-puckering bitter gourd.

Well-balanced salt and sour are the hallmarks of the Filipino flavour profile but they can be an acquired taste for the uninitiated. As we’re sipping from our ladles of soup, our boodle fight battleground continues to be piled high by our ever-attentive waiter. There are joints and hocks of

crispy bulalo – succulent beef on the bone that’s been deep-fried, and also fried milkfish. Not ideal for those watching their cholesterol intake, but deeply comforting nonetheless.

As we pull the delicate meat off the bone, rolling it into balls along with the fragrant rice, we dip them in to the flavour-savers – the small bowls of condiments that line the length of the boodle fight like pieces on a chess board. There’s the deep, addictive funk of the shrimp paste, and the vinegary sting of the soy sauce with pickled chillies.

While we’re toying with the notion of how much more we can tackle, out comes our waiter with tongs full of steamed crab and bowls of canton guisado – stir-fried Chinese-style noodles with prawns that have us ready to wave our white flags. While plentiful, the noodles are lacking a bit in flavour and our flavour-savers are faltering.

The crab as well is slightly over-cooked; the rich, sweetness of the meat, lost in a steamy mush.

Washing down this feast are two giant two-litre dispensers of cola that come with their own spigots and stand a metre-tall apiece. To be honest, with a meal this ‘extra’ we’d expect nothing less. And while the service has been generally prompt and, frankly, non-stop, the evening’s singular difficulty presents itself in trying to flag down someone to bring us a bottle of water. Also – pro tip: pack your own tissues or bring your own extra napkins as you’re gonna need them.

So, who was named our Team Y boodle fight champion? All of us and none of us. We’ve been thoroughly put through our paces – and the fight was finger-lickin’ fierce.. ■ Do you have a favourite restaurant that you’d like to see reviewed? Let Y know at editor@y-oman.com.

TH WI

E E R FUPER S

SIM

with MB + 500 RO1 250 7pm - 6am Anytime

 MB

RO3

1GB + 2GB 7pm - 6am Anytime

RO5

2GB + 4GB Anytime 7pm - 6am





Bonus data valid until 30th June 2019.

For latest offers & details, visit www.friendimobile.om

SUPER INTERNET

SUPER SAVINGS

Dial *555#

SUPER NETWORK

98400000 friendimobile.om

Office out of the Box Get your Business out of the box with the most comprehensive and flexible plan for fixed broadband, mobile & cloud ICT solutions.

For more information, visit Omantel.om or call 1235 omantel.om

Follow us