Y Magazine #575, July 10, 2019

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JUL 04 - 10 2019 / ISSUE 575 • WEEKLY

SEASON of

life

PLUS!

NATURE IS FULL OF EVERYDAY MIRACLES, BUT OMAN’S ANNUAL KHAREEF SEASON IS ONE OF ITS MOST SPLENDID. SINGULAR IN ITS BEAUTY AND UNIQUENESS, THE MONSOON GREENERY SWEEPING DHOFAR REMAINS ONE OF THE SULTANATE’S PINNACLE ATTRACTIONS. Y EXPLORES ITS CONTINUED IMPACT ON TOURISM.

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EDITOR’S

NOTE

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

IN THIS ISSUE…

I

t’s the most wonderful time of the year! (We bet you read that with the classic tune in your head, didn’t you?) Well, as the Sultanate welcomes July with open arms, it’s also welcoming the annual khareef season in the southern reaches of Dhofar, as temperatures plummet and the monsoon rains blanket the Governorate in a carpet of green.

It’s a climatic phenomenon that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Salalah every year with beckoning rains and cooler climes in an otherwise arid country.

Khareef – which runs from July until the end of September – fosters lush greenery and unparalleled vistas throughout a season that truly transforms this unique corner of our Sultanate.

A hotspot for tourists from around the GCC seeking to escape the blistering heat, khareef season marks a time for Oman to reap the rewards that blow in on the winds of the monsoon. The flourish of flora and fauna aside, Oman has long benefitted from the impact of tourism on the nation’s overall GDP during khareef. In this week’s cover feature, as we head into another lush season, we take a look at what we can expect from this year’s main events in Salalah and what Oman is doing to keep the influx of khareef tourists happy.

Also in this issue, we’re raising the curtain on the Royal Opera House Muscat, with a sneak peek at some of the world-class artists and performances that will be gracing the stage for its 2019-2020 season. Plus, we hit the road to Amq in this week’s Destination, explore the abandoned village of Birkat Al Mawz in our Features section, and bring you the ultimate afternoon tea in honour of Wimbledon, over in Yummy Oman!

Until next week, happy reading!

Team Y

EDITOR IN CHIEF Sayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi ADMIN MANAGER Yousef al Harrassi REPORTER Hassan al Lawati

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PHOTOGRAPHER Shaquel al Balushi DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Feroz Khan MANAGER – DIGITAL MEDIA SALES Umair Mehmood

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JUL 04 - 10 / ISSUE 575

03

contents JUL

Your Oman 08 Voice Of Oman

Shaquel Al Balushi 10 News

Ban on expat

recruitment extended 12 News

SalamAir strengthens

its fleet

10

04

-

10

This Week 16 Up and away Oman’s first hot air balloon festival takes flight during khareef 17 Movies Marvel is back with another installment of its superhero fan favourite in the new ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ opening this weekend in theatres across Oman

17

Cars and Adventures 32 Destination

Amq

2019

Health and Beauty

34 First Drive

Ferrari Portofino,

Part 2 38 Y-Fi

Voice-activated tech

38

40 Fashion

Awesome activewear

Features 18 Season of life As Oman’s annual khareef season begins in Dhofar, thousands of visitors at home and abroad will descend on Salalah from July until September. We explore its impact on tourism, with a full events guide to making the most of khareef celebrations!

24 A village lost

(and found) We trek the abandoned ruins of Birkat Al Mawz, the Sultanate’s UNESCO World Heritage Site in the foothills of the Al Hajjar Mountains.

28 Curtains up A sneak-peek at the Royal Opera House Muscat’s upcoming 2019-2020 season!

Food and Drink 44 Yummy Oman

The ultimate

afternoon tea 46 Taste Test

Döner & Gyros

42 Beauty

All tressed up

40

44 NEXT ISSUE...

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

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

Stormz of the century UK singer Stormzy has made history, being the first Grime artist to headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury music festival. Known as ‘the biggest stage in the world’, the Pyramid Stage is usually reserved for more globally mainstream acts, and Grime music (the UK’s answer to hip-hop), has traditionally been marginalised. Stormzy however has been shattering records and attracting attention for all the right reasons over the last year. His set has been vaunted by fans and critics alike, by celebrities from Adele, to street artist Banksy (who made the customized stab vest Stormzy wore on-stage), and featured cameos by Grey Worm from ‘Game of Thrones’, and Chris Martin from Coldplay.

A Swift sale?

Last week Taylor Swift had some harsh words for music manager Scooter Braun, who recently acquired her music catalogue. Swift claimed she was never given an opportunity to purchase her own masters and claimed that Braun had bullied her for years. But now the players in question, (and some on the periphery) have come out with their own account of the situation. Previous owner Scott Borchetta released a statement saying Swift was notified about the sale, and that she had every opportunity to buy her catalogue.

Justin Bieber and Braun’s wife have also written statements in his defense.

Wedding bells, round two!

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner were married at an impromptu ceremony in Las Vegas 06

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last May, and now they’re hitched again!

This time in a more formal ceremony surrounded by family and friends at the Chateau de Tourreau in Sarrians, France.

In attendance were Joe’s brother Nick and wife Priyanka Chopra, Maisie Williams of ‘Game of Thrones’, TV star Dr. Phil, and superstar DJ Diplo, among others. A far cry from ‘The Red Wedding’, eh?!

Ed’s single Ed Sheeran has dropped a new single called ‘Beautiful People’ featuring Khalid, along with a music video for the track to boot! The track comes off his upcoming collaborations album, ‘No. 6 Collaborations Project’.

Interestingly the song is about two celebrities bonding over the shallow nature of fame! The album is set to drop on July 12.

False alarm Last Thursday, a video of Khloe Kardashian’s 35th birthday went viral for allegedly containing a pregnancy revelation from her younger sister Kylie Jenner. At the end of the video a voice can be heard saying “I’m pregnant”, and viewers suspected the voice belonged to Kylie. Kylie’s team has since clarified that the voice wasn’t Kylie’s after all, and that she’s already got her hands full with Stormi Webster, her oneyear-old daughter with partner and rapper Travis Scott.

Whitney lives on It’s been ten years since new music featuring the vocals of late music legend Whitney Houston has been released. But now, Swedish artist Kygo has been given access to her 1986 vocals from a cover she recorded of Steve Winwood’s ‘Higher Love’.

Houston’s family have been supportive of the release, with her sisterin-law saying: “We knew Kygo would be the right producer to enhance Whitney’s powerful vocal performance on ‘Higher Love’ to the standards and expectations that Whitney’s fans have recognized for over three decades.”

Patent non-pending Cardi B has been denied a trademark for her catchphrase ‘Okurrr’. The US Patent Office made clear that the term has been widely used in pop culture, and was referenced by many people, including the Kardashians long before it ever left her lips. Hoping to sell merchandise emblazoned with the word, Cardi was disappointed to say the least, saying quote - well - who are we kidding, we can’t print what she said!

Okurrr.

A Kane collab EDM star Marshmello has teamed up, (perhaps surprisingly), with country music singer Kane Brown for his latest release ‘One Thing Right’. The love song’s lyrics, written and sung by Brown, are an ode to his wife Katelyn Jae, while the music is produced and performed by Marshmello.

Country and EDM? You be the judge.

‘One Thing Right’ is out now.

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

THE VOICE OF OMAN PHOTOJOURNALIST SHAQUEL AL BALUSHI SHARES SOME OF HIS BEST MEMORIES OF WORKING FOR Y, AS HE PREPARES FOR PASTURES NEW

correspondence DEBATE OF THE WEEK WE ASKED: As Dhofar prepares for its annual influx of khareef season visitors, how can authorities in Oman seek to balance tourism along with environmental sustainability?

MUTHUMARI PANDIAN

A

time filled with challenges, adventure, creativity; and above everything else, great memories – that’s my four years with Y Magazine in a

nutshell.

And, as I end my journey with the camera this week, it’s hard not to look upon and reminisce over some of the projects I undertook.

It wasn’t just the subjects for cover stories and the like that were in front of me. I got the chance to capture the beauty of Oman, interact with people, and conduct investigative shoots.

All this gave me a newfound respect for the country, starting from the Destination shoots, which took me from the Southern parts of Dhofar to the Northern parts of Buraimi, and the times I’ve come face-to-face with people from all walks of life.

And it has been a delight to deal with people. Not once did I ever feel like I was not welcome for a shoot, and I was always accepted as a part of the community – even though I am a journalist looking to tell a story.

This was also the case during my long trips on the lookout for content for the magazine. Even during those times I had a break down with my SUV; and lack of cellular connectivity, companionship (for those times my cousin Imran wasn’t with me), food, and water; I could always bond with nature, which is always a motivating factor.

I want to thank Y Magazine for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to tell stories through my lens.

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Salalah, in Dhofar, is a beautiful place – and is one of the most important tourist centres in the region during the months of July and August.

It’s a destination that tourists from all over the Gulf flock to enjoy the beauty of its mountains, beaches, architectural monuments, tremendous forts, wadis, and amazing surrounding greenery.

With tourist rates rising each year during khareef, the Ministry of Tourism has been doing its best to balance tourism along with environmental sustainability. Oman follows ‘eco-tourism’ to protect and helps support conservation activities and developments. Its aim is to maintain unpolluted, uncontaminated, and undisturbed natural destinations.

From Khasab in Musandam in the north, to Salalah in the south, one of the Sultanate’s major tourist attractions is its predominance of natural conservation – occupying first place among Arab nations and 19th in the world when it comes to protecting its environment, with 16.1 per cent of its land dedicated to natural conservation.

Oman is home to many varieties of wildlife and is a natural habitat for dolphins, whales, and numerous species of birds and mammals. As part of its tourism strategy, the Sultanate has taken great care to protect and promote its wildlife with strict laws in place to prohibit hunting of animals and birds. It has also taken steps to protect endangered animals such as the Arabian oryx and endangered plants such as the cordia perrottetii.

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VRINDA D’SOUZA

It is indeed a blessing to have a beautiful environment – and the least we can do to show our gratefulness is to care for it. The beauty of Dhofar is breathtaking and draws a multitude of tourists to absorb its calming environment, rich heritage, and culture. Tourism activities here are naturally hailed and rewards its local population with an impressive economy. But often the cost is the unwilling environment. Excess development projects to fuel tourist foot-falls can be damaging. Awareness, control, and limits are the key. Authorities must outline a long-term vision guided by passion and concern that places Dhofar’s environment, its people, and visitors in clear focus. Any initiative must align with that vision to ensure optimum balance between limits and usage and thereby avoiding any cumulative, gradual, and irreversible change.

DR. TAMANNA DALWAI

It’s incumbent for the authorities in the Dhofar region to make tourism contribute to environmental sustainability as Oman is committed to achieving the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. There are myriad of actions that can be initiated by authorities. Salalah’s khareef season should be converted as an ecotourism destination. It should partner with eco-friendly airlines around the world. Eco-friendly airlines help to reduce our carbon footprint as they have improved fuel consumption, use environmentally-friendly

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materials, and serve environmentallyfriendly meals. Tax incentives should be granted for self-sustaining accommodation options in Salalah that have on-site recycling programs and solar panels installed for operations. In fact, during the entire khareef season, the goal should be to recycle 100 per cent of food waste that can contribute towards agriculture and animal feed.

Local produce should be leveraged by the government as this would also have a lower environmental impact, and tourists would get an opportunity to support local producers and enjoy local delicacies. Such initiatives would support in preserving the local eco-system for the long-run.

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behind can harm animals as well as the environment.

In my opinion, it’s not just the authorities who should take action, but rather the tourists themselves should take responsibility for their actions and ensure the safety of our environment.

RONNEIL SALES VALIENTE

Tourism and environmental sustainability must go together in promoting and preserving Oman’s scenic attractions – not only in Dhofar Governorate but also across the Sultanate. Efficient waste management is an important factor in reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability. The three keywords are ‘reduce’, ‘re-use’, and ‘recycle’ which can significantly reduce global environmental impact, helping to conserve natural resources, reduce pollution, and reduce our carbon footprint. Authorities in Oman should strictly JACQUELINE V. MAPANAO implement rules and regulations for the disposal Khareef is truly a sought-after season by of garbage in every household, at every tourist tourists. However, irresponsible tourists attraction, and other public places in the Sultanate. take for granted the environment In this way, these scenic spots and public places by littering and damaging nature. maintain their natural and amazing beauty and will Authorities should ensure that tourists attract more tourists and visitors each year. Anyone will maintain the cleanliness of their who’s caught violating such rules and regulations surroundings. Avoiding the use of should face sanctions or pay the penalty. plastics are one way of decreasing Sustainability is not a pollution. Plastic waste which is left choice, but a necessity.

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JUL 04 - 10 / ISSUE 575

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O

OMAN RANKED FIFTH AS TECH HUB IN MENA REGION

man is steadily growing as a hub for technology investors, moving up two places since 2017, and has been ranked fifth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), reports Muscat Daily.

While the UAE still had the largest number of deals in 2018, Tunisia, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen and Syria all had higher growth rates year-on-

year than Emirates, according to the latest ‘State of Digital Investments in MENA by Arabnet’, a holistic analysis of the MENA technology investors and investments.

“Oman and Yemen witnessed the biggest percentage of change, in terms of deals, from last year (129 per cent and 250 per cent respectively),” it stated.

“Oman has moved up two places since 2017, currently ranking fifth; this is a clear reflection of the investment prowess of the Oman Technology Fund (OTF),” the report stated.

Eng. Yousuf al Harthi, CEO of OTF said, “Arabnet’s report reflects the results of the Oman Technology Fund’s teamwork in the recent past through the three investment programs which are Techween, Wadi Accelerator, and Jasoor Ventures.

“This is because of the investment efficiency of OTF that it has invested in 22 technology companies compared to 17 companies in 2017.”

BAN ON EXPAT RECRUITMENT EXTENDED

T

he Ministry of Manpower has extended the ban on recruitment of foreign workers in some professions in the private sector.

The Ministry said in a statement that it would extend the suspension for carpentry, metal, aluminium workshops, and brick factories for six months, reports Oman Observer.

“During the period of ban, private sector establishments are banned from recruiting foreign workers to the professions specified in the Ministerial Decision No. 122/2014. The decision will continue for a period of six months from July 3, 2019,” the statement said.

However, the ban will not apply to existing visaholders. In a decision in the beginning of June, the Ministry had placed a number of professions in sales, marketing, and procurement and some in the construction sector under an extended ban following its expiry.

In May this year, the government banned

foreigners from being recruited to a number of managerial, administrative, and clerical occupations. The positions include assistant general managers, administration managers, director or manager of human resources, manager for employee affairs, training managers, follow-up managers, public relations managers, and assistant director or managers.

OMANI SCALES NORTH AMERICA’S HIGHEST PEAK

S

ulaiman Hamood al Nabi, an adventurer from the wilayat of Wadi al Ma’awel in South Batinah has scaled the 6,140 metre-high Mt. Denali in Alaska, reports Muscat Daily.

Mt. Denali, also known as Mt. McKinley, is the highest mountain in North America. Speaking to Muscat Daily, Nabi said, “We began our journey on June 9 and reached the top of Mt. Denali on June 20 at 12 noon.”

Determination and patience were the key, said Nabi explaining the challenges encountered on his way up.

“The climb was not easy as the weather was unpredictable.

We faced a lot of challenges such as a temperature drop to minus 30 degrees. Each climber carried a bag full of essentials weighing around 25kg and pulled a snow-cart weighing about 20kg. I raised the image of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and Oman’s flag over the top of the mountain,” he added.

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Besides Mt. Denali, Nabi has scaled several other peaks including the famous Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina and Mt. Elbrus in Russia.

NATURE’S EYE

GALLERY

Y PHOTOGRAPHER SHAQUEL AL BALUSHI OFFERS UP A RETROSPECTIVE OF THE COUNTRY HE’S CALLED HOME ALL HIS LIFE -- OMAN

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YOUR

OMAN

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he Royal Oman Police (ROP) have advised children to wear helmets while riding bicycles as a safety measure, reports Oman Observer.

This is summer and schools are closed for vacation. This is the time when parents look for options to engage their children in healthy activities. For many children in Oman, especially in the rural areas, cycling is one of the activities the teens find entertainment with.

But the fact is that these children do not use helmets despite warnings from the authorities and experts.

“Cyclists must use helmets irrespective of their age. Parents should make sure their children wear helmets while riding bicycles to avoid being hurt in case of an accident,” stressed the ROP. Echoing the advice, Dr. Lamya al Waeli, a physician, said that wearing a helmet will help protect the face, head, and brain in the event of falling from

CHILDREN MUST WEAR HELMET WHILE CYCLING

the bicycle.

“That’s why it’s so important to wear helmets. We have received children in our hospital with light to serious injuries in the head”, Dr. Lamya said.

According to the doctor, the cases increase during the school holidays when many children ride bicycles as an entertainment activity. Along with ROP, we stress on the use of helmets especially for children, she added.

“Authorities need to take steps to create awareness about the importance of using helmets. Parents should be told to advise their children. [The] ROP has already started this campaign and I will make sure that children will follow the instructions”, she said.

SALAMAIR EMC OPENS FIFTH STRENGTHENS FLEET BRANCH IN MABELA

O

man’s popular budget airline SalamAir continues to grow in size, adding another A320neo to its fleet as part of its expansion plan.

The arrival of the new aircraft, the third to join its fleet in the last seven months, highlights SalamAir’s resolve to provide its growing base of customers more comfort, convenience, and choice of destinations.

The narrow-body jet, an update of Airbus’ classic A320 and its bestselling model, has been custom-built for the airline and offers a host of passenger benefits including optimised cabin space, extra stowage space, and greater comfort.

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“Since taking to the skies, SalamAir has been an airline of firsts, and we’re proud to be the first operator in the Sultanate to introduce this A320neo. The aircraft is top of the line and its combination of upgraded features and improved efficiencies make it a perfect addition to our fleet,” said Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir. “Our expanding portfolio will allow us to offer our guests an even greater choice of services and travel options, while maintaining the same high standards they’ve come to expect. The commissioning of the third A320neo is yet another milestone in SalamAir’s young history.”

E

mirates Medical Center (EMC), one of the leading health care providers in the country, continues to expand its network of branches across Oman, opening its fifth location in Mabela last week. The inauguration was held under the patronage of H.H. Sayyida Hujaija Bint Jaifar Al Said, Chairperson of the Association for the Care of Disabled Children.

Speaking on behalf of the centre was Director – Corporate Operations Strategy Clancey Po, who stated: “Owing to the great popularity of EMC services and

products, it gives me immense pleasure to open the fifth branch of EMC in Al Mabelah. EMC is the leading skincare, laser hair removal, and dental clinic in Oman – which has been proven by several awards which EMC received for best clinic and exceptional service. EMC has been the most trusted brand among the people of Oman for almost two decades. The branch is equipped with the latest technology and highly-skilled staff specialised in all services related to dermatology, anti-aging, skin rejuvenation, laser hair removal, and cosmetic dentistry.”

SPOTLIGHT OMAN

GALLERY

CORNERS OF THE SULTANATE AND THEIR BEAUTY STAND FROZEN IN TIME THROUGH THE LENS OF Y PHOTOGRAPHER SHAQUEL AL BALUSHI

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YOUR

FACE OF A NATION

OMAN

WHAT IS A NATION WITHOUT THE SOUL OF ITS PEOPLE? SHAQUEL AL BALUSHI BRINGS OMAN’S DIVERSITY TO LIFE THROUGH HIS LENS

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GALLERY

GALLERY

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UP AND AWAY

THE WHAT’S ON GUIDE As the Salalah Tourism Festival kicks off now until the end of August in celebration of the annual khareef season, it will also mark a new milestone with the Sultanate’s first hot-air balloon festival. The first of its kind in the GCC, the nearly one million visitors to khareef will have a chance to fly high for a bird’s-eye view of the Dhofar greenery with as many as 15 hot air balloons available for a stunning lift above the clouds. The festival will also offer a playground for children, international restaurants, and even a racetrack for cars. For more information visit www.dm.gov.om.

JULY

GAME ON

ONGOING

10 & 20

Gaming enthusiasts can roll up their sleeves against the very best in a high-profile competition that aims to test their skills behind the console. More than a thousand participants from Oman and the GCC are likely to participate in Oman’s Fourth PlayStation Tournament scheduled to take place between July 10 and 20 at the Mall of Muscat in Mabela. For the first time in the tournament’s history, gamers from outside the country will be allowed to compete with players from Oman. This year the participants will compete in four different categories — FIFA 19, PES 19, Fortnit,e and FIFA 19 tag-team competitions. A host of exciting prizes are on offer and the winners will be awarded gifts worth more than RO5,000. For more information call (+968) 9503-7393.

GET CRAFTY THIS

WHAT TO DO.

WEEK J

U

WHAT TO SEE. WHAT TO HEAR.

L

Y

Kargeen Restaurant in Madinat Qaboos is holding a parentand-child pottery workshop for beginners who want to learn the creative art of crafting from clay. Working with their expert potter Shima, the first class will be held from 10:00 a.m. till 12 noon on Saturday, July 6 and the second class will take place at the same time on Saturday, July 13, where participants will learn how to paint and decorate the pieces created in the first class.

A fee of RO25 is applicable and includes all materials, plus light refreshments. To register call or WhatsApp (+968) 9922-7466.

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JULY 6 & 13

MOVIES MOVIES half isn’t humourous in the the least as it deals with the effects of body-shaming in our lives.

Vinay Forrt’s excellent performance as Sreenivasan has been the highlight of this movie.

A lot of the credit for the film’s success goes to its director Ashraf Hamza, who wrote the script too. The way the film shifts its focus to serious issues in the second half is done beautifully and makes for great viewing.

Kabir Singh Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Sonam Bajwa

Spider-Man: Far From Home Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Samuel L. Jackson It’s the summer blockbuster we’ve all been waiting for and true Spider-Man fans are going to discover a softer side of this powerful character in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’.

In this sequel to the ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’ series, your favourite superhero faces a new challenge to save the world while holidaying in Europe along with his friends Ned, MJ, and the rest.

After the group’s vacation plans are turned upside down,

Article 15 Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Sayani Gupta, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub

his spidey-sense is tingling when he decides to become part of the efforts to stop a series of attacks across the continent.

The movie is dominated as much by superb action as it is the budding romance between MJ and Spider-Man’s very ordinary human alter-ego, Peter Parker. The film also has a fair share of perfectly-timed comedy that’s become the hallmark of the ‘Spider-Man’ films.

Definitely one to splash out on and watch in 4DX!

This crime thriller highlights caste discrimination in society and is reportedly based on true events. The movie showcases IPS officer Ayan Ranjan’s (Ayushman Khurrana) fight against the caste system when a rape and murder case threatens to draw him deep inside a social paradox that has afflicted parts of Indian

society for ages.

After being transferred from Delhi to Lalgaon, a small town in Uttar Pradesh, Ayan finds himself handling a case involving three missing girls, two of whom are found brutally murdered. Ayan discovers that there’s a third missing girl, Pooja, and thereon begins a hard-hitting plot that’s engaging and deserves to be told.

‘Article 15’ is a movie that raises a lot of serious questions on social issues and makes for a powerful watch.

This isn’t your typical Bollywood love story that’ll make you feel warm and fuzzy.

It’s dark, negative, yet brilliant. An excellent screenplay, good music, a bit of humour, and outstanding acting will keep you engaged if you leave your judgmental self at home.

‘Kabir Singh’ is the story of a man who is brilliant yet flawed and finds it difficult to deal with all the pain that comes with a broken heart. A surgeon who was a topper in his student life, Kabir is vulnerable to his own flaws. Carrying a blistering temperament and displaying capricious behaviour, he’s prone to mistakes and then pays for all his wrong decisions in life.

Although director Sandeep Reddy Vanga has come in for a lot of stick from conventional movie-goers for presenting a character so dark and devious, the movie hasn’t fallen flat at the box office and is getting viewers’ attention.

Thamasha Cast: Vinay Forrt, Grace Antony, Chinnu Chandani Nair

There’s a reason why so many people have liked ‘Thamasha’. It’s a comedy that raises a lot of serious questions, and the screenplay is marvelous and engaging, to say the least.

Sreenivasan, a 31-year old man, is struggling to find a girl to wed because of one bodily flaw – he’s gone bald.

His simple looks have always come to compound his problem and impacted his love life. In its first half, the movie highlights his struggle – which finds a solution in a funny way, but the second

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

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Season of life

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AS TOURISTS FLOCK TO DHOFAR FOR THE KHAREEF SEASON, TEAM Y ASSESSES THE EVER-INCREASING INFLUX OF VISITORS, AND EXAMINES ITS IMPACT ON THE BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT PULLS GUESTS IN FOR THREE MONTHS ONLY

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hey call it the ‘Kerala of the Middle East’.

It’s an other-worldly sight for the scores of residents who live in the underlying lush, green bowls that overlook the mountains of Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate.

It isn’t their first time witnessing the thick, dark clouds that kiss the peaking mountains but, as is the case every year, it piques their interest just as it did when they saw it for the first time.

And just like that, the otherwise dry lands of Salalah transform into something more than just home and another business district in the nation – just like the southern state of Kerala in India.

It becomes home to the seasonal monsoons that bring along with it rains and sub-30-degree-Celsius temperatures and monsoons that we fondly call ‘Khareef ’.

The fruits of the rain are important to the country and turn Salalah and the underlying areas of Dhofar into a hub for tourists.

The exotic food indigenous to cooler parts of Asia, which is rarely associated with the Middle East, is also a crowd-puller.

Khareef, then, is vital to the Sultanate’s economy due to the rains. But how valuable is a question rarely posed.

In June, the nation’s southern city, is thronged with hundreds of thousands of tourists, all of whom are seeking to reconnect with nature as the sun glares down in other parts of the GCC region.

In fact, last year alone (2018), 826,376 tourists visited Salalah, making up nearly 61.2 per cent of the nation’s visitor count of 1.35million in the year.

Not only does this make it Oman’s most-visited city, it also acts as a magnet for developers and event organisers.

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For instance, Salalah witnessed more than 28.1 per cent more tourists last year than in 2017, according to figures revealed by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Aside from the rains, this peak in tourists can also be attributed to its geographical assets: the soft sand white beaches, valleys, flat plains, natural fountains and caves that offer tourists a glimpse into a little-known side of Oman.

During the months leading up to September, the city is to host the Salalah Tourism Festival ¬– an annual carnival showcasing the culture and heritage of the nation.

Despite that, not everyone is happy with the numbers. Some observers say that, while Salalah is being bombarded by tourists, it still isn’t doing enough to build

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itself up as a tourist destination.

Oman earns RO75million every year during the Khareef season but it barely translates to 0.24 per cent of the nation’s overall GDP (gross domestic product) over the three-month Khareef period.

This, says Barakat al Abri, an economist based at one of Muscat’s top colleges, is a lost opportunity for the nation.

He says: “It’s the same thing every year. There are rains, and people visit the place to see the same things. They camp outside or take small lodges outside the main city.

“Not much has been done to take benefit of the blessings that Salalah receives every year in the form of rains – and believe me, a lot can be done to change this.

“Oman must aim to make at least RO100 to RO150 million every year from the Khareef season alone.

“We’re at a crucial time to make Salalah a brand name across the whole of the GCC. “And by not acting quickly enough, I think we’re giving up on innovation

opportunities and a lot of infrastructure – starting from basic amenities such as toilets and bins to entertainment and leisure facilities – that can be beneficial to the city during the Khareef season.

“We could be making this city the biggest tourist attraction in the Arab world but instead, we’re relying on the old infrastructure that needs to be complemented by new projects that will attract a wider audience than already is.”

Barakat then stresses how he fears that this, coupled with the post-cyclone Mekunu infrastructure, will affect tourism this year.

The aftermath of the cyclone that hit the coast in May, 2018 left a lasting impression on the lives of the residents; taking away four souls, causing nearly US$1.5bn (RO577,522) in damage including an estimated livestock loss at a cost of US$31million.

And, even as Salalah continues to rebuild itself, Barakat says that a lot needs to be done to restore the city’s ‘lost charm’.

But his view is not shared by Sultan al Amri, a member of the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), who is positive about the city’s future.

He says: “Yes, there are concerns raised by citizens of the country. But, if you were to actually visit Salalah right now, you’d realise how things have shaped up since the cyclone.

“In fact, much of the work had already been done by

the beginning of the year and if it didn’t affect tourism last year then, how will it go down this year?”

Sultan points out that Salalah recorded its highest-ever visitor count last year post the cyclone.

In a separate interview in 2018, Abdul Kader – a tour guide from Salalah – said that tourist numbers were high that year owing to the gushing valleys, waterfalls and the crystal clear waters the cyclone brought with it.

Whether this trend will continue this year is yet to be seen.

Sultan does acknowledge Barakat’s view on the standard of amenities.

He says: “We’re doing everything we can to make everyone’s stay as pleasant as possible. For that, we’re working closely with the municipality, banks, local airline companies and even the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to get the facilities set up before the start of the season.

“As a result of this, more flights will be flown to Salalah these coming months. We’re also installing new restrooms for use, ATM machines and information centres so that everyone has a smooth and enjoyable experience.”

However, the ministry official declined to answer our query on the actual number of amenities set up in the region.

As for shopping options, Salalah offers plenty of markets and souks within the city, with more luxury options within the Salalah Garden Mall and Salalah Gallery Mall. Three malls – the Salalah Grand Mall, Oasis Mall, and Al

Saadah City Mall – are currently under construction, too.

Moreover, several new properties have also opened their doors since 2018, which indicates that there’s more for tourists to explore.

This means Salalah’s residents anticipate the usual influx of visitors and maybe even more than last year.

Among the amenities is Oman’s first waterthemed park – Hawana Aqua Park – which has quickly turned into a leisure hub following its launch in January last year.

Another potential draw is the hot air balloon festival – again, the first of its kind – which is expected to take place between July 20 and August 25. Not only will these balloons give tourists the option to take to the skies, it will also give them a bird’s-eye view of the city.

Speaking to the press, Khalid Al Nabhani, the chairman of Sabeen Group – the organisers of the ambitious hot air balloon festival – said: “Salalah is the perfect place to host this event because of the climate. The hot air balloon festival will change the phase of tourism in the country.

“This will now be an annual event and we urge investors and SME owners to come forward to be part of this great festival.”

Pegged at 500 baisas, the ride looks like being the most affordable balloon ride in the Middle East.

In fact, Y learns that it is these reasonable rates such

as this, in and around the city, that attract tourists annually.

Our research into hotels shows that rates are currently as low as RO34, with even cheaper lodging options available in the vicinity.

Visiting Salalah with his family of four is UAE resident Roby Kannan. The engineer, who is on his first trip to Oman, says: “We decided to take a trip to Salalah before the summer vacations begin in the UAE. After that, nearly everybody will try to visit here.

“That’s probably when the costs will be driven up. Even then, I think the packages offered to families by tour guides are lucrative. They’re not cheap, but affordable.”

Tour package rates in the city hover anywhere between RO17 and RO95 depending on the duration and complexity of the tour.

Roby says: “Right now, Oman is vying with countries like Georgia and Azerbaijan to steal tourists, and they’re doing it with Salalah. In a way, it is

WE’RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE EVERYONE’S STAY AS PLEASANT AS POSSIBLE. FOR THAT, WE’RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MUNICIPALITY, BANKS, LOCAL AIRLINE COMPANIES, AND EVEN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY TO GET THE FACILITIES SET UP BEFORE THE START OF THE SEASON

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WE DECIDED TO TAKE A TRIP TO SALALAH BEFORE THE SUMMER VACATIONS BEGIN IN THE UAE. AFTER THAT, NEARLY EVERYBODY WILL TRY TO VISIT HERE

working more than before because Georgia has become expensive.

“Also, Oman is somehow right next to home and is only a drive away and offers us several shopping options that we’re used to seeing in our hometown of Kerala in India,”

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Roby then points towards a shop selling homemade perfumes, locally-sourced frankincense and textiles, and begins bargaining with the seller. He ends up with a packet of frankincense for RO3, which he has haggled down from RO5.

Markets across Salalah are awash with shops

selling frankincense and buhoors; and silver jewellery, which is slowly gaining traction among young people. There’s also a good mix of vendors offering fresh milk, meat, Omani sweets; and agricultural products such as home-grown coconuts, bananas, papayas, sugarcanes and bamboos.

things to see in gear and watch as it drives itself up. There’s also a stopover point next to the road where you can park safely and watch others attempt the feat.

1) The anti-gravity point

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e prepared to have your jaw dropped as you witness your car pull itself up the cliff and away from you at the anti-gravity point, which is located at the foothills of the Niyabat of Tawe Attir in the Wilayat of Mirbat. To give it a try, drive up to the road, set your car in neutral

2) Wadi Darbat

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ou’d be hard done by to turn up at Wadi Darbat and not appreciate the simplistic allure that nature paints on Dhofar’s landscape. The foggy skies and the green mountains (partly) recreate a sense of trekking in Scotland. While you’re there, you could perhaps enjoy the waterfalls or take a boat ride across the lake.

3) Khor Rori

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n archaeological site that’s usually missing from the maps of tour guides, Khor Rori loses out on precious visitors owing to ghoulish tales that haunt the locale to this day. The 1st Century AD city was once the defensive outpost for the kingdom of Hadhramaut but lies in ruins today. It’s worth a visit… if you dare.

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But not everyone is enamoured with burgeoning trade and potential development.

Mohammed al Riyami, a 66-year-old local fisherman is dismissive about the prospect. He says (translated from Arabic): “We hear the news of new projects coming up in Salalah and it’s quite worrying.

“For the thousands of people that come here to Salalah, it is just a place to be for a few hours or days.

“But, for us the residents, it is our life. While it is great that tourists are coming and spreading

the word of Salalah to the world, the government needs to realise that this one of the most culturaland heritage-rich parts of Oman.

“It shouldn’t be packed with expensive resorts and hotels, malls and restaurants – that’s going to break the market. Also, tourism to Salalah isn’t all-year round; the Khareef season is over by September.

“This means hotels and malls are going to be empty. We, as the dwellers of this land, cannot simply watch new investments come up and fail.

It will break our hearts… as it did for many who

are currently watching it happen in other parts of the GCC when the oil prices came down.

“I’m not saying that we don’t need new investments here, we do.

“But we’d like to see more companies coming to Salalah and experiencing what’s best for our land and work in tandem with us to come up with new ideas.

“People come to Salalah because it is the rawest form of nature they can ever see. And that’s what we should capitalise on in the future – the true spirit of connecting with nature.”

Dhofar (and Salalah) 4) Museum of the Land of Frankincense

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ow serious is Salalah about its frankincense trees? The answer is ‘very.’

In fact, it prides itself on them so much so that the city has a museum built to showcase the roots of frankincense in the country, and tell visitors about how the resin was once bought by Princess Cleopatra from Salalah.

5) Suhoor and Itteen caves

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aves are intriguing. This is probably why we, as humans, are programmed to seek thrills even though we know the dangers it carries along with it. Nevertheless, the caves in question here have long been tourist attractions and are safe. The Suhoor cave, for instance, is a limestone rock cave while the latter was formed by the water springs of Ayoon.

will also include cultural and heritage stalls and food stalls and a lot more.

7) Blowholes

6) Hot air balloon festival

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festival organised around hot air balloons sounds like the ultimate way to spend your weekend. This one-of-a-kind festival lets visitors take to the skies in hot air balloons for as little as 500 baisas, making it one of the most affordable rides in the country (and much, much less than what you’d pay for a cab). The festival

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ocated just beside the Mughsayl beach – which is an attraction in itself with the white sands and crystal-clear waters – the blowholes shoot water as high as 30 metres into the air when the sea waves crash into the caves underneath the ground. It’s a beach brimming with video and photography opportunities – don’t miss it.

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A pictureperfect mountain settlement with an enduring legacy – Birkat Al Mawz should retain its old charm and nature’s bounty as local tribes ardently plan to restore it, says Swati Basu Das 024

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ilence creeps into its fragile lap. Its crumbled walls reflect glimpses from the olden days, and faint whispers from the past echo into oblivion.

It lies eroded under an enormous blue sky.

It shivers when the soft breeze blows, caressing its wrinkled structure. Lush green farms fringe its ruined borders and burbling aflaj meander through its alley, splashing a daily dose of nourishment to the plantations.

Welcome to the ancient city of Birkat Al Mawz. A heritage village dating back to the 17th Century, Birkat Al Mawz can be found on the way to Jabal Al Akhdar, and is a fascinating stopover on the way up to Al Hajjar.

This ruined vernacular settlement juts out of a craggy backdrop and slides down into the valley of the Al Hajjar at the base of Jabal Al Akhdar.

The roofs of these tattered uninhabited dwellings have collapsed, the floors shake with each footstep, and the walls and wooden planks are infested with termites.

Despite the dilapidation, Birkat Al Mawz is but an architectural wonderland.

The soil and water from the wadi have been mixed to build these typical old mountainside mud-homes. Water content in the soil is adjusted and seasoned for two months to build the houses.

Ali Bin Hamood Al Mahrooqi, an administrative manager at the Ministry of Heritage says: “This is a typical way of building a mud house. Each house has a shelter built for the cattle on the ground floor and large storage rooms for grains and dates on the lower-ground floor.

“Alongside the entrance, one can spot the majlis (meeting area). The ceilings have decorative features. Each wooden door of the house has intricate carvings. The first floor had kitchens and washrooms. The top-level consisted of bedrooms, terraces and a meeting area for the ladies.”

The dwellings in Birkat Al Mawz overlap one another, making them seamless. They all conjoin to symbolise the typical Omani hill-type settlement, one that indicates a close tribal and familial relationship and bonding.

The nine tribes Al Tawbi, Al Fahdi, Al Sarqi, Al Riyami, Al Siyabi, Al Na’bi, Al Abri, Al Rukaishi and Al Hadrami inhabited this ancient city and still reside in their new homes, further from the ruins.

Ali Al Mahrooqi says: “All these groups belong to the dominant Al Riyami tribal confederation either closely associated with them like the al Siyabi tribe or as direct descent groups like the Al Fahd, Al Tawbi and other tribes.”

Determining its course through Bait ar Rudaydah (a notable castle), a falaj system passes this village helping the oasis to maintain its greenery. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Falaj al-Khatmeen is a 2,450 metres long, rainfed Dawoodi falaj.

Ali Al Mahrooqi says: “Its source is the rainwater that floods wadi al-Mauydin. Several smaller channels running down the hills extend to the north and south truncating the east-west linearity of this oasis. It is the only source of water at Birkat Al Mawz.”

The old denizens have shifted to their modern homes, and many now live in the city neglecting their ancestral properties. The quest for modernism might soon witness a fall of this ancient city if overlooked.

Ali says: “The abandoned homes may soon fade away if not restored on time. Though there is no interference from the Ministry, it is a World Heritage site. The owner who wants to restore their house or turn them into inns, therefore, requires permission from the Ministry of Heritage. The owner has no right to tamper with the floor plan of the house. Maintaining its traditional look is a must.”

Here at Birkat Al Mawz, I meet Issa Nasser Al Sarqi, who belongs to the Al Sarqi tribe and presently lives in Nizwa.

A 250-year-old mud house in this ancient city was handed over to him by his forefather, and is his most prized possession. With all permissions granted and required documents correctly signed by the Ministry of Heritage, the restoration work of this old house is currently in progress.

Issa says: “The roofs and walls of some rooms have collapsed, and the doors and windows require restoration. More than 100 tourists visit this place daily during the winter. My old mudhouse will serve the guests who want to stay here and enjoy our hospitality.”

He goes on to say, in Arabic, that the word Birkat means “pool” and Al Mawz stands for “banana”. A ‘pool of banana’, this village was named so because of the large number of banana plants cultivated in the past.

Strolling through the green shades of date palms and pomegranates, it is a real challenge to find a thick banana plantation at present.

“Why the village is named ‘Pool of Banana’?”

I query as I spot only a few.

Issa replies: “It may now seem to be a bit of an exaggeration but nearly 15 years back, there were more than one thousand banana plantations in this area.”

The right climate and the fertile soil make the place perfect for banana cultivation.

“The rainwater from the mountain which

flows down to the valley brings mineral-rich mountain soil to the farmland,” says Issa.

“This is appropriate for the growth of banana plants but now the locals have no time to care for their farms. Therefore, there are not many banana plants now. I plan to restore the banana farms very soon.” ■

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IN THIS WEEK’S COFFEE WITH Y, WE TALK TO A TECH EXPERT OF TOMORROW WHO AIMS TO KEEP THE SULTANATE ON THE INSIDE TRACK OF IT

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aming is an integral part of most young people’s lives – as much as social media, streaming and Adidas trainers.

But it’s not every day that one plumps to dissect the game that they’ve just been jostling with for four hours.

But that’s the story with Aviral Goel – a 21-year-old Indian student at Waljat University – who is already making an impact in the Sultanate in game development.

And it’s all free for anyone who is willing to learn.

His goal? To make Oman a leader in game development using the gaming engine Unity, and become a part of the team that takes his dream forward.

The results are already starting to happen as members have already begun rolling out beta versions of their games.

Unity is a US-based multi-platform game engine that’s used by developers to create games from scratch. Its versatile nature also paves the way for animated movies and 3D modelling.

Aviral’s new-found passion, which he began in May last year, has already begun taking shape.

Fifteen people – an even mix of Omanis, Indians, and other expat Arabs – now form the group named ‘Oman Game Developers’ (Oman GD) that is growing every week.

Aviral says: “There are no limits to what we can do with this community. There’s no fixed venue, no syllabus, or even a fixed teacher.”

Currently, this group’s members have an informal approach to workplace gatherings, which means regular meetings in Muscat’s cafes.

“The idea,” Aviral says, “Is to impart as much knowledge as 026

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we can to each other with no pride or ego. So, if I teach you today, it’s up to you to teach someone else who is new to game development tomorrow.

“Also, if someone has a better, different and more efficient way of doing things, we’re all open to learning from that person.”

Aviral, in retrospect, is a newcomer to Oman; having spent just four years living here but he has made a considerable number of contacts.

Speaking about the talent of the local members, the young student says: “There’s just so much talent that is untapped here in Oman. So many creative ideas, designs, storyboards; they’re all going to waste because there are no training courses that one can get accustomed to although here we intend to change that outlook.”

This mindset of the computer science engineer comes from his passion for teaching and an equal love for games – two things Aviral puts into his heart and soul into.

“It all started with a game,” Aviral says, and his journey with the gaming world has spanned nearly 14 years. It was a game he played in 2018, named ‘Overcooked’, that worked on the Unity platform that piqued his interest.

“Upon reading more about it, I learned that it only took about three months to make that game. So, I was fascinated to learn more about it – as it had a very in-depth multiplayer and co-op mode in it.

“I began by reading more about it and started watching videos on YouTube. This is how I got into it. My focus was on programming.

But, the real push to start such a workshop community in Oman came when he headed to a boot camp workshop for programmers.

“I went to the ICPC boot camp – a workshop for programmers. It showed me hardcore programming but at the end of the workshop, we didn’t build anything. All we did was learn basic theory.

“That’s when I realised, even

though we’re studying in college, most of us aren’t creating things.

And why are we, as engineers, not doing that ?”, he asks, before adding how it led him to creating the community.

One of the greatest challenges, he says, was overcoming the steep learning curve with Unity and helping others achieve the same.

“It’s very hard to get started on Unity. It’s not something you can download right away and start editing. That’s what I made my mission with these workshops initially.

We will teach you how to get started so that you can create your own games.

“The catch: nothing,” he laughs, as he points out how several workshops in Oman take fees of up to US$300 (RO116) or US$1,000 for a week’s session.

“The youth wouldn’t want to pay that much for something and not knowing what they’re going to learn and even whether they really like it is a big no-no for many.

“But, with a free platform, it’s different.

We want people to come – and we want them to give their best shot in this field so that they can carry forward the name of their country to the next level.”

The current lineup of members includes engineers over the age of 40 and students from schools around Oman who have a penchant for the art.

Aviral says: “Our intention with Oman GD is not to

create a professional institution. We don’t even provide certification to our members yet. It’s all solely based on the passion we have for this.”

Oman GD’s efforts have helped several engineers in 3D modelling for their companies and have given rise to a host of beta-test games that are still being fine-tuned.

“Many people ask me what my end goal is with this community; my answer remains the same: I have no alternate intentions. We’re out here teaching people to build and progress in their career.

In many ways, then, we are all out here helping each other elevate Oman on a global platform.

And that puts a smile on my face.” ■

How to register?

Those interested to register should visit omangd.com and enrol themselves. Once accepted, you are required to attend the course on Saturdays at the prearranged venue. Registration and classes are free.

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CURTAIN UP As the Royal Opera House Muscat’s 2019-2020 season prepares to kick off in September with ‘Carmen’, we bring you a sneak-peek of its stellar line-up of more than 100 curtain raises

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his summer is anything but sleepy for the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM), as its creative teams work to organise, plan and carry off a spectacular new roster of performances for the 2019-2020 season.

With the box office for ticket sales opening on July 29, ROHM recently unveiled its season highlights at a much-anticipated press conference – and here’s a selection of what’s on the playbill to look forward to!

BALLETS

The season’s two major ballets come from the East as the Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow enacts Tchaikovsky’s famous work, ‘Onegin’, and the National Ballet of China presents Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’ in a fusion of Chinese and Western cultural traditions.

OPERAS

• Georges Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ opens the 2019-2020 season with the original grand sets from ROHM’s speciallycommissioned production for the season in 2011. Returning to ROHM with the Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro Colón Buenos Aires conducted by Antonello Allemandi and staged by Gianni Quaranta, with the participation of the great tenor José Cura in the role of Don José, mezzo-soprano Elena Maximova appearing as Carmen, Anita Hartig as Micaëla and with brilliant new choreography by the Antonio Gadès Company.

• The Story of Kai and Gerda’, the famous Russian romantic opera by Sergey Banevich, performed by the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow.

• An ROHM co-production with Opéra de Monte Carlo of Giacomo, Puccini’s ‘La

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ORCHESTRAS, CONDUCTORS, SOLOISTS AND SINGER STARS Bohème’ staged by Jean-Louis Grinda with the participation of Celso Albelo as Rodolfo and Irina Lungu as Mimì.

Stefano Finzi conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of Opera Monte Carlo.

• Gaetano Donizetti’s ‘Anna Bolena’, in stunning period costume, co-produced by ROHM with Opéra Royal de WallonieLiège, Opéra Lausanne and Abao Olbe Bilbao with Olga Peretyatko in the title role, Erwin Schrott as Henry VIII and Maxim Mironov playing Lord Percy. The director of the production is Stefano Mazzonis di Parafrera and the conductor Giampaolo Bisanti.

• An exciting new ROHM production of Mozart’s ‘Die Zauberflöte’ set in Oman with Albina Shagimuratova as the Queen of the Night, Antonio Poli as Tamino, and Markus Werba as Papageno.

In 2019-20, ROHM again presents world-class orchestras, conductors, instrumental soloists, and singers of exceptional calibre:

• José Cura conducts Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Colón Buenos Aires.

• Gianandrea Noseda leads the London Symphony Orchestra in classic Russian works, featuring pianist Denis Matsuev.

• ROHM’s annual Pipe Organ Concert displays the power and beauty of the grand instrument that graces the stage in a magnificent concert celebrating organ music through the ages.

• In a thrilling opera gala, worldfamous baritone Leo Nucci performs masterpiece arias from Verdi’s operas.

• Award-winning mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins and the great American baritone, Thomas Hampson

perform in a gala recital featuring operatic arias show from the Mexican city of Puebla. and popular songs from Broadway.

• Oman World Folk Music Festival, artists from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas join Omani musicians in SPECTACULAR SHOWS, ROHM’s spectacular annual festival, taking audiences around the world in three days.

JAZZ ROHM’s 2019-2020 line-up of shows and jazz from around the world includes: ARAB PERFORMANCES The Royal Opera House Muscat continues • ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, the smash-hit Indian its tremendously popular series of Arab musical about the rebellious defiance of Prince performances with wonderful productions Salim, son of the great Mughal Emperor, and some of the greatest names in the Akbar. world of Arab music: • ‘Che Malambo’ an Argentinian dance spectacular with fast-paced zapeteo footwork • The world premiere of ‘Tarh el Bahr, inspired by the rhythm of galloping horses and The Sea Treasures’, a new opera by performed with gaucho machismo.

Monir Elweseimy about the adventures • The Sukhishvili Georgian National Ballet of an Arab fisherman, with music played with a unique, energetic ballet that combines by the Royal Oman Symphony folk dance traditions with classical ballet and Orchestra. contemporary dance.

• The Cairo Ballet Company presents an • ‘Military Music: Oman and the World’, evening of ballet featuring ‘Zorba the a proud display of military pageantry with Greek’ a rousing balletic interpretation of hundreds of men and women from Oman’s Nikos Kazantzakis’ famous novel; and, ‘El military bands performing in colourful dress Leila El Kebira’ (The Grand Night), a uniform, with musicians from Mexico and playful ballet featuring lively scenes from a Turkey opening another window on the world. carnival in celebration of the last night of • Chick Corea, the legendary American jazz the Prophet’s birthday (PBUH). composer and fusion pianist performing on two • Marcel Khalife, the highly-acclaimed nights.

Lebanese composer and oud player whose • Japan’s Kodo drummers beating enormous orchestral works have been performed stationary drums with impressive athletic across the Arab world and in prestigious strength and playing portable drums with rapid- venues in Europe and the USA. fire skill.

• Samira Said, the immensely popular • From Taiwan’s U-Theatre, ‘Beyond Time’, award-winning Moroccan-Egyptian singer an immersive multi-layered, three-dimensional who has sold over 60 million albums. experience themed on the movement of the • Najwa Karam, one of the most popular planets. artists in the Arab world, greatly admired for her vocal prowess, and Marwan WORLD MUSIC Khoury, the famous Lebanese pianist • Technochtitlan de Puebla Mexico, named and composer who stars on the same ‘Tenochtitlan’ after the ancient capital of the programme as Najwa, appearing with the Aztec Empire, presents a spectacular folk-music Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra.

For more details on the Royal Opera House Muscat’s full line-up of performances for the 2019-2020 season, visit www.rohmuscat.org.om.

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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

• •

Khimji’s Mart 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 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 • Khimji’s Mart • 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 • The Noodle House • Starbucks • Tim Hortons • VLCC Wellness MBD • Bank Dhofar • Centrepoint (Splash) • Khimji’s Mart • 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 MQ • 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 Sifa • 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 • Chevorlet/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 The Wave • Almouj Golf • Costa Coffee • Oman Sail • Shakespeare & Co. • The Wave Head Office Other Regions Barka • Al Nahda Spa and Resort • LuLu Hypermarket Nizwa • University of Nizwa Sohar • Centrepoint (Splash) • Crowne Plaza • National Gift Markets • Ooredoo • Pizza Hut • Safeer Mall • Sohar Beach Hotel • Sohar Port and Freezone • Sohar University

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Adventures

Cars

Y- F i

Gaming

CARS AND ADVENTURES

SPORTY ENDURANCE

We’re back behind the wheel for round two in the allnew 2019 Ferrari Portofino

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CARS AND OUTDOORS ADVENTURES

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

Y- F i

Outdoors

Destination

AMQ

SHAQUEL AL BALUSHI HEADS FOR A GEOGRAPHICAL GEM THAT LURES HIS LENS, AND HUMBLES HIM

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Cars

T

wo roads emerge from the horizon: one revealing a beaten-up sandy path and the other, a paved one.

The poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost comes to mind as we contemplate which path to take.

Our final destination is unknown but what we do know is that somewhere amidst one of these roads lie a dust bowl called Amq – our point of interest on the day of our excursion.

It’s up to us to figure out how to reach it.

Having dealt with situations like this time and again, we know it’s time to hit the dirt track.

Yet, a burrowing feeling of scrubbing mud with our pickup truck keeps us second-guessing for a good five minutes before we make up our mind.

Dirt track it is, we say, as we carry on with ‘Country Roads’

by John Denver chiming through the truck’s speakers.

As apt as the classic song is, we lumber onwards; skipping through the tracks and avoiding the sharper stones from digging through the rubber.

Twenty-five minutes pass and we’re still going strong. Our truck stands the tough terrain but our minds play games with us: have we chosen the right path?

It must be another kilometre or so before we catch the first glimpse of the dust bowl – Amq. Our two-hour-long journey through Rustaq and Batinah and into the heart of the Al Hajar mountains clearly hasn’t been a complete waste of our time, as we make the final sprint towards the bowl.

The remnants of the dust begin to show up minutes before we enter the bowl that literally translates to ‘hole’ from Arabic. However, the area has long been transformed into a village by dwellers.

All is not lost, though, as we come face-to-face with the Al Hajar mountains that peak towards the sky; almost like it’s a stairway to heaven (cue Led Zeppelin’s song of the same name).

It’s a humbling sight. Witnessing the mountains tower over you will put

even the tallest of egotists in their place. A whiff of Petrichor from the wet lands from the freshly-watered flora adds to the overall ambience of the locale.

Stunning isn’t even the word. Catching glimpses of tall – and almost vertical – peaks in Oman is rare, with much of the lands slowly graduating into a slope.

Amq, however, has a near 70-degree slope that will set fear in the guts of even the most experienced of rock climbers.

We resort to clicking pictures of the Nebraska’s Panhandle-like mountains from various angles before focusing our attention to the life within the bowl.

You wouldn’t know that you were in one of the lowest points in the country from the way the inhabitants interact. Life, it seems, is just as conventional as it is in Muscat – minus the commotion and the unnecessary mind-numbing bustle.

Just as we begin packing up, though, we come across a freshly-paved road; like one we have just seen. We follow the path to find that not only have we driven on rough roads to reach our destination, we have gone an extra five kilometres to reach the same destination.

Perhaps the moral of this story isn’t about taking risks and sticking to a game plan. But then again, readers of Y will know about how I’m not about the destination but rather about the journey.

Such is the case with my trip to Amq. Try it… if you dare.

TRAVEL GUIDE

HOW TO GET THERE

Stick to the Muscat Expressway from the capital and stay on the road until Hazm. Once there, take the exit ramp and proceed towards Rustaq, and subsequently, Fasah. You’ll need to rely on

the GPS to take you towards Amq. Make sure to stock up on supplies such as food and water, and keep your petrol tank brimmed at all times.

Coordinates: 23°17’19.9” N 57°19’43.8”E

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CARS ADVENTURES

FERRARI PORTOFINO

FIRST DRIVE

O

ne generation is all it takes to make a world of difference. At least that’s what has been the case with Ferrari’s daily driver hard-top convertible sports GT – the Portofino.

A step above in the lineup when compared with its predecessor yet miles ahead in terms of aesthetics, power and the pre-eminent factor that makes a Ferrari a real Ferrari – performance. The all-new sports GT cranks things up a notch on all fronts.

But, whether it can take on its decade-old rivals – the Bentleys, Maseratis and Porsches – is the question that will make or break what could be one of the finest Ferraris ever made.

However, what we do learn upon first glance is that it takes its German and British rivals to the cleaners with its clean, yet sharp-as-razor looks, of which more can be read in Y’s Issue 573.

Getting used to the car requires you skip everything and hop into the cabin where we assume you’ll be spending hours on end.

‘Low-slung’ (but not as much as its tauter siblings)

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Team Y’s motoring expert finds the faster ‘entry level’ member of the Italian marque a master of all it surveys

and ‘focused’ are two words to describe the car’s seating layout. Both keep the steering and the dashboard as the focal points in the otherwise minimalist cabin.

Buttons are plentiful but many of the stalks – in true Ferrari fashion –have been shifted to the steering wheel for ease of use. We’ve become accustomed to the same so much we’d rather have it on every car we test.

Aside from the steering and the habitually-red Manettino (drive-mode selector), there’s plenty to admire around you: the stitched and embossed leather seats that you sink into and relish than resort to; the 10.2-inch high-definition touchscreen that’s quick-witted and easy to navigate through than the devil’s work, which was the head unit on the Cali-T; and the general placement of buttons and vents, the designs of which were the work of a focused team than an Italian man turning up to bluff his way through the car’s engineering team (as was the case a few decades ago).

The seats are well-bolstered, offer excellent lumbar support and cushion much of the pulsations from the road that are overlooked by the ‘mangeride’ suspension.

This time around, the two seats in the back – at a stretch – are functional, too. And even if the pitch is only good enough for a child to exploit, you could squeeze in an adult (one you don’t like!) at 170cm into the two back seats.

But, hey! They won’t be complaining when they get to experience the thumping V8 up front and appreciate the baritone exhaust note – complete with the pops, bangs, and burps – in their ears.

Despite being able to haul around three other passengers around town and 292-litres (about two

medium-sized bags) worth of their luggage, the Portofino, by a long stretch, is still intended to be a driver’s car – a true Ferrari.

Life comes from Ferrari’s staple engine seen in the GTC4 Lusso T – the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 up front that yields 600hp and 760Nms of torque.

But, it only tells us one side of the story: this time around, it’s meaner than the California T but is tuned in way to serve up torque and power only when you most require it.

This motor is mated to Ferrari’s legendary seven-speed dualclutch from its predecessor but benefits from newly-tweaked software that helps maintain a different approach on the road depending on the drive mode (Comfort, Sport, or ESC Off) the Manettino is switched towards.

They aren’t mucking about

D e s t i n at i o n

either. The ‘Rarri will power its way towards the 100kph mark in a mere 3.5 seconds in ‘Sport’ mode with the aid of launch control but will effectively maintain a smoother, softer, and fuel-efficient drive – shifting gears sooner than later – when kept in ‘Comfort’ mode. Meanwhile, the 200kph milestone is achieved in 10.8 seconds before the engine runs out of steam at 320kph.

Power from the high-revving engine is served up linearly than in dollops (like the Bentley Continental GT), offering up peak power at an astonishing 7,500rpm while twist is maintained in a healthy band between 3,000 and 5,500rpm. The former is achieved by an increased pressure combustion chamber, revised connecting rods, pistons and a single-case exhaust manifold.

Po s t c a r d s Fr o m

Y-Fi

Turbo-lag is unnoticeable to the point at which we’d like to claim it’s non-existent, and there’s a general sense of urgency to the eager crank once the torque kicks in.

The staggered wheel set-up – completed

by Pirelli PZeros – helps cope well with the latter, only kicking up rubber and smoke when you really slam the pedal to the metal.

Else, in ‘Comfort’ mode, there’s a restraint to the gas pedal – keeping the gears as high as it possibly can and the revs to a minimum.

The changes are noticeable – this is the best sports-GT to have come from the Ferrari stables.

Driving feel, again, depends on the driving mode you’re in. The all-electric quick-ratio steering wheel is a breeze around town but firms up and offers a balanced feel; trading harshness for smoothness but without sacrificing driving feel and responsiveness.

This is also the case with the handling dynamics.

As we only had the car for a short period (six hours, tops), we couldn’t push the Portofino to its limits. But, on-road dynamics is superior – the drive is smooth on tarmac and loose gravel – owing to its new suspension set-up that’s completed by the latest evolution of the magnetorheological damping system (SCM-E). In ‘Sport’ mode, however, the Portofino doles out stiffer springs for better handling.

Body roll is kept to a minimum and the low center of gravity helps in taking sharp turns with no real drama. Pushing the car harder into corners will reveal oversteer that can be easily repressed by the opposite-locking of the steering that works in tandem with the F1-Trac traction control and the electronic rear differentia (E-Diff3).

However, we’d love to have had the oversteertaming Side Slip Control system fitted to the car.

Stopping power is achieved by carbonceramics – all four of which are easily the most useable we’ve tested on roads. They heat up quickly to offer smooth

Gaming

CARS

FERRARI PORTOFINO Specifications: • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 • Transmission: Seven-speed ‘dual-clutch’ automatic • Power: 600hp • Torque: 760Nms • Top Speed: 320kph Rear-wheel drive Cruise control 10.2-inch infotainment screen 18-way adjustable seats F1-trac traction control E-Diff3 electronic differential Exclusive leather upholstery Manettino dial w/ selective driving modes 20-inch alloy wheels Folding metal roof 292-litre boot Navigation system Quad exhausts

ESSENTIALLY, A REPLACEMENT TO THE LONG-RUNNING, IF A BIT WORN, CALIFORNIA AND CALIFORNIA T, THE PORTOFINO TINKERS WITH FERRARI’S STYLE-AND DRIVEGUIDES – AND GOLLY, IT SHOWS. braking and keep the squealing to a minimum when compared with some of this car’s rivals. The brake feel is splendid and the variations on temperature in the brakes hardly affect the brake force.

Throughout all this, you’ll also be treated to the Portofino’s exhaust. We didn’t find it to be as raw as that of the 488GTB but the system is more intuitive this time around, opening valves in the quad tips depending on the rev range and the mode you’re in.

Not only does this dial down the NVH (noise, vibrations, and harshness) levels inside the car, it also harks back to the true GT nature that customers hope to experience.

The Portofino is Ferrari’s answer to the Germans and British engineers. Real talk that’s backed up by performance, speed, and comfort – the three marks expected from a thoroughbred grand tourer.

Italy doesn’t do humble but Ferrari’s take on the segment completely redefines the way we see GT cars. In fact, pegging the Portofino as simple sports-GT is an insult. This may well be the first car to don the super-GT moniker. The Portofino, then, can proudly wear the prancing horse on its chest… and boast about it.

035

&

CARS ADVENTURES

COLOURFUL KOCHI The vibrant Keralite city

continues to be a melting pot of cultures and influences

1. Visit the Kumbalangi Integrated Tourism Village for a rural backwaters experience.

2. Relish traditional Keralite cuisine at Kochi’s numerous ‘thattukadas’.

3. Explore the Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary in the heart of the city.

4. Take a trip through history at the old capital of Tripunithura.

5. Pamper yourself with a traditional ayurvedic spa treatment.

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Destination

Cars

Y-Fi

Gaming

POSTCARDS FROM

Aftab H. Kola recommends

KOCHI, KERALA, INDIA T

he photo of iconic Chinese fishing nets on the seafront in any media platform says it all.

The destination is Kochi, part of the historic Spice Route and Kerala’s cosmopolitan city that is famous for its bustling spice markets, serene backwaters and colonial-era structures and multicultural, multi-ethnic population.

A verdant strip crisscrossed by water bodies, Kochi is now a top international art destination. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, held under the aegis of Kochi Biennale Foundation last March, featured some 90 artistic projects across 10 venues of the city with trends in visual aesthetics around the globe. Kochi is packed with heritage and history. Fort Kochi is the soul of the city.

Among the premier heritage edifices that bring alive the history is the Vasco House in Fort Kochi. Vasco da Gama is believed to have lived in this splendid Portuguese house. St. Francis Church and Santa Cruz Basilica, in Fort Kochi, are truly amazing. The Dutch Palace has a fine collection of mural paintings and is located in Mattancherry. The Bolghatty Palace on Bolghatty Island is just a short boat ride away from the mainland. The former Dutch palace has been converted to a hotel run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC). The island has a tiny golf course, and the panoramic views of the port and the harbour makes it an attractive picnic spot. If time permits, do hop into the Willingdon Island now home to the Kochi Port.

If you are a beach bum then Cherai, Munnumbam, Puthuvype, Kuzhipally, Vypeen and Fort Koch are some of the city’s well-known beaches. For kids’ entertainment visit the Veega Land, which is a massive amusement park. Or, simply, amble on the Marine Drive especially late afternoon or early evening. At Marine Drive, board a small vessel that leisurely makes takes you around the harbour, offering spectacular views of the Kochi skyline.

From the ancient traditional art forms like Koodiyattam, Kathakali, Chavittunatakam, classical music and dance to contemporary dance, arts shows and theatre fests, you will find them all in this arty city. For those interested in culture and history, Dutch Palace museum, Kerala Folklore Theatre and Museum, Naval Maritime Museum, Museum of Kerala Arts and History, Hill Palace Museum, Indo Portuguese Museum are not to be missed.

C H IN E S E F IS H IN SHORE O F K O C G N E T S L IN E TH H I’ S W A TERFR E ONT

S E B OA T S IC ON IC H OU K E R A L A ’S A T E R S OF PLY THE W HA ALAPPUZ

My favourite place Fort Kochi is the most happening place. Be amazed watching the traditional giant Chinese Fishing Nets (Cheenavala) on the beach. These ancient fish hauling contraptions date back to the years of foreign trade with the Kerala coast. Just stroll around Fort Kochi including the beach; its bustling streets are dotted with graceful heritage structures, chic cafés, local food kiosks, souvenir stores and spice bazaars, etc.

Highlights Enjoy a houseboat cruise on Vembanad Lake, the hub of backwater tourism in Kerala; with Alleppey (Alappuzha) at one end and Kumarakom at the other end. It’s not far away from Kochi. You can create picturesque scenes of an eyecatching inter-play between lush earth and meandering water channels flanked on either side by picture-postcard hamlets. Alternatively, hire a houseboat for a day cruise or for an overnight stay on the Vembanad Lake. Elegant airconditioned cabins, a dining area, a cozy sitting area upfront, upper deck and kitchenette all add to the uniqueness of the experience. There are many resorts at Alleppey as well as Kumarakom.

Lowlights None.

Souvenirs Fresh spices, antique items, coffee, ayurvedic massage oils, traditional kasavu saris, model snake boats carved

from rosewood, knick-knacks made from coconut shells.

Getting there Oman Air and Air India Express fly to Kochi from Muscat on a regular basis.

Where to stay The five-star Le Meridian Kochi embracing lush 18 acres and enveloped on two sides with serene backwaters, is the perfect option.

FRESH

V E G IS PL N IG H T E N T IF U L A T K MARK O C H I’ S ETS

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-FI THE TECH IN YOU

D e s t i n at i o n

Cars

Gaming

Y-FI

VOICE-ACTIVATED TECH

Team Y’s Geek Squad looks to the power of the voice to make life easier for everybody IN CONTROL Whether you like it or not, technology is taking over the world around us. And while that could raise privacy, safety and concerns, it is expected to make our everyday lives easier. Falling into such a realm of devices is the ivee – a voice-activated (duh!) gadget that can control everything from your lights to your audio system and even the TV and a/c in your home.

The battery-powered device also comes with dual-microphones for accuracy, a light and temperature sensor, and FM radio. Our favourite feature, however, is the added functionality for apps such as Spotify (for music streaming) and Lockitron (a home safety assistant). It’ll only set you back RO11.2 from amazon.com.

SAFETY FIRST SMART WATCH Calling the Mont Blanc Summit 2 a smart watch is a crime; it’s a work of art. The Swiss-made watch blends premium watch materials with top-notch craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology. Enclosed in a 42mm titanium watch body and protected by sapphire glass, the smart watch takes the crown with Google’s Wear OS, which comes with its own voice assistant as well. The device can take commands and can execute them from within the watch itself. It can also read your messages, emails, and help control home apps by simply using your voice. On the hardware side of things, you get a heart rate monitor, gyroscope, NFC for payments, accelerometer, GPS, and access to Google Play. Get yours from montblanc.com for RO383.

It’s every biker’s dream turned into a reality. The Skully Fenix AR takes a forward-thinking approach to a rider’s safety with its new carbon-fibre smart helmet. Not only will it protect your head in the event of a crash; while driving, it will also display vital information such as your speed, turn-by-turn navigation, and a feed from a camera mounted on the rear for viewing traffic. All of this is then presented to the driver on a heads-up display mounted on the helmet visor. As an added treat, the helmet will play music and take voice commands to avoid taking your eyes from the road and your hands from the handles. Buy this from skully.com for RO730.9.

HI ALEXA

EDITOR’S PICK

WE DON’T SUPPOSE COMING UP WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY IS A BIG ASK WHEN YOU’RE THE WORLD’S RICHEST HUMAN AND HAVE A SLEW OF INNOVATORS WORKING FOR YOU. BUT, DUE CREDIT MUST GO TO AMAZON’S JEFF BEZOS FOR CONSTANTLY MODERNISING HIS ALREADY SOPHISTICATED LINEUP OF OFFERINGS. TAKING THE CENTRESTAGE IS THE COMPANY’S ALEXA VOICE-ASSISTANT WITH THE ECHO DOT. THE SMART SPEAKER – WHICH IS ALREADY THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING ONE – COMES WITH VOICE RECOGNITION AND ADDED FUNCTIONALITY TO TAKE ACTIONS BASED ON YOUR COMMANDS. THE ECHO DOT, WHICH IS NOW IN ITS THIRD GENERATION, CAN CONTROL THE LIGHTS IN YOUR HOME, NARRATE YOUR AUDIO BOOKS, PLAY MUSIC, ADJUST THERMOSTATS AND LIGHTS, AND SYNC UP WITH OTHER ALEXA-ENABLED DEVICES – ALL WITH A SIMPLE VOICE COMMAND. AMAZON BOASTS THE ECHO DOT CAN PERFORM MORE THAN 50,000 TASKS. GET YOURS FROM AMAZON.COM FOR RO19.24.

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Top July Game Releases

Team Y’s Geek Squad is settling down for some serious sofa time this summer, with the best selections around

of the third season of science fictionhorror television series, Stranger Things, and you’ll be left with ‘The Game’. The beat ‘em up-style game will include 12 characters from the original series, and will feature a gaming engine from the 1990s. It’ll still be a hit, considering how much we loved its prequels.

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PC, iOS, Android

T

he holiday season is upon us.

That means the gaming arena in the Sultanate is slowly but steadily coming alive this July with several hot titles expected to make their way onto the shelves.

Whether you’re a fan of the Wolfenstein franchise or get around with simpler titles – think ‘Ace Combat’ and ‘The Sims 4’ – there’s something for everyone to dip their toes in.

To see where we stand this month, check out the top four games we’re eagerly waiting to get our hands on.

WOLFENSTEIN: YOUNGBLOOD

This is, without a doubt, the coolest game we’ll get our hands on this year.

We’re not sure if it’s our fandom speaking without boundaries but we haven’t been let down by a Wolfenstein title… ever (!) We’re sticking to our gut for 2019, too, as we take to the helm of a complex story surrounding two sisters Jess and Soph Blazkowicz who must seek to find their father, and in the process, also help the French Resistance liberate the country from the Nazis post-World War II. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Google Stadia

RED FACTION: GUERRILLA RE-MARS-TERED

They did it. Renowned publishers of the Red Faction title, THQ, have remastered one of the all-time great games – 'Red Faction: Guerrilla' – from 2009. Keep aside the obtuse and almost chuckle-

worthy ‘Re-Mars-Tered’ bit from the title and you’ll be left with a third-person shooter title revolving around the Red Faction community on Mars, who you (protagonist Alec Mason) must help to liberate from the oppressive Earth Defense Force (EDF). The new take on the game will keep the busy and intriguing plotline intact but incorporate newer elements such as environment damage and 4K resolution support for consoles.

Platforms: PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

STRANGER THINGS 3: THE GAME

Those from the bygone eras of unevolved 16-bit computer graphics will know the fear it brought on the screen with mystery/horror games. Combine those crude graphics with the plotline

MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: BLACK ORDER

Marvel movies are great; their games – aside from those set in the Spiderverse – not so much. At least that’s the consensus among gamers of this era.

Aiming to break such stereotypes are developers, Team Ninja; and publishers, Nintendo who have crafted an original storyline around this new title for gamers on the Nintendo Switch. The game will let the user choose from 35 characters upon release, but will increase its limit to beyond 50 with downloadable content.

And yes, you can take the role of Iron Man or Thor from the Avengers. Just keep in mind that this will be the first time Switch users will benefit from an exclusive storyline – so keep your eyes open for any subtle hints on a future Marvel movie.

Platforms: Nintendo Switch.

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

COMFORTABLY CHIC

The summer’s hottest activewear is all about breathable pieces that you can move in, like this sportychic ensemble from Prada that will keep you looking cool in and out of the gym.

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Health

Beauty

FASHION

T t Ge

k o o L e h

, 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

Forget the tangled cords and go hands-free on your next run with a sleek pair of Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones – the only fitness buddy you’ll need. Invest in them for RO76.5.

Sweat it out in spin class in a salmon-hued tee from H&M. Its recycled polyester fabric is both fast-drying and functional. Buy it for RO6.9.

Still borrowing your brother’s old gym-bag to lug your kit to Crossfit?

Ditch the duffel and up the style-factor with an attention-grabbing shrugon pack from Adidas for the ultimate style statement. Own it for RO16.5.

A good pair of trainers does so much more than take you that extra mile on the treadmill – trainers take you where you want to go, in every sense.

We love the ultra-comfort and breathability of the new Nike Air VaporMax line. They fit like a glove and are worth the RO73 price-tag.

Never underestimate a good pair of bottom basics. We’re pretty sure you’ll want to live in this pair of Prana yoga leggings on and off the mat, as the soft stretch jersey fabric and built-in moisture wicking are like a second skin.

Grab them for RO30.4.

When you’ve got vinyasa with the girls at 1:00 p.m. and errands with the hubby at 2:00 p.m., this silky creaseprint dress from Lululemon Athletica is the only post-yoga garment you’ll need. Dress it up or down, either way you’ll shine with that stylish (postworkout!) glow. Price: RO64.5.

Who says you can’t have a little sparkle when you work out? Channel some fruit bowl bling with these punchy little studs from M&S – we especially love those pineapples! Wear them and juice up for RO3.6.

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HEALTH&

Health

BEAUTY

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All TRESSED UP

Summer’s standout looks for locks are all about gravitating away from the standard ‘beach-hair-don’tcare’ in favour of something uniquely fresh

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emember when celebs would spend precious time and serious dough on getting the perfect beach-babe tresses?

From sun-kissed highlights to carefully-crafted tangles, and products like Bumble & Bumble’s Surf Spray; we were all jonesin’ after those wavy tousles a la Gwyneth Paltrow and Sarah Jessica Parker circa 1998.

Twenty years later and it’s a case of ‘been there, done that’. There’s only so much you can do with your hair in an Omani summer, you might reckon. It’s hot, humid; and going au naturel seems the most humane thing to do, rather than subject your locks to the indiscriminate heat of a blow-dryer.

But to be honest, we’re bored.

It’s 2019 now and we’re craving something new for our go-to summer ‘do. Thankfully, this season’s delivered some top-notch style inspo that’s not just wavy tresses and top-knots. Here are a few looks you’ll love!

The 90s bob

If there’s one throwback we can get behind this season it’s this iconoclastic hair-do. We’re bowing down to the chin-grazing bob and its versatility as a summer-style staple. The length keeps your hair off your neck when it’s super-sticky out, and it can be tailored to suit just about any face-shape with a few shaggy layers, a blunt fringe, or an asymmetrical cut.

Product we love: Keep your bob playful and choppy with a palmful of OGX’s Locking + Coconut Curls Decadent Creamy Mousse (RO2.6).

Shadow play

Ombré is fading (we promise no pun intended!) in favour of a more natural gradient when it comes to sun-dipped locks. Enter ‘shadow roots’. Arguably one of summer’s most gorgeous hair-trends, gone are those thick three-inch ombré fades, with a lighter colour instead starting about one-inch from your natural roots. It all allows for more alluring highlights and a more natural grow-out.

Product we love: Keep your sun-kissed streaks classy,

not brassy, with a toning shampoo that will keep you golden.

We absolutely love Oribe Bright Blonde Shampoo for Beautiful Color (RO19).

Shagadelic

This isn’t your 1970s dated crop.

For 2019, the midlength shag gets a summer upgrade with a wispy fringe and long face-framing tendrils perfect for the ultimate windswept selfie. It’s a style that’s almost effortlessly easy when hitting the beach, and its lush layers add instant height to curly hair and volume to baby-fine strands.

Product we love: Be it everso-humble there’s no tool more well-used and suited to the task than the classic Velcro roller to define your do and add bountiful body to your hair. Hot Tools Professional Pro Waves Thermal Rollers (RO3.2) are just the ticket for your tresses. ■

Beauty

HEALTH

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BACK TO NATURE

As some lucky Omanis head for the lush serenity of Salalah for khareef, Martina Mason examines the health benefits of a verdant environment

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walk in the woods has always been a means of escape from the modern strains of life.

And now even conservationists say the Japanese practice of ‘forest bathing’, or shinrinyoku, is ideal for reducing levels of stress.

Of course, Oman is not a nation over-endowed with green spaces despite its many wondrous physical assets.

However, the khareef season will see many of us heading down to Salalah to revel in its pleasant pastures.

Simply put, the colour green is associated with nature and with being clean, fresh, and ultimately easy on the eye.

Experts at the American Psychological Association have done research that explains the mental and physical boost we get from all things green.

It’s a process that governs how we design our homes and outdoor spaces, and where we take our holidays.

Of course, lovers of nature always seem to be healthier, happy, and easier to deal with.

And a recent study by the University of Derby in the UK has confirmed it.

Research recently identified contact, emotion, compassion, and engagement with natural beauty as ways that help people to feel closer to nature.

The legendary British naturalist Sir David Attenborough is in no doubt about the links of mental health and nature.

He says: “There is very strong evidence that people who spend time with the natural world benefit mentally to an extraordinary degree.

“Relaxing and looking at things that are true and important and have been like that before we arrived, and for long after we have gone; it’s

clinically now been demonstrated that doing that actually…helps to bring people happiness, confidence, and relaxation; all very important things in this modern world in which we live.”

The Japanese practice of taking woodland walks should be prescribed as a way of relieving stress, conservationists at the UK’s Woodland Trust are now saying.

Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, requires walkers to breathe deeply and open all their senses to the environment.

It has been estimated that about five million Japanese do, and revive both their bodies and minds as a result.

So maybe it’s something we can try and emulate if we’re lucky enough to head down to Salalah this summer.

As we all know, Salalah is one of the very few places in the GCC region that has a monsoon season, which runs from July to September.

During that time, its normally brown landscape and surroundings evolve into a verdant and lush environment that offer a cool respite from summer in the city.

No wonder we all want to go there at this time of year!

And for those lucky enough to do so, there’s no question any trip should be beneficial to all its lucky visitors.

But why? Well, simply because, as Sir David says, of the exposure to all things green.

In Salalah, we can enjoy Wadi Darbat, which at this time of year is almost as green as a Hebridean isle in Scotland. Kids in Oman often react to it as if they were seeing snow for the first time.

And there’s also Al Mughsayl Beach, which is as bracing and rejuvenating a coastline as any you’ll find in the English county of Cornwall. Its green-

strewn coastline buffets walkers with cascades of ocean spray, as they take in the view of the commanding clifftops that engulf it.

But why is the natural environment so good for us? Here are some reasons:

1. It helps us recover from stress as green is simply a restful colour to look at.

2. It helps to promote social contact. We are more likely to chat and make time for others in a rural environment.

3. It provides us with a sense of purpose, to make more of our time and to use it productively.

4. It offers us the ideal place to walk, take photographs, breathe fresh air, and spend more time with our loved ones.

If you’re off to Salalah soon, enjoy yourselves! ■

(Sources: APA, Wageningen University, BBC, Sam Chui, MIND)

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TEAS, PLEASE!

Make your Wimbledon viewing party a tasty affair with some tea time recipes that will go down a treat!

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New Restaurant

Reviews

Fruit scones

TennisTEAS With the world’s greatest tennis tournament happening right now, Gemma Harrison picks some of her favourite tea time treats to make before you sit down to watch

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s well as being the world’s top tennis tournament, Wimbledon is an English and British tradition as entrenched as Royal Ascot, Morris dancing, or Trooping the Colour.

And it’s not just about watching tennis matches, either. One of the reasons why you may see rows of empty seats on the show-courts is that the fans (and especially those in the Royal Box) like to have some refreshment between matches. It’s all part of the fun and the tradition.

Watching every cough and spit of a five-set duel between two of the game’s masters can be hungry and thirsty work.

Therefore, the prospect of some sustenance in Wimbledon’s elegant tea tent will be the order of play for many.

Happily, we can create this feeling in our own homes, or even have it served to us in Muscat.

The prospect of perfectly-brewed tea in pristine white china cups, as well as three-tiered cake stands groaning with an irresistible array of luscious sandwiches, cakes, and buns is simply irresistible.

Here are some staples that are easy to do and are English to a T.

Cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches Yes, ridiculously easy to make, but cucumber sandwiches came into being courtesy of colonels in India during the Raj era. As cucumbers are 80 per cent water, the British top brass wanted a snack that was light, and refreshing. And the tradition has endured.

Ingredients: § 12 slices of bread, half white, half brown § 300 gm soft cheese (use light if you prefer) § ½ cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

§ Layer the cucumber on half the bread and sandwich with the other half of the slices.

Method: Trim the crusts, then cut each into fingers, § Spread the white bread and rectangles or in any shape you like. brown bread with some soft cheese. Season.

(Source: BBC Good Food Guide)

No English tea is complete § Now sprinkle in the dried fruit, without them, and making pour in the beaten egg and add them couldn’t be easier three tablespoons of milk. Start to mix to a if you observe all the dough with a knife, then bring the mixture conventions of baking (cold together using your hands – it should be hands etc). Fruit scones a soft but not a sticky dough, so add more (raisins, sultanas) are the milk (a teaspoon at a time) if the dough perennials but they can be seems too dry. Form the dough into a plain, with cheese, or made ball and turn it out onto a lightly-floured with wholemeal flour. working surface.

They’re also best enjoyed § Now, with a floured rolling pin, roll it out when freshly-baked, very lightly to a thickness of about 3 cm. warm, and with butter; or (This thickness is vital. The reason scones (when cooler) with jam don’t rise enough is because they’re rolled and cream. But the jury is too thinly.) Then take the pastry-cutter out on the age-old debate and tap it sharply so that it goes straight of what goes on first – jam through the dough – do not twist or the then cream or vice versa? scones will turn out a strange shape!

Queen Elizabeth prefers § When you’ve cut as many as you can, to put her jam on first. knead the remaining dough together And when HM The Queen again and repeat. Then place the scones settles an argument, it on the baking tray, dust each one with stays settled. flour and bake near the top of the oven for 12–15 minutes. When they’re done Ingredients: they will have risen and turned a golden § 225 gm, self-raising flour brown. Remove them to a cooling tray and § 40 gm, golden caster serve very fresh, split, and spread with sugar butter. § 75 gm, spreadable butter (Source: deliaOnline) § 50 gm, mixed dried fruit § 1 large egg, beaten § about 3-4 Tbsp milk, to mix § a little extra flour Method: § First sift the flour into a bowl then add the sugar and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks crumbly.

Eton Mess Ingredients: § 900 gm, strawberries § 2 tsp, caster or vanilla sugar § 2 tsp, pomegranate juice § 480 ml, whipping cream § 1 packet individual meringue nests Method: § Pierce and chop the strawberries and put into a bowl and add the sugar and pomegranate juice and leave to soften while you whip the cream.

Wimbledon’s fans will be § Whip the cream in a large bowl until paying about £3 (RO1.5) for thick but still soft. Roughly crumble six plump strawberries doused in four of the meringue nests. You will in runny, single cream at one need chunks for texture as well as a of the takeaway stands. But little fine dust. if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, why not attempt § Take out about half a cupful of the chopped strawberries, and fold the Eton Mess? It’s a traditional meringue cream and rest of the fruit English dessert so named mixture together. as it was believed to have originated at Eton College, the § Arrange on four serving plates or glasses, or in a mound, and top each Victorian (and very expensive with some of the remaining macerated school) attended by Princes strawberries.

William and Harry, as well as many of the UK’s top (male) (Source: Nigella Lawson/Food Network) politicians.

With so many British expats in the Sultanate, one could hardly blame them for seeking out places in Oman that offer up some top-notch tea time treats.

Alas, we haven’t tried all these Muscat establishments – yet!

• Al Bustan Palace – A Ritz-Carlton Hotel • Grand Hyatt Muscat • Chado Tea Lounge • Boulevard Tea House, Kempinski Hotel Muscat • Stassen Tea Lounge JUL 04 - 10 / ISSUE 575

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REVIEWS

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ge Bud

Info Box

DÖNER & GYROS Ground floor, The Walk, Al Mouj Contact: (+968) 2257-4950 Dinner for two: RO12.18

Verdict : 8/10 SERVICE 8/10 FOOD 7/10 AMBIENCE

Kebab and gyro shop serving filling portions of street-food takeaway classics that skimp on the grease, not on the flavour.

Y Magazine reviews anonymously and pays for its meals

DÖNER & GYROS TEAM Y IS IN A HAND-HELD HURRY TO SAMPLE STREET FOOD’S ULTIMATE ON-THE-GO OFFERING AT THIS NEW AL MOUJ OUTLET

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fter a few hours of overtime on a deadline crunch, nothing short of a Netflix marathon and a takeaway will do – the badder-for-you-thebetter. This was the frame of mind we were in one weekday evening after a long day at the office; our focus singular and simplistic. Get home, get food – fast.

The closest oasis of eateries on our drive towards 18th November Street was Al Mouj; and with myriad new openings along its pedestrianfriendly The Walk, we thought we would nip in for a quick grab-and-go. Wanting something hearty, comforting, and quick; we’d heard rumblings about the new Döner & Gyros that had just opened its air-conditioned doors.

There’s something undeniably crave-worthy about this ‘shawarma style’ of street food – succulent strips of meat cooked on a spit, shaved, wrapped, slathered with sauce and fixings and a heaping helping of fries. When done right it’s fast, it’s hot, it’s dripping with flavour; and is probably one of the world’s most recognisable fast foods.

It doesn’t get much more deliciously simple than that nor should it. It’s a combo that’s gone on to define the various cultural street food identities of more than a few nations – from the shawarmas of Egypt, to the gyros of Greece, and the döner kebabs of Turkey.

Tonight, that sounded like ‘job done’ to us!

Having just recently opened a matter of weeks ago, hunger and curiosity have brought the crowds out – and there’s a line-up at the till to place our order. Through the semi-open kitchen

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Döner & Gyros house-made sauces – a creamy, garlicky tzatziki; a barbecue-style sweetly-spiced tomato-based sauce; and a spicy lemon and herb mayo.

All were standout accompaniments that enhanced the dish’s already stellar depth of flavour.

The Berlin Döner was another hit with a toasted-to-perfection waffle pitta enclosing juicy morsels of chicken and beef; topped with fresh tomatoes, onion, and cabbage and slathered with said sauces. The onion rings were also a surprise standout, with a delicate bread-crumbing foregoing our expectation of stodgy, battered greasy rings.

Lastly, the portion of Dönermite Fries was – as the name suggests, an explosion of flavour.

Served in a bowl, poutine-style, they consisted of a mound of fries buried under thickly-shaved slabs of rotisserie chicken and topped with all three of Döner & Gyros’ decadent sauces with a lashing of pickled jalapeños as the savoury equivalent of the cherry-on-top.

While the flavour was potent, the only downside we could claim was that the whole shebang was a bit too over-drenched in condiments, which resulted in a bit of a gloopy mess towards the bottom of the bowl. This dish, while delicious, is better eaten in rather than taken away.

Did Döner & Gyros deliver above expectation?

Without a doubt. Were we surprised? Yes. Was our meal fast food? Surely – but with an elevated execution that’s led our taste-buds to believe there could be hope yet for an industry that desperately needs a new benchmark. ■

area we can see vertical rotisseries of juicy beef and chicken slowing grilling away. There’s a casually-comfortable seating area adorned with wood-topped tables and splashes of décor in the brand’s colour palette of orange, white, and black.

It all makes for a cozy space for both eat-in or takeaway.

Tonight, it’s unequivocally the latter for us as, scanning their moreish menu, we order up a beef Gyro Platter to share, one of their classic Berlin Döners with a side of onion rings, and a portion of their Dönermite Fries with chicken. The service was friendly and our order came relatively fast in spite of the evening rush at the counter.

As is the trade-off with takeaway, by the time we reached home the food needed a bit of reheating with a short zap in the microwave, while we crossed our fingers the pitta bread and onion rings wouldn’t become soggy.

Arranging our spread, we tuck in – starting with the Gyro Platter, which came with a mountainous Do you have a favourite restaurant that you’d like to see portion of delicately-shaved beef strips, triangles reviewed? Let Y know at editor@y-oman.com. of puffy pitta and a Greek salad.

The meat was surprisingly lean and non-oily for a restaurant of this stripe, and the pitta bread fresh and fluffy – the perfect fodder for our little buildyour-own mini-gyros we were trying our hand at. Full disclosure – this writer despises fast food salads that tend to be brown and wilted with very little nutrition to justify their existence on a drivethru menu.

But the Gyro Platter’s Greek salad surprised us.

The lettuce, onion, tomato and green capsicum were crunchy and fresh; with slices of black olives and cubes of creamy feta rounding it out nicely.

Accompanying the platter was a selection of