The travels and musings of Matt and Heidi
Ana has lived in Muscat for several years and took us into the desert for 24 hours. First stop Wadi Bani Khalid. Drive over the mountains that frame Muscat one side (the sea is on the other) and into a valley of desert, mountains, villages and trails. What does wadi mean? Wadi is an Arabic... Continue Reading →
According to Wikipedia, in 1992 His Royal Highness Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said held a competition to design and build a Grand Mosque. Construction took six years to complete and the result is a stunning reflection of Islamic architecture. The mosque occupies an area of approximately 416,000 square metres and can accommodate up to 20,000... Continue Reading →
This incredible building is called the Muhammad Al Ameen Mosque and is situated just off 23rd July Street in the district of Bausher, near our home. Named after the Prophet Muhammed it was privately financed to the cost of 40million Omani rials and bears the third largest carpet in the world costing around US$4million to... Continue Reading →
Kahwa is traditional Omani coffee. The core ingredients are ground cardamom pods and good quality Arabic coffee beans. Other spices such as cloves, cinnamon or saffron are added to the brewing process and these can differ from village to village, and from family member to family member. The method is simple: 1.) Take a kettle... Continue Reading →
Halwa is the national desert of Oman and a symbol of the countries heritage and culture. The taste is unique to the family that makes it and the recipe is handed down from generation to generation. The method of producing halwa has been preserved for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years as grandparents teach their grandchildren... Continue Reading →
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and begins after the night that the crescent of the new moon is sighted. This can vary by a day or two amongst Muslim nations and this year Oman's Moon Sighting Main Committee, led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Salmi the Minister of Awqaf and Religious... Continue Reading →
And summer has only just begun :-O
The kids at OURPLANET International School in Muscat, Oman have been attending 'Fun with Food' co-curricular activities after hours, learning about nutrition and enjoying some healthy snacks along the way. Obviously the students have rather discerning palettes for all things red... ...except when it comes to vegetables 🙂
You can get pretty much anything here - some stores even stock pork in sections for non-muslims (the local version of turkey 'bacon' does not appeal I must admit). There are also a lot of western clothing shops - Next, Monsoon, Matalan etc, along with the usual assortment of techie, chemists and jewelry shops etc. What... Continue Reading →
First impressions of Muscat, Oman We are week 2 of living in the suburb of Bausher in Muscat, Oman. Still missing a dining table etc our apartment has a 'nearly moved in' look. The view makes up for it. Curious about the new place we find ourselves in we did some research: Oman has... Continue Reading →
Wish You Were Here 