The travels and musings of Matt and Heidi
Early mornings in the desert show you how lively the nights must have been. Small shrubs glistened with dew drops and the footprints of various animals lined the sandy floor like a dance studio for beginners. Before the heat of the day the desert offers up a serene landscape filled with birdsong, camel grunts and... Continue Reading →
Hamid is a Bedouin. His family have lived in the desert for generations. He is one of three sons and two daughters. His family live in the local village, breed camels and run a desert camp where people can experience some of what life is like. Hamid welcomed us to Nomadic Desert Camp and after we... Continue Reading →
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 →
Growing up in Sydney's eastern suburbs meant sun, sand, surf and a wonderful life outdoors. Ok, I wasn't much of a surfer, too uncoordinated! But that didn't stop me from hanging out here - Maroubra Beach. The South Maroubra rock pools were always full of interesting crustaceans, anemones, sea squirts (aka cunjevoi) and the odd... 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 →
Our final post on Islamic Art and Architecture looks at the military. The 15th century war mask above was used in both Turkey and western Iran to motivate troops. The story told to us by the guide was that the commanding officer would charge into battle wearing the mask. Should he be killed then the... Continue Reading →
Astrolabes, like the one above, were used throughout the Islamic world for many centuries mainly to determine prayer time and the direction of Mecca.
Here are some of the finer things in life including the emerald wine cup (above) from India c1605. Wait! What? Wine?? 😉
The Museum of Islamic Art had a fascinating section that included ceramics, textiles and woodwork dating back to the 7th century. Here are just some of the stunning samples we saw, such as the Turkish tile above c1560, that uses a technique called 'fritware' in which ground glass is mixed with the clay and baked... Continue Reading →
During a recent visit to the city of Doha, Qatar, we were fortunate enough to spend an hour in the Museum of Islamic Art (above) on the picturesque Corniche. Throughout the rest of Ramadan we will share with you some of the centuries old culture we experienced, beginning with Everyday Life. Stall holder from the... Continue Reading →
Wish You Were Here 