A few years have passed since our escape to Oman. Its mix of culture, history, fantastic landscapes nestled between the blue of the sea and the orange of the desert are something that is difficult to forget. You have often asked me about this destination and in this article I will answer your questions!
Where exactly is Oman?!
Oman is located in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. It’s the third largest country after Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It is a magical place if you consider that 80% of its surface is covered by deserts and therefore almost completely uninhabited!
Can you go to the sea in Oman and also discover its culture?
Of course! The Sultanate of Oman has 4 governorates: Muscat, with the capital. Musadam, on the Strait of Hormuz. Dohfar in the south, known for its white beaches, the desert and its “Wadi”. Buraimi with its castles. We chose Salalah as our base camp, the capital of the Dhofar Governorate. It is the center of the incense trade until the 13th century. Salalah overlooks the Indian Ocean, nestled between the mountains. It offers the opportunity to relax under the palm trees and explore its surroundings where you can discover culture, mystery!
What can we eat in Oman?!
Omani cuisine offers meat-based dishes, especially chicken and lamb, rice, fish and vegetables. Some typical dishes are meshkak, a kebab, or majboos. It’s spiced rice with chicken, halwa, sweet, prepared with semolina, sugar, honey, dates and rose water. Then you add almonds and cardamom, then simmer. We were lucky enough to taste it during our experience. We also tried to replicate it at home…with mediocre results!
Any tips for respecting Omani culture?
Choose appropriate clothing, covering knees and legs (for both men and women) even if you are not entering a mosque. Always accept what they offer during a meal. Haggle in the markets to gain respect, although it is not as easy as it seems!
The greatest emotion you felt during the trip?
“Entering” the Rub’ Al-Khali, the “Empty Quarter”. The name is due to a legend. When Allah divided the earth into four parts, he made the sky, the land, the sea but did not fill the fourth space.
I still remember the mix of amazement, wonder, shock and emotion in getting out of the 4X4 and finding myself wrapped in a golden and iridescent blanket, something made of living and vibrant waves, changeable and silent that shape the landscape in an instant, as if under the effect of a spell. The soft and warm sand under my feet, walking slowly, with light steps, as if for fear of awakening that fascinating element from its hypnotic sleep. Moreover, I remember the sense of peace that pervaded that immense place, of which I felt like a microscopic grain.
Nature and animals in Oman?
Nature shows its lush side in the Wadis, canyons carved into the rock by the rivers. The most beautiful ones are in the south of the country! Not far from Salalah you can find Wadi Darbat. Rich in springs, scenic waterfalls and above all populated by a large number of dromedaries, the symbolic animal of Oman!
Is Omani incense really so precious?!
Absolutely! We had the opportunity to visit a plantation where people grow Boswellia sacra, the tree from which Frankincense is obtained, a word formed from “frank” and “incense” to indicate its purity, as the guide explained to us, “frank” incense, “true”. The collection of crystallized resin begins every year in April, when the increase in temperatures favors the flow of sap. They make small lateral incisions in the bark from which the white sap drips along the trunk and is left to solidify.
The guide also explained us that not all resins have the same value: the value is due to the color, the size and the concentration of essential oil. The most valuable incense is hojari.
But is incense only for fumigation?
Absolutely not! It is an essential ingredient in many fields, from medicine, to aesthetics, to make perfumes and even in the food sector! It has strong antiseptic and antibacterial properties. They use it as a mouthwash (dissolving the oil in water) or as a sort of chewing gum!
What souvenirs can I bring to my friends?
Dates! A product at the base of the culinary and cultural tradition! A concentrate of vitamins, potassium and magnesium of which there are more than 250 types, each with its own particular characteristics.
The best ones are in Nizwa.
Or a Keffiyeh! The Omani headdress also called mussar, a Dishdasha, the long tunic for men, white for formal occasions, which has a tassel on the neck (the guide told us that it is used to be impregnated with perfume!). Perfumes or cosmetics for women.
How do Omani women dress? Is it true that they are “forced” to cover themselves for religious reasons?
The clothing is characterized by an Abaya, a dark and thin tunic from the neck to the ankles, which they wear to go out together with the hijao, the veil that covers the head. No woman in Oman must dress like this for religious reasons. Wearing the tunic or the act of covering oneself are cultural attitude and a personal choice.
What is it like to enter a mosque?
We visited the Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Salalah, inspired by traditional Islamic architecture with modern elements. You take off your shoes, put a veil on your head and cross the portico and then the large internal hall surrounded by precious volumes.
You are pervaded by a sense of meditation and dedication in the prayer hall that can accommodate up to 2,500 people. The dome of the mosque is the element with the greatest visual impact: with its 14,000 tons of marble it is the largest in the world.
Oman taught me that the world is vast and wonderful, that every culture is unique and worthy of being known, interpreted, understood. It would certainly be nice to return to discover everything we have not yet had the chance to know.