Beauty has an address

Where do we go for our next vacation: the mountains or the sea? I asked.

‘Both?’ my little one replied. ‘…also, must go to desert!’ She added.

When it felt like an impossible ask, Amrita, who was pretending to not listen, chimed in, ‘and some history and heritage.’.

Life is hard! I thought to myself and started scanning options.

There is a race going on in the Gulf—so it feels when you visit there.?Who can build bigger and who can build taller! This part of the world is floating on crude and gas. Its huge deposits of fossil fuel have brought it unimaginable windfall affluence.

What do you do with so much wealth??You invest in nation building. Highways, ports, shopping malls, and buildings—lots and lots of them. The UAE has the tallest building in the world; Saudi Arabia is building another that is even taller; someday Qatar, the richest in the block, could surpass both. When in Dubai, look around! You are transported to the future—but also to a jungle made of glass and concrete.

In the end we decided to travel to the little-known country—the Sultanate of Oman. The oldest independent state in the Arab world is also the only country in the Middle East that has stuck to its heritage, despite striking oil.

From Dubai we flew into Salalah. The first thing that struck me is how expensive the Omani rial (currency) is. For US$140, I got only OMR 50! one of the most expensive in the world.

As we drove at 120 km/h on the wide-open highways, ours was the only car in the vicinity. Not a soul on the streets. Why is it so empty? I asked Mana, a courteous Omani man. Immaculate in a traditional dishdasha (a spotless gown) and a pleasant smile, he showed us around.

‘If you come here during Kharif (May-June), this arid landscape turns green. That’s when Salalah is bustling’. He showed me his phone as we used Google Translate on the go.

The arid landscape and the never-ending rows of coconut trees were quite a contrast. The countless camels on the streets made me wonder: Does Oman have more humans or camels?

In the market a man pulled out a few colorful pieces of stone from his bag. ‘eta Loban‘ (meaning this is Loban)’- He said in Bengali. He had heard us speak in Bengali (every shopkeeper is from Bangladesh). Loban is a resin collected from the bark of the frankincense tree. Burning it is for fragrance integral to Omani heritage. How does it smell? ‘Earthy yet heavenly!’—yes, I mean it. Later we saw a frankincense tree—quite a haggard-looking tree that grows in the desolate landscape.?

Is that boat floating in the air? So, it looked like.

The sun was shining bright—the shadow of the boat on the riverbed created the illusion of a flying boat. We were at the wadi Darbat. Wadi means an oasis-like ravine in Arabic. We hear it often in Hindi songs, so it sounded familiar. The blue turquoise water so clear that it couldn’t hide anything beneath it! Oman has countless wadis, each unique, yet each one is better than the other.

Newton made us realize that the earth pulls everything towards it. So, when you leave your car in neutral, it should roll downhill. We were at the anti-gravity point, and here it rolled uphill! It is a natural illusion of the landscape, yet we had fun watching the bottle of water roll up the hill.

Our hotel had a private beach; we watched the sun set on the horizon—the last of the year 2024. On New Year's morning we set off for Muscat—the modern capital city of Oman.

Next morning, we set out for the Sultan Qaboos Mosque. It is one of the largest in the world. We were in awe of the high marble arches and the massive, intricately woven carpet bursting with colors. The intricate carvings and the attention to detail are mind-numbing.?The massive chandelier is made with Swarovski crystals! ‘It’s the largest chandelier in the world,’ said the guide. Then adding everything that looks golden is gold!

After a pleasant walk on the Mutrah Corniche, we entered the Matrah Souk—the oldest market in the Arab world. Over 200 years old, its antiquity adds to its allure. We got busy bargaining and shopping for dates, halwa, and frankincense.?

Then I lost sight of my child!

First, I rushed around the market scanning the shops, retracing our path. Then I asked a few shopkeepers and finally approached the police. In broken English, they said, ‘Oman is safe; don’t worry.’ They smiled back and asked me not to worry.?

Going against our nature, we asked our guide to take us to where he eats. He brought us to an authentic Omani restaurant where we sat on the floor—inside a room—clean yet basic. The food came in copious portions; the bread almost weighed a kilo and was delicious. I have learned more about the Middle Eastern culture and its people in a week spent in Oman than from all my multiple travels to the Gulf countries over the years.

I had requested him to take a photograph, so he did. Then ‘Have Kahwa,’ he insisted. I didn’t know him, yet he smiled at me and insisted. A total stranger offering coffee is a red flag. But this felt right—so I had. Was touched by the Omani hospitality.

Oman is a unique and fascinating country that offers a mix of rich history and a vibrant culture. In most monarchies, the photograph of the king is put up everywhere. Here I noticed two photographs side by side—the current king and the earlier king—the famous and widely respected Sultan Qaboos. The oldest serving monarch of the Arab world, who brought the country out of the chaos of the 1970s civil war and heralded it towards modernization and prosperity. The Omani people preserve their heritage by not building indiscriminately. The architecture is subtle—made of stone and mud; colors are pastel—never an eyesore. The country is safe and clean, food is delicious, and people are warm and welcoming.?

Oman, with its breathtaking natural landscapes, is home to rugged mountains, expansive deserts, and beautiful coastline. I don’t think I was prepared for the magic of Oman; it left a lasting impression.

Beauty has an address! It's also the tourism slogan for Oman.

Now I know why.