28th September 2018,
Its been five months since I left this
beautiful city… Muscat. I always called it ‘My home away from home’.
Three years back, Muscat welcomed me with
her arms wide open. Everything about the country was so welcoming, cosy, lavish
and having family there was the cherry on the top.
Ever since I left Muscat I have been
missing it. Well, I was not born there. I did not spend a lifetime there. Then
what did I find so fascinating? What is Muscat to me?
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| PC: http://www.india.com/news-travel/15-amazing-photos-of-muscat-the-largest-city-and-capital-of-oman-3226923/ |
Muscat to me… is waiting for the rain that
happens twice a year to sit by the window and enjoy a cup of coffee. The
snow-less winters that are not too cold. The summers that have no mercy. Despite
these unforgiving climates, Muscat does one thing right that amazes me to date.
That is, the way they have beautiful flowers and so much greenery on either
sides of the roads across all seasons.
Muscat to me… is seeing men wearing their
national dress “dishdasha” (a long
robe which is usually in white, although a few other colors like lilac, brown
or black are worn sometimes) all day, every day. It amazes me, how this floor
length robe is always so dazzling white even on those who work outside of an
office all day. The neat beautiful embroidery and design work done on the black
abayas worn by the ladies have always fascinated me. While wearing a dress that fully covers from
head to toe, the ladies are fashionable in their own way carrying stylish
handbags and wearing lovely shoes. If you are a shoe lover like me, this city
will make you not want to leave.
Muscat to me… is the sweet aroma that one
gets when they enter an Omani Halwa Shop followed by the most
welcoming gesture by the vendor. Omani Halwa is a gelatinous sweet that comes
in traditional and many new flavours. The vendors in these shops allow you to
taste as many flavours as you can before you decide which one you want to buy.
They never forget to treat you with a cup of Qahwa (freshly brewed Omani coffee) that soothes the taste buds
after the overdose of sugar from the tasting.
Muscat to me… are all those food spots. The
amazing shawarma and chai in the coffee shops, the ever-so-tasty Hyderabadi
biriyani, the stuffed parathas and chicken tikka that makes me want to go back
there. The drive down streets of Al Khuwair and Al Qurm deciding which place to
dine in, and always finding something new to try around the corner. Not only
Omani Restaurants, but Japanese, Turkish, Lebanese, Pakistani, Indian and
cuisines from many more nations worldwide are available on these streets that
can give a treat to your taste buds as you dine-out.
Muscat to me… are the gala festivals. The
food festivals that embrace the modern culture, is a paradise on earth for the
foodies. The winter festival that brings the season’s feeling closer to heart
in the chilly atmosphere with entertainment that keeps the people of all ages amused.
And of course, the Muscat Festival where celebrations happen all over Muscat and
very specially the mega carnivals that boast the Omani culture and displays
magnificent fireworks and many more, in both Nazeem Park and Al Amerat.
Muscat to me… are my friendly colleagues
and their constant attempts to teach me Arabic. I do believe I caught a few
lines here and there. But none of them ever made me feel uncomfortable because
I didn’t speak their language. Instead, they taught me a few things every now
and then that helped me in the long run. More than that, I think they were very
supportive of the fact that I was interested in learning their language.
Muscat to me… are the mornings and evenings
spent at the beach. The lazy waves and the calm sea set the perfect atmosphere
for anyone who needs to relax and spend some quality time at the beach.
Sometimes we went there to take a dip in the ocean and watch the sunset over
the waves. The other times, we spent wonderful nights doing BBQs with friends
or simply sat on a bench enjoying an ice cream.
Muscat to me… are the days spent in malls
and late nights at the movies. The lively shopping malls where I’ve spent most
of my weekends in. The days we spent roaming in malls that are ideal to shop till
you drop, to please your taste buds and so much more. In these malls, we could
easily spend many hours and not know where the time flew. The late-night movies
at Vox Cinema and City Cinema accompanied by cheesy nachos and caramel popcorn.
IMAX, 4DX and MX4D are cinema experiences that everyone can enjoy in this city.
Muscat to me… is the Big Red Bus. Buses with
air conditioning and in-built access to Wifi, that pass through a number of
stops, every 10 – 15 minutes in various routes of Muscat, is one of the most
successful projects of Mwasalat – a government owned company, that improved the
mode of public transportation in the city. Being a lady who doesn’t drive, this
became one of the most convenient and safe ways for me to get from point A to B
within the city.
Muscat to me... is the patriotism within the
hearts of the people. They get exhilarated on the birthday of His Majesty. Playing
horns on the roads, carrying flags, rallying in groups, demonstrating their
heartfelt love and gratitude towards their leader. They celebrate their
National Day like it’s a grand festival in the country. With traditional
dancing and singing, beautiful lighting decorations on the roads, vehicles that
cover in National Day themed stickers, indoor decorations, crazy offers in malls,
yes, it’s Christmas in Muscat on their National Day. And all this is arranged
by the people in their love for their King and their love for the country.
Omanis are hardcore patriots and it’s beautiful to see how they talk about
their nation beaming with pride.
Muscat to me… is the Muscat Madness Family.
I believe, not everyone is blessed, to fly to a new territory and still find
people who care for you like your own family. To meet people who accepts you as
one of their own. To have someone by your side when you need them the most. But
thanks to my sister, I was blessed to be a part of this amazing group of
people. Together we call ourselves, the Muscat Madness Family and as true to
its meaning, we spent most weekend evenings filled with laughter, fun and
madness. It is with this troop I’ve explored most of Oman and whenever we did,
we definitely made many sweet memories and stories for later.
Most of all, Muscat to me… are the days
that I spent with my sister and family. The days we did cooking
experiments, inspired by every episode of MasterChef Australia. The nights we spent chatting till three in the morning. The days
we arranged surprise birthday parties for each other. The tired after-work
evenings we spent having chicken lollipops, samosas and tea. The random
dinner-outs. Lazy Fridays spent on the couch playing each ones favourite retros
on YouTube. The Saturday special lunches my sister would prepare while I sat in
the kitchen doing petty things to help her. All the different places we tried
biriyani and not being able to tell which one’s the best. The late-night movies
followed by even late brunches. The New Year celebrations with Mom and Dad who
visited us once a year. All those joyous moments we spent together and memories
that leave me nostalgic.
Muscat to me… is all this, and many more.
The place I’ve met a very humble group of colleagues, good friends, a second
family and many memories I hold close to my heart.
My time in Muscat sadly came
to an end sooner than I expected. But I will always visit this place whenever I
could, and I know that I will always feel welcomed.
It makes me sad when I read negative blogs
from people visiting Muscat, because they came across one arrogant local, one
offensive cab driver, one bad hotel, etc. But don’t we come across all that in
every other country we visit. Maybe you were in the wrong place at the wrong
time. But if you live in this beautiful city, I’m sure the day you leave, you
will miss it too, just like I do now.
Until we meet again...
Wathsala Perera
