Day 129 Sep 2009
The story · 4 days
The trip begins in schizophrenic Dubai, a city divided between the historic Deira and its Creek, and the exaggerated, ultramodern towers of the new business districts. We then head north, crossing another 3 emirates to reach the wild, inhospitable landscapes of the Musandam, a small Omani enclave jutting into the Strait of Hormuz with its Khor (fjords) that cut between almost inaccessible mountains. We cross back through the emirates to re-enter the Sultanate of Oman, with the calm Muscat and the splendid fishing villages of the southern coast facing the Indian Ocean. The desert again in the Al Sharqiya region, with the dunes of the Wahiba Sands, the fortified towns of Nizwa, Bahla, Jibrin, Nakhal and Rustaq, and the spectacular white roads that cross the Jebel Shams, over which the Grand Canyon of Arabia opens up.
The crossing of the Hajar mountains on impossible roads with gradients around 20%, surprising mountain oases and very deep gorges. Following the bed of the Wadi Bani Awf we return to the asphalt. Back to Dubai passing through Ibri and Al Ain. A stopover in Doha for a quick visit to the city, in particular the diplomatic area with its bizarre skyscrapers and the old suq, which turned out to be a welcome surprise. In 11 days we covered 3000 km. Cost: about 1250 euros per person, including the plane ticket and car hire. A trip marked by an extreme feeling of safety and calm in any situation and place, with the exception of the reckless drive over the dunes of the Wahiba Sands, where the adrenaline made itself felt.
The images of this trip: the men dressed in white and the women veiled in black, the futuristic skyscrapers of Dubai and Doha, the crenellated castles and watchtowers, the henna decorations, the dates, the dhows, the breathtaking landscapes of the Hajar mountains, the gorges in the wadi beds, the exaggerated temperatures, the fjords (khor) in the Musandam peninsula, the turtles and the dolphins. Top five: the mountain road of the Hajar mountains and Wadi Bani Awf, the Musandam peninsula, the sea turtles in the Ras al Jinz nature reserve, Sur and the fishing villages of the southern coast of Oman, the old suq of Doha.
Practical information: The flight with Qatar Airways from Milan Malpensa to Dubai with a stopover in Doha. Car hired with Budget: Booked a RAV 4 but with the up grade they gave us a Toyota Fortuner with automatic gearbox, super comfortable although the automatic gearbox isn't the best for driving on sand. Car rental cost about 90 eur/day. Speed limit in the emirates 120 km/h. The roads in excellent condition and perfectly signposted. At Budget we took out the supplementary insurance to travel in Oman. Temperatures still a bit too high, between 40º and 45º. No problem finding accommodation even without booking anything, most of the hotels were empty. Food: mostly you find small restaurants with Indian and Lebanese cuisine, although in the main centres you can also find international cuisine. Excellent fresh fruit juices, everywhere.
Better to pay by credit card to get a more favourable exchange rate. In the smaller restaurants and little shops, though, you have to pay in cash. Currency: UAE: Emirati Dirham (AED) 1 EUR = 5.23 AED Oman: Omani Rial (OR) 1 EUR = 0.55 OR Qatar: Qatari Rial (QR) 1 EUR = 5.30 QR
The trip: 28 September 2009; Monday Milan -Dubai Flight with Qatar Airways from Malpensa to Dubai with a stopover in Doha. We leave Milan at 22:50 right on time, the on-board service is excellent, the plane half empty, you can lie down and take a nap. 5h 50 of flight to reach Doha (1 hour ahead of Italy; at 6 in the morning we are already around 37º in temperature. At 7:55 the connection to Dubai, 1 hour of flight and 1 hour ahead of Qatar (2 more than Italy). The flight cost us 330 eur per person (insurance included).
29 September 2009; Tuesday Dubai and surroundings At the airport the customs formalities are quick and efficient; we pick up the car at Budget, and to our pleasant surprise, not having the booked RAV 4 available, they hand us a Toyota Fortuner 4x4 with 7 seats. We'll travel like true nabobs. The impact with Dubai's 42º in the morning reminds us that we've moved noticeably south; our salvation is the car's air conditioning. Dubai airport is right in the centre of the city, indeed you'd say the city developed around the airport. Planes pass a few dozen metres above the motorways and above the towers of skyscrapers, most of which are still under construction. Our programme for today includes a panoramic tour of Dubai; we'd like to see the suqs of Deira, the famous creek with its Dhows and the new business area.
A few kilometres in the crowded streets leading to Deira, to Bur Dubai and to the new business area are enough to understand that the city is a huge building site, work in progress on every corner, to build a road, a new skyscraper, a metro line, or just to demolish what already existed, even though we're told that on most of the sites the work has been suspended — here too the crisis is making itself felt and foreign investment now arrives in fits and starts. The road signs are excellent and the city turns out to be fairly easy to drive through were it not for the heavy traffic blocked by endless traffic lights. From Airport Road we head for Deira, then pass alongside the creek and the main suqs, cross the bridge over the creek and find ourselves in Bur Dubai; the endless towers of the business area are our landmarks to find our way in the city traffic.
We reach the Trade Center and decide to settle at the Ibis Hotel, which offers truly advantageous prices and excellent value for money (320 AED for a double, about 60 eur). Having left our bags at the hotel, we refresh ourselves at the Noodle House located in the Emirates Towers, before continuing our visit of Dubai. We pass among the biggest shopping centres in the world: the Mall of Emirates with the incredible ski slope in the middle of the desert; the Burj Dubai, which with its incredible 800 metres is the tallest skyscraper in the world.
We then reach Jumeirah, where the famous Burj Al Arab stands, the 7-star hotel shaped like a sail that has become the symbol of Dubai; we make do with seeing its outline from the outside, since a room in this hotel costs from 3500 to 35 000 euros a night, and who can afford that?? The eccentricities of the emirs don't end here: with the sun setting behind the outline of the Burj Al Arab we glimpse as if in a mirage the outline of towers and lacework rising from the sea; we head south and reach the Jumeirah Palm, this residential complex out of the Arabian Nights built on a completely artificial island shaped like a palm; the top of the palm is dominated by a majestic entrance gate complete with towers and turrets — where have we ended up? The atmosphere is out of a fairy tale.
We go back to Dubai and attempt the not-so-simple feat of finding parking near the creek; after a good half hour we give up and slip into a multi-storey car park. Deira is the traditional trading centre of the Persian Gulf, where crowds of porters bustle about loading and unloading every kind of goods from the traditional dhows; in its suqs prosperous African women stock up on every kind of goods, which they will then load onto the ships bound for various African countries. We reach the spice suq almost at closing time; we still have time to stock up on dates stuffed with walnuts, dried figs flavoured with liquorice
Day 229 Sep 2009
We arrive at the spice suq almost at closing time; we still have time to stock up on dates stuffed with walnuts, dried figs flavoured with liquorice, pistachios, almonds, cashews. These delicacies will accompany us in the coming days of travel. We stroll along the creek, which in the evening becomes very striking with the illuminated barges that travel along it and the silhouettes of the minarets and skyscrapers in the distance. Still
Day 33 Oct 2009
3 October 2009; Saturday
Sohar – Muscat-Muttrah We set off again towards Muscat, which we reach in about two and a half hours on a comfortable highway. The Marina Hotel (35 OR for a double), located in Muttrah in a strategic position opposite the fish market and a stone's throw from the Muttrah suq, however, proves to be below expectations: dirty rooms, unmade beds, extremely slow and unprofessional service. Strongly not recommended, at least until they change direction and management. Having left our luggage at the Marina anyway, Muttrah surprises us with its Corniche with marble floors and granite low walls, on which dolphin sculptures and gazebos with golden domes stand out, under which Omanis enjoy the comings and goings of dhows and boats in the port of Muttrah. The Muttrah suq is a maze of covered alleys, which converge into a few central squares.
Towards 1 pm all the shops in the suq close and there is nothing left for us to do but give in to a brilliant mango juice before heading towards Muscat. Located about 3 km from Muttrah, Muscat welcomes us with its majestic entrance gates. Drowsy in the hot afternoon, it appears to us like a ghost city; the mirror-polished marble of the avenue leading to the sultan's palace and the immaculate streets of the city seem almost unreal. Another enormous gate located beneath a gallery gives access to the port area, from which one enjoys a view of the sultan's palace and the two forts of Al Jalali and Al Mirani that watch over the entrances to the port.
Harried by temperatures above 40ºC, we take refuge in the air-conditioned (perhaps too much so) halls of the Bayt al Zubair museum, which allows us to get an idea of Oman's historical and cultural heritage, with jewellery, traditional clothing, handicrafts and furniture. We cross back through the gate of the old city to return to Muttrah to complete our visit of the suq. The juices at the Al Ahli Coffe shop, located in the central area of the suq, are truly up to the occasion and allow us a pleasant stop to observe the lively alleys of the suq, which towards evening fill with the black silhouettes of women, who linger in the fabric shops and the showy jewellers.
4 October 2009; Sunday
Muscat-Muttrah – Ras al Hadd Minarets and mosques are plentiful around the Marina Hotel; it is still dark when the muezzin's call for the first prayer echoes through the air. I get up early and head to the fish market; the refrigerated little trucks wait outside. Inside, busy sellers seem overwhelmed by every kind of fish, a coming and going of overloaded wheelbarrows; I follow their path in reverse and find myself on the pier. The dhows have by now been replaced by fast fibreglass boats, but the ritual of unloading and selling at auction remains. About ten people stand on the pier; when a boat comes alongside, the little group moves to observe the result of the catch, the fish are poured onto the floor, expert eyes proceed with a quick count and a mental calculation of the good price to pay, the auctioneer begins to squirm and shout the various bids.
The deal is done, the buyer pays the fisherman, the percentage to the auctioneer, the loaders fill the wheelbarrows and set off towards the market, the little group sits back down to wait for the next boat. Barracuda, large sharks, little tunas, and other kinds of fish are unloaded onto the pier and very quickly disappear towards the market. A painful breakfast at the Marina Hotel and we set off again towards Sur. With the new highway the route is now extremely easy, but at Fins we leave the asphalt to get back onto the old coastal track that winds between wadis and coves with extremely panoramic views. Unfortunately, with the construction of the new highway, the old coastal road is interrupted in various places and therefore no longer passable. Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi have been somewhat disfigured by the highway's pylons, but the view remains remarkable nonetheless.
We reach Sur around lunchtime; it is a pleasant little fishing town characterised by the presence of the dhow shipyards, where it is possible to discover the secrets of the carpenters and inlayers. The late afternoon light makes the atmosphere on the lagoon particularly magical and fascinating. We reach Ras al Hadd with the sun setting behind the castle towers; we install ourselves at the Ras al Hadd Beach Hotel (42 OR for a double), located at the end of a lagoon on a kilometre-long beach that is almost unfrequented in the hot afternoon hours. Tonight there is a full moon and we organise ourselves for a visit to the beach of Ras al Jinz, a nature reserve where about 35,000 turtles come each year to lay their eggs. The visit is guided (3 OR per person) and departs at 21:00 from a monstrous building built at the mouth of the beach.
Why on earth such a desecration in a nature reserve? The beach is a spectacle, every metre occupied by a turtle nest and, although it is not the peak of the season, it does not take long to find a turtle laying its eggs; nearby other turtles are preparing to leave the beach and a myriad of little ones emerge from the sand and head, scampering, towards the sea. The full moon makes the spectacle, already sublime, even more enchanting. A strong emotion takes hold of me when I see the little turtles disappear among the waves of the ocean, an incredible spectacle of nature. How many of them will manage to reclaim this beach in 35 or 40 years, after wandering the world's oceans, to begin their first laying? Mohamed, the guide, has the answer ready: 2-3%. After the dolphins of Musandam, tonight we witnessed another great spectacle.
5 October 2009; Monday
Ras al Hadd – Wahiba Sands (Al Sharqyia desert) We set off again along the southern coast facing the Indian Ocean, crossing a series of small, very characteristic fishing and Bedouin villages. The women in this area wear coloured veils over tunics decorated with silver embroidery. We let ourselves wander through the little alleys where every corner offers a picture: women quickly covering their faces, little girls hiding behind a low wall, little boys who on the contrary come towards us smiling, goats and sheep dozing in the shade of an acacia. At Al Ashkahrah we reluctantly leave the coastal road; the little villages are truly fascinating and one would gladly linger. We then head towards the Al Sharqyia desert; the first sand dunes begin to stand out on our left.
Yesterday we called the Areesh camp to book the tents for the night in the desert, not so much for fear of not finding a place, but to avoid the risk of finding no one there. In fact, on arriving we discover that we are the only guests of the tented camp (20 OR per person including dinner and breakfast). The Areesh camp is located on a series of dunes at the northern end of the desert; our Toyota Fortuner with automatic transmission wants nothing to do with reaching the top of the dune where the camp is; after the third attempt I hand over the driving to the Bedouin who is waiting for us and who will surely know how to coax it up there! He offers us a dune tour by 4x4 to see the sunset; it takes us little time to understand that it will not be a quiet stroll over the dunes but wild climbs and unrestrained descents up and down the slopes of the dunes!! A bit of adrenaline can't hurt.
Relaxing on the little armchairs with a view of the desert while waiting for the moon to rise above us, dinner and again the calm of the desert, a few Bedouin villages in the distance.
Day 46 Oct 2009
6 October 2009; Tuesday
Wahiba Sands (Al Sharqyia desert) – Nizwa We leave the desert with a feeling of calm and relaxation. As supporters of the cause of sustainable tourism, we acquire a few little objects from the Bedouin women, completely covered by the traditional mask (burqa) of this region, who have hurried to the entrance of the tented camp. We leave the sandy tracks and take up the strip of asphalt in the direction of Nizwa, a historic city whose fort is a UNESCO heritage site. We opt to install ourselves at the Majan Guest House in Firq (about 5 km from Nizwa) (25 OR for a double), certainly one of the best options in terms of quality-price ratio. We dedicate the late morning to visiting the Fort of Nizwa, defying the almost impossible temperatures. Transfer to Bahla, external visit of the forts of Bahla and Jebrin and of the suq of Bahla, where one can still find a few silversmith artisans.
Return to Nizwa where the suq remains closed. But what hours do they keep? A faithful chavarma in a little open-air restaurant with a view of the fort and the mosque.
7 October 2009; Wednesday
Nizwa – Jebel Shams – Hajar Mountains – Biled Sayt – Al Rustaq - Nakhl – Nizwa Today's route involves crossing the Hajar mountains, one of the most rugged and isolated areas of Oman. We leave the road connecting Nizwa to Bahla to head towards Jebel Shams; the first stretch of asphalt runs along the valley floor, repeatedly crossing the Wadi Ghul, locally called the Grand Canyon of Arabia. After the first 20% gradients the asphalt ends and we continue on a white track, but in good condition; only the gradients are a bit extreme. Before reaching the summit, a detour to the right takes us to a small village and a series of camps located right on the edge of the Canyon. A pity that the haze prevents a complete view of the valley below. We retrace our steps and head towards Hatt and the mountain road that crosses the entire Hajar mountain range to reach Wadi Bani Awf.
The road, initially asphalted, climbs up to the pass, after which it gives way to a track cut into the mountainside that drops sheer above the village of Hatt. We cross enchanting landscapes and mountains of unstable boulders; luckily it rarely rains in these parts. We do not dare think what this track might turn into during the rains. Arriving at Hatt we cross one of the many Falaj, the ancient channel systems that make it possible to carry water several km away in the middle of the desert; in Oman there are about 4,000 km of these man-made aqueducts. Beyond Hatt the road seems to lose itself in the various crevices that open between the mountains; we pass a few pools of water in the bed of the Wadi and reach the left-hand turn-off for Biled Sayt. The village appears to us in its tranquil beauty, with its mud-brick houses, perched on a side of the valley with the cool oasis below.
How far away we feel from the incredible skyscrapers of Dubai! Leaving Biled Sayt behind us, we cross the mouth of the Snake Gorge and reach the Wadi Bani Awf; the track is very evocative and runs practically along the bed of the Wadi, in some stretches between very high walls. This area is incredibly populated; everywhere Bedouin dwellings pop up, devoted to herding and cultivation in the oases. Some 4x4s provide a taxi service for these remote areas. Following the Wadi Bani Awf, we regain the asphalted road about 11 km from Al Rustaq; it is nearly 4 in the afternoon and a certain hunger makes itself felt. In Rustaq we find the usual little Indian restaurant with the usual biryami rice, this time with a few more spices for a change.
It's fine anyway; these little places are mainly frequented by Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese workers and are very cheap (1-1.2 OR for a plate of chicken biryami). The fort of Rustaq closes at 4 pm and so no internal visit; same goes for the fort of Nakhal, which is nonetheless very evocative. Evening falls and we complete our circular tour by returning to Nizwa, passing practically a few kilometres from Muscat. Dinner in Firq, a little open-air restaurant a couple of kilometres from the Majan Guest House.
8 October 2009; Thursday
Nizwa – Ibri – Dubai Today is a transfer stage to return to Dubai. We nevertheless pass through Ibri with its old fort, not yet restored and perhaps for this reason with a certain extra charm compared to the others that are a bit too perfectly polished. We reach the border between Oman and the Emirates about ten km before Al Ain. Border formalities without problems and off towards Dubai, which we reach around midday. We install ourselves again at the Ibis, which in the meantime has lowered its prices (289 AED for a double); indeed, the prices of the Ibis Hotel change from day to day and are related to the activities held in the adjoining Trade Center.
We have lunch at the usual Noodle House and then think of making another quick trip to the suq of Al Sharjah, which is about 15 km from the centre of Dubai, but we learn at our own expense that 15 km at rush hour means about two hours of traffic jam. On the other hand, for the return towards the suq of Deira we take only 15 minutes. A last evening visit to the spice suq and surroundings and back to the hotel, because tomorrow morning it's an early rise, check-in at the airport at 4! (Check-in at the airport at 4! This last sentence has no Italian source in the original text; the source ends with "perché domattina levataccia, ceck-in in aeroporto alle 4!" which translates as: because tomorrow morning it's an early rise, check-in at the airport at 4!)
9 October 2009; Friday
Dubai – Doha – Milan From the Ibis to the airport at 4 in the morning it is only 5 minutes of road; it could be over an hour at peak times. One hour of flight and we land in Doha; we have a stop of about 6 hours and so we take the opportunity for a visit to the city. At customs formalities one pays the entry visa 100 QR each (18 eur); we get a map of the city and find a friendly taxi driver who for about 60 QR (12 eur) drives us around on a panoramic tour of the city. He belongs to the company of blue taxis that operate at the airport and which we later discover to be owned by the president of Qatar. We start from the Corniche, with the Islamic museum (unfortunately closed as it is Friday), the diplomatic quarter with its futuristic skyscrapers. The crisis makes itself felt here too and all the construction sites have been suspended, most of the Asian workers unemployed or repatriated.
We then reach the famous zigzag skyscraper that seems built to defy the laws of gravity. We pass by the side of the president's residence, the tennis court where the Doha tournament will be held in a few weeks. A pleasant surprise is the old suq, completely renovated, but which maintains its traditional charm, with its themed quarters. The central street lined with bars, small restaurants and craft shops and then the alleys of spices, fabrics, pots and pans, to end in the area reserved for small animals, mainly pigeons, parakeets, but also cats and rabbits. Here one can find the most incredible pigeons, with curly feathers, with majestic necks, true rarities. Return to the airport and boarding for the flight to Milan.
Some veiled girls, as soon as they are on the plane, get rid of veil and black tunic and reappear in jeans and t-shirt, completely westernised; this too is the contrast of these countries.
The journey's photographs
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1 reader comments
Ciao, vorrei farti alcune domande su questo viaggio, ci possiamo contattare via e-mail? Questo è il mio indirizzo vedirne@inwind.it. Grazie mille Valentina