Wadi Kabir

Wadi Kabir means The Big Wadi. I know what you’re thinking: “Man, another Wadi? Has he got nothing else to write on?”

Wadi Kabir, ladies and gentlemen, is a village situated in the Masqat (Muscat) Governorate. It also happens to be the place where I live in. In fact, I’ve lived here (I’m writing this from that place) all my live. True, we also did live in Ruwi, Seeb, Mawalih and Al-Hail but only for short periods. These are not names taken from a Harlan Ellison story but are town / villages of Oman. The thing is that they, et al, are so closely connected that you can cross 10 towns in a matter of 20-30 minutes, and each has a different pattern, style, story and people in them.

The thing that makes Wadi-Kabir special from the others, apart from the fact that I live there (hee-hee), is that this has been my home all my life. I know, and have gone to, all the major shopping centres here and can recognize all the major attractions and parks. Virtually everything seems familiar, inviting, home. Nothing is out of place or alien, maybe the odd new shop here or there.

One of the best major attraction in this place was the Wadi-Kabir roundabout, also known as the Mijmar roundabout. In the middle housed the giant frankincense, one of the many landmarks of Oman and the socially accepted icon of Wadi-Kabir. Sadly, the whole roundabout was taken down several months ago due to traffic problems. I agree, the traffic used to get congested at times and the removal, which is still going, was a good step but the only regret it that I will never get to see the wonderful artifact ever again unless, of course, they re-locate it somewhere but even then, it won’t seem right. Nothing seems familiar or recognizable when you take it away from its original position. Going around that roundabout for 18 years I now realize I had taken its beauty for granted but that doesn’t mean I didn’t pay any attention to it, just didn’t look at it closely than I should’ve. So, that’s one icon down and let’s just hope that it stays that way.

Apart from offering hundreds of apartments and shops that carry virtually everything, Wadi-Kabir also gives you long stretches of sidewalks filled with beautiful trees and small gardens here and there. Perfect for evening strolls, alone or with family. Now, if I start talking about the whole of Wadi-Kabir, it will take me hours and this post will be painfully long so I will narrow it down to one street: Al-Nuzha Street. And why? Because that’s one street where I’ve lived most of my life and my (ex) school is also situated here.

The school is Sri-Lankan School Muscat and I studied there for 11 years. The building on the right is called A’Soud Building and we lived there for a little more than a year – 2010-2011. The building on the left is called NHI (national hospitality Institute) and we lived there for 7 years – 1999-2006. Then, there’s another building called Scientific Pharmacy just next to it and that was our abode for near 2 years – 2006-2008.  So, you can say that the school was extremely near, 30 second walk, that’s it. But despite all that, I still used to be late!

Living here for more than 10 years has made me a part of it; I’m able to spot a new change, addition or a removal. Over the years many people came and many left, friends were made, friends were lost, enemies were made, enemies were lost, memories were made, many are long forgotten, and despite all the ups and downs, there is no place in Oman that can replace Wadi-Kabir, at-least to me, if not you.

So, that’s all I’m going to say as my thinking goes as much and I hoped you enjoyed it. In the photos below you’re gonna see, among others, the buildings I’ve mentioned above, the mountains, my backyard and other odds and ends.

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Wadi Tiwi & Wadi Shab!

Two weeks ago we had a week’s holiday from work / school. That was also the time when most us had had an unwelcome visit from Mr. Cold and Mr. Headache. That’s right, for the whole week most of us were bed-ridden. Not exactly the best way to spend a holiday, right? But, despite the conditions, we managed to go out 2 times. (Saturday and Tuesday) Our first trip was to Wadi Al-Khoud, you can read my post on that if you want to, and our second was to Wadi Tiwi & Wadi Al-Shab, simultaneously.

A week before the holidays started, a local newspaper covered the best family spots for the weekend. The above 2 were mentioned and it caught my dad’s eye. He showed it to us and we all agreed to go there. We all readied our cameras, our clothes and the food we would be taking. When all done, Mr. Cold and Mr. Headache came to greet us. They shook hands, no, hugged everyone, but I was somehow forgotten. Everyone, by that I mean my parents and my younger 2 sisters, got a splitting headache, running nose and wild coughing. As for me? Fit as a fiddle. I shouldn’t really be smiling but I can’t help it.

Suddenly our big plan was bust. All the excitement had turned sour and the smiles had been turned upside down. But to every dark cloud there is a silver lining and that came in a form of medicines, Aspirin to be exact. Everyone, bar me, took a dose of Aspirin and we took off, despite the fact that everyone kept clearing their throats as if they were auditioning for Cannibal Corpse and had tears brimming in their eyes. When you’re determined to achieve your goal, nothing can stop you.

So, the 2+ hour journey was mostly spent in silence. You see, it had turned into a big orgy of prayers, sneezing, coughing and shouts of “turn on the FM” and “Why did you switch off the FM?” and all that. Unable to take all that, I adjusted myself and slept. I’m not exactly a beautiful sleeper so I don’t know how many laughed at me when we stopped at red lights.

So, we reached there 4:30 in the evening (we had started our journey at 2:00) and once we disembarked, we were confused where to go. What was shown in the pictures did not match up to what we were seeing in reality. No sign of greenery, water or something that can described as “beautiful”, “wow” or “stunning.” It was only when a nice passing Chinese man showed us to the right direction did we realize that we had stopped at the back side of the Wadi. What was shown in the pictures was the front side. So, we picked up our gear, er, let me rephrase that; I picked up all the gear and we set off. What awaited us can, and should, be described as “stunning”, “wow” and “beautiful.” It was truly capturing, inspiring I must say. Now, to get to the other side, one has 2 options: Either cross the water by foot or by boat. Since the water was stand-still, meaning dirty water, and since our car was brand new, we opted for the boat. My mom went in first, helped by 2 overly-eager Omani people, then the rest of the family and then me, since I had all the gear. Seriously, I felt like a servant. “Here you go ma’am, your blouse. Oh, don’t worry about me, I will come later, ma’am”. After what seemed like ages I managed to the back of the boat, where I found a French mom, Mere, sitting with dark glasses. I sat next to her and tried not to look at her direction. She could’ve been a KGB Agent, you never know.

The short 25 seconds boat trip felt like eons. When we docked and when we were getting off, a lot of grunting and moaning filled the peaceful air, mostly by the Mere. When we all got off, I ended up carrying all the gear, as usual. Somewhere in the corner of a thick palm-tree filled place, we found a spot where we all settled down. The adults ate while us, the children, went off in every which direction and starting taking pictures.

All I can say is, I was transfixed by all the beauty, the magnificent, grand mountains and the way the sunlight was casting shadows on them, and the clear, fresh small lakes here and there. Everything seemed right and inviting. Oh, there were a few Equus africanus asinus’s, too. A certain white one, in the pictures below, is the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen. Apart from the above-mentioned, there were also several 20-or-so foot high palm trees which were just impressive. On the opposite side, where we had started the boat ride, was a huge bridge which gave the feeling that you were in either Crysis or Bionic Commando. I mean, Wadi Al-Shab is a very pleasing place and it is filled with beautiful imagery.

But the cake that should be in the display section has to be Wadi Tiwi. Everything that Wadi Al-Shab is, Wadi Tiwi is all that, except that it is better… and greener. It is adjacent to the above Wadi. Man, the mountains were green I tell you, green. Fresh water was fresher. The story was different here. Everything was alive and energetic. If Wadi Al-Shab was a mighty, slumbering dragon, then Wadi Tiwi was a full-of-spirit Peter Pan. We stayed there a couple of hours before retiring.

If you live in Oman, or are planning to visit Oman, be sure to visit these places. But, when light comes, darkness follows. Everyone, bar me, got seriously ill after the trip and the condition in some worsened. But Mashallah, everyone has now fully recovered and without further ado… the pictures!

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