Introducing the Drews, and a little Dhofar War history

Mrs. Drew, responsible for planting many of the Sultan's trees around SOAF Salalah.Kerry Drew, Muqaddam, SOAF Salalah. Once of the Essex Regiment.

I have always been fascinated by history, and the story of the Dhofar Insurgancy is of course one, I as a Westerner, am highly unfamiliar with, due to its lack of coverage in my home country, and being, it was a little before my birth. So I am not at fault for my ignorance.

But living here now, I am starting to research it, as I see it affecting politics and WASTA from time to time, lol, and I happened to stumble on this cute little photostream on flickr while doing so: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianharringtonspier/sets/72157600531648435/ & http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianharringtonspier/sets/72157610414161556/ which show Oman from the 70s- the 80s in Muscat/Mutrah and Dhofar regions.

Before and After Shots of Muscat

The old road to Qurum beach.

I remember the old PDO. There was no Canadian club, that is for SURE. In fact, it was hard to explain that there were English speakers who were not British lol. But there were those here longer than I, and I always love to see their pics of Oman.

The new road to Qurum beach:

The old Qurum beach:

Qurum beach as we know it:

Life before the Intercon:

The Intercon. Yes, Omani boys born in the 70s to conservative villages the Sultanate over. What would you have done without your friend driving you here to spy your first half-naked woman? lol. Sorry Intercon. True story via one of my Shebab. Okay, I DO remember old Muscat, because I have lots of friends from old Muscat lol.Way to old Muscat, 2010:

DAILY DIARY: Weekend Round-Up

Wow! I really haven't been out on the town in Muscat in a long while. I haven't gone to any sporting events or fashions shows for months, though handball, no matter what, I am coming. Yes, B, I know that sounds ridiculous to you, but I got addicted.

Really, I am sorry, anyone who reads this for current events, for having been out of the loop.

One of our OPNOs left Oman and is now a Law student in North America. We MISSSSS you OPNO #2. Now she is only an honorary OPNO author, since she is now trying to be a New York City Princess and is having a difficult time coping with missing Muscat city, where she was really the reigning Queen of current events.

To give you a dose of Oman to satisfy your addiction PNIOA (PRINCESS NOT IN OMAN ANYMORE), OPNO will doccument her BEYOND awesome weekend. We'll make B miss Oman too. Here goes:

I went camping in Qantab Wednesday night. I hiked to the top of the ridge and camped out in one of the oldwatchtowers on the hills. Only it is a square shaped one. Camping fire et all. Very private, and in the morning I went swimming in of the more private coves near the main beach with friends. We jumped and wrestled and played like little kids. I also swallowed a good deal of super salty water, and Z scared me by screaming shark since she knows OPNO has a thing with sharks in Oman. We ALMOST paid one of the fishermen (Abdullah) to take us out on a boat ride, but we are long-timers. None of us consider ourselves expats (and one of us was Omani) so we decided to run back to OPNO's flat to change and then drove out to Barka where we got a good lunch at a Turkish restaurant.

Then we drove out to Nakhl, a place near and dear to OPNO's heart. Z said she knew how to get there because she had relatives in Rustaq but really she didn't. OPNO though spied the fort and was like, turn here, turn here, this is Nakhal, but Z insisted on phoning and driving way the hell back to the ministry like a relative advised her to do. Which was the same bloody road OPNO had pointed out a half an hour back but, well, we got there. No one had seen the fort but OPNO so Princess was super excited. Z was like to everyone, dressed Omani as all were in Z and OPNO's closets, to be quiet, to see if all could get local price on admission to the fort, because collectively, the girls wanted to rent movies and eat dinner, and have gas money left for the car, and baisas is all we had left. 500 baisa is what we paid for admission of our entire party, which is nowhere near the price one is supposed to pay for a single admission (one rial per adult person OPNO believes). We also were allowed to stay a while after closing.The girls had so much fun running around, seeing all the rooms, and OPNO telling everyone the age of swords and guns and cannons (which Z decided to shove into the cannon). They climbed all the towers, something quite dangerous to do but no one in Oman seems to care since sueing isn't really an issue to the ministry of tourism. The veiws from the uppermost ramparts were beyond compelling, taking in the village and date plantations and the dry falaj system. OPNO nearly broke her neck though on an Eastern tower near the wali's room since one of the steps off the ladder fell out of the wall. Thankfully, she caught hold of another step and only dropped her purse on poor Z's head.

Going out through the traditional smaller door since the castle/fort was closed up for the night (Nakhl has a three door-to-the-gate system) was a very authentic experience, which we enjoyed, all of us feeling like Omani Princesses until Z screamed out, "Mishcock!!!!!!" as she spied, directly across from the fort, a mishcock vendor grilling delicious meat on skewers. Grabbing cans of pepsi and correcting Z's pronunciation of pepsi from "bebsi" (Arabic has no "p" letter while grasping wands of mishcock, Z drove us to the one place she DID KNOW in Nakhl, through the farms and plantations: A' Thowarah Hot Springs.The hot springs are popular picnic area for Omani and Indian families, and the place was pretty packed. OPNO enjoyed the drive there and kept exhausting Z on the winding drive there by pointing out one crumbling old house in thge center of a farm after another saying I will live there, or there over and over. Z finally stopped to ask a local woman about one of the crumbling houses, and apparently the family still uses it, but to house goats and cows. "What a waste!" was OPNO's typical response. The girls all enjoyed wading through water like bathwater, eating their mishcock and they were going to pay for a donkey ride (why, I don't know) but since it cost 1 rial per person, the girls gave up on that and decided to head back to MUscat to rent movies from Al Kuwhair.

How was THAT for an AWESOME weekend?

On my ORDER FROM AMAZON LIST

The Emergence Of States In A Tribal Society: Oman Under Sa'id Bin Taymur, 1932-1970 by Uzi Rabi.

This book reassesses the reign of Sa'id bin Taymur, who was deposed by his son, Qabus bin Sa'id, in a coup in July 1970. Contemporary historiography of the period of Sa'id's rule (1932-1970) views Oman as medieval and isolationist; Qabus' later government is seen as progressive and enlightened, with his ascendancy to the throne often described as the 'rebirth of Oman' from its 'medieval slumber' into a thriving and prosperous Sultanate. This study refutes the prevailing view that Sa'id's four-decade reign should be perceived as a place where time stood still. The author offers a critical look at the economic, political, social and cultural aspects of Oman during the reign of Sa'id bin Taymur. The book mainly focuses on tribe-state relations, emphasizing their dynamic interaction, with particular attention paid to the relationships between the tribal groups. Uzi Rabi's book reinterprets a significant timescale in the modern history of the Arabian Peninsula and pre-oil societies, and will be essential reading for both students and scholars of Middle Eastern history, culture and society.

Oman's Insurgencies: The Sultanate's Struggle for Supremacy, by J. E. Peterson.

Peterson (a political analyst) takes a detailed look at the crises that have tested the mettle of Oman’s army and accelerated its development, surveying its transition from a strictly traditional regime controlling only parts of the country to a modern, inclusive state, particularly in terms of security concerns.

I'll let you know what I think when I recieve them:D.

I want to read this book: "In the Service of the Sultan"

I want to read Ian Gardinar's account of the war in Dhofar. I like war stories (my family has more than 1 or 2 soldiers) and think Oman TV (yeah right people say now) should make movies or series about things like this. This book would BE PERFECT for a movie or series. Anyways....

I almost bought it at the airport (which is more expensive than anywhere else). But I waited. So next paycheck, I am purchasing it.

The Omani Dress Project

If you are interested in the textile history of Oman this http://www.omanidress.com/home link is great.

Frankincense, part 1

I found this https://www.mei.edu/SQCC/EducationalResources/TheHistoryofFrankincense.aspx very good link to follow if you want a quick history in Frankincense (a very integral trade factor for ancient Oman---and a very important part of the culture here today).