Diving in Oman

Exiting self-experience: Diving Daymaniat islands in Oman

The Ad Dimaniyat (or Daymaniat-)Islands are a protected area in Oman.
The Nature Reserve is located in Wilayat AlSeeb in the Muscat Governorate and lies about 18 kilometres (11 mi) off the coast of Barka (70 kilometres (43 mi) west of Muscat, the capital). It is composed of nine islands with a total area of 100 hectares (250 acres). The reserve has a rich natural heritage and is replete with several kinds of coral reefs, including some examples that are quite rare. The island is home to a large number of sea turtles that lay their eggs and nest there, as well as a magnet for migratory and indigenous birds.

I visited this natural reserve during my holiday in Oman December 2016. We were diving with the guys of Seaoman Dive center, which has a small base directly in Muscat ("the Wave") and a main base in Mussanah, which I personally have not seen. Every day from these two bases dive excursions start to the Daymaniat islands, which are about 40 min. speedy boat ride away from Muscat...

Our dive guide mainly was Azzan, who is a very nice and friendly man born in Seeb, always laughing and joking around.... to be in bad moods is absolutely impossible when he is around...!
The manager of the dive school is Richard, who has also built up the decompression center in Oman as an engeneer, instructing also many doctors and dive-masters to be able to do the decompression shedule in case of a diving accident. He is also a well experienced underwater Photographer, who assisted me with my photographing equipment.... Many Thanks to these two friends!!!!

Leopard shark

Lion fish -posing

Meeting a turtle at Daymaniat islands, Oman

View from Diving boat arriving at Daymaniat islands

loveplay of nudibranches at Daymaniat islands

net murrays are met very frequently

after an exhaustive dive - some help to climb back aboard is wellcome

Recipe Creamy Tomatosoup

Creamy Tomatosoup

creamy tomato soup with basil

 

 Ingredients for 4 persons

-   50 g butter

-   350-500 gr ripe fresh tomatoes

-   350-500 gr canned whole tomatoes

-   850-1000 ml hot vegetable broth (instant as well possible)

-   50-80 gr ground almonds

-   100-150 ml fresh milk

-   100-150 ml cream

-   2 spoons white sugar

-   2 spoons minced  basil 

-   salt and pepper

Preparation

1.  First heat the butter in a big pot and fry the fresh tomatoes adding a little salt and pepper

     until the skin starts to peel off, then add the canned whole tomatoes.

2.  after 5-10 minuttes shred all the tomatoes in a food precessor (including the tomatoskin)

food processor

3.  after this put all the shredded tomatoes back  

     to the pot and add the vegetable broth and let the soup  

     cook for about 10 minutes. 

4.  Meanwhile roast the ground almonds in the baking oven. Be 

     carefull, when they start to get brown they tend to be burnt  
     very quickly.

5.  Add the roasted almonds to the soup.

6.  Add the milk and let the soup heaten again under stiring.

7.  Finally join the cream and add some seasoning to Your taste.

8.  Then distribute the soup to the plates. Add some additional  
     cream (must not be whipped) and "spread" it a litle with a      
     fork   (picture above).

9.  The surface can be illustrated with the minced basil

Good appetite!  

Great Journey: celebrating Oman

Musical at the the Royal Opera House in Muscat

If You want to see a glamorous show about Omanian history with video installations on the white walls of the Royal Opera House in Mascat, a Musical in several pictures, then try to get a ticket for this new open air event in Muscat!

The different scenes depict for example the production of francinsense, the tradition of Beduin tribes,  Omanian seafaring or the famous times of the silk route. The two last pictures celebrate the actual Sultan Qaboos bin Said , who has been reigning the country since 1970! He has brought modern times to Oman by covering the country with 3-lane highways , initializing modern architecture and opening Oman to the Western world. He enjoys an immens popularity here...he is in the age of 76. As he has no children Omani people fear about the future of their country after the end of the reign of Sultan Qaboos.

People gathering for the premiere of the open-air Show tonight

About 400 people, most of them Omanis, now have gathered around the open air stage of the Royal opera house which has been opened in the year 2011 and which is one of the most famous and impressive buildings in Muscat.

The Famous Royal Opera House in Muscat

Tonight one can see Omanian women wearing a festive chador, sometimes combined with breathtaking high-heels, accompanied by their husbands in traditional clothes, including Dischdascha, a long white coat and a Kumma on their head.

The show also includes 3 dromedars, a tenor reciting an aria of the Puccini opera, which was also performed at the opening of the Opera house in 2011 at the presence of Sultan Qaboos, and flag throwers, who artistically throw and securely capture their flags over a distance of many meters. 

During theShow "Celebrating Oman" in January 2017 in Muscat

Ballet during the performance

Video performance of a desert scene to the walls of the Opera House

A ship gliding in during the scene about the great history of seafaring in Oman

What You should   n o t   expect in this musical is a live presentation of the Muscat Symphonic orchestra or distinct dramatic art- this remains reserved to the indoor Repertoire  of the Muscat Opera. 

January 6th 2017

Von Doris Jäger