Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Balad Seet



Balad Seet is located in the heart of Hajar mountains. It is a small village with residents perhaps less than 2000 person but the wonderful location, the native crop plant species and beautiful terraces make this small village a world wonder.

Getting there requires you to have a 4 WD. Start the trip by driving in the Batinah road (route 1) toward Rustaq. At Rustaq roundabout take a left turn and drive straight till you see the sign for Balad Seet about 20 minutes from the roundabout. The distance is 157 KM to the entrance of Balad Seet on your left side. Be sure to fill up from the gas station on your right before heading up there as you wont see a gas station for a while once you get in. When you turn left toward Balad Seet you will drive in ungraded Wadi road, follow sign directions till the end of the road. After the Wadi road and 6 km from Balad Seet you will start the uphill road battle! Be very careful as the road is not graded, dangerous, steep and curvy! But you will make it once you start climbing. You will see the Balad Seet signs all the way up till you get there!

Have a nice trip!

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Nizwa Souqs (Markets)

Nizwa has more than one market. The old markets that are preserved without modern structures (souq sensra), the renovated old markets (souq gharbi or western souq), and the newly built markets (souq al khudhra or fruit and vegetable market). Souq sensra sells locally made and imported household items including grains, cooking oil, spices, farm implements, and canned goods. The western souq is mostly for crafts specializing in Omani khanjar, halwa, and silverware, in addition to locally made and imported jeweleries. The newly built souq is divided into many sections that include a vegetable and fruit section, car park where fresh fruits and vegetables are sold from trucks, craft market that sells mostly souvenirs, fish market, dates market, goat and sheep market.


In downtown (city center) Nizwa, there is also a flea market that is set up once a week and is called souq jumaa or Friday Market. This Friday market offers used and new cheap goods from slippers to furniture to cars and trucks. It is very popular among the locals and is visited by residents of other towns and cities of the interior region. Along the streets of downtown there is also the small shops and little stores including local, Indian and Arabic restaurants, jewelery shops, bookshops, meat shops, tailors, barbershops, and everything in between. A small market of similar nature can be found under the Grand Mosque and along the road to Nizwa Fort. With all these shops you might run out of money, not to worry there is also all Bank branches with ATMs and money exchange offices all along the streets in Nizwa city center. All of this within one kilometer, so there is a good shopping place for all types of visitors, no matter what you need, if it is not in one of Nizwa Markets, then it is not any where else in the interior. Happy shopping!

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Sunset over Tanuf


This sunset picture taken from Ma'bet, one of Jabal Hajar mountain village. To get there, drive from Tanuf, Nizwa, up a gravelly road anout 40 minutes. The elevation is about 1300 m above sea level.
Have a nice trip.

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