Y Magazine #306, February 6, 2014

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Your top guide to the best of oman, everY week

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FEB 06 – 12 / ISSUE 306 • WEEKLY

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OutdoorsFeature

ONE GENERATION CAN END THE CONTROVERSY

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STYLISH SPONSORSHIP: Supporting Omani TalentSPIRITUAL RETREAT: Postcard from Kerala

Best Bus or Bust: Police to train bus monitors10

Fashion

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Clayton Dining TableOMR 445

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Y Magazine is published by SABCO Press, Publishing &

Advertising LLC /Y is a SABCO Media product.

We’d love to hear your news and views. For editorial

enquiries, please email [email protected]

EDITOR’S NOTE

Welcome to the new look Y Magazine - your indispensable guide to everything modern Oman has to offer.

EDITOR IN CHIEFSayyida Iman bint Hamad

bin Hamood Al Busaidi

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Eihab Abutaha

MANAGING EDITORPenny Fray

SECTIONS EDITORKate Ginn

CONTRIBUTORTom Robertson

PHOTOGRAPHER Jerzy Wierzbicki

ART DIRECTOR Matthew Herbst

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Feroz Khan

Write to us at Y Magazine, SABCO Media, PO Box 3779, Ruwi 112, Sultanate of Oman.

@ytabloid facebook.com/ytabloid www.y-oman.comfO l l O w u S O N :

Online: Visit y-oman.com for even more inspiration.

Smart device: Catch up with Y on the go at y-oman.com/current-issue

ways to get your Y fix

fast forwardake one minute and try to imagine having an eyelid hacked off with no pain relief.

Feel the searing agony as the razor blade crudely cuts into your flesh. Then, picture the blood trickling to the floor.

Now also imagine that you’re just a child and don’t know what’s happening except that your mother, the woman you love most in the world, wants you to be ‘made clean’.

This would normally cause widespread outrage but we’re not talking about cutting eyelids here but a more intimate part of a woman’s anatomy. And the consequences are worth noting, with medical evidence of infections, cysts, infertility, childbirth complica-tions, pain during intercourse and death.

The taboo attached to female circumcision, also known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), has meant that this act continues to happen to babies and children in some parts of the Sultanate even today.

February 6 marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM. Isn’t it time we started discussing rather than hiding from the issue?

Penny Fray MANAGING EDITOR

[email protected]

T

We’ve been enjoying the hospitality of friends, sale

shopping and stressing over early deadlines.

THIS wEEK…

TREND BAROMETER

GOING DOWNSELFIES

Thanks to the Internet, adorable animal photography is trending in a major way, and the ‘awww’

factor is sometimes too much for even us to handle. Cute cats

in hats anyone?

GOING UP5-A-DAY

Muscat’s food fiends rave about it. The fruit and vegetable

market in Mawaleh not only boosts your culinary credentials but it’s become the place to shop.

Clayton Dining TableOMR 445

Venetiano Dining TableOMR 395

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contentsF E B R U A R Y 0 6 2 0 1 4

08

Yo u r O m a n06 The Big Interview Husam al Mandhari

08 Your Oman Ali al Balushi

10 News Philip Seymour Hoffman

Fo o d a n d D r i n k29 Food BreadTalk

30 Food Review Fauchon

T h i s w e e k14 Movie Listings Grand Piano

16 This week Violins & Valentines

19 Oman in 43 Objects Burqa

B u s i n e s s a n d C a r e e r24 Success In The City

C a r s a n d O u t d o o r37 Destination Masirah Island

40 Outdoors Golf Fit

42 Postcard From Amritapuri

44 Y-Fi The 4K Revolution

46 Car of the Week Range Rover Sport

29

Fe at u r e s20 Tackling FGM in Oman

26 Karting Couple

H e a l t h a n d B e a u t y33 Fashion Hippie Happy

34 Style Counsel Barbra Young

V-DAY SPECIAL / VEG VALUE / Y ON AIR / A FINE ROMANCE IN FASHION / REVIEWS & VIEWS

NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE...

33

44

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Tell me about your career in brief: I graduated in the United States in engineering, before going on to work for Muscat Municipality for eight years. After that, I worked as an operations manager at a mall before becoming the manager for Qurum City Centre and now Muscat City Centre. Moving from engineering into retail is a fairly dramatic career leap. What prompted it? Malls always fascinated me, so what I do now is a dream come true. I was presented with an opportunity in 2009. I thought that it was the right time to progress and take up the challenge of doing something new, moving from the public sector into the private one. There’s no doubt that it’s been a 180 degree change but I have no regrets because my journey has brought me here.How is working in the retail sector different? People think it’s an easy job but it isn’t. There’s no routine. Every day you meet new people and challenges. You try to create the best experience for everyone

who comes into the mall as well as working with the team, sitting with them and creating the changes you see right now [he points to the recent expansion and refurbishment of the food court and children’s area]. What are the challenges? Part of it is converting footfall into sales. Fortunately, the mall is doing very well. We have different attractions that appeal to different customers. There are people who want brands, which they get here, but there are also those who want value, which they can also find here. There’s something for everyone. I think the challenges can be overcome by adding more options, brands and F&B (food and beverage) opportunities.

How do your visualise the future of malls, here in Oman? There’s a boom in retail here, and as you’ve seen in the news, there are many malls coming up. This is a good thing. Competition is healthy because it elevates standards, which in turn is positive for the country.What you see right now is the future. Every mall coming up is talking about cinemas, food courts and entertainment. That’s what people want here in Oman.If you were given a rewind button for life, would you press it? I have a good job, a beautiful wife, four children (we’ve just had a new baby boy a few weeks ago.) Thank God, I have a good life and there’s nothing I would really want to change.What’s the mall’s USP? First of all, being managed by Majid Al Futtaim is a plus. Secondly, the tenant mix that we have and thirdly, the high standard of customer service

we provide.Describe your personality in four words:Kind, supportive, I listen and I’m pro-active.Tell me about Omanisation….As an Omani it’s not something I think about, it’s something I feel that I have to do. We have 85 per cent Omanisation here and I’m working to increase that number. Also, we always support any opportunity to train Omanis.What do you do in your personal time? I wish I had more time to spend with the children because I’m always busy with work. If I had time, I’d take my family to a private island. I enjoy travelling. What were your last three mall purchases? I like to visit electronics shops because I’m a gadget enthusiast. Recent buys include a signal booster for Wi-Fi connection at home, a new mobile phone and a specialist phone charger.

YOUR OMAN

H U S A M A L M A N D H A R I , S E N I O R M A L L M A N A G E R F O R M U S C AT C I T Y C E N T R E

N e w s G a l l e r y I N T E R V I E W

RETAIL THERAPY

HUSAM’S TOP THREE TIPS TO SUCCESS:01 Understand the market and culture.02 Never give up. Pursue your dreams. 03 Never stop learning. Read whenever you have a moment.

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Dear Y,

Each week, I eagerly wait for my treat of colourful, glossy, knowledge-filled pages of Y. After reading the content non-stop for an hour, my thirst for being abreast of the trends and developments in and around the country, and the world, are quenched. Y is not just a magazine but is truly the PULSE OF OMAN. It’s the spectacular result of adventurous, determined and extremely hardworking people coming together as a team. Y is a feast for the literary soul. As a student, I have evolved from writing essays to being a student editor for my college magazine.

And my inspiration to do all this comes from your magazine. Y’s team has not just captured the events and happenings but the feelings, sentiments and souls of people. And you have personified Y, giving it an identity, a name and a personality of being a

people’s person. My heartfelt thanks and a big congrats to Y’s team for making Y such a huge phenomenon!

Regards

Adeeba Suman Siddiq Student, Waljat College Of Applied Sciences

ODE TO Y

correspondence

Instead of slumping on the sofa and watching all those trashy soap operas, or letting our lives

pass us by in a blur of WhatsApp messages, we should be using our free time more efficiently. Knowing what to watch, listen to or read helps us to be more cultured and to avoid sounding boring when conversing with others. These days, we can take advantage of advanced technology to help us expand our understanding of things and to accelerate the learning curve. We’re now in the fortunate position of being able to acquire this knowledge and other useful information by using our smartphones. Getting connected with friends and family through these devices has never been easier and is healthy. However, we also need to use them smartly to get the best out of the technology. Try finding out what interests you the most and start googling it to see what resources are out there for that subject. Then start downloading relevant apps on your smartphone and leverage your knowledge by reading and keeping yourself up to date in this field. A friend of mine who’s a graphic designer spends his time on the app Behance to check new designs and refresh his expertise. I personally like to watch videos from Ted Talks to learn new things. Moreover, following gurus on Twitter can also help provide further information on all manner of subjects. Gatheriing useful knowledge is no longer difficult. We can use our smartphones whenever and wherever we want to access all that interests us. So let’s feed our brains.

The Voice of oman Ali al Balushi on why we need to be smart with our smart phones

Next week: ShueNa al Mayahi

SEND US YOUR letters, photos, news and views to [email protected] / @ytabloid / /ytabloid. Impress us and the winning correspondent will receive an InterContinental voucher. Guests may redeem gift vouchers from the hotel’s reception. For the rest of the terms and conditions see voucher.

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Dear Y,

I read Daniel Palmer’s complaint about jet skis in your Jan 16 issue (303) and couldn’t help feeling the same irritation. However, I have an even greater pet peeve - quad bikes. Recently, while waiting for a light to change at an intersection in Al Ghubra, I watched incredulously as a helmetless quad biker sped through, did a 180-degree tipped turn on

two wheels at high speed (narrowly missing the front row of cars opposite), before righting his noisy vehicle and speeding back to where he had come from. If an accident had taken place, a number of drivers indirectly involved in it, or witnessing it, would have been traumatised and possibly been injured themselves. As for the biker and others like him, is an accident required to teach them a safety lesson and to learn some respect for the

rules of the road? Unfortunately, bikers such as this can be seen popping wheelies and roaring up

and down residential streets, on main highways and up and down

beaches, with complete carelessness. Why is nothing significant being done

about the safety, air and noise pollution problems this activity is causing? Why is

the safety of these reckless young Omani quad bikers not being addressed?

Regards

Lea Rash, Muscat

QUAD BIKE MENACE

WInner! Reply of

the Week

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We asked: ‘Y has just had its 6th birthday. What would be your dream birthday celebrations, if money and time were no object?’

Sophie wilboNd I would have all my family and friends around me. None of us can ever be in one place at the same time due to the cost of airfares and hectic lives. That would make my day.

aNdrew Catli aludiNo Since space tourism is a near possibility now, I would definitely like to try celebrating my birthday with a view of our lovely Planet Earth and the cosmos. I wouldn’t want to be alone on that day, so I’d take my wife and some of my closest friends with me. Then I would greet my well-wishers back on Earth by flashing a bright light or any sign visible from outer space.

VikaS SiNgal I would like to celebrate my birthday on a barren island with my loved ones and no outside disturbance. I would make sure everyone enjoys it, as it will be an once-in-a-lifetime feeling.

CatheriNe baker Mine is a biggie! I would invite all my friends and family from all over the world to one place - which is the least important part of this - so they could meet each other and maybe understand me a bit better if they don’t already. So many of them ‘know’ about each other but they’ve never met. Could be a great success or an unmitigated disaster!

SudheeSh pal A dinner with all my friends and relatives on a houseboat on the backwaters of Kerala.

reShMa raVi Donating food for the needy (especially for kids) would be a good way to celebrate my birthday and I would enjoy it.

SaNdhya Vora My dream birthday would be celebrating on a cruise. The best part would be the experience of sailing with indoor and outdoor space and seeing the sunset, the lights, the bridges and the skyline, making this a wonderful experience for me, my family and my nearest and dearest ones.

taiyaba aSad My dream birthday celebration would be to go to Paris with my husband and son and also go to Disneyland. It would be awesome.

DEBATE Of ThE WEEK

L E T T E R S E - M A I L S F A C E B O O K T W I T T E RYOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO US

MeghaNa aNup goSher I would love to celebrate my birthday with all the special people in my life on an exotic island and thank them for loving me unconditionally.

aNia JaMeS Take my kids and hubby in a camper van for a year-long trip around the world.

piyuSh Vora I would celebrate my birthday at Burj Al Arab with my family and close friends. The whole experience would be amazing and spellbinding for everybody, including me. We would also have a great chance to look inside one of the world’s most iconic hotels. This would be a dream come true for all of us, and something we would always cherish.

pragNya MohaNty I would love to celebrate my birthday with my school friends in a good hotel because I love food and friends.

Merzia VaJid Going on a world tour with friends.

Shafqat Shah If I had money and all the time needed, I would invite the poorest people of the world or distribute food to them. I would also have my whole family

there, not forgetting the Y Magazine team, to have a memorable experience.

iaN iNoNCillo aquiNo An Asian cruise with my family.

azra aleeM I would like to celebrate my birthday on a ferry from Musandam to Salalah and discover the beautiful sea of Oman with my family and friends.

ShabNoor alaM I would celebrate my birthday in an airplane with my family and all my classmates and cut the biggest cake ever (in the world).

I'm a reader

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This Week’s debate:

President Obama is planning to travel to Saudi Arabia next month. What would you say to him if you

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with a chance of winning dinner

for two.

sImon baldran wIth wIfe, adrIana, and daughter , hannah, spotted with a copy of Y Magazine

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School bus supervisors to check safety and driving will be trained by the

ROP in the wake of the tragedy in which three children died, it has been revealed.

These newly created posts, announced by the Ministry of Education last week, are part of several measures brought in to ensure that a similar accident never happens again.

Dozens of pupils were also injured when the private school bus hit a rubbish truck and overturned in Qurum on Jan 22. Police later confirmed that the bus transporting pupils from the Pakistan School Muscat (PSM) was overcrowded. Speed has also been mentioned as a factor.

The new monitors will be trained at the Traffic Safety Institute in Muscat. Instruction will include advanced driving.

The ROP already helps with

bus driver training.“The ROP has been training

hundreds of bus drivers since 2007,” said Col Mohammed Awadh al Rawas, Director General of Traffic.

Police will also be visiting private schools in the coming weeks to carry out awareness campaigns and advise on road safety.

Private bus firms ferrying children to and from school have already been warned to show more caution. Police will be carrying out increased on-road checks to ensure school buses are obeying traffic regulations.

Paperwork giving the age

of the driver, details of his licence and information about bus supervisors (monitors) will also legally be required to be on public display in the vehicle, as part of a joint plan by the police and Ministry of Education.

Public prosecutors are still reportedly interrogating the driver of the PSM bus to establish exactly what happened. The 32-year-old driver was apparently experienced and had driven the bus for years.

He could face charges if found to be negligent or driving dangerously.

STOP PRESS: Two further oil bribery cases are due before a Muscat court again next month. Three top expatriate staff from a leading private construction firm and a number of government officials are being tried on charges of bribery in six different cases. Judgement will be given in one case on March 9, while a further hearing in the second case is set for March 2. The cases involve bribes of RO24,000 and RO20,000.

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N E W SYOUR OMAN

G a l l e r y I n t e r v i e w

Police to train school bus monitors

It’s been a long time coming and for some, it couldn’t come

soon enough.But the end is in

sight with the news that the new Muscat International Airport

is now taxiing down the runway with almost three quarters of the building work complete.

A series of delays have hit the landmark project – said to be costing a total of $1.8 billion (RO693 million) – which began in early 2011 but it’s now officially nearing completion. All the runways have

been finished. It’s clear too that the distinctive terminal building, which can be seen rising from the desert sand, is also well on the way.

Work to finish the 97-metre high air traffic control tower will begin soon. A test flight on the main runway, which is big enough to receive the world’s largest aircraft, the Airbus A380, is set for next Sunday (Feb 16).

Don’t get too excited yet, though. We still don’t have an actual opening date.

“The timetable for completing the passenger terminal is not clear,” said Dr

Ahmed bin Mohammed al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, as he toured the site this week.

It should be worth waiting for.

When opened, the sprawling airport will be capable of handling 12 million passengers a year with 86 check-in counters, 8,000 car parking spaces and 56 immigration counters.

AIRPORT NEARING TAKE OFF

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Police to train school bus monitors

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G a l l e r y I n t e r v i e w N E W SYOUR OMAN

G a l l e r y I n t e r v i e w N E W S

Whether it was serious running

or just for fun, the determination on the face of each and every runner who took part in the Muscat Marathon was evident.

Hundreds of competitors turned out to take part in the third event organised by Muscat Road Runners on Friday (31). When energy levels flagged, the route passed some of the most memorable

landmarks in Muscat, including the Royal Opera House Muscat, to lift the spirits and energise aching leg muscles.

Whether running the full marathon, half distance or 10km, all

those crossing the finishing line at Qurum Beach Resort, Shatti, deserved their medal and the applause from spectators.

If you fancy a go next year, best get into training now.

What is it?A predetermined parking area where travellers and visitors using the airport are able to leave their vehicles. Parking is typically divided between ‘short stay’ and ‘long stay’.Do we have any in Muscat?Yes, parking is ‘available’ at Muscat International Airport.Are there enough spaces?Judging by the cars rammed up haphazardly on the kerb and vehicles blocked into spaces by travellers who have run off to catch their flight in a panic, it would appear not.That sounds a bit chaotic. What’s being done about it?Last December, the Oman Airports Management Authority (OAMC) decided to reserve one car park for staff and to merge two public car parks together to help the situation.Okay, but in terms of the actual total real estate put aside for both public and staff parking, was any more created?Not that we can see.Oh, dear. What other measures were taken to try and rectify the lack of parking? Parking fees were increased by 150 per cent from RO2 per day to RO5 per day. How does that help?It’s not entirely apparent.For such an immediate and steep increase, surely customers must have received something in return?It appears not.Can’t something be done about this?It already has been. The people revolted, OAMC listened and the parking fees have recently been restored to their usual RO2 per day.What’s next?A new airport and, hopefully, more public parking.Do say: “Thank you OAMC.”Don’t say: “Where did I leave my car?”

A W E E K I N P I C T U R E S

Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman dies aged 46 after an apparent drug overdose at his Manhattan home

HEADLINING STORIES FROM OMAN AND BEYOND

Bodies of four Omani pilgrims killed in a bus crash on the way to perform Umrah repatriated to Muscat

Mumbai unveils India’s first monorail system Flooded high streets in the UK have been turned into a surfing paradise

RUNNING FREE

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B i t e S i z e dOUR NEW WEEKlY SlOT TAKES A lIGhThEARTEd

lOOK AT A NEWS ISSUE Of ThE WEEK.


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ROBOCOP Yes, it’s time for a remake. Despite the incredibly good reception of the original Robocop film back in 1987, the execs over at MGM and Columbia pictures have decided that it needs a reboot. This time it’s Joel Kinnaman who steps into the robo-suit for some metal-induced mayhem.

Kinnaman plays Alex Murphy, a corruption-fighting cop in Detroit who’s critically injured in a blast but offered the chance of continuing his crime-fighting ways by donning a futuristic technology developed by OmniCorp. But no matter how much the corporation tries to control their robotic justice of the peace, there’s still a man inside ready to act of his own free will.

Y’s Choice

THIS WEEK’S MOVIES

P R E V I E W

For more information and times, go to:

City Cinema: citycinemaoman.net

Al Bahja Cinema: albahjacinema.net

Star Cinema: Tel +968 24791641

How I Live Now

From Kevin Macdonald, director of The Last King of Scotland, comes a teen movie set in rural England and framed against the backdrop of international conflict. Saoirse Ronan plays Daisy, a troubled young New Yorker sent to live with her cousins in

MOVIES MOVIESWEEKTHIS

England. It’s in the quiet countryside that she finds the calming influence of Eddie (George MacKay). But the peace of their summer haven, together with the innocence of their youth, is shattered as war sends the country into chaos. It’s a poignant tale of a struggle to survive and remain together in the face of encroaching chaos.

The LEGO Movie

Based on one of our favourite childhood toys, this animated adventure sees Chris Pratt voice the character of Emmet, an ordinary little LEGO citizen quietly thrust into a plot to save the LEGO universe. In an amusing case of mistaken identity, Emmet sets out armed only with the power of his imagination to help save his plastic world from the evil plans of Lord Business. It’s amusing enough, especially for those of us familiar with the little plastic men from yesteryear.

SAving Mr BAnkSTom Hanks, Emma Thompson and Colin Farrell star in this film honouring Walt Disney’s efforts to bring the story of Mary Poppins to the big screen. Hanks plays Walt Disney himself, who’s on the quest to secure the film rights to the Mary Poppins novel written by P.L Travers (Thompson).

Even in the face of dwindling book sales and a charm offensive by Walt Disney in Los Angeles, Travers retains an iron grip over her character and remains steadfast in her conviction not to let her

beloved creation be thrown to the Hollywood wolves. Beautifully acted and thoughtful, it’s a brilliant attempt at accurately portraying a clash of visions over the future of the 20th Century’s most famous nanny.

Forever trying to step out of the shadow cast by his role as Frodo Baggins, Elijah Wood stars as Tom Selznick, a talented young piano player attempting to make his return to the auditorium having famously suffered from a case of stage fright five years before.

Sitting down at the piano to resume his career, he checks through his sheet music only to find that it’s been marked up with death threats to his wife (Kerry Bishé) and himself. ‘Play one wrong note and you die’, reads a heart-stopping message. He’s also given an earpiece, which rather sadistically connects him to his hunter,

John Cusack. The sense of fear in the lead

character is palpable. Wood’s performance as a music maestro haunted by failure and slowly being crushed by the pressure of the unfolding horror, is nothing short of compelling.

As far as single location films go, director Eugenio Mira has produced a superbly executed thriller. This carefully constructed, real-time story unfolds at the piano playing hands of a lead actor still keen to make his name in a different genre of movies. Goodbye Frodo, Hello Frédéric Chopin.

Grand Piano

T e s t y o u r c o m p a t i b i l i t y w i t h t h e u l t i m a t e l i v e q u i z s h o w ‘ Y W E ’ R E S O U L M AT E S ’

LovebirdsWIN bigprizes!

Presents

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Answer a series of questions about your spouse to win prizes at Markaz Al Bahja on Valentine’s Day. Get a chance to become a live contestant by telling us why you’re well matched at

[email protected] by February 13, 2014

Co-Sponsors

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T e s t y o u r c o m p a t i b i l i t y w i t h t h e u l t i m a t e l i v e q u i z s h o w ‘ Y W E ’ R E S O U L M AT E S ’

LovebirdsWIN bigprizes!

Presents

Associate Sponsor

Answer a series of questions about your spouse to win prizes at Markaz Al Bahja on Valentine’s Day. Get a chance to become a live contestant by telling us why you’re well matched at

[email protected] by February 13, 2014

Co-Sponsors

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FIDDLE FEST

If Music Be The Food Of Love…

Award-winning violinist Maxim Vengerov will perform the works of classical legends like Mozart and Tchaikovsky, while he leads the Polish Chamber Orchestra. The artist has many awards under his belt and is highly acclaimed for his musical and technical brilliance. Catch this one-time act at the Royal Opera House Muscat at 7.30pm. For details visit www.rohmuscat.org.om

The Classic Music and Arts Institute will be hosting a charity fundraising concert in Qurum by the famous classical duo - Ádám Jávorkai on the cello & Clara Biermasz on the piano. Tickets cost RO6 for a performance that aims to raise funds for the association. Call 97497777 for more info.

Making chocolate is harder than eating it. That’s why the Women’s Guild in Oman will be hosting a chocolate cooking demonstration at the Al Bustan Palace from 10am to 1pm. Tickets for the event are priced at RO17 for members and RO20 for non-members. Visit womensguildoman.com for registration and details.

THIS WEEK

WHaT TO DO.

WHaT TO SEE.

WHaT TO HEar.

F E B r u a r y

Sunday 09

KEEP CALM & FONDUE ON

Feb07 to 21

Muscat Festival has some great cultural acts lined up for you and your family to enjoy and learn from. The annual event features shows from India, Turkey and Russia. Catch the colourful acts from 6.30pm to 11pm at Naseem Park. For details visit www.muscat-festival.com

familyFUN

Do you believe your better half is your soulmate? Here’s your chance to prove it! Y’s Valentine show is back on February 14th at Markaz Al Bahja with big prizes at stake. Interested in showing the whole of Oman how much you care for your partner? Contact us at [email protected] or hit us on our Facebook page or Twitter!

Y are You soulmates?

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G a L L E r y I n t e r v i e w N e w syOur OMaN B E a c H B E a u T I E S

Seeb SandS, a new at thiS year’S FeStival playS hoSt to Four-legged FriendS

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G a l l e r y I n t e r v i e w N e w s

f a I r w o N d e r Festival Fun down at naseem park

OMAN IN 43 OBJECTSyoUr oMaN

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OMAN IN 43 OBJECTS

The Burqa is a face covering worn in some sectors of

Omani society, often when in the presence of strangers or when outside the home. They vary from region to region in material, shape and colour, from the golden-coloured slim-line versions found in the Musandam Peninsula to the black, full-faced Burqas of Dhofar and Al Sharqiyah.

BUrqa13.

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THE DEEPEST CUT It’s a practice

that is banned in Oman’s hospitals, yet female circumcision is being carried out on babies and young girls across the Sultanate. Y investigates. Report by Kate Ginn

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The painful memories are buried deep but not forgotten. Muna remembers the voice of her mother calling her.

“She was saying ‘I’ll buy you an ice cream and a yoghurt-filled chocolate’. I joyfully ran behind her in my green trousers and dress,” she recalls. “We walked into dark roads further than the shop. God, I will never forget how sickening and awful that place was.”

Muna was not going to the store for sweets. Her mother was taking her to be circumcised, as she herself had been at the same age.

“I remember being in severe pain, crying my lungs out, and bleeding heavily on my trousers and dress,” says Muna, her eyes filling with long suppressed tears.

She was around five or six years old when the procedure was done at her village in Al Batinah, about 180km from Muscat. Certainly, much older than the baby girls in Salalah who are circumcised just a few days after birth, carried out by women often with no formal medical training or qualifications.

As the world today (Feb 6) marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a UN-sponsored awareness day, Y investigates whether the practice still happens on our doorstep.

We have spoken to Omani women, health officials and those who have been circumcised, to gather a full and balanced picture of the situation.

We have also spoken to a circumciser who carries out the procedure on girls in Salalah, the youngest two days old and the eldest 12 years old.

Not only is FGM still practiced in the Sultanate, it happens all over the country - not just in the south where previously thought - and is passed down through the generations, according to a new independent study.

“FGM constitutes a widespread phenomenon in Oman in all age groups,” says Habiba al Hinai, an Omani campaigner and statistician who carried out the study.

“The results (of the study) shocked me. Being an Omani, I didn’t realise how prevalent it is,” says al Hinai.

“We are not just talking about rural areas and uneducated women. It is happening everywhere, even in Muscat, and educated, cultured women support it.

“Yet no-one wants to talk about it. It’s still a taboo subject.”

On December 20, 2012 the United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution calling for an end to the practice of FGM, describing it as a ‘serious threat to the health of women and girls.’

The UN does not, however, have any legal power to enforce a ban. Some countries had already acted. FGM has been illegal in Egypt since 2007 (although the UN claims that it is still widely practiced there).

In Oman, female circumcision is banned in hospitals and clinics but there is nothing stopping it being carried out in a private home.

Female circumcision or FGM is a procedure that involves the partial or total removal of intimate parts of a young girl or woman’s body. There are four types, with the most severe (Type 3) involving everything bar a small hole being sealed up. It is usually carried out between the ages of infancy to 15, according to United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The slightest can be a mere pinprick, which still is considered by UNICEF as a harmful procedure.

Long-term consequences of FGM can, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), be recurrent bladder infections, cysts, infertility, tetanus, open sores and an increased risk of childbirth complication. Some girls hemorrhage to death from botched operations, according to the WHO.

A UNICEF publication released in July last year (Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A statistical overview and exploration of the dynamics of change) revealed that at least 125 million girls and women have experienced FGM in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East, including Yemen, where the practice is concentrated.

Every year, the lives of three million girls are threatened by the practice, claims the WHO.

According to the groundbreaking UNICEF 2013 report, Egypt has the world’s highest total number of women who have undergone FGM (27.2 million), while Somalia has the highest rate of FGM at 98 per cent.

Anecdotal evidence reveals that FGM is practiced in Oman and nearby countries like the UAE.

The Ministry Of Health acknowledged as such in its Five-Year Health Plan: 2006-2010, stating a ‘regional study showed that the percentage of circumcised Omani female children (less than 3 years) was 100% in some wilayats, which is a matter of concern.’

Female circumcision is banned in state hospitals in the Sultanate.

THE DEEPEST CUT

As a result, most ‘operations’ take place in homes, according to al Hinai’s research paper, Female Genital Mutilation in the Sultanate of Oman, which was published last month in co-operation with Stop FGM Middle East, a women’s rights group campaigning on the issue.

More often than not, the circumciser is a local woman who has taken on the role, plying her trade in villages and wilayats

We know that it is happening because we have spoken to women in Oman who have undergone circumcision. Women like Aaliya, who comes from Saham. She told Y that an old woman came to her home when she was about six or seven years old.

“All the female neighbours had come to sit in the room,” she recalls. “I was called into the room by my mother. I just remember pain and the feel of blood.”

She had no understanding of what was happening to her body or why. Nobody explained anything to her.

She’s 29 years old now but has never married or had children. Her brother’s young daughter, aged one, was circumcised last year against the father’s wishes.

“His wife and mother over-ruled him,” says Aaliya.

“I asked them not to do it but they didn’t listen.

“Am I angry about what happened to me? Yes, but it’s happened, it’s already done. I am too embarrassed to speak to my mother about it.

“I want it to stop. It has to stop happening. We need to start talking about it openly.”

Habiba al Hinai interviewed women from regions across the Sultanate, many of which were reluctant at first to speak out, even anonymously, about whether they had undergone ‘khatana al banat’.

Of the 100 women al Hinai questioned independently, 80 per cent had been circumcised and another 10 said they didn’t know if they were circumcised or not. More than half of the women supported FGM, citing religious, culture or medical reasons.

Most had the procedure done at home. But not all. Some told al Hinai that they went to a private clinic or state hospital, where the procedure is banned.

This week, Y spoke to one of the circumcisers working in Salalah. The woman, who Y is not naming,


F E B 0 6 – 1 2 / I S S U E 3 0 60 2 2

told us that she used to work at the Sultan Qaboos Hospital, employed as an assistant in the operating theatre. She left 15 years ago.

Now she carries out circumcisions on girls, often just a few days old. The cost is around RO15.

“Most are only two days old but the eldest I have done is 12 years old,” the woman told us.

“This is our culture and our tradition. This is normal for us.”

The women said she had even circumcised her own daughters.

She works from her own home, where the children are taken to her. “It is like a secret. The mothers do not tell anyone about it.

“I do not need to advertise my services. It is by word of mouth.”

In an interview two months ago with Stop FGM Middle East, the woman openly described how she does it. “I use a clamp and a knife,” she said.

She carries rubber gloves and two sprays, one a disinfectant. Business is brisk. She cuts two to seven girls a day, according to the interview with Stop FGM Middle East.

Three or four other circumcisers work in Oman’s old capital, she said.

The woman insists that, unlike other circumcisers, she does not cut ‘the old way’ but only a small amount, 2mm at most. “This is too much,” she says, moving her finger about 4mm. A centimetre cut and the woman ‘will never feel a thing’, she says.

Where the family insists, however, she will cut more.

Which is why she carries needles and thread, to sew up the resulting wound. Remember, all this is happening to a two-day old baby in some cases.

According to al Hinai’s study, family members, such as the fathers, are often against it but are helpless to stop it. “My wife arranged the circumcision of our daughters behind my back and under the pressure of my elder sisters,” says one Omani man, who responded to al Hinai’s independent review.

Y spoke to Noora, 30, who lives in Salalah, with her eight brothers and sisters. She recounts how her sister’s newborn girl, born in 2010, was cut under pressure from family members.

“I saw blood on the baby’s diaper and I asked my sister what it was. “She said that they did this cutting in the morning.

“It’s very hard to make a strong decision about this when there is not a lot of information and the hospital is not telling people about the dangers of doing this. My mother and aunt do not want to talk about it.”

Another woman called Mimi writing in her now defunct blog, Shy Rebellious Arab Girl, described how she found out that her eight-day-old baby niece was cut after her other niece, aged 10, came to her room and said ‘Auntie, I saw mum tie the baby’s legs’.

“I didn’t know that my sister was planning to do that to her in the morning. If I knew that, I wouldn’t have let the baby out of the room,” says Mimi.

“The one who did FGM on my little niece was an old Dhofari woman, as usual. It wasn’t even done in a clinic.”

Hannah Wettig, of the Stop FGM Middle East group, told Y: “The practice should be banned, full stop. In our view, it is child abuse.

“It was a shocking revelation for us to find out that baby girls were being cut. We have not heard of any other place where newborns are mutilated.”

From al Hinai’s research, FGM does seem to be tacitly accepted by some women in Oman.

They admit to following a custom, which has been passed down through generations of women.

“I am circumcised as every Muslim should be,” says one woman interviewed by al Hinai.

Another agreed: “I support the practice that is still applied in our family. We consider this practice as an old tradition and I support it for its scientifically-proven benefits.”

There are no official statistics on the prevalence of FGM in the Sultanate.

In its Five-Year Health Plan, the Ministry of Health revealed that it had carried out a study on knowledge, attitudes and practices of adolescents on reproductive health issues, which showed that 80 per cent of females supported female circumcision. No further information was given.

In the Plan, the Ministry stated an intention to study the prevalence of FGM in Oman and design awareness campaigns and programmes. To our knowledge, nothing to date has happened.

Y tried to contact the Ministry of Health doctor in charge of awareness programmes. She referred us to the media office, which requested an official letter in Arabic. In another phone call, we were asked to send questions in English. No response had been received at the time of going to press.

There are not official records of hospital admissions in relation to complications from FGM. However, we spoke to an official from Badr

“I saw blood on the baby’s diaper and I asked my sister what it was. She said that they did this cutting in the morning”

Female GeNITal mUTIlaTION IN THe SUlTaNaTe OF OmaN

early monthstotal number 11 21 12 41

age 1-5 years age 5-10 years do not know

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0num

ber o

f fem

ale

parti

cipa

nts

age of circumcision

Source: Habiba al

Hinai, Female Genital

Mutilation in the Sultanate

of Oman (January

2014)


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Al Samaa Polyclinic in Al Khoud, who said that, occasionally, they do see a child who is suffering from problems due to circumcision, such as severe bleeding.

“We tell the parents that we cannot treat the child and we send them to a government hospital. The hospital will then call the police to check on where it was carried out.”

Habiba al Hinai, who has been verbally abused and threatened on social media for writing and talking about the issue, recommends a nationwide research study of FGM and support programs for women who have been circumcised.

No one in Oman is suggesting a blanket ban on the practice at the moment. What the country needs, it seems, is a clear policy of educational and awareness campaigns in schools, hospitals and universities, so that women can make an informed choice.

* What do you think about FGM in Oman? Tweet, email or Facebook us your views.

In a response to a question about female circumcision, the Grand Mufti of Oman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad al Khalili, replied:“Circumcision is allowed in Sunnah, and none of the old Ulama (religious legal scholars) have said it was ‘hated’, but they have disagreed if it’s a ‘must’ or a preferable Sunnah to do, or allowed to do. “They (the hadith) never mount up that it is a must, and it was always mentioned in relation to male circumcision.”He said it could not be described as ‘crime against women or as a violation of women’s rights’, but it was clear that the operation must not cause any damage.“What is referred to as FGM is not the practice that the Sunnah talked about. Circumcision is simple and clear to cut a piece of the clitoris without causing any damage, everything that is not this, shouldn’t be called circumcision.“Therefore whatever the WHO (World Health Organisation) described as circumcision is not accurate as these are bad practices of those unable to perform proper circumcision.“Therefore, circumcision is not allowed by sharia if it causes damage, this is a rule, and if it was medically proven by well trusted doctors that circumcising women will cause damage, it should be banned based on the no harm rule of the sharia.”

MUFTI’S VIEW

27.2 million

23.8 million

19.9 million

12.1 million

9.3 million

7.9 million

919,000

1.3 mIllIon

2.7 mIllIon

3.4 mIllIon

3.5 mIllIon

3.8 mIllIon

5.0 mIllIon

6.5 mIllIon

14

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

33 11 11 7 2

Muscat Al-Batina Al-Dakhiliya Sharqiya North

Sharqiya South Al-Dhahira

num

ber o

f fem

ale

parti

cipa

nts

total number

OrIGIN OF CIrCUmCISeD Female ParTICIPaNTS

Egypt

Ethiopia

Nigeria

Sudan

Kenya and Burkina Faso

Mali and United Republic of Tanzania

Guinea and Somalia

Côte d’ Ivoire and Yemen

Eritrea and Sierra Leone

Senegal, Mauritania and Niger

Liberia, Cameroon and Benin

Gambia, Ghana and Central African Republic

Guinea-Bissau, Djibouti, Uganda and Togo

Chad and Iraq

Number of girls and women who have undergone FGM/C

The highest prevalence of FGM seems to exist in the Sharqiyah North and

South (18 out of 19), the Dakhiliya (11 out of 13) and

the Batinah (33 out of 38 questioned). Women who originate from Muscat are

less likely to be circumcised with 14 out of 22 questioned

saying they underwent the procedure. Yet, still more than half of the

participants from Muscat were affected.

Source: UNICEF, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A statistical overview and exploration of the dynamics of change (July 2013).

Source: Habiba al Hinai, Female Genital Mutilation in the Sultanate of Oman (January 2014)

Source: Habiba al Hinai, Female Genital Mutilation in the Sultanate

of Oman (January 2014)


F E B 0 6 – 1 2 / I S S U E 3 0 60 24

BUSINESS

CAREER&

SUCCESS BY SPONSORSHIP

Getting your business venture, event or even yourself

sponsored, can be the difference between success and failure.

By learning to identify potential sponsors, drafting an executive

summary, and sending out personalised packets to

potential backers, you can achieve your goal.

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WHAT THE PROTÉGÉ SAYS: SPONSORSHIP IS ESSENTIAL

“I wouldn’t have been able to go to Antarctica and be one of the Freezing Omanis without sponsorship. This is about putting Oman on the map, showing the world that we care about the environment and proving that we have young people who want to have a positive impact on the future.

Mentorship and sponsorship go hand in hand when it comes to achieving big ambitions. But this is not just about going to Antarctica. There’s a lot to be done when I get back. This is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.”

– Rumaitha Al Busaidi, Freezing Omani and Merge 104.8 presenter

Do you fancy fast-tracking your career, fulfilling a dream or just making more money? It’s time to find a sponsor, says Penny Fray

T r e n d N e t w o r k i n g M i n u t e M e n t o r i n g

Get A Sponsor

Where would Leonardo da Vinci be without the support of someone (the Medici family in his case) – or many of

Oman’s entrepreneurs, sporting-stars or celebrities for that matter?

Mentorship may count, but in today’s tough terrain, practical patronage puts you on the path to power.

According to leading business thinker and author, Ann Hewlett, sponsors propose you for plum assignments, protect you when things go wrong, financially support you and give you feedback, even when it’s critical or hard to hear.

“A sponsor might be a director of your company – or, outside a corporate setting, more like a talent scout – who takes an interest in your career, not out of altruism, but as an important investment for them,” she explains. “Your role is to deliver outstanding results, build their brand or legacy and make them look good. Sponsorship, done right, is transactional.”

It’s this win-win aspect of sponsorship that accounts for its extraordinary leverage and durability through the centuries.

Today, a protégé has to deliver not only a stellar performance and loyalty but help build the sponsor’s brand.

Rumaitha al Busaidi, one of the Freezing Omanis who will embark on an expedition to Antarctica thanks to the support of various sponsors, including Sabco media and RevGX, agrees.

“It’s certainly not a one-way street,” she says. “Sponsors have certain expectations and they have to be fulfilled. You have to do what you say you will and provide evidence of that.”

Her employer SABCO, Media, were keen on supporting Rumaitha on her environmental journey.

“We’re always looking for people with ambition, drive, and the passion to make a huge impact,” says Eihab Abutaha, Chief Executive Officer of SABCO

Media. “What we get back is being part of someone’s success.”

But it’s not all about philanthropy; companies often sponsor people to increase brand loyalty, create awareness, get positive publicity and showcase their sense of social responsibility. And it works. Think of Red Bull. The drinks company has become famous for its sponsorship and promotion of a mind-blowing array of musical and sporting talent. Several Mercury prize nominees have collaborated with them and one of their two teams dominates Formula One. On a more local level, Bank Muscat, The Zubair Corporation and several other businesses are all nurturing new talent in the Sultanate with their influence and rials.

So how do you get a sponsor? Well, according to Hewlett, it’s not easy.

You need to choose your targets carefully.“Friendship can actually hinder a

relationship that’s instrumental in nature, so prioritise efficacy over affinity. Don’t be put off by leadership style; you need to respect your sponsor, not vow to become them. It’s their clout, not their style, that will turbocharge your career. In larger organisations, they are ideally two levels above you. In smaller firms, they’re the founder or president, or they have the ear of that person.”

The next step is to get in front of your target. You could do this through networking or getting a supportive manager to put you in your potential sponsor’s line of sight. Just make sure you’ve done all your homework before you pitch any kind of proposal. Anticipate their needs, learn demographics and argue how you’ll help them achieve their goals.

“Try to articulate not just what you do but your distinct value, added to spark interest, and ensure you’re remembered as someone with lots to offer,” adds Hewlett, author of ‘Find a Sponsor’.

Finally, if your target demurs, ask if they can introduce you to a more appropriate leader.

BUSINESS BUYStore your business cards in Lanvin’s

compact leather holder. The sunny yellow shade ensures it’s easy to find, even in the roomiest of briefcases or bags. From RO60

GET AHEAD,

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Moto-MarriageTom Robertson meets the couple set to compete against each other in the hunt for karting glory

On February 14th, Hank Grossnicklaus and his wife, Laila al Sinani, will put their feelings for each other aside and instead, be locked in

battle. They’ll be going head-to-head on the Oman Automobile Association’s karting track in a 24 hour endurance race.

It’s an event that will see the teams, each consisting of up to ten drivers, vying to take first place by completing the most number of laps of the circuit.

Representing rival teams, Hank will be driving for our own Y Magazine team, while Laila will form an integral part of Merge 104.8’s attempt to gain the top honours in this year’s event.

But when you look at their varying go-karting backgrounds, there’s no mistaking which of them is odds-on favourite to help steer their team to success.

At the age of nine, Laila saw her first go-kart in a children’s story book and just a few years later started her karting career. Now 15 years on and she’s still tearing round the asphalt.

She has a headstart of over fourteen years on her husband, a relative newcomer to the sport, having started just eight months ago. For Hank, this will also be the first event of this kind that he’s competed in, in stark contrast to Laila, who has seven 24 hour endurance events already under her belt.

“I’ll just have to hope their kart breaks

down,” Hank chuckles while reflecting on the odds facing him and his team and accepting that when it comes to this marital battle, he’s definitely the underdog.

“But in reality”, he adds, “We’ll have to see because on the day there are so many more factors at play. It’s not just a question of me versus my wife, there are lots of other talented drivers involved, tactics, and a host of other things that can influence the race.”

It will be quite a change for Hank. Normally he’s dutifully supporting his wife in her karting aspirations, either practicing with her on the track, or helping to fix the kart when it’s in the pit lane.

Even though Hank is now ready to switch from cheering on his wife to directly challenging her, Laila seems unflustered by the prospect and exudes the confidence of a teacher still ready to dish out a lesson on the track.

“We’ve got some great drivers, we’re a full force ready to destroy the opposition”, she laughs, the over-the-top mock bravado almost laid on playfully to taunt her husband sitting opposite.

“But that’s just all talk, the truth is that this is a 24 hour endurance race. Even if you had the best drivers in the world, there are so many unforeseen things that can

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Moto-MarriageTom Robertson meets the couple set to compete against each other in the hunt for karting glory

go wrong on the day. You could invoke penalties for breaking rules, or things could go wrong with the kart, such as the brakes not working properly or problems with the tyres.

“It’s not like in shorter one-hour races. This is a long race and if your kart is in the pits for any length of time, you can soon find that the other teams are carving out a massive lead over you. And potentially one that’s only going to get bigger.”

The elephant in the room is, of course, the fact that this is a seriously demanding event, requiring mental concentration and physical fitness. A non-stop endurance event such as this can sometimes threaten to deprive contestants of sleep, as they hop in and out of the kart to take turns driving.

“Make no mistake”, warns Laila who became a mum to baby Dean just last year, “It is exhausting in every way, physically and emotionally. When you get out of that kart at the end, I swear you could cry. In fact, I’ve seen grown men cry. When the race is over, they’re so exhausted they have to be pulled out. You need about a week to recover afterwards, depending on how much of the 24 hours you’ve driven. ”

It’s for that reason that while Hank and Laila will be competing against each other, they also acknowledge that in reality they’ll be be supporting each other. Hank will also be taking on the role of team manager to help manage his wife’s team, while their pit boss catches up on some much needed sleep.

“It’s simply not feasible for one team manager to run an entire race for the full 24 hour period”, says Hank.

It’s apparent that while they may be on different teams, they’re still on the same team at the end of the day.

Despite the plethora of unknowns that exist in such a race and the apparent physical and mental demands, the enthusiasm with which Laila speaks about the forthcoming race is infectious.

“It’s seriously intense, but it’s so much fun. I’ve done seven and I’m willing to do another twenty more, so you can imagine how much fun it is”.

Info BoxMuscat speedway

24 Hours endurance raceFor further information contact

[email protected]+968 95370130

or see www.omanauto.orgwww.facebook.com/

omanautomobileassociation

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food

drinkand

T r e n d n e w r e s t a u r a n t r e v i e w s

Eating seaweed in bread can help burn more calories than a half-hour session in the gym, according to a new study.

Researchers tested 80 healthy, but overweight, men by feeding them with seaweed enriched toast. And while none of the blokes could tell the

difference between the ordinary and adapted bread, they still managed to consume 179 less calories a day.

It is believed that seaweed bread cuts calorie consumption by bulking the body and acting as a substitute for salt, leaving those tasting it feeling fuller for longer.

BEAT THE BULGE WITH

BREAD

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We’ve stomached a lot of crunches and Bikram yoga sessions for our love of loaf.

Even when bloat bores tried to ban the breadbasket and biscuit barrel, we were still making toast and munching on Madeleines.

So imagine our joy in hearing that carbs are making a comeback this season.

According to food fad forecasters, more and more consumers will be buying artisan breads as well as a variety of other baked goods.

Healthy and retro grains are huge

at the moment, as demonstrated by the recent launch of Oman’s boutique bakery BreadTalk’s Generation 4 collection.

Jannat Moosa, Marketing Director of Bin Mirza International (BMI), the company behind the cult bakery, says: “Creativity and innovation lies at the heart of BreadTalk and with that we have continuously tried to reinvent ourselves by introducing better choices for our customers. With the growing popularity of lifestyle trends, our Generation 4 products are much healthier and include

chia, soya, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds. We want to be able to satisfy our existing customers with their favourite products as well as provide a healthy and diverse range of products that will cater to the local market.”

Other trends for 2014 include more sweet mash-ups and South American bakes.

“With the World Cup knocking on our doors I can see lots of Brazilian and South American goods being popular,” says Good Food expert Cassie Best.

She recommends trying bakes like alfajores, a South American biscuit sandwich with dulce de leche caramel, or pão de queijo, small cheese-flavoured rolls.

Another prediction sees bakers throwing a modern spin on vintage or traditional bakes with fashionable new flavours. Also, expect regional breads from Salalah and Sur to make their way to Muscat’s breadbaskets.

Finally, expect a resurgence in wholesome baking. The recent winner of BBCs Great British Bake Off, Frances Quinn, thinks this year will see us shunning synthetic fondant icing and colourings in favour of back to nature ingredients.

“I think there’s going to be a return to more natural ingredients,” says Frances. “I’m a perfectionist, but more rustic finishes appeal to me. For instance, instead of using fondant icing I use traditional ganache, and also make my own marzipan using pistachios or orange blossom.”

r e v i e w s

The Carb ComebackBaked goods are still the buzzwords of the food world and are evolving all the time, discovers Penny fray Muffins À La Mode

Chia seeds are the new superfood that everyone’s currently talking about. They have been shown to suppress appetites while providing protein, calcium, and Omega-3s. Jump on the trend bandwagon by baking these chia and banana muffins.

IngredIents • 2 ripe bananas• 1 tablespoon ground or whole chia seeds• 1/4 cup of butter • 1/2 cup of brown sugar• 3 egg whites • 6 ounces of vanilla or plain yogurt• 1/4 cup low-fat milk • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 cup all-purpose flour• 1 cup of rolled, ground oats• 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Method• Preheat oven to 350°f.• adjust oven rack to middle position. grease or spray the muffin tins with non-stick oil.• in a bowl, combine the mashed bananas and chia seeds; set aside for later.• cream the butter and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. • stir in yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.• add the all-purpose flour, ground rolled oats, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until dry ingredients are moistened. fold in the banana/chia seed mixture.• fill prepared muffin cups and bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.)

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If you thought Holly Golightly was prowling outside Tiffany’s because she wanted a diamond – you’d be wrong. She was

probably wishing that she was in Paris putting some meat on her bones with a decadent breakfast at Fauchon, the legendary French food shop - not having cold coffee and a stale Danish in New York.

If you didn’t know, Fauchon has a well-earned reputation as one of the most rarefied places to eat pâtisseries in Oman, although the new café is nowhere near as chic as its flagship store behind the Madeleine church in Paris, France.

Established in 1886, it’s one of my favourite places to buy pâté, honey and privately labelled bubbly

when crossing the English Channel. Its history and gourmet credentials may help in making it a destination stop for many, but for me, it’s all about watching teeny, tiny, Chanel toting, French women resisting the temptation of a calorific treat. It makes for cruel entertainment.

Here in the Sultanate, however, expats come to Fauchon for hard-to-find foreign foods while those with a sweet tooth make a beeline for the pâtisserie counter for airy, ganache-filled macarons.

Prices can be eye-popping but the pink and monochrome packaging is so beautiful that

you don’t mind parting with your hard earned rials for a bit of luxe. Even its location in Muscat’s Opera Galleria instantly makes you feel polished. So, when arranging lunch with one of the city’s glossy posse, it’s the obvious meeting point.

I had previously been to this

store-cum-café a couple of times for tins of posh tea but never had the opportunity to sit down to sample its menu.

Whilst waiting for my dining companion, I was bombarded with beverage options from the over-attentive waiters. Not wanting to disappoint, I ordered the aptly named Afternoon in Paris, whilst scouring the eclectic carte-du-jour for my near future feast.

When my Arab friend arrived, bang on time in a haze of perfume and panache, a trio of complementary breads and oils were placed on our table. And wow! Fresh, flavoursome and very French – they were far too good to ignore.

My Aries chum, a regular, knew exactly what she wanted without so much as a glance at the menu – a bowl of Fauchon’s fabulous Caesar Salad. I considered being equally lady-like with a bowl of fresh leaves but opted for the more calorific gourmet burger instead. Both dishes arrived fairly promptly and seemed suitably

smart on white crockery with potted, sauced accessories.

The burger looked huge next to the beautifully arranged stack of chunky chips and special dip. Luckily, it wasn’t a case of style over substance because this somewhat overpriced RO11 burger

ticked all the right boxes. The beef pattie, encased in a fresh

bun, was both big and juicy.Aries’ salad, with delicate slivers of

chicken, looked equally appetizing. “Oh, it never disappoints,” she

revealed, taking a sip from her Evian water. And neither do the desserts.

I was half expecting to have to arm-twist the slender yummy mummy to have cake with me but she took little persuading in ordering a millefeuille. I would have ordered some of the famous eclairs as well had I not been so full.

The sweet slice, made up of three layers of puff pastry and two layers of crème pâtissière, was little less than sensational. I even adored the little edible tag with the Fauchon brand on top – it was très tasteful.

Chic, airy and with attentive staff and amazing treats, I can’t think of a better place in Muscat for a girly

get together.

T r e n d N e w R e s t a u r a n t R E v I E w S

Info BoxFauchon

Opera Galleria, Muscat

Tel: 22346999Opening Hours: Daily

9am-11pmLunch for two,

including tea and soft drinks: Ro30

Tout De SweetFauchon is a haven of chic design and delicious French delicacies, says Penny Fray. In other words, it’s the perfect haunt for Oman’s lunching ladies

FOOd

dRINkANd

VERDICT:

Swanky stop with stellar staff and lots of sweet

surprises.

8.5 10

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LUXE TRAVELLERPack your designer rucksack because spring fashion brings

with it a spirit of adventure. Inspired by the Middle East and other exotic locations, everyone

from Valentino to The Row embraced colourful embroidery, beads and tribal prints. It’s all about channelling the look of

the upmarket explorer.

HEALTH&BEAUTY

H e a l t h B e a u t y fA s H i o n

Mara Hoffman’s maxi dress will become the

cornerstone of your holiday wardrobe. Famous for her

prints, intricate embroidery, mirrored embellishments

and tassels, this fluid design easily transitions

from poolside lounging to daytime excursions.

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BoHEMiAn RHAPsoDY

1. Look well travelled with souq trinkets and Indian silks from Ruwi. 2. Temper flowing embroidered tunics with a pair of skinny jeans and heels. You are going for a sexy, streamlined silhouette rather than a baggy, earth mama look. 3. The right scarf can make anyone look like a member of the jet set. A Pashmina scarf made from deliciously soft goat’s wool thrown on ever so casually always helps add a little luxe to a casual ensemble.

HAUTE HIPPIE

Penny’s tips on creating the upmarket boho look:

All hail the billowing long dress and leather accessories that mark the return of the bohemian, says Penny Fray

It all started in the sixties with Woodstock, free love and the distinct whiff of patchouli. This is 2014 though, so step away from the crochet waistcoats, hair flowers and grubby sandals. You’re not going

to a costume party. Instead, convey the look of Sienna Miller or Kate Hudson with peasant blouses, slouchy bags and suede shoe-boots.

On the catwalk, the focus was distinctly free spirited with designers embracing homespun embellishments, bloom-bedecked maxis and exotic, tribal prints. Whether you go for the romantic or well-seasoned traveller vibe, it’s important to be comfortable and cool. The one piece you need if nothing else? Most definitely the kaftan-style top - Roberto Cavalli, Temperley and Pucci all do super chic ones. If you’re on a budget though, you’ll find a wealth of styles in Muttrah souq for a couple of rials. While you’re there, pop into the gold market in search of headdresses, coin necklaces and evil eyes. Tribal-style jewellery is a key way of getting in on this trend. If you are going to go for just one piece, I would suggest either a pair of dangly earrings or a beaded cuff.

Strappy flats (like the ones from Chloé or Lanvin) also look great with a floral maxi. Bag-wise, opt for the 70s style saddle or a slouchy, suede number with tassels. The overall idea is to carry off the look of an elegant explorer.

This Missoni-esque kimono from Matalan will look great by the pool or while pottering around the Sultanate’s souqs in a pair of jeans. From RO6.

This boho bikini from Matalan is the perfect suitcase stowaway From RO8.

Tribal chic starts with this necklace from

Monsoon. From RO16

How stylish is this lacquered-leather mini wedge from Zara? Currently on sale at RO25.90.

Sophie Hulme’s sleek designs have garnered a cult following. We love the bold pink, yellow and blue tones of this python print bag. It offers plenty of room for your mobile, keys and cosmetics. RO465.

Grab a boho bargain with this

pleated skirt from Splash. From RO3 on sale.

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HEALTH&BEAUTY

H e a l t h B e a u t y FA S H I o n

THE ABAYA TREND ALERT

STYLE COUNSEL BARBRA YOUNG ANSWERS

YOUR FASHION QUESTIONS

Imagine finding the perfect piece. It checks all the boxes for being the right cut, colour, length and size – except for the fact that you’re losing

circulation in your upper arms when you move. What’s going on? Welcome to the wild west of fashion, where there is no requirement for standard sizing. Every designer can decide who or what shape their customers are. Most opt for the teen figure – and it’s easy to see why - they can use much less fabric and not worry about grading patterns carefully from a size 8 to 16. So don’t panic. You probably don’t have unusually big upper arms or a wide back. The entire problem lies in the grading of patterns. And nothing will change unless we stop buying

clothes that don’t fit and tell the store ‘why’ when visiting. In the meantime,

try buying a jacket with a bit of stretch or go for British or American designs, which are roomier than their European counterparts.

If you have any fashion questions for Barbra, email

[email protected] or tweet #style @

ytabloid

Dear Barbra, Now the weather’s getting

colder, I need a fairly smart jacket for work. I recently spent the entire Saturday in Muscat’s malls looking for something to fit me. I’m a size 14 but I couldn’t get anything apt. Even when I went up a size, the arms were too tight. I don’t want to go for anything bigger or it’ll look ill fitting. Help!Rihi, Muscat.

Q.

Henry Ford’s quote about having any colour you want so long as its black no longer holds true when it comes to

the abaya. This season, a pop of bold, bright colour is back in vogue, especially if it overlaps the traditional dark hue. Silhouettes have also become a bit more structured, with nipped in waists and greater flow in the hemline.

But don’t try too hard. “Always keep it simple,” says Misha Daud of Eye Candy Boutique in Muscat.

If you prefer to stay low key in all black, consider updating the look with a little lace or make a statement with your accessories.

Animal prints are still trending, particularly faux snakeskin.

“Try a python leather handbag,” concludes Najma Al Jamali, owner and creator of Jizdani handbags.Report by Jehan Sultan

A.

If you’re on a budget, this Matalan number will look great

with this season’s retro look, plus the trapeze cut gives it a

bit more room. From RO10.

This super fashionable pink Stella McCartney blazer showcases her impeccable tailoring. Cut from stretch-cady, this sharp piece is lined in satin-twill to ensure it slips over lightweight knitwear or a crisp shirt with ease. Style yours with a pair of cigarette trousers.

Barbra Young, a former designer and retailer

The H

ouse

of Re

em

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CELEBFESTDISCOUNTS GALORE10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ENTERTAINER APP 01 The Entertainer App is free to download! Featuring buy one get one free offers for Oman, you can trial select offers to ensure you’re happy with the process. Download from iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry World.02 Share the product with family or friends Download the App, sign in with the account holder’s login details, and you can access your offers from any device. As the account holder, you will be able to approve up to three additional usernames to access your offers.03 View your offers by location All your offers load in proximity to you or you can view The Entertainer map which features individual pins for every available Entertainer offer.04 Exactly the same offers as the book Mobile product includes the same offers, three per merchant, available to redeem for the whole of 2014.05 Track your savings each time you use a voucher After every redemption, you’ll see your estimated savings. The Savings Calculator function allows you to see just how quickly you redeem the cost of your Entertainer product, and how much you save throughout the year.06 Access 120 buy one night get one free hotel offers New for 2014, every Entertainer features a Hotel Supplement which is available for redemption on the App. Ideal for staycations or exotic breaks, the supplement includes 4 and 5* hotels in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Indian Ocean.07 Additional Members Offers All Entertainer Monthly Member Offers (additional buy one get one free brunches, activities, massages and more) load directly onto your phone, instead of having to print from the website.08 Merchant page Every merchant has its own page which features a link to their location on your map, a short description about the restaurant and the ability to call the venue directly from the App.06 Going on holiday? Access free Member offers in Dubai, London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cape Town and more on your Entertainer Global App. Also, browse the offers for the full Entertainer Mobile Product for each of our 23 destinations.09 The Entertainer is continually developing and improving the App. For the next version of the App, the Entertainer is working on a number of improved functions including; ability to search by mall, hotel and neighbourhood, help instructions and a more advanced sharing facility. The Entertainer will also be introducing an advanced search and discovery function and the ability to sign into the App with your Social Media accounts.

WE HAVE 10 ENTERTAINER OMAN APPS TO GIVE AWAY.TO WIN: Send with your contact details and #YGIVEAWAYS to either [email protected], @ytabloid on Twitter or post on our Facebook page by Feb 13, 2014.

COmp

ETIT

ION

Get ready for Dubai’s biggest music festival of 2014 with some of the hottest international artists set to perform over the two-day event.

Win a pair of RedSTYLE weekend passes, return flights with flydubai and a deluxe room at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai

10 APPS TO

GIVEAWAY

bring her fantastic live show to RedFestDXB as the Thursday night headlining act and will join Conor Maynard, Tinie Tempah and Marvin Humes from JLS, who will perform the closing night DJ set.

On Friday, February 14, music fans will be treated to performances from The Lumineers, Rita Ora, John Newman and Naughty Boy before some of the world’s best DJs take to the decks for a stunning closing party set under the stars.

For your chance to win, answer this question before Feb 10, 2014: Who will headline on day one of RedFEST DXB on Thursday, February 13 in Dubai?A) Jessie J B) Marvin Humes C) Rita Ora

Send your answer with the hashtag #RedFestDXB to either [email protected], @ytabloid on Twitter or post on our Facebook page.

RedFestDXB is music to our ears. Any excuse to skip

town for a worthy festival. And guess what? Y has VIP tickets to give away.

Done Events has partnered with Y, flydubai and Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai, to give away TWO RedSTYLE weekend passes to RedFestDXB, return flights from Muscat to Dubai in one of flydubai’s brand new Boeing Next Generation 737-800 aircraft and luxury accommodation.

Kicking off on Thursday, February 13, RedFestDXB will boast some of the hottest names in music. In what is hailed as Dubai’s most eclectic line-up ever, the event will feature everything from Pop, RnB, EDM and even Rock with a dash of Indie for good measure.

Superstar and chart topper Jessie J will

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P o s t c a r d s f r o m C a r s Y - F i I n d o o r s

CARS ANDINDOORS mARVELLOUS

mASIRAH Discover fishing

boats, wrecks, birds and a real tranquil

beauty during winter on this tiny isle.


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CARS ANDOUTDOORS

P o s t c a r d s f r o m C a r s Y - F i I n d o o r sCARS ANDINDOORS

Destination

MASIRAH ISLANDTAKE A WINTER TRIP TO THIS LITTLE ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF OMAN TO SEE IT IN THE BEST LIGHT, SAYS JERZY WIERZBICKI

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There is something special about Masirah Island, which beckons me back every year. In particular, the rocky,

eastern side is my favourite with its rough coastline and craggy hills.

It’s a landscape that I never tire of seeing or photographing.

And the best time of year to visit is definitely during winter, when the mild temperatures allow for more exploration. The weather is one of the most important factors I consider when planning where to take my next trip. Mainly, I have to take into account the heat. But mostly, it’s the light conditions that influence my choice.

Winter is the time when I do my best landscape or wildlife photography. Some destinations need to be visited at the ‘perfect’ time, otherwise the whole trip is wasted and the effort spoiled.

Masirah Island is one of the places in Oman where the finest shots can only be taken in the cooler months, when the climate and light are just right for photographs. Every winter since 2009, I have made the journey to Masirah, located off the east coast of the Sultanate, about 19km from Barr al Hikman. And every trip has been unforgettable.

So I had high hopes that my latest venture there last week would be just as memorable. I left Muscat on a Wednesday night and made slow and solitary progress on the road to Mahout, where we took a short break. My ever faithful dog, Trop, was with me (as always).

The night was clear, crisp and refreshing as we headed towards the

ferry pier at Shannah. We arrived in the middle of the night and took a moment to look out from the pier. The visibility was fantastic and I could see the lights on Masirah Island twinkling in the distance. The island is only around 95km long and 14km wide. Around 12,000 people live there, spread out in 12 villages.

As the night closed in, I settled down to sleep in the car, exhausted by the 400km trip from Muscat.

Early in the morning I was woken up by the chugging of the huge diesel ferry as it pulled alongside the pier. We then left the mainland at around 6am. The sea was calm and the surface almost flat, and within an hour we had reached the shores of Masirah and the small town of Ras al Hilf.

The morning light was so marvellous that I wanted to start taking photographs straight away. As I had hoped, visibility was perfect. I could make out details from a great distance. As the water in the port was very shallow at low tide, I could see the top of a few wrecks breaking the surface of the sea from their watery grave. Masirah’s rugged terrain and rocky coastline has claimed many dhows over the years and the remains can be seen on the beaches and inlets, well preserved by the salt water and intense heat.

I stood for a while taking in the silence around me, broken only by the tweets of a few birds and the muted sounds of the town beginning to wake up.

We then headed off into the southern part of the island, called Ras Abu Rasas, where I make my campsite every year on the white

beach sandwiched between the warm turquoise water and the black rocky hills.

Before reaching Rasas, I pulled my car over and reduced the tyre pressure. The sand on the beaches here is much softer than most deserts. As we approached the beach, we passed several rickety wooden shelters built by fishermen. On these simple structures, I glimpsed a variety of vultures (some seemed to be Egyptian) that seems to be a dominant species on the island.

As the weak morning sun broke through, I noticed a lot of seagulls circulating around the fishing harbour. A massive part of the shallow sea bottom had been uncovered and I could see the birds scavenging for food, such as small shellfish. I installed my long 500mm lens and approached as close as possible.

In the early afternoon, I headed to my favoured east coast to watch the open ocean’s waves crashing on the shore. This part of Masirah reminds me of the landscape described in Alexandre Dumas’s novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’. I really love this part of Masirah. The wind was not very strong and only a couple of clouds floated in the sky. The contrast between the dark hills, the clouds and the shoreline, was the perfect combination and I got some great photographs. Trop was busy hunting crabs.

While chasing crustaceans distracted him, I made a small bonfire under a dark rocky overhang and cooked up a small meal of beef and rice, with hot coffee. Sleepy, I stretched out for a short nap but

was awoken by Trop barking at a small creature between the rocks. We packed up and headed north.

The afternoon light was even better than the morning and visibility was absolutely magnificent. I could see far away parts of Masirah. The colours of nature - the blue of the sky and sea, the whiteness of the sand and the chocolate brown hue of the rocks - were so vivid.

I found a shortcut across the island through a wide stony wadi and reached the western part of the island again as sunset neared.

Near the iron tower, located a few kilometres before Ras Abu Rasas, I saw grey herons wading in the shallow water. Driving slowly onto the beach, I hid my car behind a big stone and, armed with one camera and a super telephoto lens, crawled towards the birds. I stopped around 40m away and waited, ready for the moment the birds took flight. It was one of my best shots of the day.

After sunset, we moved back to Rasas and went to sleep in my usual camping spot.

The next morning was so beautiful. Everything was quiet and illuminated by the gentle rays of the winter sun. After breakfast and a short walk with Trop, we made our way back to the ferry pier. Before leaving, I managed to take several shots of the fishing boats moored alongside the ferry station.

Without doubt, this, my tenth trip there, had been the best.

As we sailed back to the mainland, I watched the island of Masirah recede in the distance and vowed to return again very soon.

HOW TO GET THEREGetting to Masirah is very easy. Go to Sinaw (and be sure to refuel there). After Sinaw, drive to Mahout and turn left towards Shannah, which is around 90km away. In Shannah, you will find the ferry port. The cost of a one-way trip to Masirah is RO10 a car.

GPS location of Ras Abu Rasas: 20°10’1.26”N 58°38’15.06”E

A 4x4 is not compulsory as a tarmac road stretches along the entire island. However, if you do wish to explore the beaches or the rocky parts of Masirah, a sturdy 4x4 is required.tR

AveL

guI

De


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Gone are the days when professional golfers would trundle down the fairway sporting a paunch

under which their caddy could take shelter if it rained. Like any other game in the modern era, in which the financial pressure and rewards are high for both the players and their sponsors, golf is taking fitness seriously, very seriously.

Just as in tennis, where the players are pursued by an entourage of personal trainers and physios, golfers too are now spending more time with fitness professionals. Some to maintain a basic level of athleticism, others that hope to make the extra effort to carve out a new stage of increased fitness in their sporting careers.

Rory McIlroy, former number one and winner of two majors, is one of those who took the decision to boost his physical prowess on the course. With his trainer, Steve McGregor, he set about rebuilding his body to help him secure the number one spot in the rankings. McGregor set about analysing the muscle groups in Rory’s body during his swing. But

imbalances were found, his left side being weaker than his right.

It’s this imbalance and the need to retain physical symmetry that’s receiving a great deal of attention in golf. Keith Kleven, the personal fitness trainer of Tiger Woods, the current World Number One, designed a program for him that would keep his upper body and lower body in perfect balance, without one muscle group or part of the body dominating another. When he’s lifting weights, he’s not looking to bulk up but instead insists: “I lift to enhance my entire body, because golf requires upper and lower symmetry. I also develop my right and my left sides equally because it improves how I strike the ball.”

But it’s not just about weights: raw muscle power in the arms and shoulders aren’t enough to thump a ball down the middle of a fairway. Tiger has attributed core strength to his ability to drive the ball long distances, “Core muscles help control movement and transfer energy from the center of the body out to the limbs, which can obviously impact how well you strike the ball.” In addition to this, he’s putting in 40 minutes of stretching before he even sets foot near one of

his legendary training routines in order to maintain flexibility. And his fitness routines are indeed notorious on the golf circuit.

On any one day, the former winner of the U.S Masters, can be up at 6.30am for an hour of cardio work involving endurance runs or biking. Then it’s another hour of weight training followed by a high-protein breakfast and two hours on the driving range to practice his swing. There’s also some putting practice before lunch. The afternoon consists of three or four

hours on the golf course followed by another 30 minute weight training session in the evening with low weights and high repetition.

Such attention to fitness hasn’t always been par for the course in the world of golf. “When other players saw my weight-training programme back in the 50s, they though I was crazy”, says Gary Player, one of the sport’s most famous sons and often accredited for being a forerunner in golf fitness.

Here in Muscat we have our own pioneers in golf fitness. Fully aware that there’s no need for golf-related exercise regimes to be the preserve of the professionals, Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club has recently started a brand new exercise class called ‘Golf Fit’.

As a golfer – and I use the term loosely – I volunteered to try out this new class. A 6am start in order to make the 7am class found me rueing the day I had ever picked up a golf club. But as the sun gathered momentum in its climb above the hills surrounding Muscat, I found myself at the Muscat Hills golf academy with a small and dedicated group of participants warming up for the class. Under the watchful eye of Jade Lucas, the class instructor,

Golf is uppinG its Game when it comes to fitness, writes tom robertsonFit to Hit

CARS ANDINDOORS

Photo

s: Ka

te Os

owsk

a

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Cores strength exercises – help to strengthen and stabilise the core muscles for better posture, balance and rotational speed in the swing. the more speed that’s produced through this rotation, the further the ball is hit.Cardio exercises – including

running on the spot with high knees, in order to boost general

fitness and reduce fatigue over the course of an 18-hole round.Rotation exercises – Linked to upper and lower body dissacociation. in an ideal golf swing, the hips should seperate from the upper body to create what’s called an ‘x-factor stretch’, which maximises

distance and power. upper body exercises - help to strengthen the arms and prevent the arms working separately from the rest of the body.lower body exercises – to improve balance and encourage the golf swing to start from the ground upwards. the gluteus maximus are considered power muscles in golf.

the group was led through some essential warm-up and stretching exercises before launching into an all out fitness session.

The program developed by Jade is circuit training designed to target and exercise the muscle groups predominantly used in golf and to build some of the attributes needed for the sport, such as stamina and endurance. Under the mistaken assumption that I was in for an easy ride, I was soon feeling the calories burn and the muscles tire as instructions were barked from Jade to ‘keep your knees up’ when running on the spot or to ‘rotate your body fully’ when holding a medicine ball and rotating the upper body. The exercises are timed, varying in length and it wasn’t long before my ‘easy ride’ mentality had, with increasing fatigue, soon dilapidated into simply longing for the end of the exercise.

But does it really help? I asked one participant. “I hate to say it, but yes”, she responded firmly. “When I’m on the course, I can feel the familiarity my body has with these exercises when I take my swing at the ball.”

But it’s not just a class for golfers. Though the majority were training to keep fit for the course, others were there to maintain a basic level of fitness. “As you get older”, Pauline explained very politely to me, “things seem to get harder, so it’s good to exercise and keep yourself fit. Being up this early also

C a r s Y - F i I N D O O R S p o s t c a r d s f r o m

leaves you the rest of day to do other things”.

While fitness is the very raison d’etre of the class, there seemed to me something far greater at play. Here, there was a sense of camaraderie among the participants, all sharing the common aim of maintaining their fitness. To do so in lush green surroundings, and as the morning sun crests the surrounding mountains, makes it all the easier to break a sweat.

Info Box Golf fitMuscat Hills Golf and Country ClubEvery Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday • 7.00 – 8.00Ro4 per session or Ro25 per monthConTaCT [email protected] +968 2451 4080

golF Fit basics

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CARS ANDINDOORS

Top 5 places To VisiT:1. Azheekal Beach

2. Kali Temple

3. Amrita Sethu Bridge

4. Houseboats around Kollam

5. Krishnapuram Palace

THE POWER OF OMYoga is a physical,

mental, and spiritual discipline that originated

in ancient India with a view to attain a state of permanent peace. Now

it’s a trendy way of getting fit.

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My fAvOuRIte plACe The beach because the ocean tells a million stories. It goes wild during the monsoon season with huge waves and heavy clouds gathering overhead.

HIgHlIgHtS The place bustles with cultural activities during Amma’s birthday, which is celebrated on September 27. Karthika festival is celebrated every month when the whole place is decorated with lamps in the evening.

lOwlIgHtS Amritapuri teaches living a simple and meaningful life. As such, the accommodation facilities are not luxurious. However five-star hotels are within reach at the nearest town.

SOuveNIRS There are a lot of gift shops that promote handicrafts, embroidered bags, accessories, herbs and natural products. Books and CDs from the Ashram are also available.

wHeRe tO StAy Accommodation is available at the Ashram and is very economical. However three-star and five-star hotels are available in the nearby towns Karunagapally or Kollam.

p O S t C A R D S f R O MC a r s y - f i I n d o o r s

AMRItApuRIYou are sitting on the seashore, feeling the brisk winds, listening

to the wild waves and watching the sun dipping behind a vast ocean, splashing ethereal hues across the sky as it goes down. The perfect sunset brings inner peace. At Amritapuri you can open yourself to the spiritual beauty of nature.

In case you’re wondering, Amritapuri is located on the western coast of South India, in the state of Kerala, described as ‘God’s own country’. It is the birthplace of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, the spiritual leader who is fondly called ‘Amma’ (meaning mother). For some, she is the epitome of love and compassion, and devotees from all over visit the Ashram to receive Amma’s ‘Darshan’ (blessing). Many have even abandoned their materialistic lives to join it.

Amritapuri is an illustration of the ancient, Indian ideal where the whole world is one family.

The Ashram is situated on an island cradled between the Arabian Sea and the Kayamkulam backwaters. Whilst the ocean speaks of heavenly beauty and the wilderness beneath its calm surface; the lake transcends peace and tranquility. This is a place where you can detach from the busy world and discover the rhythms of nature. A breezy walk along the lake, the mesmerising sunrise and sunset, the moon casting silver ripples on the water, the mystery of monsoon clouds, the fluttering birds or the floating jellyfish - every moment is a source of immense pleasure. At Amritapuri, you can enlighten yourself with yoga, meditation, mythology, an ecology centre and other welfare activities. Whether you are a disciple, student or just a visitor, the air of Amritapuri can leave you feeling enriched and enchanted for life.

HouSe boAT In bAcKWATerS

InDIAn brAceleTS

ASHrAM SrI SATYA

recommendsShalitha Sasi

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-FIT H E T E C H I N Y O U

EDITO

R’S P

ICK

Y - F IP o s t c a r d s f r o m C a r s I n d o o r s

the 2014 X9 series of tVsSony haS been one of the pioneerS Since the very Start of the 4K revolution. but painfully aware that the actual 4K content for theSe tvS iS Still in the early StageS , the X reality pro technology featured in the 2014 X9 SerieS of tvS taKeS your photoS, movieS and online content and upgradeS it to near 4K quality.

they’ve alSo placed an emphaSiS on high quality Sound, having Squeezed in SiX magnetic fluid SpeaKerS into the chaSSiS that reduce Sound diStortion by 60 per cent.

at a time when moSt manufacturerS are concentrating on other aSpectS of tvS, Such aS online integration, Sony haS focuSed on the baSicS. and boy, are they done well. price tbc, pre-regiSter intereSt at sony.com

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Glow with pride The USP of this substantial set is something consumers have already come to know and, to some extent, love: Ambilight. LED lights on the back of the Philips 65PFL9708 change colour and cast soft hues that match those on screen onto the surrounding walls. It’s a distraction from the solid performance of the TV itself but one that consumers will either love or hate. RO2855 from Amazon.com

What is 4K?‘4K’ displays have a resolution four times that of current full High Definition (HD) sets, meaning they have an incredibly detailed resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels.

First touted by manufacturers in 2012 and sold in 2013, 2014 is predicted to be the year in which the technology enters more and more of our living rooms as sets become more affordable.

In order to get the best picture from your 4K TV, you’ll need 4K content. Sony, Netflix and YouTube are all set to release online content later this year. Sony has also announced 4K movies remastered for Blu-ray.

Wimbledon has already been shot in 4K and this year the World Cup will be shot in 4K resolution for the first time ever.

Also known as Ultra High Definition TV (UHDTV) and Ultra HD (UHD).

dell-icious Small can be beautiful. In the form of the P2815Q, Dell delivers on their promise made earlier this year to deliver a cost effective 4K monitor. For those who don’t want to have to sit in front of a 65-inch behemoth, the Dell is an ideal solution for small-room viewing or graphical designers for whom detail matters. RO269 from dell.com

Tom Robertson takes a look at the world of super TVs andBOx ClEvER the new visual standard becoming mainstream in 2014

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BanG for your Buck For those willing to forego the more consumer desirable brands such as Sony or Samsung, LG have asserted themselves in recent years as a company with whom a constrained budget can go a long way. But the 55-inch version of the LG a9700 still comes with all the bells and whistles; turn on your TV with the wave of a hand or use your voice to change channel and the volume. There’s also four pairs of glasses supplied for 3D viewing and, for the eco-conscious among us, it was awarded the 2014 award for energy efficiency. RO1732 from LG.com

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new! aX880 series

Comes in two sizes, the 58-inch tX-58aX800 and the 65-inch tX-65aX800. An 85-inch model will be released later in the year.

The TV will handle all 4K content, as well as taking standard content and upscaling it to near 4K resolution quality.

Features ‘Life+ Screen’, which learns individual and family viewing preferences in order to suggest alternative, but related, content for the viewer.

F I N D O U T W H A T ’ S H I P & H A P P E N I N G I N G A D G E T S

the Girly GadGetIf the idea of seeing a life-size George Clooney or Hugh Jackman in your living room appeals, then perhaps Sony’s 85 inch whopper could be the right choice for you. (Of course, you could get away with a smaller screen for Tom Cruise.)

And with the X9000’s 4K resolution, you’ll be able to pick out every detail of your favourite actor. You’ll have to pay for the priviledge though! RO10,599.900 from Sony.com

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neVo appYou’ll be needing a suitably modern remote for your new TV. One For All’s

Nevo app will partner with a Wi-Fi bridge to send infrared commands to all your home video and audio equipment. With over 300,000 devices supported, you’ll never have to get off the couch again. App free from iOS and Android stores. (Wi-Fi Bridge separate.)

App of the week

Panasonic’s recent announcement that the company would cease to manufacture its much loved line of Plasma TVs this March sent fans into a panic. But worry not. They’ve just unveiled some high-end 4K viewing in the form of the AX880 series, the new pièce de la résistance in Panasonic’s TV line up. Release date and price TBC.

smart and stylishDefinitely one of the more affordable 4K TVs on the market, the Samsung F9000 oozes style with its slim form and minimalist metal bezel slinking round the screen. It’s not all looks though: it’s both beautiful and intelligent, able to analyse your viewing habits and then make suggestions of other similar shows to watch. You can also control the F9000 using your Samsung Galaxy smartphone or tablet. RO1903 Samsung.com

Tom Robertson takes a look at the world of super TVs andthe new visual standard becoming mainstream in 2014

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Elegant but muscular, dynamic but gentle, the new Land Rover Sport is the best of British and you’ll definitely want one, writes Kate Ginn

car of the week

Range Rover Sport 2014

Engine: 5.0L V8 Supercharged

Horsepower: 510Transmission: Eight-speed

Auto with Paddle Shift0-100km/h in 5.3 seconds

Top Speed: 225km/hPrice: RO52, 000

Check this out

21” Diamond Turned Alloy Wheels

Blind Spot/Reverse Detection HDD Based Sat Navigation TFT Virtual Instrument Cluster Keyless Entry/Push Start Button Surround Camera System Full leather interior Panoramic Sliding Roof Ambient Lighting Park Assist – Auto Parking Hill Descent Control Sport Texture Aluminium

Finish IPod/USB Connectivity with

10CD Upload

CARS ANDINDOORS

C A R SP o s t c a r d s f r o m Y - F i I n d o o r s

I bet you can count the number of times on one hand when a GMC Yukon got out of your way. Yes, I mean one of those full-

size SUVs, which can seat nine passengers and seems to be under the impression that they are the undisputed kings of the road.

Not any more buddy.Move over America, the British

are coming. This automotive invasion to these shores comes in the shape of the new 2014 Range Rover Sport, designed, engineered and built in the UK, and proud to fly the flag around the world. And what an ambassador this new model is.

I had never had a big, fat Yukon yield the road to me before. But it happened to me not once, but twice, as I drove down the Sultan Qaboos Highway. The path in front of me cleared miraculously as I swept majestically along. The Yukon moved into the middle lane. Not a single car tailgated me or showed an iota of disrespect the whole day that I spent with the sensational Sport.

There’s something to be said about driving a car that commands such deference.

It’s funny how soon you can get used to driving a RO52,000 motor instead of your ordinary, nondescript saloon car. It didn’t take me long to feel right at home with the opulent interior,

superb handling and breathtaking acceleration.

I’m a bit of a car snob at heart, it turns out. I rather liked knowing that I had the most expensive car in the parking lot.

Everything is high end, from the softest of leather on the seats and warm wood veneers, to the stunning premium audio system with 19 speakers and top-notch touch screen central system.

Range Rover says its new Sport is the fastest, most responsive ever. Reviews say it is the best Sport ever made. I concur.

You have to drive the car to appreciate just how truly wonderful it is. It is a big car to look at yet it’s lightweight, slimmed down by up to 420kg with an all-aluminium body to make it lean and fighting fit.

Thanks to excellent safety features, such as curtain airbags front and side, and stability control, it feels as safe as a tank. The full surround camera ensures you’re always one-step ahead of the game.

What makes the Sport really desirable is that this beast can handle just about any terrain that you care to throw at it. With a flick of a switch, it can deal with steep hills, snow and ice, rock-strewn wadis, sandy deserts and muddy tracks. If you could transport this car to the moon, I’m sure that it would have no problem dealing

with a lunar landscape of craters and ridges.

My test drive was in the V8 5L model. Could this accelerate? Faster than a shooting star (don’t panic Mr Range Rover, I kept to the speed limit).

My little saloon car and I don’t usually attract much attention on the roads, to be fair. In the Sport, we were like an imperious king and queen, acquiescing to share the road with lesser machines like we were bequeathing favours. Looks of unconcealed admiration and envy followed us everywhere.

The Sport is loaded with the sort of equipment you would expect in a car of this price. Such as Bluetooth telephone integration and a voice recognition system, all of which can be controlled from the steering wheel.

For all the meaty, throaty roar, there’s something slinky and almost seductive about the new Sport. It’s curvy and alluring without losing that unmistakable Range Rover look.

It’s the sort of car that is created to fit around the driver. It all works so beautifully and effortlessly.

I wanted to keep that car so badly. We had fitted together so well, Mr Range Rover Sport and I, that it seemed a wrench to split us up. I hung on to it until the very last moment possible.

You’ll want to do the same if you ever get the chance to drive it, I promise you.

They say: ‘Created without

compromise.’

We say: ‘British class.’

VW_3MONTHS_ Y Magazine_24hx14w+5mm bleed final.indd 1 2/4/14 4:49 PM46-47 Y ISSUE 306_car of d week_ad TR1.indd 46 2/5/14 2:21 AM

They say: ‘Created without

compromise.’

We say: ‘British class.’

VW_3MONTHS_ Y Magazine_24hx14w+5mm bleed final.indd 1 2/4/14 4:49 PM46-47 Y ISSUE 306_car of d week_ad TR1.indd 47 2/5/14 2:21 AM

Y Magazine #306, February 6, 2014

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Transcript of Y Magazine #306, February 6, 2014