My trip with my family to Al -Ghasham House Museum to Al Rustaq hot springs

It was most beautiful trip which did I have with my family. I will not forget this trip never. That morning we went with the whole family on a short vacation. Maybe we should have more mini vacations of this kind of trip, to change the atmosphere, but also to see,  and to know the history and places of these beautiful country, Oman.

During this trip I had a lot of fun and many pleasant moments. In the morning we stopped and had breakfast. We stopped at a mini zoo to see animals, both wild and domestic. We arrived at Al-Ghasham House-Museum. The guide who introduced us was familiar with my husband's. I took many pictures and bought souvenirs to remember our trip. I bought my book from contemporary Omanese writers. After that we went to Rustaq, we heard that they are hot water baths. People come and stop to warm up and enjoy the view of Rustaq. Very nice, I wanted to visit the Rustaq Fortress, but unfortunately it was closed.             
                                 AL -Ghasham House Museum. 

History about Al Ghasham House Museum.It was named Al Ghasham House after its previous owner, Sayyid Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Nasser al Ghasham  Taimur bin Feisal, and Wali of Muttrah-who was know with this nickname. He lived in this house  with his family. Then became the home of Mr. Ahmed bin Hilal bin Ali Al Busaidi, father Almirdas bin Ahmed, and his permanent residence. It was also occupied by Highness Sayyid Asaad bin Tariq bin Taimur, and His Highness when they used to come to spend the holiday with their grandfather, Sayyid Ahmed bin Hilal. The house was then  owned by Sayyid Almirdas bin Ahmed Al Busaidi, and wes finally bought by Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud bin Ali al Busaidi and restored to turn it into a museum.

It goes as far back as the reign of Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidi(1791-1856)- which means that the age of the house exceeds almost 200 years.

A new made-up Falaj( water stream) running in front of the museum, in addition to the open theater which accommodates more than 1000 people planted on it's sided some of the most will known Omani, palm trees, a surrounding wall, as well as shops selling gifts and antiques.

A cultural Forum of the museum, hosting cultural events as well as plays, artisitic evening and other activities, according to an annual plan, especially festivals, Eids, holidays, and other occasions.

 In the Middle Ages, Ar Rustaq (or Rostaq) was the capital of Oman. Today it is well known  for its large and dramatic fort, which has been  extended over years. It is also known for its citrus fruit and honey. Rustaq is located in the Western Hajar Mountains about 170 km south -west of Muscat. The fort has been restored and the large main watchtower is bellieved to be of Sassanid  origin. It was well equipped to withhstand long sieges, since it has its own  water supply. Legend has it that a tunnel once conected the Rustaq Fort to the neighbouring fort at Al Hazam.

Nearby attractions include a souk selling various items, and renowed sot spring( which also flow at Nakhal ). The hot springs in Rustaq have been  enclosed into  bathhouse  for men and women.( Directions to get  there- about 0,5km from main roundabout on the way  into  Ar Rustaq( 45 km  from Nakhal) turn right and continue for 1.5 km to the hot springs).

Also, 0,5 km from roundabout is a left turn  that leds to the old souk and fort - the bakery here is worth a visit for its sweet bread triangles. In the old souk( becoming less and less used these days) there's an old sandal maker, and you will  find selection  of Omani chests for sale.

The Ayn Al Kesfa springs, less than a kilometre from Rustaq, bubbles up from  deep below the ground  into two large pools. This natural springs is araound 45C

so take care if  you decide  to dip your toe in. The water is fed into a covered area which is used by locals bathing.

Renaștere și creștere spirituală

Cel mai tare mă sperie, nu vîrsta pe care o avem, ci ma sperie emotiile necontrolabile la actiunile si faptele noastre pe care  facem si le intalnim zilnic in lumea de afara. Este important pentru noi cum trecem peste ele,  cum le acceptam si le primim cu mult curaj si atitudine matura de care dam dovada.
Pana acum, am avut diferite situatie mai placute si mai putin placute, care ma facut sa vad viata cu alti ochii. O experienta neplacuta, care ma marcat si ma durut enorm, care am avut multe intrebari, care ma adus la concluzia ca noi nu hotaram nimic pe lumea asta. Ci este Unicul Creator care decide ce este mai bun pentru noi. Ce-a mai grea experienta pe care am avut-o pierderea sarcini, un copil dorit, dat de la Dumnezeu si mult asteptat. Dar Dumnezeu a avut alte planuri pentru noi. L-am pierdut, a plecat de unde a venit. Imi este greu sa descriu starea si experienta pe care am avut-o.  A fost un soc pentru mine. Niciodata nu am crezut ca voi trece peste astfel de experienta dureroasa. Dar viata si Creatorul iti pregateste astfel de teste pentru a te schimba si pentru a deveni mai matura si mai constienta de actiunile noastre din trecut. 
E o stare, în care te întrebi mereu ce va fi mai departe cu viața ta. Cum vei reacționa mai departe la greutăți și cum vei reuși să ieși cu fruntea în sus, din încercările pe care le întâmpeni zi de zi. Daca stam si ne gandim asta face parte din viata noastra. Teste, experiente, suturi in cur cum le zic eu. Acele dificultati care te pun la incercare sa vada cum reusesti sa te discurci.

Fiecare an e diferit de la caz la caz, situație și context, și ai multe examene de trecut pe drumul vieții tale. La sfârșit ieși cu lecția învățată dar și cu o creștere spirituală. Te simți fericită și liniștită sufletesc.

Ajungi să-ți dai seama că nu e de ajuns și vrei ceva mai mult de la viața ta. Ce te oprește cel mai mult să-ți crești spiritual și să-ți schimbi viața? Motivatia de care ai nevoie de cel mai mult. Libertatea de-a face lucrurile asa cum iti place tie. Increderea de sine si curajul care uneori imi lipste sa actionez. Si plus cel mai mult este Aventura si adrenalina de care ai nevoie ca o gura de aer, pentru a trai viata asa cum iti place tie.

Ce te face să te schimbi? Totul, sa devii un alt om, asa cum erai acum 10 ani. Noi ne schimbam zilnic macar ca nu observam schimbarea in noi. Si asta te face sa devii mai puternic, mai intelept si mai curajos. Vrei sa urci chiar si muntii la care visezi demult. Si stii ca ai face-o daca ai avea un scop in sine si motivatie incredibila. Mi se par normal aceste întrebări și ferești, să începi o acceptare, iubire, iertare de sine. Cel mai mult îți dorești să fii alturi de Dumnezeu, creatorul nostru. O iubire căutam adesea. Și iubirea de fapt ne facem să fim puternici și autentici cu adevărat. Sincer, înainte mă plângeam și eram nemulțumită de orice.

Dar, după o vreme îți dai seama că trebuie să accepti tot ce-ți se oferă viață. Viața e un miracol Divin, o binecuvântare și o iubire caldă de care avem nevoie de ea. Îi mulțumesc lui Dumnezeu pentru tot!! Iubire, mulțumesc și iertare. Aceste cuvinte ar trebui să le folosim zilnic între noi.

Calatorie prin Oman. Travel - Journey through Oman

 These photos immortalize Kumzar village located in Musandam, the northernmost province of Oman. It is second most notherly inhabited parte of the country, and the most notherly inhabited part on its mainland, located on the Strait of Hormuz. The village is isolated and only accessible by boat.

Kumzar has been inhabited for approximately 500 years, although exact records are difficult.

The isolated location of the village has harboured a separate language, Kumzari. The Kumzaris religious practice is based in Islam but with traditional folk values. The culture is distinct from the other Arabic settlements in the area.

Fishing is the dominat source of income, tuna and sardines being the major catch. Most families have two houses, one in Kumzar and the second in Khasab. The extreme heat in the summer makes Kumzar almost uninhabitable and from May to September most people leave Kumzar to stay in Khasab. In Khasab the Kumzari are typically isolationist, having their own  district, which is close to the sea and where all the houses are grouped.

Book Review: Umberto Eco" Pendulul lui Foucault."

Straniu cine a crezut ca ma voi intoarce inca odata sa-l citesc pe Umberto Eco.  Am descoperit ca Umberto Eco este unul din scriitori mei preferati. In afara de Haruki Murakami, si multi alti. Incerc sa-mi  dau seama de ce el ma atrage mult? Asta e a doua carte a lui citita de fapt. Prima carte a lui Umberto Eco, a fost numele Trandafirului. O citisem cu inima la gura. Mi se parea grea ca textura, dar totusi ma atragea nespus de mult sa o citesc, ca si Pendulul lui Foucault. De ce asa ma atrage sa-i citesc capodoperele?

Romanul te tine captat in aceasta lume a misterelor de joc, te face sa te tii de ea pana o descoperi treptat. 

Pendulul lui Foucault este un roman elaborat cu ingeniozitatea inginereasca, in care misterul ia nastere printr-o banala intamplare. Trei redactori ai unei edituri de textele ezoterice construiesc, printr-un pur joc intelectual, ipoteza misterioasa a unui Complot urias, initiat de Cavalerii Templieri( dupa dizolvarea Ordinului de catre regele Frantei) pentru pastrarea in custodie a Secretului absolut al cunoasterii si al puterii. Tot jocul  porneste de la un manuscris deliriant si ia proportiile unui vartej care,  de la un anumit punct,  nu mai poate fi dominat de initiatorii lui.  Cuvintele( semnele) se razbuna chiar pe cei care le manevreaza, in momentul  in care acestia transforma jocul combinatoriu in scop in sine.

Inca nu am terminat cartea sa o citesc. Dar sunt in continue cautare a mesajului ce vrea sa ne trasnmita autorul  in cartea sa.

In Wahiba Sands( Sharqiya) with my family.

How I promis to you I will give you the route How to take from Muscat to Wahiba Sands.  Follow the Muscat- Sur in land route to the turn-off for  Al Mintarib 36km south  of Ibra or 52 km  noth of Al Kamil. Turn  off  at the  juction  by the Shell petrol station  and head  towards the town. After that,  at the four way  juction  2.3 km from the petrol station, go straight. You will see soon pass an old fort on the right. Turn  right at the T-juction immediately after this fort.
At the end of the paved are signs for Al Raha Tourist Camp. Proceed with caution  on the main track  heading into the sands, and remember to deflate your tyres in you leave the packed trall. Past  the Al Raha Tourist Camp, the main track continues and eventually peteres out. It is approximatelly 170 km to reach the southern edge of the sands.
Although Oman is 82% desert and sand dunes, this is the only route, which is mostly dunes. You will get chance to practise your sand driving skills here, and the entrance to the Wahiba Snds near Al Mintarib is a great place to do so. The terrain is relatively gentle and there are lots of people nearby just in case if you get stuck.
Your time in the Wahiba  Sands may very from  a few hours of dune bashing  to a complete traverse lasting to a complete lasting a few days-it's all up to you.

In this beautiful trip, we enjoyed to much. This time the conditions were good compared to last time, but the prices also varied.

There were pleasant moments where we had fun and really felt good at the fire. The outside was cold especially at night and in the morning, and the day was warm. In the two days spent in the desert, we charged our batteries for 2 weeks with positive energy. Spending time with family was my most beautiful desert experience

 January 2019

In desert with my family in Wahiba (Sharqiya) Sands

Sand dunes and large open spaces( with the occasional sighting) are the essence of Arabia, and what better place to experience this combination than the Wahiba Sands. Whether you spend an hour here, or a few days, the landscape  is unike any other covered us.

A masterpiece of nature, the Wahiba Sands in the eastern Sharqiyah region  is one of the most popular  destinations in Oman, particularly during the winter months. It is perfect and complete getaway, offering the unique opportunity of spreding time with Bedouin who have inhabited the sandy expanse for centuries.

We came in Wahiba Sands with the family in begining of february 2018, in Budiya desert camp. We rent the camp for 2 nights by 150 riali omani. We brought  with us food, water, clothes, mattresses and persoanl belongings.

We made the 2 days spent in the desert interesting with fun games and spent with the family the most beautiful moments of our life. Each time we spent together made us have beautiful memories with family. We rented a motobike for an hour, which costs 5 rials / per h. For the first time we gave ourselves and had fun. It was an adrenaline rush. We need adrenaline to move passionate blood. The conditions were simple and not luxurious.

If you want to visit Oman to enjoy in Budiya I wil give you  the route from Muscat to Al Wasil and Bidiya. 

The sands, which  can be accessed from diffrent points, mainly Al Wasil and Bidiya, stretch 180 kms from north to south and 80 kms from est to west and are fringed by oases and coastal fishing villages with their beautiful  date palm  plantations giving spledind contrast to the magnificent desert dunes which can reach  heighst of 80 metres. Crossing the desert from north to south or vice versa and driving on the coast between the desert and the Arabian  Sea is an  unrivalled experience. A trip to the  Wahiba  Sands will give you and insight into the lifestyle of Bedouins who are at ease driving 4WD pick-ups and using mobile phone yet still continue, in many cases, to live huts, traditionally made from date palm fronds. If you are there soon  after rain, you can see them move their camp and livestock to places with fresh  pasture. In the company of Bedouin  guides, you can get  a closer look at the desert itself, meet  Bedouin families and join them for traditional meal or arseeyeah, mashed rice and lamb or goat meat.

If you want souvenirs, you can  buy authentic Bedouin handicrafts and overnight stay can always  be arranged

February 2018