RoadTrip to As Sifah

I left early again on Saturday this time heading immediately east from Al Khuwair towards Ruwi. The roads were quiet again but markedly busier than Friday. Until last year weekends began on Thursday before it was changed to Friday to be more aligned with Western calenders. The UAE and Qatar were the first in 2006, and after Oman made the switch Saudi Arabia soon followed.

I stopped just before Ruwi for petrol. It cost just 7 Omani Rials or about £12 to fill the tank of my Kia Sorrento from near empty to full. I found my way through the bustling shopping streets in Ruwi to the As Sifah bypass road, although getting through Ruwi puts alot of people off using it. On the plus side I didn't see another car for about half an hour and there was a good view of the urban sprawl which has filled the valleys like water.

Al Kabir District, Muscat

From there the road cuts through the seemingly endless labyrinth jagged brown mountains, winding its away across ridge lines and valleys. It was the most fun I had driving in a long time negotiating one corner after another. About half way to As Sifah I took a detour to see Yiti beach, passing a couple of small townships and farms. All had seperate small mosques for men and women.

The beach at Yiti had been overtaken by a large resort development, although this has seemingly been put on hold for some time now. Much of the bay has already been filled in ready for construction. However the beach at the far east side remains untouched and the fishing village there continues to thrive. Tourism is part of the diversification strategy for most Gulf economies; oil and gas, or the demand for it, will not last forever unlike the sunshine. But part of the charm here is the continuation of a traditional way of life in many coastal and rural areas; the local fishermen have little need for change and seem content to live as they have always done.

I left Yiti and continued for another half hour east through the mountains. The road briefly meets the sea near a series of tidal bays called Bandar Al Khiran where you can hire small fishing boats and explore the waters. I arrived in As Sifah early afternoon and stopped for lunch at a small fish restaurant called As Sammak, literally the fisherman in Arabic. The fish was delicious, fresh caught the same morning. Also the restaurant sits on the edge of the beautiful sandy beach. With the afternoon sun beating down I stayed at As Sammak for a couple of hours, reading two more chapters of Travels in Dictionary Land before heading along to the beach to the fishing village, trying not to tread on the small purple jellyfish washed up on the sand.

As Sifah village sits at the north end of the beach. About 3 - 4km to the south is another resort, "Jebel Sifah", which unlike Yiti is partially complete and thankfully far enough away from the village not to notice. This was the reason why such a good road had been built between Muscat and here.

As Sifah Beach - the Jebel Sifah resort is in the distance.

As Sifah Fishing Village

The village is sizeable, perhaps 500 - 1000 occupants and has a couple of small stores and two sizeable mosques. It is dominated by a medieval Portuguese watchtower which nests on a small round hill at the south end. The Portuguese colonised Muscat and much of the coastline in the 14th Century, and numerous ruins can be found near the towns and harbours. I will write about this period later.

Watchtower on the left, mosque at the bottom of the hill on the right.

I arrived just before afternoon prayers so many of the villagers were slowly congrating around the main mosque situated below the watchtower. I attempted to find a way up to the watchtower but the only clear path was (I think) close to the mosque. I did not wish to disturb prayers so I walked back through the village, attracting the interest of the numerous goats and donkeys roaming freely on the empty streets. There were no vehicles or traffic, the only sounds being the calls to prayer, grunting of animals and waves beating on the sand.

As close as I could get.

Goats in boats.

A fishermen repairing his nets at dusk.

As the evening light drew in I walked back along the beach greeting the local fishermen as I went and always receiving a friendly smile back. En route back to Muscat numerous football pitches I failed to notice en route came alive near every town and village, small crowds gathering to watch their teams. Part of me wanted to stop and watch, however the light was closing fast and I was keen to get back to Muscat before dark. I drove back through Ruwi again, its streets alive with activity after more prayers, all the men wearing spotless dishdashas and embroided caps.

This will be my last post for a week or so as I will be busy moving into my house this weekend. I may also be deprived of internet for a few days. However I will hopefully be heading out again next weekend. Until next time.