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Sands of Time: A Voyage from Oman to the Arabian Gulf

by Werner Zehnder, April 2006

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	Werner Zehnder

My wife, Susan, and I scouted the countries that border the Arabian Gulf while preparing a unique itinerary for our Zegrahm voyage to Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain. We were so amazed by the visually striking blend of ancient and modern, we knew we had to call the journey, Sands of Time.

It seemed that everywhere we went, we were greeted with contrast--stark desert landscapes offset by brilliant blue water and sky... and superb futuristic architecture juxtaposed by the intact daily rituals carried out in ancient, village-like neighborhoods. Most importantly, we found that the people of this region have historic traditions of hospitality and friendliness that far exceeded our expectations. We were warmly welcomed everywhere.

Oman was long the forbidden fruit for travelers--a country closed to most foreigners until the 1980s when the hereditary monarchy opened the doors to Westerners so that we could experience this fascinating destination. Muscat, its capital city, was an important port in ancient times and its medieval appearance, punctuated by two Portuguese forts, is juxtaposed by gleaming, polished modern quarters, lending the city the label: "Singapore of the East." Oman has had the same ruler, Sandhurst-educated Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, for decades, and today, very distinct groups of citizens--descendants of seafaring clans and rival Bedouin tribes--live side by side under monarchical rule.

The first, and most impressionable, feature of the area is the stunning desert landscape backed by rugged mountains, and sliced through by wadis, seasonal riverbeds traversed by Bedouins and camel caravans. We sailed through the indigo waters to Oman's remote Musandam Peninsula, with its winding fjords. Here, in local boats comfortably decorated with Arabian carpets, we meandered the waterways of this starkly beautiful area where jagged, barren mountains rise up from the water.

Cruising the Persian Gulf, it is visibly evident how the revenues from the region's crude oil--"black gold"--have created vast wealth in the United Arab Emirates. Without this rich resource, this country of seven bonded nation-states would be impoverished since it lacks any other natural resources. Most interestingly, oil revenues pay for the commodity that is the most precious and most unavailable to the UAE: fresh water. It would otherwise be impossibly unaffordable to build desalination plants to extract salt from seawater.

Dubai arrives as a surprise on the horizon to the visitor coming from the sea. Here, the 1,400-year heritage of traditional Islam merges with the future in a land that we found completely intriguing. Enormous, brand-new high-rises soar over the traditional hamlets of huts that line the city's interior riverways. It's very common to see a white-robed sheikh emerging from his chauffeured Mercedes, doing business on his cell phone, while burdened camels lumber to the marketplace behind him and old dhows from the legendary days of Sinbad sail by on Dubai Creek.

We were amazed by the innovative, stunning architectural design of buildings such as the breathtaking, spinnaker-shaped Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, and the innovative Palm Islands off Dubai's coast--the world's three largest man-made islands, shaped like palms--where luxury communities are being created in reclaimed Arabian Gulf waters. And, Dubai has not missed any opportunity to promote itself internationally as a world-class city by hosting spectacular international golf, horse racing, and tennis competitions with facilities and amenities not yet even imagined by other countries.

The ruling sheikdom of the Maktoum family also recognized, decades ago, that oil was a non-renewable resource and would, eventually, be depleted. With this progressive thinking, Dubai has focused much of its intellectual energy on diversifying its economic base to secure its position as a leader in the

Arab world in the areas of finance, commerce, religious tolerance, and peace. The success of this world-class emirate is striking.

Throughout UAE and the adjacent smaller countries of Qatar and Bahrain, the ancient, more leisurely ambiance of another time remains as well. Camels wander through the streets of small villages and the legacy of lovely Islamic architecture is reflected in fortresses and palaces, in mud-brick edifices, and in gold-domed, elaborately-tiled mosques.

We also explored the rugged countryside in 4X4 vehicles, and watched the building of traditional dhows in seacoast villages. On Sir Bani Yas Island, we even had the opportunity to search for gazelles, Arabian oryx, and unusual birds that make their home in this impressive, nature-defying land reclamation project--another extraordinary example of boundless, forward-looking vision.

We especially enjoyed wandering in the open-air souks absorbing the culture as we watched locals shop for the staples of daily life, as well as the luxury goods that abound. With its historical and religious heritage, widely discussed in today's media, and the rich cultural attractions--museums, mosques, fortresses, and World Heritage Sites--we found this region to be one of the world's most intriguing.

We invite you to experience the remarkable discoveries that await in these lands and their people, and in our own new-found appreciation of this multi-dimensional region.

Join us on Sands of Time: A Voyage from Oman to the Arabian Gulf 14 - 27 January or 06 - 19 March 2007.