Lost in Al Qabil

Off to Al Qabil in the Sharqiya (eastern province) to meet with our ladies. A bit of late start as today I had to make one of lifes difficult decisions, to put down the last of our lager lout pack. Luteh was the last of the Labations who have been guarding this house for the past decade or more. He was a mix of a Black Labrador and a German Shepherd and was one of the large dogs of The Pack, named the Lager Louts for their boisterous behaviour but not a wicked bone in their bodies! The next hurdle was the traffic jam on the road outside my place, all the way up to the main road. The time for a traffic light at that junction is fast approaching if this is what happens each morning. This is the government workers traffic jam, by the time I'm off to my little office it's all nice and quiet.

Picked up my team from our usual meeting place and off we trundled , or in this case zoomed up the highway to Ibra, stopping briefly to fill our travel mugs with chai and tums with breakfast sandwiches. I have heard news that they are going to make the road to Ibra a dual track highway. A much needed construction as the road to Sur via Ibra is one of the most dangerous routes on a Wednesday afternoon and Friday afternoon with idiots overtaking on blind corners and usually at high speed. My reaction; kill yourself but don't take me or anybody else with you!

Met up with our visitors in Ibra and onto meet our ladies at Al Qabil. The purpose of our visit, for our visitors to photograph how the weavers dye their wool using organic dyes, and for A. to collect her finished products from the ladies embroidery circle, a group of ladies we trained to do traditional sharqiya embroidery. I ensured the photo shoot took as authentic photographs as possible, from the beginning of the process till the end result. A. picked up the embroidery she had left with them before the summer break and some of the results are beautifully executed and I am excited at

We stopped in Ibra to purchase some of the msar (mens turban) to send to the ladies in the south as we can't go down south to purchase the colours we want. It also helps the local traders. Whilst there I wish I had my camera at hand as I saw a couple of eye / mind boggling products in a window of a ''department'' shop. A Bra massager and an intimate massager disguised as a back massager. Almost tempted to go back and take the photographs and post them online.

On the return journey stopped at Tuwyah to buy from the roadside vendors. At this time of year they are selling Safarjel, a citrus fruit resembling a pomelo, must be eaten at time of peeling or else it will turn bitter if left. A perennial item appears to be Honey, from Sidr * (RO 10 - U$ 25) a light very flowery tasting honey, to Sumoor ** (RO 25 - U$ 62) a heavy rich tasting honey. The honey is sold in cordial bottles and the prices have come down. Before summer the price for the Sumoor honey was RO 30 - U$ 75, but I was able to purchase a bottle for RO 22 - U$ 55. The rest of the journey was uneventful and got home ready for a cool shower and rest from the dust and car vibrations!


* Sidr - Lote tree, Christ's Thorn, Jujube or Nabkh tree. Botanical name: Ziziphus spina-christi http://sidrhoney.tripod.com/id12.html

** Sumoor (still looking for english name)