PEOPLE SPEND EID HOLIDAYS VISITING FAMILY, TRAVELLING AND EXPLORING OMAN

Kerala, India

Salalah

EStory Salim Al Afifi

id in Oman has become an anticipated event that brings about joy and a sense of community to the country. There are locals who travel back to the interiors for a much-needed family reunion and feast full of meats, and then there are expatriates who reside in the country and enjoy taking part in this cultural celebration by exploring hidden gems, away from the mundane and into new adventures, as well as indulging in an array of traditional Eid specialities and flavoursome dishes.

So, what did Times of Oman readers do during the Eid holiday?

Alejandra Ibanez Sanchez from Spain spent her day relaxing with friends and having a good time. “We spent the morning beach sailing with our dog, and at night we enjoyed Mediterranean food, followed by a massage session,” she said.

Khalid Al Hinai from Ibri went to his hometown on the first day to greet his grandparents and savour the national dish of Eid: Orsiya (mashed rice and meat); then, he began his ritual, visiting neighbouring towns and villages, visiting his friends and meeting new people. “Eid in Oman is very traditional for me, I visit relatives and friends in my hometown, as well as around Muscat, while making new friends,” said Al Hinai. “On the third day, we make shuwa and invite the whole town to eat with us, it’s a lot of fun for kids and grown-ups too,” he added.

One of our Omani readers, Saif Hamud, has a special place in his heart that’s dedicated to admiring the natural beauty of Oman. During Eid, he camped outside in Salalah

Jebel Akhdar

Georgia

for a couple of days, then flew back to Muscat to visit the coastal stretch of Sur, where he filled his itinerary with not only touristic hotspots that serve as reminders of his childhood memories, but also new hidden places that are tucked away from tourists. “Every Eid, I visit a new place in a different wilayat, and it never ceases to amaze me how beautiful our country is,” he said.

Some readers spent their Eid abroad, taking advantage of the holiday to explore other cultures. Susanna Paul from India travelled to Georgia with her friends, which she said was “one for the books”. “It was fantastic. We sat in a cable car and went high up to enjoy the overall view of the city. We also got to see street musicians, and historical places of worship that were built in the 12th and 15th centuries,” she said, adding, “In one day, we experienced 26 degrees Celsius in the morning, and 6 degrees Celsius when we travelled to beautiful snowy areas.”

S. Basu and her friends decided to go for a vacation to Kerala in India. “Initially, the plan was to go from June 14 to 18, but later I shifted it to June 16 to June 20 as the airfares were four times higher during the former period,” she said.

Many expat workers who had left for their home countries didn’t report to work from Tuesday to Thursday. “I will be coming back only on Saturday and joining work on Sunday,” P. Kumar, an expat worker from India, said.

He also said that initially he thought of coming back early. “But because of the high air fares, I decided to come back a couple of days later,” he added. —salim@timesofoman.com