Oman - Wanderdünen – Weihrauchbäume – Wüstensöhne
There are places on this globe that sit like a splinter in the flesh and pulsatingly demand a visit. Often they are off the beaten path, in remote mountains, at forgotten borders, and hidden coasts - where one has no business being. The Musandam Peninsula at the entrance to the Persian-Arabian Gulf is one such splinter - or rather: a rocky spur to which this applies. From this northernmost tip of Oman, Arabian expert Hardy Fiebig embarks on a journey through the entire Sultanate to the frankincense province of Dhofar, in the far south. He is thoroughly impressed by the spectacular landscapes of Oman. Among the highlights are not only Musandam, whose 2,000m high mountain ridges plunge vertically into the sea, but also the Hajar Mountains, which dominate the panorama of northern Oman with spectacular rock formations and deeply carved wadis. Equally fascinating are historic cities such as the glittering capital Muscat, Nizwa, a mecca of mud architecture, and the port city of Sur, which was significant in trade with East Africa and India for centuries.
But what would Oman be without its 2,000 kilometers of mostly untouched coastline? Inland, extensive deserts are defining, such as the Wahiba Sands in the northeast, the limestone deserts of Jiddat al-Harasis in the center, or the queen of the Arabian deserts, the vast Rub' al Khali with its towering sand dunes in the west. And then there's also the unique Dhofar, the peculiar region near the border with Yemen, from which the mystical scent of frankincense emanates and which is transformed into a green paradise garden by the summer monsoon.
In contrast to many other oil-rich states, the Sultanate of Oman has cautiously embarked on the path towards modernity and has therefore preserved a traditional character in many ways - with the peculiar mix of traditionalism and love for technology of the Omanis sometimes eliciting a smile. With their disarming warmth and hospitality, they are certainly the country's greatest treasure. Thanks to his knowledge of Arabic, Hardy Fiebig participates in the everyday lives of Bedouin families, oasis farmers, city dwellers, camel breeders, animal traders, and frankincense collectors.
His conclusion at the end of the journey: Oman is definitely worth more than just a visit! And: Thanks to ample oriental flair, political stability, and excellent infrastructure, the model Sultanate is also a perfect entry-level country for Arabia novices. Informative and with many travel tips, entertaining and insightful, with a mischievous photographic eye and rhetorical excellence, he provides the audience with diverse insights and a true travel experience that inspires to embark on their own exploration journey.