N O V E M B E R 24 / I S S U E 2 5 8 0 1

YOUR TOP GUIDE TO THE BEST OF OMAN, EVERY WEEK

News: TEEN DRIVERS THE WORST ON THE ROADS10

DESTINATION: Sohar Fort

PL

US

!

GONUTS

BEAUTIFULBABIES

NEWROMANTICS 3430 36

DEC 24 - 30 2015 / ISSUE 400 • WEEKLY

Free!EVERY THURSDAY

NOW AVAILABLE IN BARKA ALL THE WAY TO SOHAR

Y AWARDS

SEASON’S GREETINGS TO YOU ALLHave a Merry Time!

The Annual

COMPETITION: Muscat Hills New Year’s Eve Winners

A YEARIN REVIEW

2015

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 3

Y Magazine is published by SABCO Press, Publishing &

Advertising LLC / Y is a SABCO Media product.

CEO Eihab Abutaha

We’d love to hear your news and views. For editorial enquiries, please

email info@y-oman.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

Welcome to Y Magazine – your top

guide to the best of Oman every week.

Write to us at Y Magazine, SABCO Media, PO Box 3779, Ruwi 112, Sultanate of Oman.

/ytabloid ymagazine

FO L L O W U S O N :

We don’t know about you, but as the year draws to a close, we always take time to look back and reflect on the past 12 months. It’s a time for introspection and to take stock of what’s occurred in our lives. Which is exactly what we’ve done with this week’s cover story, as we cast a look back over the events that shaped

2015, both at home and abroad. And what a tumultuous year it has been, taking us through the full spectrum of emotions, from joy at the return of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said to his homeland of Oman and his people, to despair at atrocities committed in the Middle East and beyond, which have left thousands of families grieving for their lost ones at this special time of year. We hope that our look back at 2015 reminds you of the best parts of the year as well, rather than just dwelling on the worst of humanity.

Elsewhere, we hand out our annual Y Awards for the best films, cars, restaurants and places to visit that have impressed us the most. Check out Movies, Taste Test, Postcard and Car of the Week to see if you agree. You can also meet our next two inspirational women in Oman as part of our special series.

Finally, we would like to wish you and your family warm season’s greetings.

p.s. Our managing editor, Felicity, is taking a well-earned break with her daughter and will be back next week. Happy Christmas Felicity and Cia!

Want to read Y on the go? Scan our digital issue here:Download any QR reader from iTunes or Google Play to read Y on the go

EDITOR IN CHIEFSayyida Iman bint Hamad

bin Hamood Al Busaidi

MANAGING EDITORFelicity Glover

DEPUTY EDITOR

Kate Ginn

ART DIRECTOR Matthew Herbst

SUB-EDITOR Matt Blackwell

PHOTOGRAPHER Shaquel al Balushi

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Feroz Khan

@ytabloid /ytabloid www.y-oman.com

/ymagazine

,

Team Y has been watching the new Star Wars movie (we loved it!), taking a trip up Jebel Akhdar for a barbecue and getting ready to welcome family

members for the yuletide break.

THIS WEEK…

GOING UPCHRISTMAS TREES

If you haven’t put yours up by now, you’d better get a move on. Trees

decorated with tinsel and baubles have gone up in homes, offices and hotels

across the Sultanate as we get into the festive spirit.

GOING DOWNROAD ACCIDENTS

Figures released this week revealed a significant drop in road accidents this

year in Oman, almost 15 per cent down on 2014 with a total of 5,254. We hope

it continues in 2016, but it seems young drivers are still a problem. See P10.

Online: Visit y-oman.com for even more inspiration.

Smart device: Catch up with Y on the go by scanning the QR code below

Ways to get your Y fix

THE BAROMETER

That’s the number of this edition, meaning we’ve reached a milestone in the history of Y Magazine. Four

hundred amazing issues have been printed since our launch back in 2008 and we’d like to thank you,

our readers, for being with us on the journey. Here’s to the next 400!

Fast forward

Team Y

Sw

contentsD E C E M B E R 2 4 - 3 0 2 0 1 5

Yo u r O m a n06 Coffee With Deeba Sayyida Nada Al Said

08 Voice Of Oman Fahmi Ma’awali

10 News Underage Drivers

14 Gallery Oman Sail Festival

15 Hyundai – Driven To Success Adil Al Balushi

T h i s We e k

16 Movies Best Of 2015

18 This Week Support Children

H e a l t h a n d B e a u t y34 Fashion New Frontiers

36 Beauty Boost For Baby

37 Health Kids Beach Safety

10

35

Fe at u r e s20 The Year That Was 2015 Reviewed

26 Super Women Inspirational Series Continues

28 Y’s Coolest Fresher Auditions Heat Up

C a r s a n d A d v e n t u r e s40 Destination Sohar Fort

42 Postcard From Best Of 2015

44 Y-Fi Top Tech

46 Car Of The Year Best Of 2015

44

FEATURES / COFFEE WITH DEEBA / NEWS / MOVIES / EVENTS / FOOD / DESTINATION / HEALTH / FASHION

NEXT ISSUE...

18

26

Fo o d a n d D r i n k30 Food Feature Nutty Starters

32 Taste Test Best Of 2015

30

J U LY 0 3 - 0 9 / I S S U E 3 2 70 6 D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 6

Sayyida Nada Al Said

Deeba Hasan meets Sayyida Nada Al Said, head of the external

relations unit at the newly opened National Museum, who shares

her experiences of working on this historic project

Although she is only 26

years old, Sayyida Nada

Al Said has some serious

responsibility on her

young shoulders, heading the

unit of external relations at the

National Museum, which was

established by Royal Decree and

opened last week. Despite this,

Sayyida Nada, the youngest of

four daughters, is calm and polite

when we meet.When she was little, Sayyida

Nada dreamed of becoming

a vet, but as she got older, an

interest in art took over. “I studied

interdisciplinary design and my

path has always led me to art and

design,” she tells me. “I wanted

to have a job that had three

main areas – no structured daily

routine, creativity and to keep me

intrigued and learning something

new every day. I never thought

of working for a museum, but it’s

actually the perfect match.”

Her job with the museum came

about by chance, as she reveals she

wasn’t even aware of the venture

to begin with. “Although I grew

up visiting museums and galleries,

I didn’t know about the National

Museum project until someone

mentioned it to me. Nothing was

advertised about it, [but] I applied

for a job through the Ministry of

Heritage and Culture and got it.”

Sayyida Nada joined the

team in March last year and

after starting with mock-ups

to determine how and where

artefacts would be placed

(she’s also done infographics,

illustrations, loan transportation

and insurance), she moved into

curating for a while, working on a

showcase about Omani women.

Although Sayyida Nada enjoyed

the task, she admits it was not

without its difficulties. “We were

almost about to cancel that

showcase,” she reveals. “I was

looking at very historical people,

which we only had stories about,

but no solid artefacts, so I went

on to the [modern day]. So the

first ambassador of Oman, the

first lady of Oman and I went to

seek artefacts for these women. It

developed from there.”

The museum is the

collaborative result of Oman

working with French, Spanish,

Italian, Portuguese and Russian

consultants to curate the

collections and will play an

important role in preserving the

cultural heritage of the Sultanate.

Some of the objects on display

were donated to the museum

by Omanis living in Oman and

abroad, while they have also

taken objects on loan from other

countries, the first of which

were three tombstones from the

Victoria and Albert Museum in

London, which were originally

from Oman, but spent 80 years in

the English capital.

The number of archaeological

artefacts in the museum stands at

about 6,000, the oldest of which

is from the third millennium BC.

The collections include antiques,

craft industries, manuscripts and

models of ships, castles and forts

among others. Sayyida Nada started her

current role just two months

ago. “It fits with my personality,”

she says. “My father was a

diplomat and so I have seen a

lot all over the world [and] been

exposed to different cultures and

environments.“My main responsibilities

are to maintain and create

new relationships with other

international and regional

institutions that could enhance the

museum’s various areas, as well

as promote Oman’s heritage and

culture through the museum on

an international scale.”

The museum will not be ready

for the public until early to mid-

2016. School visits and interactive

sessions with poets, storytellers

and musicians are all in the

pipeline for the future and Sayyida

Nada says that a lot will change

based on the feedback of visitors.

Apart from her everyday job,

Sayyida Nada enjoys horse riding

and playing the guitar and flute.

“I lived in Oman for a short

time at a very young age for five

years, so this is the first time to

experience it as an adult, and

it’s very exciting,” she says.

“Especially working with the

museum and having the best in-

depth knowledge of Oman at my

fingertips. It reminds me every day

of the importance of preserving

Oman’s tangible and intangible

heritage.“I believe the museum is a great

representative of Oman’s current

status, in that it is moving forward

into modern times whilst still

staying rooted to its rich

heritage.

Have you got a unique story to tell or do

you know someone who has? Contact us to

have coffee with Deeba and be featured in Y

Magazine. Email: editor@y-oman.com

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 8

SUPER WOMEN

correspondenceTHE VOICE OF OMAN NEW COLUMNIST FAHMI AL MA’AWALI ON THE MEANING OF SELF AWARENESS

NEXT WEEK: JANE JAFFER

They say that you can’t fix a mistake unless you are aware of what you are doing. How can

a person improve oneself, without being aware of one self’s actions and mistakes?

The answer is self awareness. How many of us know what that means? It is knowing yourself. It is being able to gauge the situation and knowing your capability of handling or not handling it. Too many times, we put ourselves in precarious situations and what saves us is pure luck or the help of others.

What obstructs self awareness? Too much thinking and worrying. Too much of not living in the present. I remember lines from two movies, the first is The Fast and the Furious, in which Vin Diesel says: “I live my life a quarter mile at a time”. This taught me to focus on the now and concentrate on what is currently happening without thinking too much of the past or the future. The second is from The Godfather, when one character says “Mr Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately.” This led me to solve all my problems straight away, giving my mind more space to meditate and be inspired.

This does not come easy. Apart from the distracting, thinking mind, we have vanity (the biggest enemy of self). Humility is a way to check ourselves, but in a fast moving world, patience (to help with humility) is a commodity and a virtue only a few have. It’s not an easy path to see to fruition, unless you are ready to sacrifice a lot, but one way to beat the world is to have meditation sessions and deep quiet moments with one’s self.

I will end with a quote I used to always tell myself and I hope you can apply to yourself: “Blessed are they who conquer themselves and in the process are not conquered by it.”

Dear Team Y,

“A woman with a voice and actions is, by definition, a strong woman.” – Melinda Gates.

This is in accordance with the special series “Women of Our Time” by Deeba Hasan and Matt Blackwell [Issue 399], which was a source of inspiration for all the super women of Muscat who need a bit of encouragement to unleash their talents.

Be it young and zealous Fatma al Nabhani, who has a made a mark on the tennis court, or the dauntless spirit of Suhaila al Balushi, I was overwhelmed to read about these inspiring women.

I am sure that all the readers of Y are looking forward to reading about more amazing achievements of the super women

of our time in the next issue.

Best regards,Shibhangi Ghose, Muscat

*Editor’s note: turn to P26-27 to meet this week’s inspirational women.

I have always been thankful for the chance not only to visit places near and far, but also to experience the joy of living there for some time. For me, every place has its personal charm and unique identity that imprints on us.

However, when it comes to Muscat, the charm and uniqueness is distinctive. Just like a princess, the traits of Muscat are elevated and grand, making them hard to put down in words. The city holds all the characteristics of a noble sovereign; its majestic beauty is reflected in its serenity, elegance and specifically in its generosity and hospitality.

PRINCESS MUSCATNo matter what your background or

faith is, you feel peace and a sense of security in Muscat.

I have always been impressed by the many splendid merits of Muscat, but its elegance has made me appreciate this hidden jewel of the Gulf.

I’m certain that most of you reading this are wondering why I am listing the qualities of “The Princess”, as they are so visible. Well, the main reason is that over the past few years, slight changes have started to creep in. In different areas of Muscat one can spot litter, which was an unfamiliar sight before. Some will say the situation is not so bad and there is nothing to

worry about at the moment. True, “The Princess” is still sustaining

her immaculacy; it is just because of the concern that things could head in a negative direction that I am writing this article.

Maintaining the beauty of Muscat is the responsibility of all of its residents and not only the nationals. Let’s vouch to keep Muscat clean and green.

Kind regards,Maha Abasaid, Muscat

SEND US YOUR letters, photos, news and views to info@y-oman.com / @ytabloid / /ytabloid. Impress us and the winning correspondent will receive a voucher for dinner at the Golden Tulip. Vouchers must be collected from Y’s Seeb offices in person only. For the rest of the terms and conditions see voucher.

WRITE TO US AND WIN A VOUCHER

Dinner for two at Le Jardin restaurant

/GoldenTulipSeebHotel

@GoldenTulipSeeb

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 9

DEBATE OF THE WEEK

FOLLOW USSCAN THESE QR CODES &

WWW.Y-OMAN.COM /YTABLOID @YTABLOID /YMAGAZINE

WE ASKED: “Is lying ever justified or is it always immoral?”

PRACHI SHARMA Avoid lying as much as you can because it can ruin all the good things you did. Lying is always immoral, but can be justified if it’s for a good reason or to save someone’s life. If you are always truthful to you and others you will never fear anything.

NEHA GEEL Lying is manipulating the actual scene or truth. One must keep faith in God and face the truth, however harsh it is. Lying is immoral as it gives temporary relief and sufferings later. There is a thin line between lying and being diplomatic, which one should clearly know and tread with extreme care.

FLORIE MIMI REGNER A lie is a lie. Big or small, they are all the same. They will catch up to you sooner or later. Just tell the truth and it will set you free.

PRITI VASA Lying can be justified if told for the wellbeing of all concerned. But remember, the truth shall always prevail.

ALI FAREED AL LAWATI Some people will justify lies because they

New Debate:What are your resolutions for 2016?

Tell us on Facebook or Twitter and be in with a chance of winning dinner for two.

SANTA was spotted with his favourite Y Magazine at SABCO Centre in Qurum

THIS IS YOUR SPOT! Just send us your picture with Y Magazine or pose

with our photographer and we will publish it on

this page

Send it to:info@y-oman.com

don’t want to hurt people with the truth, but lying is always immoral. I would rather live in pain knowing the truth than live in a lie.

BILAL MOIN Lying cannot be justified, but sometimes in special circumstances – when you think that your truth will hurt or cause you to lose your loved ones – you can lie, but keep in mind that this lie is just to save some relationships.

ELIZABETH JOSEPH According to Wikipedia, a lie is a deliberate untruth. Lying can be thought of as two sides of a coin. Lying is considered to be immoral, but on the other hand, the truth is considered to be bitter. But the bitterness is temporary and one lie can cause a lot of problems. To cover up a single lie one may have to tell a hundred more.

WAFAA EL ANANY Generally speaking, lying is a sin, but not every lie is a sin. Sometimes lying can be our moral obligation. Consider the scenario in which your moral obligation to protect life is pitted against your moral obligation to tell the truth. Protecting life is the weightier moral imperative of the two, and thus lying to protect that life would be the right thing to do.

KRISHNA SANAL A lie is always justified by the liar. Whether it’s moral or not depends on the situation. White lies can always be forgiven.

MALINA GHOSH Telling a lie is immoral, but the question depends on who will judge? Often we tell lies not because of habit, but because

of our surroundings. My opinion is try to avoid any fishy situations.

RAHUL CHAKRABORTY Always listen to your conscience! Then you will realise when it’s ok to lie. Otherwise lying is always immoral.

MOHAMMAD OSAMA RAWAT Though many consider it street smartness, lying is always immoral unless spoken to bring two individuals together or to save someone’s life.

D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 1 0

Teenage drivers as young as 16 are being blamed for causing a large number of accidents on the roads of Oman, as many of them continue

to get behind the wheel without a valid driver’s licence, according to a study conducted by researchers at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).

One out of three secondary school students claimed they had driven a vehicle on the Sultanate’s roads at least once while not having a licence. Among the 3,345 secondary school students surveyed, 34 per cent also admitted that they liked to speed while driving.

Police this week blamed the influence of video games for the disturbing trend.

“Video games, which encourage reckless and irresponsible driving, are the main reason youngsters are putting their and other people’s lives at risk,” an official from the Royal Oman Police was quoted saying in a local newspaper, adding that parents should keep an eye on what children are exposed to through media’s different channels.

The official said a lack of supervision by family members is also one of the contributing factors, which is a concern for police. Those found driving without a valid licence are jailed for 24 hours, have their vehicles impounded, and face a RO50 fine.

On the other hand, parents find it difficult to control their teenage children. “It is a passion for them to drive a vehicle from a very early age and I know someone who fled with the car when his father went to the washroom,” Nasir al Busaidi, a resident of Mabela told a local newspaper.

SQU’s study was conducted in collaboration with the General Directorate of Education in Al Batinah North and revealed some shocking facts. Based on the study, about 75 per cent of the school students drive, and 95 per cent of those don’t have a legal driver’s licence.

Hamed al Reesi, a PhD student at SQU, who is a part of the study, said males in the age group of 16 to 25 years accounted for maximum fatalities during road crashes in Oman, constituting 38.7 to 59.7 deaths per

100,000 capita.A number of teenagers in Oman are guilty

of driving at a very young age. One such teenager confessed driving at the age of 16 after she passed class 10. “I used to even go to the nearby shops to bring groceries when my elder brothers were not available,” the teenager was quoted as saying in a local newspaper.

In 2014, road safety campaigners called for the legal age for driving to be raised, claiming it would save lives. They also asked for restricted and supervised driving for new drivers. Statistics have revealed that as many as 234 youngsters aged between 16-25 died on roads in Oman last year, while 1,384 others were injured, accounting for a significant 29 per cent and 36 per cent of the total deaths and injuries in 2014.

N E W SYOUR OMAN UNDERAGE

DRIVING UNDER THE RADAR

We’re about to give two lucky readers a fabulous start to 2016 as we reveal the winners of our New Year’s Eve competition, run in partnership with

Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club.Up for grabs is a coveted spot at the one of

the biggest bashes in the capital. IGNITE, Raising the Heat, is the exclusive New Year event at Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club, featuring top entertainment, including international DJ Ola Ras (pictured right) who mixes up her set by playing the saxophone. There’s also a buffet dinner, unlimited beverages and spot prizes. And we had four tickets to the party to give away.

To enter, we asked the following question: What

instrument does DJ Ola Ras play?Lots of people correctly guessed the answer was the saxophone. However, there can only be two winners and these are (drum roll)…

Jonitha D’Cruz and Alfi Schokman.Congratulations to you both! We will be in touch soon about

your prize, a pair of standard tickets each.You’ll both be dancing the night away to the smooth sounds

of The Electric Street Band, while Oman’s top DJs, VGroove and Manish will get you into the swing of the New Year celebrations, as DJ Ola gets the place jumping when she cranks up the sounds.

Even if you didn’t win, there’s still time to buy tickets to the party so you don’t miss out – RO48 per person, while limited VIP tickets, which give you access to the VIP Lounge and offer other exclusive benefits, cost RO90 per person.

For more information, call “The Club” on 2451 4082 or email fb@muscatgolf.com or events@muscatgolf.com

COMP

ETIT

ION

New Year Ignited!

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 1 2

YOUR OMAN

A W E E K I N P I C T U R E S

FIFA President Sepp Blatter and European soccer boss Michael Platini are banned from soccer for eight years for ethical violations following a widescale corruption probe. Both (pictured in happier times) were also fined – Blatter 50,000 Swiss francs (RO19,382) and Platini 80,000 Swiss francs (RO31,000) – and plan to appeal

HEADLINING STORIES FROM OMAN AND BEYOND

Rescuers are facing a race against time to find 85 people missing after a huge landslide hit the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, burying buildings and wiping out roads in an industrial park. Seven people have been pulled alive from the rubble. More than 900 people were evacuated as a section of China’s major West-East Gas Pipeline also exploded

A mix up sees the wrong Miss Universe crowned in a live broadcast. After announcing Miss Colombia, the embarrassed host Steve Harvey reveals he misread the results and Miss Philippines, 26-year-old actress and model Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, who had been named as the 1st runner-up, is actually the winner of the beauty pageant. The crown is taken off Miss Colombia’s head and hastily given to Wurtzbach amid lots of tears from both women

Authorities in Muscat are urging for more stringent enforcement of food safety after 53 restaurants in Bawshar inspected by the Municipality failed basic food safety standards. Forty-eight notices were served on eateries, two were shut down, and 33kg of food and 386kg of stale meals were destroyed

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 1 4

G A L L E R YSA

ILING

CELEB

RATIO

NS

AS PART OF THEIR 45TH NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS, OMAN SAIL ORGANISED A WEEKEND OF FUN BOTH ON AND OFF THE WATER. THE NATIONAL DAY SAILING FESTIVAL WAS HELD DECEMBER 18-19 AT KALBU BEACH, NEAR MUTTRAH

YOUR OMAN

In association with Genesis

DRIVEN TOSUCCESS

IT IS A DELIGHT TO DRIVE, LOOKS

GOOD AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

FEELS LIKE A HOME ON WHEELS

Q: What drives you to success?I think it’s the love of new challenges that keeps

me moving forward. Apart from travels and tours, I also have businesses in construction and cargo, but I am not an engineer or an architect. I thought of opening up a travel agency because this is very much linked to what I love doing. I am very fond of challenges and new ventures.

Q: Who or what has been your inspiration in your career?

It has to be my father, without a doubt. He struggled to give us a good life and taught us the same values – to never give up. He built himself from nothing and owned a small business. I was the one overseeing most of the operations, so I became a businessman from a young age.

Q: What is your biggest career success to date?

As I am a very family-orientated person, I think it’s the success of my children. They are all studying in good universities, pursuing the careers they have always wanted to. So apart from my businesses doing well, it has to be the fact that my family is on their way to achieving what they have always wanted to.

Q: What are your goals?I am heavily focused on travel,

because it is also my passion. Until a couple of years back I used to make it a point to travel to at least two countries every year and because of that I have seen a lot of things that I want to implement here in Oman. We have some beautiful locations but not enough facilities around, so I really want to bring some new ideas to Oman.

Q: Career-wise, where do you plan to be in 10 years’ time?

Currently, we are only into ticketing, but I want to go beyond that into tour packages and I want to earn a reputation in the travel market with my agencies. I also ensure that my staff are happy with their daily work and so I visit them and talk about their tasks.

Q: What do you like about the Genesis, the premium series of Hyundai Motor Company?

The first car I ever owned was a Hyundai and I have many wonderful memories with the brand. Over the years I have experienced a number of luxury cars and I must say I am very impressed with the ride, handling, technology and features of the Genesis. It is a delight to drive, looks good and most importantly feels like a home on wheels. I would definitely recommend it to any friends and family looking for a luxury car.

ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 1 5

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 1 6

Runner-up: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

J J Abrams and the team at Lucasfilm may have left it late in the year to make their contribution to film history, but space operas really don’t get more epic than this. The daddy is back in town.

After changing the way we look at sci-fi forever when A New Hope came out in 1977, the Star Wars franchise went through a disappointing prequel trilogy before Luke (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and a host of favourites reappeared on the big screen, admittedly sporting a few more grey hairs.

WEEKTHIS

This time, the story follows newcomer Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger whose fate becomes entwined with former stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega), and the Resistance, an organisation fighting against Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the sinister First Order, who are looking to finish what Darth Vader and The Empire started and eliminate Luke Skywalker.

Okay, so the plot might be formulaic to an extent, borrowing and recycling elements from its predecessors but the fact is, it’s Star Wars. It’s a grower and the prospect of another two films to complete one of the world’s most popular franchises is mouthwatering.

After 22 years and two sequels, could the rebooted Jurassic series capture the magic of the groundbreaking original, which took audiences on a reptilian rollercoaster ride and surpassed $1 billion in ticket sales? Jurassic World and its new breed of computer-generated scaly stars certainly gave it a very good go.

Steven Spielberg returned to executive produce the long-awaited instalment (we last saw the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park III back in 2001).

The remote Isla Nubla now has a huge dinosaur theme park, complete with a baby dinosaur petting zoo, presided over by the aloof operations manager, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard).

With visitor numbers declining, a new attraction is

needed. Geneticist Dr Wu (B D Wong) obliges, cooking up

a new genetically modified monster in his lab. When his

creation, the giant Indominus Rex, escapes all hell breaks loose.

Step forward Chris Pratt – the hunky lead in Guardians of the Galaxy – who has formed a sort of emotional bond with the four Velociraptors he has been training at the park.

While it might not be able to match the first film for inventiveness, it’s hugely entertaining with plenty of action and even a dash humour here and there.

It’s wonderful to see the raptors back on screen and T-Rex even puts in a cameo appearance. The ending is left open, so clearly we haven’t heard the last of the dinosaurs yet.

Y’s Film of the Year – Jurassic World

PREV

IEW

We are within touching distance of a new year and at first glance, 2016 is already shaping up to be an interesting year when it comes to movies. Both Marvel and DC will raise the stakes in their super hero films, with the choicest offerings looking like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War. Meanwhile, Finding Dory and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (a Harry Potter spin off) will already have fans feverish with excitement.

MOVIES OF 2015The past 12 months have provided cinemagoers with some

fantastic entertainment, from long-awaited updates to much-loved franchises to hidden gems. Matt Blackwell

brings you the best – and the worst – of 2015’s films

Honourable mentions:It’s been another year dominated by sequels and reboots, but in amongst all this, there have been a few unexpected hits as well. The Martian pitted Matt Damon against the elements and all odds as he made a bid to survive amid the desolate landscape of the Red Planet, Michael Keaton put in a career-defining performance in Birdman, a film that swept the awards scene, picking up more than 100 accolades, and Ex Machina asked understated questions about the morality of research into artificial intelligence.

* Competition winners from our December 17 issue will be announced on December 31, 2015.

younger generations away with a badly thought out concept.

Monsters: Dark

ContinentIts predecessor was a low budget sleeping success, enhanced by the suggestion of threat as opposed to in-your-face spectacle. The sequel got just about everything wrong, going all U S of A on the titular monsters, transporting them to the Middle East and throwing lots of bombs and firepower at them.

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 017

Jurassic World $1,668,984,926The world was hit with a wave of dinosaur-based nostalgia with Jurassic World capturing the magic and wonder of Spielberg’s 1993 classic. Two decades after the events of the original, John Hammond’s dream of a fully functioning dino theme park has been realised, only for chaos to be rained down at the hands – or rather jaws – of the Indominus Rex, a giant hybrid dinosaur that has escaped its enclosure.

Furious 7$1,515,047,671Coming as a fitting tribute to Paul Walker, who died tragically during filming in 2013, the seventh

instalment in the mammoth motor franchise sees Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Connor (Walker) and the rest of the gang back together on the trail of Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), a rogue solider seeking vengeance. Furious 7 took the set pieces to a new level with cars parachuting out of planes and jumping between skyscrapers in Abu Dhabi.

Avengers: Age of Ultron $1,405,035,767Marvel’s biggest and baddest team of super heroes returned to screens after an absence of three years, this time battling an artificial intelligence gone rogue in the form of Ultron. Plenty of new faces were added to the heroic roster and all the signs point towards a juicy culmination of events when Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1 and Part 2 hit screens in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Minions $1,157,275,017The loveable little yellow creations were given their very own full-length feature and fans around the world went wild, propelling Minions to the position of the second highest grossing animated film of all time, behind Frozen. The film charts the story of minionkind on its journey to service under Gru, via ill-fated masters including T-Rex and Napoleon.

Inside Out $851,633,930Proving that the voices inside your head are all real, Inside Out was one of the most original concepts of the year and fully deserves its status in the top five. Joy, fear, anger and disgust all vie for control within the head of Riley Anderson (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias), an 11-year-old girl struggling to deal with the trauma of being uprooted from her life in the Midwest and forced to make a new one in San Francisco.

Jupiter Ascending Despite being initially touted as one of the most immersive space operas since Star Wars, Jupiter Ascending failed to live up to the hype as it attempted to cram way too much into a single two-hour film. The end result was an incoherent plot and estimated losses of $87,056,139, putting it at 16th on the list of biggest box office bombs in history.

Y’s TOP TURKEYS

TOP FIVE GROSSING FILMS OF THE YEAR:

Rock the Kasbah An ageing Bill Murray stars in this weak comedy, proving that even the most hilarious actors can be awful when given the right – or more accurately, wrong – material. Murray plays a low-level music promoter

let loose in Afghanistan in a film that is more annoying than entertaining and ultimately tanked at the box office.

Jem and the HologramsAfter stripping away all but a passing reference to the 80s television series on which it is based, Jem and the Holograms succeeded in alienating die hard fans while also pushing

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 1 8

Gala Celebration

THIS WEEKD E C - J A N

WHAT TO DO.

WHAT TO SEE.

WHAT TO HEAR.

T H E W H AT ’ S O N G U I D E

Enjoy a beautiful evening together with a joyful concert gala with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by David Levi, starring the outstanding tenor Michael Schade, with rising star soprano Fatma Said and the superb violinist Anna Tifu. It’s happening at the Royal Opera House Muscat from 7pm. Ticket prices start from RO5, book your seats now at boxoffice@rohmuscat.org.om. For details, call 2440 3332 or 2440 3333.

It’s time to give back to the community and support a very noble cause at a charity dinner at the Majan Hall in Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which will support six major charitable organisations in Oman. Tickets for this event are being sold at different spots around Muscat. To buy yours call 9933 2792, 9321 0786, or 9570 0900.

If you are an avid reader, members of the Women’s Guild in Oman Book Club will be discussing another interesting novel, called Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami at 7.30pm at Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Al Mouj Muscat. To register, email aysheismail@gmail.com

31DEC WGO Book Club

Support children

28Dec

05Jan

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 1 9

G a l l e r y M o v i e s

Socialise with InterNationsJoin an evening of socialising, music, great food and drinks all at Sama Terrazza, at the Park Inn by Radisson Muscat with members of InterNations from 7pm. The venue will also serve a fine selection of snacks between 8pm and 9.30pm. Smart casual is the dress code and guests below 21 years of age are not permitted. Use this as a chance to get to know and welcome other people in Muscat. It’s RO5 for both Albatross and general members, for more information, visit internations.org

The Caledonian Society of Oman is organising a Robert Burns Night at the InterContinental Hotel Muscat from 7pm. It’s RO50 for members and RO55 for non-members and the price includes a four-course meal, open bar and entertainment at the event. Dress code is national dress, black tie or ball gown. To book your place, email caledoniansocietyofoman@gmail.com or call 9473 6731.

27D

ec

29Jan

Sondra Radvanovsky’s voice filled the auditorium of the Royal Opera House Muscat, which was sold out on Friday night. Globally celebrated, American Sondra is a powerful, dramatic soprano whose programme focused on the dark, tragic arias of her repertoire. Her

opening song from Dvorak’s Rusalka was To the Moon. It’s one of my favourites and reduces me to a quiver, so I wondered just how she would follow this. She did, with Norma’s Aria, from Bellini’s opera of the same name. The Prague Philharmonic musicians are no newcomers to Muscat and they never fail to dazzle. Under their energetic conductor, Emmanuel Villaume, they opened the concert with a familiar overture, Glinka’s Ruslan and Lyudmila. Later, they began the Verdi section of the programme with the overture to The Sicilian Vespers, leading to the most haunting, plaintive Amelia’s Aria from Un Ballo in Maschera and Leonara’s Aria from La Forza del Destino. Sondra’s range, control and volume is astounding and the audience was truly taken aback by the sheer power, depth and emotion in her voice. Resplendent in vermillion red in the second half, Sondra continued the melodramatic theme of the evening with Adriana’s Aria by Francesco Cilea and later treated us to a new work in her repertoire: Cry, Cry my Eyes from Massenet’s Le Cid. Lightness only arrived in Elena’s Bolero and luckily was carried into the encores – four of them. I Could Have Danced All Night, from Lerna and Lowe’s My Fair Lady, which is a wonderful curtain-call for any soprano, with all the joie de vivre a soloist can summon. Standing ovations led to O, Mio Babbino Caro from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, which was a gift to singer and audience, nicely balancing Suor Angelica’s Aria a little earlier. I loved her coy imploring of her father to let her go to town to buy a ring or she would kill herself, rendered with a twinkle in the eye and a spoilt teenager’s pout!

This was followed by a third encore, Tosca’s final aria before she hurls herself from the parapet, Live for Art, Live for Love. How can you follow that? Well, Sondra reprised: I Could Have Danced All Night, inviting the audience to join in with her this time and go home singing at the top of their voices. It was the only possible conclusion to a spellbinding night at the opera.

For details of forthcoming performances at the Royal Opera House Muscat, visit rohmuscat.org.om

Georgina Benison marvels at the wonderful vocal talent of soprano Sondra Radvanovsky at the Royal Opera House Muscat

SONDRA RADVANOVSKY

D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 2 0

It has to be said that 2015 has certainly been a year to remember. As the world gathered to ring in the New Year in its usual spectacular fashion, hopes were

high that a healing of sorts would dominate the year, from a recovery in the price of oil to a turnaround in global economies and finding peaceful solutions to a range of deadly conflicts and attacks playing out around the world.

In Oman, however, major celebrations dominated the first quarter of the year with the return of the country’s beloved Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said after his lengthy stay in Germany for successful medical treatment.

But let’s start from the beginning:

THE YEARTHAT WAS

FebruaryIn Kuwait, riot police dispersed hundreds of protestors marching towards Parliament as they demanded the release of “political prisoners” and democratic reform. Meanwhile, Singapore was in mourning after the death of Lee Kuan Yew, the prime minister and founding father of the island state, who passed away at the age of 91 from pneumonia.

Closer to home, a special investigation by Y lifted the lid on the appalling conditions animals are kept in pet shops in the capital. From being forced to live in filthy cages with little food to suffering from a variety of infections and other diseases, it was a shocking story and one that animal lovers vowed to fix.

And as Oman prepared to celebrate the Valentine’s Day weekend, thousands of residents and businesses in the capital instead found themselves bracing for three days without water as supplies were shut down to allow the Public Authority for Electricity and Water to carry out emergency repairs on the city’s ageing water system.

Just seven days into 2015 and a terror attack on the office of Charlie Hebdo, a Paris-based satirical magazine, appears to set the tone for the remainder of the year. Twelve people were killed

and five critically injured by two masked gunmen in one of the worst terrorist attacks France has seen.

Meanwhile, Houthi rebels seized Yemen’s capital of Sana’a on January 18 and took control of the presidential palace complex, while Saudi Arabia was in mourning on January 23 after the death of King Abdullah, who passed away at the age of 90. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said joined world leaders in sending his condolences to Saudi and also declared an official mourning period marked by flags being flown at half-mast and a three-day holiday in the Sultanate.

On a brighter note, Y Magazine celebrated its seventh anniversary on January 29 with a bumper issue that saw us highlight seven of our biggest stories that tackled serious social issues. From illegal expats to an emerging drug problem to maid abuse and female genital mutilation, Y’s reputation for tackling big issues in a fair and balanced manner has grown exponentially since our launch in 2008.

MayTHE YEAR

February

As 2015 comes to

a close, we take a look back

at a selection of headlining stories from

around the world and closer to home.

Felicity Glover, Matt Blackwell

and Deeba Hasan report

MARCHThis would have to be one of our favourite months of 2015. Why? Well, Monday, March 23, will forever be etched into the memories of every resident of the Sultanate as it was the day that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos arrived home after eight months of medical treatment in Germany. As social media lit up with the happy news, thousands of residents in the capital took to the streets to celebrate. From dancing and singing to impromptu parades and waving of the national flag, Oman breathed a collective sigh of relief in the knowledge that their beloved leader was healthy and finally home.

Elsewhere in the Middle East, Yemen’s President Hadi took refuge in Riyadh as a Saudi-led coalition of Arab countries, including the UAE, began military strikes against Houthi rebels in the south of the country as part of its support of the government.

But the tragedies continued, this time when an Airbus A320 flight operated by Lufthansa’s budget arm, Germanwings, crashes into the Southern French Alps. With all 150 people onboard killed in the crash, it emerges that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed the plane, which was en route from Barcelona to Dusseldorf.

april

We kicked off the month of April on another positive note, with his Majesty Sultan Qaboos being hailed as the driving force behind the nuclear framework deal between Iran and the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council after a series of meetings that were held in Lausanne, Switzerland, from March 26 to April 2.

However, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Nepal on April 25 overshadowed the nuclear deal. The massive temblor caused widespread damage in the capital Kathmandu and beyond, as well as more than 9,000 deaths stretching from Nepal to India, China and Bangladesh. Nepalese living in Oman were distraught, with many unable to contact their loved ones at home. A charity drive was launched, while the world, including the Sultanate, moved into action to assist the Himalayan country in its hour of need.

Sadly, Sheikh Khalfan al Esry, the

eminent Islamic scholar and orator passed away after

battling illness for more than a year. A member of the State Council, Sheikh Khalfan was hugely popular and had a big following among the Omani youth, especially entreprenuers.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman vowed to punish those behind a suicide bombing at a mosque in al-Qadeeh, in the east of the country during Friday prayers. The blast killed 21 people, one of the worst attacks in the Kingdom for years.

The UK has a conservative government after Prime Minister David Cameron’s party wins an outright majority in a brutal contest which saw the three leaders of the main opposition parties resign.

Nepal was hit with another 7.3 magnitude earthquake less than three weeks after more than 9,000 people died in a quake, which also damaged large parts of the country.

0 2 1D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0

D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 2 2

JUNE Storm Ashobaa hits the coast of Oman after loitering menacingly around the area, causing heavy rainfall in Sur and Masirah Island, which resulted in widespread flooding, causing roads to be cut off and wadis to overflow. Army vehicles and soldiers were out on search and rescue operations. Masirah Island was hit with more rains in 48 hours, a record 239mm, that it usually receives in 24 or 36 months.

Qatar has taken the Middle East retail market by surprise to emerge as the world’s fourth-most attractive retail investment hub, according to AT Kearney’s latest Global Retail Development Index. Oman dropped nine places in the index to come

in at number 26. Despite the drop in the price of oil over the past year, AT Kearney said the Middle East’s retail sphere looked strong. With total retail sales at US$12.4 billion (RO4.77bn) in 2014. Qatar

has seen an extraordinary boost in retail development on the back the FIFA World Cup, which it is hosting in 2022. However, FIFA officials, which are currently mired in an FBI corruption investigation, this week cast some doubt on Qatar hosting the football world’s biggest event, as well as Russia in 2018.

The Omani Ministry of Health affirmed there was no outbreak of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS) disease in the country following the case of a 75-year-old Omani national who tested positive for the infection while visiting Thailand for medical treatment. After contacting the man’s family in Oman to test them for the virus, the ministry confirmed all members were in good health and there was no concern of the disease spreading throughout the country.

A passenger ship on a pleasure cruise along a stretch of the Yangtze River that winds through central China’s Hubei province went down during a storm. Only 14 of the 456 people on board survived. Within a week, search operation crews had recovered 434 bodies. It’s the deadliest boat disaster in China in almost 70 years.

The Sultanate’s population continues to grow, this time touching the 4,089,076 mark, according to figures released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), based on research as of December 3, 2014.

According to the study, Omanis comprise 56.1 per cent, while expats make up 43.9 per cent of the total population. The study found that the 0.5 per cent increase in population from last month constituted an increase of 0.3 per cent in the number of Omani citizens and a 0.2 per cent rise in expats

It was three times lucky for tennis world number one and defending champion, Novak Djokovic, who beat Roger Federer in the Wimbledon Men’s final 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Eurozone leaders finally clinched a US $95billion bailout deal with Greece to keep the near-bankrupt country in the EU and avoid what many have described as a “Grexit”.

Legendary Egyptian actor Omar Sharif, who starred in the 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia, was laid to rest in Cairo after suffering a fatal heart attack at the age of 83.

The UAE’s move to deregulate petrol prices from August 1 sparks fears that other GCC-member countries will follow suit as oil prices continue to drop. The decision, announced by the UAE’s Ministry of Energy on July 22, will see the new policy linked to global oil prices reviewed at the end of each month by the country’s newly formed fuel price committee. The UAE is the first country in the GCC to end its generous fuel subsidies, which saw motorists pay up to 24 per cent more for their petrol from the date of implementation.

July

0 2 3D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0

Cecil the lion becomes a global symbol of the fight against illegal hunting in Africa. The big cat, a favourite with visitors to Hwange National park in Zimbabwe, was hunted and killed by a wealthy American, sparking an international outcry.

US Secretary of State, John Kerry tells a meeting of GCC foreign ministers in Qatar that a nuclear deal with Iran will make the Gulf region more stable.

As crude oil prices continue to plummet, currently standing at 40 per cent lower than their peak last year, workers in the sector are bearing the brunt, with hundreds of oil and gas employees having lost their jobs, including in Oman.

Oman’s economy is heavily dependent on oil to finance most national projects, and the government made $4.35 billion (RO1.6 billion) from oil sales in the first quarter of this year, 35 per cent less than a year ago. Job freezes and cuts have followed the drop in revenue from oil.

After heavy rains and flash floods hit the Sultanate at the start of the month, Y Magazine delved into the issue, speaking to civil engineers to ask whether Oman could withstand another downpour. It became clear that there is still work to be done as floods around the country caused thousands of rials of damage and claimed at least six lives.

Meanwhile, a huge crowd crush during the annual pilgrimage in Mecca dwarfs the tragedies of previous years to became the deadliest incident recorded during the Hajj.

Two days after the disaster, Saudi Arabian officials put the official death toll at 769, with 934 injured, and refused to amend the figure, despite other news sources claiming that the number of lives lost could actually be as high as 2,427. Among the hundreds reported missing was Anwar al Sinani, an Omani pilgrim who was performing Hajj with his mother and sister.

Further afield, scientists at NASA reveal that liquid water has been found on Mars, sparking fresh speculation that there could be life on the Red Planet. Definitive answers will have to wait until at least 2020 however, when the American space agency plans to launch a rover to collect rock samples and bring them back to Earth for analysis.

China announces that it will be ending its one-child policy after 35 years. Introduced between 1978 and 1980 to curb a rapidly expanding population, the policy stood for three and a half decades before a looming labour crisis due to an ageing workforce prompted a formal phasing out. Couples are now allowed to have two children, although many are reluctant to alter their family plans to cater for additional offspring as they worry about the added costs a second child would bring.

The final of the Rugby World Cup was an all-southern hemisphere affair, with New Zealand facing off against Australia at Twickenham stadium in England. The All Blacks went on to beat the Wallabies 34-17 and claim the trophy, becoming the first team to retain the title and the first nation to win the honour for a third time.

Oman mourned the loss of

Mohammed al Alawi, an Oman Sail crewmember reported as Man Overboard in the waters of Croatia as the team sailed from France to Italy in a high-speed trimaran. Combined searches of the area by the local coastguard and Oman Sail using helicopters, planes and boats, prove fruitless and are eventually called off after six days.

A Russian airliner en route to St Petersburg crashed shortly after taking off from Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, killing all 224 people on board. It was initially thought that technical failure brought the plane down, although Russian security officials have since said they believe a homemade bomb was the cause of the crash. However, Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry later issued a statement saying that their teams had found nothing that “indicates illegitimate interference or an act of terrorism”.

OCTO

BER

Sept

embe

r

D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 24

november

The world is stunned as Paris is hit by a slew of deadly attacks on Friday, November 13. Between 9.20pm and 12.20am local time, the French capital was gripped by terror

as suicide bombings and mass shootings are carried out at six different locations across Paris, including an international football match at the Stade de France and a music concert at the Bataclan theatre. One hundred and thirty people lost their lives and a further 368 were injured, making the attacks the deadliest in France since World War Two. The police killed several attackers on the night, but two are still wanted with investigations ongoing.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the devastation, citing French airstrikes in Syria and Iraq as the provocation. The result was a world united, with dozens of famous landmarks lit in red, white and blue and world leaders promising to intensify the war

on the extremist organisation.

Oman was braced for the worst as Cyclone Chapala

threatened to smash the Sultanate’s coast with the strength of a Category 2 or 3 storm, but it veers away at the last minute, striking Yemen instead. Hurricane-force winds and heavy waves hit Oman’s war-torn neighbour in what was believed to be the most powerful storm Yemen has seen in decades. At least five people were killed and thousands fled as the southern Yemen coast received 700 per cent of its average rainfall over 48 hours and the sea level rose by nine metres, destroying hundreds of houses.

At home, Omanis and expatriates alike join hands to celebrate a very special occasion and Y is proud to lead the celebrations for the 45th National Day with the second instalment of our Portrait By A Nation contest. Building on the success of the first event, we spread the art competition to the Interiors and held events in Nizwa, Sohar, Sur and Salalah. More than 1,200 of the Sultanate’s children aged five to 17 applied to be a part of the historic occasion and create a lasting tribute to His Majesty, employing some incredibly creative methods to complete their pre-printed canvas. Ultimately it was Mannat Ajmani, Munir al Hooti and Martina Babu who claimed first place in their respective age categories and walked away with cash prizes of RO500 each.

The eyes of the world’s media turn to Oman as we bid farewell and good luck to Mark Evans, manager of Outward Bound Oman, Mohammed al Zadjali and Amour al Wahaibi as they set off from Salalah, recreating the first trek across the Empty Quarter. Mark and his team are being followed by two support vehicles to replenish food and water every few days, but apart from that they are retracing the footsteps of Bertram Thomas, who made the first crossing with a company of Bedouin guides nearly 85 years ago, as faithfully as possible, completing the trek on camel and by foot. The trio are currently in the third week of their 60-day expedition across the largest contiguous sand desert in the world and you can keep up with their progress at crossingtheemptyquarter.com.

History is made in Saudi Arabia when women are allowed to vote and run for public office in municipal elections for the first time. According to preliminary results, at least 17 women were elected from 979 female candidates and 130,637 women registered to vote compared to 1.3 million men. Despite the fact that women are not permitted to drive and need to be accompanied by a male guardian when they travel, the number of women in the Saudi workforce continues to rise and Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director for Human Rights Watch, believes that their participation in the recent election will “send a strong signal to Saudi society that women are continuing the long march toward greater participation in public life.”

They burst onto the gadget scene earlier this year and quickly became the must-have toy for the festive season, but the tide of opinion around the world has slowly turned against hoverboards. Several retailers have withdrawn the products from sale over fears they do not comply with safety standards and pose a fire risk, while Amazon has urged customers who made purchases to dispose of them, offering a full refund. Many places in Oman have already banned the use of hoverboards and around the world the spontaneous combustion of the board’s lithium-ion batteries has led to hospitalisations and serious fires.

DEC

EMBE

R

Ilham Murthadha al Hamaid, assistant general manager – SME credit & marketing, Bank Muscat

Ever since she was young, Ilham al Hamaid always saw herself as a leader within her family. “I was always given opportunities by my family to lead small things and that grew into me. That is what perhaps helped me get to where I am today,” she says.

She graduated with a degree in finance from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in 2001 and landed a job with Bank Muscat after handing her CV over at the university’s annual careers fair.

From then on, there was no looking back for Ilham as she continued to rise up the corporate ladder. Fast forward to 2015 and Ilham is the assistant general manager of SME credit and marketing and regional corporates at Bank Muscat, a highly regarded position held by just three other women in the bank.

Aside from her job, Ilham is also a member of various business and women entrepreneurs associations in Oman and abroad. She was recently appointed to the board of Global Banking Alliances for Women’s segmentation worldwide by the International Finance Corporation because of her active involvement in the SMEs sector and women’s entrepreneurship.

After the arrival of her second daughter in 2004, Ilham decided to continue her education, persuing a part-time MBA from SQU. “Education was a priority and I wanted to make sure that I completed my Master’s, but it was not easy because I had the responsibility of my family, and work and studies at the same time,” she says.

Ilham says that she is indebted to her husband and father for their support during this time and believes that she wouldn’t be where she is now if it wasn’t

for them. Arriving at work early in the morning, Ilham often doesn’t

get away until late in the afternoon and with meetings, forums and events often taking place outside of working hours, she admits that finding a happy medium between her work and her family was difficult to begin with. She soon realised it would take detailed planning and prioritising and now after 15 years at the bank, striking a balance is something that comes easily to her.

When she gets home, all of her time is dedicated to the family and in the rare moments of personal time she gets, Ilham enjoys going to the spa, meeting up with old friends, or attending fun social gatherings.

Even when the workload reaches its peak, Ilham remains calm and advises her team to do the same. “You get those hectic days where it feels that it’s the end of the world, but when I mentor and coach people about those days, I say that they shouldn’t stop you, it should be a learning curve, it’s only normal.”

Ilham beleives that her secret to success in life is that she has never looked back. “There will be times in your life when you [make] one step and life takes you 10 steps back, but then you

have to see how strong you are and overcome the situations. That is what will shape your personality,” she says.

Ilham is highly regarded in her field, holding the General Management Program certification from Harvard Business School in the United States and in 2012, she was awarded a special commendation in the Corporate Leadership category in Al Mar’a Excellence Awards.

She is a member of prominent committees in Oman, including the Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s SME Committee and the mentorship programme at the Public Authority for SME Development (Riyada). She has addressed prominent

D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 2 6

Feminine IconsIn the third part of our

series, we meet a successful businesswoman and an

inspirational adventurerInterviews: Deeba Hasan

issues was well implemented. And we surely have succeeded with the launch of our major nationwide project for this year – Oman Volunteers,” says Rumaitha

She takes pride in wearing her hijab wherever she goes and has never felt nervous about it on her journeys. “Interestingly I haven’t been questioned about my hijab, nor was I belittled or intimidated for wearing it. I feel that it all depends on how you carry yourself; confidence after all matters in everyone’s eyes.”

Based on her travels to a lot of places around the world, Rumaitha finds that people are more curious to know about the Omani population in general rather than the focus on only Omani women. “I have been asked from time to time the differences between Oman and neighbouring countries and many are pleasantly surprised by the fact that Oman is a patron for women and has strived time and again as a country to put the mothers of the nation at the forefront.”

From a young age Rumaitha enjoyed keeping herself occupied. “I have always been used to being busy; I used to study, work and conduct research all at once at the age of 19 while abroad in Europe and still managed to squeeze in time to enjoy with friends and family.

“That mentality has stuck with me ever since; I find that staying at home with nothing to do is just a waste of what

God has given you – and that is the energy to enjoy life to its fullest. I do feel that at times we take things for granted and that’s something that I would like to avoid.”

Her daily schedule involves waking up at 5am for the gym, after which she enjoy breakfast and heads to work. After working hours she enjoys being part of any special events that are happening on that day, “I usually seize the day by working on research, Global Shapers projects, attending various events [or] socialising with friends and family. My day varies [and] I’m quite spontaneous and flexible.”

When the weekend comes, Rumaitha tries to take some time

for herself. “Weekends are my break from everything as I usually try my best to spend time with my mum and siblings who really are the reason I do all this for,” she says.

She recently climbed Jebel Shams, the highest peak in Oman, with a group of females from the GCC, but reveals it was something that just happened spontaneously, as opposed to months of prior planning. “It was quite random and spur-of-the-moment,” she says. “A friend of mine recommended

my name for the trip when [an] Instagram advert went viral [...] and I instantly felt that it was my calling and registered immediately.”

The climb to the summit was straightforward, but Rumaitha says there was a slight twist. “This was a record attempt to have an all-female team from the GCC climb

Jebel Shams to spread the message of solidarity and female empowerment. Simply put, I was hooked from the title and we did it.”

Rumaitha wants to get married and settle down at some point, however, her “Prince of Adventure” is yet to knock on the door. “He is yet to come, so I’ll just continue to hustle until he sweeps me off my feet,” she laughs.

Despite achieving a lot, Rumaitha wants to do many other things and also has a dream project in the pipeline. “I want to lead an all female Arab team dog sledding to the North Pole,” she tells me.

Her advice to young girls and women is, “Never let ‘no’ be a good enough argument for you to stop pursuing what you want to be. Seize the moment and don’t let ‘what if ’ govern your life.”

forums, including the Oman Economic Forum in 2012 and the SME symposium organised under royal directive at Seeh al Shamekhat in the Wilayat of Bahla in 2013.

As a mother of four, Ilham thinks that Omani women today are doing very well and are becoming increasingly innovative, especially when it come to home businesses. However, there are certain things that they need support with and this is what she and the bank are working towards.

Rumaitha al Busaidi, adventurer, aquaculture adviser at Al-Hosn Investment Company, curator at Muscat Global Shapers

Rumaitha al Busaidi is a name that almost every youngster or adventure enthusiast is familiar with. From being a presenter on Merge 104.8 to completing an expedition to the Antarctic and climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, she has achieved more in 28 years than most people do in a lifetime, but there is still plenty left on her to-do list.

Of her experiences, she reveals that the Antarctica expedition was her favourite. “I would have to say my fondest recollection and the closest one to my heart must be the Antarctic,” she says. “The whole experience of solitude and experiencing the true meaning of silence really resonates with me to this day. It truly is my favourite memory; I remember everything from the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach from nervousness of venturing into something out of the ordinary to the very last chuckle of realising a dream I’d had for six years.”

When asked if 10 years ago she knew she would one day have this huge list of achievements, she says: “Not really, all I knew at that time was that I wanted to add value to my community somehow. If you were to tell me then what I would be doing now, I’d just laugh in your face, quite literally.”

Apart from her adventure trips and other activities, Rumaitha’s full-time job is actually in the field of aquaculture, a fact that not many people are aware of. “My current job is in the food security sector, mostly in aquaculture, which basically means fish farming. My responsibilities revolve [around] overseeing investments in aquaculture and advising on the best ways to move forward in the most environmentally and financially sustainable manner, while maintaining the integrity of the business and its message of achieving food security in Oman and the region.”

According to Rumaitha, the sea has always been an integral part of her upbringing and it was this that generated her passion for marine sciences.

Apart from her full-time job, she is also juggling several other responsibilities. “Currently I am working on publishing research in fish farm management in the Sultanate, I’m curator of a World Economic Forum initiative, the Global Shapers Muscat chapter, working on a creative writing project, blogging and of course venturing into the unknown.”

Muscat Global Shapers was designed to develop the leadership potential of young people between the age of 20 and 30. The Muscat hub was founded in 2012 by Usama al Barwani, CEO of Petrogas E&P, whose aim was to provide young leaders in Oman with a framework to shape the future by integrating their personal community and global dimensions.

“I was nominated to be curator for this term to make sure that our vision of empowering young leaders to positively impact Muscat’s community and our mission of contributing community development through projects that address local

0 2 7D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0

Feminine Icons

Presen

ts

In Association with

In the second week of Y’s hunt for the coolest first year students in Muscat, we head to Middle East College where

we discover some amazing talent that leaves our judges with some tough decisions to make

THE AUDITIONS HEAT UP THE AUDITIONS HEAT UP

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 2 8

Wearing an abaya and sporting a wide smile,

Basma al Abri sang away with immense

confidence, even managing a rap in the middle

of her performance, before finishing with a

flourish, leaving the audience thrilled and calling for more.

There was a very excitable atmosphere when Team Y

stopped off at Middle East College (MEC) last week, as our

search to find the coolest freshers in the city continues. We’re

looking for people with a unique talent and the brightest stars

on campus, whether it’s singing, dancing or even juggling. And

MEC didn’t disappoint. Entrants out to show they had the Y

Factor and impress our panel of judges were moving about

the stage enthusiastically, talking to their peers and standing

backstage with their fingers crossed. Only four could win –

two to go forward for the final of the talent show and another

pair chosen to take part in an exclusive Splash fashion show.

After Basma, the high standard continued with an array of

acts on stage from beat boxing and Bollywood dance, to some

more rapping and singing. Contestants for the fashion show

also strutted their stuff, with eight boys and only one girl vying

for a coveted spot on the catwalk.

“We have been holding an in-house talent contest for the

past four years and there are some amazing talents at this

college who do very well. This competition will help them

reach out to a larger audience, I am sure everyone had a lot of

fun,” says Gladwin George, English lecturer and head of the

English Club at the college, which helped arrange the day’s

auditions. It was a hard choice but in the end, the judges went for

Basma and Sohaib (a singer and rapper) for the Coolest

Fresher final, while Hasnain Zafar and Noreen Sadik were

selected for fashion show.

“It was a fun competition and I am really happy that

something like this has started for college students to display

their talents on a big platform. I am very happy for my friends

who have won and wish them the very best for the final

competition,” says a delighted Mohammed, a

senior student at MEC.

Y’s Coolest Fresher is presented by

Splash, the Middle East’s largest fashion

retailer and part of the Landmark

Group, is powered by Ford Figo and

held in association with NESCAFE 3

in 1.In total, Y will be visiting 10 colleges

to find those worthy of a place in the

Grand Finale on January 20 or a slot

on the catwalk, so there are seven more

colleges to go. If you attend any of the

colleges (listed bottom left) you can go

along to the auditions to support your

friends in the spotlight.

By the end, the best male and female

student will be crowned the coolest fresher

in Muscat and walk away with RO250 cash

each. On top of that, they’ll have the street

cred of knowing that they are the talk of

their college.

We look forward to seeing you at the

remainder of the auditions!

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 2 9

Are You Cool Enough?If you attend any of the following colleges and

know anyone who is taking part in Y’s Coolest

Fresher, make sure you’re there at the auditions to

show your support and cheer them on their journey

to the Grand Finale.

1) Waljat College of Applied Sciences

2) Middle East College

3) Oman Tourism College

4) College of Banking and Financial Studies

5) Modern College of Business & Science

6) GUtech

7) International College of Engineering

and Management

8) Mazoon University College

9) National Hospitality Institute

10) Oman College of Management and Technology

● You can log on to y-oman.com for more

information on the competition, or alternatively call

9405 1770

● The audition period will run until January 13

● The Grand Finale will be held at a special

venue on January 20

Ford Oman is giving away

a free iPad at each of the

10 colleges taking part

in the Coolest Fresher.

All you have to do to

be in with a chance to

win this cool prize is

to take a test drive of

the exciting new Ford

Figo.

Ford will be showcasing the new Figo

at each of the colleges during the auditions and

offering test-drives. Any student who takes a test drive will be

entered into a raffle to win an iPad.

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 3 0

FOOD

DRINKAND

T r e n d N e w R e s t a u r a n t R e v i e w s

APPETISING STARTERSWith the arrival of mild

days and cool evenings, entertaining is high on the agenda. Seasonal

starters are a great way to grab the attention of

guests.

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 3 1

Walnut stuffed cherry tomato halves

“Who doesn’t love a stuffed cherry tomato?” Guarnaschelli says. “A mixture of cheese, peppery arugula and juicy tomatoes brings out the great richness of the nuts. Stuffed cherry tomatoes are satisfying without being filling, and make a great alternative to bread-based starters. You can assemble these appetisers ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to serve.”

Serves: 12Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:§ 3/4 cup fresh arugula leaves, coarsely chopped§ 1/2 cup chopped Fisher Walnut Halves and Pieces (or similar brand), toasted§ 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese§ 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil§ 1 tsp balsamic vinegar§ 1 tsp grated lemon zest§ 1/8 tsp salt§ 36 cherry tomatoes Method:§ Toast the walnuts by placing them in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently until the walnuts are golden – about three to five minutes. § Combine the arugula with the walnuts, cheese, olive oil, vinegar and lemon zest; set aside. § Cut the tops off the tomatoes. Use a small spoon (such as an espresso spoon), the handle of a teaspoon or a melon baller to gently remove the majority of the seeds and pulp, taking care not to pierce the skin. Season the insides lightly with salt. Fill the tomatoes with the walnut and arugula mixture. Serve at room temperature.

“For a more Italian experience, use authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in this recipe,” Guarnaschelli suggests. “It’s more expensive than domestic Parmesan, but it has a wonderfully rich and nutty flavour.”

Winter has drawn in, meaning there are plenty of entertaining occasions like barbecues and festive lunches to plan for. As opposed to focusing on several side dishes to accompany your barbecue favourites, why not consider offering your guests an array of seasonal appetisers to

complement your main course instead?Celebrity chef and Food Network star, Alex Guarnaschelli offers three make-ahead,

delicious appetisers that will help make entertaining a breeze. By pairing seasonal produce and herbs with nuts like walnuts and pecans for rich flavour, these appetisers will be the highlight of your meal. Chef Alex prefers to use Fisher nuts, as it is one of the few brands of recipe nuts entirely without preservatives.

* BPT

Here we give you some inspiration for seasonal starters that will make the best possible first impressions on your dinner guests

MAKE-AHEAD APPETISERS YOUR GUESTS WILL GO NUTS OVER

Quickie goat cheese and pecan bites

Another great make-ahead appetiser, these bites are filled with flavour and deliver the perfect combination of crunch and taste. “The freshness of the parsley and lemon zest is the perfect bridge between the goat cheese and pecans,” says Guarnaschelli.

Serves: 24Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:§ 450g soft goat cheese§ 2 tsp cracked black pepper§ 1/2 cup toasted Fisher Pecan Halves, chopped§ Zest from two lemons§ 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley Method:§ Break up and mix the goat cheese with the black pepper in a medium bowl. Divide into 24 pieces of about 2 teaspoons each and roll into balls. § Combine the pecans, lemon zest and parsley in a medium bowl until well blended. Roll the goat cheese balls in the pecan mixture. Arrange on a serving platter. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Take them out 15 minutes before serving so they soften a little and drizzle with a little olive oil, if desired.

Spicy walnut and chickpea hummus

Chipotle brings smoky heat to this appetiser. While hummus is traditionally made with tahini (sesame) paste, this version uses sesame seeds and walnuts to add richness to the mixture and texture when sprinkled on top. Serve this hummus as an individual hors d’oeuvres or as a tasty dip with pitta wedges.

Serves: 24 Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:§ 1 cup chopped Fisher Walnuts, divided§ 1/4 cup olive oil§ 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed§ 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice§ 1 tbsp sesame seeds§ 2 cloves garlic§ 1/2 tsp paprika§ 1/2 tsp salt§ 1/4 tsp chipotle powder or ground red pepper§ 1 medium red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped, about 3/4 cup§ 1 tbsp chopped parsley Method:§ Combine 1/2 cup walnuts and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor, pulse to coarsely chop the walnuts. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, sesame seeds, garlic, paprika, chipotle powder and salt, and process until smooth.§ Transfer the spread from the food processor into a medium mixing bowl and stir in bell pepper, parsley and remaining 1/2 cup walnuts. Serve with toasted pitta triangles, if desired.

For more recipe inspiration and tips from Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, check out FisherNuts.com

D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 3 2

T r e n d N e w R e s t a u r a n tFOOD

DRINKAND R E V I E W S

TOP TABLEWe’ve eaten like kings and queens and dined like paupers during our culinary journey this year. Here Kate Ginn reveals the eateries that had all the right ingredients

We had a couple of contenders for this award and just a wafer thin sized space to separate them in terms of food and service. For location, the Juniper Restaurant

at the Alila Jabal Akhdar, perched on the edge of a gaping gorge, can’t be beaten. Along with spectacular views, the food – including pumpkin soup – was also pretty special. We were also blown away by The Yellow Chilli, a high-class Indian in The Walk, Al Mouj Muscat, and the first foray into Oman by renowned Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. Guest reviewer Chris Fisher, presenter at our sister radio station Merge 104.8, was in raptures over the spinach koftas filled with cottage cheese served on a velvety tomato butter gravy. But the service was the main event, getting a 10/10 from Chris.

In the end, though, it was standout star of the show Shabestan (pictured above), which clinched the honours. Serving an authentic taste of Iran in elegant surroundings in Shatti Al Qurum, it has bread to die for (light as a feather and a lingering buttery taste), succulent meat and impeccable service; just three of the many reasons to make Shabestan one of your must-visit restaurants of 2016 if you haven’t already been. It’s not the cheapest, but well worth the outlay for a memorable meal.

UP

MARKET MID

MARKET

CASUAL

DINING BUDGET

This was the hardest category to sieve through, with so many excellent eateries reviewed over the course of the past 12 months. Semsom, serving Lebanese with

a twist in Muscat Grand Mall, went down well with novel dishes such as green hummus with mint. Across the city in Al Khoudh, special mention goes to Caribarawak, the Sultanate’s first Caribbean restaurant, which had Matt Blackwell drooling with its goat curry, made to a Jamaican recipe and slowly stewed in herbs and spices. Matt also liked Chez Sushi in Al Mouj Muscat. We had a great afternoon tea, complete with scones served warm with a dollop of clotted cream and strawberry jam, at the Holiday Inn Muscat, Seeb, while the hunks of meat at The Steak Company in Bareeq Al Shatti must be vying for the best in Muscat. However, the nod goes to Ala Turka, which impressed Deeba Hasan (no mean feat) with its wonderful food and service, and proved to be a real Turkish delight in a crowded market (top tip: try the shish taouk).

There were some real gems to be uncovered. The award for uniqueness must go to Moza Wa Khamis, a new café in the Best Western Premier Muscat hotel, which

claims to be Muscat’s hippest fusion diner and takes Omani favourites, such as prawn biryani, and serves them with Chips Oman for an eclectic touch. The Marina Café, with a view of the ocean on the beachfront in Qurum, dished up some of the best falafel we’ve tasted in Muscat (apart from a small shop round the corner from the Y office in Seeb) and is a stone’s throw from the sea. But it was the utterly delicious giant hand-breaded onion rings at Buffalo Wings & Rings (pictured above), an American chain that opened its doors in Oman shortly before the beginning of the year, which won us over. Try the loaded potato skins, amazing chicken wings and excellent burgers. It’s relaxed, fun and perfect for a night out with friends or family. You can find it on the first floor opposite Muscat’s Al Masa Mall. Feel the Buffalove!

Sometimes you’re just looking for good, honest food, served up for a few rials with no frills. We searched high and low for some good eateries to match this brief and

found there’s plenty of places to fit the bill. Best Burger in Zakher Mall was a pleasant surprise despite some questionable promotional photos, with the burger hitting the spot and leaving us with change from RO5 for lunch and drinks for one. We also tucked into some top-notch grub at New York Fries, which is next to the cinema in Shatti Al Qurum, for our fast food fix. The fries are hand cut daily and are made to order (top tip: order the gorgeously gooey nacho poutine with salsa, cheese, sour cream and avocado on a bed of fries). Just edging it to the top award was Begum’s in Al Khuwair, where we couldn’t get enough of its famed biryanis (the chicken tikka version) and one of the chef ’s specials, a mutton lahori, which had Matt Blackwell and his girlfriend fighting over the last mouthfuls of food. Astounding quality and incredible value for money (RO11.5 for dinner and drinks for two), it fully deserves the top spot in our opinion.

O C T 2 2 - 2 8 / I S S U E 3 9 10 3 4

HEALTH&BEAUTY

H e a l t h B e a u t y FA S H I O N

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 3 4

NEW ROMANTICSSoft, flowing fabrics, florals and pastel hues combine

to form a stunning romantic silhouette for the modern

woman, as Omani designer Amal al Raisi’s refreshing

spring/summer 2016 collection shows.

NEW FRONTIERSMany of you may already know Amal al Raisi, the talented Omani designer who launched her label Dar Al Aseel in Muscat more than eight years ago. While her focus has been on designing traditional Omani dresses, abayas and jalaybias, Amal recently launched her newest venture, “by Amal Al Raisi”

By Amal Al Raisi marks the designer’s first foray into the world of ready-to-wear and she says modern women who are feminine but “not delicate” inspired this collection. She adds that the collection has a “touch of

couture”, while the embroidery is done by hand, a signature she has taken from her traditional designs.

“By Amal Al Raisi is designed to honour Arab traditions, but my goal is for the pieces to be worn far beyond the borders of Oman,” says Amal.

Here, we showcase some of Amal’s creations from her new collection, which was launched recently at the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa. Prices range from about RO90 to RO600 and for more information, go to byamalalraisi.com

This pieces bias-cut net dress with customised lace takes the romantic look to the next level.

This delicate pale grey pure crepe A-line top with frills and customised lace at

the back is paired with sleek matching tipper

dupion pants.

Soft and flowing, this pale rose crepe A-line dress features hand-embroidered sleeves and slits on both sides.

Amal has added a fun twist to this crepe haltered hi-low top, which features a hand-embroidered collar that drops to the floor like a super hero’s cape. The dupion tipper pants complete the look.

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 3 5

Apply a moisturiser: With the arrival of the cooler months, it’s important to keep baby’s skin moisturised. Using a preventative ointment is a great way to boost skin health and keep baby happy as the air starts to dry out. Be sure to apply ointment prior to going outside in the winter, and after bathing when your baby’s skin is particularly accepting of moisture. Look for one that is free of dyes and preservatives, contains minimal ingredients and is fragrance free.

Vaporise the air: Winter air is extremely dry and can leave baby’s skin cracked and irritated. Combat the dryness by vaporising the air in your home, particularly in baby’s main spaces. Vaporisers will increase the humidity in the bedroom and help prevent winter skin from drying out. As an added bonus, the steam will also act as a heat source and can help keep your baby warmer as it begins to cool off.

Find the right baby wipe: Wipes are one of the best tools for combating and preventing skin irritation. When choosing a wipe, make sure you look for a brand that is alcohol-free so it doesn’t dry or sting the skin. You will also want a wipe that is paraben-free, and free from potential irritating preservatives such as Methylisothiazolinone, otherwise known as

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 3 6

S C A N O U R Q R C O D E S

W I T H A N Y Q R R E A D E R A P P

B E A U T Y H e a l t h F a s h i o nHEALTH&BEAUTY

The cooler weather can wreak havoc on a baby's delicate skin, so Dr William Sears, a pediatrician, author and a consultant for Huggies, offers up his top five tips for keeping your baby's skin healthy as the seasons change

5 TIPS TO BOOST BABY'S SKIN HEALTH

MI. Huggies Natural Care Wipes don’t have any of those ingredients and are made with 99 per cent water with a little aloe and vitamin E for replenishing sensitive skin. They are dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic and have Triple Clean layers that are gentle on baby’s skin and thick enough to clean their hands and faces, all the way down to their bottoms. Plus, the wipes come in a portable, refillable clutch making them great for on-the-go seasonal activities.

Boost omega-3 intake: Omega-3s act like anti-inflammatory elements to help heal and repair the skin. “If you don’t want your skin to feel like a fish, eat more fish,” says Dr Sears. Seafood is a super food for the skin because it contains omega-3s as well as vitamin A and vitamin D.

Choose cotton: In the winter, it is vital you avoid skin irritants as baby’s skin is already more susceptible. Often in an attempt to ensure baby stays warm as temperatures drop, we are inclined to dress them in wool or synthetic materials, not realising these fabrics can be more abrasive and cause irritation to the skin. This winter, reach for cotton. Cotton clothing, bed sheets and blankets will keep baby warm and their skin comfortable in chilly weather.

Baby’s skin is extra sensitive and tends to get even more susceptible when it’s colder, so take these necessary steps to “winterise” your child’s skin and keep them happy and healthy. Visit Huggies.com for more information and expert advice from Dr Sears.

* BPT

B e a u t y H E A LT H F a s h i o n

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 3 7

As the mercury starts to dip and humidity starts to abate in the Gulf, it’s a sign that wonderful winter is on its way. Winters are the perfect time to step out into the outdoors and enjoy activities that range from picnics in the park to barbecues on the beach. People head to the beach in droves to get some much-awaited respite from the long,

unbearably hot summer months. However, if you’re a parent, planning a day for your little ones on the sandy shores, it should include preparing for everything from adequate sun protection and first-aid to hydration and water safety. Dr Hala Fikri Mohammed el-Hagrasi, consultant in pediatrics at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, gives parents comprehensive tips on how to keep their kids safe.

Sun protection: Excessive sun exposure even during winter months is dangerous for your little ones. Though the weather seems far milder when compared to summer, it’s best to avoid staying out for long hours during mid-day when the sun rays are at their strongest. Sun rays are also reflected off the water so UVB radiation is still a threat. Make sure kids have protective clothing including hats, sunglasses, and apply sunscreen with at least SPF20 UVA and UVB protection. Protect their ears, nose, and lips and make sure to reapply every three hours, especially if they go into the water often.

First aid kit: It is prudent to carry a small kit to tackle minor mishaps. For instance, aloe gel is great for sunburn relief, while antibiotic ointment and waterproof bandages plus alcohol pads are recommended for scrapes and cuts. You will also need hydrocortisone cream for insect bites,

tweezers for splinters, ear drops for swimmer’s ear, vinegar for jellyfish stings, hand sanitiser and insect repellent.Hydration: Ensure that your children drink enough water or juice regularly through the day when at the beach, especially if they are active and running about all over the place. Children can lose up to half a litre of fluid per hour if they are involved in physical activities. The

American Academy of Pediatrics suggests 150ml of water or sports drink every 20 minutes for a 40kg.

Food: Take easy-to-carry foods such as fresh fruit, nuts, health bars, or cookies that children enjoy. Chill any cooked foods before you pack them in an insulated cooler. And take a separate cooler for drinks so you only open the food cooler when necessary. Don’t let food sit out more than an hour.

Water safety: Never leave your children unattended near the water. Ensure that there is a lifeguard close at hand. Even if children are comfortable around water, they still need constant supervision – whether they’re swimming or sitting in the sun too long. Children should always have an adult when swimming or even wading through shallow water. Kids should also wear flip flops or sandals to protect their feet from hot sand, broken shells, bits of glass and other objects on the beach.

Beware of jellyfish: They are generally seen seasonally in the waters around the UAE and Oman. However, jellyfish are most commonly seen during October in the water and on the beach. Children are naturally curious and may want to touch them. Explain the dangers of touching jellyfish. While a jellyfish’s sting is often not life-threatening, it can be very painful for adults and children, so if your child is stung, apply hot water or vinegar to the area. See a doctor as soon as you can.

Cooler days mean evening and weekend trips to the beach are back on the cards, but it's important to stay safe at all times. Follow these tips to stay free from danger

STAY BEACH SAFE THIS WINTER

TOO LATE? DON’T WORRY. GET Y INSTANTLY ONLINE USING YOUR MOBILE DEVICES & PCVisit www.y-oman.com/current-issue/

No downloading required

GRAB IT BEFORE IT’S GONE

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF Y AT THE FOLLOWING DISTRIBUTION POINTS…Capital RegionAzaiba• Amara

Dermatology Clinic• Audi showroom• Bentley showroom• Costa Coffee• Al Fair• Jaguar Showroom • Jeep Showroom• Al Maha Petrol

Station• Mazda showroom• McDonald’s• Mitsubishi

Showroom• Oman Arab Bank• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Peugeot

Showroom• Range Rover

Showroom• Sayarti Auto Care• Shell Select• Skoda Showroom• The Sultan Center• Volkswagen

showroom• Volvo Showroom• Yamaha ShowroomBawshar• College of Banking

and Financial Studies

• Dolphin Village• Modern College

of Business and Science

• Muscat College• Muscat Private

Hospital (Emergency and Outpatients)

• Oman Medical College

CBD• Al Maya

Hypermarket• Alizz Islamic Bank• Bahwan Travel

Agencies• Bank Sohar• Copper Chimney

Restaurant• Costa Coffee• HSBC• Lama Polyclinic• NBO• Oman Arab Bank• Standard

Chartered Bank• Woodlands

RestaurantDarsait• Indian Social Club• Khimji’s Mart

• KIMS Oman Hospital

• LuLu Hypermarket• Muscat Bakery• Shell Petrol StationAl Falaj/Rex Road• Al Falaj Hotel• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Golden Oryx

Restaurant• Kamat Restaurant • Toshiba ShowroomGhala • National Mineral

WaterGhubra• Al Hayat

International Hospital

• Al Maya Hypermarket

• Bank of Beirut• Costa Coffee• Crêpe Café• GMC Showroom• LuLu Hypermarket• Moka & More • Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Park Inn• Porsche Showroom• Al Raffah Hospital• Stationery Hut• The Chedi MuscatAl Hail• Burger King• Caledonian College

of Engineering• Markaz Al Bahja

Mall• McDonald’s• Omantel• Starcare HospitalAl Khoudh• Al Fair• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Pizza HutAl Khuwair• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Bait Al Reem Mall• Caffè Vergnano • Centrepoint

(Splash)• Diplomatic Club• Grand Hyatt

Muscat • Harley-Davidson

Showroom• HSBC • KFC• Khimji’s Mart• Khimji’s Watches• KM Trading• Landmark Group

• McDonald’s• Muscat Bakery• Oman Bowling

Center• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Oman United

Insurance• Omran• Pizza Hut• Radisson Blu• Shell Petrol Station• TGI Friday’s • The Great Kabab

Factory• The Tikka Place• Zahara Travel• Zakher MallMabela• Gulf College OmanMawalah• Chili’s Restaurant• Costa Coffee• Al Makan Café• The Noodle House• Starbucks• Tim Hortons• VLCC WellnessMBD• Bank Dhofar• Centrepoint

(Splash)• Khimji’s Mart• NBO• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Pizza Hut• Pizza Muscat• Shell Petrol StationMGM• Caribou Coffee• Gloria Jean’s

Coffees• Just Falafel • Ooredoo• Paul • Tim HortonsAl Mina• Bait Al Baranda • Bait Al Zubair MQ• Al Fair• Arab Open

University• British Council • Costa Coffee• D’Arcy’s Kitchen• Hana’s Slimming &

Skincare Centre• Kargeen Caffe• KFC• MacKenzies Café

& Deli• Mood Café• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Papa John’s Pizza

• Pizza Hut• Saharz Beauty

Salon• StarbucksAl Murtafa’a• Bank Muscat• KFC• Muscat Hills Golf &

Country ClubMuscat International Airport• Caribou Coffee• Majan Lounge• Plaza Premium

LoungeMussanah• Millennium ResortMuttrah• Shell Petrol StationQantab• Al Bustan Palace • Marina Bandar Al

Rowdha• Oman Dive Center• Shangri-La Qurum• Al Araimi Complex• Balance Health &

Fitness • Bank Nizwa• BMW showroom • Burger King• Chili’s Restaurant• Crowne Plaza • Finland Eye Center• Fun Zone• Gloria Jean’s

Coffees• The Jungle

Restaurant• Left Bank• McDonald’s• Mercedes-Benz

Showroom• Mumtaz Mahal

Restaurant• Nandos• Nissan Showroom• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Pizza Hut• Qurum

Commercial Complex

• Ras Al Hamra Club• SABCO Centre• Second Cup• Starbucks• The Sultan Center• Tche Tche Café Rusayl• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -1• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -2• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -3

• Knowledge Oasis Muscat -4 (ITA)

• Middle East College

• Omantel• Waljat College of

Applied Sciences Ruwi• Apollo Medical

Centre• Kamat Restaurant • KFC• Khimji’s Mega

Store – Swarovski Showroom

• Khimji’s Watches • KM Trading• Oman Air• Oman UAE

Exchange• Oman Trading

Establishment • Saravana BhavanSarooj• Al Fair• Al Masa Mall• City Cinema • Ayana Spa• Cosmeclic• Emirates Medical

Center• McDonald’s• Shell Petrol Station• VLCC WellnessSawadi• Al Sawadi Beach

ResortSeeb• Golden Tulip Hotel• McDonald’sShatti Al Qurum• Bareeq Al Shatti

Complex• Caribou Coffee• D’Arcy’s Kitchen• German Eye

Centre• The Indus

Restaurant• InterContinental

Hotel Muscat• Jawharat Al Shatti

Complex• Kaya Skin Clinic• Muscat Eye Laser

Center• Oasis By The Sea• Second Cup • Starbucks• VLCC WellnessSifah• Sifawy Boutique

HotelSQU• Diplomatic Club• College of

Economics and

Political Science• Students Banking

Area• Reception/

CanteenWadi Kabir• Al Maya

Hypermarket• LuLu Hypermarket• Muscat Pharmacy • National

Hospitality Institute

• Pizza Hut • Shell Petrol StationWattayah• Ahli Bank• Best cars• BLS International

Services• Chevorlet/GM

showroom• Ford Showroom• Hatat House• Honda Showroom • Hyundai

showroom• Kia Showroom • Lexus Showroom• National Travel &

Tourism • Passage To India

Restaurant• Shell Petrol Station• Subaru showroom• Suzuki Showroom• Toyota ShowroomThe Wave• Almouj Golf • Costa Coffee• Oman Sail • Shakespeare & Co.• The Wave Head

Office

Other RegionsBarka• Al Nahda Spa and

Resort• LuLu HypermarketNizwa• University of

NizwaSohar• Centrepoint

(Splash)• Crowne Plaza• National Gift

Markets• Ooredoo• Pizza Hut• Safeer Mall• Sohar Beach Hotel• Sohar Port and

Freezone• Sohar University

FO L L O W U S O N : @ytabloid /ytabloid www.y-oman.com /ytabloid ymagazine /ymagazine

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 3 9

P o s t c a r d s f r o m Y - F i C a r s

CARS ANDADVENTURES

UNDER RENOVATION Sohar Fort is currently

undergoing some restoration work, making

for a unique visiting atmosphere.

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 4 0

CARS ANDOUTDOORS

D E S T I N A T I O N P o s t c a r d s f r o m Y - F i C a r sCARS ANDADVENTURES

SOHAR FORTAFTER A HECTIC WEEKEND AND TWO TRIPS UP THE COAST, SHAQUEL AL BALUSHI FINALLY MAKES IT TO

SOHAR FORT, WHERE ANOTHER SURPRISE AWAITS HIM

Destination

seem to have entirely worked as one of the canon’s wooden wheels had fallen off and lay listlessly to one

side. The whole scene had a somewhat forlorn feel about it. Scaffolding surrounded the old walls, shielding them in

a patchy suit of steel armour and I even managed to poke my head through one of the fort’s doors that had been left slightly ajar, although one of the labourers working there shouted over to me before I could get a snap. I was able to see a few machines and materials scattered about, but little more. It doesn’t look like serious work is being undertaken, more a case of solidifying what is already there.

I captured a few shots of some labourers chilling out during a tea break and even managed a few snatched words with them, although they didn’t seem to know when the project would be finished.

The area surrounding the fort complex is very open and the whole ambience was very peaceful. It was around

9.30am and the only sounds audible were the soft call of birdsong and the gentle waves that lapped the nearby shore.

Despite the hundreds of kilometres I had driven over the past few days and the exhaustion that was beginning to creep in, I felt at peace. And I liked that feeling a lot.

This week’s destination came at the end of one of the craziest weekends of my life.

Inspired by last week’s trip to Saham, I thought I would continue the theme and head a little further north to the city of

Sohar and more specifically, the fort there. I’d read that the fort is considered one of the most important in the Al

Batinah North Governorate and was keen to explore the building that dates back to the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries and has played an important role in the Sultanate’s history.

I set off for Sohar in the pre-dawn darkness on Thursday morning, along with a party of friends, and the plan was to cover the city’s fort before heading on to Dubai to buy a car for my cousin.

To cut a very long story short, I forgot my camera. I am normally very specific about my luggage and personal belongings, but a last minute car change got the better of me and my camera bag was left behind in the boot of the wrong vehicle. What’s even worse is that I didn’t realise the mistake until we reached Sohar and pulled over for some breakfast and tea around 6.30am.

Instead of turning back, we carried on with our journey and crossed the border, driving back home in the early hours of the following morning fuelled by energy drinks and coffee.

Understandably, I slept like a log on Friday before venturing back up the coast for take two on Saturday. This time I made sure my camera was next to me the entire trip.

When I eventually got to the fort, it was just my luck that it was closed for renovation. Nevertheless, it still made for a beautiful visit and I didn’t let this slight hiccup dampen my spirits at all.

The fort at Sohar is one of the few that I’ve seen that is actually surrounded by a lot of greenery, making it a great spot for a picnic. It’s also very close to the beach.

I noticed an orange material loosely draped over some of the canons, clearly there to protect the artefacts from the elements, although it doesn’t

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 4 1

HOW TO GET THERETake Route 1 north all the way to Sohar, exiting at the Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic. Continue straight, turning right at the roundabout after Grand Hypermaket and the fort will be TR

AVEL

GUI

DE on your right side.

GPS location of Sohar Fort: N24° 21’ 44.536” E56° 45’ 0.159”

COOL CITYVancouver is a

bustling seaport on Canada’s west coast and offers something

for all kinds of travellers.

1. Vancouver 2. Whitsunday Islands3. Bruges4. Chiang Mai 5. Gotland

Top 5 Destinations:

D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 4 2

CARS ANDADVENTURES

WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS

BRUGES

CHIANG MAI

Our favourite place: It was a very close call, but in the end Vancouver took the win, purely because the Canadian city offers the complete package. From beaches to green spaces, contemporary architecture to a bustling nightlife, Vancouver has it all and more and is a fine example of how modern urban living should be. We particularly enjoyed the 27km of forest trails that weave through Stanley Park and a trip around Gastown, the city’s oldest neighbourhood. Second was Australia’s Whitsunday Islands, where we experienced some of the whitest sand and clearest water known to man. In third place was Belgian city, Bruges, thanks to its enchanting medieval architecture and network of quaint canals. Highlights: Each destination is in our top five for different reasons, but the one thing they have in common is that they will all capture your heart and mind, creating memories that will stay with you for many years to come. In Vancouver we got in touch with nature on a cable car up Grouse Mountain followed by some whale watching on Vancouver Island, while the Ngaro Sea Trail on the Whitsunday Islands gave us a fascinating insight into the history of Australia’s aboriginal people, the traditional owners of the area. We loved hiring a bike for a day in Bruges and cycling around the scenic city at our own pace, stopping for a picnic along the way before dropping in to the Absolute Art Gallery for a spot of culture. Chaing Mai spoilt us for choice with more than 300 ancient temples, but it was the intricate architecture of Wat Phra Singh that took our breath away, while in Gotland, a small island off the coast of Sweden, we enjoyed trying our hand at axe throwing at the Tofta Viking Village. Lowlights: Being on the west coast of Canada, Vancouver is prone to frequent downpours and the modern metropolis can be somewhat costly, so keep an eye on your spending. Overcrowding can be a problem in Bruges during peak season, while the amount of deadly creatures in Australia can put some people off visiting. Tourists are often the targets of low level scams in Thailand and the winters in Gotland can be harsh, so wrap up warm.

Souvenirs: Locally sourced gemstones such as jade, amber and quartz make for a great gift in Vancouver, as do bottles of original maple syrup. Belgium is known for its lace and delicate table linens and handkerchiefs, which can be picked up in Bruges for a snip. Gotland is dotted with dozens of pottery studios where you can pick up one-off items and in Chiang Mai, look no further than the night market, where you will find all sorts of curios. One of the best things you can take away from the Whitsundays is a printed canvas of the islands to remind you of your stay in paradise. These are available at Airlie Beach, the hub of the Whitsunday coast and the gateway to the islands.

Where to stay: With 25,000 options when it comes to laying your head at night, Vancouver is certainly not short on accommodation. We recommend urban Hideaway Guesthouse for those on a budget and the five-star boutique Opus Hotel for those in search of luxury. Chiang Mai is a backpacker’s dream with numerous hostels, but if that’s not your scene, you can always check in to the RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort. Sudersands Semesterby is a family friendly choice that offers camping or fully equipped cottages in Gotland, while Hotel Adornes has a great location along a canal in Bruges. The best way to see the Whitsundays is to take a multiple night cruise with one of the local yacht companies.

WINNER: VANCOUVER T ravel is the only thing you buy in this world that makes you richer and Y has

certainly done its fair share this year. From the plains of Africa to medieval villages, island getaways and everything

in between, Y has been all over the globe, discovering new people, places and cultures to provide you with inspiration and advice for future adventures. We hoped you’ve enjoyed the trip as much as we have!

But life is short and the world is wide, meaning that there is still plenty out there for you to discover as we move in 2016. Until then, here are our top five favourite places we’ve visited over the past year. Bon voyage!

Y Awards recommends:

RUNNERS UP: WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS, BRUGES, CHIANG MAI, GOTLAND

D E C 2 4 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 4 3

P O S T C A R D S F R O MD e s t i n a t i o n Y - F i C a r s

J U LY 0 3 - 0 9 / I S S U E 3 2 70 4 4

-FIT H E T E C H I N Y O U

Y - F IP o s t c a r d s f r o m D e s t i n a t i o n

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 4 4

BEST TECH2015 has been an extraordinary year in terms of technology. Increased interactivity has

been one of the standout trends, paving the way for even bigger things in 2016. Matthew Herbst takes a look at what rocked over the past year

SMALL BUT BIG IDEAProjection is the way forward for those whose budget doesn't stretch to a huge TV. Pocket projectors are flexible, allowing you to watch videos wherever you want and the AAXA LED Pico Pocket Projector packs quite a punch, despite its size. Just plug it into your computer, smartphone or tablet to watch your favourite videos or manage a presentation at a business meeting with a larger resolution. It's also Apple Mac and PC compatible. Available for RO70 at amazon.com

VIRTUAL FUN

The next generation of virtual reality was revealed in the form of the Oculus Rift. Soon, gamers will no longer be restricted to a screen, as the Rift lets you step inside your favourite virtual worlds, using custom technology to monitor every subtle head movement in real time in order to provide a 360° view. This means you'll be able to look around, just as you would in real life. A stereoscopic 3D view also gives excellent depth and scale. Currently, you can only buy the Oculus Rift Development Kit 2 if you’re a game developer, but the actual consumer item is set to launch commericailly in 2016. Check it out at oculus.com

EYE OF THE SPIDERWhether you’re a teen or an adult, radio-controlled toys never go out of fashion. In fact, they just keep getting better thanks to new technology. Meet the Parrot MiniDrone Rolling Spider, a miniature quad drone with built in vertical camera and detachable wheels. The drone is controlled via your smartphone and can drive across the floor, before mounting the wall and flying across the room, recording as you go. Available from parrot.com for RO53.48.

FEMME FASHIONFeminine fashion accessories with built-in communication capabilities are a fast-growing segment in the wearable tech market. Developed by Intel, the MICA is a beautiful smart bracelet finished with a range of semi-precious gems. You can expect notifications coming through from Facebook, Gmail and calendars and it will even display SMS messages and more. See intel.com for more information. Prices start from RO190.57.

J U LY 0 3 - 0 9 / I S S U E 3 2 7 0 4 5D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 0 0 4 5

SHUFFLE MY LIFEIf you've ever found yourself sitting around desperately trying to think of something new to do, Shuffle My Life is the app you need. Shuffle My Life suggests new things to do to introduce a little variation to your day. There's nothing terribly complex about the app, but then that's the beauty of it. The app will come up with a suggestion and you simply choose whether to act on it or not. Free for Android users.

SHINE LIKE A DIAMOND Priced at RO18,662,799.37, you probably need to make the Falcon SuperNova iPhone 6 Pink Diamond a lifetime investment and make sure you don’t lose it. The phone is encrusted with a pink diamond and comes in three models; platinum, 24-carat gold and rose gold. If you can’t spare the expense, try the orange diamond version for RO16,353,999.45 or the blue diamond version for RO12,505,999.58. Available at falconluxury.com

DIGITAL COACHIf you want to learn how to play football like the greats, the miCoach Smart Ball is what you need. With step-by-step guidance and instant feedback via the app that communicates with the hi-tech football, you can

push your talent to the max. You'll be able to learn from every kick

thanks to immediate stats regarding speed, spin, trajectory and strike point.

Available at micoach.adidas.com from RO76.96.

ULTIMATENot all 3D printers are aesthetically appealing, but the Ultimaker 2 ticks all the right boxes. Not only is it good looking, its multifunctional and robust design makes it a great desktop 3D printer. Best suited for hobbyists, tinkerers and students, this versatile machine comes equipped with a heated bed and build plate and is among the most precise printers available, with layer resolution of up to 20 microns. It's not cheap, but worth the expense. Available at ultimaker.com from RO962.62.

D E C 24 - 3 0 / I S S U E 4 0 00 4 6

BUDGET Winner: Ford Figo

A great little starter car at an unbelievable price (from a little over RO5,000) with plenty of appeal for the young, cool crowd. A new saloon for Oman and Ford’s bid to capture a slice of the lucrative but highly contested entry-level market. Modern styling and some nice on-trend touches (we loved the MyFordDock, which integrates a smartphone into the car’s entertainment system while charging it at the same time), give the Figo the edge over rivals. It was also great fun to drive with an unexpectedly punchy 1.5-litre engine, combined with superb fuel economy. All in all, a great little number from the Figo, which means “cool” in colloquial Italian.

Runner-up: Renault Symbol (the French car company’s new saloon at the cheaper

end of its range does what it’s built for. A modern design at an affordable price for those with a more modest money pot).

CARS ANDADVENTURES

C A R SD e s t i n a t i o n P o s t c a r d s f r o m Y - F iWe’ve had the privilege of getting behind the wheel of some of 2015’s hot vehicles. Here are our automotive top picksCAR OF THE YEAR

SALOON/SEDAN Winner: Kia Quoris

Crammed full of cutting-edge technology, it blew Matt Blackwell away with smart and intuitive features like Smart Cruise Control, which does the hard work for you, and a futuristic head-up display, projecting driver information such as speed and distance on the windscreen. It was by far the most technologically advanced car that Matt has driven. It looked the business as well, with a long-slung stance and sleek lines. Inside, it was just as good with luxurious leather seats and finishes. Packed with features to rival a BMW but at a fraction of the price (RO17,400), the Quoris has it all and that’s why it’s our top saloon.

Runners-up: Audi A8L TFSI Quattro (for its understated power and elegance,

combined with plenty of goodies, such as in-car Wi-Fi and luxury touches).Mazda 6 Luxury (a surprise package that just got better the more we

drove it).

4X4Winner: Ford F-150

An off-road heavyweight, which, according to Matt Blackwell, made him feel like the undisputed King of the Road. Imposing, chunky and unashamedly masculine, this beast packs a ferocious five-litre V8 engine, which laughed at difficult terrains and ate up sand dunes like a baby gulping down milk, thanks to those monster 18-inch alloy wheels. You can take the F-150 anywhere, from mountains to the Royal Opera House, and feel on top of the world. We also tested the F-150’s baby brother, the Ranger Wildtrak, and found it equally impressive on a trip up Jebel Akhdar.

Runners-up: Jeep Cherokee Longitude (perfect for adventurers who can’t go without

some comforts on their travels).Lincoln Navigator (a big hit with our managing editor, Felicity Glover,

who likes her cars to be as big as possible. She was also quite taken with the new GMC Yukon, the strong silent type that roars to life when pushed).

Special mentions also go to the VW Touraeg SPORT and the Infiniti QX80 a colossus among large cars, with 5.6-litres of V8 muscle generating a formidable 400 horsepower, proving that size does matter sometimes.

SPORTSWinner: Maserati Quattroporte S

Merge 104.8 presenter Chris Fisher was the lucky man who got behind the wheel of this wonderful car for the drive of his life. It growls like a big cat and looks like a million dollars (well, RO50,000 is the actual price), the beauty and the beast in one irrepressible package. Not for the faint hearted or shy, retiring drivers who like to take it easy. The Quattroporte S has huge road presence – you can’t hide in this car. Chris waxed lyrical about the full leather cream interior and shiny real wood trims with flashes of gleaming chrome. It gripped the road like glue and went like a rocket, thanks to the three-litre twin turbo V6 engine throbbing under the bonnet pumping out 410 horsepower. Dream on.

Runner-up: Audi R8 V10 (driven as part of an Audi experience at the Dubai

Autodrome. The sheer speed of this piece of German engineering, hitting 100kph from a standing start in just 3.3 seconds, will live long in the memory).

C.R No. 1/14573/8

www.bankmuscat.com/al-mazyona

We’re giving 15 lucky winners the chance to win RO100,000 each. So start saving more with al mazyona and you could be looking forward to an exciting start to 2016.

For more information call 24795555.

Our biggest prize draw.

15 winners.

Valid till 31st December 2015, Al mazyona savings does not offer interest, interesting bearing savings accounts available separately. For interest rates please contact the branches.

al mazyona المزيونة morelet’s do