Y - Issue 246 - November 27, 2012 - Y-oman.com

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Weekly November 27, 2012
Issue 246
THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST BAND
ON THE HUNT
THE ARABIAN LEOPARD
REMAINS OF THE DAY
A VISIT TO RUSTAQ FORT
WAR TALK
GALAXY vs iPHONE

Dear Reader,
If you are honest with yourself, and no
matter how much you protest, everyone
has a favourite ABBA song. It has been
three decades exactly since the group’s
demise yet the Swedish quartet remain
one of the world’s biggest bands. This
week the smash hit show Mamma
Mia comes to town. We look at why
their popularity has endured, across
languages and cultures, and speak to
one of the original cast members from
the Swedish version of the show.
We also speak to Oman’s Leopard Man
Hadi al Hikmani. Few people know
that Oman is home to the last of the
Arabian Leopard. It is one of, if not the,
most critically endangered big cats on
earth. Just 200 animals remain but Al
Hikmani has dedicated his life to saving
the leopard from extinction. Ahead of a
big scientific expedition by the British
Exploring Society, he talks to us about
Oman’s natural beauty and what can be
done to save these beautiful creatures.
The Y team
4

This week in
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
EDITOR'S CHOICE
16
9
Twentyfour Seven
Oman vs Italy, Mamma Mia, the Muscat
Regatta, Arabian Leopard hunt.
14 Movember
Photo essay.
Swede dreams
The enduring appeal
of ABBA.
24
22 Spotlight
The Muscat Singers get festive.
32 Skin
Beauty
treatments.
34 Stuff
Galaxy versus iPhone.
Pussy galore
The story of the endangered
Arabian Leopard.
28
36
Game on
Oman's Gulf Cup.
40
Out & About
Redtag, National Day, Landmark,
J.Lo prize winners.
45
Chill Out
Crosswords, Suduko, Go Figure
Venture
Rustaq fort.
Sayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi Editor-in-Chief
Clint Derric Egbert Sports Writer/Photographer
Jerzy Wierzbicki Photographer | Shrikant Akojwar Art Director/Design
Eihab Abutaha CEO | Feroz Khan Director of Sales & Marketing | Ayman Canawati Logistics Manager
For editorial enquiries, email info@y-oman.com | Published by SABCO Press, Publishing & Advertising LLC | Y is a SABCO Media Product.

www.radiomerge.fm
It’s the dawn of a new musical era right here in Oman.
Merge 104.8 is a celebration of cultures and a true
reflection of diversity. Providing you with the best
R’n’B, House, Rock, Lounge, 90s, and Pop music from
around the world. Served with fresh local flavour.

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
Readers' letters
ABBA: Still the best
Dear Y,
It is wonderful to see Mamma Mia smashing into
Muscat after all the hits.
I can remember all those songs I enjoyed of ABBA.
Dancing queen, Mamma Mia, Money, Money,
Money, Chiquitita are some of my favourites. Those
were my nostalgic school and college days and, to
date I still enjoy listening to that Swedish pop band.
Down memory lane and rewind to that era with this
musical. I enjoyed the film and wonder what live
musical it will be. It must be magic, and only magic,
with those mesmerising songs.
ABBA: a best bet after all.
Wishes
Vijayalakshmi R Shetty
The Editor replies: Vijayalakshmi, you are right.
ABBA’s music is timeless and I am not ashamed
to say I like them. Well, a little ashamed. But much
less than I used to be. However, actually liking
Mamma Mia the film is borderline unforgivable…
Charlie update: He finds a
new home!
Dear Y,
I just would like to let you know that Charlie is now
with a new family. Many thanks for all your support.
Claudia
8
The Editor replies: We are so pleased that Charlie
has found a new home. There are so many strays
and unloved dogs in Oman that taking in a rescue
animal is the only humane way to go when choosing
a pet.
Beaches: still dirty
Dear Y,
I read your last issue and recognised the beaches
that you anonymous writer mentioned.
I am also an expat living in Oman and have noticed
the same things. Bags of rubbish left out. Bottles
of (non-alcoholic) beer broken on nearby rocks. I
went out to a wadi with friends recently and was
shocked to find that blue plastic bags had clogged
up the channels in what little water there was. This
is a beautiful country. But more has to be done to
protect it.
Also Anonymous
The Editor replies: Thanks for your email. We
get our fair share of complaints at this magazine.
Usually they are about customer service (more on
which we will talk about next week), but the second
most common email concerns the filthy state of
some of Oman’s wadis, beaches and rivers. It’s true
that a trip into the mountains usually starts with a
big plastic bag to pick up the broken glass in the
vicinity and it shouldn’t be that way. We will have
more on this is the next few issues.
Mr Kalyanasundaram,
I presume
Dear Y,
Have you ever heard of a person named
Kalyanasundaram If not, you should. Because
he was awarded “Man Of The Millennium” by an
organization and UNO adjudged him as one of the
outstanding people of the 20th Century.
Mr.Kalyanasundaram is a social worker from Tamil
Nadu, India. He is working for orphans and running
a social welfare organization named Paalam in
Tamilnadu, India.
By profession he is a Librarian for more than 30
years. Throughout his service he donated his entire
salary to help the needy. He worked as a server in a
hotel to meet his basic needs. He is a bachelor and
he is still dedicating his full time for social services.
He donated his pension amount also for this great
cause.
As part of Man Of The Millennium Award he received
a huge amount of money which he distributed
entirely for the needy as usual. Maybe every one
of us cannot become a person like him but we all
can help the needy as much we can maybe in a
smaller way.
We should always think the needy when we ever
waste food, water and money because in this world
a large mob of people suffer without food and water.
This distinguished person can be a great example
for simple living and high thinking.
Krishnapriya Nikhil
The Editor replies: Kalyanasundaram would
indeed be a good example to follow, if he actually
existed. It appears that the Indian do-gooder may
not actually exist and was in fact the product of a
viral email. But we’d be happy to see any evidence
to the contrary. But whether he exists or not, the
sentiments expressed here are still noble.
Tell us what is on your mind. To get published write
to editor@y-oman.com

November 18:
NATIONAL DAY
Oman’s national football team
might not have been able to give
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos the gift
they wanted to, nor vice versa, but
Oman’s 42nd National Day was
still celebrated with pride around
the country. The Red Warriors’
captain Ali al Habsi had told Y
that victory against Japan in their
2014 World Cup qualifier was the
“perfect gift for His Majesty”. In
return the Sultan had promised a
large reward if the impossible was
achieved. In the end neither came
to pass but the country was full
of flags, fireworks, parades and
platitudes, proving once again how
far Oman has come in such a short
space of time.

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
INTO THE BLUE OMAN VS ITALY
It’s a busy couple of months of football coming up
in Oman. On top of the local league there’s the West
Asian Championships taking place in Kuwait, the
AFC U-22 Asian Cup to be hosted in Oman itself, the
Gulf Cup, where Oman will be aiming to repeat their
tournament-winning run from 2009, a 2015 Asian
Cup qualifier against Syria and finally the crunch
World Cup qualifier against Australia. You can read
all about the busiest period in Omani football history
on page 36.
But the most exciting fixture this week is the chance
to see the Italian national team play in Muscat. True,
it’s the Italian under 22 team, but many of the squad
of players will no doubt pull on the famous blue shirt
of the Azzurri and represent the full senior team.
The Italian squad is stuffed full of players who are
learning their trade at Milan, Inter Milan and other
top European team. It is exactly the kind of tough
test that the Oman under 22 coach Philippe Burle
(pictured) needs ahead of the AFC U-22 Asian Cup.
Burle, a former French professional player, has
been charged with rebuilding the Under 22 team
after they came so close to qualifying for the 2012
Olympic Games in London. Under the guidance of
Paul Le Guen the team managed to get to a final
play-off match against Senegal in Coventry in
the United Kingdom. It had been a long, arduous
journey. The match was Oman’s fifth round of
qualification. It began with victories home and away
against Tajikistan and China, a group stage that saw
Oman beat Saudi Arabia and Qatar and finally an
exhausting, three-team tournament in Vietnam
against Uzbekistan and Syria that saw them come
out on top.
But the Senegal game was a step too far for Oman.
They lost 2-0 but have still emerged as one of
Asia’s best collection of young players. With home
advantage, and with a bit of luck, Oman could well
go far at the AFC U-22 Asian Cup next year. Italy
will be the toughest test yet. This is a squad that
could, in theory, call up the likes of Mario Balotelli
and Fabio Borini to play. It is, of course, unlikely the
Manchester City star nor the Liverpool striker will
be called up, but it goes to show the depth of talent
Italy has with its youngsters. Thursday’s match
should provide a good indication of both team’s
futures, and show Philippe Burle what he needs to
do if this young Omani squad is to win silverware on
home turf next year.
Oman Under 22 versus Italy Under 22, Thursday 29,
3.30pm, Seeb Stadium. Tickets on the door OR2, or
OR for VIP.
10

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
ROCK THE KHASAB BAR MUSCAT REGATTA
The 2012 Muscat Regatta is now in full swing.
We have already seen the conclusion of the Dubai
to Muscat race but we are now slap bang in the
middle of the most exciting and eagerly awaited
competition of the sailing meet. The third edition
of the 230-mile Muscat to Khasab race has seen
13 yachts set out with hopes of a share of the
$50,000 prize. Usually it’s impossible to see
what is going on in these races – a spectator sport
it ‘aint. But, what with this being the 21st century
and all, the yachts have been fitted with state of
the art tracking equipment. Which means fans can
either watch the yachts come in to Khasab harbour
on November 28, or track them live at www.xtratrack.com/regatta.
For more information go to
www.muscatregatta.com
11

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
LAST MINUTE MAMMA MIA & MUSCAT SINGERS
12
Abba is coming to town. Well, OK. Abba is not
coming to town. They still annoyingly refuse to
reform. But the next best thing is coming to town:
Mamma Mia, the hit show that has seen 42 million
people part with their cash across the world to
watch Abba songs be performed by artists that look
a little bit like the band, is coming to Muscat.
We have an exclusive interview with the star of the
show on page 16. Last minute tickets for the event
on Wednesday 28 are available on the door at the
InterContinental (Tel: 246 80000) for OR20. But if
you can persuade nine of your friends to come you
can get ten tickets for OR10. Bargain.
The Muscat Singers, a Oman-based community
choir, is hosting a festive show on December 7.
You can read an interview with the Singers on page
22 as they prepare for the big day at the Bosch
Centre for the Performing Arts. Tickets are selling
fast for this regular in the Oman calendar. Expect
a mixture of the traditional, with the likes of A
Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, and the not
so traditional, step forward Billy Joel and Elton John.
Although next year we’re going to suggest
Enter Sandman by Metallica. Y would pay
good money to see that performed by a choir.
Tickets cost OR3 or OR2 for seniors. The event
starts at 4pm. Tickets can bought at the venue, by
calling 9557 4887 or visit www.muscatsingers.org

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
INDIAN SUMMER SONU NIGAM
Hold on to your hats: Sonu Nigam is coming to town.
Muscat has had a string of top Indian singers arrive
on its shores in recent months and Sonu will here to
sing his trademark Indipop output on December 13
at the Qurum City Amphitheatre.
Sonu began his singing career at a very young
age, after joining his father on stage performing
Mohammad Rafi songs when just three years old.
By the age of 19 decided to spread his wings and
left for Bollywood. His breakthrough came singing
Anu Malik’s song Sandese Aatein Hain from the
1997 war movie Border. Since then his career has
rocketed and now he is one of the top singers in
India. It is a real, modern rags to riches tale.
Tickets for the event will be priced at OR8, 20 and
40 for standard, VIP and VVIP. Get in quick as Y
expects the event to sell out quickly. For all show
details and ticket enquiries please send an email
to info.mct@promoseven.com or you can visit the
concert’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/
groups/sonunigam.mct
13

special feature
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
MOVE
OVER
MOVEMBER
14

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
photo essay
Did you notice an upsurge in the number of men grooming awful moustaches this month That
would be the Movember effect. Movember, in case you didn’t know, is a charity movement
where “Mo Bros” agree to grow a moustache to raise awareness of men’s prostate cancer.
The pupils and teachers at TAISM decided to do just that and held a charity football match
showcasing the best, and worst, efforts. Go to www.movember.com for more information.
15

in depth
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
MAMMA
KNOWS BEST
16

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
Four decades ago a Swedish quartet armed with a suitcase of some of the catchiest
pop songs in history burst into the public’s consciousness. But despite breaking up
a few years later amid acrimony and divorce, and vowing never to reform, ABBA’s
songs live on thanks to hit show Mamma Mia. Ahead of the show’s arrival in Oman
Y speaks to Mamma Mia's Swedish star Gunilla Backman and asks: just how did
ABBA conquer the world
Words: Alina Totti
17

in depth
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
There are songs, and then there are
anthems: those pieces of music that are
recognisable from the first beat. They
appear timeless, and without geographic
moorings. They would be equally as
recognised in Lagos as they would in
London. Only a few such artists can enjoy
this ubiquitous fame. Michael Jackson and
The Beatles, perhaps. But neither spans
the generations and continents quite like
ABBA, the Swedish pop outfit that has
sold 370 million records. They were a band
so popular they even managed to make
the Nordic snow-print cardigan look cool.
Three decades since the band broke up,
Muscat is to get the full ABBA experience.
Well, not the full ABBA experience. The
group still resolutely refuse to
reform. Instead we have the next
best thing: Mamma Mia, a onenight-only
concert on November
29 of ABBA music with three of
Sweden’s greatest singers.
While most people have at least
heard, if not seen, the not-socritically-acclaimed
Mamma Mia!
film – which even the Oscarwinning
genius of Meryl Streep
could not save – few know about
how the idea of the film came to
be. Before we had Ikea meatballs, H&M
and the latest Eurovision Song Contest
winner, it was ABBA that came to be known
as Sweden’s most successful export.
The band was formed in 1972 in the
Swedish capital of Stockholm. The name
– which is an acronym of the first names
of the four members - Agnetha Fältskog,
Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Anni-
Frid Lyngstad – is now widely considered
the most successful group to come from
the non-English speaking world.
Almost everyone now credits ABBA as a
guilty pleasure. Their songs were – and
still are – the perfect pop product. The
creative duo of Andersson and Ulvaeus
delivered perfectly-polished pop tune
harmonies which – coupled with the pretty
faces of Agnetha and Norwegian-born
Anni-Frid – led the band to countless
number ones around the world. At times,
the very theatrical songs of the band were
accompanied by what can now be regarded
as some of the first music videos in history.
In the early 1980s however, their success
began to wane in light of the personal
grievances within the band. The pressures
of two married couples constantly touring
had taken its toll. By 1981 Ulvaeus and
Fältskog had finalised their divorce
and Andersson and Lyngstad were
announcing theirs, a situation reflected in
the increasingly more personal songs like
30 YEARS AFTER THE BAND
DISSOLVED, ABBA SONGS
HAVE BECOME THE FABRIC
OF OUR LIVES
The Winner Takes it All and One of Us. The
band met in the studio for the last time
in 1982 but it seemed that ABBA’s time
had passed. The band never announced
their separation officially. Instead Bjorn
Ulvaeus explained the band’s thinking in
an interview.
“Money is not a factor and we would like
people to remember us as we were: Young,
exuberant, full of energy and ambition,”
he told the British newspaper the Sunday
Telegraph.
“I remember Robert Plant saying Led
Zeppelin were a cover band now because
they cover all their own stuff. I think that hit
the nail on the head”
But now, 30 years after the band
dissolved, ABBA songs have become part
of the fabric of our lives. While the four
former band-mates live a quiet life in their
native Sweden, their music is as loud and
flamboyant as ever in theatres around the
world. The re-birth of ABBA’s music took
place in 1999 in London’s West End when
producer Catheryne Johnson wrote a
script for a musical which included some
of the Swedish band’s hits. The idea for
the show belonged to Judy Craymer, an
English musical theatre producer.
Craymer suggested the concept to
Andersson and Ulvaeus – the original
ABBA members and composers – but
they kept saying “no”. In the end, the two
Swedes realised the potential
success a West End show could
have and finally agreed to work
on it, keeping a tight artistic
control over the entire process.
Mamma Mia tells the
unconventional story, through
a medley of the band’s most
famous tracks, of a single
mother (Donna) whose daughter
(Sophie) is looking for the father
she never met. It became an
instant box office success and
toured the world for many years. It has
grossed over $2 billion. Over 42 million
people have seen it. It has been staged in
both English and German but it was only in
2004 that the two ABBA members decided
it could be translated in to Swedish and
taken back to where it all started.
Gunilla Backman is – as Meryl Streep
called her when they met for the Stockholm
premiere of the film – the Swedish Donna
and the lead singer of the trio coming to
Muscat. A renowned and awarded singer
in Sweden, Backman wanted initially to be
part of the English version of the show but
back in 1999 she was too old to play the
daughter and too young to be the mother.
But by a stroke of luck she heard that it
18

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
19

in depth
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
was to come to Sweden. She auditioned
as Donna for the Swedish version of the
musical and still remembers the moment
she received a call from none other than
Benny Andersson himself to let her know
she got the part.
“It was quite amazing. I couldn’t stay still”
she gushes, before mimicking Benny
Andersson’s voice. “‘Hello, how are you
This is Benny Andersson,’ he said at first.
Then he just asked me: ‘Do you want a
job’ He told me that he loved my singing
and that was it. To me, it was a dream to
get to do this musical, having been a huge
ABBA fan myself.”
The musical opened in 2005 and toured
Sweden until 2007 when it came to an end
after 550 shows. But the ABBA frenzy did
not stop there for Backman. Not ready to
give up singing the music she grew up
with, the singer continued to play ABBA
tracks in concerts in Sweden and abroad,
which has led her to Muscat. “This show
20
is very special. It is specially made for
this event in Muscat,” reveals Backman.
“What we are doing is a concert with the
original trio of singers from the Swedish
musical. There are more songs in this
concert that in the original production.”
The ABBA music show about to take place
in Muscat was meant to be a small gig for
the Swedish expats of the area. But since
its announcement, the organisers have
sold more than 1,500 tickets, attracting a
variety of nationalities, be they Swedish,
Omani, British or Indian. For Backman and
probably for many other fans around the
world and of different ages, ABBA means
a variety of things. It is the music one grew
up with or the ridiculous, flamboyant outfits
that one copied. But it is also a powerful
Swedish symbol.
“ABBA is very important for Sweden” she
explains “We’ve performed in many places.
We’ve been from Hong Kong to India and
the wonderful thing is that people love the
music everywhere.”
Which is what makes ABBA so special;
its universal appeal. But what is it about
ABBA, and not the hundreds of other
bands of the era, that struck such a chord
Why is ABBA so appealing even today
For Backman it is the joy that comes from
the songs and the sounds that transcend
cultural barriers. “There is a certain
worldliness to ABBA which I think makes
it easier for the audience,” she explains.
“Benny and Bjorn created a distinct
sound and gave Scandinavia a voice.”
A Scandinavian voice it may be, but it
is a voice that is still recognised in any
language.
Mamma Mia takes place November 29
at the InterContinental hotel. Tickets can
bought at the venue for OR20, or for OR15
if you buy ten. For more information go to
www.facebook.com/MammaMiaMuscat

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
THE BEST OF BRITTEN
A group of amateur singers are thrown together for
intensive training before belting out a series songs at a big
end of year performance. No, not the plot Glee but the story
of the Muscat Singers.
Words: James Montague and Chris Fisher
Photos: Jerzy Wierzbicki
Gwen Willson is extremely excited.
The musical director is just a few weeks
away from seeing her Muscat Singers
from finally performing their one-off Winter
Concert 2012 on December 7.
“Oh my gosh, there is such a buzz in our
choir!” she exclaims when asked about the
performance. She’s right to be excited.
The Muscat Singers is a community choir
that has been running for almost four
decades and has become something of
an institution in Oman. As a community
choir there is not a single professional
singer. Instead it is made up of volunteers
who give up their time to sing. No one is
turned away based on ability. Think Glee
meets the crowd at a Pavarotti concert
and you are almost there. But this year
Willson believes the Muscat Singers will
give their best performance ever, thanks to
the inclusion of a few more contemporary
22
numbers. “I try to keep it pretty eclectic,
knowing people’s backgrounds and love
of certain types of music I put in a lot of
traditional choral music and I try to put
in some contemporary things,” she says
when asked what music will be sung at
the concert. “We are doing Billy Joel Good
Night My Angel. A gorgeous six-part
choral arrangement.”
The Muscat Singers is open for anyone
to join and it took Gwen little under three
months to whip the current group of
amateurs in to shape. “We have a season
of twelve weeks and sing twelve pieces so
we try to mix up some easy ones with hard
ones. We are attempting a beautiful piece
by Benjamin Britten this year with a harp
and a boys’ choir. It’s lush and ethereal.”
The Muscat Singers aren’t just a choir.
They’re also a social group that helps
newcomers acclimatise to their new
surroundings. But on December 7 it will
all be about the music. That doesn’t mean
that she’s not on the look-out still for new
members. It’s a female heavy group that is
always looking for more male singers. But
don’t worry if you feel your voice isn’t up
to it.
“Singing is so natural,” says Gwen. “It’s
not about reading music. Do you feel
the music Do you feel it’s expressing
something You’ll find a way through it. It’s
not about the black and white notes on the
page.”
Muscat Singers perform at the Bosch
Centre for the Performing Arts at TAISM
on December 7, 4pm. Tickets cost OR3
for adults, and OR2 for seniors. Tickets
can be bought from the venue or by
calling 9557 4887. If you are interested in
joining the choir, visit their website www.
muscatsingers.com

special feature
TRAVELS WITH THE
LEOPARD MAN
Oman is home to one of the world’s rarest, and most
endangered big cats: the Arabian Leopard. Y speaks to
the Omani who has dedicated himself to preventing its
extinction ahead of a scientific expedition to discover more
about Oman’s deserts and this rare and beautiful beast.
Words: James Montague
Photos: James Borrell
24

Hadi al Hikmani isn’t always known
by his given name. More often than not
the Omani conservationist is known by
his nom de plume: The Leopard Man. Al
Hikmani is the foremost expert on one of
the rarest big cats left in the wild anywhere
in the world today, the Arabian Leopard. It
also happens to live amongst us.
“Well, I’ve been working for a long time in
this area,” he explains, laughing at how
every scientist and conservationist Y had
interviewed had insisted that The Leopard
Man was the only person to speak to
on this vanishing creature. All roads, it
seemed, lead to Al Hikmani. “It is one of
the most critically endangered leopards
in the world. Their numbers are maybe
200. But we don’t know. It is guess work.
Maybe we might now have less.”
Few in Oman realise that the Sultanate
has its own indigenous big cat. But the
Arabian Leopard used to roam freely on
the peninsula. Human development and
encroachment on to the leopard’s natural
habitat over the past two centuries has
decimated their numbers.
The situation has become so critical that
global conservationists are stepping up
efforts to learn more about this elusive
creature – which roams in the verdant
Dhofar Mountains - and prevent its
extinction. In January Al Hikmani, who
works for the Omani government’s Office
for the Conservation of the Environment,
will be overseeing a project run by the
British Exploring Society to gather as
much scientific evidence on the leopard
as well as other under documented areas
of Oman’s vast, and largely undiscovered,
natural world.
“Europeans look at big cats as extraordinary
animals. They go to Africa to see them,”
says Al Hikmani of his efforts to try and
publicise the plight of the peninsula’s top
natural predator.
“People [in Dhofar in the past have] viewed
wildlife differently. They said the leopard
was an enemy, that it kills their camels and
livestock. Things are changing now. We
work with them and the leopards. It could
provide an alternative tourist income.”
The British Exploring Society’s expedition
is a case in point. A team of biologists
and young conservationists are coming to
Oman for eight weeks to gather scientific
25

special feature
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
fieldwork, firstly in the vast deserts of
Rub al Khali, before moving to the Dhofar
Mountains. The Arabian Leopard is the
main focus which is very rarely seen by
human eye. Last year, when the team
arrived to try and capture it on camera
they had a rare treat.
“I remember opening up the camera trap,
it was so exciting when we saw we had
captured pictures of two leopards,” recalls
Soo Redshaw, who will be leading the
2013 expedition.
“It was euphoric we were hugging each
other. It’s like solving a detective story. It is
such an iconic beautiful animal. They are
never far from you at times, a few hundred
metres at most.”
The British Exploring Society was set up
in 1932 by Surgeon Commander George
Murray Levick, a member of Captain
Scott’s final Antarctic expedition, as
a way of encouraging leadership and
team building through exploration. And
the BES is looking for Omanis to join its
next expedition in 2014. You will need
to committo eight weeks of expedition,
looking at Nubian artifacts in the Empty
Quarter before tracking the Arabian
Leopard in the Dhofar Mountains.
It also helps to promote just how tenuous the
Arabian Leopard’s position has become.
The threats to their environment still exist.
Land clearance for livestock grazing is a
major problem, as are poachers. Not those
who hunt the leopard, but those who hunt
what the leopard hunts, like the ibex and
the gazelle.
“The government is creating lots of roads
and infrastructure in remote areas in
Dhofar and that pushes the leopard into
small areas,” explains Al Hikmani.
“They need a large home range and they
might not find a lot of resources. It’s killing
them indirectly and unintentionally.”
But the situation is changing. Money is
being invested and there is, as one of
the scientists on last year’s trip said,
“real hope” that the leopard population
can be saved. But that’s not enough for
The Leopard Man. Hadi al Hikmani is
playing the long game in trying to protect
the only big cat in the Middle East. “We
want to conserve what we have but it’s
also a chance to increase the leopard
population,” he says.
“It could be 500 or more. There are
demands on the land, livestock grazing,
they are all interconnected. When you
solve one problem another presents itself.
But in 50 years time, it might be possible."
For more information on the next expedition
contact Paul McGreavy at Al Takween
by email dhofarexpedition@gmail.com or
by calling 933 63204. You can find out
more about previous expeditions on the
British Exploring Society’s website www.
britishexploring.org
26

REMAINS
OF THE
DAY
Words: James Montague
Photos: Jerzy Wierzbicki
28

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
JUST A SHORT DRIVE FROM MUSCAT YOU WILL FIND
RUSTAQ, OMAN’S SLOW-PACED FORMER CAPITAL
AND ITS MAJESTICALLY RESTORED FORT. Y TAKES A
WALK ALONG THE RAMPARTS.
Not much happens in Rustaq these
days. The small town in the north of the
country – around 150km from Muscat
– moves at a sedentary pace. Old men
shuffle from coffee shop to mosque as
livestock mooch around the side streets,
chewing up any tufts of grass they may
find. Thick plantations of date trees can be
found every few hundred metres, tall and
strong thanks to the natural, warm water
spring that runs here and which many
locals believe has medicinal qualities. The
market is full of fruit grown nearby. No
wonder the craggy, reddish and barren
mountains that rise over Rustaq are known
as Jebel Akhdar: The Green Mountain.
But in the centre of town something
else, something man made, dominates
the skyline. The magnificent Rustaq
Fort is proof of the town’s glorious past.
Rustaq used to be the capital of Oman and
its fort is one of the tallest and sturdiest in
the country, built around 800 years ago. It
became the capital under the rule of Imam
Nasir bin Murshid al Ya’arub, who famously
defeated the brutal Portuguese settlers
who had occupied Muscat for almost
a century and a half. Oman’s history is
littered with the remnants of advancing and
retreating dynasties and their armies, and
the Rustaq fort was built on the remains of
a much earlier Persian built fort.
The forts were a necessity for ruling Oman.
Its strategic importance at the mouth of
the Strait of Hormuz, not to mention as a
port that serviced trade between India,
Iran, the Middle East, Africa and Europe,
was immense. And with over 2,000km
of rugged, wild coastline to defend from
covetous invaders, the impenetrable fort
was a must-have accessory.
But Rustaq’s strength and importance
mirrored that of the rise of Oman. It was
during this period that Oman and Muscat
rose to prominence off the back of a
strong naval presence and the increasing
importance of the waterways around it.
By the middle of the 19th century, the
Omani empire stretched from the southern
coastline of the Persian Empire – modern
Iran – all the way down to Zanzibar in
modern day Tanzania.
Today the fort has been totally rebuilt (in
29

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
fact it is still undergoing some renovations
today) to bring it back to its former glory.
Inside you will find four round towers, Al
Burj Ashiateen – the devil’s tower – Burj
al Ahmar, Al Burj al Hadeet and Al Burj
al Reeh. Canons poke out of slots in the
tower wall to give 360 degree coverage
of approaching attackers. Although on
the day we arrived the most threatening
foreign force was a pair of mild mannered
Swiss tourists.
One feature inside is a falaj, a channel
from Rustaq’s famous spring that runs
through the fort to supply water to its
inhabitants. Although it no longer supplies
the town with drinking water. Rustaq has
its own piped water supply these days
and the spring is used mainly for irrigation
and as a local remedy for rheumatism.
Yet it is outside where the adventures
really begin. Just a few minutes’ walk from
the renovated walls of the fort you will find
the crumbling remains of large, formally
grand homes that have fallen onto hard
times. The heavy old wooden doors hang
by single rusty brackets, but the ornate
features that prove these were once the
houses of wealthy families – on wooden
beams and above doors – can still be seen.
It is a strange sight, to see a horde of
workmen feverishly working on the Rustaq
Fort, only to see the crumbling remains of
old houses abandoned to the advances of
time. They will not last long. Soon there
will be nothing left but the palm trees and
the cows that graze nearby. But the fort –
as it has done for centuries – will watch
unmoved from afar.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Rustaq is not very far from Muscat, only
around 150 km.
The route is extremely simple and you don’t
need a 4x4. In fact it’s a perfect day trip on
the weekend. Firstly head towards Barka.
Once you reach the Barka roundabout turn
left to Nakhal and Rustaq on road number
13. From there you can drive directly to
Rustaq. The fort and the old town is in the
centre of Rustaq. You can’t miss them.
30

THE HEAVY
OLD WOODEN
DOORS HANG BY
SINGLE, RUSTY
BRACKETS
31

eauty
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
SKIN DEEP
As Oman begins to cool, and the rains, begin to fall
it’s time to take care of your skin.
Words: Karima Farid
A change is in the air. For those of us
who have grown up with the cooling winds
and rain of Oman’s winter, we know that
protection needs to be sought. Sure, there
might only be two seasons in Oman, and
it certainly doesn't compare to the bracing
cold of the Swiss Alps, but the change
still affects your skin dramatically. This
is why it is crucial to keep updating your
essentials and finding products that suit
your skin and the surroundings you are in.
So as the weather is clearly getting chillier
– thankfully – take it as a perfect excuse
to spice your beauty closet up. This week
we try out a great, fresh homemade peel,
a gorgeous moisturiser, magical lip balms
and much more.
THE BEST VALUE OPTION
CLARINS ECRAN
MULTI-PROTECTION SPF
Finding the perfect protection for your skin
can be tricky- and even though the weather
is getting better, you still need to use a
proper product to protect your skin from
any pollution. I recently tried out Clarins
Ecran Multi-Protection SPF and found that
it pairs perfectly with my moisturiser. You
can apply this after your daily care routine
but right before your make up. This invisible
lotion will leave your skin breathing and
well protected. Say goodbye to that white
sunscreen residue with this product.
THE ORGANIC OPTION
TOMATO FACIAL PEEL
Huda Heidi Kattan from Huda Beauty
swears by this tomato facial peel, and as
she posted this on her blog, I just had
to try it out and tell you all about it. This
will only take 15 minutes but will conjure
beautiful results, and the best part about
it is that you can do it right at home. The
ingredients are simple: take half a medium
tomato and one lime. Puree the tomato In a
blender and squeeze your whole lime into
the mix. This will take less than 2 minutes.
After that, apply a very thin layer for 15
minutes. After that, splash water to clean it
off and apply your favorite moisturizer. My
skin felt hydrated and very fresh! Check
out www.hudabeauty.com for the latest
beauty updates.
THE TASTY OPTION
LIP SMACKER
Just as I was leaving Virgin Mega Store on
my last trip to Dubai, a colourful collection
of lip balms caught my eye. I picked it up off
the shelf and saw that Lip Smacker came
in packs of seven. All the flavors looked
good and, ever since then, I’ve been stuck
to the strawberry Lip Smacker.
I apply this at least three times a day, and
every time I do, my lips feel soft for hours
even in the very cold office I work in. Check
out www.lipsmacker.com as they have so
many collections to pick from – even a few
ranges for themed parties and events.
THE LUX OPTION
LANCOME VISIONNAIRE ADVANCED
SKIN CORRECTOR
This lightweight serum spreads
magically on your face and gets
absorbed in less than a minute.Are
you wondering what this product could
do for you It’s basically an anti-aging
corrector that also nourishes the skin.
Although I only applied it a few times under
my foundation, I must confess that I never
broke out whilst using it. Using an antiaging
formulae only means that you are
preventing skin damage for the future and
investing in such products will give you
good results in the long run.
32

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
Lip Smacker
Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector
Clarins Ecran Multi-Protection SPF
Tomato Facial Peel
33

stuff
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
LORDS OF WAR
The Samsung Galaxy SIII might just have out-sold the iPhone
4s, but it is just the latest battle in a prolonged corporate war
Words: James Montague
It’s war, but not as we know it. A few
weeks ago a surprising salvo in an ongoing,
seemingly intractable conflict was fired.
And this time it seems to be cable of
changing the course of the campaign:
Samsung’s Galaxy S III outsold its rival the
iPhone 4s in the US.
This news, to the uninitiated, might sound
deeply underwhelming. But consider
this. Since Apple revolutionised the
market at the start of the 21st century,
the Smartphone has become ubiquitous.
So much so that the figures are daunting.
According to research conducted by
Strategy Analytics the Samsung Galaxy
S III shipped 18 million units, whilst the
iPhone 4S could only muster 16.2 million.
In one quarter.
Together, the two control 50 percent of the
industry. Strategy Analytics also released
figures that, when looking at individual
handsets, Samsung’s Galaxy S III’s share
of the world Smartphone market was
10.7 per, a full one per cent more than the
iPhone 4S on 9.7 per cent.
For a generation steeped in the near
blanket acceptance of Apple’s dominance,
the announcement came as quite a shock.
Sure, some analysts – not to mention
Apple’s legion of obsessives, every bit
as dedicated and myopic as a Grateful
Dead fan club – pointed to the fact that the
new iPhone 5 was about to be launched.
Consumers would naturally check their
behaviour, hold back on buying an iPhone
4S and save for the newer phone.
The frenzy that followed the iPhone 5
is likely to return Apple to the top of the
sales charts. But the blip, even for just
one quarter, highlights the intensifying
war for supremacy between Samsung and
Apple that has been fought in court rooms
around the globe, country by country,
amid accusations of theft, plagiarism and
bad faith.
The fabled “Patent Wars” began in April
2011 when Apple lodged a legal case in the
United States for copyright infringement
against Samsung, a company that had
supplied components for its products.
Both the iPhone and the iPad were game
changers and when other tablets entered
the market, Apple’s notoriously litigious
lawyers hunted out anyone who had
strayed too far to their design. The Galaxy,
amongst others, was deemed too similar.
The court battles raged, in South Korea,
Germany and UK, each winning individual
battles and having their rivals products
pulled from the shelves before an appeal
swiftly put them back on them again.
It was strange that the companies had
engaged in such a vicious war – spending
tens of millions of dollars on lawyers’
fees – against each other. After all,
Apple is Samsung’s single biggest client,
responsible for close to eight per cent of
revenues. But Apple can’t pull the plug.
Its products are equally as dependent on
Samsung’s components. They are locked
in a symbiotic relationship that is sucking
the life out of each other.
Yet as Bloomberg pointed out after one
particularly nasty round of litigation in
California, Samsung may not be the real
enemy for Apple. Rather it is Android,
Google’s operating system. Whereas
Apple’s business model is based on
its highly integrated, tightly ring fenced
software (iOS) and hardware, Android is
different. It is given free to Samsung, as
it is to anyone that wants it. It is also open
source, completely anathema to Apple. As
the late Steve Jobs told his biographer:
“Google, you f****** ripped off the iPhone,
wholesale ripped us off. Grand theft …
I’m going to destroy Android, because
it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go to
thermonuclear war on this.” Charming.
The court cases continue and the battle
still rages. But of the products themselves
The iPhone 5 has sold six million units but
has been beset by problems including
the fiasco over its own maps application.
In the end the company had to go back
to Google, cap in hand, to sort the mess
out. The Samsung Galaxy SIII has also not
drawn the same reviews that the previous
model generated. With Jobs now gone
and Samsung looking to claw back its
advantage, the time is right for a new
pretender to take advantage of the chaos.
HTC One X, anyone
34

game on
THE WIZARD OF OZ
Oman face Italy and then three crucial tournaments before
World Cup D-Day in March. But can they bring home
another Gulf Cup along the way
Words: James Montague
Photos: Abdulwahed al Hamdani
36

The Oman national team don’t have long
to pick themselves up, dust themselves
down and somehow forget the traumatic
end to their last match.
With seconds left, and with their 2014
World Cup qualifier against Japan poised
at 1-1, the Blue Samurai snatched a late,
undeserved, victory. The team, the fans in
the Sultan Qaboos stadium and, indeed,
the coach Paul Le Guen were left shocked
by the result.
“It will be tough,” Le Guen responded
when asked about the Red Warriors’ 2014
World Cup qualification chances as he
walked back to a dejected team bus.
He’s right. With just three games in
the group left his team will have to get
something out of their trip to Australia
in March, a very tough ordeal given the
quality of the Socceroos’ squad and the
fact that Oman’s away form has been
as dire as their home form magnificent.
Before then the focus is closer to home.
Over the next few months Oman’s full and
under 22 squad will be playing in a series of
vital tournaments that could determine the
success of Oman’s World Cup campaign.
Le Guen has picked an all-Oman based
squad of 30 players for the West Asian
Championships in Kuwait between
December 8 and 20. The tournament,
over the past decade, has had a habit of
throwing several explosive fixtures together
with wider geo-political significance. In
one group Iran has been paired with Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen. In another
Iraq, Jordan and Syria will fight it out.
Oman has been drawn with Lebanon,
Palestine and home side Kuwait. It is a
tough group given the leaps and bounds
that Palestine has made in the past year
under local coach Jamal Mahmoud. Last
week they recorded their first ever victory
against Syria in a warm up in Jordan. In
the past year they have reached the semi
finals of the Pan Arab Games and lost in
the final of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup.
37

game on
November 27, 2012 Issue 246
The big challenge in the group, however,
is Lebanon. German coach Theo Bucker
has taken a team and country divided by
sectarianism to the final group of 2014
World Cup qualification, even managing
their first ever victory against Iran.
But Le Guen has decided to give his
home-based players more exposure after
witnessing his makeshift team – missing
Mohammed Sheiba and Jaber al Awaisi,
and with Imad al Hosni and Ali al Habsi
not 100 per cent fit – fall at the final hurdle
against Japan.
“The West Asian Championship is an
opportunity for us to provide more
exposure to these national team players
who are currently playing in the domestic
leagues as well as the national under 22
side,” le Guen said when announcing the
30-man squad.
The under 22 team, indeed the whole of
Oman, has their own big tournament to
focus on. The AFC U-22 Asian Cup is being
hosted in Oman between January 11 and
26. But first there is a big marquee friendly
against Italy on November 29. Then on
February 6 the full squad has a 2015 Asian
Cup qualifier against Syria before the most
anticipated regional tournament of the lot.
Oman’s victory in the 2009 Gulf Cup is
38
arguably the finest moment in the country’s
recent footballing history. But, despite
being the second ranked team in the
tournament, the Red Warriors have been
handed a wicked group alongside Qatar,
UAE and hosts Bahrain. Still, expectations
going in to the tournament are at an all
time high given the heroics in World Cup
qualification.
“When you are a coach the pressure is
always there, and it is everywhere in the
world no matter what tournaments you are
playing with,” replied Le Guen when he was
asked to assess his chances of repeating
the victory in 2009.
“But I think with this team and support staff
we have, we can cope with the pressure.
And as I have always said I am thinking of
the future of Oman football and will strive
to do my best … I am hopeful we can bring
back the Gulf Cup to Oman.”
That is a lot of tournament football to play
in a short period of time but the experience
could be invaluable. One of the main points
Le Guen made after the Japan game was
the perceived lack of the depth in the
squad. But once some of the younger,
less experienced players were thrown in
at the deep end, they thrived. The Gulf
Cup, the West Asian Championships and
even the AFC U-22 Asian Cup, where the
next generation of Omani talent is being
bred, gives Oman’s domestic players vital
experience so that they can be called upon
when required.
“It’s not possible to field all our best
players in all competitions,” Le Guen
explained. But the tournaments, leading up
to the World Cup qualifier in March, gives
Le Guen an unrivalled opportunity to test
new talent and to build that strength and
depth that has alluded Oman for so long.
It could be a different, fitter, more focused
team that travels to Australia. If so, the
Socceroos could be in trouble.
On the Road: Oman’s long journey to
Australia
• 7th West Asian Championship, Kuwait.
December 8-20 (www.the-waff.com)
• 21st Gulf Cup of Nations, Bahrain.
January 5-18, 2013 (www.gulf-cup.net)
• AFC U-22 Asian Cup, Oman. January
11-26, 2013 (www.the-afc.com)
• 2015 Asian Cup qualification match,
Oman versus Syria. February 6, 2013
• 2014 World Cup qualifier, Australia
versus Oman. March 26, 2013

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November 27, 2012 Issue 246
REDTAG OPENING AT MARKAZ AL BAHJA MALL
Dr Ibrahim bin Abdullah al Rahbi
40

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS INSPIRED BY INTERNATIONAL ART
NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION AT GUTECH AT HALBAN
41

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
THE J.LO PRIZE WINNERS AT MERGE 104.8
Chris Fisher (right)
Marius Wolmarans (left) Rumaitha al Busaidi (right)

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
LANDMARK BEAT DIABETES EVENT

44
Ayman Canawati
ayman.canawati@sabcomedia.com
Feroz Khan
Tel. 97768900
feroz.khan@sabcomedia.com
Abhudit Greene
Tel. 94051770
abhudit.greene@sabcomedia.com

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
chill out
SUDOKU
Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way
that each row across, each column down and each
small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from
one to nine.
Go Figure
The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures
given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the
diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the
order they are given (that is, form left to right and top
to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram
to complete its blank squares and use each of the
nine numbers only once.
45

November 27, 2012 Issue 246
Each week we are asking our readers to take part in a topical discussion
via Y Magazine's facebook page.
Join the group and you might see your comments printed in next week's
issue!
This week:
Question: What is your favourite ABBA
song, and why do the Swedish quartet
remain so popular
ANSWER OF THE WEEK
EMILY DEPUTO
My most favorite song of ABBA is The
Winner Takes It All. Everybody can
relate to this song whichever generation
weekends belong ... and whichever
situation one can be ... simply there Is
always two faces in each individual :) and
:( This what makes ABBA phenomenal...
VEDETTE DE NIESE
Chiquitita.....When u are down a friend can
give u hope...... Thats true friends.
SHERRIN FINOJ
Lay all your Love on me
AKHILESH EMANUEL
Chiquitita coz it s based on true friendship...
SANDHYA VORA
My favorite song is ‘The winner takes it all’ It
is beautiful song ever written which one can
hear many times
ARSHI SARFARAZ
My favorite song is ‘The Winner takes it all’
from ABBA song. The swedish Pop group
is so famous because of its good hearttouching
lyrics and awesome eternal music.
SARFARAZ AKHTAR KHAN
My fav one is Mamma Mia. The Swedish
group truly reflects the innocent and pure
feelings of love and friendship in their songs.
SOLUTIONS
46
CROSSWORD
SUDOKU
GO FIGURE