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Home , Ancient City of Damascus, Muscat, National Museum (Oman)

travel | THE WEALTH COLLECTION SECRET T trees. palm and fountains with pool lagoon-like a has Palace Bustan Al The . capital the and coastline rugged the desert, empty the of beauty the explores Baring Lucinda must.ultra- of handful a areThere history, a are Souk the and country’sthe maritime turbulentof Jalaliforts,reminderand a Mirani aresokeen topreserve. visitA tothe culturalheritagethe epitomisethehistoricand charm bayMuttrah of neighbouring the and architecture.of style traditional the to adherebuildings newany and heritage cultural its maintain keento city ,a is it people.700,000 to unlikeBut home and counties six into divided vastcity,a become has Muscat Muscat.in is Modern journey the start to place best the but desert the in stint a with beaches beautiful its to visit a combine around. country the years,turned 39 has Qaboos backwater.wasa last the In power.took and reign,his Before father his Said,overthrew Said Al 1970,Sultan,the bin when Qaboos 52 ,harbour,Old its by cradled should Oman to trip Any opening up gradually since since gradually up opening been has ing. country The chang- is Oman of face he The DeSerT:The OmaN a toilet).a by waslit Everything faces,showerwashingour a and ‘bathroom’bowlfor ceramic (a suite en an blanketsand and sheets with bed comfortable a had tent camping. carpeted luxury Our of night a arranged had guide our where Fins at beach deserted the this,see to advantageof wetook Junayzal Ras to head tourists most sand.the in eggs their Although layto night at ashore come which turtles, green of populations largest world’sthe of one boasts coastline coastline, rugged the of stretch This afield. Wealong southeast headed acclimatisation,venture further cultural and indulgence afternoon’san sightseeing. to oasis,an tonic providingperfect the andthelush garden andpool are like explore. Theservice isimpeccable to fromwhich base best the is 747) Boeing a house to enough (big atrium central majestic and midst its poolwith fountains and palm trees in itsown private beach, lagoon-like Palace,the frombutBustan Al with luxurious,choose five-starto hotels After a few days’few a After restful MIDDLE www.omantourism.gov.om [email protected])or visit E: 4524, (T:8877 20 +44 TouristOman the Officecontact please Oman on information Heathrow.frommoredirect For Air Oman with flights return and transfers with luxury private a on night 1 and Bustan Al the at staying nights 3 safari, night 3 a includes price The person. per £3,100 from trip made tailor-night 7 a offers 7333) 7978 Travel20 Original +44 (originaltravel.co.uk; sweet coffee and dates in their tent. their in dates sweetand coffee approached.guide male gaveThey us our as soon as faces coveringtheir welcomedus,who daughters two family’s the was it dunes, the in out father and mother the With culture.Omani of strongpart a remains lifestyle nomadic family,whose Bedouin a visit to stopped we route, En dunes. the of midst the in Safari called camp Bedouin new a was destination Our camels. and trees acacia by only you,punctuated envelop to starts desert the wadis, many country’sthe of one in swim a via the into Heading WahibaSands, landscape.of sort differententirely nest.makeher to beach the weate,up clambered turtle a while and – smokedpomfret and prawns followedtandoori huge by and flatbreadtuna with tabbouleh – wasexceptional food stars.the under campfire the The clear,sea, bywarm dinner wehad the in swim a after and lanterns filled walkways and immaculate gardens. gardens. immaculate and walkways filled fountain- the admire and cocktail evening early an have and Go Chedi. The day 1pm. every until open is and action in see to wonderful is This Market. Fish beach. the of view great a with town of area Qaboos Madinat the in Bank. Left lovely. especially are The pashminas missed. be Indian to not embroidered – Muscat Old in harbour the opposite - town of scenic part particularly a in but big any as bustling As Souq. Muttrah tonnes. 21 weighing and metres square the in 4,343 carpet covering world, single-piece largest the is which hall, prayer main the inside carpet its for perhaps famous most is This . Grand Qaboos Sultan ITINERARY YOUR FOR MUSCATPLACES FIVE : The camp itself,opened camp which The an offers interior Oman’s A fun bar (which can be fairly hard to find in Muscat) up on a hill hill a on up Muscat) in find to hard fairly be can (which bar fun A www.al-bustan.inter-continental.com Tel:00 968 799 666 and Muttrah,Muscat. at: Stay Palace,The Bustan Al conga,the desert. in Arabian deep a in everyonecamp aroundthe it,knew I beforewasleading – I dance wewereto and encouraged us for sing to came family Bedouin saffron.and cardamom Afterwards,a sugar,fromred made rosewater, skhana,pudding and perfumed a chickenfollowedtea mint freshby bread,Arabic kebabsand barbecued with dips aubergine and hummus lowtables,at – wasdelectable coals. hot the under bread delicious cookedand coffee made and beans living.Bedouin roastedcoffee He Ali,in demonstration gavea us camp’sthe dinner owner,hospitable door,stars.the Beforeto open bathroomnext little carpets,a with beds,good and tablesdressing guests.20 yurts,are tents with The exclusive,than more no accepting September,last and small is Dinner,cushions on sitting eaten travel | THE WEALTH COLLECTION 53 Wahabi Sands, Wahabi Oman. of the city and the countryside countryside the and city the of that it has Legend beyond. gaze his cast reputedly Mohammed refused and here from on wanted he because city the enter to when – once only paradise enter to and sitting for settled We died. he and Damascus on fall dusk watching marvelled at this city ravishing below thousands with flicker to began it as of points of light. Four Seasons Hotel at: Stay Al ShukriQuatil Street, Damascus, Damascus. 00 963 11 339 1000 and Tel: www.fourseasons.com/damascus The at night. Bakdash. ’s oldest ice cream parlour Bakdash has been selling thick Turkish-style coffee and ice cream since 1890. Jebel .Qassioun Gaze down at an extraordinary view of Damascus from Jebel Qassioun. Be sure to go at dusk when the city lights up. .Panorama Tishreen War Built with the help of the North Koreans, this is a dramatic memorial to the 1973 war with and includes moving panoramic paintings and a room filled with portraits of former president Hafez al-Assad. . 8,000 years of Syrian history in an wonderful museum with from treasures some 4,000 archaeological sites across the country. Al-Khawali. In a beautiful house in an alleyway, built in 1368 and restored in 1867 is Al-Khawali – a favourite restaurant of President Assad and his British-born wife, Asma. : DAMASCUS FIVE PLACES FOR YOUR ITINERARY Our base at the Four Seasons sits sits Seasons Four the at base Our dramatic have suites and Rooms taxi a took we evening last our On Paul used to take his morning walk walk morning his take to used Paul Straight of east North here. along beautiful the and Touma Bab is Street of alleys hidden and streets winding there where Quarter, Christian the north far the In scene. café lively a is Chapel cellar secret the is corner east an early ChristianAnanias, of disciple. magnificent the from road the across with filled Museum, National 4,000 Syria’s from treasures the archeological sites including the oldest first tablet recorded with the world’s first alphabet recorded and the world’s and a shortmusical notation, taxi ride Old City. lively the from stunning, hotel cosmopolitan and vibrant This the remains and 2005 in opened with popular It’s country. the in finest and European Gulf wealthy visitors, diplomats and the elite. government decked are and city the across views style western in traditionally out gold rich – furniture and fabrics and white fabrics and dark wood. Syrian best the to home is hotel The We Halabi. Al - town in restaurant Bashar President by served were favourite chef. al-Assad’s mountain the Qassioun, Jebel to up view the in take to Damascus above Outside in the spring sunshine in in sunshine spring the in Outside City Old the of delights real The site goes back 3,000 years to when when to years 3,000 back goes site their to temple a built the shoes your removing After god. white stunning a into enter you by surrounded courtyard limestone golden shimmering in covered walls the John of shrine a is Inside mosaics. be to said was head whose Baptist, contained in a here. casket that garden archaeological small the find will you wall, north the along sits Mausoleum beautiful but modest the adversary revered the , of the in died who Crusaders the of headed we Afterwards 1193. in city any for must a Palace, Azem the to It is comprised of a itinerary. complex and courtyards buildings, stunning of 1752 and 1749 between built gardens then the for residence private a as of governor Damascus. houses Ottoman old beautiful, the are are – as-Sibai Beit and Nizam Beit - find will You for. out look to ones end western the of south others as known also – Street Straight of Built Street. Pasha Madhat Souk the by updated and Greeks the by the was mainRomans, St – times ancient in thoroughfair visits the The CiTY: The DamaSCuS CiTY: he flight arrived in Damascus Damascus in arrived flight he and moon crescent A night. at provided stars with filled sky a We began our exploration of of exploration our began We al Souq down Continuing Worship at the Worship Umayyad Mosque goes back 3,000 years. and is dazzled by its vibrancy and openness. T Christopher Christopher Kanal a suitably impressive canopy above above canopy impressive suitably a city inhabited continually oldest the us whizzed driver Our world. the in the into highway busy the through city the and impos- our destination, arrival On Hotel. Seasons Four ing warmth great with greeted were we stay our of rest the characterised that Syrians are very hos- in the country. Saladin Paul, St of city The pitable. always has Arabia, of Lawrence and outsiders.welcomed heading by day next the Damascus Unesco a City, Old the into straight at Entering Site. Heritage World old the to next Hamidiyya al Souq heart the into you bring will citadel souk bustling The Damascus. old of manner All atmospheric. intensely is from sale on are wares and goods of olive beautiful to spices and clothes Be sure to stop at Bakdash. soap. which oldest Syria’s ice cream parlour, Turkish-style thick selling been has coffee and ice cream since 1890. the to you bring will Hamidiyya the on Worship Mosque. Umayyad The emirate:

Phin Foster examines the breathtaking cultural when you can have both? The key partner on the development. ambitions of Abu Dhabi. entire notion is more akin to ‘Cultural tourists are wealthier, Sim City fantasy than serious older, more educated, and they he Abu Dhabi government Initially budgeted to cost $24 architectural endeavour. spend more. From an economic is pulling out all the stops to billion – developers have become In any other city on Earth, Foster view, this makes sense’ Tmake UAE’s capital the cultur- increasingly coy about discussing + Partners’ Zayed National Museum, While such ‘culture vultures’ al tourist hub of the Middle East. The figures – this will be showpiece in Zaha Hadid’s Performing Arts have traditionally adopted a rather cornerstone of this project is Saadiyat Abu Dhabi’s efforts to move beyond Centre or Tadao Ando’s Maritime haughty attitude towards the Island, which will house work some oil revenues and become a tourist Museum would each engender perceived nouveau riche aspirations of the world’s leading architects and hub akin to its Dubai neighbour. countless column inches. Here, of the , Abu Dhabi may best known artistic brands. However, not even Dubai however, popular focus has been turn an old maxim on its head and Even in a land unafraid of excess, can boast architecture designed, predominantly directed towards the demonstrate to the world that you this is a project on an unimaginable commissioned and constructed two cultural behemoths set to make can actually buy taste. scale. Nestled 700m off the coast of almost simultaneously by five their desert landings in 2012. As the seventeenth and final Abu Dhabi and due for completion individual Pritzker Prize winners. With approximately 13,000 race of the 2009 season got in 2018, Saadiyat Island will The names are certainly familiar – square metres of permanent and underway, Jenson Button had eventually house some 150,000 Foster, Gehry, Nouvel, Ando and temporary exhibition space, Frank already been confirmed world residents across seven districts, as Hadid – but then so too are the Gehry’s Guggenheim Abu Dhabi champion and Brawn GP held well as major cultural, sporting, institutions: why choose between a will be by far the largest of the an insurmountable lead in the tourism and business landmarks. Louvre and a Guggenheim groups’ nine museums. Four levels constructors championship. A vast of central galleries will enclose a global television audience was left central courtyard, with two further with little in the way of tension. rings of galleries encircling this core. However, as Sebastian Vettel roared The galleries of the outer ring will to victory in the sport’s first ever be industrial in scale; capable of race held under lights, a new star housing vast installation projects. was born: the Yas Hotel, an iconic The Guggenheim may long centrepiece for F1’s newest circuit, have been a multinational brand, had stolen the show. but Abu Dhabi had to sign an Designed by Hani Rashida intergovernmental agreement with and featuring a colour changing France – and pay a rumoured ‘Gridshell’ which drapes the $548m licensing fee – before plans building in a vibrant shroud of for the first Louvre outside of Paris lights, the largest colour LED display got the go ahead. Construction on on Earth, this 500-room, 85,000- Frank Gehry's Geggenheim Museum will be the largest in the group. the project Jean Nouvel describes as square-meter complex sweeping ‘an island on an island’ began back across the track had become THE in late-May. A micro-city of small destination for discerning petrol buildings, ponds and landscaping, heads across the globe. the 24,000 square meter complex Occupancy rates have been will be topped by a ‘floating’ 180m- sky high ever since, but for those diameter dome covering a large looking for the ultimate experience part of the site. in motor racing, the penthouse suite The figures necessary for realising comprises 28 bedrooms spanning these undertakings are mind- across 2,531 square metres and boggling, but Saadiyat Island goes features world class art collection well beyond being a mere vanity and furniture designed by MoMA. project. ‘They are very conscious here that this can change the Stay at: The Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi, cultural climate in the region.’ . explains Barry Lord, president Tel: 00 971 2 656 0000 and The Yas Hotel is the centrepiece for Abu Dhabi's F1 circuit. of Lord Cultural Resources, a www.theyashotel.com

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