- What to bring national from Oman?
- National style goods
- Fragrant gifts
The countries of the Middle East in the minds of many travelers are associated with oriental fairy tales, colorful bazaars, ancient mosques, and an old way of life. Acquaintance with many of them becomes a kind of culture shock for guests, religious buildings and houses made of clay are adjacent to stunningly beautiful skyscrapers, trade in oriental fabrics and antique jewelry is located next to brand clothing boutiques and centers selling the most modern household appliances. In this material, we will tell you in detail what to bring from Oman, a state that carefully preserves Muslim traditions, but accepts modern Western culture.
What to bring national from Oman?
There are many things in this country that reflect a long history, ancient customs and traditions, mentality. Among the most popular purchases among foreign tourists is the khanjar, the national dagger. This representative of cold steel is an integral attribute of the traditional festive dress of an Omani man, emphasizing his status, position in society, and financial capabilities. Most tourists cannot understand the true value of the khanjar, so they are content with buying souvenir daggers. They are distinguished by a lower quality blade metal, modest size, but richly decorated handle and scabbard.
True collectors are ready to overcome many kilometers in search of real, beautiful and dangerous weapons. One of the places where you can buy a real old dagger today is the town of Nizwa. In the composition of the metal, you can find both gold and silver, as well as precious stones that adorn weapons. The buyer will surely hear the long and beautiful story of the birth of the Khanjar, the story of his travels and victories in the earthly world.
National style goods
Another subject of interest for a foreign visitor to Oman is the traditional clothing of local residents, the styles of which have remained unchanged for centuries. The men's suit includes the following elements:
- Disdasha - a white long-sleeved ankle-length shirt that provides excellent shelter from the scorching sun;
- kumma - hand-embroidered cotton cap;
- muzzar - an interesting headdress, a cloth wound in the form of a rather large turban.
It is clear that it is unlikely that a tourist will be able to walk in his homeland in such an outfit, but interest in such things does not disappear. Putting on a shirt or trying on a turban is an attempt to immerse yourself in history, to try to become a part of this outlandish oriental world.
In the Omani markets, you can see a lot of goods, souvenirs from local artisans. Of interest are wickerwork - baskets, dishes, caskets, boxes, skillfully crafted from the skin of local animals, dolls in national costumes. Such things are sold in small souvenir shops, huge shopping centers. An even greater choice awaits a tourist during a trip to a historical and ethnographic village, where you can see how certain objects are created and immediately, on the spot, buy them directly from the author.
Fragrant gifts
No wonder there is such a beautiful concept as "the scent of wanderings", it is known that memories are stored longer thanks not only to visualization (photographs, paintings, videos), but also smells. In the list of deliciously smelling gifts and souvenirs from Oman, you can see the following items: coffee; incense; perfumes and other types of perfumes.
As in neighboring countries, Oman has one main coffee recipe that distinguishes it from the aromatic drink that can be tasted in Africa or Latin America. Omani coffee has a pungent aroma that cardamom gives it.
Experienced tourists are advised to make such a purchase in a supermarket, where the quality of the product is guaranteed. In order not to run through the rows in search of the desired variety, you can write down the name and weight on a piece of paper, give it to a special employee on duty at the cash register. He will quickly find what you need and deliver it directly to the checkout. You can add not only coffee to the auto order, but also any other necessary products, for foreigners there are forms in English, which greatly facilitates the shopping process.
From other flavored goods, one can bring from Oman the incense for which the East is so famous, and perfumery. The most popular products are from Amouage, a French-Arab joint venture. Perfumes, eau de parfum and eau de toilette from this company are produced using local natural raw materials using the most advanced European technologies.
Oman is a rather closed country, but every year it makes more and more steps towards a foreign guest. Acquaintance with history and culture leaves an indelible mark on the soul, and goods bought in stores or from artisans become a good reminder of a journey into a real oriental fairy tale.
