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By: Saleh Abdullah Alkhamyasi

Mattrah has its own magic for Omani citizens, residents and  tourists alike. It seems that everyone is so absorbed with its mystique touch. Its souq  with its traditional identity is a point of attraction . It illustrates a living example of coexistence between  its diverse group of  visitors. While, there are  differences  in gender, ethnic, educational  and linguistic background, the human nature play a common denominator to bridge the gap and eliminate all the communication barriers. An innocent smile can break the ice and lead to a spontaneous assurance and a welcoming feeling. Although there are numerous aspects to explore and  unveil the magic of this historical city, today we will focus on its corniche.

 The Mattrah corniche is undoubtedly  has its own magnetic power. It is a central point that attracts people from all walks of life. You see them scattered in flock all over the corniche but each one came for  his own purpose.

Along the corniche side, which stretches  from the fish roundabout winding towards  the capital Muscat as if it is a huge serpent, your eyes can spot  people who hail from different countries each  one came to appreciate the breathtaking beauty of the corniche. Life on the corniche does not seem to fade . People stretch the hours. Their presence is a continuous   process from dawn to dusk.

At the shore of Mattrah,  life starts right from the dawn prayer and the wheel keep turning and  does not seem to abate until pass  midnight.  From early morning you see people walking, jogging and running across the   corniche.  Each one is appreciating nature in his own way.

Like an early bird, all of them came to catch the warm. Some people start   their day exercising on the corniche.  While, some will be totally absorbed with their Yoga gestures, others prefer to jog or walk with   love ones or  friends.

Some  people sit in the benches along the side of the  sea and  go in a deep meditation or you see them wandering   around . In their faces you see thousand questions and question about the maritime history of the place and its people.  On the other hand, some enjoy watching the ships  as they are entering or passing by the Sultan Qaboos port from different parts of the world. Others enjoy looking at the  small fish moving around in the sea or observe how they conduct their life deep down in the sea. Some cannot help but  point their camera lenses trying to make a breakthrough with  their highly attractive photos of the surrounding.

As you proceed along the corniche, you see another group of people practicing their fishing hobby on one corner . They throw their fishing lines towards the fish and wait for it to swallow their hook so they can eagerly drag it out to see  what they have caught.  Others are taken aback with the scene of the birds flying around filling their surrounding with joy and laughter. They freely fly around in circles exhibiting their agility and freedom in the sky of Mattrah. It is so attractive to see the birds flying   and land to pick  whatever food, their eye can  spot. In fact there are people who made it a habit to visit the corniche to feed these birds. A long the years they develop an affinity with these birds. They throw bread towards the birds directions. The moment the birds see the bread floating on the surface of sea they  rush toward it as if they are in a fierce competition snatch their portion and fly back. It is a survival for the fittest. Watching the birds rejoicing the day is by itself uplifting and has its own  joyful feeling .

As you delve towards the fish roundabout, the road leads  you towards the Mattrah fish market where, people from various places comes to sell and buy fish. At the fish market you can see both the whole sale as well as retail activities. Fish of different types and sizes are organized in heaps.  Sellers are sitting in separate stands. The bargaining between the two sides of the formula make the place alive. Around the place you hear different dialects and languages communicated across. The moment the fish buying deal is over,  the fish processing man will be beside you offering his services and asking you which way you would like your fish to be processed. He will take the fish from you and direct you to follow him in his chamber.

Life on the corniche takes a different shape in the evening. The waves orchestrate a symphony on the shore. People enjoy seeing   the wave dancing as if it is in a marriage procession. The cool  breeze  mesmerizes the soul and elevate the spirit. Its soothing effect washes   the stress of the day. People are surrounding the place from both sides. Tourists  are enjoying the atmosphere. They walk around the place. They are so attracted  to the traditional souvenirs. After they are through with their shopping you see them   dine in one of the restaurants beside the Souq  gate.

The lights on the traditional houses, Mosque, fort and the hotels facing the Corniche bring about a very nice and beautiful scenery. The reflection of the moon on the sea is so sensational and breathtaking.

With such an atmosphere people are filling the place with life. They are walking, talking, eating and moving around socializing and kicking the stress of the day. Such reflections on the  Mattrah corniche is nothing but a glimpse of our hospitable, peaceful and magnificently beautiful Oman. It is an illustration of a life style in a peaceful and breathtaking atmosphere that has attracted writers, artists and photographers to narrate their part of story in their own way.

Source:Omanet

Date:13/1/2010