“Here, take away the tourists and their cars, and nothing seems to have change. Oman Beauty !”
Next stop, standing above Al Hamra, is the pretty stone village of Misfat Al Abriyyin. An intricate falaj runs through the middle of the village where each house seems to have it’s own palm garden as a dependance. This mix of stone and lush nature providing the vital shade necessary to enjoy life during summer, makes the visit a delightful experience. Not even the large amount of wasps buzzing around, attracted by the fresh running water can ruin your day.
The village is busy and a sharp contrast with the dead streets of old Al Hamra I just left minutes ago. The inhabitants living their daily lives, the falaj keepers going around parcels to distribute water according to each individual needs, a few tourists trying to handle the steep and slippery flights of stairs, as fully loaded donkeys rush through the narrow pathways, bringing building bags full of sand and cement to the workers restoring some of the old houses.
Below the village, down the wadi, stands a larger palm garden, and a trail is marked for you to wander through. Of course I take a wrong turn somewhere and starts to climb up instead of going down, leaving the shade of the trees for the heat of an exposed rocky pathway. The fresh water running down the falaj saves me from overheating, but I decide to play it safe and turn around right after reaching a beautiful watch tower overlooking the valley. Here, take away the tourists and their cars, and nothing seems to have change. Oman Beauty !
