“Coffee Maker”
10.7 x 15.9 cm
HERE'S THE STORY
The municipality of Muscat holds the Muscat Festival regularly and it is a wonderful way to enjoy the culture and history of the Omani people. It is also a rare chance to photograph so many people, especially women, who may otherwise be reluctant for photos. The rule is, if you participate in the Festival, you automatically give permission for your photo to be taken. I think the difference is that at the Festival, the participants understand that you are enjoying the occasion of learning and partaking in the Arab culture. This man was making coffee over an open fire. It’s not the cowboy mud made on the open range in the West. Omani coffee, called qawa, is golden in color and has the additional flavors of a hint of cardamom and a splash of rose water. The rose “blooms” delicately in your mouth as a fleeting after-taste. It’s really wonderful stuff and it is served to guests all over the Middle East – even on the Arab-owned airplanes. Usually the universal accompaniment are dates. Yum!
