Property Talk

I am reminded that some two years ago most of the major protests that had occurred in Oman during Arab Spring had run their course: changes had been made quickly, and those who had voiced dissatisfaction were prepared to see if their desired improvements would materialise.

My father has now retired, but during his working life he practiced as an architect. At a very early age I was taken around buildings and told to look at streets and squares and to marvel at the way they had been designed. “Study that architecture, isn’t it wonderful,” he would say. “See how the light reflects on the windows, and how the design of that building complements the one next to it.” I was generally more interested in where the next ice cream was coming from, and my dear younger sister, at the time still in her pram, simply slept through most of the day.

As some readers will know, the pets in our family life rank as the most important priority we have. Management has often told me that the happiness of Billy, our grey and white shih-tzu, is such that he is number one - when I suggested that his position on my pillow at night was becoming uncomfortable and causing me neck ache, I was told that the bed in the spare room was available for my use anytime I chose.

BBC Earth has recently produced a three part series called Wild Arabia and I was given a DVD copy for my birthday a couple of months ago. Management and I settled down to watch, and we were immediately hooked. Each of the three episodes is an hour long, and the series claims to be the first to reveal the wildlife, wild places and extraordinary people of the vast Arabian peninsula.

Being an entrepreneur is on the minds of many young people, as they read about the new initiatives and funding opportunities that seem to be opening up in the sultanate to help them to achieve their dreams. The National Youth Commission has come out in support of small and medium enterprises to encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship, and last year the Muscat Youth Summit held in December had 37 workshops designed to inspire the young with new opportunities.