Every April the “rose season” attracts many visitors to the mountain terraces of Jebel Akhdar. Walking amongst the pink flowers that fill the air with their perfume is a unique experience, which can be complemented by visiting a traditional rose water distillery. The temperature at this higher altitude is pleasant and cool, inviting leisurely walks. This year I visited the area again, enjoying the mountain scenery and the picturesque villages. As always, Omanis are friendly and welcoming. However, I spent less time up in the mountain, because I wanted to visit Birkat Al Mawz (which translates to “Banana Pool”), a famous village located at the foothills of Jebel Akhdar. It is a historic village featuring UNESCO-listed falaj irrigation channels dating back 1,500 years, abandoned mud-brick ruins, lush date palm groves, and nice walking trails.
The road that takes you up to Jebel Akhdar passes through Birkat Al Mawz; as a result, I have driven many times through it, but never really explored it. Strategically located, the village guards the entrance to Wadi Muadin, which is a gateway to the mountains. It is one of Oman’s historically significant villages, providing the experience of a strong connection to a traditional agricultural past, which is preserved in the stone water channels and mud-brick houses frozen in time. These old houses were abandoned 50 – 60 years ago, as families moved to coastal cities attracted by new employment opportunities.
The ”falaj walk” starts near the parking area and is easy going, as it follows the irrigation system. The village’s ancient falaj system continues to perform its 1,500-year-old function, channeling mountain spring water through gravity-fed canals to irrigate date palms, banana plantations, and vegetable gardens. I visited during the late afternoon and really enjoyed walking along the old buildings and lush plantations, with the sound of running water for company. I wanted to photograph the village and its plantations against the mountain background, but the light was poor, with a heavy cloud cover. As always, landscape photographers depend on the light quality, but I decided to come back the following day before sunrise.
It turned out that I was lucky and at sunrise the next day there was a brief period where sunlight broke through the clouds. I was ready at a nearby viewpoint overlooking the beautiful landscape in front of me. I had to work very quickly, as the light only lasted for a few minutes. The mountains, abandoned villages and the lush plantations acquired a new life, very different from the previous day. The following photos were taken with my usual Fujifilm X system cameras and lenses, which I carried in my backpack.
After less than 30 minutes of this high quality of light, the sun was again obscured by clouds, effectively ending my photo session. However, I was fortunate to photograph this beautiful landscape with such excellent sunrise light.