A Scotsman, an Irishman and an Indian find themselves in a bar in Muscat, Oman!
This was last weekend on Saturday.
A while ago, I was given the opportunity by a lady who works within the ITI as a volunteer, as I do, to speak on dental business for a day at the ITI's Middle East Section Education Day in Oman.
I was excited and delighted to accept yet another opportunity to see somewhere I have never seen, another opportunity to meet people I have never met from all walks of life and to hear their stories.
I'll do two little posts about the trip to Oman because I don't want to showboat and say, "Aren't I lucky and aren't I great, and isn't this brilliant?" because not everything about it is brilliant, but a little story which acts as a metaphor to tell you about how you can find extraordinary joy in anything like this.
I spoke on Friday for five hours, which was pretty hard going after arriving early on Thursday morning. The hotel was incredible and fabulous, and I was so lucky to be invited; I really felt so privileged. I met many people during and after the talk, with lots of interaction, lots of discussion, coffee breaks, and afterwards.
But I particularly met one gentleman called Viswa, an Indian gentleman who works in Muscat and has been there for 12 years (There is a huge Indian population in Oman). He works at an extraordinary practice called the American Dental Center in Muscat with a number of specialist practitioners, but he also has a practice in the Seychelles, about 3.5 hours by plane away from Muscat, that he travels to once every five or six weeks to see patients.
We connected during the coffee breaks and afterwards, and he asked me what I was doing the following day. I told him that I had no distinct plans and maybe take in some of the rest of the education, go to the gym, etc etc. He asked if I wanted to see his practice (again, what a privilege).
He collected me at two o'clock in the afternoon and drove me to his eight-surgery practice in Oman, the one that he shares with four partners is a hugely successful enterprise - a beautiful practice.
I met his practice manager and his therapist (on a Saturday afternoon!), and we talked for ages, took photographs, and did all that type of stuff.
He then took me for what he told me was a traditional Omani lunch of Mexican food and margaritas!!
He knew the man who owned the Mexican restaurant, and above the Mexican restaurant was an Irish bar (Which city does not have an Irish bar?). As we were leaving the Mexican restaurant to go back to my hotel, I heard the sound of bagpipes from above, so he suggested we go up and have a look. We met three guys playing traditional Irish instruments and a Scotsman playing the bagpipes in a folk band in an Irish bar in Muscat on a Saturday afternoon, drinking Guinness.
I had a quick chat and introduction (Viswa knew the Scottish guy). He's been there 30 years after living in Glasgow in Stornoway. He plays the pipes and owns a Scottish restaurant in Muscat.
We had a quick conversation, shared thoughts about various things, looked at their Christmas Day menu for the 25th of December and 35 degrees and then headed back.
It is not particularly typical Omani, not particularly traditional, but just one of these moments that puts a flag in the sand and is a day that you'll never ever forget as long as you live.
Extraordinary things happened on that trip, and also some dark moments as well, which is always the way for me on these things, but I guess that is the essence of being alive.
Blog Post Number - 4014
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