Inside The Middle East

SHOW #74

Hosted by Zain Verjee from Oman

We take you through Oman's diverse terrain - sailing the seas in a sleek racing boat and driving through oasis towns en route to the rugged mountains of Jabal Al-Akhdar.

THE JEWEL OF MUSCAT
Omanis' relationship with the sea goes back generations as sailors have traveled and traded for centuries. We were there for the launch of the Jewel of Muscat, a reconstruction of a 9th century wreck of a sewn-plank ship made of handmade coconut fiber ropes and wood without a single nail. The Jewel of Muscat will follow old trading routes stopping in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia before arriving in Singapore in July. Inside the Middle East goes on deck with the captain ahead of the ship’s historic launch.

YOUR IME DIARY
We bring you highlights from the Tour of Oman where cyclists rode for six days on a 700 km route in a race that is the first of this kind in Oman. At a Muscat art gallery, we meet contemporary artist Hassan Meer as he describes his abstract paintings and photography. We also explore the exotic scents at the House of Amouage where CEO David Crickmore gives us a tour of the luxury perfumery. From the UAE, we bring you the flavors of Gourmet Abu Dhabi as we report from the kitchen.

MY MIDDLE EAST – My Beirut with Zuhair Mourad
Drawing inspiration from the blue of the Mediterranean and the green of Lebanon's valleys and mountains, fashion designer Zuhair Mourad has made his name internationally in couture. Mourad most recently made headlines at the Brit Awards red carpet with a gold corset mini-dress donned by Florence Welsh, who went on to win Best Album. Mourad says he is inspired by the many civilizations that have left their mark on his country - from Byzantine to Ottoman, from French to "modern Lebanese" - he shows us around the city where he was raised, Beirut.