Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula Today
With the exception of Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula is enjoying what is termed in
Oman as a 'Renaissance' - a rebirth of former confidence and strength, marked by
investment in culture, education, health care and infrastructure, and a gentle relaxa-
tion of the strictly autocratic regimes of the mid-20th century. Guided by the Islamic
faith, each country of the Peninsula is feeling towards a modern society, sharing many
of the aims of the Western world while endeavouring to maintain an Arab identity.
Best on Film
Lawrence of Arabia
(1962) David Lean's classic desert epic.
A Dangerous Man: Lawrence after Arabia
(1991) Starring Ralph Fiennes in an unofficial sequel to
Lawrence
of Arabia
.
Lessons of Darkness
(1992) Herzog's exploration of apocalypse in Kuwait's oil fields after the Gulf War.
The Kingdom
(2007) Action film examining Saudi Arabia's relationship with the USA.
Best in Print
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
(TE Lawrence; 1935) Superb evocation of the desert during the Arab Campaign
1915-18.
Arabian Sands
(Wilfred Thesiger; 1959) Captures the Bedouin way of life before it is lost forever.
Orientalism
(Edward Said; 1978) The topic that redefined the Western love affair with the Middle East.
Arabia Through the Looking Glass
(Jonathan Raban; 1980) Perceptive descriptions of the Gulf states, chal-
lenging stereotypes.
Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women
(Geraldine Brooks; 1994) Revealing account by
Australian journalist living under the veil.
Rapid Change
It is hard to think of another region where the pace of change has been so phenomenal.
Grandparents across Arabia remember when a trip to the capital meant a long journey by
donkey, when education was reserved for the well-connected and when housing was hot
and inadequate. Infant mortality rates were high, life expectancy low.
Within the space of 50 years, the Peninsula has changed beyond recognition. Icons of the
region's success are visible from the superhighways of Saudi Arabia to the soaring towers
of Gulf cities. This rapid growth is of course largely due to the discovery of oil, but it is
also due to a willingness to embrace modernity and the complex technologies it involves.
