Grezzolo
His real name is Hamad, but everybody at Casa Oman calls him « Grezzolo », which, translated, more or less means « Rustic » and it is associated to a dwarf name (like Grumpy, Happy, Sneezy, etc). Don’t ask me why, I’m sure there is a story behind but I don’t know it.
He is an accomplished fisherman and one of the crucial carachters of Casa Oman. You were not really at Casa Oman if you did not meet Grezzolo.
The first time I met him, it was when he brought us to see the dolphins on his boat. We woke up early, we boarded on his boat, we saw no dolphins, I felt seasick and had to endure till we came back. On the other hand, his fellow fishermen gave him two giant squids, that he brought to Casa Oman. They cooked a delicious dish with the squids and rice, and we sat on the floor altogether, taking the rice from the central dish with our hands and eating this way.
It was the first time I ate this way, but it was a useful experience that allowed me to be at ease in my future trips to other Arabic countries, as it is common custom to eat with hands. I did in Egypt, in the Emirates and in Saudi Arabia.
Many foreigners consider this habit « wild » and « barbaric ». To me, both adjectives are a compliment. So I am happy to be considered wild.
The second and the third time we got much luckier. Both times we med big pods of dolphins, playing and jumping around us. It was like being live in a documentary. It was the moment I decided to take my diving license, as the sea was calling me.
Grezzolo has a good sense of humour, he is very friendly and helpful, like all the Omani people I know, and always ready to have a laugh. At that time I used to have long curly hair and he gave me the nickname of « Abu Capelli » and just refused to call me any different.
Capelli in Italian means « Hair ». Abu indicates the father. So it would sound more or less « hair daughter ».
I saw Grezzolo back in 2024. He recognized me, despite my shorter hair.
Smoking shisha with Grezzolo and Rashid, Iapo and Tiziano on the bottom. Casa Oman, 2014.
