Saturday 1st February Muscat, Oman. Very warm, 26 degrees clear sky’s
Saturday 1st February
Muscat, Oman. Very warm, 26 degrees clear sky’s
Cabin fever, tetchy
Walked 20 minutes , buffet bombed out so just had a small bite in the lounge
Left at 8am and caught the shuttle,
stopped at the duty free to check offers, but nothing outstanding. Just buy one and one half price. Cheapest being $19 for a litre
We were paraded through baggage check, and onto the shuttle bus, which drove for 5 minutes, then every one was asked to get off to go through security, but most people left their bags on the bus, which defeated the object of the check. Then we were dropped at the port entrance.
Walked through an amazingly busy fish market, it was heaving, with slabs of all manner of fish. Walked round the harbour, past the Souk, bars, and restaurants and out past a massive sculpture of an incense burner.
The promenade was wide with plenty of greenery. You could have thought you were walking along the prom in Torquay if it hadn’t been for the broken tiles, the tremendous heat and back drop of craggy mountains and the two lanes filled with speeding modern cars. In fact you take your life in your hands when you try and cross the roads. From all accounts the Oman has the worst motor accident rate in the world.
Nevertheless the walk is magnificent, albeit hot, with watchtowers on vertically every hill. We eventually reach the walls of the old town and make our way down to the harbour. Names of ships have been scrawled onto the cliffs, including Nelson when he travelled this way. The magnificent palace looks over the bay with all the ministries buildings for the country flanking it on either side. Oman was not effected by the Arab Spring uprisings that spread through this part of the world.
All down to the late king, who died earlier this year. A total Anglophile, he had developed the progression of his country in a slow measured and sustainable manner. Unlike Dubai which had expanded at a phenomenal rate, destroying all its heritage in the process. (80% of the population of Dubai are expats).since Qaboos bin Said of Oman ascension to the throne back in 1970 he had been a true advocate of peace in his homeland amongst the tribal factions and the rest of the gulf. He grew Oman and brought his people into the 21st century with flair and imagination.
Surprising really when you consider that his father had kept him in isolation in a very sheltered manner. Even though he lived by the sea, he wasn’t allowed to go into it. At the age of 16 he was sent to Sandhurst, after which he spent time in the British army before returning to Oman, where he was imprisoned by his father. His father had drifted into dementia, but a non apposed friendly military coup overthrew him and put his son in control. All the flags were at half mast for the 40 days of mourning.
We returned to the Souk and purchased a cap for me and a Afghan carpet cushion. Don’t ask! I know we are in the Oman. We were going to buy local Oman honey, but all the shops only stocked Indian honey.
Judith asked a local where we might get some, so he explained you would have to buy from the producers up in the hills. Not really possible. As he explained, the Souk was a tourist area, so it didn’t have anything other than tourist tut. We had so much money left, so we handed it over for the cushion. It wasn’t going to do us any good.
Then back to the ship for a cold shower and get our glad rags on for dinner, then a movie before curling up in bed ?? with another book.
Muscat, Oman. Very warm, 26 degrees clear sky’s
Cabin fever, tetchy
Walked 20 minutes , buffet bombed out so just had a small bite in the lounge
Left at 8am and caught the shuttle,
stopped at the duty free to check offers, but nothing outstanding. Just buy one and one half price. Cheapest being $19 for a litre
We were paraded through baggage check, and onto the shuttle bus, which drove for 5 minutes, then every one was asked to get off to go through security, but most people left their bags on the bus, which defeated the object of the check. Then we were dropped at the port entrance.
Walked through an amazingly busy fish market, it was heaving, with slabs of all manner of fish. Walked round the harbour, past the Souk, bars, and restaurants and out past a massive sculpture of an incense burner.
The promenade was wide with plenty of greenery. You could have thought you were walking along the prom in Torquay if it hadn’t been for the broken tiles, the tremendous heat and back drop of craggy mountains and the two lanes filled with speeding modern cars. In fact you take your life in your hands when you try and cross the roads. From all accounts the Oman has the worst motor accident rate in the world.
Nevertheless the walk is magnificent, albeit hot, with watchtowers on vertically every hill. We eventually reach the walls of the old town and make our way down to the harbour. Names of ships have been scrawled onto the cliffs, including Nelson when he travelled this way. The magnificent palace looks over the bay with all the ministries buildings for the country flanking it on either side. Oman was not effected by the Arab Spring uprisings that spread through this part of the world.
Surprising really when you consider that his father had kept him in isolation in a very sheltered manner. Even though he lived by the sea, he wasn’t allowed to go into it. At the age of 16 he was sent to Sandhurst, after which he spent time in the British army before returning to Oman, where he was imprisoned by his father. His father had drifted into dementia, but a non apposed friendly military coup overthrew him and put his son in control. All the flags were at half mast for the 40 days of mourning.
We returned to the Souk and purchased a cap for me and a Afghan carpet cushion. Don’t ask! I know we are in the Oman. We were going to buy local Oman honey, but all the shops only stocked Indian honey.
Judith asked a local where we might get some, so he explained you would have to buy from the producers up in the hills. Not really possible. As he explained, the Souk was a tourist area, so it didn’t have anything other than tourist tut. We had so much money left, so we handed it over for the cushion. It wasn’t going to do us any good.
Then back to the ship for a cold shower and get our glad rags on for dinner, then a movie before curling up in bed ?? with another book.
Look for the scrawling s on the rocks from the seamen who visited the port - most left the name of the ship. But you have to look closely
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