April 10, 2018 – Muscat, Oman

Capital of the nation of Oman, Muscat enjoys a stunning setting between the Arabian Sea and the rocky Western Al Hajar Mountains. A rich and romantic canvas of low whitewashed buildings watched over by traditional dhow fishing boats bobbing in the harbor, the city is also a trove of royal and Islamic treasures.

Oman is bordered by Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emeritus. The word Muscat means between two mountains, which it is. There are 2.4 million people in Oman and about 1.3 million in Muscat.

The current Sultan, Qaboos, was born in 1940 and became Sultan in July of 1970. The main income source of income for Oman is oil, gas, fishing and tourism. The language of the country is Arabic. The formal color of clothes for women is black and white for men. Prior to 1970 girls were not allowed to attend school. But, after 1970 girls could attend school. The girls and boys attend grades 1-4 together and after that the classes are separate for girls and boys. There is no income tax and education and health care are basically free. The religion is Islam, but there are multiple branches that practice here. Unlike the other Muslim countries, they all get along. Our guide told us that if she spoke bad about someone else religion, she would receive ten years in jail.

As you will see in the picture all the buildings must be white or brown. They must also not exceed 14 stories, so not to block the view of the mountains. The other thing is that men can have up to four wives. The current sultan does not have any wives, but they do not know if he has any children. There is a secret book that is kept by him that will be open three days after his death and will say who the next sultan will be.

We were here three years ago, but all we saw at that time was the souk and the American Embassy, as we needed papers notarized for the selling of our house. This time we took a tour of Muscat. The one thing you will notice in all the pictures is that this is a very clean and lovely country.

We came in to the Sultan Qaboos Port. And you could tell that we were in a Muslim country.

Our first stop was to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque that was named for the beloved leader who has bolstered the country’s economy. It was opened in 2001, as a dazzling expanse of white marble, intricate wooden panels and magnificent stained-glass windows. The marble is the finest in the world, as it is sitting in the hot sun, but does not get hot. Remarkably, a 45,000-square-foot carpet and 46-foot-tall chandelier are its centerpieces. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque; this vast center of worship can accommodate 750 women and 6,000 men at worship. Men must pray in the mosque, but women can pray at home, hence less seating for them. And, if this mosque is like the others we have seen, the women do not sit with the men.  

We were not there at a time when we could enter the mosque. So, these are pictures from the outside.

The next stop was at the Muttrah Souk, an outdoor emporium of shops steeped in local culture and color. We had visited this souk on our last visit and it is an interesting place. What you cannot see in the pictures is the smell of incense burning throughout the souk.

Our next stop was to visit the Bait al Zubair museum, a private collection owned by His Excellency Mohammad Al Zubair, Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for Economic Planning Affairs. On the way there she stopped so we could get some pictures that look down on this part of the area.

This museum opened its doors to the public in 1998. Bait al Zubair displays the family’s collection of Omani artifacts that span a number of centuries, and is considered to be the finest that is privately owned. The complex consists of five separate buildings as well as a garden with a number of traditional features and a café and gift shop.

Inside we were not allowed to take any photos. We saw a lot of the native garb that they wear today and how it developed over time, as well as the weapons that they used. However, when we came out the back we found a wealth of interesting things that we could take pictures of.

Our last stop was at one of the many palaces of the Sultan. He does not live at this palace and it is named the hospitality palace, as it is used when guests need to be accommodated. You will notice that there is a flag flying over the palace. If one flag is flying it means the Sultan is in Oman, if two flags are flying it means he is in this palace and if no flags are flying it means he is out of the country. The tree lined street is the entry into the palace grounds. The Sultan always lines the streets on his properties with these trees.

In this complex there were also a French and American museum. In the hills behind this complex you could see the remnants of the forts that the Portuguese at built to protect this city.

In the port with us were two of the sultan’s yachts. We only have a picture of one of them, but they are both comparable.

Also in the harbor, in front of our ship, was a dhow fishing boat.

These are some pictures of the beautiful buildings and scenery that we saw as we drove around.

On the ship, you can see in the hills what appears to be a large incense burner. When you enter the home of an Omani, they will burn incense to welcome you. This big burner is welcoming and saying goodbye to us from Oman.

We now have six sea days before we get to Jordan and quickly followed by Egypt. During these six days, we will be sailing in the Arabian Sea to the Gulf Aden to get to the Red Sea. Due to past pirate activity, the area around the Gulf of Aden is closely monitored by an international naval force. So, our passage through the area will be coordinated and closely watched by naval command centers ashore and by naval vessels at sea who shadow commercial and passenger traffic through this area. Because of this, the ship is installing razor wire on deck two as well as armed guards and water cannons.