Must be in Muscat!

Muscat Harbor

Muscat is the capital and the largest city of Oman. Known since the early 1^st century CE it was an important trading post between east and west. Several indigenous tribes as well as foreign powers such as the Persians and the Portuguese Empire at various points in its history ruled Muscat.  A regional military power in the 18^th century, Muscat’s influence extended as far as East Africa and Zanzibar.

Since the ascension of Qaboos bin Said as Sultan of Oman in 1970 Muscat has experienced rapid infrastructural development that has led to the growth of a vibrant economy and a multi-ethnic society.

Our guide, Josef told us there are 21 countries in the Middle East and he believes Oman is the most peaceful and prosperous. There are 1.9 million Omanis living in the country and there are 1.4 foreigners from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan living here. The foreign population came for jobs because this country offers so many different kinds of employment.

Mosque Chandelier

The official currency of Oman is the Omani Rial and $1.00 is worth .38 rials. It takes 1000 baisas to make a rial.  They did appear to be happy to take US dollars and also Euros. Muscat, like Salalah, is beginning to receive many tourists from Europe.

The Omani flag has three stripes- green for agriculture, red for blood of old war especially from Omanis and the Portuguese, and white for peace. Although the dagger is center on the logo on the flag, this is a peaceful country.

Josef and his competed turban

There were many decorations still up for the National Day holiday that is actually November 18 but was celebrated this Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28-29. We saw red, green and white lights on lamp poles, lights in the trees and a green leafy-lighted mosaic thing on the gates to the palace. Wish we were going to be here to see all the decorations this evening.

The sultan won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his special efforts in all of the Middle East. Our first stop was the Sultan Qaboos Mosque that is the 3rd largest Mosque in the world and most of the whole complex was

Inside the Mosque

open to non-Muslim visitors. There was a special mosque for women that allowed about 700 women to worship together. The main section of the mosque accommodates 20,000 worshipers.

The carpet was created by 600 women and was the world’s largest Persian single carpet until the Sultan of Dubai built a bigger mosque and thus a bigger carpet was needed and this one is now the second largest Persian carpet. The huge chandelier is made of Swarovski crystals and weighs 2 tons. The walls are covered in marble paneling and beautiful mosaics. The mosque was built between 1995- 2001 and cost the country nothing because the sultan used only his own money for that.

Jim at the Palace

Construction Everywhere

Josef explained the Five Pillars of Islam and we were really intrigues with one of them. # 1 A belief in Mohammed as the prophet of Allah  # 2 Praying 5 times a day #3 Observing Ramadan  #4 Charity- which means if you have money that has not been used for a year you are required to give away 2.5% of that money for charity and #5 Making a pilgrimage to Mecca once in your lifetime. With our interest in stewardship, we really liked the charity idea.

The governmental ministries were all in a long, long row in new looking and crisp, bright buildings. All the buildings in the town were white to be pleasing to the eye and also to reflect the hot rays of the sun away.

The educational system is free in the government schools that begin at 7 years and continue for 12 years. University is free but one can only enroll if their grades are high enough. Josef graduated from the University of Oman two years ago. He is employed by the Ministry of the Interior and also works as a tour guide to practice his English. He majored in hospitality management and hopes to enter that field. He is not married.

Our driver, Wakim, was extremely nice, is married, has no children, and his wife stays at home with his mother. Women do or can drive in Oman and no not have to keep their faces covered unless they want to. Wakim and Josef both showed us how they created their headgear from a triangle of fabric. Wakim’s is called a Shumaj and Josef’s a Turban.

Oman is beginning to diversify into tourism and also small manufacturing so they are not so dependent on oil production. Josef told us you could tell the purpose of a building by its size. Residential buildings are never taller than 3 stories and commercial buildings are never talker than 9 stories. He said this was keeping the environment and “visual pollution” in mind. Like Salalah there was construction everywhere you looked.

Courtyard at the Bait Al Zubair Museum

We also visited a museum, Bait Al Zubair Museum and the two forts of Al Jaiali and Al Mirani. These two forts were built as prisons in 1580 and provided great photo st

Al Jalali Fort

ops. We drove through the grounds of the Qasr Al Alum Royal Palace where the sultan lives when he is in town. The royal yacht was also in the harbor nearby our ship. We drove on the new beach road, The Corniche. We at last saw people doing something for fun- jet skis in the water, people walking the beach and people wading in the water- all clothed in long garments. We were at Quran Beach. It was low tide and they claim you could walk around the entire area at this point in the day….but we didn’t try.

Wakim ties his Sahmaj

Our guide was good, our driver was save and our tour just the right amount of time.


Came back aboard and went to the Pool Grill was a lunch as we watched the huge commercial ships being unloaded.