Muscat, Oman

Wow! I must admit, I was completely taken by surprise by how much I liked this place. Having absolutely no idea what to expect, I was amazed at how much character it had. Muscat is the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, a country of about two and a half million people that makes about 80% of its income from rich oil resources. It is indeed run by a Sultan, from the royal line of Oman. We were asked to wear pants below the knees and avoid public displays of affection out of respect for the largely Islamic religious sensitivities.

My tour was a general overview of the capital. It was really hot and dry, a very desert feeling, but with lots of sharp rocky hills surrounding the white and other very light-colored buildings, all of which had a distinctly Arabian character, though at times reminding me in color and setting of a Mexican pueblo. As a location, it really stood out to me among many places that can begin to look similar to each other. Muscat has a true uniqueness. We visited a museum which I really liked, learning about the traditional clothing and weapons of the Omani. We saw the Sultan's palace, the Grand Mosque (which holds 20,000 people), and explored a Souk, which is like a marketplace with vendors along narrow covered alleyways. The air smelled like frankincense since they were selling it and burning some in the different stalls.

After my tour was over I went back out with Yuri. We did some more shopping and had time for a quick snack before heading back to the ship. I had a falafel pita, and both of us tried the traditional Omani coffee, laced with spices. Very different. I bought a few souvenirs, including something that looks very much like Aladdin's lamp. However, no genies have appeared as of yet.
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