Today the ship arrived at Muscat, Oman at 1 AM, however no one could get off until the ship was cleared at 7 AM. Muscat is located on the Arabian Sea close to the Straits of Hormuz. It has made Muscat a pivotal trading and military strategic point going back thousands of years. Traders settled here and inland tribes battled for control of its sheltered harbor. In the past 50 years, Oman has remained a stable economy based on trade, petroleum and porting and since the current Sultan Qaboos bin Said took over in 1970, tourism has flourished. Muscat's position on the water, surrounded by mountains, is dramatically beautiful, and the city's many well preserved forts and palaces are a glim[se into its military past and development as an Islamic nation. Muscat has one million people. Oman produces 9,000 barrals of oil a day of which 90 to 95 percent of the oil is exported. Oil has built the country and the road structure in Muscat is as good as any in the country.
At 8:30 AM I left on a tour called "Muscat and Nakhi Sights". We left the ship and drove thru Muscat on a very modern road structure with our first stop to a visit to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It is a uniquely splendid example of Islamic architecture. My understanding is that this is a comunity Mosque and that it was built as a tourest attraction. It was built from 1995 to 2001. Most Mosques do not allow a non Muslim to enter but this one is open to the public most of the time. After we arrived we first visited the section of the Mosque used for women. Everyone had to take off their shoes and wear appropriate clothing and the women had to wear a headscarf. Women and Men do not pray together and our next stop was at the section where men pray. It was more fancy and was about 10 time bigger. The men section of a Mosque is larger because men are required to attend a Mosque every Friday for pray but women are not required to attend. We left the Mosque and continued to the Batinah Plain. The literature on the tour said that this was the main agricultural area of Oman but I did not see much agricultural. Ww stopped at the Oasis of Nakhl and visited the fort located there. After we left the fort we visited the natural mineral springs of Ain Thowarah. Our next stop was for lunch at the Al Nahada Resort on the way back to Muscat. Near the site of the ship we had a photo stop of the Qasr Al Alam Palace of HM Sultan Qaboos, a palace where the Sultan Qaboos now uses for state events as he spends most of his time at another palace After a visit to the palace we stopped at the Mutrah Souk (Market) will known for its silver craft shops, perfumes and souvenirs. We then returned to the port where we arrived at 4:30 PM.
The ship left Muscat at 5:15 PM and I took some more pictures. After dinner the show was put on by Toni Warne, a singer from the UK.
Below are pictures taken on my tour from the Oasis of Nakhi to the end of the tour and of Muscat. See part 1 of 2 for pictures from the start of the tour thru the Oasis of Nakhi.
This picture was taken on the bus on the way back to Muscat from Nakhl.
This picture was taken on the bus on the way back to Muscat from Nakhl. This is a sample of frankincense.
This picture was taken at the Al Nahada Resort where we stopped for lunch.
This picture was taken at the Al Nahada Resort where we stopped for lunch.
This picture was taken at the Al Nahada Resort where we stopped for lunch.
This picture was taken at the Al Nahada Resort where we stopped for lunch.
This picture was taken at the Al Nahada Resort where we stopped for lunch. This is the flower from the bush in the previous picture.
This picture was taken at the Al Nahada Resort where we stopped for lunch.
This picture was taken at the Al Nahada Resort where we stopped for lunch.
This picture was taken at the Al Nahada Resort where we stopped for lunch.
This picture was taken from the bus on the way back to the ship after lunch.
This picture was taken from the bus on the way back to the ship after lunch.
This picture was taken from the bus on the way back to the ship after lunch. The flowers planted in Muscat use waste water.
This picture was taken from the bus on the way back to the ship after lunch.
This picture was taken from the bus on the way back to the ship after lunch.
This picture was taken at a photo stop to see the Qasr Al Alam Palace. This is the house where he stays when he is in the area.
This picture was taken at a photo stop to see the Qasr Al Alam Palace. On the left is the Ministry of Finance building.
This picture was taken at a photo stop to see the Qasr Al Alam Palace.
This picture was taken from the bus.
This picture was taken at a stop at the Mutrah Souk.
This picture was taken at a stop at the Mutrah Souk.
This picture was taken at a stop at the Mutrah Souk.
This picture was taken at a stop at the Mutrah Souk. This is the entrance to the market.
This picture was taken from the ship as we were leaving Muscat.
This picture was taken from the ship as we were leaving Muscat. This is the cruise terminal.
This picture was taken from the ship as we were leaving Muscat.
This picture was taken from the ship as we were leaving Muscat.
This picture was taken from the ship as we were leaving Muscat.
This picture was taken from the ship as we were leaving Muscat. This is a picture of the Palace that we visited.
This is a picture of me and some of my friends. Will from my table put a turben on me that he had bought. In the background is Henri, Elaine, myself, Ginni and Nancy. These women and their husbands sit at my table. In the front is Rosie and Susie who I have spent some time with them and their husbands.
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