Sultanate #2: Oman

April 10, 2018

Sultanate #1 was Brunei, back on March 1. What a change from India! This is all desert — but wealthy desert. Oil, don’t you know. In a land with so much sun, they don't bother with solar power — a missed opportunity, but, hey, they didn’t ask me.

Modern architecture must all be in the same generally sand-colored palette, and it all has the look of finely executed sand castles. Muscat, the capital, was a trading post in the 1st century. It came under Portuguese dominance in 1507 — then the Brits took over. It is immaculate: Singapore won some poll as the world’s cleanest city, but, as I said in the original post, I think Muscat should have won.

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, built in 2001, is open to all — the Sultan wants non-Muslims to visit. It is over-the-top opulent. I’d post a picture of me in the required head scarf, but this is a family show.

Our lovely guide, May. She was knowledgeable and appeared quite modern — but I think her universe, from our perspective, has been limited by her Muslim upbringing. Her Omanian Muslim upbringing. Because our Muslim guide in Egypt lives in a different Arab world. More about that in a few days. I do love this picture!

Back at the port, I commented on the number of cruise ships in port. I was corrected: that big boat is one of the Sultan’s yachts. Silly me!

On the way out of port: Ancient fort and modern Omanian architecture. After the weathered, crumbling buildings of India, Oman was a modern paradise. It was fascinating to visit... but I don’t think I would want to live there. #