Oman - Part I - Muscat

SR, DP and I arrived in Muscat on New Year's Eve Day.  After an interesting taxi ride to find the car rental agency, we made our way to the hotel and checked in.  After that it was off to explore.  Muscat was an important seaport according to history.  Throughout the city of Muscat and Oman itself, you see towers such as this one.  Some have been well preserved.

An interesting juxtaposition of the old and the new.

Statues/art work like the one above were placed all along the corniche in Muscat.  A corniche, according to Wikipedia is the word typically used to describe a waterfront promenade usually paralleled by a main road.  Although this picture doesn't really show it, the designs that are part of the tile work on the corniche are truly amazing.  The picture below, does however, give you a much clearer idea of how beautiful the tile work along the corniche is.  Very impressive!!

   

This is another view of the corniche and the sea wall.  It was such a treat to walk along the corniche and everything seemed so clean and everyone was so nice.  What a wonderful introduction to Oman.

This is the large incense burner that is atop one of the hills by the sea.  This giant incense (frankincense) burner is a well-known landmark in Oman.  I’m sure many tourists wonder just what it is when they first see it!  It’s located in an incredibly beautiful family/childrens park called “Al Riyam Park” and is located in Muttrah as you drive along the coast past the Muttrah Souq and the forts on your right.  http://andyinoman.com/tag/incense-burner/

As mentioned in the above quote from another blog post, the 3 of us were not entirely certain what it was when we first saw it.  However, as we journeyed through Oman, we saw many incense burners very similar to this one and then it made more sense.  It really is a very beautiful landmark.

This is the Christmas tree in the foyer of the Al Bustan Palace Hotel.  It was so tastefully decorated and for this Canadian, it was such a wonderful sight to see. 

This is gentleman is dressed in traditional Omani garb and is the first person you meet as you drive your car up to the door's of the Al Bustan Palace Hotel.  Since we didn't drive to the door, but instead walked, he was the first person we met and was willing to pose for this picture.

This is on the road out from the hotel.  To see this amount of well maintained greenery was a nice treat.  Hard to believe that you aren't that far away from desert.

The one thing that I have learned living in the Middle East, is that they love their round-abouts.  In Oman, these round-abouts generally had some type of statue in the centre.  The is the round-about as we left the Al Bustan Palace Hotel and set off on our way to Sur.

This is DP and SR walking along the beach in Qurayyat.  Qurayyat is a small fishing village near Muscat, Oman. A popular stopping point on the way to Sur.  We didn't know this however, and just thought it was time for a break and a walk on the beach.  It turned out to be a really good find.

This was one of the boats headed off for some fishing.  Notice the tower in the background.  As I mentioned earlier, these towers were just about everywhere we looked.

After spending some time walking along the beach, collecting shells, rocks and sand, we were ready to make our way to Sur.