Winter sun in Oman
Here a few photos from a brief trip to Muscat in Oman. After a very tiring few months for me and my travelling companion, this trip was intended as an opportunity for girly relaxing / sunbathing / sleeping, so we didn't have time to get stuck in to the beautiful scenery. Oman is definitely worth a visit for the Wadis (dried up river beds) and coastal scenery alone, and for the fact that it is not yet on the tourist map in quite the same way as, say, Dubai. It is also home to some of the most impressive roundabouts (traffic circles?) I have ever seen! I could easily have spent a fortnight exploring (the scenery, not the traffic circles).
Firstly a word about the men's national dress, which was very eye-catching:
"The national dress for Omani men is a simple, ankle-length, collarless gown with long sleeves called the dishdasha. The colour most frequently worn is white, although a variety of other colours such as black, blue, brown and lilac can also be seen. Its main adornment is a tassel (furakha) sewn into the neckline, which can be impregnated with perfume.
Omani men may wear a variety of head dresses. The muzzar is a square of finely woven woollen or cotton fabric, wrapped and folded into a turban. Underneath this, the kummar, an intricately embroidered cap, is sometimes worn."
Kummars were on sale everywhere, in all different shades, but I left the shopping to those more patient and more tenacious at haggling than myself:
The muzzar:
Some local faces - sorting the day's catch down at the fish souk:
The dishdasha:
This part of the souk, where they cut up the fish, was bustling:
Talking of food, this was one of the few restaurants we could find serving only Omani cuisine (bar the presence of the tabasco sauce condiment). It's the first time I've been given my own room in a restaurant and the waiter knocked on the door every time he entered.
We were in Muscat just as Oman's national football team had reached it's first regional championship final, so their football colours were in evidence everywhere (no, not the blue shirt
):
This is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, able to hold up to 20,000 faithful, and supposedly the largest on the Arabian peninsula when it was built (don't quote me on that).
There is beautiful tile work in various Islamic styles.
This red niche looked almost South American:
The men's prayer hall:
There was a smaller mosque on the Muttrah seafront. Until I can get to Samarkand, this will have to do for me.
The seafront at night (no tripod, so I had to make do with a shiny bit of sea wall - oops)
And finally, where most of the holiday was spent: :wink
Thanks for looking.
Firstly a word about the men's national dress, which was very eye-catching:
"The national dress for Omani men is a simple, ankle-length, collarless gown with long sleeves called the dishdasha. The colour most frequently worn is white, although a variety of other colours such as black, blue, brown and lilac can also be seen. Its main adornment is a tassel (furakha) sewn into the neckline, which can be impregnated with perfume.
Omani men may wear a variety of head dresses. The muzzar is a square of finely woven woollen or cotton fabric, wrapped and folded into a turban. Underneath this, the kummar, an intricately embroidered cap, is sometimes worn."
Kummars were on sale everywhere, in all different shades, but I left the shopping to those more patient and more tenacious at haggling than myself:
The muzzar:
Some local faces - sorting the day's catch down at the fish souk:
The dishdasha:
This part of the souk, where they cut up the fish, was bustling:
Talking of food, this was one of the few restaurants we could find serving only Omani cuisine (bar the presence of the tabasco sauce condiment). It's the first time I've been given my own room in a restaurant and the waiter knocked on the door every time he entered.
We were in Muscat just as Oman's national football team had reached it's first regional championship final, so their football colours were in evidence everywhere (no, not the blue shirt
):This is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, able to hold up to 20,000 faithful, and supposedly the largest on the Arabian peninsula when it was built (don't quote me on that).
There is beautiful tile work in various Islamic styles.
This red niche looked almost South American:
The men's prayer hall:
There was a smaller mosque on the Muttrah seafront. Until I can get to Samarkand, this will have to do for me.
The seafront at night (no tripod, so I had to make do with a shiny bit of sea wall - oops)
And finally, where most of the holiday was spent: :wink
Thanks for looking.
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Comments
PBase Gallery
that design almost looks like it was drawn by a computer the way it looks all pixelated. or is it just me? hah.
I recall a TV special a few years ago on the Moorish architecture in Spain, and it's obviously from the same roots.
In detail it can be intricate and ornate, yet in the overall aspect it has a simplicity that is serenely beautiful.
Thanks for posting.
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