Sayyid Qaboos bin Said Al Said is the Sultan of Oman. Educated at Oxford and Sandhurst, he rose to power at 30 after overthrowing his father, in a palace coup in 1970. He is the 14th-generation descendant of the founder of the Al Bu Sa’id dynasty.  The Sultan is the chief of staff of the armed forces, chairman of the Central Bank, Minister of Defence and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Sharia law is the source of all legislation in Oman, and the Sultan’s authority is inviolable.

The Sultanate with a population of 4 and a half an million, is on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Over 43% of the population are expatriates. A largely desolate area, it was known mainly as a producer of dates and camels before the discovery of oil. Sayyid’s motivation for the coup was to create a better society for Omani residents – his father apparently was ‘old guard’ and resistant to  spending revenue from massive oil reserves to create opportunities for improving the education and health of his citizens….trade of fish, dates and some agricultural products along with tourism now form a significant portion of the economy of Oman, in addition to oil (900,000 barrels per day!), gas and copper as major exports.

Omanis are great breeders of Arabian horses and have a reputation as the best ship builders.  

Cultural dress for women is a hijab (veil) and abaya (long dress) and for men, a dishdasha – ankle length robe, and fez.

Frankincense, a component of the most valuable perfume in the world–Amouage–is produced and traded in Oman.

Here are a few pics from my wanderings over the last couple of days…….

The impressive Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque–was built in six years (in the 1990’s) from 300,000 tons of Indian sandstone. It can hold 20,000 worshippers. The prayer carpet weighs 21 tons and brings together classical Persian Tabriz, Kashan and Isfahan design traditions. The imposing chandelier is 14 metres tall, holds 600,000 shining bright Swarovski crystals, 24 carat gold plating and is the world’s largest. Loved the decorative mosaics both within the mosque and in the surrounding courtyards. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mutrah Souq is one of the oldest markets in Oman, dating back some 200 years, with narrow winding alleyways roofed with wood. Your senses are tantalised by aromatic smells of frankincense , incense, and Arabian perfumes. It’s noted for its handicrafts like daggers, silverware, traditional clothes and the famous Omani sweet – Halwa. The man in the Abaya shop I walked into told me he sells over 1,000 units a month @ a cost of between $80- $200AUS, depending on the intricacy of the design. 

This sculpture is of an incense burner….placed in a garden high on a hill that overlooks the Mutrah corniche. 

Al Alam Palace is the ceremonial palace of the Sultan, used to receive high-ranking officials and Heads of State. The building has four decadent gold and blue columns and adorned arches, tiling and carvings befitting a Sultan. Not open to the public. Built in 1972, it’s an example of contemporary Islamic architecture surrounded by lush gardens and the Mutrah harbour. 

Mohammed Al Ameen mosque was completed in 2014 – my favourite mosque in Oman at night, its golden domes and azure blue building making it stand out against the night sky – breathtaking. 

Travelled south down the east coast, to see the Bimmah sinkhole, a water-filled depression, a lake 50m wide and approx 20m deep – a refreshing dip after a climb down from the park that surrounds it. Locals believe it was created by a falling star….stunning reflection of clouds in the water when viewing from above.