Picto Diary - 29 April 2017 - Muscat, Oman

Above: Portuguese fort seen above green Corniche walk. Muscat, Oman. 29 April 2017.

Seven Seas Voyager entering Port Sultan Qaboos at 7:00 AM.

Image from 11th deck observation lounge.

Above: Muscat from Big Bus. Muscat, Oman. 29 April 2017.

This was our third visit to Oman, but, only the first visit to Muscat, the country's capital and location of over half of Oman's population of 2.7 million (about the size of Utah).

Regent offered a hop on hop off tour, which wasn't a bad way to get an overview of the city if you hadn't been here before. The tour lasted 2 hours (if you didn't hop on and hop off... which we didn't). It was hot as hades. 90 degrees and 90% humidity. Notwithstanding, we rode in the open air upper deck. There was no wind when stationary, but, the breezes when the vehicle moved took off a bit of the edge.

The hottest I have ever felt was in this part of the world. We were visiting friends David and Diane in Dubai, in the late '70's. I remember walking out their front door and feeling as though I had opened the door to an oven. That's a bit what it feels like here in Muscat today.

Lottsa beautiful beaches and scenic views. Buy a house? Buy only cream or white paint. The white-ish look of the city, against the background of brown desert rock hills, reminded me of Essouira, Morocco.

TIMDT made the observation (correctly) that Muscat was one of the cleanest cities we have visited. Not a lot of litter.

Our previous visits to Oman have taken us to Sur, Salaleh (twice), and Khasab (the town right on the western tip of the entry to the Straits of Hormuz... where the eastern tip of the entry, in Iran, can be seen with the naked eye.

Above: Bishop observes front entrance, Sultan's Palace. Muscat, Oman. 29 April 2017.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said is 75 years. His father was smart enough to get his son a western education in England, but not smart enough to keep the throne, as his "educated" thirty year old son deposed him in 1970.

The father wasn't doing much with the country. The young Sultan had a vision of bringing Oman into the modern world. By most accounts, he has been somewhat successful. The country has developed natural resources, including oil, a solid tourism industry, is at peace with most of its neighbors and has a strong alliance with the United States. This is quite an accomplishment considering the chaotic state of its neighbor to the west, Yemen.

Above: Sultan Palace, and adjacent old Portuguese fort, from the water side. Muscat, Oman. 29 April 2017.

Barley seen, the orange structures near the water are active 50 millimeter guns to protect the residence.

Above: Pork Chop. Lunch aboard Seven Seas Voyager. Port Sultan Qaboos. Muscat, Oman. 29 April 2017.

There are lottsa nice meals aboard ship... but, the significance of this one is its irony. Pork is forbidden in Muscat, a Muslim country.

I didn't order the pork chop to be contrary... it was there and it looked good.

Above: Seven Seas Voyager at berth. Sultan Qaboos Port. Muscat, Oman. 29 April 2017.

Above: Both ships are Sultan Qaboos' yachts. Port Sultan Qaboos. Muscat, Oman.

Livin' large in the neighborhood.