Day 3 - Oman incensed

Muscat is located at two natural harbors and is protected by the surrounding mountains. In the past, the city gates were closed every evening. Now it is the capital of a country that has entered the modern world. Construction works continue, but true to traditional architecture. There are no skyscrapers. One third of the Omani population lives in the capital.
My last dolphin boat trip ended almost fatally two years ago. But today I step onto the boat without fear, hoping to spot some of these sensitive animals.

In any case, the waters in front of Muscat give us a warm welcome or should I say a wet welcome? In the harbor the water seems calm but a little further on the high seas it is a different story. The boat dances on the high bars. Big waves with white foam on it, splash onto our boat. The water splashes over the railing in large quantities. The salty water leaves a salty taste on our lips. The boat swings violently back and forth. We are a toy  in so much natural violence. The captain therefore makes the wise decision not to go further into the sea. Not further into the sea does mean not far enough to get into the habitat of the dolphins. That means no dolphins for us today, but safety naturally comes first. Instead we sail along the somewhat quiet coast of Muscat, but here too the water keeps stirring. The memories of Musandam come back, because here too the Hajar Mountains end up in the water. I enjoy the beautiful nature in the morning sun.

With our feet dry back ashore, we set course for Qasr Al Alam, the royal palace. It is not the residence of the sultan, but functions primarily as a work palace. The palace has a striking architecture. It is officially described as a mixture of Indian, Islamic, Western and futuristic styles. It is above all an incredible colorful building and is mainly used for receptions and official dinners. Sultan Qaboos has six other palaces throughout the country and two yachts in Muscat where he resides.

The palace is flanked by two Portuguese forts overlooking the bay of Muscat: Jilali and Mirani. In the 16th century, the Portuguese benefited from a tribal struggle between the various sultans and imams and ruled over Oman briefly. They also contributed their ‘architectural’ part. Both forts are still military forts and are not open to the public.

The sultan is idolized in Oman. He has put the country on the map during his reign. The poor country was transformed into a prominent Arab country where the Omanites have a good life. The sultan is also not alien to the world. He is a great opera enthusiast and commissioned the construction of a real opera house in 2001. In 2011 the only opera house on the Arabian Peninsula opened. It was built in Omani contemporary style and can accommodate 1,100 spectators. In this region people don't go to the theater, so the quality of the productions must be high enough or the visitors don't come back.

Along the Mutrah Corniche lies the large covered souk. It is just as cozy as it used to be with small alleys that exude that typical Arabian atmosphere and were one is intoxicated by the scent of herbs, perfume and ... incense. 

Because whoever says Oman says incense. The country is one of the most important exporters of this fragrant gold and it is, apart from oil, one of the foundations on which the wealth of the country is based. It was more precious than gold at the time. Incense is formed as a fragrant smoke during the burning of crystals made from resin but resin from a specific tree that mainly grows in southern Oman, in the Dhofar region. From Oman, incense found its way to the churches of Europe, the temples in the East and to our living rooms. You can find incense here in Oman on every corner of the street.

We finish in the Bait Al Zubair museum in the old city. The Al Zubair family opened her house as a museum and made her private collection available to the public. I am not a big fan of boring museums, but this small museum houses real fascinating objects that keep my interest. It is not too big, you finish in an hour, but it offers a great perspecive on the history and life of the Omani now. And so surprising in all areas.