November 2005

Poul went to Muscat for a two day conference on the development of the Port of Sohar at the Al Bustan Hotel - and Charlotte tagged along. Needless to say we didn't stay at this hotel but had found more modest accomodation at the Al Falaj Hotel a 20min drive from the Al Bustan. The conference was deemed the event of the year with 800 attendees for the opening ceremony including the Dutch Prime Minister and several local dignitaries. There was supposed to have been a ladies programme but as I've come to learn: don't expect these things to materialise. I did however have a super day with my own driver as I was the only spouse who cared to join on that day. Next day was a disappointment - but those days are thankfully few.

The lobby at the Al Bustan is a lavish affair - even the ashtrays are decorated. There is a special smelle everywhere in Oman as they burn frankincense all over the place - also in the hotel lobby.

 

 

I went with my own driver - Khalifa - from Sunny Day Tours ( sunnydayoman@techniquellc.com ) and saw loads of different things and places. I can only say that I feel sorry for the other six ladies who chose not to turn up - they missed out on a great day! First we went to the museum.

At the Bait Al Zubair museum you can see an old house restored to depict how things were before the development really took off on 23rd July 1970 when sultan Qaboos was inaugurated. The house is from the 60's - the 1960's, that is.

You would place a tray of incense under this cone and place your clothes over it so as to have a nice smelling abaya or dish dash

Ladies shoes worn inside - specially to the bathroom. Guess why??

A babys crib with toys in the old part of the museum

A market stall

Date storage where the juice from the dates would run into the jar placed underneath

 

 

The falaj - system of water supply seen all over Oman still in operation

Fishing boat for fishing in shallow waters

This is Khalifa in white dishdash in the Muttrah Souq where I did some serious shopping

This a Khanjar - the knife still worn by omani men for formal occasions. This one is "little bit old, not very old madam"....meaning app 25yrs. Very old is 40-50yrs. It is made form leather and silver with a handle in camel bone decorated with gold and inlaid silver.

The Fort at Nakhal (maning date palms) built in the 17th century to house the Wali - the imams envoy (I think) to protect the area. With it's 360 degree view this fort is perfectly situated to defend the area of palm plantations.

 

The walis bed

The prison. Prisoners were hung from the ceiling and beaten until they admitted their crime (!)

 

The bridal chest and only place you could store things privately

The mens majlis (meeting room)

The traditional omani coffee pot - this time in copper. Otherwise you normally see them in silver.

Display of kitchen utensils

 

The icons on the doors of the Mens'....

 

and Ladies' facilities

  

 

Nakhal is famous for its hot fresh water springs

 

- where you go to wash your feet or (behind me but I didn't want to take her picture without permission) to wash your clothes

..or you go for a swim

A picnic was kindly provided for me by the tour operator
Next day I wanted to see the famous Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and thought I came prepared in long trousers, 3/4 length shirt sleeves and a scarf to cover my head. Not so. I was turned away at the gate by a guard, whose command of the English language was limited to "SHORT" meaning that you were revealing too much skin. My taxi driver kindly lent me a scarf ("-new, madam") and wrapped me up tightly. I was only just let in - what if the scarf slipped and Allah saw my wrists???? Lots of people were turned away: old ladies in skirts showing half their calves, men in shorts, open shirts showing a little bit of neck....you name it. A couple of young men were only barely able to hide their laughs at us looking so utterly ridiculous and totally at the mercy of a guards mood that day. As a consequence I saw very little of the mosque and not even the mens prayer room as there are hardly any signs in English  and noone to ask. The bookshop was an office well hidden and selling only one book about the mosque - take or leave it. The men in there were friendly enough, though. 

Wash basins outside prayerrooms

The main prayer room (i e the mens prayer room). This is a scan from the guide book showing the worlds biggest (at least until the new hotel i Abu Dabi opened) carpet measuring 60 x 70 metres

The more modestly decorated ladies prayerroom

From the formal garden at the mosque

The sultan is almost cult to the omanis. He has developed the country and provided education and welfare and is very, very popular, I was told. Apparently noone knows whether he has any children (i e sons to take over after him), but apparently he was once married and divorced his wife.

 

The Sultans b-day is on the 18th of November and the whole city is decorated with lights, pictures of the sultan and generally a christmassy feel to the whole thing.

We needed carpets for both the diningroom and the living room. As neither of us really know what to look for other than as many knots as possible per square inch, we would have been at a loss had Lisbeths carpet guy, Osama,  not turned up. Just back from Iran he brought some very nice samples from his shop in Sharja and - as Poul was away on business - I had to make som tough choices. Tough because a) they are all beautiful and b) they are expensive. I have chosen these two silk/soft wool carpets from Naien made by one of the most famous producers, mr Habibian. Osama comes in his Toyota Corolla (very new, he must have a good business)and unloads his carpets in your livingroom, so that you are able to see straight away whether they fit in colour and style.

Poul requested a proper danish lunch which (after a trip to the local supermarket - Choitrams) I was happy to provide for him. We didn't have akvavit, but vodka is not a bad substitute.

A few days with clouds and a lot of wind brought rain to the emirates. We only had a few drops but, apparently, other areas were flooded (not that that takes more than a few mm of water)

 

- and here's proof!!

 

 

 

You probably guessed it: the subject is: censorship. I bought a magazine (Marie Claire,  resonably upmarket stuff) in Oman and found certain pictures covered in black ink. What was surprising, though,  was that two pages further on a page full of sex-toys had not been covered up. I had thought of putting that page in here but as I didn't find it suitable for youngsters I have refrained from doing so. But trust me: nothing was left to imagination!

- and our Prince Henrik has been named Marys father. Confused? We are.