Late in the evening we arrived in Muscat, where we would spent the next three days before flying back home. More information on Muscat itself can be found on Wikipedia.

One of the most fascinating places in Muscat is the Sultan’s Palace, the Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace. This is the office of Sultan Qaboos, ruler of Oman. This unique building in a typical style of the beginning of the 1970s (built in 1972) is used for representational functions as the Sultan usually stays in the south, in Salalah. This palace stands on the head of a natural deep water harbour and is flanked on each side by the ancient Al Mirani and Al Jelali Forts. The two forts and the palace are not accessible to visitors, but you are allowed to take photographs at the front gates of the palace. I was very surprised to be able to get so close to the gate. There were no guards to be seen. Taking pictures in Oman is much easier that I expected.

For the rest, when the weather permitted, we strolled up and down the corniche of Muttrah, saw the sights such the Incense Burner (which has also been compared to an alien spaceship, especially in the evening when the multicoloured lights go on), and explored the covered Souq and other little paths in Muscat, Muttrah and Ruwi. In the evening we returned to the corniche in Muttrah in order to for me to take more shots.

This is the last blog entry of our Oman trip. Stay tuned for new pictures from South Africa and Tunisia!

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