Muscat, Oman

Tuesday, December 1st
Route of the Ancient Traders
Day 21
M/S Nautica
Muscat, Oman
Mostly Cloudy - 77 Degrees

One of the oldest cities in the Middle East, Muscat was occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Though this city is distinctly of the Middle East, there is still a European look to it. We are docked in the industrial port of Mina Sultan Qaboos, but it is right at the edge of the downtown along the Corniche. Muscat is remarkably green with tree-lined streets, lush parks, and landscaped gardens. It is the capital of Oman and the seat of the Sultan Qaboos, a very tidy city of about 750,000 people. Until the 1970s, Muscat and Oman were very conservative. Foreigners were not allowed to visit. There was a strict curfew. Muslim law was the law of the land. When Sultan Qaboos succeeded his father on the throne, he began to liberalize the country and Oman has thrived. The Sultan has retained some controls and development in Oman lags behind its more ambitious neighbors. Still, as we drove up the hill and through the city, it was obvious that oil has made the Sultan and his subjects relatively wealthy. There are no taxes of any kind. Even low wage earners are middle class. Luxury cars are plentiful. With no import taxes they are affordable to almost anyone. One US dollar buys 8 liters of gas.

It won't surprise you to learn that there is an arms race in the Middle East. Not for nuclear weapons, but for the grandest Mosque. Oil wealth has transformed this region and even small countries are looking to make their mark. Saudi Arabia has the most sacred sites of Muslim history, but Oman and the UAE are trying to create the Mecca of a new millennium. It would be as if the Catholic Church was flush with oil and set out to recreate St. Peter's Basilica, newer, bigger, better than the original.

The Grand Mosque in Muscat was completed in 2001. It lives up to its name, and more. You simply can't imagine the immensity and grandeur of this place. There is really no reason to come to Oman unless you happen to be sailing by, but if you are, you have to see the Grand Mosque. It is a study in superlatives, an absolutely mammoth complex of manicured lawns and gardens, granite paths and plazas, minarets and fountains. The entire complex, both inside and out, can hold 20,000 people for prayer. On a regular Friday, more than 10,000 attend prayer services, more on a holiday.

As we have learned from previous visits to Mosques, men and women pray separately. Usually, men in front, women in the back. Here, there are entirely separate prayer halls for men and women. First, we visited the women's prayer hall. It is lovely. The doors, as well as the wall panels and ceiling beams, were imported from India. The prayer carpet is imported from Iran and lined with rectangles so each woman has her own spot to pray. The chandeliers are made of Murano glass from Italy. This hall has space for more than 700 worshipers. Then we proceeded to the men's prayer hall under the great dome. This is ten times larger than the space for women, holding almost 7,000 worshipers in one room. This carpet is also imported from Iran. It is one of the largest carpets in the world. The chandelier hanging from the dome is fashioned from 8 tons of Swarovski crystal. Every inch of the walls, ceiling, and dome is lined with handmade tiles. This may be the single most awesome space we have ever been in.

After an incredible experience at the Grand Mosque, we drove back through town to the waterfront, in view of the Nautica, to the vibrant Muttrah Souq with silver jewelry, Omani khanjars (daggers), exotic and fragrant spices and teas, antiques, and handicrafts. Much like the other markets we have visited in the region, the souq was dark and crowded. Nearly every stall had frankincense burning and the smell was overwhelming. We made the loop and then made our exit.

We crossed the street and strolled along the Corniche waiting for the ugly Americans to finish their shopping. Muscat is definitely Arabian, but it almost feels Mediteranean. We could be in the South of France. A granite promenade dotted with sculpture lines the harbor framing views of the waterfront to one side and the forts guarding the Sultan's palace on the other. Locals line the rail to fish or feed the seagulls or just to admire the view. The harbor is busy with military and merchant vessels coming into port or going out to see. Workers with brushes and buckets of water scrub away the dirt and grime. It was a very pleasant afternoon.

The Sultan's palace is a sprawling complex of government buildings, new and old, administrative and ceremonial. He actually lives in another palace out of town. We stopped at the small museum and took pictures of the main building from the palace gate.

Back on the ship, the Terrace hosted an Arabian Feast for dinner. Many of our fellow passengers, and the entire crew, were decked out in their finest Arabian garb. The food, though, was more of the same.

Tomorrow: Another Day at Sea