Traveling Cows

Oman is very different from Dubai. Whereas Dubai is essentially flat, Oman, at least in the north where we were, has rocky mountains (OK, hills). Only about 700,000 of the 3,000,000 people are foreigners. Oman still has a significant oil and gas reserve. Our tour guide and driver were both Omanies whereas in Dubai, all our guides and drivers were foreign nationals. The rain followed us to Oman and they were very happy since it was the first significant rain in over 20 years. The wadis were filled and the schools had a holiday. Muscat is the largest city in Oman, with about a third of the country’s population.

Our excursion went to Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the largest mosque in Oman and, when it opened in 2001, the third largest in the world. (It is now about 11th.) It is the only mosque (so far) were have been allowed to enter. The mosque was, of course, built by Sultan Qaboos, who has ruled for 20 years since overthrowing his father. (Like the U.A.E., Oman is an absolute monarchy.) It took about four years to build the mosque and has been open only about six years. It is huge, and gorgeous.

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

The main prayer hall (musalla) is for the men and holds about 6,500 for prayer. The Oriental carpet (one carpet) on the floor took 600 women four years to make.

Inside Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

The outdoor area holds another 2500 men in prayer. The women have an indoor area for 750 with two closed-circuit screens so they can see the Imam in the men’s area. (For more information, check out the official site.)

Random Neighborhood Between Port and Grand Mosque

After the mosque we went back to the port area and stopped at the Mutrah Souq as the rain was letting up.

Mutrah Souq as Seen from the Rotterdam

The main alley into the souq (under the dome on the left in the above photo) was a rapidly-flowing stream draining the souq (and the trash it picked up along the way) directly into the harbor. We left John at a bus stop out front and were led into the souq by a helpful native (or marketer) through a side alley. You may have seen pictures of open-air markets in the movies. These souqs are not like that. They are a series of narrow, often curving, alleys formed as shops on the order of 12′ wide and 20′ deep were built in front of the existing buildings. There is a roof, of sorts, over the alley, which can vary from substantially built and elegantly decorated to random sheets of corrugated metal. The Mutrah Souq, unlike more dedicated souqs, has shops offering everything from toothpaste to very exquisite and expensive gold jewelry. Some shop keepers are Arab but others are foreigners, carrying on the centuries old trading traditions. For example one shop was operated by an Indian who as selling scarves, sarees, and other items made by is family in India.

From the souq, we rounded a rocky point and headed into the old walled part of the city. (Muscat was a well fortified city with lookouts on most high peaks. You can see a fort above the souq in the photo above.) We were guided through a small but well done museum of the culture of Oman. The guide started with a map they had and briefly explained the regions and their specialties. There were displays of clothing, weapons, household goods, etc. After the museum we walked around the corner and walked past the sultan’s palace, one of many in the country. After a brief photo stop on the beach across the road from the Incense Burner—a piece of public art on the hill between the port area and the old walled city—we returned to the ship for lunch.

Incense Burner

After lunch Janice and I took the port sponsored shuttle to the port gate—for security reasons, they don’t allow pedestrians in the port. Even though most shops close between 1 and 4 pm for lunch and prayers, we wanted to go back to the souq for more local color. Some of the shops were open and offering “good prices because of the rain.” After a bit another thunder storm rolled through and again the alleys became small streams. We hung out at a couple of shops with another couple from the ship. Eventually the storm passed and we resumed our explorations and shopping. Then back to the ship for the 6pm sail away.

Ah, Dubai… What a fantasy land. Think of the Vegas Strip only much larger. The ruler of Dubai knows that the oil will run out in a few years so he is trying to build a tourism mecca (so to speak) by building a city of firsts: the world’s tallest building (Burj Dubai), the world’s first indoor ski slope in the world’s largest shopping mall, the worlds tallest hotel (the all-suite Burj Al Arab where a typical suite is1700 $US per night) , huge reclamation efforts, etc. You may have heard of the Palms, the palm tree shaped island built off the coast with rock, concrete, and sand. That’s just the beginning: two more are in the works, each larger than the one before. Some of the construction has slowed with the current economic conditions, but the sultan’s personal projects haven’t.

Burj Al Arab

The other interesting thing about Dubai is that 85-90% of the inhabitants are not Emeraties (native Arabs).and can never become citizens. One of our guides was born in Dubai, has lived here all his life, but has to renew his visa every three years and will have to leave when/if he retires. He is sponsoring his mother, whose vise has to be renewed every year. He also said that people avoid the retirement rule by starting a “small business” and doing just enough work to qualify.

Also of interest was the weather—it rained! Not just a passing shower but full-blown thunder storms. After we left we saw a picture on CNN (one of two TV stations we receive, the other being TCM) of lightening hitting the Burj Dubai and heard that they had a hail storm and finally a zero-visibility dust storm. The rain at least has been following us since Vanuatu.

We arrived in Dubai at noon after sailing through the Hormuz Strait. We went on an excursion that took us past most of the typical sights of excess. The only places we actually entered were the shopping mall/ski slope and the gold souk (market). For example, you cannot even cross the bridge to the Burj Al Arab unless you have some sort of reservation and even afternoon tea costs over a hundred dollars!

Ski Dubai

The second day we took an excursion to a neighboring emirate, Sharjah. Where as the Dubai ruler wants to make his emirate a tourist mecca, the Sharjah ruler wants to promote Arab culture. He has build numerous museums and art galleries, restored Al Hisn Fort near his early residence, and sponsored other cultural events and institutions. He also has to contend with having the bedroom of Dubai. Housing in Sharjah can cost half what it does in Dubai. But with that comes commuting traffic that is said to take two hours to drive the few miles. As a side note, Sharjah does not even have the minimal oil reserves that Dubai has. Consequently it has accepted money from Saudi Arabia, which has come with the strings of closer observance to the Saudi idea of Islam. Our tour ended at a very good Desert and & Wildlife Park.

Al Hisn Fort

Sultan' Statement

In the afternoon and evening of the second day, Janice and I went on a desert “safari.” Instead of boarding a bus ship-side, we went four to a four-wheel drive SUV and headed to the desert. At the first rest and refueling stop, we saw a rainbow, in the desert. At the appropriate spot we headed off road, circled the SUVs and let some air out of the tires. Then we went out through the sand dunes on a wild ride: up down and around.

Dune Ride

After a photo stop at a camel feeding pen, we went to the camp for a brief camel ride, some sand boarding, an Arabian BBQ, and a belly dancer.

Camel Ride

Luckily the rain held off until we were under cover eating dinner and stopped in time for the belly dancing. This was one of the best excursions so far.