Muscat, Oman

Oman is located on the Arabian Peninsula at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. There are nearly 5 million people in Oman, most of which are in Muscat. The Portuguese occupied Oman for 143 years, from 1507 to 1650. At the peak of its influence, Oman controlled land in modern day Iran, Pakistan, and as far south as Zanzibar. In the 20th century, it came under the influence of the United Kingdom. It later gained independence. Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said led the country from 1970 to early 2020 when he died. His cousin has since become the ruler.

IMG_8823

Muscat is the capital city of Oman and lies along the Gulf of Oman. The corniche is a beautiful waterfront promenade with many shops lining the perimeter. We visited the Mutrah Souq along the corniche, but due to it being a Friday, many of the shops were closed.

IMG_8830IMG_8834IMG_8836IMG_8838IMG_8839IMG_8833IMG_8821IMG_8824IMG_8826IMG_9033

We climbed to the top of Mutrah Fort, which was built by the Portuguese in the 1580’s. We also saw the Al Jalali and Mirani Forts.

IMG_8841IMG_8853IMG_8847IMG_8849IMG_8851IMG_8852IMG_8842IMG_8844IMG_8857IMG_8856IMG_9052IMG_8881IMG_8880

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque can hold up to 20,000 people. It is a magnificent structure made of Indian sandstone.

IMG_8893IMG_8896IMG_5932IMG_8898IMG_8897IMG_8900IMG_8902IMG_8899

The Royal Opera House was completed in 2011 and was built with immaculate white marble.

IMG_8884IMG_8885IMG_8886IMG_8888IMG_8890IMG_5903

The colorful Al Alam Palace is located in Old Muscat and is one of six sultanic residences of the monarch.

IMG_8876

We also stopped in a small fishing village to get a feel for the Oman of the olden days.

IMG_9064IMG_5901IMG_8872IMG_8870IMG_9060IMG_8820

We had many masala chai teas along the way, given that it was a five hour journey each way!

IMG_5934IMG_9034


One thought on “Muscat, Oman

Leave a Reply