Muscat, Oman.
I was in Muscat a few years ago and absolutely loved it.
I’d been to the mosque, the palace and the souk (and other places).
This visit I shared a taxi with Cat and Barry from the Christmas cruise and has a wonderful day.
We hired a taxi and went to the Souk – as souks are always amazing, and again I could not stop thinking that Cleopatra and many others had walked these very walkways. Amazing.
Of course we did a bit of shopping. Spices and scarves!
Then off to the fruit and fish markets. Fantastic.
Lots of different things and it was fun to work out what they were. Marrows and pawpaw type things we think.
The fish markets were fantastic – as always. Huge range of stuff caught in a sustainable way in small boats with hand nets and lines. Not huge commercial netting.
Mind you some of the sharks, shove nose rays etc were pretty small. There was a ‘butchering’ section at the end. You bought your fish then took it up there and told them how you wanted it cut, filleted etc. Very clever. Huge knives and bits of fish flying everywhere.
We then headed off to see the Opera House, and many other grand building.
To the local beach, a super hotel, then off to a small fishing village. It was great that it was not the one I went to last time.
Then back to a local restaurant. Fantastic. We got there at about 12.50. So had to wait a while for them to get things going again as they had all been of to the Mosque for noon prayers.
The food was great – lamb cooked in the ground. Kingfish. Camel – fairly tough. A chicken curry and the most delightful rice and breads.
And of course the sensational lemon and mint drink. Amazing. I had forgotten all about it. It was sensational.
As much as I love Oman……I cannot help wondering what they were thinking when they saw this ‘lovely land’ and decided to settle here.
We got back to the ship early enough for me to have a nana nap. I hadn’t had one for soooo long.
Next page Dubai.