Oman, traditionalism is looking into the future.
Oman is a rising star in tourism and with good reasons. At first glance, it looks very conservative and traditional, but do not get fooled. You will see most Omani men wearing the Dishdash, the long white robe, and on the head a Kuma, a rounded cap that is often white and decorated with various ornate, colourful designs. Women seem free to show their hair, but many can have a bright dress with a black Abaya on the top. At the same time, in the last 50 years, they have developed from a poor trade and fishing country to a modern oil country.
The following subjects will be posted later
- Muscat
- The Royal Opera House and Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
- Trip to Wadi Shab and Bimmah Sinkhole
- Nizwa and Oman Across Ages Museum
- Circle trip from Nizwa
- Al Hamra
- Rustaq
The former great Sultan of Oman
Qaboos bin Said became the Sultan after a coup supported by the British against his father in 1970. When he took over, the country was in a terrible state, but he was clever and won people’s hearts. He was a great diplomat and managed to stay friendly with all his neighbours and the world. After they found oil, the country became wealthier, but he envisioned keeping on the old traditions. This is very evident in Muscat, where buildings higher than ten floors are not allowed, no glass buildings, and everything is kept in white and light colours.
Sultan Qaboos had studied in the UK; he loved classical music, opera and apparently ABBA. I had suspicions before I went to Oman, but it was confirmed that Sultan Qaboos had been a “family member”. It should have been quite well known, which is quite rich, being in such a conservative country where this is a criminal act. It is an Arabic tradition that every Sultan or King should at least build one Mosque to be able to enter Paradice. I did at least see four mosques that bore his name.
Hitchhiking through the countryside of Oman
Public transport is not that heavily developed in Oman. There are a few bus lines in Muscat, and then a bus connecting Salalah in the south and the old capital Nizwa inland from Muscat. I had read in advance that hitchhiking was pretty common in Oman because of the lack of public transport. Salalah is a full-day journey from Muscat, and I discovered there is not much to see between these cities. Therefore, I decided to stay in the mountains, travel to Nizwa by bus, and hitchhike around the area.
From lush valleys to ultra-modern museums
In the following posts, I will describe my journey, my fantastic experiences in nature, and my visit to one of the most ultra-modern museums I have ever visited—the Oman Across Ages Museum. I hope you will follow me on the journey through this relatively small and peaceful country.
