A short trip to Muscat, Oman

[Mr Brown]

Hello Badgers I've been in Oman, not literally but to the Gulf Sultanate on the Arabian Penninsula. I travelled with Oman Air and found then to be very good; as expected it was a brand new aircraft on both legs on my journey to Bangkok. Personally however the stopover is too long both ways but if you do get chance I do recommend getting out of the airport, it makes the onward 5 hours to Bangkok much easier. I've got a 5 hour stopover on the way back and I'll surely stay in the airport transit lounge. 8 hours in Muscat was more than enough.

There was lots of tourists in Muscat, strangley enough most were German by the bus, however this didn't spoil the occasion.

If your flying Oman air the beer was poured all the way, I managed to claim all 4 ailse seats at the back of the craft and get my beer from both trolley dollys on each side; even managed to bag a few of them small bottles of wine to take into town. Came good as a shared one later with a girl with big jugs.

When I got out of the airport I was imeddiatley approached by Hammoud who was charging 10 Riel for a trip into town - approx 14 pounds - I managed to find three others who were willing to share the private taxi and agreed Hammoud would take us around for the day; he bagged 40 Reil from us and no doubt bagged his wife that night for that days earnings I reckon.

One thing I forgot to mention was the word beer; I left it far too late in the day; I realised theres plenty to be had at one riel a glass.

Anyhow heres some photos.

First Hammoud took us to the great mosque



Here's a blurry photo of the womens prayer room, it was shite compared to the blokes expectedly



Minaret



The chandelier inside the mens prayer room, for some reason I can't find the pic showing the size of the room; Mahmood reckons you could fit over 5000 in there



Hammoud and I



Outside





Next Hammoud took us to the hot springs

Basically it was just a toilet and a waste of time, heres a pic of the private taxis outside the bogs



Inside

[Mr Brown]

After we travelled into the city, managed to bag a pic of the national stadium



A view going into the city



The city is on the coast, this is where we parked outside the old market.



The market



You'll see around the old city lots of fortifications I believe built by the Portuguese; I could be wrong





Next up was the Sultans house







Indian chap sleeping on the rocks, alot of them are there working the shit jobs

[Mr Brown]

My personal favourite.



Because I was travelling with a small group I refrained from saying that magic cross cultural barrier word "beer".

I got round to it and next thing I know we were in a what looked closed down hotel - through the doors and it was full of Omanis getting there fill. Of course in Oman it is legal to drink but not in public; for 1 Reil we started sinking large cans of Amstel and played pool.

It was a good finish - hard work convincing the chap above I only wanted a pic of the poster above his head.

"Beer, the reason I get up every afternoon"

[mobs00]

Nice thread. Hammoud didn't get a chance to tag you with the TD logo though? Unfortunate.

[mobs00]

Is that Clive Owen?

[kingwilly]

nice work, cheers MrPot

[jandajoy]

Hammoud and I

Which one's you?

[kingwilly]

how do you fuck up a quote like that JJ, or are you trying to be funny ?

as in KW is mulsim ... ?

[The Fresh Prince]

did mrs brown and the nong get back with you ok? I cant remember fuck all from the night we had in bangers apart from me telling you the story about me getting frisked by the police and a few other stories about nights out.

[jandajoy]

how do you fuck up a quote like that JJ, or are you trying to be funny ? as in KW is mulsim ... ?

arse.

[jizzybloke]

Came good as a shared one later with a girl with big
jugs.

No pics of the juggs?

[Rural Surin]

Lovely and vivid images, Pot!! Well done. Oman is your only destination in the region??

[somtamslap]

Oman is your only destination in the region??

It was a stop over on the way to Bangers..

Nice one Mr.P..been there a few times but never been motivated to leave the airport.

[Mr Brown]

did mrs brown and the nong get back with you ok? I cant remember fuck all from the night we had in bangers apart from me telling you the story about me getting frisked by the police and a few other stories about nights out.

They weren't with me that night, that was previous

[Banjopickingbuddy]

Nice pictures!!
Changed a lot from when I used to go there for business back in the late seventies early eighties.
Omani's are probably the nicest of all the Gulf Arab people, real gentlemen.

[WujouMao]

when you said 10 Riel, i thought bugger, that's cheap, then i remembered you were in Oman and not Cambodia

quality. that Muslim drinking beer has got to be one of the best shots i've seen. i think most of us would do this same, ie, take his photo. he doesnt look too bothered anyway. maybe half cut

how did you manage getting into the prayer hall? you didn't bribe anyone? and hell, you got some balls taking photo's in the womens!

[Mr Brown]

^ Oman comes across as a different cut of Muslim society. The Arabian race there are a different cut apparently.

I found them very hospitible and would definatly fly again with Oman air

[Happyman]

Did quite a few trips to Oman - fitting diesel engines into those magnificent Dhows that the EXTREEEMLY wealthy Omanis have built as pleasure boats !
Coupla things that I remember

There was a restaurant on the corniche that did superb lobster ( actually crayfish like you get in Thailand)
Order them and a couple of them would be put in front of you - each about half a
kilo - grilled to perfection .
Finish them and another couple would appear !!! It was an 'all you can eat ' place !!
four was about my limit and with a couple or three beers it came to about 15 $ US

The other thing that is historical and interesting - to me anyway- was that when the Emirates were the Trucal States under British control the harbour at Muscat was the naval base ror replenishing supplies and water .
The tradition was that the most junior midshipman and the ships bo'sun would climb up the rockface of the fort at the harbour entrance , and paint the name of the Ship and date of visit - also the midshipmans name !

When I was there I was fit- a lot younger - and had a head for heights !!

Spent many weekends clamberin up and looking for these .

Found a lot ( unfortunately pics were abandoned in UK after the divorce) and the oldest one I found was from 1834 - a year after the treaty was signed - vessel name was faded away but the midshipmans name was Hardingston !!

In spare time I search through the Royal Navy lists for the period but so far no luck .
The name is from the Plymouth area in UK but if he was pressganged and either killed in action or illness there will be no record !

If any TD posters go to Oman take a day off and get some history between your ears !
You can get a bumboat to take you out there for a few riyals and it is bloody fascinating !
Well it is to me !

[natalie8]

Great pics, Mr B. We've been to all those places except for the closed down hotel. It's really a shame you didn't have a full day. You could have taken a ride down along the coast like we did. If nobody minds, I'll post my pics of this. It's extremely peaceful and breathtaking. I'll have to post them later on, I need to go out now.

[slackula]

I lived and worked in Oman for a little over 18 months, about a hundred clicks from Muscat. It was a cool place.

The locals were good people, and will actually work at a proper job unlike the situation in the UAE.

Oman has some interesting history too, once you get into the countryside there are really nice old forts, built by the Portuguese as Mr Brown said that are fun to visit and the scenery is very nice. I had a Harley back then and used to take it over the border to Al Ain in the UAE, it was a great ride.

Plus I met my wife there so I have fond memories of the place.

[natalie8]

I had a Harley back then and used to take it over the border to Al Ain in the UAE, it was a great ride. Plus I met my wife there so I have fond memories of the place.

Nice!

[coxyhog]

I worked at Seeb airport 1983-92 and found the locals to be very friendly.
Any of my workmates I heard moaning I used to say to them 'Go & work in Saudi for a year & you won't moan about this place again'.

[kiwinev]

I worked at Seeb airport 1983-92 and found the locals to be very friendly.
Any of my workmates I heard moaning I used to say to them 'Go & work in Saudi for a year & you won't moan about this place again'.

Got to agree with you there, I worked on Masirah 80-83 and again 94-97 and even Masirah was more fun than Saudi.

[DrAndy]

Oman was one of the great places I have worked in

fantastic fun and incredibly beautiful and varied

[Nice Guy]

Beautiful pics, and I'm very curious about Oman.