Oman Road Trip #2 Part Three

... The end is near ...

Leaving the Gulf of Oman, commencing our westward trip home, and heading towards the deserted town of Tanuf, the Mediterranean feel of the coast gives way to stark desert and the serrated edges of the Hajar mountain range. I had not imagined in the slightest "the desert" could have some many different climates / ecosystems; but I am pleasantly surprised.

Famous for its Tanuf-brand mineral water, the old town of Tanuf was abandoned in the 1960s, a casualty of the Jebel Wars of a decade earlier. Bombed by the British to quell a rebellion at the request of the then Sultan, the town was demolished forcing its inhabitants to abandon their home, and what's left today is a great example of a tradition Omani town.

A falaj (an ancient gravity irrigation system) runs through the town next to the mosque. A track leads 8km or so up to Wadi Qashah where there are pools in which you can swim. The entire area is spectacularly beautiful even if the ruins of the ghost town of Tanuf are more than just a bit sobering.

Back in the car we go and up the twisting road we turn until we reach the Al Hotta Cave, which is located at the foot of Jebel Shams, is one of the largest cave systems in the world and in the vicinity of the Tanuf Valley in Al Hamra district. It is more than 5km long cave traversed by underground River.

Supposedly the cave is enormous in size and scale and absolutely picturesque, but as they only offer tours every few hours, we miss our window; that is, if we want to make it to our final destination with any light left. So, we have pass. Note to self: another reason to return one day!

Before we begin our ascent up the Jebel Sham mountain peak, we first have one more stop: Al Hamra (Arabic: red) is a 400-year-old town in the region Ad Dakhiliyah, in northeastern Oman. It is home to the mountainside village of Misfat Al Abryeen. Al-Hamra is also known as Hamra Al-Abryeen with reference to the Al Abri tribe who live there. Some of the oldest preserved houses in Oman can be found in Al Hamra, a town built on a tilted rock slab; it also features terraced gardens and a piazza, it almost feels Italianate. Many of the houses have two stories, with ceilings made of palm beams and fronds topped by mud and straw. We grab some very sweet panoramic shots of the date palm oasis and once again ... repeat after me .... jump back in the car.

Okay, here we go .... Jebel Shams! Jebel Shams Arabic: Jebel Shams mountain of sun) is a mountain located in northeastern Oman north of Al Hamra town. It is the highest mountain of the country and part of Al Hajar Mountains range. It is a popular sightseeing area located 240 km from Muscat. In the summer, temperature is around 20 ° C and in the winter it drops just above 0 ° C. 3,075 meters (10,089 ft). From what we are told, Jebel Shams is the "Grand Canyon" of the Middle East. Yes, we are pumped.

Oh, and before I continue on ... btw, if you ever try and make it to the top of this mountain range ... one suggestion: do not attempt the climb in the aforementioned Mitsubishi Lancer. You will not make it. Our "car" had to be put in first gear to even achieve forward motion up the grade, and even then, I felt like giving it the ole "Fred Flintstone" and using my feet. Sad.

Thankfully, just as we were about to wave the white flag and turn around ... we run into a very friendly stranger who jumped out of his dusty truck to say hello. Before we knew it, he was showing us a map of where we were and where we wanted to go. He kept pointing at our car, and saying, "no make it." Yeah, tell us something we don't know.

Well, the next thing we know, this strange man we don't know named Mohammed is instantly transformed into MOHAMMED! our trusty guide and savior of the trip! We all enthusiastically hop into his 250,000 mile + Land Rover as the13 Omani real price we negotiated for our trip to the top sounds like a bargain.

Mohammed talks to us the whole way up ... up, down, left, right, back n'forth ... yes the road is a gravel and dirt rollercoaster ... and Mohammed is very pleased to tell us all about the history of this place. At least, I think that's what he was attempting. For the only two phrases any of us could make out were, "you understand?", And "no problem!"

So, yes, we understood; it was no problem.

I could literally go on and on about how outstanding this part of the trip was ... the drive up, getting out and walking to what felt like the edge of the world .... The views of the vast expanse of canyon for as far as one could see ... the cool wind whipping up off the bluff ... the instant smack of vertigo as you looked over the brink straight down. It was surreal.

While it is quite a cliché to say so, the pictures shown here (or the many more I have posted on Facebook) of course don't do any justice to the vistas, the feeling, and the overall experience. This probably sums it up best: like any worthwhile and incredible trip, as soon as you leave, you can't wait to go back.

But back we must go.


The ride back down is treacherous and exhilarating ... with some sketchy sections and precipitous grade changes. Before leaving we wander around for just a few more minutes - stealing time - watch Mohammed pray towards Mecca, and attempt to store this one deep in the memory banks. I even write a flattering yet sarcastic (is there any other method to my madness) testimonial in Mohammed's notebook / advertising pamphlet.


As we venture further west, the sun bleeds into the triangles of rock that just out of the road ahead. The journey has finished.

Oman Road Trip #2 Part Two

So, we awake and grab a quick breakfast on the rooftop of the Marina Hotel – the view is really great; check out the panoramic above. Next, we head across the street into the Fish Market. The smell is exactly what you expect, but the sights and sounds are something else. The market features over 30 different types of fish, all laid out for the discerning shopper to bargain and haggle over. It reminded me of the fishing docks/market in Malpais, Costa Rica, just a lot busier and more streamlined.

We exit the Fish Market and cross the street to duck behind the building facades facing the bay; behind them lay the Muttrah Souk. Yes, I said Muttrah, not Muscat; more on that in a bit. Anyways the souk has all the normal features of an Arabic souk; narrow lanes with overhead enclosures/shade structures, dozens upon dozens of shops featuring everything from incense, clothes, textiles, pashmina scarves, jewelry, gold, silver, spices, food, coffee to the most of kitsch ‘knick-knacks’ you can find.

I love the souks though; the smell of frankincense and sandalwood, the constant shouts and sales pitches of the overly eager workers, all the colors and amazing outfits being displayed. I even get fitted for a traditional Turkish cap and scarf. The kummar is an intricately embroidered cap that is put on first, and is sometimes covered by a muzzar; a square of finely woven woollen or cotton fabric, wrapped and folded into a turban.

We head out of the souk and decide to get on the road to the city of Muttrah. After driving around somewhat lost and checking and re-checking the map (which btw, the maps we have are not the greatest)… we finally realize…. We were in Muttrah the whole time. Yes, we though we were in Muscat, but didn’t realize we had left it the night before. Ooops!

So, here’s a little backstory/information about Muttrah (Arabic: مطرح‎) population 650,000, is a city located in the Muscat province of Oman. Before the discovery of oil, Muttrah was the center of commerce in Oman. It is still a center of commerce as one of largest sea ports of the region is located there. Other landmarks include Souq Muttrah, a traditional bazaar and Sour Al-Lawatiah, a small community of houses surrounded by an old wall.

Our next pit-stop is Qurum, although it’s a brief one. We find the nicest Starbucks you’ll ever see, situated between a large saltwater marsh and the ocean. I grab my goodies an go for a ‘walk’ in the Gulf of Oman (YES! Another body of water I can check off my list, lol).

Back in our car… a very crappy Mitsubishi Lancer rental, with what seems to be a 4 horsepower lawnmover motor… we begin our journey back across Oman heading west towards the abandoned village of Tanuf.

….to be continued… the journey is almost done...

Oman Road Trip #2 Part One

Alright, so our normal work week here starts on Sunday, goes through Friday, with Saturday being our one day off, and then we get right back to it. Yeah, not ideal for relaxing and exploring. But then again, that’s not what we’re here for; so no complaints!

However, on the weekend of October 23rd – 24th, we actually get a Friday off, and we all take advantage of it. Bruce, Rand and Nick head to Musandam, in northern Oman, to meet up with Bruce’s social group to go diving. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of my equipment with me, nor do I really have the money to go diving and buy all new stuff, so instead I join some of my new PGAV friends, John and Maurisz, on a 2 day road trip to eastern Oman.

Anyways we set out to cross the UAE-Oman border and this is a bit trickier than say crossing from the States to Canada or even Germany into France (although historically, that’s always been pretty easy, hehe). We get through what seems like 5 or 6 different checkpoints in a ¼ mile stretch and we’re on our way. I noticed Mariusz is noticeably shaken or just not quite right and he finally confides that he was really stressed out. Apparently growing up as a boy in Poland and even as a teenager and college student, whenever he crossed borders into the Soviet Union or other Eastern bloc countries… well it was always a stressful situation to say the least.

We finally make it across and our first stop is the historical capital of Oman in the 6th and 7th centuries AD: Nizwa. Nizwa is one of the oldest cities in Oman and it was once a center of trade, religion, education and art. Its Jama (grand mosque) was formerly a center for Islamic learning; it also possesses a number of other renowned mosques, such as Sultan Qaboos Jama.

Set amid a verdant spread of date palms, Nizwa is strategically located at the crossroads of routes linking the interior with Muscat and the lower reaches of Dhofar thus serving as the link for a large part of the country. Today, Nizwa is a diverse prosperous place with numerous agricultural, historical and recreational aspects; it is also a center for date growing and is the market place for the area.

We arrived in town around noon, albeit about 5 minutes late as literally every single shop, store, restaurant, and place of business closes down as practically every resident heads to the local mosque (pictured to the right) to pray. What a spectacle as hundreds upon hundreds of male Muslims converge on the Jama mosque, remove their shoes and completely canvas not only the interior of the mosque, but also the streets and steps surrounding it.

Our next stop is Muscat, (Arabic: مسقط, Masqaṭ) the capital and largest city of Oman. Instead of myself describing the city, I’ll leave it to someone more capable:
"Muscat is a large and very populous town, flanked on both sides with high mountains and the front is close to the water's edge; behind, towards the interior, there is a plain as large as the square of Lisbon, all covered with salt pans. There are orchards, gardens, and palm groves with wells for watering them by means of swipes and other engines. The harbor is small, shaped like a horse-shoe and sheltered from every wind."

This is how Afonso de Albuquerque described Muscat, after the fall of the city in 1507. Pretty accurate description even today though!

The city holds fast to its past, roots, and traditions, shunning Dubai’s rapid acceptance of all things large and modern. Most of the buildings adhere to the traditional Gulf-Arab style of architecture, are usually bleached white or sand color and surrounded by extremely clean streets. It also seems that every single shop, office and building has a picture of Sultan Qaboos hanging somewhere. And lastly, while I’m not sure how new they are, Muscat also features numerous waterfront parks and linear parks, making the edge of the city feel very green. Another striking architectural feature is that of the enormous incense burner monument above Riyam Park, which was built to celebrate Oman's National 20th Day (pictured to the left).

We continue on further south towards the Al Bustan Palace Hotel; a majestic octagonal piece or architecture that juts out of its own bay by the ocean backed by the mountains (see the accompnaying picture that I did not take). The exterior of the building does not really lend to the opulence found within. The crème de la crème of the hotel is its magnificent atrium, which is large enough to house a Boeing 747 on its end. The lofty atrium is clad in 800,000 tons (!) of Blue De France and White Dionysus marble imported from France, Greece, Italy, amongst others. It is truly spectacular, especially as the lighting and coloring changes from one perspective to another. The exterior pool decks, multiple infinity edge pools, fountains, sculpture, manicured lawns, and expanse of beach only add to the ambiance, experience and undoubtedly, some extravagant costs!

We leave the Al Bustan and turn around and head back north to Muscat to find a cheap hotel and crash for the night. We settle on the Marina hotel, grab a decent Indian dinner and retire. We plan on waking up early and exploring more of Muscat… there’s just one problem.

- To be continued….