Despite the busy schedules in Muscat, we also took the opportunity to go around and visited many interesting places there.
Muscat is the capital and largest city in the Sultanate of Oman. The city has an estimated population of 600,000. Since the ascession of Sultan Qaboos bin Said as the Sultan of Oman, Muscat has seen a growth of infrastructural development and urbanisation. In general, the building in Muscat are generally low (rarely more than five story) and white.
Something important that I want to record here is the fact that six months before my trip there, (6th June 2007 to be exact) Muscat was hit by Cyclone Gonu causing extensive damage to properties and rendering electricity, telephone lines and international airport inoperable. Most of the major roads were washed away by the water. Some of the buildings were flooded up to the roof level. That was 6 months ago. Surprisingly, when I arrived in Muscat in December 2007, there is not even a single trace of the effects of the cyclone that can be seen with the naked eyes. Within a matter of only 6 months, the city of Muscat has rebuild itself and came back to its normal life, as if nothing disastrous happened. Yes, 6 months or less was what it took them to rebuild all over again. I wonder if we in Brunei could do that, if it does happen to us. Nauzubillah...
Anyway, I hope you will enjoy these photos.
The Palace where Sultan Qaboos receives most of his esteemed visitors...
A closer view of the Palace...
We also went to the Ruwi, in east Muscat...
The oldest part of the city, near the sea...
Matrah Souq...
Golds and more golds...
Souvenirs...
Posing at one of the dates tree...
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