Oman: Tips, Secrets, Ideas, etc.??!!

[TLCOhio]

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Times last month, they had this headline: “Best winter sun holidays” with these highlights for "best getaways". Muscat was spotlighted as a top potential location with these story details: “Oman offers a glimpse of traditional Arabia. Mud-brick villages cling to the cliffs, crowds clamour for frankincense in the souks and white-robed Omanis graze goats between the palms. Although a little more developed, Muscat’s growth has been kept low key: the Sheraton Oman is one of the tallest buildings in the city. Highlights include the elegant Tea Library with Arabic infusions, and seafood in the Courtyard restaurant beneath a pretty grove of peach trees.”

 

Full story at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/best-winter-sun-holidays-destinations-2019-2020-rhc6fqcjk

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 238,147

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

Sorry, to have been away from this thread for some time.  But, it looks with the Covid over and the transition to their nation's new leader, things have been working well in Oman.  

 

From the London/UK Telegraph last month, they had this headline: “The perfect holiday in Oman” with these highlights by Sarah Marshal: “Revered by great adventurers such as TE Lawrence and Wilfred Thesiger, classic Arabia rarely exists beyond the pages of novels or history books. But in Oman, the wild, unadulterated Sultanate set at the mouth of the Gulf, ancient traditions and practices have been carefully woven into the modern world.  Tucked between rumpled mountain peaks and rolling ocean surf, historic forts and gritty souks rise alongside flashy five-star resorts in the capital city of Muscat. On the coast, wooden dhows are proudly built using techniques refined over hundreds of years, and all that glitters at night is a canopy of shining stars. Unlike its flashy neighbours, the oldest Arab state has resisted too much change, opting for crumbling watchtowers in place of shiny skyscrapers and sticking to a more conservative way of life. As a result, the country’s varied landscapes have remained largely intact; from the rose-scattered terraces of Jabal Akhdar to the golden dunes of Wahiba Sands, little has altered over the years.”

 

Here is a key suggestion: "Rise early to visit the extravagant Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (sultanqaboosgrandmosque.com), only open to non-Muslims from 8am to 11am (closed Fridays). Located in Wilayat Bawsh, it’s a 45-minute taxi ride from the hotel. Dress respectfully in long sleeves to enter the blinding-white marble building, gifted to the nation by Sultan Qaboos to mark his 30th year of reign. The opulence is staggering – from a 14-metre chandelier glittering with over 1,000 bulbs, to an enormous prayer carpet woven by 600 women."

 

Full story at:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tours/ultimate-itineraries/perfect-oman-holiday-muscat-tour/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Early 2020, many visuals and details from New Zealand/South Pacific in going from Auckland to French Polynesia.  This includes Bora Bora, Fiji, NZ experiences, etc:  Live/blog;

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2735732-live-terryohio-“new”-regatta-south-pacificnz-pix’s/

[Grandma Cruising]

For the Mosque, it’s not just long sleeves, but long trousers/skirts for ladies, plus for ladies a scarf to put over your hair. If not, you can hire garments there - a lady from our party who had cropped trousers on had to hire a long black gown. Another two ladies with cropped trousers had to borrow their husbands socks to cover their ankles.