Amanda PhillipsMuscat is a Must Visit On A Middle East Trip
Muscat is a destination that we were really looking forward to, and happily it didn’t disappoint.
We had pre-booked the Mystical Muscat tour with MSC back in the UK, so were up early to get on board the bus and head off with an English-speaking guide. Oman’s capital is completely different to the main cities we’d seen in the UAE, such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi – no high rise building is allowed, and the houses, offices, hotels etc are mainly white. It’s a place that’s very pleasing on the eye.
Our first stop on the tour was the Grand Mosque, built over 6 years and completed in 2001. At first glance, though it is fabulously grand, perhaps it’s not quite as visually – stunning as Abu Dhabi’s. Step inside (especially the men’s side!) and it’s a different matter. The
chandeliers are spectacular, the carpets took 600 women 3 years to complete by hand…you really can see the devotion that has gone into every aspect of the mosque. 5 minarets represent the 5 holy vows that every devout Muslim makes to reinforce his faith. The focus from every Omani person we met there was to help us understand their faith and it was a very interesting and calming experience, rounded off with Omani coffee, water and dates. Our guide was keen to emphasise that women and men in Oman have equal rights and we were served by both men and women here, as well as being offered a booklet on Islam and the Koran to give us a greater insight into it.
Our next stop couldn’t have been more of a contrast – the Muttrah Souk in the old part of Muscat, near the port where we were berthed. This was full-on, with shops selling an array of different goods. It was
our first real shopping experience since Dubai and couldn’t have been further from its upscale malls. Bartering was all part of the experience.
Handy tip – never take their first price, and be prepared for the shopkeepers to set the edge of your potential scarf purchase on fire to prove it’s cashmere!
4 scarves and many rials later, we trooped back on the bus for stop number 3 – the Bait Al Zubair Museum, a small townhouse which helps inform visitors about Omani traditions.
And finally, we spent some time outside the Sultan’s Palace, flanked on either side by the Miran and Jalali Forts, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century.
All in all, this was the perfect tour to get an insight into Oman, a place that we new little about before the cruise. A half day was just right, giving us time to have lunch and catch some rays in the afternoon too.
Dinner was a fun affair, with the waiters playing a practical joke on one of our fellow diners which was hilarious – but I won’t spoil it for you by describing it, in case you’re on an MSC cruise any time soon!
We finished the night at the pool bar, where a White Party was being held, with the ship’s dancers giving it their all. While we only stayed for one drink, there were lots of fellow guests who were definitely up for a party – and possibly some rather sore heads in prospect next morning…
Leaving Muscat