OMAN DAY TWO
Sunrise on the Gulf of Oman
When I arrived, it was just me and the seagulls, the shoreline empty, with the video as my witness. Slowly, other early risers appeared—horseback riders moving along the water’s edge and older men deep in animated conversation, their feet leaving fleeting footprints in the sand. Then the sun rose, its light catching in the breaking waves… Oman has me completely enchanted.
How can I even describe this mosque? I’ve visited many over the years, but nothing compares to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. Built as a gift from Sultan Qaboos to mark 30 years of his reign, it feels both monumental and intensely personal. Despite its size, the space has an intimacy—warmth, calm, and a sense of quiet solitude. Even though visitors line the edges of the prayer hall, my memory insists it was silent… as if I had the place to myself.
And then there’s the rug. Woven by 600 Iranian artisans over four years, it contains 1.6 billion knots and weighs 21 tons. It’s nearly the size of a football field.
How do you build a place that holds 6,500 worshippers but leaves the lone person feeling like you’re the only one? Nothing prepared me for the beauty of this building.
Oman continues to enchant.
Muttrah Souk is a maze of treasures—so many things to see, touch, and wonder about. It’s the oldest souk in Muscat and one of the oldest in the Arabian Peninsula. As you walk through its passages, the scent of oud, frankincense, and spices fills the air. The place feels frozen in time, as if the modern world waits outside its doors. Maybe time stands still inside the souk.
The silver pieces stay with me. I still dream about the silver beads I left behind.
Here, silver—not gold—has long been the traditional choice, symbolizing heritage, beauty, and even spiritual protection. Omani families cherish their silver, and you can feel that history in every piece.
Al Alam Palace
After seeing the traditional buildings in Nizwa, the incredible architecture of the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, I wasn’t expecting an angular entrance painted in shades of blue and gold. I almost missed the remainder of the building as the entrance was so powerful.
The building was rebuilt in 1972 as the ceremonial palace of Sultan Qaboos. The site of this building has been home to royal houses for more than two centuries.
The reflections in the water and stone keep my camera busy.
Well, if Al Alam Palace surprised me, the Royal Opera House did much the same. I stepped inside and suddenly felt as if I were in Vienna, Paris, or London — not Muscat. The Royal Opera House Muscat was built by royal decree, and it feels just as regal. Construction began in 2001 and finished in October 2011, opening with none other than Plácido Domingo conducting the first opera. Sultan Qaboos envisioned a venue that would bring world-class ballet, music, and opera to Oman, and this became the first opera house on the Arabian Peninsula. Our guides kept insisting we needed to see the building, and honestly, I was ambivalent — I was far more interested in photographing camels along the road. But they were right. The Opera House is worth seeing not only for its beauty but also for what it represents: Oman’s eye on the future.
Another trip to the Middle East ended.
Then we flew to London to spend some time in the United Kingdom.
TRAVEL AGENTS, SITES AND SERVICES
Anna at Bin Majid Tourism arranged our trips to Qatar and Oman. See link above for her contact information.