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Meditations on Muscat factfile

Photos: Inder Raj Ahluwalia and AFP

Many moods Muscat and Oman

It could’ve been any old street back home…Single-file, I followed Darwish, who, for a man of his size, moved with surprising agility. And some purpose! But then he was on home turf. Insisting he wasn’t trying to “shake me off& #8221;, he strode on past shop after shop, some the size of a small lounge, others no bigger than a walk-in closet.

Not much of an initiation really, but it did convey a vivid feel for the place. Our hour-long bazaar experience had been an insight of sorts, and we felt more at home.

Amazing what dingy streets, crowded shop-counters, and heady fragrances can do for one’s orientation. But make no mistake, there’s nothing dingy about the city as a whole. The city itself ranks among the world’s cleanest and least cluttered.

Muscat is actually all about wide-open spaces, planned buildings, and landscaped gardens that form a neat patchwork. And for those who know where to find them, there are interesting old stories of former romantic times, still doing the rounds.

Once a thriving, strategically located port of the Arabian peninsula, Muscat today presents a blend of the old and the new, is home to some 500, 000 inhabitants, is the capital and hub of government machinery, and a bustling commercial centre. Giving a distinct character to things are the picturesque old buildings that co-exist with modern commercial and residential quarters.

The impressive cityscape of concrete and parks is dominated by pale white structures that all seem to be freshly painted. The city mirrors different images, some journeying back to its founding 900 years ago.

Images of old shipyards that built the famous dhows that sailed the seas in those early days. And of old structures such as the two old Portuguese forts, Jelali and Merani, that flank the rocky cove around which the city is built.

Ever the host and guide, Darwish started off our ‘touch & feel’ tour of the city at its undisputed showpiece, the seaside palace of H. M. Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Nestled between steep rocky hills, the stately palace presents a spectacular sight, with its huge multi-coloured columns that feature different architectural styles.

Also stunning is the Al Bustan Palace Hotel, a symbol of national pride. Set in a 100-acre beachfront property, the magnificent structure spells sheer opulence through its stunning lobby, upscale dining areas, and luxurious rooms.

But our exposure to genuine local flavour was in Muttrah, a busy commercial Centre renowned for its corniche, its harbour with romantic old dhows and visiting cruise ships and naval vessels, and the smells of the sea.

The afternoon slipped by as we meandered through the complex maze of the market souk with its seemingly endless corridors of stalls and shops, waded through stalls of vegetables and dates, and saw the day’s catch on display in the busy fish souk.

Munching on ripe dates and sipping mildly spiced herbal tea, we discovered why Arabian shopping can be delightful, exciting and tiring.

A wealth of hand-crafted jewellery, antiques and assorted foodstuffs from the world over, besides silver coffee pots, tribal rugs, and khanjars (curved ceremonial daggers), are just some items available in the souks, which also offer a typical ‘market-day’ oriented atmosphere, with noise, bargaining and head-shaking.

In Souq Al Juma, popularly known as Friday Market, one can pick up new and old items that range from furniture to cars. In Al Qurm, elegant shopping malls beckon visitors, and though the bargaining decreases, the atmosphere remains the same.

Much of Oman’s beauty is legacy to the sea and the country’s best sea-ports are easily accessible. Stunningly beautiful is Bander Jussa, which has the Oman Dive Centre. A sheltered bay on the edge of a golden beach, deep blue sea made more blue by the contrasting golden sands and huge rock formations eerily jutting out into the water, it is paradise-like.

Marina Bander Al Rowdha offers chartered cruises and sailboats for hire, and also scuba-diving lessons, and the restaurant that overlooks the harbour serves the best fish curry in the entire Middle East.

The nerve-centre of the large-scale shipping activity is the state-of-the-art deep-water port, Mina Sultan Qaboos. But the intrinsic relationship between land and sea is also featured through other spots. The Yacht Centre of the Marine Science and the Fisheries Centre, shows both the practical and leisure side of marine life.

And the small fishing village of Qantab provides a great view of the sea and a close look into the unique lifestyle of fishermen. Also interesting are the Petroleum Development Exhibition Centre, the Omani French Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the cities of Seeb and Bausher.

Modern and progressive it may be, but Oman remains distinctively and proudly Arab in outlook and attitude, and Muscat personifies this to the letter. The call of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer, traditional styles of dressing — men in white disdashas, women in long black silk robes, and the bustling souks don’t let one forget that one is in the heart of Arabia.

As the setting sun painted the western edge of the city a pale gold, way out, the luxury yachts cut a swathe in the water, their bows shining against the spray. And the Al Bustan Palace Hotel shone like an emerald against the backdrop of the sea.

It was Arabia, all right. But nice and easy.

FACTFILE

Muscat is well connected by air with India, with Oman Air and Gulf Air operating flights between the two

countries.

The best season to visit is from October to March. One has a choice of accommodation comprising both luxury hotels and modest properties. The local language is Arabic, but English is spoken, as is a little Hindi. The local currency is the Omani Rial. Credit cards are accepted in most eating and shopping outlets and hotels, but not in small shops. Several city-based travel agencies organise safaris, car-rentals, and local sightseeing. The Muscat dining experience is varied, with restaurants serving Indian food and Arab dishes. Indian nationals require a visa to enter Oman.

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