English Teacher in Oman
Muscat
February 2012
Background
During our second teaching stint in Oman, we often made trips to Muscat to either go shopping or do sightseeing on weekend days when we longed for a break from rural Oman. We made regular trips to Seeb, to the Muscat City Center shopping mall, to buy things we weren't able to get at the rural shops in Rustaq or Al Musannah.
We made a couple of trips to Muttrah, a section of Muscat, where there is a corniche with great harbor views and a souq, surrounded by great restaurants and coffee shops. We first worked in Oman during 2008/2009 and during that time we fell in love with this spot.
On this particular trip, Ansu and I drove down from Al Musannah on a Friday afternoon to spend some time at Muttrah Corniche to appreciate the scenic views in Muttrah bay from the Corniche, and enjoy a meal at a coffee shop across from the corniche.
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Ship & Dhow in Muttrah harbour |
About Oman
Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is an
Arab country on the south-eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Holding a
strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the country
shares land borders with the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi
Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest, and shares marine borders with
Iran and Pakistan.
From the late 17th
century, the Omani Sultanate was a powerful empire, vying with Portugal and
Britain for influence in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. At its peak in
the 19th century, Omani influence or control extended across the Strait of
Hormuz to modern-day Iran and Pakistan, and as far south as Zanzibar (today
part of Tanzania, also former capital). As its power declined in the 20th
century, the sultanate came under the influence of the United Kingdom.
Historically, Muscat
was the principal trading port of the Persian Gulf region. Muscat was also
among the most important trading ports of the Indian Ocean.
Oman is an absolute
monarchy. The Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said has been the hereditary leader of
the country since 1970. Sultan Qaboos is the longest-serving current ruler in
the Middle East and sixth-longest current reigning monarch in the world.
Oman has modest oil
reserves, ranking 25th globally. Nevertheless, in 2010 the UNDP ranked Oman as
the most improved nation in the world in terms of development during the
preceding 40 years.
A significant
portion of its economy is tourism and trade of fish, dates, and certain
agricultural produce. This sets it apart from its neighbours’ solely
oil-dependent economies. Oman is categorized as a high-income economy
(Wikipedia).
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With my wife and brother at the Muttrah Corniche - May 2012 |
About Muttrah
Muttrah, (Arabic: مطرح) administratively a district, is located in the Muscat province of Oman. Before the discovery of oil, Muttrah was the center of commerce in Oman (Muscat).
It is still a center of commerce as one of the largest seaports of the region is located there.
Other landmarks include Souq Muttrah, a traditional bazaar, and Sour Al-Lawatiah, a small community of houses surrounded by an old wall. To the south lies Muscat District.
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The Seagull coffeeshop across from Muttrah Corniche |
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Old buildings across from Muttrah Corniche |
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Tour of Oman being advertised - Muttrah Corniche |
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Yacht of Sultan Qaboos in Muttrah harbour |
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View of a dhow in Muttrah Bay taken from Muttrah Corniche |
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Yacht of Sultan Qaboos in Muttrah harbour |
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Dhow cruise advertisement - Coffee shop across from Muttrah Corniche |
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Ansu discussing options with the waiter - Coffee shop across from Muttrah Corniche |
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Well, now we know the time..... |
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Dhow on anchor in Muttrah harbour |
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Muttrah Corniche |
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Tugboat maneuvering a ship - Muttrah harbour |
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Contrasts...Traditional Omani Dhow & modern Freighter - Muttrah harbour |
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Ansu at Muttrah Corniche with the yacht of Sultan Qaboos in Muttrah harbour |
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Muttrah Corniche |
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Traditional Omani Dhow - Muttrah harbour |
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Traditional Omani Dhow - Muttrah harbour |
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Enjoying the view - Muttrah corniche |
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A dhow in Muttrah Bay |
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Seabirds enjoying the blue water - Muttrah Bay |
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Mountains across Muttrah bay |
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Parking lot & Coffee shops near Muttrah Corniche |
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Coffee shop near Muttrah Corniche |
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Seabirds feeding in Muttrah Bay |
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Gulf Fast Food Coffee Shop across from Muttrah Corniche |
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Passenger Cruise liner leaving Muttrah harbour after docking for a couple of hours |
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