Oman

How I used to love walking along this coastal road and sidewalk in Muttrah (part of greater Muscat), Oman. I wonder how many of these old buildings remain standing today. This photo was taken around 1977.

"Muscat, the official capital of Oman, is only a small part of a larger grouping of cities and towns strung some 40kms along the coast of the Gulf of Oman, which is known locally as the 'Capital Area' or the 'Muscat Municipality.' Never much deeper than 3 or 4 kms, this string of towns forms a sort of necklace sandwiched between the sea to the north and a very rocky, primeval-looking range of barren mountains to the south. Despite its ceremonial position as capital, the neighboring cities of Muttruh, with its superb corniche encirling a charming bay, and Ruwi, the traditional commercial center of the area, are both much more important. A thriving and strategically located port of the Arabian peninsula in ancient times, Muscat is the capital of modern Oman. It has a somewhat medieval appearance with two old Portuguese forts, Jelali and Merani. These picturesque old structures co-exist with modern, commercial, and residential quarters of the neighboring coastal towns, and lend the city an ambience all its own . The seaside, ceremonial palace of H.M.Sultan Qaboos Said, nestled between steep rocky hills, offers a spectacular sight, especially at night." Taken from www.trayle.com/destinations/destination/muscat We must have gone to the suq on a day that it was closed, to avoid taking photos of people who would normally be in the market. This photo was taken around 1977 and things will have changed greatly by now.

This was one of the places I really liked in Oman, taken in April 1977. These ruins were just before Nizwa, if I remember correctly.

This was an old dhow beached by Muttrah fish market in Oman. The photo was taken in May 1977, so I wonder if it is still there - probably not. Such a beauty! Scanned from an old photo, so the colours are really bad.

This is one of the very fine, old buildings along the Corniche (sea road) in Muttrah, Muscat, Oman (Middle East). muscati, I hope I am right when I say I think this photo, taken in 1977, shows your grandfather's house.

One of the two spectacular forts "protecting" Muscat's harbour. "The forts of Al Jalali and Al Mirani are the capital's most prominent landmarks and were built in the 16th century AD. The Portuguese completed their construction of Jalali Fort in 1587. Its present-day form dates from the reign of Sayyid Said bin Sultan, and this Fort was restored and converted into a museum in the reign of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said." (Taken from www.omanet.om) . Scanned from an old photo taken in March 1975.

Yet another view along the Muttrah Corniche in Oman. These beautiful old buildings overlook Muttrah harbour. For those of you who are familiar with Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian explorer famed for his 1947 Kon-Tiki raft, we were lucky enough to see his reed boat, Tigris, moored in Muttrah harbour (1977 or early 1978). "On April 3, 1978, after their five-month-4,200-mile-oceanic voyage, Thor Heyerdahl and his 10-man crew burned their reed ship in protest of the wars raging in the Middle East." Scanned from an old photo taken around 1977.

I know this is a very typical view overlooking part of the city of Muscat. Scanned from an old photo taken around 1977. I see from photos that the Sultan's palace is much more colourful now! I would imagine that the whole area must be far more built up, too.

A fine example of Omani architecture along the Muttrah Corniche. Scanned from an old print taken in March 1977.