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FROM LEFT: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE/ALAMY; APARNA PEDNEKAR. OPPOSITE: ULLSTEIN BILD/GETTYIMAGES
heritage intact, the monarch is not
(in the least) averse to record-
breaking grandeur. The Sultan
Qaboos Grand Mosque is a case in
point, a masterpiece of Islamic
architecture in sandstone and white
and grey marble. It once housed the
world’s largest hand-woven Persian
carpet and the world’s largest
chandelier, which were reportedly
snooped upon and one-upped by the
Emiratis and Qataris. They still lord
over the men’s prayer hall, the latter
in particular enormously dazzling,
bearing over 600,000 Swarovski
crystals and 24-carat gold plating.
Suitably covered from head to toe,
I spend a glorious hour wandering
the mosque, observing the detailed
calligraphy and jewel-toned
arabesques. The ladies at the Islam
centre within the mosque off er tea,
dates and a friendly open house on
Islam. I have zero questions; the
good women are preaching to theuscat’s souk game is on point. It’s a Friday
afternoon and I’m at Muttrah Souk, armed
with half a dozen crispy cabbage sambusas,
waiting for shops to pull up their shutters
at 4 pm. Day temperature hovers at a
relatively pleasant 32 degree, which shoot up
to 49 degrees by mid-June. I’ve pre-plotted
my souvenir shopping route through the
labyrinth but I am waylaid by kilos of gleaming jewellery.
After extricating myself from the maze, I stroll down the
Corniche, stopping to gawk at a pretty little boat named
Sunfl ower docked in the port. The US$300 million beauty
belongs to Oman’s beloved Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al
Said. She has her own helipad where the Sultan’s guests
descend, often to enjoy a marvellous evening in the
concert hall that can hold a 50-piece orchestra.ROYAL SCENT AND SENSIBILITY
The 76-year-old Sultan has ruled Oman for almost
fi ve-decades to unanimous acclaim, pulling the country
out of near poverty by leveraging recent oil wealth, while
playing peaceful mediator between the Gulf, the west,
and Iran. The forward-looking, music-loving monarch
also looks personally into keeping Oman’s heritage
and aesthetics in order, by issuing strict decree on the
height and colour of buildings. As a
result, driving around Muscat unveils
a dreamy landscape of low-rise,
white-washed houses against pink
bougainvillea nestled into craggy hills
looking out at the turquoise Gulf of
Oman. While keeping Oman’sFrom left: Kahwa at
Nizwa Souk; tourists
watch a green sea
turtle, Chelonia
mydas, cover her
nesting hole after
laying her eggs.
Opposite: The Sultan
Qaboos Grand
Mosque in Muscat.Driving around Muscat unveils a dreamy
landscape of low-rise, white-washed
houses against pink bougainvillea.
M
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