Monday, 4 November 2019
Sailing from Salalah to Muscat, Oman

Today is another sea day as we sail from Salalah, in the southernmost province of Oman, to Muscat, the capital city in the northern part. Since I am pretty much caught up to the present, I shall get right to yesterday’s tour in Salalah.

Sunday , 3 November 2019
Salalah, Oman

It feels good to step on dry land again at our 7am arrival in Salalah, a place that few American tourists visit on their own.  The Encore is here for only half a day—we sail again at 2pm—but that is enough time to get a sense of the sprawling city, only recently taking part in the development of this part of the world.  The guide on the excursion is quite good at giving a sense of the history and culture of this area, not very far from the border with Yemen, but seemingly immune to the fighting going on in that country.

Oman has been slower to develop than other Gulf States, both because of cultural issues, and much lower oil revenue than anywhere else in the region.  In Salalah there are no tall buildings, I think five stories was the highest I saw, and there is little manufacturing other than what is needed for local consumption. The country is ruled by a Grand Sultan, now getting on in years, who was educated in the UK, and who deposed his own father (with the help of the British).  After the deposing of the old ruler, the country set out on a more modern trajectory.

The quality of life seems good, with very low taxation, free lifetime medical care (including being sent abroad if necessary), ample housing, and a “parliamentary” government—although in reality the Sultan seems to have total control over everything.  Our guide is clearly an avid supporter of the Sultan and his accomplishments. But these “liberal” conditions are belied by many more conservative traditions, especially regarding women. 

Although woman are allowed to work outside the home, most “choose” not to. A member of the tour asked our guide why men could wear cool white clothing—I forgot to mention it is hot and very humid today—while woman wear black burkas and face coverings, the color that most absorbs heat.  The wording of the guide’s answer was very telling:  “young girls start wearing heavy black coverings even before they are allowed to leave the house.  Thus, by the time they become teenagers and must wear black all the time, they are PROGRAMMED [his word] not to mind the heat.”

Well, enough commentary, now on with the tour: 

Sultanate Heritage—a UNESCO Partner Tour

The tour bus meets us at the ship and it is a very long ride just to leave the port area, which is very large with much new construction in various stages of incompleteness.  The exit from the port is followed by an almost one-hour ride on a main highway that bypasses the central part of the city.  Thus I get a comprehensive view of the outlying suburbs, mostly desert with new communities springing up everywhere.  There isn’t much variety in the landscape, other than the distant mountains that separate Oman from Saudi Arabia to the far west. 



The guide uses this time to explain the history of Salalah and the politics of Oman, as well as to answer questions, such as the one regarding women in black.

The roads are well-maintained and the ample use of roundabouts, usually with art and greenery, keeps traffic moving at a goodly clip.   

A Typical Highway Roundabout

Although we seem to be driving through the inland desert, after about 45 minutes we are actually quite close to the sea.  Our first stop—just when I am thinking that the driving will never end and this is not the tour I thought it would be—is at Samhuram, established around 3000 BCE, a UNESCO site associated with the Queen of Sheba.  This port was an important part of the Frankincense trade routes from Biblical times through the Middle Ages.  I won’t go into the details of frankincense here, but until modern times it has always been the major source of Oman’s wealth.  You might wish to go to Wikipedia for additional information and fun facts about this product of tree sap.

Our guide leads us through the remains of the old fortress with surprising views of the port and lagoon that lead to the sea.

After we leave the port,  we make several stops on the return drive to Salalah and the Encore.  The first stop is the Al Husn Palace, a fine example of early Sultanate lifestyle.

We make a brief photo stop outside the Royal Palace of Al Husn, one of the Sultan’s many modern palaces.  Although we are not allowed inside, the absence of heavy security in the area is a testament to our guide's claim that Oman is one of the safest places in the world.

The final two stops on this morning’s tour are very close to the Sultan’s Palace:  The Frankincense Museum and the Al Husn Souq (Local Market).  The museum is an impressive building and contains a variety of historical objects—books, pottery, artwork—related to is central subject.  The exhibits are beautifully displayed, with explanatory labels in Arabic and English.  There is also a small cafe, bookstore, and souvenir shop.

Museum interior Window

Museum Central Courtyard

The souq, one of the oldest in Salalah, is dedicated almost solely to the sale of frankincense and its adjunct products.  The big F is tapped from trees in thick liquid form, later hardening into several colors of pellets.  There are five degrees of quality, and prices vary accordingly.  

Just beyond the souq, where tourist buses park, is one of Salalah’s many pristine beaches, hardly ever used, we are told, by locals. Today the beach is totally deserted except for us.

And one last photo, of camels wandering the desert.

It has been a very long half-day that turned out more fruitful than its beginning suggested.  The short ride from the souq back to the port and then the ship goes through central Salalah, which if you blink you will miss. I blinked.

Tomorrow is another sea day and then three days and three ports in the UAE.