The Vittone Woolley's took off for Oman, our neighboring country to the southeast, to celebrate Eid ul Fitr. Eid marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. We decided to spend the long weekend in Oman's capital of Muscat.
The drive from Dubai is nearly 6 hours, at least two of that is spent at boarder control in long lines filling out paperwork, getting special car insurance, and paying this person and that, and delivering paperwork from office to office. (All this to repeat on return to the UAE.)
However, it is certainly worth the time and small headache. The capital and surrounding area supports a population of 1 million, but certainly doesn't feel like a bustling metropolis. It has a very laid-back feel to it and we enjoyed exploring the old souk (marketplace), the local museum, the many forts, and hanging out on the beach.
Though not many major difference from the UAE besides a noticeable lack of Ferarri's and Hermes handbags, we noticed that the men's headdress sports a more fez-like embroidered hat. The women's clothing broke from the traditional black abaya to very bright colors. The buildings, instead of a beige were white, much like Abu Dhabi. And the tops of their mosques were painted in beautiful vibrant colors and designs. The people of Oman were warm and welcoming
Our trip back included a quick stop in Nizwa, Oman's old capital city and home of the country's largest fort, and a drive back through the rocky mountains of central Oman that we would describe as ruggedly beautiful.
