From a posh hotel in Muscat to desert fortifications#

Note: All pictures were taken in 2005 and can be freely used with the mentioning "Foto: H. Maurer, Austria-Forum".

This first part shows the lobby of the hotel with a view of the ocean, and then a visit of Nizwa some 180 km inland, in the process climbing a pass of 2200 m near Jebel Akbar peak with over 3000 m.

Foto: H. Maurer
Glass windows to pool and ocean

Foto: H. Maurer

Foto: H. Maurer
In the Lobby of the Hotel

Foto: H. Maurer
Blick auf das Meer vor dem Hotel. Der Swimmingpool war einladender

Foto: H. Maurer
En route to Nizwa

Foto: H. Maurer

Foto: H. Maurer

Driving from Nizwa to Bahla an Jabrin, we see friendly children smiling curiously at us and visit the only souq (=market) under UNESCO world heritage.

Foto: H. Maurer

Foto: H. Maurer
Roadsign warns of flooding

Foto: H. Maurer
Horses crossing!

Foto: H. Maurer
Yes, even numbers are different

Foto: H. Maurer
If you cannot see much of the stick you know the depth of water you have to cross in case of flooding

Tanuf (on the way back to Muscat) has the ruins of many old clay-houses in a village that was completely destroyed by bombs in the fight of the British on behalf ot the then Sultan in 1956 against the "Jebel Akhdar rebels". Simplified grossly, those rebels were a group of tribes supported by Saudi Arabia against the Sultan ruling the coast. To understand it fully, read the Story of the Jebel Akdar rebels.

Foto: H. Maurer