Sanuk Canadian

A tour of Muscat, Oman continues.... In the morning, we visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (for pictures, see HERE , HERE and HERE ). For the remainder of the morning, we would focus on the port area of Muscat. The tour would take us to see the old city, the souq (market) and finish with some views of the bay. Our guide took us to a local fish market, which I was very excited to see. I love fish! ^_^ What cat doesn't?? squid, tuna, mackerel  Some foreign visitors were probably shocked at the market being outdoors, in 30+ C heat; I however, wasn't fazed. What amazed me most were that most fish were similar to those sold in Japan. I wondered if Oman exports to my home country?? Japanese could easily live in Oman, just based on the availability of fish alone. One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish:  After winding our way through the stalls at the fish market, it was time to poke around the souq in Muscat. A souq is a local market, filled with vendors of...

We continue to explore the grounds of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat,Oman.  More of this mosque can be found in previous posts here:  Arabian Daze      11    &   12   Our guide took my friend and I outside, to get a sense of the immense grounds. We were able to see more of the structure of the mosque, as well as enjoy some unique mosaic arches.  I hope you'll enjoy the photos. ^_^  Outside arches / lanterns / mosaic arch : This Grand Mosque began construction in 1995, after a design competition was held to create a place of worship in Oman. It took over 6 years to finish. The result is a mosque which consists of: 4 minarets, measuring 45.5 meters tall, a central dome which rises 50 meters off the ground, a central minaret, which stands 90 meters tall, and a main hall, square in shape, that can hold 4,500 worshippers (male only). Outside minarets & dome:  The mosaics along one long, ou...

Let's return to the Middle East, to the city of Muscat in Oman. We'll continue to highlight the inside of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.  As promised in blog post 11 of this series ( LINK ), we would pass through the heavy doors into the inner sanctuary of the men's prayer room. This would be the highlight of the tour, as the inside boosted the world's second largest hand-woven carpet and a huge chandelier. Let's take a look inside... Chandelier and ornate ceiling:  This chandelier was produced in Germany, by the Faustig company. It contains Swarovski crystals and is 14 meters in height. Main prayer hall & mosaics:   The carpet in this hall is quite something. Visitors are not allowed to walk on it; instead, there is a blue pathway which takes guests down the center of the carpet and around the edges. The carpet is completely hand-woven and is the second largest in the world. There are over 1.7 billion knots and it weighs over 21 tonnes!! The ca...

We'll take a break from the Middle East for a while and return to my current home of Japan.  Between late March to early April, news reports are filled with stories, not of the violent or world issues kind, but of blossoms. More specifically, cherry blossoms. Reporters will give estimates on the dates in which cherry blossoms all over the country will be in bloom. It's an annual, eagerly-awaited ritual in Japan to enjoy cherry blossoms outside, as the blossoms only last a week or so. On April 5th, I headed out to a small town festival, in central Kanagawa, celebrating the arrival of these beautiful, pink blossoms. Please enjoy the photos: (top left) River & lone tree, in full bloom: (bottom and far right) Deer antlers and a deer skull, for sale by local merchants: The local festival was held on Iiyama ("Rice Mountain"). It's a small, but well known spot in Kanagawa to view cherry blossoms at their peak. We had to hike up the mountain, following a ...

A series about travels in the U.A.E and Oman, continues.  As mentioned in the last post, our floating hotel, the Costa Fortuna, remained at the port of Muscat for a second day. We were due to depart at 14.00 local time, so my friend and I had time for a half day sightseeing tour of the city. We began our morning at the number one attraction in Muscat, the Grand Mosque. Officially called Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque , it's best to visit in the early morning, before the hoards of tour buses descend and ruin the quiet surroundings. By taxi from the port, it takes about 20 minutes to reach this mosque. Outer gardens: My friend and I, in our mosque-approved clothing for the visit: Mosque wear for women: long pants or skirts which cover the ankles, long sleeve shirts & a head scarf. For men: bermuda shorts and T-shirts are okay. Long pants and shirts are better. The Women's prayer room -- a hugely ornate door welcomes visitors:  Inside the women's praye...

This post finds us still in the city of Nizwa, Oman. Today we'll look at the highlight and personal favorite from the "Enchanting Forts of Nizwa" full day tour -- Jabreen Castle . Built in 1670, the layout consists of five floors with fifty-five rooms and two large towers. This castle is about 20 kilometers from Bahla, in Oman. You can read more about this palace HERE . I tried to take photos which showcased the beauty of this castle. Please enjoy the collages. ^_^ cutenekko at Jabreen Castle gate /  inside area, clay pots: Bottom two photos: cannons and windows. Two tourists resting / a famous Omani chest: (I really wanted to buy one of those chests!! They are truly exquisite!!)  We were given headphones at the start of the castle tour, thus freeing us from our guide. The headsets worked like magic, as you entered a room, the recording would start. It was completely hands-free and very nifty technology! Inside, a library / lantern and traveler graffiti:...

Did you enjoy yesterday's post which showcased the great Nizwa Fort in Oman? Let's continue the full day tour of Nizwa then! Today's post will feature two world heritage sites, yet another fort and an ancient hill tribe village. Please enjoy the photos. ^_^ This was not part of the tour, but I requested the guide to stop. The main reason being I had read about these unique and very old waterways in Oman, which had become listed as a world heritage site. Built over 2,000 years ago, I was impressed that it was still being used today as a way of delivering water to various regions in Oman. It was called Falaj Daris.  Sign:   Water canal:  Another canal:  Building & garden near the canals:  We saw some Omanis enjoying picnic lunches in the park behind this building. I was told not to take photos of families by the guide, so sorry!  Next, our driver stopped for a brief visit to an abandoned village. This was the remnants of an anc...

It's time to return to the Arab states, and enjoy more stories and photos from a tour through the U.A.E and Oman. The previous installments of this travel series are here: One           Two             Three           Four           Five           Six               Seven My friend and I had just finished a visit to a souq (market) in Nizwa, Oman. Our guide next took us to the most famous fort in the country -- Nizwa Fort. Guidebooks rank this is a "must see" in Oman. Built in 1650, it took approximately 12 years to complete. The highlight is the drum like tower, which measures 30 meters high and 36 meters across. Read more on the fort HERE .  Please enjoy my photos from this massive complex. Main entrance gate:  Doorway with lantern: Inside, a solitary lantern: Outside, at the main d...