Muscat is an unusual destination, giving you a taste of a modestly wealthy Arab nation. Its wedding cake architecture perched on the banks of the Gulf of Oman offer a relaxed and classy Middle-Eastern experience.
The decision to go on week's break to Oman drew quite a lot of quizzical looks from friends, family and colleagues. I'm growing tired of the standard holiday destinations, ironically I find that tourism turns countries into clone countries and takes away the essence of its culture.
A couple of people recommended Oman, a country that wasn't on my radar until a couple of years ago, and it was fairly inexpensive to travel there over the Christmas/New Year period. So that was it, a trip was booked for after Christmas, staying in a 5-star hotel in Muscat's commercial district.
As a female, travelling alone, I chose to treat myself. That, and for the last year or so, a depression has been circling me. I figured I needed to get away; rest and reset. Oman is the perfect place to do just that. Here's what I noticed during my little jaunt.
1. Cafe culture
There is no bar or cafe culture. There's also not many places where you can just hang out. The city is dotted with benches, greens and of course, the beach, but choosing to set up camp on a bench, even if it does overlook the harbour at Mattrah, feels a little conspicuous for your average European adult.
Not everywhere sells alcohol so I wouldn't recommend getting drunk and going for a walk - you'd attract a lot of attention. They have plenty of coffee shops, the same ones that have homogenised every high street and transport hub across the world. I felt like I would be cheating myself by popping into Starbucks, ordering a chai latte and settling in with Dostoyevsky while I watch the world go by.
There are no vendors on the beach, so come prepared with sandwiches, drinks and snacks. There are restaurants along the promenade, but everyone is dressed properly. No sandy flip-flops, sheer tunics or bottles of Soltan here. They're restaurants that happen to be next to the beach, not beach restaurants.
The food is varied and good, so you'll find something to suit every palette. There is a big Indian diaspora so you can get curries and biriyanis everywhere. Also, you're not short of Turkish, Lebanese, Indian and American places to eat.
Oman is a country that has modernised since Sultan Qaboos bin Said ascended the throne in 1970, they're becoming increasingly European and this can be seen in their shopping malls and restaurants, where they experiment with food and have a hipster vibe.
2. Nice and shiny
Aside from the well-kept medieval watchtowers dotted around Muttrah and Old Muscat, the whole city feels very new. The streets are impossibly clean, the most amount of litter I saw was on the shore after being washed up from the sea. And everything is perfectly manicured, from the plants in the central reservations to the ornate park benches.
I'm sure Trade Descriptions would have something to say about Old Muscat, as it's so well maintained that it looks brand-spanking new. Not only that, but the thoroughfare that leads to the royal palace is so shiny, you could use it as a mirror. And I would believe you if you told me the whole area had just been built.
Recent buildings are designed to be sympathetic to their surroundings and even in the brand new commercial district, no building can be taller than 10-stories high. A couple of drivers moaned about the traffic, but I've seen more traffic in a market town on Christmas Day.
Along with the perfectly maintained traditional houses in Muttrah, white-washed rabbit warren of alleyways and the politest souq I've ever visited, there was no sign of poverty. I didn't see one homeless person or beggar and if they had slums or social housing, they did a really good job hiding them.
3. A most docile people
The reason Oman has remained an oasis of calm in a troubled region is that the Omanis don't like conflict, angry situations or raised voices. They're almost Buddhist in their zen calmness. They seem to have a live and let live policy, but that said, it's still a very conservative country. You won't get hassled, at all. No one will ask where you're from or use you as a free English tutor. They just let you get on with it and if you need their help, they'll be there with bells on.
Nearly all Omani men wear a thawb (how they keep them so Daz white is still a mystery) and a kuma. Most women wear a hijab and a very small number wear a niqab. However, there's still a significant amount of women who wear "Western" clothes.
You do hear tooting horns, but these are taxi drivers trying to get your attention. There are a lot of taxis competing for business, so you won't ever be left stranded. They are more chatty, but their English is a bit hit-and-miss. Also, don't get defensive when they give you their phone number. They're not cracking onto you, they're securing your business.
I think the incredibly chilled out atmosphere, stretching from the malls to the beach and everywhere in between is down to the fact that Omanis are still bringing up their children in the Victorian philosophy of children should be seen and not heard.
Nearly all people you encounter are men. It feels like men are the breadwinners and women go out to spend their hard-earned money. And to illustrate how respectful they are, my hat set off the metal detector at Muscat International Airport and the police officer manning the security looked terrified at the prospect of touching me, he gulped, spluttered and looked around until a very canny lady pointed out it was the hat.
4. Everything seems to cost 5 OMR
Taxis, clothes, food, etc. all the normal, everyday essentials seem to cost 5 OMR. This is expensive for Brits, as it converts to about £10 (January 2018).
5. Modern, but still has a way to go
I found it astonishing that a country that looked like Disney's idea of a wealthy, Arabic nation could be so modern in many ways and so behind in others. Taxi drivers didn't have meters or satnav. The computers at the airport looking like public sector rejects from the 90s. The printouts were faded 8-bit. And everyone still used good ole fashioned pen and paper forms.
I wouldn't think twice about it normally, as countries - regardless of GDP - tend to not distribute wealth or offer people opportunities and social mobility, India and Brazil spring to mind. However, in a country that seemed to have no poverty and invested so much in its infrastructure, I found this unusual.
First published 09/01/2018
