# Skyprince in Oman , Feb 2007



## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

I traveled to Oman last month ( February 17 to 28, 2007 ) , spending with my Omani friend Khalid in Muscat and Salalah. Oman is a very exciting country ! I have traveled to many countries around the world , mostly accompanying my father who had to attend some conference and seminars abroad, it's not an exaggeration to say that the country I was most impressed is Oman. ( I have to spend longer in UAE to judge it better though )

Oman is a very prosperous nation , Omani people enjoy very high standards of living. Many of them live in big and luxurious houses, they all drive posh and very attractive cars, cities are kept clean all the time, fantastic roads and highways. 

Muscat is the most beautiful capital city I've ever been, it has wonderful landscape surrounded by uncultivated beautiful hills. 

My pics will come in segments... here we go ! Mmm... for the 1st segment I will post some of my personal pics with my Omani friends. ( Sorry, landscape and city pics will come on later 



Me and my Omani friend Khalid, taken in Salalah, the 2nd largest city in Oman. Salalah is located about 1058 km from Muscat.















My pic in Al-Baleed Archeological Site, it used to be a big port handling trades between Salalah and foreign countries














In Salalah Airport














Actually I already visited Oman in the previous year. My Omani friends like me and missing me very much ! You see what they prepared for me when I arrived in their home :banana: Thanks very much, Khalid ! Omani people usually eat on the ground. Very different from my place where most people dine on the table













In the middle of Salalah town. Salalah, the 2nd biggest city in Oman, with population of around 170 000. Muscat has about 350 000. 
Salalah is a desert town from November to May but then it changes into a Tropical town during Khareef ( monsoon season ) which is from June to October












A road in Salalah


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

Oman Map









I am right in the middle of Muscat. ( with Old Muscat town behind )













In Nizwa, the " Magic Town " of Oman. There are many people in Nizwa that believe in magic. 















Wildlife Sancturary near Wadi Darbat, Salalah.












In front of Nizwa Castle














Muscat














Jabal Akhdar ( Green Mountain ) near Nizwa. 














Me in Jabal Akhdar 













Al-Mughsayl ( 45 km from Salalah ), overlooking the lovely Arabian Sea. 










MANY more pics will come ! :banana:


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

From Dubai to Muscat 

I took bus from my home in Malaysia to Singapore, from Changi Airport I flew by Singapore Airlines to Dubai, then from Dubai to Muscat by bus. 
Dubai to Muscat is a 480 km-journey and it takes about 5 hours. Both UAE and Oman have superb road conditions. Roads are all well-maintained and driver-friendly. It is impressive to know that Oman, which 30 years ago an extremely poor country without proper connections between cities, has grown tremendously with excellent and smart road networks.


Taken from inside bus. Still in UAE






























Another 40 minutes to Oman border !











Still in UAE











This is in Oman !











In Sohar, the capital city of Oman's industrial governorate of Al-Battinah. 
Sohar has been voted as the most beautiful city in the Middle East not a long while ago.











Sohar










Lulu Hypermarket in Sohar. Lulu is apparently the biggest supermarket chain in Oman . It is owned by an Indian tycoon.











After 5 hr trip, I arrived in Muscat !











Muscat

Muscat is the capital city of Oman, the population is about 940 000 for the whole Muscat Governorate while 350 000 live in Muscat metro area. Muscat is the most impressive and the most beautiful capital city I've ever been. It is impeccably clean, streets are wide, well-ordered, almost every highways/dual carriageways in Muscat are beautified with colourful flowers and trees all along its way. I stayed with my Omani friend Khalid Salim al-Shanfari in his house in Al-Khuwair area, which is about 25 km from central Muscat.


Residential area in Muscat ( in Qurum ). Look at the architecture ! Omani architecture is impressive ! ( thats why I will bring my sister who is studying Architecture in my next visit to Oman ! :banana And look at their size ! This is only a "Middle Class" area of Muscat. 





















This is residential area in Al-Khuwair , Muscat. Khalid lives here and I stayed in his house for 3 nights before leaving for Salalah. Al-Khuwair is located on higher ground, so I could see Gulf of Oman from his house.




















































































I went to Al-Quds area in Muscat . This is where Khalid lives when he was studying in the nearby Sultan Qaboos University ( SQU ) which is the largest university in Oman.











Khalid has many friends. Abdullah is one of them. This is my pic with him in front of Muscat Bakery restaurant where we had dinner together. 
It costs RO 0.250 ( $ 0.75 ) for Chicken Burger . 











Fish store in Al-Quds











Look at the clean footpath in Al-Quds. Oman is very clean and free from serious air, waste, and sound pollution. I am a fussy traveller especially when it comes to cleanliness.





















Muscat City Centre Mall. It is a 4-storey mall with Carrefour as the main store. 











Omanis are very proud of their products. Look at what I saw in one of the shelf. Omani government has launched "Omanization" programme to strengthen the Omani identity through its products and to instill self-esteem and confidence among all Omani citizens to be proud of their country.











I bought this for baby brother












Muscat streets















































































































Stay tune for more and more pictures !


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

From Muscat to Salalah

After 2 nights in Muscat, I depart to Khalid's hometown, Salalah. 
Salalah is Oman's second largest city. ( pop 170 000 ).
Muscat to Salalah by bus takes 12 hours, the distance is about 1053 km.












Salalah

Salalah is very quiet town, for me the best town in Oman

In a looking point in Salalah. The Arabian Sea coast is soo lovely !










Me in a Salalah beach ( only 15 minutes away from the city centre ). The water is so crystal clear and perfect for swimming !
















































































In Khowr Ruri looking point/Archeological site in Salalah 



































































A restaurant in Salalah











Khowr Ruri beach, Salalah




















Two Khalids in Khowr Ruri beach. Really a lovely moment with them !











At night we met another friend Abdel Hameed. We are having supper .


































Upon arrival Khalid's friend Khalid al-Rawas invited us to his home. He prepared a huge lunch for us !











Me and Khalid al-Rawas in Prophet Salih tomb in Salalah.










Me and my host Khalid Salim/ Al-shanfari










We went to Al-Baleed Archeological Site in the afternoon. Al-Baleed served as the main port linking Salalah and outside world in the past.


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## Intoxication (Jul 24, 2005)

Hey, nice pics man kay:


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

Thanks Trapped... How about the landscape in Pakistan ?? Must be similar to Oman right ?


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

Nice to see some pics after all your talk about the place! 


Those are some nice pics* - and the place looks lovely! 

* several of them looks either dispoportioned or unsharp do to to oversizing... and a bit small if I may say so - a bit of a shame, since I'm quite curious about the place...


But still very nice to see it!


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

> Nice to see some pics after all your talk about the place!
> 
> 
> Those are some nice pics* - and the place looks lovely!
> ...


My bad ! I didn't know whats happening to the Irfan View version that im using. I will modify the pics later ! 

You should travel to Oman, MrD. Having been to several countries, I have repeatedly mentioned that Oman is the best country I've ever been


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

Okay... a few pointers would be alway preserve the apsect ratio when resizing... and never enlarge to higher pixel size than the original picture...

Irfranview is a pretty good free program ( I will recommend using the Lanczos filter for resizing... )



Skyprince said:


> You should travel to Oman, MrD. Having been to several countries, I have repeatedly mentioned that Oman is the best country I've ever been


I will at some point ( along with the UAE when Dubai is "done"  )

I'm very fascinated by that area - and the scenery look absolutely amazing!


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