Muscat – the capital of Oman

I still have not told much about our “home town” Muscat. The city is very scattered and reaches around 40 km from one end to another. Through the city run 2 highways that connect different city parts (and the 3^rd highway is built; this is their solution to the problem that there are often traffic jams in highway exits as well as to the fact that Oman is the leading country of car accidents where people get killed) and the only possibility here to move around is to have a car or take a taxi, one cannot reach much by foot, the distances are just too long for walking (and one would “get stuck” while trying to cross the streets and highways even if it seems to be the favourite “sports” of the local immigrants – to cross the highways where there is non-stop flow of cars that drive at least by 120km/h). There should be also some public transportation (buses only) but we are told that only immigrants take it and in general I do not know much about it at all. By now, after 6 weeks, I have gotten to know the city a bit better and another day I told to Andres that maybe soon I could even imagine to drive around by myself (but we are leaving in some days, so I can postpone it;)). The population of Muscat is about 630 000.

As for the different city parts, i would describe the different city parts through my eyes like that: Muttrah is the most beautiful and visiting the Muttrah Souq (market) and walking on the cornice is the must. The Royal Al Alam Palace is also situated near Muttrah. Ruwi – the city part where Andres goes to work is the up-class area where many big and important companies have their offices. Qurum seems to be most of all holiday/tourist area – there are many hotels, restaurants, beach promenade. Ghubrah seems to be most of all living area. Our B&B was also situated in Ghubrah. In (near?) Ghubrah there is also the Grand Mosque – another must when visiting Oman. It is just very impressive and beautiful! Seeb is where the airport is situated. We are living in Muscat Hills now – very close to the airport and by the golf ground. Most of inhabitants in this area seems to be from Europe. There are more parts and districts but those have been the ones where we have been the oftest.

Muscat is very beautiful city – along the highways there is lots of greenery and flowers, and one can just imagine how much effort it requires. Basically all the flower beds and bushes have watering systems, there would not be any other way for the flowers, grass and bushes to survive when it can get up to 50C in summer. Also the street lighting of the city is very grand (that's why we have driven without the car lights several times – you can see so well in the dark thanks to the street lights that you do not notice your car does not have lights on), there is hardly any totally dark spot.

I have to admit I have not got very much of the "city feeling" here (like in London or Beijing or... but right, the population is not too big here either). The scattered city parts and big area do not give any over-crowded feeling, except the busy traffic.