Theme Week Oman

20 June 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks Reading Time:  13 minutes

The traditionell Dhow, an enduring symbol of Oman © Pranav21391

The traditionell Dhow, an enduring symbol of Oman © Pranav21391

Oman, is an Arab country in the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Holding a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the nation is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest, and shares marine borders with Iran and Pakistan. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The Madha and Musandam exclaves are surrounded by the UAE on their land borders, with the Strait of Hormuz (which it shares with Iran) and Gulf of Oman forming Musandam’s coastal boundaries.   read more…

The Royal Opera House Muscat

18 May 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Architecture, Opera Houses, Theaters, Libraries Reading Time:  6 minutes

© Avik W/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Avik W/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) is Oman’s premier venue for musical arts and culture. The opera house is located in Shati Al-Qurm district of Muscat, Oman. Built on the royal orders of Sultan Qaboos of Oman, the Royal Opera House reflects contemporary Omani architecture, and has a capacity to accommodate maximum of 1,100 people. The opera house complex consists of a concert theatre, auditorium, formal landscaped gardens, cultural market with retail, luxury restaurants and an art centre for musical, theatrical and operatic productions.   read more…

Muscat in Oman

22 July 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  12 minutes

Al-Khuwair neighborhood © Joe Castleman/cc-by-sa-3.0

Al-Khuwair neighborhood © Joe Castleman/cc-by-sa-3.0

Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate reached 1.2 million as of April 2014. The metropolitan area spans approximately 3,500 km2 (1,400 sq mi) and includes six provinces called wilayats. Known since the early 1st century CE as an important trading port between the west and the east, Muscat was ruled by various indigenous tribes as well as foreign powers such as the Persians, Portuguese Empire and the Ottoman Empire at various points in its history. A regional military power in the 18th century, Muscat’s influence extended as far as East Africa and Zanzibar. As an important port-town in the Gulf of Oman, Muscat attracted foreign tradesmen and settlers such as the Persians, the Balochis and Gujaratis. Since the ascension of Qaboos bin Said as Sultan of Oman in 1970, Muscat has experienced rapid infrastructural development that has led to the growth of a vibrant economy and a multi-ethnic society.   read more…

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