Oman

Not long ago my brother John, who is a good photographer, organised a photographic tour of Oman. He had seven clients which included Catherine and me. The tour was mainly through northern Oman, including mountainous areas, the Wahibi sands, turtles and tombs, an ancient area where Marco Polo was said to have stopped, market places, mosques and even a magnificent and new opera house in Muscat! We stayed in hotels and also camped in a few places over the 13 days of the trip.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the tour was the way the country was run and the very friendly nature of the Omani people. The country is run as a benevolent dictatorship by the Sultan of Oman who is much loved by his people. He is assisted in his work by two things, oil, and a Consultative Council.  There are several ministries and he personally oversees certain of these.  In all places we visited we were greeted by smiles.

I was surprised by the mountainous nature of the northern areas (up to nearly 3000m) which contrasted with the desert areas in the Wahibi sands and the busy markets. The scenery was excellent as were the people and cultural aspects of the country. In the cities the art was great and we were impressed by the architecture of the country from the ordinary urban households to the new mosque and opera house. If you want a good holiday where you'll get great photos and meet some fine human beings check out this as an option at Johns website.

Here a few photos to give you an idea of Oman.

At the Fishmarket

In The Wahibi Sands

Another Mosque 

Northern Mountains at Sunset

Advice at the Market

Mosque at Muscat

After Oman four of us visited Tunisia to see a different part of the "Middle East".