November 17: 🚢Salalah, Oman
Shore Excursion: Arabian Heritage
I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts
Joining the hordes for the chance to be land lubbers
Some days are diamonds and well, some days are like being in Oman. What a funny day that was and really nothing to do but wipe off the limestone dust, have a little chuckle and move onto the next port.
We had been greeted last night by white masks on our bed and a note advising that masks needed to worn at all times - inside venues and outside venues - when ashore in Oman. And I had made specific notes on the spreadsheet that we needed to dress conservatively, for both men and women (arms and legs covered - no shorts for men - no "sleeveless" attire) so adding the mask just seemed to make us one step closer to really fitting in right down to "covering the face."
Welcome to a hazy Oman
And when I drew open the curtains and glass door this morning - there was an "unusual" smell in the air and the distinctive white pall that I have been associating with "dust." It was particularly pungent and gritty, and I abandoned my usual deck rearrangement and summarily slid the door across.
Coffee and fruit in the room and then a neck to ankles dress up for @Mac in his fishing gear and neck to knee for me in what I label my "hoe down" dress and we were in the queue shuffling off board to get onto the bus and enjoy our half day excursion with @Salem.
Do think that fellow Regent Family members were keen to get off the ship after 4 days lounging around at sea. We had arrived 5 minutes before our designated muster time and were on the fourth bus - the last one. Hint for the future - you don't want to be on the "last bus" allocation for tours. @LoRi had arrived a full 15 minutes prior to designated time and they were in Tour 1 with 20 passengers. Because we were the "last" allocation - we got "everyone else" and were in a group of 36. ALways want to be in a smaller group because everything (including toilet options) move along more quickly.
Masked up for security check
Touring Salalah in five hours
We were docked in the industrial harbour and the Explorer sat alongside piles of limestone, pipes funnelling natural gas and oil products and endless rows of moored cargo ships. We did notice a German cruise ship in town as well today. As it turns out, a big weekend in Salalah as the Sultan Haitham Bin Tariq Al Said is in town for a celebration of the 52nd National Day. This explains the increased number of police and military check points, vehicles and visible security with weapons AND the massive building size portraits that covered many of the buildings.
A picnic area with ground water spring
Security managed by the Port Authority was a request for all passengers to hold up their pass. Once we were through the gate @Salem advised that we could remove our masks and didn't need them again until we returned to the Port Authority. We were quick to remove the supplied mask, but on reflection think that we should have kept them on to filter out the limestone dust that was pervasive and clogged and covered everything. And have to comment again that there is an increase in the coughing amongst the passengers. I just think that with all the "stuff" that has been in the air for the last week, and especially in this location, that anyone with any sort of respiratory problem will no doubt have their condition aggravated.
In an attempt to hold onto the "bright side" of life - this was the outline of the day from the blurb - we did have some difficulty in reconciling the lyrical description with the reality of our experience:
a. experience scenic beauty and diverse terrain (yes, ocean, desert, mountains)
b. contrast between monsoon fed lush vegetation and adjacent desert landscape (yes, watered gardens and avenues of Sultan's precinct and think this was the visit to the "plantation" which was a fruit shop in the farming precinct to drink coconut milk - 15 minutes)
c. likely to see roaming camels (yes, lots of them, but from a distance, from the moving bus and ALWAYS on the "left hand side" - we were on the right .... did have a big laugh ... but they were dotted across many fields as common as our grazing cattle at home)
d. visit fascinating fort in ancient fishing village of Taqa and view traditional houses (I know we passed a sign for Taqa but I don't recall this)
e. continue to Khor Roi creek, site of the ruins of Sumhuram once capital of exotic frankincense trade and gaze at excavations (took a 10 minute walk around the fort and had view of silted estuary - my gazing was restricted to looking longingly at the toilet)
f. enjoy a photo stop at the Prophet Mohammed Bin Ali's tomb (yes, walked around the tomb and the cemetery- 10 minutes)
Not included in the suggested itinerary but we did stop:
g. a visit to a "park" with a "natural water spring" for a walk up to a cave (10 minutes)
@Salem was very personal and did give running commentary as we progressed through the morning - constantly reminding us that we didn't have enough time for the tour and that whoever had put it together had definitely miscalculated. But to be fair, did address history, leadership, economy, agriculture, industry, education, health, dress, worship, home life, children, housing and CRUSHERS. Post trip assessment, it looks like that out of the 4.5 hours - we were 45 minutes at venues and the rest of the time driving. Know now that if it has "panoramic" in the description provided - it is a very quick coach drive by. Lesson learnt and registered for the future.
The start of the tour was approximately a 10 km drive through an industrial estate, and we were in giggle mode early because @Salem had an absolute enthusiasm for the limestone heaps, the oil and gas pipes. And saved his biggest enthusiasm for the CRUSHERS - there were so many references - our head was swivelling left and right - "there's the crusher" and "there is THE crusher" and "that's a crusher" and "look at that crusher." And that was interspersed with references to cement factories and the quantities of limestone exported to India. Not only did I have this vision of half of Oman being dug up and shipped off to India, but I also became fixated on the "crusher" and the "cement factory."
About two hours in, @Salem was giving the big enthusiastic introduction to our drive to the "cement factory" and unfortunately, I couldn't' quite match his enthusiasm for this highlight. It is a good thing actually because with any level of enthusiasm I no doubt would have been disappointed to miss it! As it turned out, it was my distorted ears that had me confused, the reality was we were heading towards the "cemetery" and the dual onion domes of the white shrine dedicated to Mohammed Bin Ali.
Must comment on the disparity between the avenues that gave access to the Sultan's expansive residences and the other areas that we travelled. Any road that the Sultan would travel along was absolutely pristine clean. Not a speck of limestone dust on any sign, light pole, window or wall. Not even on the leaves of the trees. No rubbish littering the street, no paint peeling or unfinished construction. Was a palpable difference.
Must be mindful that you can only work with the resources and options you have on hand. Obviously, time was a big factor and @Salem did make a huge effort to ensure that people had their questions answered and he did cover a wide range of topics in his on-bus commentary.
Always grateful to "pass this way" and have the opportunity to visit new places, however, would not be signing up for this one again.
And not to worry, after putting our masks back on and producing our paperwork, we were happily back on board, washing all the dust off in a refreshing shower and lining up for lunch. Were so settled in companionable silence on the balcony for the afternoon, supervising the boarding of the Pilot to escort us out of the harbour, that we completely missed the afternoon tea! Going to set an alarm for that one tomorrow.
Dead end for cave in park - hideout for dissident groups according to @LoRi's guide
First stop - a fresh water spring and a walk in the park
10 minutes for a look and a climb
Camels to the left - dotted landscape like grazing cattle at home
Abandoned fort at Sumhuram - one lone frankincense tree
Cemetery NOT cement factory
Plantation excitement (?*&) with coconut milk
Sail away delight
Dinner debrief and nighttime entertainment
With Oman 4 hours astern and the air refreshed and clear with the evening breeze, we took up position for dinner on level 5 at Sette Mari with full (dimmed, dinner) lights blazing across all decks under the stars (no pirates here) Really was a perfect setting. True to form, we let the past just slip behind us and focussed on the new challenges presented by Mensa and the Crossword, clinked our chilled and often re-filled glasses and drank generously to wash away the last vestiges of the limestone.
Combined the new offerings of the menu (it changes every two days at Sette Mari - who even knew that) and some delicacies from the buffet. @Mac declared this as the "best meal on board" (that is extremely high praise for his selection of soup, pasta and chicken over three courses - but he was very serious) and the groans and sighs and scrumptious head shaking moans that accompanied the pasta from both @Loraine and @Mac was like their very own gourmet symphony. I did get a little testy when @Loraine pushed her empty pasta dish aside on completion and then @Mac took one more lump of bread and without hesitation leaned over and licked HER bowl clean (with the bread - at least that was a minor saving grace.) Seriously! I can't take him anywhere.
Dinner delights, Sequence and our piano man
It was just that kind of easy sort of evening. Had an hour to kill before the show and true to form hit Sequence up on Deck 11 but still couldn't turn the tables - boys won 2-1 in three very tight hands. We took it to the wire for timing and had to bolt down to Deck 4 to grab our back row seats for the full production cast show "My Revolution." If that song and dance extravaganza didn't bring you to your feet, I don't know what will. What a high energy combination of hits from Lulu, The Kinks and the Beatles rolled up in a neat little story line in a show written exclusively for Regent by West End choreographer Peta Roby. All the cast members were provided with an opportunity to showcase their individual talents - powerful solo spots, fabulous dance routines from so many genres, clever set changes (I loved the girls in the dance cages), fun and detailed costuming and even solos from the show band. It was a highlight and if the cast reaction at the end of the show in the final curtain call was any indication - they called it a winner as well.
Needed an opportunity to come down from that adrenalin high so joined cocktail pianist @Ed Kelly (he was coming straight from the stage of My Revolution - what a change of pace for him) for some fun in the Observation Lounge with Movie Melodies. Gave us a chance to top up on the final drinks of the day and unwind with @Ed's music combined with a bit of a guessing game and warm banter and conversation.
The ship is rocking a little - well we think it is - but maybe our collective balance is a little off after a night that featured maybe just one too many.
PS Did have a non-gourmet related moan and groan over dinner - this time next week we will be "home."
Weather: 29 and very hot and dusty out and about
Steps: 9 078
#RegentSevenSeasExplorer #RegentSevenSeas #RegentCruise
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