Muscat Love!

Another amazing day. Met our new guide Ahmad at 9am and toured the Sultan Qaboose Grand Mosque (above). Built in 2001, it is the largest mosque in Oman, boasting 416 square meters, a 25,000 person capacity, and a 8.5 ton Swarovski chandelier and a 21 ton carpet handwoven on site by 600 people across 27 months. The second largest chandelier in the world. 8.5 tons and 600,000 Swarovski crystal pieces. It is 46ft in height and has its own internal staircase for maintenance. The aforesaid 21 ton carpet. It is the second largest single piece carpet in the world (second to the Sheik Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi) From the mosque, we explored the Mutra Souq (market) with hundreds of shops and narrow alleys. We bought a pretty brass coffee pitcher (supposedly Omani but likely made elsewhere), as well as a few other trinkets. Old Muscat where the sultan’s former palace is located Al Alam Palace (former residence of the sultan) All Along the Watchtower . . . . Old Portug...