Travelling
to the Middle East from Thailand was a bit of puzzle, but after
comparing costs and ease of travel, we settled on a flight to Muscat,
Oman as our starting point. We had been interested in the region for some time, and thought Muscat might be a pleasing way of easing ourselves into the cultural aspects of this part of the Arab world.
Never
having travelled to the Gulf States before (apart from a weeks stay in Dubai on
our way to Iran 10 years ago), we were slightly apprehensive about
costs, but as it turned out we managed fine, and appreciated our Omani introduction to the region.
Omani gentleman in Muscat
Muscat
has a lot of advantages for travellers. The first thing we discovered
on the way to our accommodation (from the sparkling and empty
airport), was the brilliant bus system. A few years back, authorities
introduced a network of modern new buses, clean, comfortable, with
timetables that are adhered to, cheap and easy to use. It is used
almost exclusively for the many foreign workers in the city, as
Omanis generally travel by car. For us it was a fantastic way to get
around, and the 20 minute trip from the airport to the centre cost us
only OMR 0.500/£1 each. A side note is how specially women are
treated, having the entire front of the bus to sit in, with husbands
and children if applicable. The Omani drivers were very strict about these arrangements, often coming back and asking single men to move to the rear of the bus.
Not
being a city renowned for it's backpacker scene or budget hostels, we
had pre-booked a delightfully retro hotel staffed by polite Indian employees,
in a marvellous area surrounded by shops and restaurants run/worked
in/patronized by people of diverse nationalities. Being the capital city, accommodation in Muscat was priced higher than other parts of Oman, with budget hotels going for between 9 OMR/£20 and 14 OMR/£30.
Our room in Muscat
Mr and Mrs Hotel Boss, Muscat
Funky, retro foyer, Muscat hotel
The only currency we've seen with a half note!
Muscat
functions smoothly and excellently because of the considerable
population of foreign workers. Of the roughly 5 million population
of Oman 60% are native and 40% from overseas. Most of the men come
from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and the women from the
Philippines and Indonesia. It is said they are treated quite well,
and we really hope this is the case. We noticed they tend do all the
service jobs- hotel workers, waiters, shops assistants, but we didn't see any working as cashiers or bus drivers, for example. It was easy
for us to communicate, because everyone spoke English to each
other.
Old style little shop, Muscat
Our
first day after arrival, we were excited to get out and explore a bit
of the city, and set off on our first local bus. Everything was good
until a car stopped in the middle of an intersection in front of our
bus, and our driver was forced to break hard. Sal was in the
unfortunate position of the very front seat, and the severe breaking
saw her fly to the front of the bus, somehow turn around in the
process, smash the back of her head (and the front windscreen), and slump
down onto the floor. Not knowing the extent of any injuries, we all
waited the five minutes it took for an ambulance to arrive and check
her over. Deciding not to go to a hospital, after a once over from
the paramedics, we took a taxi back to the hotel, where Sal nursed a
sore head and bruised body for the rest of the day (while Rich
stressed over her). All was good after a decent rest.
Sal's head's handy work, Muscat
Scene of the accident!
Having a check up in the ambulance, Muscat
After
such a dramatic start to the trip, we proceeded to delight in the
rest of our stay, with many explorations along the long strip
adjacent to the Gulf of Oman that is Muscat city.
Getting into the spirit, Omani outfits, Muscat shops
A new abaya for Sal
First
stop was the modern and super clean fish market. Plenty of rugged and
interesting looking characters were to be found there, selling their
wares, looking for a fishy bargain, or bringing more catches in. We
watched the transport of fresh fish from the boats in the port, in
wheelbarrows, up to make a sale in the marketplace - some tuna we saw
were as big as 55 kilos, according to the buyer we spoke to.
Removing fish from the nets, Muscat port
Cup of chai on the job, Muscat port
Sorting the giant tuna, Muscat port
A heavy load, Muscat port
Perusing the fish, Muscat fish market
Young fisherman
It is
our impression that things don't get going in the Arab world terribly
early- they are more an after dark culture, which makes sense here
because of the heat. Arriving at the Muttrah Souq in the old part of
Muscat at 9.30am to find stalls and businesses only just opening was
quite surprising, but we still revelled in poking around the quiet
little lanes, and looking for some regional appropriate attire for
Sal. Even without much going on there was an exotic atmosphere, with
frankincense smoke wafting from every corner. We will have to get used to Arab
timing, and try to make ourselves stay up later and rise later in the
morning!
Back lanes of Muscat Souq
Ornate ceiling in Muscat Souq
Decorative door and cat, Muscat Souq
Away from the tourist tat, Muscat Souq
Central point in Muscat Souq
A water leakage, Muscat Souq
Colourful roof in Muscat Souq
Meandering the long Corniche which runs along Muscat's old town, we
noticed some lovely stone buildings with wooden lattice decorative
balconies on the outside. They reminded us of Indian havelis, perhaps
they were built by wealthy Indian merchants?
Lovely merchants houses on Muscat Corniche
View along the Corniche, Muscat
The
scenery around this part of Muscat was quite stunning, craggy
mountains protecting the coast on all sides, and the sea clear and
full of fish - Richard even spotted two turtles swimming around!
There was very little rubbish to be seen and numerous public parks
were extremely well kept and green. Everywhere one looked in the
surrounding mountains, defensive towers and forts could be seen.
A clear day on Muscat Corniche
Successful fisherman, Muscat Corniche
Tower overlooking the old town, Muscat
Towers on every hilltop, Muscat
Ryam Censor monument, apparently representing an incense burner
The
forts lined up along the coast and loomed over us as we walked around
them, with the azure sky and sparkling sea as a fabulous backdrop. In
the middle of them all is the Al Alam Palace, a retro gold and blue
stunner, looking like it should be in the middle of a Central Asian
city. We would have loved a peek inside, but it's off limits to the
public, so we satisfied ourselves in the surrounding gardens (see
what I did there?!).
Arched cloisters in the palace grounds, Al Alam Palace, Muscat
A very well taken care of garden at Al Alam Palace, Muscat
Al Alam Palace, resplendent in gold and aqua
We also enjoyed a mildly taxing walk up to a view point, but the vista over the old town was worth the effort.
Muscat old town
A little flower thriving in the dry ground
We
have a bit of an immature tradition going, where we like to visit the
worst museums in a place if they are free or cheap, and usually have
a good laugh at the arrangements and displays. For some reason these
are often Natural History Museums, and seeing one across the road
from where we were staying in Muscat, we gave it a go. Not quite
crappy enough to be funny, it was actually (disappointingly) rather
well set out, although a few of the stuffed animals were pleasingly
shoddy.
Not the most detailed descriptions, Muscat Natural History Museum
Although
many of the buildings around the city are relatively new, there's
been some care and attention to include some heritage aspects and
historical relevance into the design. It was actually very pleasing
to contemplate, and quite unlike the hideous new architectural style
in "the West".
Many historic elements included in the architecture in Muscat
Standing
out amongst the varied architecture were the many glorious mosques.
Oman is the only country with a majority Ibadi Muslim population- a
branch of Islam, also known as The People of Truth and Integrity,
which broke away about 60 years after Mohammadi's death. Prayer times
in Muscat didn't interfere with life, people went about their
business to the tune of the beautiful call to prayer- many workers
are not of the Muslim faith.
Considering
so much of the produce and food in Oman is imported, we were
pleasantly surprised at the vast range of foodstuffs in the
supermarkets and souqs,
and the fact that most products were reasonably priced. Many of the fruits
and veggies come from Egypt, India or further afield. We especially
loved the many foreign goods mixed with Arab products in
the shops. There was such a tremendous range, and we were in heaven!
We bought Egyptian laban and
strawberries, Indian kulfi,
and Omani dates and melons.
Stallholder, Muscat souq
Some weirdness going on here
Exotic goods available in Muscat
An array of conceivable type of nut and dried fruit, Muscat shop
Eating
out for us was a mix of basic typical Middle Eastern eateries with such treats as ful,
felafel, shawarma, hummus, and fabulous and cheap Indian restaurants- just about every region of India was represented in just our area. Other cuisines represented were Yemeni, Iranian and Pakistani and Thai to name a few. We particularly
enjoyed the tarak tea, which we know from India as
simply chai.
Delish Middle Eastern delights, Muscat
High quality Indian thali, Muscat
On
our first night eating dinner outdoors at a basic restaurant, a big
car pulled up and beeped it's horn for service (a very common
practice, as we would find out). Eventually a local guy gets out to
say hello to us and speak a few polite words in English. Before we
knew it, he had picked up his own order, paid for our food, given
Richard a big hug and kiss and driven away! So nice!
Although
not illegal, alcohol is strictly controlled, and as a result most
eateries have a large menu of fresh juices and mocktails. We enjoyed
the break from booze, which would continue for our coming weeks in
the region.
During
a large chunk of the 1500 and 1600s, Muscat was largely controlled by
the Portuguese. Omani powers at some point became stronger and more
capable, and began their own empire which stretched as far as
Zanzibar.
Oman
was fought over during the next few hundred years by the Portuguese and Persian dynasties, who at various times claimed coastal areas,
and fought with different revolting tribal factions from the
interior.
The
1800s saw Oman building up its colonies in southern Africa,
Baluchistan and Pakistan, and taking advantage of the slave trade to
enhance its national fortune. When Britain outlawed slavery, Oman's
economy collapsed, and Britain moved in to take over it's overseas
territories.
The
interfering Brits then set Oman up into sections- Muscat and the
coastal areas, and the interior. Nothing like divide and rule,
something the Brits have been shamefully successful at over the
years. Creating internal feuds between tribes, this situation
eventually lead to the British taking over trade, and by 1951 they
had signed a treaty to benefit from the lucrative oil supply.
Infighting
between the Sultans and Imams continued until the 1970s, much of it
relating to oil. A more stable, moderate leadership took place with
Sultan Qaboos, who tried to balance tribal and ethnic interests. This
era saw the abolishment of slavery, and many previous restrictions
lifted. There was a big push for development of government, health,
education and infrastructure. What we saw of the city of Muscat
during our stay was largely a result of these times.
We
will absolutely, without a doubt come back to explore some more of
Oman. We found Muscat to be a clean city without rubbish, graffiti,
beggars or homeless people. Prices were reasonable and people
friendly. The simple bus system was a bonus for us, and an easy alternative was the OTaxi app, which we could use without a SIM card - prices were only slightly more than the bus (for two people). But, the south of Oman called to us, and perhaps visiting some more
remote locations would be an exciting adventure. January/February was
such a perfect time weather-wise. Days were warm but not too hot to
stroll or hike, and the nights were cool, only a light jacket needed
and great for sleeping. See you next year, Oman??
Saying goodbye to Bosnia, and the less than perfect Bosnian train system, we left for Croatia on a very early morning bus from Zavidovići,home of the giant balls. We're always dubious about buses. This time, after squeezing onto a tiny minibus with a couple of old men, we were driven a short distance to a depot where many big buses were parked. We were motioned off our minibus to stand in the freezing cold, but with no-one speaking English, and us having no idea what was going on, we were slightly apprehensive. Of course, being the Balkans, everything turned out to be fine. After some time, we were shepherded onto a smart and comfortable large bus and everyone was very accommodating and kind. We then set off for a tour of northern Bosnia's petrol stations, as for some reason this bus company didn't drive into towns or use bus stations to pick up their passengers. As usual for this part of the world, the border procedure was quick and smooth, and immediately after crossing we arrived in Slavonski Brod, a small town just inside eastern Croatia.
We knew we would be arriving into Croatia on a Sunday, and that the country is overwhelmingly Catholic, but we don't think we have ever been in a place that was so completely closed up and devoid of life on a holy day. Walking through the deserted neighbourhoods between the station and our guesthouse was like being in a ghost town, and we were relieved to see our friendly host's smiling face upon arrival.
Locals here were perfectly lovely, probably because they don't get many tourists in this part of Croatia. We had wanted to see a normal Croatian town, and break our journey on the way to Budapest. Although Slavonski Brod probably didn't offer a great deal in the way of sights, it had excellent pedestrian paths for wandering, free local buses and enough to keep us occupied for a couple of days.
Disused tram, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
We visited the first star fort that we can remember, although the remains were well covered up for the most part. After a stroll along the Sava River (which we know so well in Belgrade), the pedestrianized central square, and a peek inside a small monastery with an unfriendly nun, we finished up at a sunny, and cheap cafe at the atmospheric central market. Autumn produce was now on sale at markets, with cabbages and cauliflower being both giant and abundant.
Under the star fort, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
VERY good market rakija, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
This picture is not stretched! Strangely shaped cabbages, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Just as the weather had immediately turned sour on our arrival into Bosnia, it turned sunny and lovely the day we left and entered Croatia. It was unknown to us if it was a result of the relentless spraying of God-knows-what in the skies, but we were happy to return to the sort of autumn weather we remembered from past years- bright and sunny, but cooler temperatures.
Our first train travel day in Croatia was a brilliant one! Two fantastic trains took us from Slavonski Broad to Osijek, a town in the north of eastern Croatia, near the Hungarian border. The first was an extremely comfortable, spacious, up to date and clean compartment, very Western European in style. We had the entire compartment to ourselves, with the others being taken up with noisy teenagers on their way home from school. The second was more simple, and in an older style, but equally comfortable and uncrowded.
Comfortable and clean Croatian train
Extremely spiffy Croatian train toilet
The landscape in this part of Croatia was mainly flat agricultural, but with the soft autumn light fading in the late afternoon and the golden leaves on the trees, it was quite lovely.
Osijek was another neat Croatian town, with many ornate Austro-Hungarian designed buildings. We were still adjusting to the orderly nature of Croatia, with most homes having perfectly kept gardens and uniformly mown lawns, and city streets near to spotless, no rubbish to be seen. We weren't sure if we liked it or not!
Stone street in Osijek, Croatia
After the Ottomans had been booted out of this part of Croatia in the 1600s, it is said the Hapsburg Empire took over and began the building of Osijek's fort, which would evolve over a couple of hundred years. In today's world, and on the Saturday we visited, it was a bizarre empty part of the city, with large squares and unanimated grand buildings, mostly in good upkeep, standing quietly, but without life. Hopefully it looks and feels different during the week, with university students and business bringing some spark to the place.
Empty fort area, Osijek, Croatia
Preparing for winter, Osijek, Croatia
Like a ghost town, old fort area, Osijek, Croatia
Osijek had one of the best fresh markets we have seen in the Balkans. A very different vibe to the slightly disordered and messy style elsewhere, this one was neat and spaciously set out with charming little wooden stands. Most stalls had a small amount of beautifully presented autumn produce, some just specializing in a couple of things eg. pumpkin and spinach from their gardens. Everything was local, fresh and appealing, and mostly clearly marked with the prices. People were smiley, and the mushroom man in particular was very proud when we showed interest in his small selection of giant mushrooms. A huge assortment of varieties of fruit were all clearly labelled, with the apple choices being the most diverse.
Flower section of Osijek market, Croatia
Great variety of apples, Osijek, Croatia
Giant fungi (on the right), Osijek, Croatia
Again a fantastic town for walking, we strolled to our heart's content around the old section of Osijek and the gorgeous parklands a free ferry away on the opposite side of the Drava River. The highly ornamental so-called neo-Gothic cathedral was being renovated and closed for business (the story of our lives when it comes to cathedrals), and the fancy houses on Europska Avenue blew our minds with their next level examples of embellishments and weird decorations.
Of course, Croatia is more expensive than other Balkan countries, having recently adopted the Euro, and being inside the EU. We were glad we had stocked up on many items in Bosnia before we left, the prices were that different.
Quirky riverside statue, Osijek, Croatia
Croatia sort of grew on us for the brief two weeks we were there (although we only visited two random towns in the untouristed eastern part). At first as we crossed the border from Bosnia, it's not an exaggeration to say there was a subtle feeling of leaving the east and arriving in the west. Presumably because of its being an EU country, standards here seemed higher and more exacting in many ways, and residents more affluent. Not only were the towns weirdly neat and tidy, with no rubbish or dog poo anywhere, generous pedestrian paths and extensive bike tracks alongside most roads provided an extremely pleasant way for locals to get around. Residents took advantage of this benefit, and the number of bikes whizzing by us was considerable. The bus and train stations were so well organized with electronic signage on the platforms and station announcements, as well as buses and trains having the destination clearly marked on the vehicle.
Keeping things orderly on walking paths, Croatia
Clearly marked train, Croatia
There was a marked difference to the more unorganized and slightly chaotic vibe of all our favourite countries further east. Never having been in Croatia before we weren't to know if this was representative of the entire country, but we hoped to find out more if we were able to travel here more extensively in the future.
Our short route through north-east Croatia
We were surprised and delighted to find out that a series of trains would be able to carry us from Croatia to Budapest. We had thought this not possible, but the friendly staff in the railway station in Osijek helped us out, and we had a ticket in our hand for three separate train journeys and a day on the railways of Croatia and Hungary. The train scenery was once again spectacular, with brilliant shining autumn colours and natural beauty galore. It inspired us to make a return trip sometime to explore Hungary's countryside. The only (small) catch on the trip was an antagonistic Hungarian train conductor on the last leg, who informed us we needed to buy an additional ticket to the one we had already purchased in Croatia. Although his manner was clearly unhelpful, several fellow passengers in the carriage stepped up and assisted us in English by explaining what the problem was. We were grateful, and the situation was soon resolved pleasantly.
Mini train that would take us across the border from Croatia to Hungary
Inside tiny border train- Croatia to Hungary
Budapest was such an enormous contrast to the Balkan countries we had been travelling in for the past four months, it was almost too much to take it in. Only having a couple of days stay in the gigantic city, we didn't have enough time to understand much about the country. The strange language, the customs of people and the history would have to wait for another trip when we could explore in depth. Instead we spent a couple of days simply wandering and enjoying the sunny days and breaking the "Budapest Curse" we had imposed on ourselves from our first time in the city. We had not been impressed with the place on that visit, with the summer hordes being overwhelming. Although this time our stopover was in late October, the tour groups were still out in force, although now we were ready and had a plan to avoid them. We crossed the busy Széchenyi Lánchíd chain bridge to the "Buda" side of Budapest and spent a perfect day walking around serene parks and paths along the cliffs, looking down to stunning views of the bustle of the Danube River.
We loved the autumn leaves in the parks, Budapest
Monument on the Buda side of Budapest
Stunning autumn colours, Budapest
Happy in Budapest park, broke the curse!
An extremely intriguing figure in the Philosopher's Park
Looking down at the Danube from a walk in the hills, Buda, Budapest
Back in the city we marvelled at the multicultural nature of Budapest, with so many immigrants from far flung parts, and the corresponding amounts of businesses with Turkey, Kashmir, Vietnam or Kabul in their names. This was so incredibly different from the Balkan countries which tend to be less attractive for foreign incomers to stay in.
Very Hungarian sign, Budapest
Extremely ornate architecture all over Budapest
Our apartment was what we assumed to be typically Hungarian, with all three places we have stayed in the country having been in the same distinctive style. The area was predictably dodgy, with a proliferation of rubbish, down and outs, beggars and drunks. Overall, Budapest was an excellent break in the journey, and a good place to organize ourselves for our long trip back to South East Asia.
Apartment entrance Budapest, Hungary
Typical Hungarian courtyard style
The time had come for our annual pilgrimage to the sea gypsies and islands in the south of Thailand. We will spend our winter there, as we have done for many years. We will miss the many aspects about being on the road in the Balkans, but also look forward to the easy, laid back, beachy life we will have on Ko Fruitopia. So, no more blogs for some months while we go off grid as they say, and we will see you on the other side!
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