It’s Thursday again..where did the week go? The” full of good intention” head plan for this week’s doors post ran out of time.
So here’s a little taster and next week I’ll take you around an eclectic collection of Arabian doors and windows from this old city.
There! I’ve said…I will do it!
Continuing my journey up the coast of Southern Oman in July, the small historic port of Mirbat is around 75 kilometres from Salalah. Having visited the old town briefly before, I wanted to go back. I knew that down those little winding streets there was going to be a wealth of old doors and windows. This time, I had my chance.
Mirbat’s old city captured me for a couple of hours, it is unusual to see old towns standing in their entirety in this region. Usually razed to the ground for new development, I spent my time wandering around, photographing and taking in an atmosphere of what once had been.
Check out my doors and windows post next week if you would like to see what lies around the next corner….
Taking part in Thursday Doors, a weekly challenge run by Norm Frampton…head on over to check this week’s collection….
Travels in the Middle East and beyond 
I am looking forward to your next post! wonderfull photos here 🙂
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Glad to see that there are still old towns and buildings left. I wonder how much has changed in the 30 years since I was last in Oman?
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Ooh, gosh Mick, a lot….there are highways now and the infrastructure is pressing on with regional airports. I’m not sure you can fit much more into Muscat so that’s heading up the coast….flyovers throughout the city. However the same sleepy pace in the remote parts…talking of which there is a new port at Duqm, I can see you going where??? Duqm is 200km below Mahout and is turning into a major port, the tiny town is being transformed… more on Oman as I continue up the coast!
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I especially hope that some of the older villages have survived intact, as well as the centres of some of the towns. I know that places like Muscat will have altered out of all recognition, but would hope that smaller places like Jabrin or Nizwa might still retain some atmosphere. Am I being too hopeful?
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You are not being too hopeful. Whilst the road infrastructure is being put in place,necessary in such a vast country, Oman recognises its heritage and its value to visitors. Jabrin and Nizwa are tidied up, but the atmosphere remains.The old part of Bahla still stands and last time I visited it looked like effort was being made to preserve it. I have some posts on these areas pending, it’s just finding time to finish them off.I just love Oman and I haven’t done it justice yet!
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I remember the old part of Bahla – I bought a lovely old coffee pot in the souk there. Good to know it hasn’t disappeared underneath a swathe of concrete.
Looking forward to reading your other posts on Oman.
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That door seems to be in better shape than the building that surrounds it 😉
The weeks do fly by don’t they? I’m always pressed to finish up my doors posts these days – usually as late as Wednesday night.
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When I take you around town next week, you will see some buildings that are extremely decrepit, but the doors and windows were so worth recording. Next time I go there I fully expect a new development to be in process!
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I love that last door. The history of Mirbat is very interesting too, Frankincense is one of my favourite oils.
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Thanks, Jean, I love the smell of frankincense too. I have a couple of the little pottery burners and a few bags of the resin and often burn it…. I think my neighbours are wondering just what’s smoking on my Cyprus terrace this week 🙂
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The last one is a gorgeous door! Is the coast more touristy, like in many other countries? My niece was for an internship in Oman, but she didn’t elaborate on the landscape too much…
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Those carved doors are beautiful, this one looks like its holding the building up!
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Lovely details on the last door!
janet
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I love the carvings in the door. Looking forward to the next part of the journey 🙂 – Amy
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What an excellent theme! Doors make such good visual writing prompts. Archways too! As always, I love your photos.
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Amazing!
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The door is just wonderful. These arches obviously are quite common in this part of the world. We called it “triumphal arch”
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This is great collection photos of Oman memories…
Cheers, Firasz
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Great doors for a new view of the Middle East. Thanks for showing the other side of the door; all we see in the news is the nastiness of a war torn region and it is important to remind us that people and history are still there.
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Thanks for your comment, I’m glad you enjoyed it. With regards to your very pertinent points, I’m glad you made them. The UAE & Oman have no issues currently with regards to war, apart from supporting the Saudi’s in their war in Yemen.So far both are peaceful but you live under their rules, on a visa and so long as you play carefully and respect the laws, there is no reason to fall foul of the law, but for some of the surrounding countries it’s tragic to see the destruction of lives and the destruction of society. I look on my time in the Middle East with such pleasure, working, travelling, exploring and meeting such diverse folk, seeing lives I would never have seen. It’s fascinating, but at the same time with a consciousness that the region is in turmoil. Kudos to the UAE for maintaining high-security levels to avoid a similar fate….
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