Hello, I’m back! During a long, hot summer of re-organizing and sorting bits of my life, blogging took a back seat. Just keeping my hand in with a couple of weekly photo challenges, it’s time to drop back into Thursday doors.
I’ve just completed a trip around Oman (again), shell collecting being the reason but along the way, there were always some sidelines during the 4,400 km journey.
Driving back from Muscat to the border crossing at Al Ain on the journey home, I decided to stop again in the town of Bahla to try to find the elusive potteries that I had never found before on my previous visits.
The Muscat to Ibri route, via Nizwa and Bahla, takes you through the Hajar mountains, immersed and dwarfed by spectacular scenery.
I introduced Bahla on one of my previous Monday Window posts in 2016 but, I had no idea then that I hadn’t seen the half of it. ( Feel free to visit the post link to find out more about Bahla and the fort)
Bahla Fort, walls, and plantations…
As we drove into town at mid-day Friday, but also part of a public holiday weekend, I realized the chances of finding an open pottery were very slim. There was no-one around to ask, every establishment was locked up and it was also prayer time.
Closed doors in town… (click on the pictures to enlarge)
No matter, we will return and we decided to try and find it anyway from directions I had picked up online. So we headed into the small streets and around every twist and turn I found an amazing selection of the traditional Omani doors and gates that I so enjoy finding and recording, as in many cases the doors are deteriorating, buildings are slowly crumbling, unrestored and modern doors, whilst decorative, somehow don’t have the same appeal.
We did find the pottery, as anticipated, it was closed. I foresee a spend on my next visit.
Cool places under the Palm trees, a Falaj ( traditional water system) and the pottery, down a little narrow street, but closed…
Rather a lot of doors from Bahla, enjoy… (click on the pictures to enlarge)
After so many doors and no pots, it was time to head home, out of Bahla through the imposing entry and back alongside the Hajar mountains…
Linking with Thursday Doors, hosted by Norm Frampton. Pop on over to see for yourself what other lovely doors have surfaced this week….
Travels in the Middle East and beyond 
Marvelous snapping this is, Vicky. Really making me feel like I’m back in UAE 🙂
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Thank you, Hammad, it is a lovely town to visit….
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beautiful pictures…….
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Thank you, Sudhir, certainly a place for Thursday doors!
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Wow! So many interesting doors, I don’t even know quite where to start with picking a favourite – as if it’s even possible!
I really like the photo of the green door in the last gallery with the 3 windows – also painted green – to the left of it. But then right beside it is a blue door with 6 panels of stars on it. How could I not love a blue door with stars?!
I think you hit the motherlode here!
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Thank you, Joanne… well, I just loved them all, hence so many pictures in the post, I couldn’t delete too many as I just loved all of them! I love the weathering of colours but I also love the white ones, you don’t see too many of those. This was a special door place to find!
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The designs on the doors are just wonderful and so different from what we would see in the States or even when I visit France. Good stuff.
janet
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Thank you, Janet. I stumbled into an amazing old Omani town, there is history in the doors and I would like to be able to research why certain designs are chosen… maybe my next project!
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So beautiful! They put so many artistic details in doors. I love the shot of the non-door doorway in the still-standing walls. The greens have it here, particularly fond of the one with the floral motif. And the area with the pottery slid into a shelf overhead. What a great collection!
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Thank you, Joey. I thought I had seen everything on previous trips, but this pottery search opened up a new door vista! I love them all, so glad I captured it…
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Wow Vicky! Too bad about the pottery, but that’s what follow-up trips are for. In the meantime, what a collection of doors. Too many beauties to choose from. You hit the jackpot in this place. Thanks for sharing these 🙂
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Thank you, Norm. It was a good door place and I didn’t get the chance to sidle off down the little alley’s… suspect on the pottery return I could find more 🙂
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A great collection of doors. It’s always interesting to see variations on a local theme. The metal doors with scrolls and flowers are unlike anything I’ve come across elsewhere, even when armchair traveling with Thursday doors.
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Thank you, Judith. Aren’t they just so unusual, suspect there is a tradition in the designs, I have to find out why they are chosen, do they represent anything, is it a whim?… even if I have to learn Arabic!
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Oooo! A treasury! I hope your pottery is open the next time you go, but I can’t be sorry it was closed this time; it forced you to concentrate of those fabulous doors to share with us. 🙂
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Thank you, Marian. Yes, a door treasury and completely unexpected. Tiny narrow alleys, I car-shoot mainly on these trips, there is no time to indulge in tripods and set-ups, but I car-hopped for this little town of beautiful doors… I think there are more down the little alley’s I didn’t get to, when I go back for pots, we will see 🙂
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The first I noticed that these doors are all narrow! Then I remembered, oh yes, I’m in the USA, where doors are wider:)Love the embellishments on them! Gives it a lot of character:)
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:), Thank you, Jesh… Omani’s, in the main are actually quite slim, but… there are a few who may have weight-related problems! KFC, Domino’s and Mc’D have hit the main towns and there will be a few who sidle into those old doors sideways! Sadly, an ongoing problem, worldwide…The old doors are just great though!
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Ohhh, man, look at these beauties! 😮 Good to see you back!
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