SALALAH / ZAFAR, OMAN  A world heritage UNESCO site. (day 100)          continued                                                    

Hot desert separates MUSCAT from SALALAH. SALALAH, is in the southern region of the Sultanate of OMAN, it has a tropical atmosphere with green areas scattered around  and so it is called THE GARDEN CITY. The city of SALALAH boarders YEMEN (over 1000 miles separates SALALAH from the unrest in YEMEN) & SAUDI ARABIA.  The population is approximately 250,000 & growing. SALALAH is safe, clean & well organized, it has a quiet low key atmosphere, it is off the beaten track.

SALALAH is the perfume capital of ARABIA. Due to it's unique micro climate it is 1 of 2 places in the world where FRANKINCENSE trees grow, the trees also grow in SOMALIA . There are enormous incense burners along the roadside and the heavy aroma of FRANKINCENSE is everywhere.

Historically FRANKINCENSE was considered a gift of the kings and queens & it was worth more than gold, & more than oil.  THE FRANKINCENSE TRAIL, through the ARABIAN DESERT where other countries could trade FRANKINCENSE & spices, made OMAN a very wealthy country. After the fall of the ROMAN EMPIRE FRANKINCENSE has not used that much and the trade basically evaporated(no pun intended).

Today SALALAH in addition to oil, the city is building tourism, but mostly it has concentrated on its strategic location in the ARABIAN SEA and is securing its place in the world as an important shipping port. Hoping that if the IRANIANS ever close the STRAIGHT OF HORMUS that they will become a main artery for the transport of oil from the MIDDLE EAST.

NOT A HUGE AMOUNT TO SEE

THE LAND IS BEING CLEARED ALL OVER THE CITY AND THE CITY SEEMS TO BE GETTING READY FOR A GREAT DEAL OF NEW CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING 5 NEW HOTELS  

THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE ROADS AROUND 3:30 PM

THE LOCALS WORK FROM 8 AM TO 2:30 PM AND REST UNTIL AROUND 5 PM  SO THE STREETS ARE PRETTY MUCH EMPTY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY

IT IS HOT

LOOKS LIKE EX PAT HOUSING 

LOCAL STORES AS WE DROVE TO THE MARKET

ONE OF MANY BANANNA & COCANUT STANDS ALONG THE ROAD

BANANA FARM

QUABOOS BIN SAID MOSQUE

ONE OF THE SHOPS AT THE COLORFUL MARKET

If you look closely you will note that these are ammunition belts and knife holders?

THE BEACHES ALL AROUND THE ISLAND ARE BEAUTIFUL

THEY ARE ALSO EMPTY

The only way tourists can use the beaches is to use the beaches in their hotel. Since, it is a Muslim country "scanty bathing suits " are illegal on a public beach. 

I believe that what we saw is the beginning of the metamorphosis of SALALAH, that in the next decade much of what we saw will give way to SALALAH becoming much more of a thriving metropolitan metropolis.