Elder G and I flew into Muscat, the capital of Oman, today, refueling our Cessna Citation as we continue our semi-circumnavigation.
Muscat International Airport (MCT)
Muscat International Airport (MCT), formerly known as Seeb International Airport, is the biggest and busiest international airport in Oman. It is located in the Seeb province, 32 km (20 miles) from the old city and capital Muscat within the Muscat metropolitan area. The airport serves as the hub for Oman Air, the flag carrier, and SalamAir, Oman’s first budget airline. The airport serves flights to regional destinations as well as multiple intercontinental services to Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Muscat International Airport formerly Seeb International Airport, is the main international airport in Oman It is one of the busiest airports in the Middle East. By Ank Kumar – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=138210017
The airport is also a joint-use military and public facility, acting as the base of operations for both the Royal Flight of Oman and the Royal Air Force of Oman. A Royal Terminal and Royal Flight hangars are located adjacent to the old terminal.
Terminal 1 (new terminal) By Konstantin von Wedelstaedt – http://www.airliners.net/photo/-/-/4559529/L, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62811800
In 2019, the Aaronia AARTOS C-UAS drone detection system was installed at the airport’s premises, making Muscat International Airport the first international airport in the world to possess an operational drone detection system.
Oman Air Airbus A330-300s parked on the apron of the old terminal. Until the opening of the new terminal, there were no jetbridges available. By calflier001 – MUSCAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OCT 2010, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45704617
Muscat (Arabic: مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populous city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the population of the Muscat Governorate in 2022 was 1.72 million. The metropolitan area includes six provinces, called wilayat, and spans approximately 6,500 km2 (2,500 sq mi).
A view of Muscat, ca. 1902
Known since the early 1st century CE as a leading port for trade between the west and the east, Muscat was ruled successively by various indigenous tribes, as well as by foreign powers such as the Persians, the Portuguese Empire and the Ottoman Empire. In the 18th century, Muscat was a regional military power: its influence extended as far as East Africa and Zanzibar. As an important port town in the Gulf of Oman, Muscat attracted foreign traders and settlers such as the Persians, the Balochs and the Sindhis. Beginning in 1970, after the accession of Qaboos bin Said as the Sultan of Oman, Muscat experienced rapid infrastructural development; it developed a vibrant economy and became a multi-ethnic society.
The Hajar Mountains dominate the view from Muscat. The city lies on the Arabian Sea, along the Gulf of Oman, near the strategically important Straits of Hormuz. Low-lying white buildings are a typical feature of its architecture.
Evidence of communal activity in the area around Muscat dates back to the 6th millennium BC in Ras al-Hamra, where burial sites of fishermen have been found. The graves appear to be well formed and indicate the existence of burial rituals.
During our stop-over, Elder G and I had an opportunity to visit Riyam Park and see the giant incense burner. Elder G tells us the story.
Riyam Park with Incense Burner By Eduard Marmet – Flickr: Riyam Park with incense burner Mabkhara, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90875788
The story of the giant incense burner in Riyam Park (by Elder G)
What it is
It’s a landmark monument shaped like a traditional Omani incense burner (mabkhara/censer), perched on a hill above Riyam Park overlooking the Muttrah Corniche/harbor.
It was erected around 1990 (often described as for Oman’s 20th National Day celebrations) as a big, unmistakable symbol of national heritage and pride.
Why an incense burner specifically
Oman has been famous for frankincense for thousands of years, especially from the Dhofar region, and incense is still woven into daily life (homes, guests, ceremonies). The monument is a giant “signature” of that identity, visible from far down the coast.
What it does (and doesn’t) do
It’s a monument, not a working incense burner. But it does typically light up at night, so it becomes this glowing beacon above the corniche.
Elder G makes friends wherever she goes! Peace thru twine!
The gift of twine balls was a big hit with the kids.
We stop in for a light meal at the Café MCT, sampling traditional Omani delicacies.
As we take off for our next refueling destination (Jaipur, India) we are treated to a beautiful view of Muscat at twilight.
Oman
A quick overview of the Sultanate of Oman….
Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country in the southeastern Arabian Peninsula in West Asia. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline faces the Arabian Sea to the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The exclaves of Madha and Musandam are surrounded by the UAE on their land borders, while Musandam’s coastal boundaries are formed by the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. It has a population of approximately 5.46 million and an area of 315,331 km2 (121,750 sq mi). Muscat is the capital and largest city.
Oman’s oil reserves are ranked as the 22nd largest globally.
Less reliant on fossil fuels than other Persian Gulf states, a significant portion of Oman’s economy involves tourism, as well as the trade of fish, dates and other agricultural produce. The World Bank classifies Oman as a high-income economy. As of 2024, Oman ranks as the 42nd most peaceful country in the world in the Global Peace Index, and the most peaceful Arab state after Qatar and Kuwait.
Oman is an absolute monarchy ruled by a Sultan, with power passed down through the male line.
The Sultan’s Palace in Zanzibar, which was once Oman’s capital and residence of its sultans
In recent years, Oman has become a popular spot for whale watching, highlighting the critically endangered Arabian humpback whale, sperm whales and pygmy blue whales
Non-migratory Arabian Sea humpback whales off Dhofar By Pomilla C, Amaral A, Collins T, Minton G, Findlay K, Leslie M, Ponnampalam L, Baldwin R, Rosenbaum H – Image file from Pomilla C, Amaral A, Collins T, Minton G, Findlay K, Leslie M, Ponnampalam L, Baldwin R, Rosenbaum H (2014). “The World’s Most Isolated and Distinct Whale Population? Humpback Whales of the Arabian Sea”. PLOS ONE.DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0114162. PMID 25470144. PMC: 4254934., CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37950370
Local Omani tradition says: The best frankincense trees grow where camels once knelt.
Gemini:
The oldest direct written references to frankincense date back approximately 3,500 years, primarily appearing in ancient Egyptian records. While archaeological evidence suggests it was traded much earlier, the following are the most significant “firsts” in history:
The Ebers Papyrus (c. 1500 BCE) This is widely considered the oldest specific written reference to frankincense. It is an Egyptian medical scroll that lists frankincense (along with myrrh) as a treatment for various ailments, including throat infections and asthmatic attacks.
Imagine the adventures of the frankincense merchants thousand of years ago!
