Mihrab, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat

Last day in Muscat today and sad to be leaving.

In the morning I visited the Grand Mosque, which was beautiful and well worth seeing. The main mosque in Gulf/Islamic countries usually live up to their descriptive name with the combination of the three key motifs in Islamic design; calligraphy, geometry and floral motifs giving them their beauty. For me, it's a mesmerising combination. My wandering included the women's prayer hall, which is much smaller than the men's and while ornately decorated, it is far less so. There is also no mihrab; I think I need to do some research to understand why the differences exist. The mosque was surrounded by lush gardens but it was a shame it was on a noisy, busy road. A good way to spend my last morning.

Next stop a small mall. And a lovely driver. I sometimes 'tell stories' when I'm asked if I'm married, but he was nice enough to tell the truth to, and entertain his thoughts of a foreign girlfriend, for wives are too expensive. The serious side to this is his wife has been unwell for years (I believed him) and I see so much of this in these parts of the world. We parted with a 'I hope to see you again' and an 'Insha'allah'. All good fun.

I then tried Amouage perfume, made in Oman. Some of the most beautifully scented perfumes I've ever tried; hopefully someone will consider me a worthy recipient...

Back to the hotel to check out, then I spent the rest of the afternoon at the restaurant from last night. A little self-indulgent, but with a good view, and no boat loads of tourists running around, it was a peaceful way to end the holiday. And after all, there's the added health benefits of frankincense!

Bye Oman. See you soon. Isa (Insha'allah).