Abu Dhabi and Dubai have so many beautiful new buildings but Chanel the Bear and I, Zeb the Duck, wanted to see an old city and old buildings.   We took our moms to Muscat, Oman a city known as an important trading port since early in the first century.   Our taxi driver delivered us to the Abu Dhabi airport where we had our first eye scan, purchased and enjoyed fresh Saudi dates, stuffed with various nuts.   So good!   Our moms like to be at the departure gate a little early and it was good that they were.   Our full plane left Abu Dhabi a little early.   In our one hour and 10 minute flight, we left Abu Dhabi, enjoyed a light lunch; we had vegetarian sandwiches, bread sticks with dip, mini pretzels, water and mango juice.   The flight attendants on Oman Air were fast and very busy.   In Muscat our guide met us at the airport.

Our private tour was reserved for 4 hours.   Our fantastic guide extended our tour to 5 hours.   Yeah guide!   There is so much to see.   Our first stop, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.

This mosque, Sultan Taboos Grand Mosque, competed in 2001, required 6 years to complete.  This is now the 11th largest mosque in the world.   When it was completed it ranked higher, but new mosques, bigger and more elaborate, are being built.   The Grand Mosque was not open to non Muslims at this time, but the building is spectacular and is worth a visit, just to see the outside.   The entrance consists of a long walk way with well tended gardens.

I am sitting on one of pillars to keep vehicles out.   Intricate designs adorn the structure.

Looking inside, the greenery is beautiful.

The arches offer a wonderful view and the floors gleam.

Walking to an end of the building this area invites peaceful thinking or meditation.   Imagine no traffic noise, surrounding desert and nearby mountains under clear, blue skies.

We admired the large dome.

A long walk to the main entrance and then a left tun down the main walkway and to our car.

Inside the mosque is the second largest hand knotted carpet in the world.   This carpet, 70 meters by 60 meters, took 600 women 4 years to complete.   The large chandelier, 14 meters tall and weighing 8.5 tonnes is inside also.   The carpet and chandelier were the largest in the world when completed, but now the largest carpet and chandelier are in Abu Dhabi.   We showed you pictures inside that mosque in February.    Near the Grand Mosque our guide took us to the magic water.   The water from the mountains flows into the cave.

A man was inside and graciously posed for us.

This is a tub that can be filled with magic waters that seem to have healing properties.

Mom thinks it is similar to our hot springs  in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.   The hot mineral springs relieve much stress and many pains also.  Although the mosque was closed to us and the tub was not full of magic water, these places were definitely worth seeing.   Next time Chanel and I will show you more of Muscat, Oman.