| albustan_from_sea.jpg |
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Description:
The Al Bustan Palace Hotel was built as a guest house for the first AGCC conference that Oman hosted, in 1985. It has often won the prize for best hotel in the Middle East. Entering the lobby is rather like walking into Europe's tallest cathedral. |
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| albustan_village.jpg |
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Description:
Al Bustan means the garden in Arabic. The village of Al Bustan was moved from one end of the bay to the other to accommodate building of the hotel. Here you can see the houses nestling on the seashore beyond the warm, brown ophiolite rocks. |
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| bandar_jissah_damage_closeup.jpg |
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Description:
The developers claim that the damage to the sea arch is natural, and that there was a landslide. Close up, you can see that metal piles are being driven into the remaining rock. |
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| bandar_jissah_landside.jpg |
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Description:
The captain of my boat took me to see the Bandar Jissah tourist development from the landside. A good road has been built from beyond the turning to the Oman Dive Centre from the road to Qantab. |
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| bandar_jissah_slashed.jpg |
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Description:
The sea arch at the end of this promontory at Bandar Jissah was a natural landmark. I was astonished to see this gaping slash. The rock is light and friable, true, but the cut looks man-made rather than natural. Why has it happened? |
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| bathing_on_gulf_beach.jpg |
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Description:
A tourist takes a solitary bathe at the end of the Gulf beach at Muscat. Clouds gather over the distant mountains of Hajar al Gharbi. |
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| british_ambassador_residenc.jpg |
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Description:
The British ambassador's residence overlooks the marina on the road to the Al Bustan hotel. |
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| captain.jpg |
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Description:
Just at this moment, I can't find the captain's name, but he took me out on a boat trip between the old Muscat city and Bandar Jissah. Waves were generally 3 m high, and the water was choppy. I'd hoped to see dolphins, but they didn't show. |
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| construction_bandar_jissah.jpg |
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Description:
Millions are being invested in the Bandar Jissah tourism complex, a mix of 3, 4 and 5 star hotels. Oman wants tourism but distrusts the influences that it brings. A tourist complex is seen as a place where foreigners can be kept out of the way. |
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| cranes_bandar_jissah.jpg |
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Description:
Mind you, the resort should have lots of facilities. And not quite an hour's drive from Seeb International Airport. |
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