Muttrah Fort – Sultanate of Oman
Image by JD | Photography
Oman has been an important maritime nation for thousands of years, its sailors venturing east to Iran, India, the Indies and China, bringing back porcelain, fabrics, spices, timbers, precious metals and gemstones to send to the rest of the Middle East and on to Europe. It was from Oman, legend has it, that the original Sinbad the Sailor set forth on his journeys.
Its wealth and strategic position made Oman an attractive prize for foreign powers and in 1507 many of its ports, including Muttrah, in Muscat, were occupied by the Portuguese. Expelling the Portuguese in 1650, Oman rivalled European nations as the dominant power in the Indian Ocean for the next 200 years. It controlled trade and territories along the African, Iranian and Indian coasts and, because of its commercial importance, attracted immigrants from those territories and elsewhere, many of whom settled in Muttrah.
Declining as a power from the mid nineteenth century, Oman effectively closed itself off from the rest of the world until 1970, with the result that much of the history and character of Oman is well-preserved, especially in Muttrah.
Renshaw grabs biggest road win of career in Qatar
Australian Mark Renshaw landed his first stage race victory at the 10th edition of the Tour of Qatar here on Friday after the fifth and final stage, won by Italian tyro Andrea Guardini.
Read more on Bangkok Post – Thailand’s English news
Renshaw grabs biggest road win of career in Qatar
DOHA (AFP) – Australian Mark Renshaw landed his first stage race victory at the 10th edition of the Tour of Qatar here on Friday after the fifth and final stage, won by Italian tyro Andrea Guardini.
Read more on thewest.com.au
Cancellara already motoring, would like a result in Qatar or Oman
Swiss rider will chase same objectives this season as he did in 2010
Read more on VeloNation
Entries (RSS)