Although I like living where I do, there are times when I briefly but seriously consider becoming a stowaway. Al Bustan Palace is one of those places that may make you reconsider your current abode in favour of stealing away in one of the rooms. I won't lie, it was hot and I mean hot when we got out of the car in Oman's capital of Muscat.
Temperatures showed 46C or I've never experienced Ramadan in a predominantly Muslim country so this was a new experience for me. It is a time in the Islamic lunar calender when adult Muslims abstain from food and liquids from sunrise to sundown. Just as important as the fasting is the concentration on spiritual reflection, prayers, reading the Quran and giving to charity.
During the days before Ramadan everyone makes their way back home to their families for the period. It is supposed to teach discipline and generosity. Children, the elderly and those travelling are exempt from fasting although it is important to note that to be respectful. That means not eating or drinking in public and if one purchases food, make sure that it is enclosed in a bag. Muslims can eat before sunrise in a meal called "Suhoor" and another called "Iftar" which means to break the fast just after sunset.
We walk into the cool, air conditioned lobby after cooing at the beautiful gardens. It's so hot here that I can't imagine the upkeep of the lush, green flower laden gardens.
But possibly more impressive is the 38 metre high atrium lobby. The hotel is set on acres of property bordering the Gulf of Oman with its own private beach 1 kilometre long which is the longest in the country. It remains where the Sultanate of Oman houses his international visitors and heads of state and they enter through a separate entrance.
