Charming fishing bays - of Dhofar
Drive through the town and you will be amazed to see elegant houses of merchants all over the place. You must have heard of the Taqah stone used as a façade for new buildings. Yes, the stone comes from Taqah and so does the name. This stone is quarried a few kilometres away from the town and is extensively used in house construction in the Dhofar region. Hajar Taqah, the dressed stone, is used as a façade for new buildings.
Khwars (creeks), which abound the entire coast around this region, are home to a variety of the avian species. Khawr Sawli and Khawr Taqah are two spots where you will find a great variety of birds.
Get back to the highway to proceed to Mirbat, a charming fishing town. To go further to Mirbat one returns to the highway and heads east.
From Taqah on the way to Mirbat you reach the Gravity Point where your vehicle will be pulled uphill even if you switch off its engine. Switch off your car engine, release the breaks and your car starts to move uphill for about 200 metres, seemingly defying the laws of gravity.
Even our Omani mini bus driver was baffled. To reach this point you need to take a left turn after Taqah on the way to Mirbat.
At the entrance of Mirbat town the Mirbat fort sits all by itself on the edge of a small bay, overseeing the endless horizon of its waters. In its hey days, it served as a sentinel to the town. The cannons of the fort stand just a few feet above sea level resting on the low walls overlooking the sea.
Constructed in the 19th century, the fort was the stronghold of the previous rulers of Oman and was used during the time of Sultan Turki bin Said, Sultan Faisal bin Turki, Sultan bin Taimur and Sultan Said bin Taimur. This fort played a defensive and administrative role throughout history.
Next to the fort is a big mosque on whose neighbourhood are a few very old, traditional houses. The windows of the houses are fitted with screens and are framed with pointed arches.
Go further to the other side of the bay and you will find fishing boats either drifting in the waters or anchored at the cemented shore. You can soak in the surreal ambience!
Outside the town on a hillock is the shrine of Mohammed bin Ali who is described as a man of piety. He established a madrasa (religious seminary) in Mirbat, and died in the year 1161.
Mirbat and its environs also provide good opportunities for watching different species of sea birds. Several varieties of sea birds like petrels, shearwater and the cormorants can be seen at Ras Mirbat and at Ras Janjari located 12 kilometres away from the town.
So, when you are in Dhofar, never miss out on Mirbat.
Times of Oman, August 2nd 2008
