Muscat

Every year on our way back to Mumbai after the Christmas break we do a stopover.  We've been to Istanbul, Sri Lanka, Jordan and now to Oman.  After an overnight flight we landed bright and early in Muscat and hired a car to get to Mutrah.

Oman is very historic.  At one time it was ruled as a Portuguese colony and a lot of forts and castles remain from this time.  Today the country is ruled by Sultan Qaboos as an absolute monarchy - however he seems popular among the Omani people and his photo appears everywhere.  There are lots of watchtowers around Mutrah and Muscat.

 

Our first day in Mutrah was spent walking around, through the souk and along the Corniche to Old Muscat where the Sultan's Palace is.

The Sultan's Palace - built on the site of the former British Embassy!

Hats in a window in Mutrah souk

London in Winter

After spending time with Mum, we then went down to London for the weekend and stayed with Joal. On the Saturday I took Lex for a walk through Limehouse - where my grandfather used to work.  The place is certainly different from his time!

On the Sunday we went to see Vanessa.  There was a lot of rain - but I quite like the effect of taking this rainy photo through the car windscreen.

On the Monday we were due to fly to Oman, we visited my cousin Sally in the morning.  She had fallen and broken her collar bone, so until she got back from the doctors Lex and I drove up to Alexandra Palace.  It was a glorious winter's day and we had a great view right across to the City of London.

After a brunch in Highgate with Sally we went for a walk to Highgate Cemetery.  It sounds a bit morbid but actually it's a really interesting place where many famous people are buried.

Southwold with Lindsey

Another place we visited as a family was Southwold, where my dear friend Lindsey lives.  We drove through the countryside to get there, including through the village of Framlingham, where you can see the Dutch influence on the landscape.

Framlingham windmill

Southwold pier - there were some big waves here today.

Southwold looking towards the lighthouse

The very interesting water clock on the pier at Southwold

Southwold is famous for its beach huts

Gun Hill - With Lindsey

Can you believe that these beach huts cost between 70 and 90,000 pounds. Crazy!

An almost empty beach at Southwold on a lovely (but windy) winter's day.

Coastal towns of Essex and Suffolk

The Customs House, Ipswich. Originally an Anglo Saxon settlement, Ipswich soon became known as an exporter of wool.

Neptune Quay in Ipswich. Essex

View across Ipswich Haven Marina

Mum - off for a coffee in Isaac's.

Woodbridge in Suffolk

The Tide Mill, Woodbridge

Suffolk skies

Sutton Hoo.  The 7th century Sutton Hoo ship burial contained a wealth of Anglo Saxon artefacts - it's probably the most important archaeological site in England.

The Sutton Hoo helmet - found in the burial chamber

Coastal towns of Norfolk

A little project I set myself for the Christmas and New Year period we were at Mum's was to get her out to visit some local places.  My focus this year was on the coastal towns of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.  We had (mostly) glorious weather for these trips.

The Customs House by the South Quay at Kings Lynn

The statue of George Vancouver, the explorer who charted the North American Pacific coast, and the old Custom's House dating from 1683. George Vancouver was born in Kings Lynn.

The Green Quay Warehouse in Kings Lynn.

Kings Lynn Minster

The Trinity Guildhall in Kings Lynn, now the Town Hall.

The old town gaol.

Hunstanton - on top of the cliffs.

Hunstanton lighthouse

Hunstanton in Norfolk - one of the nicest beaches in England.

Christmas with the family

There are no words really that can describe how wonderful it is to have all 3 generations of the family together for Christmas.  I feel so blessed that my children get on so well together and that both are so caring of my mother.  Love!