Birkat Al-Mouz

Birkat Al-Mouz is a city near the mountains in the center of Oman. It's a little over a two hour drive south of where I live in Al Ain. The city has an oasis that grows a variety of fruits & vegetables and next to the city (upper left of the picture below) is an ancient fort.

Note the Omani hats. The kandoora (robe) is very similar to what is worn in the Emirates, but the hats are uniquely Omani.

This is a view from the top of the crumbling fort. I've read that part was built in 1200 and/or 1400. All the palm trees in the distance are part of the oasis. Climbing to get this shot was treacherous. At one point I grabbed the corner of a wall to climb up only to have it crumble in my hand.

These wood rafters have become petrified over the centuries.

Water that runs off the mountains is collected and distributed via this falaj (aqua duct) system. While the fort has been abandoned the falaj is still running.

I also read that the fort was bombed by the British in the 1960's. Those damn Brits. What were they thinking when they bombed an innocent people that would never be any serious threat to them? I'm glad the US would never do anything that stupid.

Err, wait a minute...