Well, when I say that I dress for the occasion, I am not kidding! Actually, this garb is more Saudi than Omani, however, everyone on the ship is buying a local wardrobe for a bid Arabian Nights party that we are having onboard the ship!

Oman is a contrast of rugged mountains with seaside ports and thriving towns. The air is dry and hot, but very bearable this time of year.

Oman (Arabic: عمان‎ ʻUmān), officially the Sultanate of Oman (Arabic: سلطنة عمان‎), is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates on the northwest, Saudi Arabia on the west and Yemen on the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The Madha and Musandam enclaves are surrounded by the UAE on their land borders, with the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman forming Musandam's coastal boundaries.

In November 2010, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) listed Oman as the most-improved nation over the last 40 years from among 135 countries worldwide. According to international indices, Oman is one of the most developed and stable countries in the region.

Our day was spend in the small, old town of Mutrah. The actual town of Muscat is nearby, but the region is generally known as Muscat.

Notice the local garb....on the right, of course. It appears that the people on the left stand out a little bit!

We visited the very-famous Mutrah Souq. A souq is basically a bazar, and it goes on and on. Bargaining is the order of the day. Everything is negotiable.

The good thing about dressing like the locals is that you never really have to decide what to wear. Everything looks the same!

Here is Ralph nearby one of the many, many mosques.

It's a good thing that these products have familiar shapes! Otherwise, you never quite know what you are getting!

Fresh fruit drinks are very popular here. But, don't ask for a beer. You may be put in jail! Alcohol is against the law!

The whole town is very clean and striking in looks!

This is an everyday scene here. The wardrobe is simple, yet standard. And, you rarely ever see men and women walking together.

Just ask the guy in the robe. He is your taxi driver.

Thankfully, most signs are in both English and Arabic.

They give you this pass to clip onto yourself when you leave the ship. Don't lose it, or we may never see you again! I hear the local Souq may be hiring.