Forts of Gulf Arabia

Bukha Fort, Musandam, Oman - the fort is that tiny structure near the bottom of the photo, dwarfed by the immense mountains behind

Forts, castles and the ilk have always been one of my favourite subjects... The Arabian versions are smaller, way smaller than their Indian counterparts. Some of the houses around where we're staying now in Dubai are actually bigger than the old forts around here. Imagine how this area have changed huh?


Sharjah Fort, in the middle of a friggin roundabout surrounded by apartment blocks - beautiful?


The entrance of the Al-Ain Fort (a museum now), most of the old forts & houses are museums of one kind or another now.


The remains of a fort near the Badiyah Mosque, in the Emirate of Fujairah, east coast UAE


The Badiyah Mosque (the small cute looking mud building), reputedly the oldest standing mosque in the region (1300 years old)


Khasab Fort, Musandam, Oman


Khasab Fort up close with Anu


No this is not a fort, it’s our trusty hotel in Khasab, where we had to cough up 800 bloody bucks (dirhams) for a night in two adjoined rooms with a shared bathroom. (We went with our Malaysian friends – Sree Ganesh & family)


Members of the trip, in our dhow (Arabian boat) – from right, Sujatha, Anu, Vishnu (Sujatha’s son with face concealed by bag), Yashwini (Sujatha’s daughter), Sree Ganesh (father of the two kids), some total stranger who happen to protrude into our picture.