2013-12-11 
【Aiden in English】
From Fujairah, UAE, we sailed to Muscat, the capital of Oman. I'd never heard of this well-known "falling place" in the Arabian monarchy kingdom before, and I started to understand why when I stepped into the largest natural harbor in the world. Muscat is a small city with a few skyscrapers. But that wasn't the main attraction for us. Today's excursion would take Mom and me on an hour-and-a-half bus ride to see an ancient fortress built during the pre-Islamic period. Prince Charles paid a visit in 2003, which made the Omani people very proud. When we arrived, my first impression of Nakhal Fort was that it was gigantic. It was designed in the architectural style of the Sultanate of Oman. The fort had four tall towers, each equipped with a cannon. Walking inside, I was amazed at its interior construction to fit around an irregularly shaped rock. The fort looked like a vast maze. No matter where you went, you always seemed to be going in circles. Luckily, the tour guide knew where he meant to go, so we should be okay. We climbed up a flight of stairs that seemed to spiral on forever. As we finally reached the top, my legs were about to collapse. However, the view made up for the long bus ride. Below us were Nakhal Springs, a creek, a river, and a small rainforest. A tiny village lay peacefully next to the springs. The Hajar Mountains rose like giants behind them, covering the springs and the town with their vast, dark shadows. The spring water tumbled down the mountains into the village, which nurtured local people in the desert. It was important in the Five Aflaj Irrigation Systems, listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Discuss the impact of changes in such environments. Next, we visited the prison I had been waiting to see. But when my eyes landed on what was exhibited inside, disappointment flooded through me. The prison merely looked like a room with a wooden log for a seat. I expected something like handcuffs. However, the log was all it had. I want to explore something different from jail. Seeing the fort made me think there was more to Omanis than it met the eye.
【红霞译】
离开阿联酋富查伊拉“春至”城后我们驶向阿曼首都马斯喀特“锚地”，以前我尚未听说过阿拉伯著名的“坠落之地”，但仅从眼前这个被封为世上最大的天然港口下船登岸不大工夫，我即刻领悟到为什么会对它毫无所知。
马斯喀特市区不大，摩天大楼屈指可数，反正这些也不是我们亲临君主制王国所热衷的东西，今天我和妈妈要去远离首都个把钟头车程的军事要塞——建于前伊斯兰时期的纳哈尔“枣椰树”堡，2003年间英国查尔斯王子曾到此一游，阿曼人无不引以为傲。
纳哈尔堡外表非常壮观，当地人因地制宜专门根据奇形怪状的山石地貌修建而成，彰显阿曼式建筑风格。它共有四个高塔，每个塔楼都配备一门大炮，其内部结构奇特看上去像座迷宫，无论怎么走老觉得在兜圈子，幸好导游轻车熟路，我们才不至于晕头转向。
我们沿旋梯拾阶而上，旋梯长得一眼望不到头，待好不容易爬到顶端我的腿快要不听使唤，当然喽，能够领略到大好风光，为之而付出的苦劳都是心甘情愿。 登高眺望，远处醒目山脉巍然屹立，将眼前的种植侯温泉、溪流河水以及规模不大的热带雨林全部收罗到自己的怀抱之中，近处小村庄静静地躺在温泉旁边，山泉哗啦啦顺势而下，流经田间房舍，为旱地居民提供宝贵水源，大自然鬼斧神工，把荒山野岭造化成《世界遗产名录‧阿夫拉杰“灌溉渠道”五支分流水渠灌溉系统》。
接下来的目标是监狱，它让我浑身直起鸡皮疙瘩，不过等看到现场摆设的道具时我却大失所望，监狱仅一间屋子而已，里面只靠一个木墩应景，可是监狱向来用于羁押犯人，怎么也得有手铐之类的刑械玩意才算说得过去，随便拿个木墩来充数岂不太过敷衍，我倒情愿看到像模像样的囚禁场所。 透过纳哈尔堡，其实我了解最多的还是阿曼民族。  Old Town (马斯喀特老城 12-11-2013)
 Al Jalali & Al Mirani Forts in the 16th Century
(16世纪的贾拉里“绝美”堡与米拉尼“海上王子”堡)  Muttrah Harbour (穆特拉“停泊地”港)
 Oman, the Gateway to Zanzibar
(阿曼·通往坦赞尼亚群岛桑给巴尔“石头城”的门户)
 Bandar Al Rowdha (班达尔·罗达“花园港”)
 Omani Dhow against Nautica Oceania in the Harbor of Mutrah Corniche
(阿曼单桅帆船与背后的“大洋·航海”号游轮停泊在穆特拉滨海港口)
 Fort Muttrah Built by the Portuguese in the 1580s
(穆特拉堡·由葡萄牙人于16世纪80年代建造 12-11-2013)  Fort Muttrah, a Defense Tower (穆特拉堡·防御塔)
 Fort Muttrah Good for Observation & Defensive Weapons
(穆特拉堡·益于观察及防御武器)  Water Pots & Incense Burner @ Al Riyam Roundabout
(里亚姆“草地”转盘·水罐和香炉)  Sohar Boat @ Al Bustan Roundabout
(布斯坦“花园”环岛·苏哈尔“传统单桅帆船”船)
 Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (卡布斯“长寿”苏丹大清真寺)
Al Zawawi Mosque (扎维耶“好福气”清真寺 12-11-2013)  Al Zulfa Mosque (祖尔法“亲密”清真寺)
 Mohammed Al Ameen Mosque
(穆罕默德·阿门“先知·值得信赖者”清真寺) 
Masjid Al Saldiya (萨拉迪亚“信仰”清真寺) 
Minaret (宣礼塔)
 Mosque of the Great Prophet @ Muttrah Corniche
(穆特拉滨海大道上先知清真寺)  Muscat Gate (马斯喀特城门)
 Muscat Gate Museum (马斯喀特城门博物馆)
 Al Alam Palace (阿拉姆“宇宙”皇宫 12-11-2013)
 Ministry of Finance (财政部)
Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel (布斯坦宫——丽思·卡尔顿“富丽堂皇·自由城”酒店 12-11-2013)  Tea Lounge @ Al Bustan Palace
(布斯坦宫·茶坊 12-11-2013)  Arabian Artifacts @ Al Bustan Palace
(布斯坦宫·阿拉伯文物 12-11-2013)  Lunch @ Al Bustan Palace (布斯坦宫·午餐 12-11-2013)
 Mutrah Souq, Dating back around 2 Centuries
(穆特拉赫集市·其历史可追溯到大约两个世纪以前)
 Muttrah Souk or Al Dhalam Souq
(穆特拉或达拉姆“黑暗”集市 12-11-2013)  Domed Ceiling @ Muttrah Souk (穆特拉集市·穹顶)
 Muscat New Development (马斯喀特新开发区)
 Fresco on the Façade of the Omani Bldg
(阿曼建筑物正面浮雕装饰)  Al Hajar Mountains (哈吉尔“石”山)
 Omanis Capped in Kumma (身着阿曼服饰的当地人 12-11-2013)
 Omani Mussar (阿曼穆萨尔“头巾”12-11-2013)
 Nakhal Fort, Prince Charles Visited in 2003
(纳哈尔堡·2003年英国查尔斯王子到此一游)  Nakhl Fort by Oasis of Date Palms Under the Al Hajar Mtns
(哈吉尔山脉下椰枣树绿洲旁的纳哈尔堡)
Nakhl Fort Styled in the Sultanate of Oman, Dating back to Pre-Islamic Times (纳哈尔堡·阿曼苏丹国建筑风格，可追溯至前伊斯兰时代 12-11-2013)  Battlements of Nakhl Fort (纳哈尔堡·城垛)
 Nakhl Fort Towering above the Date Palm Groves
(纳哈尔堡·耸立于枣椰树林之上 12-11-2013)
 Nakhl Fort Built to Fit around An Irregularly-shaped Rock
(纳哈尔堡·围绕不规则岩石建筑而成 12-11-2013)
 Cannon @ Nakhl Fort (纳哈尔堡·大炮 12-11-2013)
 Cannon Balls @ Nakhl Fort
(纳哈尔堡·土炮弹 12-11-2013)  Rock Outcropping over Nakhl Fort
(纳赫尔堡上方岩石露头 12-11-2013)
 Nakhl Fort Museum (纳哈尔堡博物馆 12-11-2013)
 Nakhl Fort, a Milestone Not Only in the Wilayat of Nakhal, But in the Sultanate
(纳哈尔堡·不仅是本省的里程碑，也是苏丹国的新纪元 12-11-2013)
Battery Archway @ Nakhl Fort (纳哈尔堡·炮台拱道)  Nakhal Palm Tree Village (纳卡尔棕榈树村落)
Nakhl Streams @ the Foot of Al Hajar Mountains (哈吉尔山脚下纳卡尔溪流 12-11-2013) 
Nakhl Springs (纳卡尔温泉) 
Foot Spa @ Nakhl Springs (纳卡尔温泉·足浴) 
Air-Dried Clothing (晒衣服)  Plaque of Chicken Murdered (肉店招牌·宰鸡)
 Nautica Lounge of Nautica Oceania
(“大洋·航海”号游轮——航海休息室 12-11-2013)
Crosslink(相关博文): Across the Indian Ocean(穿越印度洋) |
