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, and each had 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 kept spiraling 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, covering the springs and the town with their vast, dark shadow. 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 on the UNESCO Heritage Sites. Talk about a change 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.
【紅霞譯】
離開阿聯酋富查伊拉“春至”城後我們駛向阿曼首都馬斯喀特“錨地”，以前我尚未聽說過阿拉伯著名的“墜落之地”，但僅從眼前這個被封為世上最大的天然港口下船登岸不大工夫，我即刻領悟到為什麼會對它毫無所知。
馬斯喀特市區不大，摩天大樓屈指可數，反正這些也不是我們親臨君主制王國所熱衷的東西，今天我和媽媽要去遠離首都個把鐘頭車程的軍事要塞——建於前伊斯蘭時期的納哈爾“棗椰樹”堡，2003年間英國查爾斯王子曾到此一游，阿曼人無不引以為傲。
納哈爾堡外表非常壯觀，當地人因地制宜專門根據奇形怪狀的山石地貌修建而成，彰顯阿曼式建築風格。它共有四個高塔，每個塔樓都配備一門大炮，其內部結構奇特看上去像座迷宮，無論怎麼走老覺得在兜圈子，幸好導遊輕車熟路，我們才不至於暈頭轉向。
我們沿旋梯拾階而上，旋梯長得一眼望不到頭，待好不容易爬到頂端我的腿快要不聽使喚，當然嘍，能夠領略到大好風光，為之而付出的苦勞都是心甘情願。 登高眺望，遠處醒目山脈巍然屹立，將眼前的種植侯溫泉、溪流河水以及規模不大的熱帶雨林全部收羅到自己的懷抱之中，近處小村莊靜靜地躺在溫泉旁邊，山泉嘩啦啦順勢而下，流經田間房舍，為旱地居民提供寶貴水源，大自然鬼斧神工，把荒山野嶺造化成《世界遺產名錄‧阿夫拉傑“灌溉渠道”五支分流水渠灌溉系統》。
接下來的目標是監獄，它讓我渾身直起雞皮疙瘩，不過等看到現場擺設的道具時我卻大失所望，監獄僅一間屋子而已，裡面只靠一個木墩應景，可是監獄向來用於羈押犯人，怎麼也得有手銬之類的刑械玩意才算說得過去，隨便拿個木墩來充數豈不太過敷衍，我倒情願看到像模像樣的囚禁場所。 透過納哈爾堡，其實我了解最多的還是阿曼民族。  Old Town (馬斯喀特老城 12-11-2013)
 Al Jalali & Al Mirani Forts in the 16th Century
(16世紀的賈拉里“絕美”堡與米拉尼“海上王子”堡)  Muttrah Harbour (穆特拉“停泊地”港)
 Oman, the Gateway to Zanzibar
(阿曼·通往坦贊尼亞群島桑給巴爾“石頭城”的門戶)
 Bandar Al Rowdha (班達爾·羅達“花園港”)
 Omani Dhow against Nautica Oceania in the Harbor of Mutrah Corniche
(阿曼單桅帆船與背後的“大洋·航海”號遊輪停泊在穆特拉濱海港口)
 Fort Muttrah Built by the Portuguese in the 1580s
(穆特拉堡·由葡萄牙人於16世紀80年代建造 12-11-2013)  Fort Muttrah, a Defense Tower (穆特拉堡·防禦塔)
 Fort Muttrah Good for Observation & Defensive Weapons
(穆特拉堡·益於觀察及防禦武器)  Water Pots & Incense Burner @ Al Riyam Roundabout
(里亞姆“草地”轉盤·水罐和香爐)  Sohar Boat @ Al Bustan Roundabout
(布斯坦“花園”環島·蘇哈爾“傳統單桅帆船”船)
 Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (卡布斯“長壽”蘇丹大清真寺)
Al Zawawi Mosque (扎維耶“好福氣”清真寺 12-11-2013)  Al Zulfa Mosque (祖爾法“親密”清真寺)
 Mohammed Al Ameen Mosque
(穆罕默德·阿門“先知·值得信賴者”清真寺) 
Masjid Al Saldiya (薩拉迪亞“信仰”清真寺) 
Minaret (宣禮塔)
 Mosque of the Great Prophet @ Muttrah Corniche
(穆特拉濱海大道上先知清真寺)  Muscat Gate (馬斯喀特城門)
 Muscat Gate Museum (馬斯喀特城門博物館)
 Al Alam Palace (阿拉姆“宇宙”皇宮 12-11-2013)
 Ministry of Finance (財政部)
Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel (布斯坦宮——麗思·卡爾頓“富麗堂皇·自由城”酒店 12-11-2013)  Tea Lounge @ Al Bustan Palace
(布斯坦宮·茶坊 12-11-2013)  Arabian Artifacts @ Al Bustan Palace
(布斯坦宮·阿拉伯文物 12-11-2013)  Lunch @ Al Bustan Palace (布斯坦宮·午餐 12-11-2013)
 Mutrah Souq, Dating back around 2 Centuries
(穆特拉赫集市·其歷史可追溯到大約兩個世紀以前)
 Muttrah Souk or Al Dhalam Souq
(穆特拉或達拉姆“黑暗”集市 12-11-2013)  Domed Ceiling @ Muttrah Souk (穆特拉集市·穹頂)
 Muscat New Development (馬斯喀特新開發區)
 Fresco on the Façade of the Omani Bldg
(阿曼建築物正面浮雕裝飾)  Al Hajar Mountains (哈吉爾“石”山)
 Omanis Capped in Kumma (身着阿曼服飾的當地人 12-11-2013)
 Omani Mussar (阿曼穆薩爾“頭巾”12-11-2013)
 Nakhal Fort, Prince Charles Visited in 2003
(納哈爾堡·2003年英國查爾斯王子到此一游)  Nakhl Fort by Oasis of Date Palms Under the Al Hajar Mtns
(哈吉爾山脈下椰棗樹綠洲旁的納哈爾堡)
Nakhl Fort Styled in the Sultanate of Oman, Dating back to Pre-Islamic Times (納哈爾堡·阿曼蘇丹國建築風格，可追溯至前伊斯蘭時代 12-11-2013)  Battlements of Nakhl Fort (納哈爾堡·城垛)
 Nakhl Fort Towering above the Date Palm Groves
(納哈爾堡·聳立於棗椰樹林之上 12-11-2013)
 Nakhl Fort Built to Fit around An Irregularly-shaped Rock
(納哈爾堡·圍繞不規則岩石建築而成 12-11-2013)
 Cannon @ Nakhl Fort (納哈爾堡·大炮 12-11-2013)
 Cannon Balls @ Nakhl Fort
(納哈爾堡·土炮彈 12-11-2013)  Rock Outcropping over Nakhl Fort
(納赫爾堡上方岩石露頭 12-11-2013)
 Nakhl Fort Museum (納哈爾堡博物館 12-11-2013)
 Nakhl Fort, a Milestone Not Only in the Wilayat of Nakhal, But in the Sultanate
(納哈爾堡·不僅是本省的里程碑，也是蘇丹國的新紀元 12-11-2013)
Battery Archway @ Nakhl Fort (納哈爾堡·炮台拱道)  Nakhal Palm Tree Village (納卡爾棕櫚樹村落)
Nakhl Streams @ the Foot of Al Hajar Mountains (哈吉爾山腳下納卡爾溪流 12-11-2013) 
Nakhl Springs (納卡爾溫泉) 
Foot Spa @ Nakhl Springs (納卡爾溫泉·足浴) 
Air-Dried Clothing (曬衣服)  Plaque of Chicken Murdered (肉店招牌·宰雞)
 Nautica Lounge of Nautica Oceania
(“大洋·航海”號遊輪——航海休息室 12-11-2013)
Crosslink(相關博文): Across the Indian Ocean(穿越印度洋) |
