Wadi Bani Auf (Snake Gorge)

5 February 2010

Wadi Bani Auf (Snake Gorge)

After our quick visit to the hotspring in Rustaq, we headed for Wadi Bani Auf,  which is not far from Rustaq.  There is a clear sign to turn right to the Wadi and it is about 31km off-road driving. The well maintained gravel road was not too bad although steep in some places.  

 

 

These are some of the sceneries into the Wadi with mountain goats everywhere and scattered houses and villages too.

  

  

  

  

We drove for about an hour and there was still no sight of the canyon.  We stopped to ask one of the local omanis and with the help of some printed pictures I had from the internet, he somehow gave us an indication of where to find the canyon.  And much to our delight we found the entrance to this beautiful canyon with cold stream of clear water and lots of little fishes and tadpoles. 

http://www.bellsinoman.com/Snake_Gorge_Hike.pdf

After seeing the blog of the Bell family, I believe this is where they exit after their canyoning adventure of the Snake Gorge.

  

  

  

  

  

A unusual red caterpillar found on the rocks.

  

Shallow stream

  

Looking above the scattered clouds from below the canyon.

  

  

Esheng kept going deeper and deeper into the canyon. I just wanted to walk in the shallow stream , but he kept moving on and on and saying "oh its nice here, lets go a bit further". And before you know it, his "a bit further" went quite far in and into deeper canyon of deeper streams. He had his swimming trunk ready.  He slipped in one of the rocks and got all wet....but he was happy!!

  

Our princess was delighted with the walk too and taking pictures

  

  

This is where he slipped when we were going back...

  

 

  

  

 

Having fun.....!!!

  

  

The scenery got more beautiful as we walked deeper into the canyon but this is where we stopped and turned back.

  

  

  

  

  

  

Eewen took this photo.  Its nice, I like it...!

 

Interesting plant growing from the rocks.

  

Cemetery.

  

 More sceneries on our way back..

  

 

Al Hazm & Rustaq

5 February 2010

Al Hazm Castle is a magnificent fort, which is at least 300 years old.  It is known to have made full use of traditional defensive features, secret escape tunnels, dungeons, cannon towers, gun ports in the upper floors and a machicolation above the entrance for pouring boiling oil or date syrup onto unwary attackers below.

 

Eewen, Esheng, Wei Kin, Wei Han and Wei Zhen at the main entrance to the fort.

The highlight of this fort is the massive carved wooden entry door with beautiful designs and arabic writings on it.

  

We were given a warm welcome of coffee and dates! The kids were looking at the well and started throwing stones in it until the guardhouse stopped them. 

Rustaq Fort

This fort was built four centuries prior to the dawn of Islam in Oman. It is an imposing structure built on three levels, containing separate houses, an armoury, a mosque and four towers.

Weapons room

  

  

  

Everyone looking at some fishes at the clear water channel, which I believed is the falaj system

  

Entrance to the fort

  

Passage way

  

Roof top

 

Spectacular view of the date plantation and mountains

  

  

  

We found the Rustaq hotspring which is not very far from the fort.  The hotspring is known as an area of healing warm springs. Its water runs at 45 degree celcius and is regarded as a cure for rheumatism and skin diseases due its sulphur content.  Its is an enclosed hotspring, well maintained with separate sections for drinking water and bathing.  I expected a more open hotspring where we could dip our feet in but to our disappointment we could not do so.  The enclosed area is quite cramped and the pool is rather deep. 

  

  

Esheng, Wei Kin, Wei Han and Wei Zhen who were all dying to jump into the pool, only to realise that the water is too hot and too deep.

  

We saw bubbles popping up to the surface.

  

Esheng has to be contented walking to the other end of the hotspring, all safely fenced up.

  

This is the section where we saw the locals collecting the water in plastic bottles and I was told that these were the drinking water.  So we decided to try and taste the water, not everyone braved that, instead everyone had their hands dipped in to wash faces. How did the water taste like.......mmm......slightly salty.....!