From the souk.

Of course, no trip to the Middle East is complete without a visit to a proper souk. We took a taxi into Muscat town to visit the Mutrah Souk - one of the oldest in the region. As it was Ramadan and people was breaking their fasts during the evening, it was quieter than we were told it usually is (gaining in custom towards Eid) but it was nice as a tourist to be able to walk the little alleys without getting crushed, especially in the sometimes stifling humidity of the August evenings. If you haven't been to a souk before, prepare yourself for some friendly but persuasive shop owners trying to talk you into their shops to buy their wears over their competitors. My dad was convinced into buying Frankincense (which traditionally comes from Oman) and my mother and I both took the plunge in one of the many pashmina shops. My biggest find however was the turquoise ring, pictured, set into Omani silver. I have been looking for a ring in this colour stone for a while, but wanted one that felt a little bit different to the knock-off versions on the high street. I was so happy to find this one, with the angled, pointed setting and a smooth, large stone. After a spot of haggling, left to daddy (seasoned haggler) we had our price and the ring was mine!