jaalan bani bu ali & jaalan bani bu hassan

Go 'way, fiddle! folks is tired o' hearin' you a-squawkin'. / Keep silence fur you' betters! don't you heah de banjo talkin'? / About de 'possum's tail she's gwine to lecter—ladies, listen! / About de ha'r whut isn't dar, an' why de ha'r is missin': /
Irwin Russell, 1853–1879. De Fust Banjo.

I’d left Muscat by lunchtime, and got to Jaalan Bani Bu Hassan and Ali as ancient ruins tucked away were set aglow in the late evening light. There was something different about them, compared to most other remnants in Oman. The tallest, most imposing structure was a tower house that rose perhaps five stories high – a skyscraper in its time. It also looked like it had a lot of Yemeni influence, both in its vertical orientation and in its design. The other thing that struck us was its condition – absolutely perfectly preserved and maintained, and the fact that it was alive and well. Further renovations inside were under way, and the owner proudly led us up staircase after staircase, each illuminated by windows carved into the earthen walls. The terrace, a narrow space just enough for three people to stand on, gives you unbeatable views of the town and its surrounding plantations.

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