there are still little old-style villages in oman, with houses built from clay (and truly messy backyards) ... yet many building have been renewed, and whole new towns were erected (using oman's oil fortune), including neat modern souks ... i also saw quite a number of rather pompous villas in this country ... and of course they have big hotels for rich tourists and the local dollar aristocracy - the lobby of the al-bustan palace hotel is almost cathedraling ...
