Oman- where a major part of the action of 'A Safe Harbour' is based

Excerpt from the book

Muscat-"Clean, spacious and green beyond belief, this city was truly a
model for gracious living. Managing the delicate balance of the
traditional with the modern beautifully, the highly developed
aesthetic sense of the Omanis was in evidence, as far as the eye
could see. Since this was the season for flowering plants, row upon
row of enormous, brightly coloured petunias provided a visual feast.
Serving as a perfect foil to the carefully planted tall and swaying
date palms, they were fascinating – pink, red, purple, and white.
Aafreen couldn’t help but think, “Did they really come in so many
colours?”

Enhancing the beauty of the landscape even further were the
beautifully designed roundabouts, reflecting the cultural heritage
of the country. Each one was uniquely designed to showcase their
craftsmanship to the maximum, combining visuals and cut-outs
of forts, treasure chests and other elements of Omani heritage. In
essence, they were a genuine reflection of an immense sense of
pride of the Omanis in their cultural identity.

What was even more captivating was the usage and combination
of colours. Predominantly using white, the Omani architects had
successfully managed to achieve a clever contrast, using some
elements of green, red and occasionally black. The result – an overall
look of style and elegance. From what Aafreen already knew about
the Omanis, this reflected their general overview of the world and
life in general. While remaining immensely proud of their
traditional heritage, they were open, modern and progressive. A
fact amply driven home by their enormous progress and enviable
position in today’s world.

It was truly amazing, this nation, The Sultanate of Oman,
only “thirty-five years young.” Yet, so very developed."