<![CDATA[“This is mad!” Prince Harry exclaimed as he
attempted to rise to the challenge of a duel. The Prince was no
match for the 60-year-old Folk Dancer, yet they both laughed as the
Prince attempted to fence with him, holding a 3 foot blade and a
tiny wooden shield.
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Earlier, the Folk Dancer, Mohammed Moussa had taught the Prince
how to conduct a traditional “sword wobble” on his visit to Nizwa
Fort, which is Oman’s most visited national monument. Mr Moussa is
the leader of the Nizwa folklore band and helped the Prince perfect
the signature “blade shimmer” that is conducted in the Razha sword
dance.
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When the Prince arrived in the town of Nizwa, on the second day
of his tour in the Middle East, he was greeted with a large bouquet
of flowers. The little girl who gave him the flowers was part of a
school run by the Omani Women’s Association. Unbeknownst to the
Prince, the children were expecting him to arrive in Oman with a
Princess and were ready with a second bouquet.
Jalila Al-Sabahi, one of the children’s teachers, explained: “There
were two bouquets, one for him and one for his wife, only he has no
wife so we just gave him one.”
Before the sword-fight, Prince Harry visited souvenir shops and was
shown various weapons, as being an avid hunter these items were of
great interest to him.
Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya’rubi built the fort Prince Harry was
visiting in the 1650s and after the Prince dueled, he was lead to
the staircase of the fort’s large circular tower. Being a military
strategist, he was shown the various ways the fort defended against
invaders. As he made his way towards the top he passed through
several doors, which originally had trap doors behind them and
funnels above them. This was used to attack invaders with boiling
oil. The Prince continued his journey to the top and was rewarded
with breathtaking views of the surrounding Al Hajar Mountains.
Photo Credits: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Featured Photo Credit: Rebecca English @RE_DailyMail ]]>
