Tuesday, July 19: I found a surprise message a couple of weeks ago from one of the most inspirational bloggers I know, Jo Bradley of restlessjo ~ roaming, at home and abroad.
Jo is an English lass who loves to travel and embrace life. She keeps a travel diary and holds a special place in her heart for Portugal. She provided a representative photo of her favorite country to display on the Picture the World Project: Portugal.
The Departure Board website has a great initiative to create a gallery of wonderful photos, one from each country in the world. I am so honored to be nominated to provide a photo from my collection to represent Oman. Jo nominated me for my “wonderful depictions of life in Oman,” which was really kind of her!
Here is my number one choice of a photo to represent Oman. In my eyes, Oman is most amazing for its dramatic landscapes of golden or brown rocky mountains punctuated by smatterings of green. The rare areas of vegetation reveal a strong determination by a people, dealt a harsh climate, to make the most of scarce water resources. When they have managed over the years to eek some water out of these dry mountains, extensive falaj systems, which they have painstakingly built throughout the country, carry the water to cultivate mangoes, pomegranates, grapes, lemons, walnuts, roses, indigo, sorghum, corn, apricots, onions, and dates. It’s amazing to me what a country, which up until 1970 was living in a less than modern world, has done to survive and thrive. This picture of the terraced plantations on Jebel Akhdar, otherwise known as “Green Mountain,” is one of the most beautiful places in Oman. At over 2,000 meters, it retains a temperate climate even in the hottest months of summer, and its people have cut into these stone mountains to create terraces where they can bring forth life. This, I have to say, is my favorite place in Oman.
the terraced plantations of Jebel Akdhar in Oman
It’s also my task to nominate two people to submit photos of another country. I would like to nominate Donna on Palawan, who has lived on the island province of Palawan in the Philippines for 30 years. She knows extensively its capital city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. I would also like to nominate 3rdculturechildren, a globetrotting family of 5 in the foreign service, for Brazil.
Thanks so much for the nomination, Jo! What a great project… 🙂
a nomad in the land of nizwa 
Thank you! I love the idea of finding a representative picture of Palawan. Oh my! What a great challenge. Sounds like fun.
Good, Donna! Please let me know when you decide on a picture!
I’m working on this, but have company here for a few days and haven’t been able to finish this yet. Don’t give up!
It’s okay, Donna! I don’t think it’s a huge rush, although I do see they are getting new pictures up on the Departure Board. Just so there is no one else doing Philippines, you’re good to go!
Oh Cath, you have certainly done justice to this challlenge! It was well worth waiting for. I thought the heat might have distracted you, but this is a wonderful piece. Thank you so much for the detailed description (how ignorant- I don’t know what sorgum is? who said blogs don’t teach?) and this glorious photo. I truly love it, and it will do The Departure Board proud.
Thanks also for the very kind remarks. I’m off to look in my Atlas for Palawan, and Brazil- that’s certainly a challenge for 3rd culturechildren! I’m loving this project. Thanks again! Can’t wait to see it up on the Board.
Thank you so much for your enthusiastic compliments, Jo!! You really make my day… 🙂 The heat has distracted me, as well as just starting the new semester and an unexpected holiday that took me to Musandam. But, here, I finally did it!
I see there are still lots of blank countries on the board; it looks like it will take quite some time to meet their goal of picturing every country in the world. But it will definitely be a great inspiration when it’s all done!!
Thanks again for nominating me, Jo!
Fabulous Cathy and amazing that they can grow anything on those slopes.
You’re right Gilly, it is amazing! Thank you… 🙂
Love your choice! Such a gorgeous place. Always assumed Oman was all desert.
Thank you Madhu! There are actually a lot of places of green in Oman, usually in wadis or near some kind of water source; you just have to know how to find them. Actually Muscat is quite green, as is Sohar, and all along the north coast.
Thank you Madhu! There are actually a lot of places of green in Oman, usually in wadis or near some kind of water source; you just have to know how to find them. Actually Muscat is quite green, as is Sohar, and all along the north coast. ~ Oh, by the way, I was going to nominate you, but I saw you already put up a beautiful picture of Peru!! 🙂
Congratulations on a well-deserved award. Such a refreshing photo, the bright green haven in the midst of the rugged, harsh desert.
Thank you, Carol. It was hard to choose between all the different landscape photos I have of Oman, but I thought this one was the most dramatic! 🙂
Thank you so very much for the nomination, and it’s an honor to be part of the project! Greetings from Brazil!
You’re welcome! Can’t wait to see your picture!
Just got the feedback from the “Picture the World Project”… they already picked one of my photos… I’ll send you the “draft blog post” for feedback… 😮 Thanks again!
Great! I’m really excited they picked one of your photos! Can’t wait to see it… 🙂
Congratulations on your nomination! That’s a wonderful image. 🙂
Thanks Robin!