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a nomad in the land of nizwa

~ an American English teacher in Oman

a nomad in the land of nizwa

Category Archives: Al Ayn

friday meditation: my top ten happy memories in the sultanate

24 Friday May 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Al Aqr, Al Ayn, Al Qurum Resort, Al-Areesh Camp, Balad Sayt, Jade Garden, Jebel Akhdar, Middle East, Muscat, Nakhal Fort, Oman, Roses, Sahab Hotel, Saiq Plateau, Sharqiya Region, Sharqiya Sands, Sushi Buffet, Wadi Bani Awf, Wadi Bani Habib, Wadi Bani Kharus, Wadi MIstal, Wadi Shab, Wadi Tiwi, Wekan, Western Hajar Mountains

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

Life, Oman, Travel

Friday, Mary 24: I will carry to America hundreds of wonderful memories of my time here in the Sultanate of Oman.  There are too many to put into one blog post, as I have written over 475 posts during my 20+ months here.  As part of my fond farewell to Oman, here are my top 10 happy memories.

1.  On April 19, 2012, Mario, his Omani friend Sultan and I went on a mis-adventure to Wadi Damm.  It was shortly after a big rainfall and we had to cross about 10 fast-flowing wadis.  It was a foolish exploit, because many people get killed every year in flooding wadis; it rains so rarely here that most of the time the wadis are bone dry and people don’t realize how dangerous they are.  For us on this day, it was a grand & somewhat dangerous adventure.  We laughed a lot and then ended up at my house drinking wine and enjoying the night away ~ high jinks all around.  (an attempted trip to wadi damm ~ foiled by raging wadis)

one of the raging wadis on the way to Ibri

one of the raging wadis on the way to Ibri

2. On April 26, 2012, two of my friends, Kathy and Tom, and I ventured across the Hajar Mountains in Oman.  We drove over a treacherous dirt road along the edges of steep mountains through Wadi Bani Awf toward an idyllic little village called Balad Sayt.  In order to get to this beautiful village, we had to clamber through a pool-filled canyon to emerge on the other side in an open bowl surrounded by mountains.  The village with all its lush green plantations sits in the middle of this bowl.  Kathy made the mistake of abandoning her shoes beside one of the pools in the canyon.  When she came out on the Balad Sayt side, she struggled mightily to walk over the burning gravelly path up to the village. She devised several methods to protect her feet, using discarded pieces of rotten wood which she tossed ahead of her one step at a time; this painstaking method didn’t work too well.  She finally tied some flexible bark around her feet with old twine.  I know it wasn’t too funny for Kathy, but Tom and I never laughed so hard in our lives! (52 pick up: success (aka overcoming adversity))

Kathy and her bark and twine makeshift shoes ~ at Balad Sayt, Oman

Kathy and her bark and twine makeshift shoes ~ at Balad Sayt, Oman

3. On March 28, 2013, Mario and I went up to Jebel Akhdar to see the roses.  The year before, we had tried to see the roses but had come too late.  This time, we were able to breathe in the sweet fragrance and take lovely photos of the pink blossoms.  We had a lovely time walking through the rose gardens and then having wine and dinner at the Sahab Hotel after (the roses of jebel akdhar & a lovely encounter with an irish couple).  We repeated similar amazing experiences on Jebel Akhdar so many other times, I can’t even count them all.

Roses on Jebel Akhdar

Roses on Jebel Akhdar

Everyone who reads my blog knows that my favorite place in Oman is Jebel Akhdar.  Each time I went up the “Green Mountain,” I had different memorable experiences that I’ll carry in my heart always.  Here are a couple more of my favorite times.

  • Taking Beg and Mona Lisa up to the mountain on Valentine’s Day, 2013:  a valentine’s day adventure on jebel akhdar

    the terraces of Jebel Akhdar on Valentine's Day

    the terraces of Jebel Akhdar on Valentine’s Day

  • Taking Mike, Alex and Adam to the Hanging Villages on January 8, 2013: a hike around the hanging villages of wadi al ayn on jebel akhdar

    Alex, Mike and Adam on Jebel Akhdar

    Alex, Mike and Adam on Jebel Akhdar

  • Hiking through Wadi Bani Habib with Mario and his Omani friend Mohammed on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2012: thanksgiving day on jebel akhdar: villages of wadi bani habib. {part two}
    finding colorful ruins at Wadi Bani Habib with Mario & Mohammed

    finding colorful ruins at Wadi Bani Habib with Mario & Mohammed

    Mario in the ruins of Wadi Bani Habib on Jebel Akhdar

    Mario in the ruins of Wadi Bani Habib on Jebel Akhdar

  • Taking Malcolm and his lovely wife Sandy to Jebel Akhdar on a cold December night in 2012: a cold but lovely night at the sahab on jebel akhdar

    Sandy & Malcolm on a cold night on Jebel Akhdar

    Sandy & Malcolm on a cold night on Jebel Akhdar

4) On May 11, 2012, Mario and I went hiking on Jebel Akhdar in search of the roses, but we were too late to see them.  However, we had one of many great conversations throughout the course of our friendship.  After our hike, he invited me to come over and share lime-flavored white corn TOSTITOS® tortilla chips (a rare find in Oman), apricot & almond cheese, cheddar cheese and a bottle of wine.  We sat in his air-conditioned living room and talked about the tribal society of Oman and the confining rules under which a tribe must live, a conversation I call “escaping the tribe.”  Sometimes I think I should write a book titled “Conversations with Mario.” (searching for roses on jebel akhdar & a conversation about escaping the “tribe”)

Ruins at Wadi Bani Habib on Jebel Akhdar

Ruins at Wadi Bani Habib on Jebel Akhdar

5) On January 13, 2012, my sons came to visit me in Oman, and all of us loved our excursion into the watery cave at Wadi Shab (cliff-jumping in the hidden caves of wadi shab).  Stunningly beautiful.

The entrance to the pools at Wadi Shab that you must swim through to get to the cave

The entrance to the pools at Wadi Shab that you must swim through to get to the cave

6) On April 11, 2013, Mario and I went to explore Wadi Bani Kharous.  Not only did we explore the multitudes of picturesque villages in that wadi, but we experienced some great Omani hospitality along the way. (a trip to wadi bani kharous)

Omani hospitality at Wadi Bani Kharous

Omani hospitality at Wadi Bani Kharous

7) On Tuesday, February 21, 2013 Mario and I went on a huge road trip, where we explored Wadi Dayqah Dam, among other places, and ended up in Wadi Arbiyyin on the east coast of Oman.  Then we headed to Muscat and had a sushi buffet.  It was the road trip to beat all road trips, and perfectly lovely, except for the gunshots that scared us out of our wits. (wadi arbiyyin >> quriyat >> sushi in muscat. {the road trip: part 3})

Wadi Arbiyyin on the east coast of Oman

Wadi Arbiyyin on the east coast of Oman

8)  When I first arrived in Oman, I coudn’t find anyone who wanted to go exploring Oman on the first National Holiday, so I went by myself. I had a great time at Al Areesh Desert Camp meeting random people and listening & dancing to the Bedouin music. (national holiday chapter 3: sharqiya sands & al-areesh desert camp)

Bedouin singers at Al Areesh Desert Camp

Bedouin singers at Al Areesh Desert Camp

9)  When I went to Jordan over the 2011 Eid, I met an Italian guy, Guido, who came to visit me in Oman in December.  We had a great time going to Wadi Tiwi on his visit here on December 2, 2011. (cathy takes guido to wadis tiwi & shab…and up the coast to muscat)

Exploring Wadi Tiwi with Guido

Exploring Wadi Tiwi with Guido

10) The first time I went to Nakhal Fort, had lunch with an Omani family, then drove through Wadi Mistal to Wekan was simply magical. (nakhal fort, lunch with an omani family & a wild drive up wadi mistal)

My first magical time in Wekan

My first magical time in Wekan

I’ve been to some of these places many times, and each time was wonderfully special.  I’ve picked my favorites based on a feeling of peace and contentment I experienced during those specific times.

My time here in Oman is coming to a close.  I am ready to leave, but I will carry many happy memories with me. 🙂

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jebel akhdar: an afternoon of brits & roses, wine & bubbly

04 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in A'Sherageh, Al Aqr, Al Ayn, Al-Dakhiliyah Region, Jebel Akhdar, Middle East, Oman, Roses, Rosewater, Sahab Hotel

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Jebel Akhdar, Oman, Roses, Travel

Thursday, April 4:  For the second Thursday in a row, I go up to Jebel Akhdar to see the rose gardens.   This time, I take my colleague Malcolm and his lovely wife Sandy, who has come from Britain to visit Malcolm for her spring break.

We go up the mountain late in the afternoon because we only want a short walk through the sprawling rose gardens in the picturesque Al Ayn, a village perched on a huge rock-spur jutting out from the escarpment.  Last week, Mario and I came up here, and there were multitudes of tiny buds on the bushes.  This week, more roses seem to be in bloom, but there are still millions of buds, meaning there will still be roses to see for at least several more weeks.

we start our walk through the rose villages

we start our walk through the rose villages

We walk along the trail from Al Aqr to Al Ayn, where we see below us the large escarpment where the rose bushes and fruit trees and onions are planted.

the rose gardens on the plateau

the rose gardens on the plateau

closer up of the rose gardens

closer up to the rose gardens

Malcolm and Sandy

Malcolm and Sandy

We walk through a grapevine trellis, with baby vines just starting to curl through the lattice.  At this point, we have to make a decision.  Either we have to walk along the falaj, which is quite high in some spots and requires good balance, or through a boulder-filled wadi.  We decide to walk through the wadi.

grapevines on the trellis

grapevines on the trellis

a little pond

a little pond

We come upon a little pond full of croaking and mating frogs.  We stop for quite a while laughing at their mating rituals and shenanigans.

we hear frogs croaking and see all kinds of mating rituals

we hear frogs croaking and see all kinds of mating rituals

reflection in the frog pond

reflection in the frog pond

As we climb out of the wadi, I find this solitary flower, probably a weed, clinging to the rocks.

a pretty weed

a pretty weed

Atop the plateau now, we come upon the rose bushes with their heady fragrance.

the roses

the roses

buds

buds

rosebuds

rosebuds

and more rosebuds

and more rosebuds

As we walk along the falaj, we hear female voices and see some hands reaching from beneath the bushes and plucking the roses off the bushes.  One of the ladies gives me a handful of blossoms.

a gift of roses from one of the rose-picking women

a gift of roses from one of the rose-picking women

As we walk a bit along the falaj, we see the rose bushes in front of the mosque.

roses and the mosque

roses and the mosque

roses in full bloom

roses in full bloom

beautiful pink roses

beautiful pink roses

rosebuds

rosebuds

Some of the pomegranate trees have buds on them now too.

pomegranate flower

pomegranate flower

And some of the clothes lines have laundry hanging out to dry.

laundry hung out to dry

laundry hung out to dry

We find a pretty door lined with colorful tiles.

the tiles around a door on Jebel Akhdar

the tiles around a door on Jebel Akhdar

And later, as we backtrack, the ladies picking the roses have collected a bundle of blossoms, which they will take to make rosewater.

collecting roses for rosewater

collecting roses for rosewater

We decide to walk back along the falaj instead of through the wadi, and after we make it back, I see the buds on the walnut trees have grown larger over the last week.

the bud on a walnut tree

the bud on a walnut tree

And I see this pale starry plant huddled on the ground, trying to be inconspicuous.

a pretty pale starry plant

a pretty pale starry plant

After our walk, we sit outside at the Sahab Hotel and I break out my red wine, while Sandy and Malcolm, Brits that they are, break out the bubbly.

Sandy and Malcolm

Sandy and Malcolm

And we watch the sun slide behind the mountains.

Sunset at the Sahab Hotel

Sunset at the Sahab Hotel

For once it’s not freezing cold on Jebel Akhdar.  We don’t even need our jackets tonight.  We brought them along though, because just one week ago, it was freezing.   After wine and laughs, we go inside for the buffet dinner, quite a treat.  Part of this excursion is for Sandy’s birthday, coming up next week, so we make toasts all around.

my buffet dinner at the Sahab

my buffet dinner at the Sahab

Happy birthday to Sandy!  I hope she has all she wishes for in the coming year. 🙂

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travel theme: mountains

16 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in Al Ayn, Al-Dakhiliyah Region, Annapurna, Greece, Jebel Akhdar, Kalambaka, Meteora monasteries, Mt. Machhapuchhare, Nepal, Oman, Pokhara

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

Greece, Nepal, Oman, travel theme

Saturday, February 16: Ailsa’s Travel Theme for this week is Mountains:  She writes: It’s hard to beat the soaring majesty of mountains. It’s also apparently hard to define exactly what a mountain is. Countries around the globe use factors such as height, elevation, relief and volume in a vain attempt to define them. The Oxford English Dictionary settles for something suitably vague: “a natural elevation of the earth surface rising more or less abruptly from the surrounding level and attaining an altitude which, relatively to the adjacent elevation, is impressive or notable.” Merriam-Webster doesn’t do any better: “a landmass that projects conspicuously above its surroundings and is higher than a hill.” Look up ‘hill’ in the same dictionary and you will find that it is described, helpfully, as “lower than a mountain.”

Some of the world’s tallest mountains are the Himalayas in Nepal.  Here is a view of the Annapurna Range taken from Pokhara.

the Annapurna Range seen from Pokhara, Nepal

the Annapurna Range seen from Pokhara, Nepal

Machhapuchhre, or "Fish-Tailed" at sunrise

Machhapuchhre, or “Fish-Tailed” at sunrise

Here are mountains, with monasteries built on top, in Meteora, Greece.

Meteora, Greece

Meteora, Greece

And finally, in Oman, where I have never seen snow-cover, are the mountains of Jebel Akhdar.

the view of Al Ayn and the gorge on top of Jebel Akhdar

the view of Al Ayn and the gorge on top of Jebel Akhdar

For more takes on the theme, see Where’s My Backpack? Travel theme: Mountains.

To see more of my trip to Nepal: catbird in south asia

To see more of my trip to Greece: greek wanderings

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a valentine’s day adventure on jebel akhdar

14 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in A'Sherageh, Al Aqr, Al Ayn, Jebel Akhdar, Oman, Sahab Hotel, Saiq Plateau

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

Jebel Akhdar, Oman, Travel

Thursday, February 14:  Today is Valentine’s Day, but I don’t give it a thought since I don’t have a Valentine.  As if it’s any other day, I invite two of my colleagues to come with me for a hike on Jebel Akhdar; we’ll have wine and dinner afterwards at the Sahab Hotel.  These colleagues arrived in Oman this past fall and were both readers of my blog before they came here.  They don’t have cars of their own and so haven’t had much chance to explore the country.

the view of the village of the roses

the view of the village of the roses

Mona Lisa is from Canada and has traveled all over the world.  She used to work a long time for the United Nations and spent 5 months in Nepal some years back, even trekking to Everest Base Camp.  She inspired me to go to Kathmandu, which she loved, for our semester break.  Beg is from Turkmenistan but has also lived and worked in Turkey; he speaks both Turkish and Turkmen, as well as English, Russian and other languages, fluently.  He’s planning to get married in March and bring his new bride to Oman.

Mona Lisa and Beg

Mona Lisa and Beg

This is a good thing for me and, I think, for them.  For me, it’s a great accomplishment, and really stepping outside of my comfort zone, when I get up the nerve to invite someone other than the regular characters to go on an outing.  I’m always afraid of being rejected, so I usually only plan things with the old standbys.  Or I just do things alone.   Under my social category of 2013 resolutions, I resolved this:

Cultivate new friendships with great discernment. Cultivate at least one new friendship in Oman and one in Virginia. Make more of an effort to talk to my close friends regularly.  Invite someone somewhere once a month, either to come by for dinner or a movie, or to go on an outing.

So, yay!  I do something on my resolution list for February. 🙂

Al Aqr on Jebel Akhdar ~ the village of the roses

Al Ayn on Jebel Akhdar ~ the village of the roses

After parking at the cul-de-sac near the trail head of the path that meanders through the rose villages, I point out our destination.  Mona Lisa is a little worried that we will be hiking down into the canyon.  I point along the ridge line and tell her the hike is basically level, that we will be walking only along the top of the canyon.

a little pool in the wadi

a little pool in the wadi

In the first village of Al Aqr, we come upon 3 lively Omani girls playing with some mud in a bowl; they take great pleasure in holding up their muddy hands for us and begging: “Sura, sura!” (Picture! Picture!)

hamming it up with hands in the bowl of mud
hamming it up with hands in the bowl of mud
This little girl speaks to us in some English
This little girl speaks to us in some English
Sura, Sura!!
Sura, Sura!!
playing in mud
playing in mud

We enjoy our walk and stupendous views on the relatively flat hike through the first village of Al Aqr, through a boulder-filled wadi, and through the second village of Al Ayn. It’s only when we get past the second village that I remember that in fact we have to climb down quite some distance to walk along the falaj to the third village of A’Sheragah.  From there, we have to walk further down to the terraces, doing a loop back UP to the trail leading down.  Then we have to backtrack further UP that trail to the second village.  It turns out a lot of climbing is involved, leaving us all winded and sore.

fields of onions in Al Ayn

fields of onions in Al Ayn

a falaj along the edge of a terrace

a falaj along the edge of a terrace

we hike some of the way down here...

we hike some of the way down here…

terraces

terraces

little plots of wheat or onions

little plots of wheat or onions

more terraces

more terraces

beautiful green terraces and mountains

beautiful green terraces and mountains

me and the terraces

me and the terraces

Mona Lisa and terraces

Mona Lisa and terraces

the walls of the terraces up close

the walls of the terraces up close

Thank goodness they are both good sports. I keep pointing to the Sahab on the top of the plateau, reminding them that we will have a reward at the end: dinner and wine.  They’re too busy breathing heavily to think about this.  Actually, I’m breathing quite heavily myself.  We are all exhausted when we finish our loop, about 2 hours after starting, and head to the Sahab.  We sit by the pool and share a bottle of wine.

the fabulous Sahab Hotel

the fabulous Sahab Hotel

Beg

Beg

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa

At 6:30, we go inside the hotel for the buffet dinner.  The place is packed with tourists!  I keep exclaiming that I’ve never seen so many people here; Mario and I have been many times and had the whole place to ourselves.  When the staff brings out the buffet, we are surprised at its sumptuousness.  Many of the dishes served have a heart-shaped motif.  The dessert selection consists of a huge variety of confections, including heart-shaped chocolate and pink-iced cakes.  Watermelons are carved with the words “Happy Valentine’s Day.” The meal is delicious, especially accompanied by the two bottles of wine brought by Mona Lisa.

inside the Sahab's dining room

inside the Sahab’s dining room

Valentine candles on our table

Valentine candles on our table

colorful dishes from the buffet

colorful dishes from the buffet

vegetables

vegetables

heart-shaped chicken with mushroom sauce

heart-shaped chicken with mushroom sauce

Only at the end, when it’s time to pay the bill, do we find that this buffet is 12 rials ($31) as opposed to the normal 8 rials ($21).  Ouch.  It’s wonderful despite the price, and we have a great time talking and laughing and enjoying each others’ company.   And at the end, it turns out Beg insists on treating both of us to dinner!  And I feel happy that I extended the invitation and provided the car, without which none of us would be here.

What a lovely afternoon and evening. I feel happy to have spent time with two new friends. 🙂

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a hike around the hanging villages of wadi al ayn on jebel akhdar

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by nomad, interrupted in A'Sherageh, Al Aqr, Al Ayn, Al-Dakhiliyah Region, Jebel Akhdar, Oman, Sahab Hotel, Saiq Plateau

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Oman, Travel

Tuesday, January 8:  We drive up Jebel Akhdar and park at the head of 3 hanging villages looking over Wadi Al Ayn. The first, Al Aqr, is famous for its rose gardens (not in bloom currently). The next, Al Ayn, perches on a dramatic rock outcropping. The third village, A’Sherageh, leads down to terraced plantations with splashes of green.

a cute little cat peers down at us

a cute little cat peers down at us at A’Sherageh

Click on any image in the galleries below for a full-sized slide show.

Beginning the hike to Al Aqr on Jebel Akhdar
Beginning the hike to Al Aqr on Jebel Akhdar
Alex in a tree
Alex in a tree
the farm on the plateau
the farm on the plateau
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Adam crouches on the falaj
Adam crouches on the falaj
Alex under a walnut tree
Alex under a walnut tree
a little pool in the wadi
a little pool in the wadi
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
plantation
plantation
a mosque in the 3rd village
a mosque in the 3rd village
Alex on the falaj
Alex on the falaj
terraces
terraces
terraces
terraces
square plots
square plots
cactus
cactus
Wadi Al Ayn
Wadi Al Ayn
terraces
terraces
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Mike climbs up
Mike climbs up
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Alex & Adam
Alex & Adam
terraces
terraces
and more terraces
and more terraces
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Alex, Mike and Adam with Wadi al Ayn behind
Alex, Mike and Adam with Wadi al Ayn behind
the first village
the first village
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
terraces

terraces

splashes of green on the terraces

splashes of green on the terraces

terraces in the sunlight

terraces in the sunlight

Alex, Mike and Adam with a village behind

Alex, Mike and Adam with a village behind

After our hike, we head to the Sahab Hotel for a spectacular view of the sunset, accompanied by wine and dinner.  As seems to always be the case in winter, we shiver and hunker down as we drink wine by the pool, and when the cold gets overwhelming, we move inside for dinner.  I have Sahab Mary Rose (a smoked salmon appetizer), Mike has a pineapple chicken salad he says is mediocre, and the boys have vegetable noodles with fried egg.  Then Mike decides he will tackle the long slow drive down the mountain with the Terrain in low gear.  We return to my flat, where we rest our tired bodies for another day of hiking on Wednesday.

Alex & Adam at the Sahab
Alex & Adam at the Sahab
reflection of the Sahab in Adam's beer
reflection of the Sahab in Adam’s beer
Mike, Alex and Adam
Mike, Alex and Adam
Sunset at the Sahab
Sunset at the Sahab
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Me
Me
Aloe vera
Aloe vera
Adam, Alex and Mike
Adam, Alex and Mike
Arabia bean soup
Arabia bean soup
Sahab Mary Rose
Sahab Mary Rose
Pineapple chicken salad
Pineapple chicken salad
Vegetable noodles with fried egg
Vegetable noodles with fried egg

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  • travel theme: pale
  • friday meditation: star-spangling our solitude
  • jebel akhdar: an afternoon of brits & roses, wine & bubbly
  • 2008 GMC Terrain for sale!
  • sunday post: entrance
  • weekly photo challenge: a day in my life

Archives

  • December 2014 (1)
  • January 2014 (1)
  • December 2013 (1)
  • June 2013 (11)
  • May 2013 (18)
  • April 2013 (17)
  • March 2013 (19)
  • February 2013 (17)
  • January 2013 (20)
  • December 2012 (33)
  • November 2012 (27)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (44)
  • August 2012 (7)
  • July 2012 (37)
  • June 2012 (35)
  • May 2012 (38)
  • April 2012 (40)
  • March 2012 (29)
  • February 2012 (17)
  • January 2012 (21)
  • December 2011 (15)
  • November 2011 (14)
  • October 2011 (8)
  • September 2011 (4)
  • August 2011 (1)

Catbird in Oman Menu

  • home
  • About me
    • New Year’s Resolutions
    • Bucket List
    • Share Your World
    • Friday Meditation
  • Oman
    • Al-Batinah Region
    • Al-Dhahirah Region
    • Al-Dakhiliyah Region
      • Nizwa
    • Al-Wusta Region
    • Dhofar Region
    • Musandam
    • Muscat
    • Sharqiya Region
  • University of Nizwa
  • Africa
    • african meanderings {& musings}
  • Americas
    • nomad, interrupted: catbird in the united states of america
    • notes from north america
    • United States of America
      • Virginia
  • Asia
    • catbird in china
    • catbird in korea
    • catbird in kyoto
    • catbird in south asia
    • catbird in turkey
    • ride paddies and papayas
  • Europe
    • greek wanderings
    • in search of a thousand cafés
  • Middle East
    • a jaunt to jordan
    • catbird in cairo
    • United Arab Emirates
      • Abu Dhabi
  • photography
    • Sunday Post
    • Travel Theme Photo Challenge
    • Weekly Photo Challenge
    • whatever a moon has always meant
  • Fiction
    • land of make-believe

what happens when…

February 2021
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Blogs I Follow

Blog of the Year 2012

Kreativ Blogger Award

Genuine Blogger Award

Ligo Circle of Appreciation

Shine On Award

Oman Blogs

  • Adventures of an American ESL Instructor Teaching at an Omani University
  • Andy in Oman
  • Angry in Oman
  • Bethany Duffield
  • Desperate Housewife in Oman
  • Dhofari Gucci
  • English Girl in Oman
  • Hallucinations of a Kitten
  • How to live like an Omani Princess
  • Hunting the Lost Insurgency: Oman
  • Matthew Heines
  • Misadventures in HR
  • Mumoftheanimals's Blog
  • Muscat Confidential
  • Muscat Jet Driver
  • Muscat Mutterings
  • Oh Man…Oman is really nice!
  • Omani Book Mania
  • Omani Cuisine
  • Rural Route Runner
  • Samir's Home
  • Secret Salalah
  • Sleepless in Salalah
  • Sultanate Social
  • Susan Al Shahri
  • The Linoleum Surfer

Oman Information

  • Albahja Cinema
  • Background Note Oman: U.S. State Department
  • Bait Muzna Gallery
  • BBC News: Oman Country Profile
  • CIA World Factbook ~ Oman
  • City Cinema Shatti
  • Destination Oman
  • Embassy of the United States – Muscat, Oman
  • Lonely Planet Oman
  • Ministry of Information: Sultanate of Oman
  • Oman Daily Observer
  • Royal Opera House Muscat
  • Sultanate of Oman Tourism
  • Sultanate of Oman: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Travel Blogs

  • Dan & Jillian's International Teaching Adventures
  • Dude Travels to Go
  • The Cool Hunter: amazing places to experience around the globe
  • The Traveling Gypsy
  • Wildcard Travels

X-terraneous Stuff

  • CIA World Factbook ~ South Korea
  • Dawn King
  • Let me bite that.
  • Life in the Bogs
  • reinventing the event horizon

my photostream on flickr

Sunny but only 20 degrees today!uploaduploaduploadTaking a walk through the neighborhood#whpsentbymailNext door to port royal post officeNext store in port royalupload
More Photos

Goodreads

Top Posts & Pages

  • the falaj daris ~ a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • an encounter with an oral surgeon: filing down the bone
  • musandam: a hidden cove, acacia "forest" & a mountain drive
  • exploring an nakhur gorge & a hike from the old village of ghul to the ridge of the canyon

InterNations

Weekly Photo Challenge

PostaWeek2012

share your world

a-z photo challenge

52 Pick Up

Sunday Post

Six Word Saturday

No Comfort Zone Challenge

I pledge to read the Printed Word

things i write about

"Happiness" 52 Pick Up 2012 A-Z Photo Challenge Abu Dhabi Abu Nooh Building Africa Akrotírion Al-Areesh Camp Al-Batinah Region Al-Dakhiliyah Region Al-Dhahirah Region Al Aqr Al Ayn Al Hamra Al Musanaah Americas Asia As Sifah Beach Athens Bahla Balad Sayt Birkat Al Mouz Cambodia Cappadocia Crete Daegu Ethiopia Europe Falaj Daris Hotel Family Foundation Institute Friday Meditation Geoje-si GMC Terrain Greece India Intercontinental Hotel Jakesprinter Japan Jebel Akhdar Jebel Shams Jordan Kyoto Lake Langano Lalibela Life Matthieu Ricard Middle East misfat al abriyyin Musandam Muscat Muttrah Muttrah Souq Nakhal Fort Nepal Nizwa Nizwa souq Oia Oman Oman Dive Center Phnom Penh Photography Challenges Pokhara postaweek2012 postaweek2013 Rethymno Royal Opera House Sahab Hotel Saiq Plateau Salalah Santorini Seoul Share Your World Sharqiya Region Sharqiya Sands Six Word Saturday South Korea Spirituality Suncheon Bay Sunday Post Travel Travel Theme Photo Challenge Turkey United Arab Emirates United States of America University of Nizwa Virginia Wadi Bani Awf Wadi Bani Habib Wadi Bani Khalid Wadi Damm Wadi MIstal Wadi Muaydin Wadi Shab Wadi Tiwi Wednesday Song Title Interpretation Weekly Photo Challenge Wekan Western Hajar Mountains

oh say can you see?

Free counters!

Tag Cloud

#capturethecolour 7 Super Shots 52 Pick Up @travelsupermkt a-z photo challenge Abu Dhabi Al Amerat Architecture Art Balad Sayt Birthdays Blogging books Bucket List CBBH Photo Challenge Christmas Daydream Saturdays DPchallenge Egypt Empty Quarter Ethiopia GMC Terrain Greece Hyundai Sonata Ibri InterNations Japan Jebel Akhdar Jebel Shams karma's photography scavenger hunt Life middle east Misfat Al Abriyyin Muscat Nepal Nizwa Nizwa Souq No Comfort Zone Challenge Oman Omar Khairat Optimism Pessimism Phoneography Challenge Picture the World! postaweek2012 postaweek2013 Roses Royal Opera House Royal Opera House Muscat Saiq Plateau Salalah share your world Shine On Award Six Word Saturday South Korea Spain Spirituality Story Challenge Sunday Post Tibet Travel travel theme Turkey United Arab Emirates United States of America University of Nizwa Wadi Bani Awf Wadi Tiwi Wedding wednesday song title interpretation weekly photo challenge Western Hajar Mountains Wordpress WPLongform wwwp5k

Blogs I Follow

  • Fairfax County Emergency Information
  • ~ wander.essence ~
  • Living in Paradise...
  • SterVens' Tales
  • PIRAN CAFÉ
  • Word Wabbit
  • Cardinal Guzman
  • Pit's Fritztown News
  • Fumbling Through Italy
  • Empty Nesters on a Green Global Trek
  • snowtoseas
  • Cornwall in Colours
  • Slovenian Girl Abroad
  • Let Me Bite That
  • Running Stories by Jerry Lewis
  • Finding NYC
  • The World according to Dina
  • Cornwall Photographic
  • snippetsandsnaps
  • SITTING PRETTY

Administrative Stuff…

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Creative Commons Attribution

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Categories

Blog at WordPress.com.

Fairfax County Emergency Information

Official Fairfax County Government Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Website

~ wander.essence ~

where travel meets art

Living in Paradise...

SterVens' Tales

~~~In Case You Didn't Know, I Talk 2 Myself~~~

PIRAN CAFÉ

Word Wabbit

Wrestless Word Wrestler

Cardinal Guzman

Encyclopedia Miscellaneous - 'quality' blogging since August 2011

Pit's Fritztown News

A German Expat's Life in Fredericksburg/Texas

Fumbling Through Italy

Empty Nesters on a Green Global Trek

snowtoseas

Cornwall in Colours

inspired by the colours of the land, sea and sky of Cornwall

Slovenian Girl Abroad

A blog about travel adventures written by an Slovenian girl living in Switzerland

Let Me Bite That

Can I have a bite?

Running Stories by Jerry Lewis

Personal blog about running adventures

Finding NYC

exploring New York City one adventure at a time

The World according to Dina

Notes on Seeing, Reading & Writing, Living & Loving in The North

Cornwall Photographic

snippetsandsnaps

Potato Point and beyond

SITTING PRETTY

Fairfax County Emergency Information

Official Fairfax County Government Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Website

~ wander.essence ~

where travel meets art

Living in Paradise...

SterVens' Tales

~~~In Case You Didn't Know, I Talk 2 Myself~~~

PIRAN CAFÉ

Word Wabbit

Wrestless Word Wrestler

Cardinal Guzman

Encyclopedia Miscellaneous - 'quality' blogging since August 2011

Pit's Fritztown News

A German Expat's Life in Fredericksburg/Texas

Fumbling Through Italy

Empty Nesters on a Green Global Trek

snowtoseas

Cornwall in Colours

inspired by the colours of the land, sea and sky of Cornwall

Slovenian Girl Abroad

A blog about travel adventures written by an Slovenian girl living in Switzerland

Let Me Bite That

Can I have a bite?

Running Stories by Jerry Lewis

Personal blog about running adventures

Finding NYC

exploring New York City one adventure at a time

The World according to Dina

Notes on Seeing, Reading & Writing, Living & Loving in The North

Cornwall Photographic

snippetsandsnaps

Potato Point and beyond

SITTING PRETTY

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