a stroll through al qasha on jebel akhdar & a farewell to old friends

Tags

Jebel Akhdar, Oman, Travel

Friday, May 24:  Today I go up to Jebel Akhdar with my oldest friends, Anna, Kathy and Mario, for a farewell gathering.  Anna is leaving the university at the end of July, a month after me, and Kathy is going on vacation in a couple of weeks.  Mario will still be here for a while, but, regrettably, we will be leaving him behind as we vacate the premises.

the view from Wadi Al Ayn of the escarpment above

Spina Christi

flowering bushes

lovely flowers

flowers

the path down into the wadi

delicate white flower

pomegranate flowers

baby pomegranate

pomegranate buds

I’m thinking it will be the same old stroll we always do, along the villages of rose garden fame.  Anna, however, has other ideas.  She wants to drive past Diana Point down into Wadi al Ayn, park the car and walk through the village of Al Qasha.   Although I like the hikes we always do on the Green Mountain, I am surprised to find a new place to discover as I begin my last month in the Sultanate.

looking up the wadi to Al Qasha

terraces with pomegranate trees

the falaj to Al Qasha

flowering wild bushes

more flowering bushes

a little pool ~ possibly the source of the spring?

“What is that feeling when you’re driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? – it’s the too-huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.”                         ~ Jack Kerouac, On the Road

Kathy and Anna

me

You and I will meet again, When we’re least expecting it, One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, I won’t say goodbye my friend, For you and I will meet again.  ~ Tom Petty

Kathy

little swimmer

We only intend to do an hour stroll, and that’s exactly what we do.  We descend a rocky path down into the wadi, where we see terraces of pomegranate trees.  We can look up to the escarpment above where the rose gardens and the three villages of Al Aqr, Al Ayn, and A’Sheragah are situated.  It’s strange to see the escarpment from below when I’ve always been up at the top looking down.  We see some beautiful wild flowering bushes, blooming pomegranate trees, and terraces fringed by fuzzy trees.  Eventually we climb up on the falaj and walk along that until we reach a little pool where the spring seems to originate.  Frogs are swimming in the pond.  Other frogs are croaking out a symphony of sorts from a pool deeper in the wadi.   A giant lizard lies placidly in the sun; Mario tells us he’s dead.

pomegranate flower

We make our way back to our car and drive up to the Sahab Hotel for their buffet dinner.

appetizers at the buffet

appetizers and a little donkey friend

our table setting

an Omani door made into a coffee table at the Sahab

During dinner, we share tales of dreams, premonitions and ghosts.  Mario doesn’t believe in ghosts, but he’s dreamt of people with whom he’s fallen out of touch, only to find they die within the next week or so.  Kathy feels there is a presence of some sort in her flat in Oman.  Anna has dreamt of carpets, cars and strange evil men, all of which (or whom) have shown up on her doorstep matching the dream images.  I can’t say I’ve had any of these types of encounters, but I’m open-minded enough to believe there very well might be a different reality than what most of us know.

Strawberry mousse desserts

chocolate mousse desserts

Mario’s plate

Mario, Anna and Kathy

“I’ll never see them again. I know that. And they know that. And knowing this, we say farewell.” ~ Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

 

friday meditation: my top ten happy memories in the sultanate

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

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

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

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

• 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

• 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

  

  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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. 🙂

the roses of jebel akhdar & a lovely encounter with an irish couple

Tags

Jebel Akhdar, Oman, Travel

Thursday, March 28: This afternoon Mario and I venture up to Jebel Akhdar to see the roses for which the Green Mountain is famous.

first glimpse of the roses on Jebel Akhdar

In late March and April, this rugged landscape breaks out in blooms of bright pink.  We love wandering through the rose bushes and breathing in the intoxicating fragrance of the delicate blossoms.  Many of the roses are in full bloom, but there are still millions of tiny buds on the bushes, meaning that this is still not the peak of the season.

the rose bushes in front of the mosque in Al Aqr

God gave us memory that we might have roses in December. ~ James M. Barrie

At dawn each day, these rose gardens are apparently filled with men and women plucking the petals of full-blown roses. The harvest is collected in a sheet of cloth, gathered in a bundle and taken to one many traditional extraction units set up by villagers in these parts.  The process is rudimentary: An earthen pot, sealed within a hearth, is stuffed with petals and heated for about two hours. The essence condenses into a metal container placed within the pot. The condensate is cooled and filtered several times, yielding a clear liquid (Nizwa.net: Roses of the Jabal).

Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, a box where sweets compacted lie. ~ George Herbert

The end product, the famous Omani Rose Essence is used in the making of Omani halwa.  Omanis also add a dash of the rose-water to a range of hot and cold beverages, and as flavoring in food dishes and sweets.

a pink, pink bud

A cupful of the essence is also believed to be good for heart.  When applied to the scalp, it is believed to ease headaches as well. Its potential for use in exotic perfumes and fragrances is yet to be tapped, say local villagers.

Each bush yields about 15-20 kg of petals during the season, while it takes about 2 kg of petals to generate 750 ml of essence valued at 5 Omani rials. With the demand for Omani rose essence as strong as ever, the arithmetic works out in everyone’s favor — grower, extractor, seller and halwa-maker included (Nizwa.net: Roses of the Jabal).

sweet fragrance 🙂

We wander through the farms, taking pictures of the rose-bush terraces interspersed with terraces of green onions. The sweet scent of the roses mingles with the loamy scent of the onions. We also see buds on the pomegranate, apricot and walnut trees. As Mario grew up on a farm in El Salvador, the whole experience takes him back to his childhood, when he believes he was most happy.  Although I know Mario very well, and I know he is quite a happy person now. 🙂

terraces of onions and roses

roses and onions

rose bushes on the terraces

onions galore

fields of onions

the terraces

the terraces abloom with roses and onions

Along the way, we see some other interesting things: walnut buds, a golden cat, a lizard sunning himself on a rock, some delicate wildflowers, more terraces.

the walnut trees have little buds

a little cat in the rose gardens

a lizard sunning himself near the roses

wildflowers

more terraces

And in the distance, we can see the Sahab Hotel sitting atop the mountain: our ultimate destination.

the Sahab Hotel at the top of the mountain

departing view of the rose gardens

After spending a couple of hours meandering through the villages and farms, we head to our favorite spot, the Sahab Hotel, where we drink some wine by the pool, watch the sunset, and then move inside for the always delectable buffet.  After several glasses of wine, we are both telling each other how much we will miss each other when I leave Oman at the end of June.

another beautiful sunset on Jebel Akhdar

While we are enjoying our buffet, an Irish girl comes up to our table and asks if I write a blog.  Surprised, I say, yes, I do.  She tells me she has been reading my blog and it helped her plan her trip to Oman from Ireland.  She introduces herself as Sarah and then introduces us to her husband; I introduce them both to Mario. I say, “You would recognize Mario if you’ve been reading my blog!”  When I ask about their travel plans, she says she is planning to stay 3 nights on Jebel Akhdar and 3 nights in Muscat.

the fabulous Sahab Hotel

When I first see her, I think she has red hair, but it’s not a bright red and in the light I can’t tell for sure.  I say, “Is your hair red?  It’s hard to tell in this light.”  She says, “Yes, it’s more of a ginger really.”  I say, “I have a daughter named Sarah and she has red hair too. It’s wavy just like yours.”

This little encounter really makes my day.  Mario and I both marvel that someone who traveled all the way from Ireland recognizes me from my blog.  Isn’t it a happy coincidence that I happen to be up at the Sahab on this particular night, when she is here?  What a treat.

After they finish their dinner, they take off and I wish them a good time in Oman.  After they are gone, Mario says, “You know, they had a bottle of wine with them.  That shows they really read your blog because otherwise how would they have known they could bring a bottle of wine?”  That’s so funny, but so true.  Because the Sahab doesn’t serve wine but does allow you to bring your own bottle and I’ve written about this in my blog.

pink clouds to go with the roses

The sad thing is that often I don’t think about certain things until it’s too late.  After they’re gone, it dawns on me that I should have taken their picture.  And Mario says, “It would have been great if I had taken a picture of you with them.”  Sometimes I can’t believe how I don’t think of these things until it’s too late.  I’m supposed to be a photographer, after all!!

I hope if Sarah reads this post, she will contact me on my About Me page and send me a picture of their time in Oman, so I can add it to this post! 🙂

Saturday, April 6:  Today Sarah from Ireland contacted me and sent a few pictures of herself and her husband Andrew on Jebel Akhdar.  I was happy to hear she enjoyed her time in Oman.  She wrote of her time on Jebel Akhdar: “We really enjoyed our visit to that area, such a fascinating place and spectacular scenery. I think I liked Wadi Bani Habib best as it really gave you an insight into how people lived in the villages.”

Here are two pictures she sent of her and Andrew on the Green Mountain.

Sarah and Andrew at Jebel Akhdar

Andrew and Sarah from Ireland at Jebel Akhdar

Sarah also wrote of our encounter: “I did think we might meet you in Oman, as I knew that you liked to visit Jebel Akhdar so it was serendipitous that we did meet. I hope that you continue to blog about your travels, wherever they take you as it is lovely to read about these places, even if I don’t get to visit them all myself.”

Thank you so much, Sarah.  You made my day. 🙂

a valentine’s day adventure on jebel akhdar

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

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

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 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

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

This little girl speaks to us in some English

Sura, Sura!!

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

a falaj along the edge of a terrace

we hike some of the way down here…

terraces

little plots of wheat or onions

more terraces

beautiful green terraces and mountains

me and the terraces

Mona Lisa and terraces

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

Beg

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

Valentine candles on our table

colorful dishes from the buffet

vegetables

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. 🙂

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

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 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

Alex in a tree

the farm on the plateau

Adam crouches on the falaj

Alex under a walnut tree

a little pool in the wadi

plantation

a mosque in the 3rd village

Alex on the falaj

terraces

terraces

square plots

cactus

Wadi Al Ayn

terraces

Mike climbs up

Alex & Adam

terraces

and more terraces

Alex, Mike and Adam with Wadi al Ayn behind

the first village

terraces

splashes of green on the terraces

terraces in the sunlight

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

reflection of the Sahab in Adam’s beer

Mike, Alex and Adam

Sunset at the Sahab

Me

Aloe vera

Adam, Alex and Mike

Arabia bean soup

Sahab Mary Rose

Pineapple chicken salad

Vegetable noodles with fried egg

a cold but lovely night at the sahab on jebel akhdar

Tags

Oman

Wednesday, December 19:  Tonight I take my colleague Malcolm and his lovely wife Sandy, who has arrived from Britain for the holidays, to Jebel Akhdar.  We go up the mountain late in the afternoon, after work, and I show them Al Aqr, the village of the roses, and Wadi Bani Habib.  There is no time for walking before the sun sets, but it isn’t really our intention to walk.  They’ve never been to the top of the mountain, and I just want to give them a quick overview of my favorite places.

After our little drive, we head to the Sahab Hotel.  Being Brits, they have brought their bubbly to drink.  I have my bottle of red wine.  We take numerous pictures of the sunset, the mountains, the Sahab, the aloe vera and each other.  We shiver and shiver, and then, after having a drink or two, we stop noticing the cold.

glorious mountains

Al Aqr, village of roses

Malcolm & Sandy

the view from the entrance to the village of roses

Me with Sandy

Wadi Bani Habib

the front entrance to the Sahab Hotel

the Sahab Hotel

another beautiful sunset from the Sahab

aloe vera plant

the sun sets on Jebel Akhdar

Sandy & Malcolm

clouds all akimbo

aloe vera plant

Making a toast with the bubbly

Sandy and Malcolm

Sandy and me

an old door converted to a beautiful table

Christmas at the Sahab

traditional baskets and pottery

Santa dangles from a tree. 🙂

Despite warming up slightly on our insides, we still opt to eat dinner inside, where it’s nice and cozy.  We talk about our grown children and what a challenge they can be sometimes.  Malcolm and I talk about our novels in progress.   We enjoy our smoked salmon and chicken kebab appetizers, along with Arabiatta and mushroom soup.  We eat our main courses; mine is less than stellar, but Sandy and Malcolm enjoy theirs.

I share some of my wine with a German couple sitting nearby and get into a long conversation with them.  There is a big piece of natural wood near their table and, stupidly, I trip over it and fall flat on my behind.  Fun times. 🙂

Later, we drive down the mountain, switching back and forth, curving down and down at precipitous angles.  We’re guided home by the lights of Birkat al Mouz and Nizwa below us, a sparkling toast to a lovely evening.

weekly photo challenge: thankful

Tags

Oman, postaweek2012, weekly photo challenge

Friday, November 23: The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge for this week is Thankful. In the United States, yesterday was Thanksgiving, a holiday where people spend time with family and friends and remember the things they’re thankful for. I think the idea of being thankful and reflecting back on good things in your life is something that naturally happens towards the end of a calendar year.

As I already wrote a post on Thanksgiving Day about what I’m thankful for, I will add this photo of a sunset, taken on Jebel Akdhar, from the Sahab Hotel, on Thanksgiving night.  I am, quite simply, thankful for another day.

“Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under!”
― C. Joybell C.

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
― Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds

  “How strange this fear of death is.  We are never frightened at a sunset.”  ~ George MacDonald

To see all the things I am thankful for, please see: happy thanksgiving to the u.s.a.!

thanksgiving night: sunset at the sahab

Tags

Oman, Travel

Thursday, November 22:  After our two long hikes, we arrive at the Sahab Hotel way too early for the 6:30 buffet.  We have brought our own bottle of wine, which this wonderful hotel allows any of its patrons to do.  We sit outside near the infinity pool and have a few glasses.  Mario and I have found a favorite wine that we always seem to gravitate to: Atrium Torres Merlot.  The bottle describes it as such: “Since 1989, to open a bottle of Atrium is to enjoy a symphony of aromas.  The notes of ripe cherry and raspberry jam form a vibrant chord with the sweet tannins, thus composing a magical score.”

Indeed, we enjoy a delightful symphony of aromas, along with stunning views over Jebel Akhdar as the sun sets in a blanket of coral and purple-tinged clouds.

Click on any picture to see a full-sized slide show.

the fabulous Sahab Hotel on Jebel Akhdar

Mario & Mohammed

red aloe vera

aloe vera

sunset on Jebel Akhdar

me at the Sahab

Mohammed, Mario and Atrium Torres Merlot at the Sahab Hotel, Jebel Akhdar, Oman

sunset on Jebel Akhdar

sunset at the sahab

cactus at Sahab

yellow aloe vera flowers at the Sahab

The only drawback tonight is that it’s downright cold!  Mario and Mohammed each have a heavy sweater on.  I’m wearing a lightweight fleece jacket, over which I’m wearing another lightweight corduroy jacket.  Too lights don’t make a heavy tonight, however, and I’m shivering while I sip.  At 6:30, we move up close to the hotel and grab a table beside a fire burning in a kind of cauldron on legs.  Here it is only slightly warmer.

The buffet is 8 rials each and includes tuna or beef or chicken skewers; they cook our choices for us on a grill.  There is also vegetable cream soup, steamed vegetables, hummus and bread, coleslaw and salad.  For dessert: fresh fruit and chocolate cake.

A perfect ending to a perfect day.

thanksgiving day on jebel akhdar: villages of wadi bani habib. {part two}

Tags

Oman, Travel

Thursday, November 22:  After lunch we head to the two abandoned villages of Wadi Bani Habib.  It is fall here and yellow leaves dangle from the walnut and apricot trees in the wadi.  Mario and I marvel: this is the first sign of fall we have seen in Oman.  Ever. Neither of us has been to the top of Jebel Akhdar in November, and we are pleasantly surprised by the cool, crisp autumn air and the sprinkles of gold on the trees.  The sun is low in the sky, so it paints a burnished light over the villages.  We walk down steps from the promontory, through the wadi, through one village, through the wadi again, and then into the other village. I’ve never seen this second village up close before.  We wander into a beautifully painted house, where we take pictures and Mohammed tells Mario, who is always a little devilish, that he is Mr. Innocent. We laugh and tease Mario.  Yes, Mr. Innocent.

Click on any of the pictures below for a full-sized slide show.

fall colors at Wadi Bani Habib

pretty little flower

yellow leaves on Jebel Akhdar

yellow leaves on the walnut and apricot trees

looking up at part of village #1

golden leaves of fall with village #2 in the background

village #1

village #1

ruins of village #1

village #1

me with village #1 behind me

looking back at village #1

entering village #2

looking back at village #1 from village #2

windows in village #2

door in village #2

village #2

village #2

ruins in village #2

door to the painted house

painted walls in one of the ruined houses at Wadi Bani Habib, Jebel Akhdar, Oman

Mario in the painted room

the Prophet “Mohammed” written in the niche

Mario & Mohammed in the wadi

yellow leaves and a crushed pomegranate

the steep steps up the promontory

Victory!

We have a hard time finding our way down the steep hill from the second village and through the wadi.   Mario keeps saying, as he leads the way, “I think” we walk this way, “I think” we go that way.  Mohammed tells him to stop thinking and tell us something for sure.

Mohammed is a real gentleman and keeps offering his hand to me as I gingerly step down some steep and gravely slopes.  It’s nice to have someone to keep an eye on me, as I have taken falls numerous times on steep, gravely slopes.

Finally, we make our way back up the steep stairs, panting and gasping for breath.  We’re exhausted, but, as Mohammed’s shirt says: “Victory.”  What a fantastic walk!  This is what life is about: friendship, laughs, fresh air, a shared experience of discovery & adventure, lovely surroundings.  Topped with a night of food and wine at the Sahab.  🙂

thanksgiving day on jebel akdhar: a misguided hike up juniper trees. {part one}

Thursday, November 22:  Today, Thanksgiving Day in America but just a regular weekend day in Oman, we take a trip to Jebel Akhdar.  This is the first time that Mario or I have ever been up to Jebel Akdhar during the fall.  Mario’s Omani friend Mohammed has never in his 23 years EVER been to the “Green Mountain.”  So today is a treat for all of us.

juniper trees at Juniper Trees on Jebel Akhdar

We aim to do two hikes today.  One is a hike I did in February of this year, a hike an Omani friend calls “Juniper Trees.”  This hike goes through rugged rocky mountain terrain covered in age-old gnarly juniper and olive trees to the precipitous edge of Wadi Bani Kharus; vehicular access to the bottom of this wadi is only possible from the north of Oman, driving through Muscat and then toward Rustaq.  Our aim is to reach the precipice and admire the views over the north of Oman.

this is what the whole landscape looks like

The other hike we plan is to the two abandoned villages at Wadi Bani Habib.  I have been to one of these villages numerous times before, but I have never been to the second.  Today, rather than backtracking after exploring the first village, we plan to continue on a loop, going through the second village and climbing up the opposite side of a promontory jutting out into the wadi.

one of the few unusual things on the mountain, yet we never see it again

the rocky terrain of Juniper Trees

And finally our plan is to have dinner at our favorite Sahab Hotel, accompanied by red wine, which the restaurant so graciously allows patrons to bring themselves.

another pretty plant with dainty little flowers

We have no maps to Juniper Trees.  Since I’m the only one of us who has ever done this hike, we are relying on my memory to get us there.  Relying on my memory these days is a risky proposition.  After much driving around and not recognizing anything, we finally call my friend Moo, who took me here back in February, to ask him where the start is.  He tells us it’s NOT on the road to Ar-Roos (“Russia”), which is where we are when we call, but between the school and the Qaboos farm on the climbing road that leads off the main road up the mountain. (Oman doesn’t have names for roads, so it’s difficult to get your bearings or to give other people directions.)

here is the expansive but nondescript parking lot to the Juniper Trees hike

We remember passing the farm and the school, so we drive back and forth between the two, where we finally find a parking lot that looks only vaguely as I remember.  We park in an unfamiliar looking spot, and begin our hike.  There is no trail at all, and there are no distinguishing features to the landscape.  Frankly I’m afraid we will get lost and not be able to find our way back to my car.  But we set out over the rocks, trying to take pictures of interesting juniper trees as landmarks. Soon we realize the futility of this, as there are too many juniper trees and they all look similar.

Another juniper tree, this one dead.

We find a Heineken can, which we place in a prominent spot to mark our trail.  Mohammed builds a rock pile as a trail marker, but there are piles of rocks everywhere and I doubt we will ever see his again.

Mohammed’s rock pile trail marker

Mario finds a pair of dusty male underwear on the ground; we laugh at this discovery and joke that we should try to remember its location.  I say we should hang them in a tree, but we foolishly don’t do it.  We see a lot of dirt tracks, which we follow here and there, but they seem to lead nowhere.  One leads to a crop-circle-like place where people have obviously been camping.  We head from there into a wadi, because I tell the guys that I remember walking through a ravine with Moo.  We finally climb out of the wadi because it seems to be leading nowhere.

gnarly trees in the wadi

a close-up of the gnarled juniper trees in the wadi

On the horizon, we see a huge cloud which is suspended partially beneath a ridge-line, the top half bulges above the horizon like fluffy white cotton candy.  We figure this must be our destination.  But, every time we climb to one ridge, more valleys and ridges lie in front of us.  It’s obvious that we are not going to reach the overlook to Wadi Bani Kharus today.

the clouds on the horizon

Finally, after a good two hours, we turn around and head back.  It’s hit or miss as we try to find our way back, but surprisingly, in this landscape where everything looks alike, we do recognize a couple of things we saw before, including some of the tracks leading to nowhere.  Standing atop one ridge, we can see the farm and the main road in the distance, so we figure we are heading in the right direction.  At another point, we run across our Heineken can marker, but we never see Mohammed’s rock pile or the dusty underwear again.  It’s pretty pathetic that we have to depend on a Heineken can to get us to our destination.

a trail marker in an otherwise difficult-to-navigate landscape

If you’d like to see what this hike looks like when done successfully, with a proper guide, see the post about the hike I took with Moo in February: hiking jebel akhdar ~ a spectacular overlook at wadi bani kharus & an abandoned village at wadi bani habib

Mario & Mohammed at Juniper Trees

Oh well, it really doesn’t matter to us that we never find our destination as it is a glorious fall day up on the Green Mountain, with crisp and cool temperatures (unlike anything we would find in the rest of Oman), and it just feels good to get outside and hike.  And as we all enjoy each others’ company, that is an added bonus.

We make it back to the car, and then head to lunch at a small Pakistani-run restaurant.  Then we head toward Wadi Bani Habib…