friday meditation: my top ten happy memories in the sultanate

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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. 🙂

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wadi arbiyyin >> quriyat >> sushi in muscat. {the road trip: part 3}

Tags

Oman, Travel

Thursday, February 21: After visiting Bimmah Sinkhole, we decide to drive to Wadi Arbiyyin.  Mario has heard this is a particularly pretty wadi, so we’re keen to venture in and explore it.  We drive and drive and drive through a steep canyon, but nothing looks particularly striking.  Suddenly we come to a small pool where some people are picnicking and swimming and we pull off to take a couple of pictures.  However, to walk further from this spot would require climbing over a lot of big boulders, so we give up and head back to the car.

our first stop in Wadi Arbiyyin

a family picnic in the wadi

pretty little plant

an artistic endeavor

Mario suggests that we drive just 10 more minutes into the wadi.  If in that time we don’t see anything interesting, we will turn around.  After about 10 minutes, the wadi starts to widen a bit.  We see an interesting angled falaj.

the wadi widens

an angled falaj in both directions

a little goat friend hams it up on the mountainside

We see some pools and beautiful grasses.  We decide to drive further than the 10 minutes we agreed on, and we pledge to stop on our way back for photos.  By now the wadi is so stunning, with its golden cliffs and emerald and turquoise pools, that we end up driving 25 minutes deeper into the wadi.

views further back in the wadi

pretty little wadi

We come to a drop in the road that looks so steep that we figure we might not be able to make it back up.  This is the end of the line for us.  We park and get out to take some pictures.  At this point, we are loving what we see, emerald-green pools, white limestone cliffs, a winding falaj, date palms, ornamental grasses and a couple of goats or two.  We wander about taking pictures, then we start backtracking in the car.

the end of the line for us: pretty pools and limestone cliffs

beautiful emerald pools along a small village and date palms

an inviting little pool

another little goat friend

Mario at Wadi Arbiyyin

We return to the area of glowing emerald grasses and deeper pools and pull over to explore.  We find the most beautiful spot at the end of a wide pool to sit and contemplate the scene.  It’s around 4:00 at this time and a cool breeze has whipped up.  We sit and soak up the peaceful scene for quite some time until we decide we better head out, planning to make a few more stops along the way.

the loveliest spot

heavenly pool

the falaj along the pool

view through the grasses

paradise!

I love the rocks under the blue-green water

our parting view of this serene spot

Next, we stop beside some golden grasses and a rocky area with gray lumpy rocks.  As we walk around we hear a loud gunshot.  I jump because the shot is so loud, I could swear that someone is shooting at us.  We wait a few more seconds, then we’re startled out of our skin again by several more gunshots.  I look at Mario and then around in a panic, thinking that in a second either Mario or I will have a big bloody hole in the stomach or in the head!!  I panic and say, “I don’t feel comfortable with this!” and then I run for the car.    Mario is close behind me.  We jump in the car and drive out of there as fast as we can!

GUNSHOTS!!!

a gray rocky area near the grasses where we hear loud gunshots…

I don’t know if someone is shooting at some birds, shooting at us, or just having some fun at our expense, but my heart is pounding and I am in flight mode.

After leaving the wadi, we drive up the coast highway to Quriyat, where we cruise through the town. Mario wants me to see the fishing boats along the corniche.  We find some boats and fishermen sorting out their nets.

boats along the corniche in Quriyat

colorful boat

more boats

smaller fishing boats and a little watchtower on a peninsula

fishermen and their nets

After this, we head to Muscat to Qurum Resort for the sushi buffet.  We enjoy a banquet full of sushi and fancy desserts, topped off with a bottle of Chianti.

outside at Qurum Resort

a banquet of sushi

more sushi

pretty little setup at the dessert table

the appetizer table

strawberry desserts

my first helping 🙂

Sadly, our wonderful day comes to an end, and we drive all the way back to Nizwa.  By the time I arrive home at midnight, we have been on the go for 15 1/2 hours and we’ve driven 600 km.

I LOVE a road trip!!

a sushi buffet at al qurum resort’s jade garden

Tags

Muscat, Oman, Restaurants

Thursday, April 12:  Tonight my friend Mario and I meet in Muscat at Al Qurum Resort’s Jade Garden for the Thursday night Sushi Buffet.  We sit outside where white lights are strung in a kind of open-air gazebo pattern over a lush green lawn.  A swimming pool and walls of bougainvillea and other flowers create a garden-like atmosphere. It’s actually quite humid tonight in Muscat, which makes it a little uncomfortable.  Luckily, the food and wine make it all just fine.

on the lawn at Jade Garden

When the waiter comes to pour our water, he accidentally spills it in a big splotch on the tablecloth.  He apologizes profusely, asking us if we’d like to move, but Mario tells him instead he can just give us a free bottle of wine.  We order a bottle of Chianti and when he brings it and pours it, using a little wire basket with a handle, we remind him that this bottle of wine is free!  He laughs along with us.  Sadly of course, the wine is not free (It’s 13.5 rials plus tax, or over $35), but we continue teasing him nonetheless.  And we enjoy the wine despite the high price. 🙂

Chianti in a wire basket

Mario at the Jade Garden

We enjoy grazing on all the sushi offerings from the extensive buffet.  Various types of nigiri (shrimp, salmon, tuna), unagi (fresh water eel), maki (salmon rolls, California rolls, tuna rolls, vegetable rolls, chicken and mango rolls), and other items such as beet salad, miso soup, salmon salad, and hard-boiled eggs with fish roe are all in abundance.  It’s a sushi-lover’s dream, minus some of the fancier offerings I’m used to at sushi restaurants in the USA.  One thing I really miss are shrimp tempura rolls, which are conspicuously absent.  It’s still delicious however, and of course things are always fun with Mario.

This is my third plate… yum… 🙂

It is only after eating my third plate of sushi and making a trip to the ladies’ room that I notice a huge dessert table.  I return to the table and inform Mario about it.  He is surprised I hadn’t noticed it before.  We go back and sample bread pudding, flan, mango mousse, and lime & kiwi mousse with decorative chocolate pieces in it.

Overall, with the 10 rials each for the sushi, the 13.5 rial bottle of wine, the bottle of water, and the taxes, our entire bill is 42 rials, or 21 each ($55).  It’s never cheap to eat in Muscat.  It was well worth it though, especially just the chance to enjoy Mario’s company with good food and wine.

Sadly, I have to drive back to Nizwa after this feast.  Mario has smartly arranged a room in Muscat so we part ways and I drive the long drive back home alone.  It’s tough to stay awake on such a full belly!!