Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Muscat, Oman

Heaven......

For the Prophet's birthday, we got a 3-day holiday, so Kim and I decided to head to Muscat, the capital of Oman.  We had heard the beach was very nice, and I was READY for some beach time!!

We flew out of Al Ain "International" Airport....ha-ha!  It is a small airport, and we were the only flight leaving that night.  We had to catch a bus at the airport terminal to our airplane on the tarmac...a distance of maybe 50 yards! Kim and I had a good laugh as we looked out the bus window at the plane and talked about how much faster it would be to just walk to the plane!  The good news:  Everybody who was flying was there, so we left 20 minutes early.  Gotta love a small airport!!

We arrived in Muscat and had a slight delay at the airport getting our visas, but soon we were in a taxi and headed for the hotel.  The trip time from our flat in Al Ain to our hotel in Oman was a total of less than 4 hours!!

When we woke up the next morning, we had the most gorgeous view and a sumptuous deck that overlooked the mountains, pool, and ocean.

View looking to the left off our deck:  the surrounding mountains and the city
View looking off our deck to the right:  the only thing that spoils the view is the
palatial home being built by one of the country's ministers.

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza, located on the cliff top in Qurum Heights.  It has a private beach that looks across the water at one of the local public beaches.

View looking straight out.  Around to the left side and down the coast you can see the public beach and the city of Muscat.  This is how calm the water looked for the first 2 days of our stay.

This is looking across the water at the public beach.
 Here you can see Omani women in their beachwear.  :)
Breakfast was included with the room (and also had a nice selection of bacon and ham, which we seldom see in the UAE), so we ate a leisurely breakfast and strolled down to the beach to do some exploring.  On the beach below our cliffs there was a cave to one side.
Kim explores the cave on our beach
Crabs were all over the beach the first day.  Then, they disappeared, and we never saw them again.  Hey, Heather and Cory, guess we "busted the crabs" too well!!
Kim's most exciting moment of the day came when he found a vertebra of some huge creature.  We're not sure what it is, but we're thinking it's so large it has to be a whale!!  The Humpback and Orca whales travel up and down this coast.  There are also many dolphins, but it looks too big for that.  Of course, we decided it could also be some ancient dinosaur, because it almost seems more fossilized than bone-like.  LOL  :)

"Whale" vertebra???   And.....the proud discoverer

We pretty much just sat around the whole day, dipping in and out of the pool, in and out of the ocean, and in and out of the pool bar ~ ha-ha!!   At sunset we went to the outdoor balcony for a drink before dinner.   Later that night was the seafood grill at the hotel, an unbelievable smorgasbord of seafood that you select and then they grill as you stand by the ocean and watch.  There was lobster, prawns, mahi-mahi, octopus, and various other seafood delicacies!  They had all the trimmings to go with it, too!  Desserts were amazingly beautiful and so numerous.  I swear I heard them calling my name......so I tried about 6!  Later, there were fireworks we could watch from the deck.  A great ending to the day!

This is Kim's attempt at sunset photography:  Don't you just love my head-dress?  I feel like a  Native American with my "do."
These are the fishermen heading out for some evening fishing.
Day 2 was planned to be more strenuous.  Kim had booked a tour with a local Omani man, named Nasim, to take us on a tour of Wadi Shab (sort of like a desert arroyo in the Western U.S.).  The Wadis were the bedouin's source of water as they traveled the desert.  The water is partially underground, but there are large sections of the wadi that are deep pools of beautiful greenish-blue.

As we drove to the wadi (about a 2-hour drive), our guide told us about the history of the area.  We traveled through the East Hajer mountains, a 700 km range that extends from the West Hajer mountains in Al Ain.
Didn't get any great shots of some of the higher mountains because we were driving.  This was shot from the car and doesn't do justice to the size!!

Along the tops of the mountains, the ancients would bury their dead by digging tombs on the very tops.  Our guide said they looked like honeycombs up close.  One of the roads leading up the side of a nearby mountain looked particularly dangerous.  Nasim said he likes to drive it, but you can't ever use your breaks coming down or the car will skid off the edge due to the loose soil and rocks ~ that sounds like a nightmare ride to me, but it's one of the tours he offers......um......no, thanks!  

There were lots of wild donkeys along the way, and apparently they hang around in the wadis.  
Our guide told us this donkey is kept inside the wadi for the people who still live nestled up in the mountains along here.  They use him to transport heavier items.  I felt sorry for him standing in the hot sun.  On our way out, we found him tethered inside a cave where it was much cooler!
Frankincense grows here in Oman on the side of the mountains facing the desert because it needs the heat to grow.  It doesn't grow on the sea side, which is where we were driving.  We didn't see any, but Kim wants to see some growing wild and being harvested.  We bought some back when we were in Morocco over Christmas, but he wants to see it in its native habitat.

We passed through huge mountains.  Jebel Shams ("Mountain of the Sun") is the highest point in Oman at 3009 meters.  We traveled through the fishing village of Quriyat and then to the small town of Tiwi. There, we got our first overhead view of Wadi Shab.  It was a Palm, Banana, and Mango Plantation a while back, so the terraced remnants of the trees are still there.  Apparently a cyclone hit and did major damage.   Local villagers still farm the area, so there is an aflaj, or watering system, which carries water throughout the wadi from one small garden to the next.  We actually walked along the top edges of the aflaj for some sections where the terrain was especially rough.

Kim swims in one of the pools at the wadi

This breathtaking view was at one of the diving spots ~ the water is very deep, but such a clear blue you can see all the way to the bottom.

Another gorgeous aquamarine swimming hole..... The lapped shale and rock here reminded me of scalloped lace along the bottom hem of a woman's skirt
One of the small buildings where the Palm Plantation caretakers would stay
This picture is looking down from the bridge onto one of the palm groves.  This was the small boat we took from where we parked across to the other side.  Some of the guys from the nearby small town of Tiwi make a living by ferrying people across to the other side of the wadi where walking is accessible.  At the end of the day, when we left, the tide was out and you could walk across this part.
This picture is looking back toward the bridge from the palm grove. Just past the bridge the water opens up into the Gulf of Oman.
At the very end of all the swimming holes, we swam through a very narrow keyhole that opened up into a partially submerged cave with a waterfall.  I was a little scared to swim under some of the walls, not knowing where I would end up or if I could hold my breath until I emerged inside a part where I could breathe, but that was why we had our guide!  He really helped us to experience some things I would never have tried on my own!  We couldn't take our camera to this part because there was no way to keep it dry.  Maybe one day we'll return with an underwater camera to get some pics of the final, most amazing section!

I learned a good bit from our guide about the flora and fauna of this area.  Here are some close-up pictures of the date palms.  You can see the date palm blossoms beginning to sprout and then the bundled part, showing that the palm has already been pollinated.

Here are the small buds of the date palm (yellow, in the center of the palm).  Each of these will turn into a date.
These have to be hand-pollinated, so you can see where the buds were bundled together to be pollinated and then left so the workers know this palm is ready.

This is an Arabian Toad (no frogs in Oman!).  These toads live in the wadi and dig down into the gravel where they can remain for months or years, depending on the water conditions.  They go into a state of torpor (like hibernation) for long periods of time.  We saw hundreds of these at one of the pools.
Here is another strange wadi creature:
This is me at the end of the long day.  I wore my swim suit under long pants and a t-shirt.  For most of the day, I swam in this whole outfit.  Here I have my pants rolled up and my hair and clothes are soaking wet from my last dip in the water, but it was a hoot!
This shows what the dryer walking sections were like.....It was not all lush, blue-green pools of water!!  It was about an hour's fairly intensive hike in and then another hour's hike back out.

On our way home, we stopped at the Biman Sinkhole, a collapsed mountain filled with sea water.  It is now a limestone crater with steps leading to the bottom.  People go there for picnics and a swim.
Biman Sinkhole
There were lots of birds around our hotel.  There were parakeets, and Kim's favorite, Hekyll and Jekyll (his friends from Hawaii), but I didn't take a picture of them.  Sorry, Kim!  :(
These are rose-ringed parakeets in the palm tree by my beach chair 
This is a Great Blue Heron perched in the bushes along the channel that runs between our hotel and the opposite beach
Our last day we decided to stay until the last minute to catch our plane home.  We spent all day sitting under the palm trees up on the cliffs.  I had my camera out and was taking pictures of the rough seas (because it had been so smooth up until that time).
This is looking down from the cliffs at the small beach of our hotel. (View from my beach chair)  The waves were really kicking up!
Wave action....

Looking across the channel down toward the city.....
I saw a couple who appeared to be having a tough time.  They were in the channel between our beach and the public beach, and apparently the undertow was very strong.  After a few minutes I decided they looked like they were in trouble.  I ran to the pool to tell the lifeguard I thought someone needed help.

He didn't hesitate.  He grabbed his walkie-talkie and called for back-up; then he took off running down the steps to the beach.  As he got there, he ran into the water and headed for the boy and girl.  In a minute, several other lifeguards joined him.  They managed to pull the two to shore just in time!  The boy collapsed on the beach and the paramedics arrived about that time.

The first lifeguard on the scene makes a big leap into the water as he heads out into the channel

Getting closer to shore:  they had ropes on the life preservers and people on shore were helping to pull them in while the two lifeguards kept them in the preservers.

The girl was not quite as bad as the boy and was able to walk with assistance; the boy had apparently been holding her up and had used all his energy

Collapsed, but still alive!

Paramedic in the white shirt with his medical bag checking on the boy

What a great ending to a rather scary episode!  We had a few hours left on the beach, so we used it wisely....
Mmmmmm....delicious!  
and then we headed back to reality!


We loved Oman and plan to return when we can!!  :)


Definitely Heaven on Earth!!


Friday, February 11, 2011

Emergency Room Visit

A while back, ADEC (Abu Dhabi Education Council), my employer, came to our school and said we need more integration with the Arabic teachers.  They moved 4 of us to the other workroom so we can learn from each other.  So, I decided this could be really cool.  I'd get to talk to them more and hopefully get to know them a little better.

While in that workroom, one funny incident happened with my lunch.  I had put a salad and some Hummus and bread in the fridge until lunch.  When I went to get it, it was missing.  I waited a moment because the other teachers were talking and I hated to interrupt, but finally I asked, "Has anyone seen my lunch?  It was a salad and some hummus in a plastic container."

One teacher turned red and had a horrified look on her face.  She told me she had put it out for the teachers to eat because they take turns bringing in food each day, and she thought someone brought it to share. I laughed and said that was okay, but the other teachers in the room were laughing hysterically and talking rapidly in Arabic.  I gathered that they were giving the teacher a hard time.  She continued to apologize, jumped up, and grabbed a big plate off the food table, started filling it with all kinds of food (including about 9 pieces of Arabic bread and a full container of Hummus, 2 cucumbers, a tomato, a knife, etc.).  I kept assuring her that there was no problem, but she apologized for the rest of the lunch period.  As each new teacher came into the room, the other teachers kept telling the story.....until I finally left and returned to my classroom.

Then, the next day after my first period, I had a break.  I went to the workroom to get my papers to write lesson plans.  When I first walked in the workroom, I realized there was a strong smell, but I didn't know what it was.  I grabbed my things and quickly walked out of the room, but I wasn't quick enough.  About halfway down the hallway I started choking and coughing.  Then, it was as if I couldn't catch my breath at all. I was gasping for air.  I ran to the other workroom, and by the time I got there I was terrified that I wasn't going to be able to breathe.  Our TA was in the room and immediately realized something was wrong.  I pointed to my throat and she called for the nurse.  I'm down on the floor gasping and heaving, trying to draw in a breath.  Meanwhile, another teacher ran to get my inhaler.  After all was said and done, the incident probably lasted only about 10 minutes, but it seemed forever.

What had set it all off was a charcoal burner that was lit in the Arabic workroom.  I thought I could still teach after my break was over, so I stayed at school.  But right before class, I went downstairs to the main office to ask about a class change, and something in that room triggered my breathing again.  I think my throat was just too sensitized by that time, but we all realized I couldn't talk enough to teach the rest of the day.  They sent me home.

I went to 3 different clinics to see a doctor and get some medicine, but none took my insurance.  (ADEC changed insurance companies at the beginning of January, and I hadn't read up on which places took the card.)  My taxi driver finally called someone he knew who had the same company, and I went to NMC clinic.  There was a wait because I was there during the part of the day when people rest.  When I finally saw the doctor, she was great.  After listening to my chest she decided she wanted to see what was going on in there, so she called the hospital and ordered some x-rays.  She also said I needed a breathing treatment to get my breathing back to normal.  Then she prescribed various medicines, including some yucky tablets that dissolve in a cup of water and taste terrible.  I'll take a pill any day over drinking something!!!

I then went to the hospital, which was another interesting story!  For the x-rays, I had to sign a paper that said I wasn't pregnant.  There were 6 reasons to choose as to how I KNEW I wasn't pregnant.  One of them was, "I do not have a husband."  Ha-ha!!  That'll sure keep someone from getting pregnant--great birth control!!

They gave me a shot of steroids and a shot of antibiotics (which had to be signed out of the pharmacy next door and delivered to the hospital.)  Apparently, they do not keep medicine in the emergency room!! Wonder what happens when there is a real emergency.......

So I got the shots, had the breathing treatment for about 20 minutes, got the x-rays, filled my prescriptions, and got home about 5:00.

I felt good enough to go back to school the next day, and everything is pretty much back to normal....except I'm waiting for all this medicine to take effect.  I think it is having an effect, if only on my digestive system.

Fun week, eh?


Star Students

We recently held an "honors" ceremony for the girls who were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each class for the first grading term.  They have special sashes and hats to wear for the ceremony.  Then, they each receive a gift and a certificate.  The moms come to watch. (Did I mention that only moms come for parent-teacher conferences and any other occasions??)

The girls were very excited, and I think some of them got motivated to try harder this next term.  My grades on spelling and math tests are certainly showing a jump!!  This week I had 24 girls who made an A on their spelling test.  That has NEVER happened before.  I also had 23 who made 80 or above on their math test on double-digit multiplication  (two digit by 1 digit).  AMAZING!!

These are the Star Students in my 3B class:  Khloud, Malak, and Afraa

These are the Star Students in 3A:  Maitha, Aisha, and Fatima

Hili Oasis and Hili Tower

On yesterday's morning walk, we decided to check out the Hili Tower and Hili Oasis....sites near our flat.  The Hili Oasis is much larger than I expected.  The paths went in all directions and we could have walked for quite a while!  There are some ruins inside that are in the process of being restored.  At the entrance to the oasis is the Hili Tower, made of mud brick and straw.  It has been restored and was not open when we went.

Hili Tower


King of the Tower


Ruins

Renovation of ruins

View down one of the paths

View looking out through the oasis

Birds....

More birds....

Friday, February 4, 2011

Desert Life

Motorcycle jumping over the airplane at the Al Ain Air Show
The kids (and grandpuppy) came to visit this weekend.  We took Blue for a morning walk to visit the camels.  Then we headed up to climb Jebel Hefeet and visit the Green Mubazzareh (hot springs).  Finally, we drove out into the desert to play on the dunes.  After coming back home to clean up, we went to eat at a Lebanese restaurant called Leisure, where strangely enough, I ordered Mexican food (Chicken Fajitas)....yummy!!!
The camels kept following Blue around the outside of the fence, fascinated with him! 
Heather and Blue and me on the very tip top of Jebel Hefeet
Looking across a chasm at Kim and Cory on another rock outcropping of Hefeet
We drove through the Green Mubazzareh (a lush, green valley at the base of Jebel Hefeet) where there are hot springs.  We didn't go into the official "women's" and "men's" areas, preferring to stop alongside the road at the small feeder streams to soak our feet.  This was about 300 yards from the source of the springs, and the water was still extremely hot!!


Green Mubazzarah:  lush and beautiful in the middle of the desert
Out in the dunes.....play time!!
After playing for a while, Blue was taking "rest" stops!
Cory "sandboards" down the dunes!  LOL
Heather gracefully "hops" down the dunes!
Heather, Cory, and Blue race to the top of one of the dunes.  
(Yes, Cory, that's Blue's little head you see bouncing along beside you!)
By this time, Blue was worn out and ready to pose!  :)
Sinking down...down....down...into the sand
The dunes were so pristine, you can hardly even tell we left our footprints here.  
Don't you just love the circular pattern in the sand?!!
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Blue
On Saturday we all went to the Al Ain Aerobatic show.  There were 15 aerobatic and display teams from 4 different continents performing.  This is the 9th annual show, and is supposed to be one of the five top aerobatic shows in the world.  They were expecting around 130,000 people.  We watched part of the FAI Desert Challenge, which involved 6 competitors from different countries compete head to head in terms of aerobatic skill.

We were also glad to see exactly where the airport is, since we're flying out of there in a couple of weeks to go to Oman.  The government just moved the holiday for the Prophet's Birthday to February 17th, so that means we have a 3-day weekend!!  Yea!  We're going to fly to Muscat, Oman for a few days on the beach.

Tickets!!
We thought it was neat how the smoke trail formed the "11" in 2011
This is Otto the Helicopter playing yo-yo--quite entertaining for the children, 
but we were ready for him to fly on out and let the real show begin :)
These two planes were Blue Voltige, motorgliders from Italy.  
This was their re-creation of the Italian flag.
Here's Blue Voltige doing a close-flying formation.  They had beautiful music playing from the speakers, and it was almost peaceful watching these two perform.  They had very small quiet engines, so you could focus on the aerobatic feats.
This was a paramotor.  Apparently, with little wind today, it was quite a feat that he even made it off the ground.  His partner crashed on take-off.
This was Team Viper, flying Hawker Hunter supersonic fighter jets.  The pilots are all current or
former members of the British RAF.  Here they are meeting almost head-on.
Team Viper flying formation
Scandinavian Catwalk:  two ladies walking on the wings!  They crawled up and down
 as the airplane flew spirals and loops!
"AirCats" on the wings as the plane comes out of a full loop
This was Kim's favorite part:  Magic Corn
He's found a delicious new snack!!