We planned a trip to Muscat, Oman for spring break. March had been a doozy of a month in regards to Wade’s work and travel schedule and Saudi had me feeling beaten down. When the time came to catch our flight we were one crew of happy Hunt’s, excited to be with dad, to frolic in the sea and to leave the Kingdom to her own devices for a week.
We stayed about 20 minutes outside of town at the Shangri-La Resort. It was dreamy. We slept in (can I get a hallelujah for black out curtains?), spent our mornings at the pool and beach, went in for two hour naps, then back to the pool until dinner time. It was as far as I had been from reality for awhile, and I could have stayed there getting blissfully lazy for months.
The lazy river that was just my speed all week.
If there’s one thing this region of the world nails, it’s mocktail’s. A lemon mint by the seashore.
Everybody wants to be friends with Bode. Can’t say I blame them.
She is a fish! Or a mermaid rather.
We tried to make it a habit to eat a Galaxy bar after naps everyday.
Fish feeding…
Right before I dumped us trying to climb out. Bubs was none to pleased with me. Oops!
The poolside eye candy flexing his muscles and playing cool in his fedora. It’s about all I can do to keep my hands off this cat.
One more for the road? I feel as though I could post 67 more and it still wouldn’t be enough.
Tessa and I share an affection for seashell hunting.
In large part, my life here in the Middle East just feels like life carrying on and moving forward in another place. But every once in awhile, like on this pleasant spring evening, when I find myself atop a camel in the Gulf of Oman with the people I love most in this world, I think to myself, “Wow. Who would have thought?”
And the illusion that Wade is falling off the back of the camel? Actually, not an illusion at all…
An evening on the Corniche. T was in a really good mood.
We made sure to spend a morning in Muscat catching the highlights.
The Sultan Quboos Grand Mosque was at the top of our list of things to see and remains a trip and regional highlight for me. It’s attention to detail was exquisite, the grounds beautiful, it was breathtaking without being pretentious. Much like the country of Oman itself.
I wonder if every short blond Christian that visits the Mosque is given Omani riyals from endearing Omani Muslims…
We were here.
After the Mosque we headed to Muttrah Souq to find some treasures. Again, the architecture and detail wowed me. Oman at this point in the trip was quickly becoming my favorite Gulf country. The people were humble, warm and welcoming. They infuse beautiful color into their traditional dress and their mosques. Their infrastructure is progressive and up to date. Unlike Saudi Arabia, that refuses to allow the outside world in, or the UAE who has nearly sold their soul, Oman seems to be a Muslim country that is successfully holding onto their history and values while embracing entry into the global world.
Bode made another friend…they both cried when we pulled them away. It was darling.
I am just in love with the style and charm of Omani dress. Their traditional hats, their beautiful colored scarves and the way they wrap them is so dashing.
The boy picked an oil tanker. The girl a traditional Omani outfit. That she wore to every dinner every night following.
Another lemon mint. This time by the wharf.
The Gulf at sunset.
Our last morning in Oman we hopped on a boat for a pull through the Arabian Sea. The boat was probably 20 years old and looked like it had been sitting in salt water for at least that long, it had a MASSIVE prop hanging off the back and the ski’s..they were as old as the boat and the boots were falling part. And yet, you couldn’t have wiped the smile off my face with a hammer. We hip hoorayed, hooped and hollered and yallah’ed our way through our 30 minute allotment. What a riot.
And if I haven’t sold this country well enough yet, meltdowns were rewarded with friendly hotel employees giving you ice cream.
Intrinsic in being an expat in Saudi Arabia is assuring that you leave her behind every once in awhile. We had a really, really great week. Oman was the perfect escape and I’d love an excuse to go back. Anybody interested?
4 comments:
Oh my goodness, I can see why you could spend a month there. Those pictures...loved them. All of them. What an adventure! xoxo
Looks amazing! So glad you are enjoying it ALL!!!
That looks amazing. SO glad you were able to get away as a family for a while. Your kids are so darling and they look like they were having so much fun. My favorites were T sipping her drink, so sassy! And little Bode in his Euro shorts...to die for.
The pictures of Oman were great! I loved Bode eating, reminded me of the guacamole at the fish taco place when he was one...
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