Fond Omani Farewell

Our time in Salalah has been tremendous. Over the past couple of days, we have visited two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the area (Al Baleed and Khor Rori), a castle (in Taqah), a Salalah souk, Wadi Darbat (up into the Dhofar Mountains), the beach, the shrines/burial sites of three prophets (Omran, Saleh, and Job), and some camels for good measure.

But as great as the last couple of days have been, nothing can quite compare to the day we had today. Two experiences in particular have made today a very special one. The first was a visit to a site about 45 minutes west of Salalah, to a place called Mughsayl. Of all the scenic sites we have seen in Oman, this was the most spectacular in my opinion. The area basically captures the convergence of the mountains and the sea in a very dramatic way. It was incredibly beautiful, and the sounds of the surf crashing against the craggy seashore here is something I will always remember.

This afternoon, we drove back into the Dhofar Mountains and had the ultimate local cultural experience. We essentially were treated to a traditional Jebeli (which basically means people of the mountains) feast that included goat-meat, rice, fruit, and yoghurt, and tea. In essence, it was a picnic in the mountains, which is a favorite activity of locals, particularly during this time of year (the “Khareef”, or monsoon season). We were in the misty clouds for this feast with an extended Omani family, who very graciously shared a slice of their traditional culture with our group today. There was food, laughing, and even some singing before we said our goodbyes. It was a most memorable experience.

Today is our final full day in Oman, and I am already feeling a sense of nostalgia for the time we have spent here. I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to visit this wonderful country over the past couple weeks, and will leave with an extremely favorable impression of the people here and the beauty of the country. Our group leader (Cal Allen) said it best earlier this week in Muscat when he spoke on our group’s behalf to an Omani dignitary, eloquently saying that “The heat of the season here is only matched by the warmth of the Omanis’ spirit and hospitality.”

So tomorrow, we will begin the next major chapter of this Fulbright as we first fly to Muscat and then on to our next stop, which will be Amman, Jordan. I will look forward to “meeting up with you again” from there!

Final official wadi count for Oman – 12. We have seen/been to three more wadis in the Salalah area (Wadi Darbat, Wadi Khshim, and Wadi Adawnab). The wadi pictured here is Darbat. For those you competing for the grand prize (a spiffy magnet from the Middle East), there are 3 weeks remaining to potentially add to the list!