Mountains. I miss them all the time anyway, but didn't realize how much until my trip to Oman this weekend. I would argue that the second you cross the border, the terrain changes and you feel like you're driving through the desert in Arizona or the vast expanse of Utah. The bunches of date oases crop up seemingly out of nowhere, goats and camels litter the side of the roads, and the mountains span the horizon.
Same planet, different world feeling, to say the least. Who do you think was staying at our hotel? The Lama himself (just let a girl believe), alongside the French cast of Cocoon (they loved the pool) and dancing girls to entertain guests at the Russian bar. Unfortunately, Michelle and I forgot our black spandex mini dresses/flowing robes/geriatric sandals, or we would have blended right in.
The Nizwa fort was quite stunning. For those not up on their Omani history, it's a very isolated country, with only a small time period of Portuguese influence....hence the forts. Architecturally speaking, it's very cool, but the preservation side of me screams "fake". It's a little from column A, little from column B. I'll take it, as it was a lovely break from the daily humdrum in Abu Dhabi. Wink.
Coincidentally, I met the Dalai Lama at the Sheraton wall Centre Hotel in Vancouver (a Peter Busby design) where, doubly coincidentally, I'm staying now then off to Seattle by train tonite.
ReplyDeleteHe's human, you know. My daughter to introduced us said take his picture and he'll be interested in looking at it. I did, and he did!
A girl could hope for more but i don't think a Mrs. Dalai Lama is allowed, LOL!