4th of July Getaway
For the 4th of July weekend, McLean and I hopped on a 1.5 hour cheap flight down to Muscat, Oman for a few days. Prior to moving to Bahrain I had never even heard of Oman but people here in Bahrain rave about it, so we made it a point for Muscat to be our first trip. I'm happy to report that the beautiful country with incredibly kind and cheerful people exceeded our expectations. It is quite a progressive country, boasting female police officers and security guards, an acceptance of men and women not in traditional dress, roads that look like they were paved a few days ago, trees lining the highways, clean streets, greenery, a law prohibiting excessively tall buildings, and progressive measures to keep the public safe. These things make it feel more comfortable and relaxed than the life we have become accustomed to in Bahrain.
After our noon arrival, we were picked up from our hotel by our tour guide, Juma. We spent the afternoon and evening touring the entire city of Muscat with Juma at the wheel, introducing us to some of the best food, drink, and scenery that Muscat had to offer, all the while taking lessons on Omani culture, religion, and government from our jovial guide. Complimenting Oman to Juma was treated like a personal compliment; Juma loves Oman with a pride and passion that made McLean and I question our patriotism to our own country ("If someone said Virginia was beautiful, would I beam and say 'thank you'.....?"). Juma was also one of the kindest and gentlest souls I have ever encountered, and as we drove all over the city, Juma always seemed to find friends to say hi to or just greet with a kind smile and a handshake.
The next morning we woke up at 4am for a 2 hour road trip with Juma to one of Muscat's famous sites, Wadi Shab. As McLean and I tromped along with our Patagonia packs and Solomon hiking shoes, Juma trucked along in front of us sporting a backpack with 15 water bottles and BARE FEET. Finally, after a 20 minute hike deep into the canyon, we unloaded our valuables, shed our sweaty clothes, and hopped into the clear water that provided a welcome respite from the oppressive Middle Eastern heat. We swam further and further through the canyon until we entered a little cave complete with a waterfall and rope that we used to climb onto a rock and jump into the water. The water was turquoise and clear, and the entire time I could have sworn I was actually viewing myself in the pages of a travel magazine. The setting was so serene, colorful, and untouched by humans that it didn't seem real. The 4am wake-up call was absolutely worth it.
After a quick nap that afternoon, we were back at it, meeting up for dinner with Juma and some American friends from Bahrain who happened to be in Muscat at the same time. Ten of us gathered on the floor in Juma's most highly recommended restaurant in Muscat, delighting in trying 2 Omani dishes: Shuwa (slow roasted goat) and Ma'soora (salted fish).
Our last day, Friday, provided a major change of pace. We made a last minute decision to rent a car for the day, and after making 2 separate trips to the airport to pick up the car (pro tip: don't forget your passports at the hotel when trying to rent a car abroad), we were free to explore solo. It should be noted here that the man helping us at the Avis car rental desk felt bad for our passport plight, so he upgraded us to a nicer car, gave us unlimited mileage, and gave us an extra driver for free. When I joked that we would never get the same treatment for making such a silly mistake in Bahrain, he laughed and said "Ah yes, but this is Oman." This cheery, laid-back attitude was apparent in almost every encounter that we had with locals during our short stay.
After a delicious breakfast at a cute cafe, we fled to the resort where our friends were staying, with the hopes of renting jet skis or going kitesurfing (one look at the rough ocean water smashed those hopes and dreams rather quickly though). Instead, we spent the afternoon pretending to be guests at the resort, relaxing by the pool. Dinner that evening was at an incredibly fancy Moroccan restaurant at the resort where, since we were the only guests wanting to eat dinner so early (7:30pm), we had the entire luxurious restaurant to ourselves, complete with an Omani duo playing soft, soothing Arabic tunes. With excessively full bellies, we headed to a soccer tent on the beach, where we cheered Belgium on in their World Cup victory against Brazil.
The next morning we slept in (this was McLean's vacation after all....) then headed to an Australian spot for breakfast. If not for people in traditional Omani dress and the lull of Arabic being spoken around us, we might have felt that we were back in San Diego, chowing down at some hipster joint by the ocean. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful vacation.
Oman is clearly highly recommended for good reason: the landscape is beautiful, the infrastructure of the city is excellent, the people are friendly and kind, and you don't feel that you're on the receiving end of a death threat while driving. The land boasts many outdoor adventures, as well as many opportunities to enjoy art, such as the National Opera House. And, I cannot forget to mention again our new dear friend Juma, Muscat's greatest ambassador to the city and his beloved country.
