Salalah, Oman

We went to Salalah this past weekend for a break from the Dubai heat. This time of year is known as the Khareef in Oman (which translates to monsoon season) when cooler temperatures and rain are typical. The Dhofar region in southwestern Oman, where Salalah is located, is unique from the rest of the Arabian peninsula. While searing heat and no rainfall punish the entire region during the summer, the Dhofar mountains catch and hold the tail end of the Indian monsoon creating an oasis in this secluded coastal area.

We must admit there was a period of time where we didn't think this weekend escape was going to happen. After making it from Dubai to Muscat, we had only 45 minutes to make the flight from Muscat to Salalah. Normally, this wouldn't have been an issue. However, after 20 minutes of explaining to the immigration officer that I was traveling with my husband and not by myself (since I am listed under his visa and not my own) and then having to introduce Alex as proof, we rushed to baggage claim only to wait another 20 mintues. Once we got our bags, we made a mad dash through the airport and made the flight with literally NO time to spare.

An hour and a half later our plane decended through a thick layer of clouds over the Dhofar mountains. You could see a clear line on the ground where the brown desert turns to green reflecting where the rains of the Kareef reach and where they don't.

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza resort on the shores of the Indian Ocean enjoying the simple fact that we could stand outside without suffering heat exhaustion as we would in Dubai.

This is the view from our hotel balcony (with me standing on it).

The ocean surf, while pretty, was very rough and cold so swimming in it was out of the question. Here is a pic of Alex on the beach with the turbulent waves behind him.

The first evening we were there, we hailed a cab to go to dinner and met Mohammed who became our sudo tour guide for the rest of the trip. On our way, we came across one of the road hazards you just don't have back in the States, camels. A camel was crossing the road (as they often do there in Oman) and was hit by a car causing a traffic jam. As we came upon the accident we drove right past the poor dead camel as it lay in the middle of the road. It was huge. And the car that hit it was a total loss. For those of you who remember what my car looked like after hitting an elk, imagine that times 3. These camels usually weigh about 1500 lbs. Mohammed told us these accidents often end up in fatalities for both the camel and the car driver. As the camels roam freely through Oman, he said you have to be very careful when driving to avoid them (good thing they are slow!).

On we go to happier stories...

On the way back from dinner that night, we stopped by some of the local fruit stands that line the roads. Much produce is grown in and around Salalah due to the unique climate. The coconuts are great. Here is a pic of us at the fruit stand with a fresh coconut.

What is Salalah most famous for? FRANKINCENSE! Frankincense trees grow only in areas that have the right combination of heat, humidity, and rainfall. The Dhofar region is the largest of these areas followed by Yemen and Somalia. The sap of the tree is dried and then burned as incense and also used as a health supplement. The product in ancient times was shipped out on extensive camel caravans across the harsh deserts of the Empty Quarter to locations in the Roman Empire and to the pharos of Egypt. Frankincense has been harvested and traded in Salalah for thousands of years. It is their "claim to fame." It is burned ALL OVER THE CITY. When we arrived at the airport I smelled this funny musky, spicy, ammonia-like smell but I thought nothing more than "Hmm, this airport smells funky." Once we got to the hotel and I smelled it again I finally asked Alex if he too smelled this weird odor. He then told me that was Frankincense. Ah-ha! The smell permeated our hotel room to the point that my eyes were watering, my nose was running, and my throat was burning! I realize this stuff is what Salalah is most famous for, but sheesh! There are mass plumes of smoke coming from ornate ceramic burners in every room of every building in the entire city. It's a bit overwhelming to the newcomers! Although I must admit, you do get used to it (an aquired taste, if you will). By the end of the trip I hardly noticed it and probably would have missed it if I entered somewhere and didn't smell it! In the photo on the left below is our driver Mohammed between 2 frankincense trees and on the right is some of it being burned in the hotel lobby.

On Thursday and Friday we did a whole lot of NOTHING and it was great! We swam and lazed around the hotel.

On Saturday we packed in quite a few things...we went to the mountains and saw tons of beautiful waterfalls amongst the green hills. The largest waterfall there is Darbat Falls. We also stopped in an old seaside town, Mirbat. Mirbat was a thriving port many years ago, but is now crumbling around itself with little industry other than its small fleet of fishing dhows. We also had the chance to see Job's tomb. He is known as Ali Ayoob around here.

Saturday night we went downtown and did some souvenier shopping in the Old Souk. I couldn't wait to fill my bags with bottles upon bottles of Frankencense! We tried to get a ceramic burner for every room in our house, but unfortunately we just did not have enough luggage space.

We had a wonderful time in Oman. It was great to tour around the city and see all the history and nature it had to offer, although the best part of the weekend was the chance to just relax and have fun in the cool weather. We can't wait to go back!