SPONTANEOUS VISITORS FROM OMAN!

Last week Phil received one of the best phone calls you can receive - a friend saying, "GUESS WHAT?!  I AM IN KUWAIT!!!!!!"  Haitham and his brother, Mahmoud, made a special trip to meet our sweet little Eleanor.  You might recall that we met Haitham and his family during our Eid trip to Oman.  Well, since then he's come to Kuwait twice and he calls and messages often.  When I said we loved the people of Oman we weren't lying!  Talk about the nicest, most thoughtful individuals. 

Phil was lucky enough to see the boys twice.  They first came over last Wednesday night.  I had to head out tutoring, so the boys "babysat" Nory for the evening.  Sounds like they had a great time -  they played several rounds of "toys" and took turns snuggling our Sweet Pea.  My luck changed on Friday morning when we all went out for breakfast together.  Where?  To the IHOP restaurant of course!  Emily and Steve were also in attendance, making the breakfast somewhat of an "Oman reunion"!  So much fun.  We are planning a trip to "Salalah" (southern Oman) sometime soon.

Haitham and I sat beside each other.  We had fun with our Arabic and English versions of the menu!

"Really?  I've already been to Oman?  Nobody told me that!!!"

She loved playing with the tassel on Haitham's dishdasha!

You can see the big gift bag underneath the stroller.  They SPOILED Eleanor like you wouldn't believe!!!

 Hmm......so I guess the whole point of this post is:

1)  We still LOVE Oman. 
2)  Haitham is a real, true friend!  Not one of those fake ones you often meet on vacation....
3)  We have an IHOP addiction.
4)  A similar phone call......from those of you in Canada.....would be AWESOME!!!!!
5)  See number four. 

Haitham Comes to KUWAIT!

Remember our loveable and oh-so-wonderful taxi driver friend from Oman?! Well he is HERE!!! In Kuwait!!!!  And last night we got to visit with him! 

In the very late evening hours (of 7 p.m. and beyond), we went for teppanyaki near the towers to enjoy the culinary show and some yummy, yummy TRES-GARLIC-Y RICE!  It was fantastic (besides the part about me wanting to be in bed at the same time!).  Andrea and Calvin joined us for the evening, as they went to Oman a few weeks after us and also met up with Haitham during their stay.  The reunion was SPLENDID :) 

After dinner, we had to do the whole "it's Haitham's birthday" trick - just for laughs - and of course the touristy "look at us by our significant landmark!" pictures.  Inshallah we will see him again tomorrow before he returns home to Muscat.  

The men.  You can tell which three are used to "Canadian" temperatures.

In this picture, you cannot tell which two are used to "Canadian" temperatures.

In related news, I wore my North Face to school today for the first time.  The belly doesn't allow for zip-up but it was better than toughing it out fleece-less!!! 

In other related news, Alex arrives tonight after midnight!!!!  We can't wait to see him!!!!

"Desin of the Picture"

This was the subject of an email I just received from a sender named "taxi".

Attached to the email was this collage:

It was from HAITHAM!!!!! 

Are you in love with him yet?!

SWEETEST.  PERSON.  EVER.

DAY FOUR - NIZWA and JEBEL SHAMS!

Today was the only day that we were not heading out to explore with Haitham. He SERIOUSLY needed to spend some quality time with his family and the tour we wanted to do required a 4WD vehicle - which he did not have. So, we reluctantly booked through a tour company and embraced the day with a man named Nasser. Nasser was very nice and accommodating too.....he just wasn't......HAITHAM! Nonetheless, we had another great day in Oman. Here are some photos from our final FULL DAY on vacation:

Nizwa was the first stop on the tour, where we checked out an old souq, a fort and a castle.  The fort was not as cool as the one in Nakhal - being a little too much like a museum and less like a REAL FORT!  However, we still had fun exploring the different rooms and finding "murder holes" through passageways and up stairwells.  Here is a picture of a poster outlining a couple of the murder holes in one particular place.  The boiling date syrup is GENIUS if you ask me!!!!

The climb to the top was a good test of willpower for some of us (ah-hem MOI!), but the view once we arrived was AMAZING!  I like this picture a lot.  It was neat to watch people oooohhh and ahhhhh over the scenery surrounding the fort!

This was taken along our twisty and sometimes-fear-inducing trip to the "Grand Canyon" of Oman - Jebel Shams.  Behind the wadi, you should be able to see houses built into the sides of the mountain.  How cool is that?! 

The view from the top (about 3000m).  It was much chillier up here than it was in Muscat!  The trio on the trip with me thought the temperature was "SO NICE" but I confess that I felt it was a tad bit chilly! 

Gem and I.....and Baby P!  Can you see my belly button sticking out?  In the past few weeks, my students have enjoyed spotting my "outtie" through the various shirts I wear to class. 

Oh no!  Captain Canada almost fell deep into the canyon - never to be seen or heard from again!  Thankfully, SUPER PHIL was nearby for the rescue!  I'm not sure what we would have done without him! 

Empty sign or picture frame?  OBVIOUSLY it is the latter.  We had fun framing our many poses with Emily's direction :)

By dinnertime, it was clear that a FULL DAY without Haitham just wasn't possible.  And so.....we embarked on a dinner for five at the Intercontinental.  The restaurant was called "Trader Vick's" and despite the African decor, it served many types of Asian cuisine.  Emily and I shared three appetizers.  They were DELISH!  (Well, except for the Caesar salad.  I didn't remember until after THREE BITES that the dressing could be made with raw eggs.  Sure enough it was...and I panicked my way through the rest of dinner). 

Gift giving in the hotel lobby!  And not in the sense of US giving HAITHAM gifts, but in the reverse scenario.  He SPOILED US with presents!!!!  Phil got some traditional Omani attire and I got a beautiful green scarf!  He also gave us a special Omani dessert to take home and share. 

Ah - the evening was a great way to end our adventure in Oman.  Haitham drove us to the airport and walked us all the way through until he was no longer permitted.  Emily and I did our best not to cry.....but she's HER and I'm ME (a.k.a. WE CRIED!).

Oman is a WONDERFUL country with friendly and hard-working people.  If you ever get the chance to go visit, YOU MUST!  Haitham would be DELIGHTED to show you around :)

Our next trip (to be determined) is sure to be a special one too.  It will be our first trip as a family of THREE!  Until then, this pregnant lady is sticking to land transport ;)

DAY THREE: MOSQUE, NAKHAL, MORE HAITHAM & FAMILY!!!!

Yesterday we did NOT expect to see Haitham, as he told us that he was taking the day off work and would be spending the day with his family.  Well, it turns out that he had one airport-bound customer in the morning and we bumped into him on our way to breakfast. After telling him our plans for the day, he said that he would arrange for his brother to come and drive us around. But when we arrived in the lobby to catch our ride, Haitham - NOT HIS BROTHER - was there to greet us!!!!  Can you believe that he decided to spend ANOTHER day with us???!!! I suppose we are sort of like family now too.......

Anyways, another INCREDIBLE day with our friend Haitham began:

This is the entrance to the Grand Mosque in Muscat.  The grounds are beautifully landscaped and cared for.  Emily and I had to cover our hair with scarves and Emily was almost denied entry for showing off her ankles.  Good thing her tights were stretchy and we were able to force them down a few more inches :)

This is the second largest single carpet in the world.  Apparently it took 600 women four years to complete!  The finished product is STELLAR.  A true marvel, indeed!

I wish I could do the ceiling of the mosque even a quarter-worth of justice.  But I cannot.  Let's just say you could sit for hours and watch the expression of each face that entered the room.  It was jaw-dropping BEAUTIFUL....and I apologize that my lack of photography skills didn't allow you to see it in the same light!  Darn - I guess you'll have to visit Muscat!

We didn't expect Haitham to join us in the afternoon (as he said he would head home for lunch), but after our mosque excursion he insisted that he wanted to take us to Nakhal to see the fort!  And so....we complied and off we went to the next attraction!  It was also a sight to be seen!  There were beautiful mountains surrounding Nakhal and a lush wadi surrounding the fort.

Within the fort, there were many other "forts"  :)  All of these additional forts (or "majlis") were carpeted and decorated with colourful pillows, pottery, and antique weapons.  They were nice and cool and out of the sun too!

The men on the trip.  This day we learned our lesson and put on EXTRA, EXTRA sunscreen.  The previous day we got burnt sitting in the shade all day.  Hmmmm.....

The ladies of the trip!  Don't forget that there are three pretty girls in this picture :)

After the fort we headed to a hot spring, but en route we were invited to Haitham's Aunt's house for an afternoon snack!  Out came more beef, fruit, and sweets.  In came many members from the neighbourhood (like 15!) - all of whom entered the room and shook each of our hands.  The Omani people are HOSPITABLE with all CAPS.

On our way out of Nakhal, Haitham called his mother and she invited us back to the house for a BBQ.  Of course, we had to say yes!!!  So back we went to the family home for more playtime with the kiddo's and more beef for the boys.  I swear Phil and Steve ate half a cow throughout this trip.

Family photo!  Not all members are present, but many of the main players appear here.  Ohhhhh they are the SWEETEST!!!

Early Morning Thoughts!

1)  I forgot to mention that our friend Alex is coming to Kuwait to visit us!!!!  We met him in Nepal last Christmas during our Habitat for Humanity build and he said he'd make an effort to "pop in" sometime soon.  Well, less than ONE YEAR LATER, it's TRUE!!!!!  He comes at the end of November / start of December.  This counts as our first OFFICIAL visitor!!!!!! HOORAY!!!!

2)  Last night we heard a track off of Justin Bieber's Christmas album whilst driving home from dinner.  Recall:  we're in OMAN and it's OCTOBER.  Thus, I REITERATE my stance on a year long celebration.  Or at least a 2/3/4 month early celebration of this fantastic holiday.

3)  Bizarre pregnancy symptoms:  intense sciatic nerve pain which doesn't always permit me to balance on one foot or get out of bed during the night AND pins and needles or a sleeping sensation right above (or below) over-sized humps on my front side.  Both have the power to irritate the HECK out of me as well as induce a real good laugh. 

Well, as usual, I am continuing my training regime with Baby P.  This morning we were up at 5:15 a.m......which is actually 4:15 a.m. Kuwait time.  My stomach was growling and the wee babe was kicking.  So up we got to browse the interweb and wait for the rest of the crew to rise and shine!  This could be a a real test of patience.......

DAY TWO - EID BEGINS!

A photo story works best I think. Here's a look at our second day in Oman at Haitham's family home.  We were invited to celebrate the Eid holiday with his family.

Knives aren't normally that alarming.  Unless you know their purpose is related to something you're not culturally familiar with....in which case they are rather butterfly-inducing.  Thank goodness Emily was by my side!

This Eid holiday represents the Festival of Sacrifice where many families will slaughter a goat, camel, sheep or cow.  Although both a goat and a cow were present at the family's home, they decided to slaughter the cow which they purchased for a whopping 500 Omani Rials.  This is an expensive purchase for the family we visited and you could tell they took pride in being able to have us over for a traditional meal.  We felt so honoured to be a part of it, too!

Emily and I sat with the other ladies as the men took care of the slaughter.  In this picture, two-year old Humoud is watching in curiosity at the events taking place.  Phil and Steve were also over there to witness the sacrifice. 

Once the animal has been killed, it must be skinned and then strategically dissected into parts.  Here you see our friend Haitham, his father, and four of his brothers helping out.  The family really didn't throw out too much of the cow itself.  They kept almost everything - including the head and many of the major organs.

The "trick or treater's" - or the adorably dressed neighbourhood children coming to collect small amounts of money as part of Eid tradition!  It was so fun hearing the knocks and rings at the gate door!  It meant more fancy dresses and sweet kiddo's were visiting!!!!

Emily, Haitham's mother, Haitham's sister-in-law and I.  We were viewing pictures of the oldest daughter's wedding on their digital camera while the men took care of.......that men stuff.

The boys continuing their "men stuff" by cutting up the meat into small pieces.  Emily and I literally sat in front of this tarp of meat all day long.  Can you believe it?!  I don't even know how we managed!  Haitham's brother, Ahmed, cut his finger REALLY BADLY in the process and had to leave to get stitched up at the hospital.  Steve and Phil also ended up cutting their fingers but not as severely - HUMDULLAH!

Haitham's father cooking the meat in a big pot above the fire.  They threw in lots and lots of garlic and salt to make it smell extra delicious!  (Yes, even I thought it smelled delicious.....despite seeing the cow ALIVE 6 hours earlier.)

Our midday break - and a successful camel hunt if you ask me!  If you can't get close enough to take a picture of one on your own, ask a local Omani to fetch one for you!  Or better yet - don't even ask!  These people are so friendly that they will automatically run off into the distance (with ropes in hand!) to secure you a good photo opportunity with a creature common to their region.

Back to work.  On the tarp are the parts of the cow that will go in the trusty old EARTH OVEN!  The head is the part that Haitham is "seasoning" in this picture.  Phil just loved being part of the action!

The kids may have been shy at the start of the day, but by the end of the day we couldn't keep them off of us!  We played many games throughout the day:  peek-a-boo, soccer, catch, fetch (haha), hairstyles, etc.  It's amazing how much fun you can have without speaking a common language.  We exchanged smiles instead of words and it seemed to work out JUST FINE!

This day was a GREAT DAY.  An AMAZING, UNUSUAL, and MEMORABLE day.  Omani people are incredibly kind and thoughtful.  For the entire day, Haitham and his family worked hard to make sure we felt comfortable and were well fed.  They even had a room with blaring AC for us - just in case we needed a break from the heat!  It is in countries like THESE that you fall in love and want to stay forever.  

WE LOVE OMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Picture Story of DAY ONE!

First stop:  the fish market!  You'd be SUPER PROUD of this pregnant lady, as I handled the multiple dead sea creatures and accompanying nasty smells like a champ.  In fact, I didn't even gag once!  HOORAY for my well-rehearsed psychological coaching. 

Next stop - the fruit and vegetable market!  The people here were SUPER friendly - taking the time to teach us about different Omani specialties like date syrup and dried limes.  Also - check out these WACKY looking cucumbers!  Apparently they are really bitter and are used to help control diabetes.  WHO KNEW?!

Here is the silver shop we visited at the Mutrah Souq.  The boys did their best to be understanding of the time required for such a place, but we could tell that they were losing their patience!  It was only when we pulled out some stools and took a seat that Phil asked about how much longer we would be.  Hmmmm........it's so hard to give a serious answer when you're captivated by selection and sitting in comfort!  Haha.  In a RESPECTABLE duration, Emily and I both purchased some new finger BLING.  The best part is that the rings are adjustable - perfect for my fingers that seem to change size on a daily basis.

To the palace!  If I had my own palace, I would also like it to be pretty colours.  And by the ocean.  With hearts lining the top of the gates.  The Sultan has my style down to a "T"!!!

What better place to stop for a washroom break than at the Al Bustan Palace - a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Muscat?!  FANCY, FANCY!  Emily and I contemplated hanging out in the washroom for a long while (since it was SO NICE!) but then we remembered our stint at the silver shop and thought we should be a little more considerate to the men on the trip :)

BEAUTIFUL!  The landscapes here are amazing.  You could stop in a ba-zillion places to take pictures and admire in awe!

A traditional Omani lunch at a traditional Omani restaurant!  Inside, there are many little rooms with curtains where each party can sit and enjoy their meal.  We are still trying to figure out how they can remain so comfortable sitting on such hard floors all the time!  Our bottoms were ACHING like you wouldn't believe after this feast!

Down time - a favourite part of any "holiday"!  Don't we look as snug as THREE bugs in a rug?!  Hey - when there's FREE WIFI, you USE IT!

DINNER TIME!  I saw this restaurant featured in "Time Out Muscat" and it's coincidentally located within walking distance of the RAMA-DAMA!  It's called LOVE AT FIRST BITE and the menu items are quite entertaining.  "One night stand-wiches" and "fries with benefits" are two examples of that!  The food was great and the decor was really cool.  There were different areas where you could sit to eat too, including a Sicily area, a Moroccan area, and the Barbados!!!!  We sat in Sicily for the main course and moved outside to Barbados for dessert!

 

A great start to our Eid holiday, agreed?! It is so CLEAN and GREEN and FRIENDLY here.  What's NOT to love about that?!

Just wait until you hear about Day Two with Haitham's family!  You will REALLY, TRULY be proud of me then!  

The Holiday Begins!

And we're getting picked up in 50 minutes by our new Omani friend, Haitham!  Yesterday afternoon he invited us to celebrate Eid with his family of five brothers and three sisters!  We are so honoured and EXCITED! 

Wishing all of our friends around the world a happy and safe Eid holiday!

XOXO

The "GETTING THERE".

Points of interest:

*  We got bumped to an earlier flight to Doha upon arrival at the airport.  The funny thing is, we were in a mad rush to get there in the first place because we weren't even sure we'd be early enough for our 5:45 p.m. departure!  Eid airport traffic is INTENSE and we hit some slow spots en route to the airport which made our hearts race a wee bit faster.  Nonetheless, we got there in good time and made the 4 p.m. flight!!!  YAHOO!

*  During our layover in Doha, there are two things worth noting.  Firstly, there is almost ZERO food available to purchase at the airport.  Secondly, Emily had a major breakdown because the people looking after her cat LOST LOOMI and they'd been looking for him for the past few hours.  The former information almost had me crying irrationally.  The latter information had Emily in MAD TEARS for legitimate reasons!  Thankfully, her cat was found - under the bed of all places - and we were able to continue our onward journey with a laugh.

*  The Muscat airport was CRAZY!  We waited in line for what seemed like hours to purchase a VISA.  Then, we waited in line for what seemed like DAYS to get through customs.  The saving grace was the kindness of every Omani we encountered - all of whom are so proud and happy to welcome you to their beautiful country!

We arrived at the Ramada hotel (or the RAMA-DAMA as I like to call it!) around midnight and after a quick order to room service, we were zzzzzz-ing away in a big, comfy BED!  The sleep was a short one, however, as Baby P wanted us to GET MOVIN' at 5 a.m.  Plus my stomach was growling.  Plus my sciatic nerve was reaping havoc.  Plus my internal clock is TOO AWESOME and LOVES ROUTINE! 

Breakfast was SUPER with a huge buffet of delicious assortment!  Then if was off to explore with the hotel's taxi driver - Haitham! 

More to come on today's adventures........but for now it's TEA TIME!!!!!!!