Salalah: Doing it again!!!

The events described in this post took place on or about Sept 10th, 2010 in Salalah, Oman.  For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'
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Well, as I don't really want to go into detail about how crappy my Summer was, I won't.  Let's just say that I was injured for my entire trip home, didn't get to take a better job at the premier University in Oman, and was thouroughly busy with family stuff the entire time.  Not only that, but I came back to Oman in the middle of Ramadan (see previous post, Ramadan: Thirty Days  of bad road...), and everyone I new was still back home on vacation.  It was pretty rough, but I managed to soldier through.  Everyone eventually came back, things started to look 'normal' again, and the semester was set to start.  The thing was, everyone came back pretty refreshed, and here I was completely blow-out and stressed.  I needed something.  I needed a vacation!

The one good thing about weathering through a Ramadan is the week-long work-holiday that comes at the end of it.  It was the perfect opportunity to get out of Dodge. The question was just where.  Here's when one of my favorite people come in to save the day!  Marie, a friend, confidant and co-conspirator, put forth the proposition that I come back and visit Salalah (see previous post Salalah: My meterosexual weekend).  It didn't take much convincing (or it might have been my idea and she might not have taken too much convincing), but I quickly decided to go out to Salalah for the Eid holiday.


I had planned to take an entire six-day vacation.  Though things being as they are, it quickly changed to a four-day whirlwind journey into the jewel of the Dofar region, during Khareef.

Khareef is the rainy season/monsoon season.  Everything is totally green and lush, and it rains almost every day. It is completely different from anywhere in the Gulf.  People come from all over the region to enjoy the balmy clime, while the rest of the Gulf enjoys brutal heat and scorching sun that is the norm for this time of year.  Herders come from all over to graise thier animals in lush green pastures.  It is definitely the time of year to go to Salalah.

We did a lot of the same stuff as last time.  Though there were some new experiences as well.  I'll let the photos speak for themselves. I've also included some videos below.  You'll notice that they are primarily about camels.  Camels were everywhere while I was in Salalah (as you will see in the video).  They were blocking the roads at certain points.  Even though it was a little inconvenient at the time, I still think that seeing the massive beasts up close was worth it.  Any way.... I hope you enjoy!

Camels

Fun Diving, Hurting Oneself, and Leaving Koh Tao

From Hurting oneslef, Ko Tao

The events described in this post took place on or about July 10th, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand.  For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'

So, as with the plans of mice and men, so do Henrick's plans often go awry. In my initial planning phase of my vacation, I charted out all the things I wanted to do and sketched the whole vacation out. I would dive the whole entire time. Right up until the day I was going to leave (doing the morning dive and leaving in the evening). Ok, no problem right.... wrong! I hadn't taken into consideration one big factor. I was flying from Ko Samui to Bangkok. Where's the problem you say> That is where you are wrong gentle reader! There's a big problem, it's called nitrogen! Now, if your unfamiliar with diving, and the rules thereof, here's the basic deal. Most of the safety and precautionary measures in diving (and that's most of them actually), focus on measuring, limiting and preventing the buildup of this noble gas. As a beginning diver you find all about the properties and behavior of the stuff. It can be very dangerous. Especially when combined with Boyle's law, and the rapid reduction of air pressure which comes with elevations associated with flying. So, in a nutshell, I had to not dive on my final day. Now, therein lies the rub. What was I to do with the last morning of my vacation? I got to thinking... that's usually where all my troubles begin.

After a bit of wracking my brains, I came up with the solution. I would rent a scooter like a had a few days prior and drive around Ko Tao Island and take pictures. I would do this as the excess nitrogen drained slowly out of my blood and tissue, and I returned to normal levels of the gas in my body. Seems like a good way to avoid the rapid release of soluble Nitrogen in the airplane that would probably result in something catastrophic.

I rented the bike the night before and had it all ready for the morning. I drove out towards the pier and took a bunch of photos. I was just driving to check out this look-out point that seemed really interesting from the map, when just as I rounded the corner I took a spill! Not a half an hour into my photo-sojourn! Long story someone took me to one of the local clinics (which specialize in motorbike accidents). Got treated by a female, Thai, Dr. Mengele (it was terrible), who was nasty to me even though I was obviously in shock, then sent on my merry way back to Big Blue to pack and get ready to leave... all with a pretty huge, freshly stitched and traumatized foot. AWESOME!!!!

Long story short, I got off the island with some help and a lot of patience from those on the ferry, at the airport, as well as those on the plane. I checked into a hotel near the airport, and managed to get out on my 6:3o flight.

THe plane ride back was made most uncomfortable due to my foot injury. It was a difficult six hours, but the staff at Qatar air was totally cool and accommodated me. In Qatar, I had an eight-hour layover. I immediately checked into the VIP lounge to relax, forking over the 50$ it cost for comfortable couches, a little cold buffet, wifi, and a place to charge my computer and Iphone. This is my advice to everyone... do the VIP lounges if you can! Sure, it costs a little bit of money, but being comfortable in transit defrays the stress of air-travel. Do it, because I said so, and I know!

With a little bit of hobbling, I managed to drive back to Nizwa later that night (round midnight). Instead of going directly home and relaxing my wounded, fatigued self, i went to my friend Jared's house, where I knew my Nizwa buddies would be congregating. I arrived at 1, and got to participate in the tail-end of the three day joint-birthday bash for Jared and another one our friends Emily. It was a great time and I ended up getting to bed sometime in the next morning, after we watched the sunrise and had omlettes. A pretty good day, given the circumstances around it all.

Arriving on Koh Tao: Advanced Open Water and Tech Diving

The events described in this post took place on or about July 3rd to the 9th on the Island of Ko Tao, Thailand.  For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'



I took the eight o'clock bus out of Kosan road and headed toward the islands. It was a double-decker that was packed with what mostly seemed like backpackers and misfits. It wasn't that comfortable, but I was really excited for diving in the Gulf of Thailand. The nervous anticipation overcame the second rate conditions for me. Overall, the only thing that bothered me was the overwhelming compulsion to know where my wallet was at all times (including napping with it as my pillow). It was about a 10 hour bus ride. We reached the dock, and switched the bus for a hi-powered ferry right about as the sky was starting to lighten up for dawn. From there it was the Lumpraya ferry, and in an hour or two we arrived early morning in Ko Tao.

I checked into Big Blue (the resort I had booked for this part of the vacation, and met my instructor Deano. A really cool Irish guy. He would be responsible for conducting my advanced diving certification. He was accompanied by his dive-master-in-training Matt, who was a London Brit. Here was the really cool part. Apparently there wasn't anyone else starting there advanced open water certification that day only me. So, I ended up with a 3-day private course, with two experienced divers as my companions. This made it AWESOME. It was all about me the whole time. Totally GREAT!

As per the requirements of the certification, There were a few required 'components' of the certification. I had to do a deep dive, an underwater navigation dive, and the rest I could tailor to my own liking from a extensive menu of options. I ended up choosing a few others, and managed to 'cross-train' a Nitrox dive with my deep dive (which is why, I believe, I didn't get narced).

Ko Tao was beautiful, and I had a great time living in my little bungalow at the end of Sairee beach. I had also taken a scooter up the mountain to a really nice vantage point and taken some pictures. It was actually pretty treacherous.

After I had done my certification, I still had a few days left, where I had planned on doing osme recreation diving. Then, as fate would have it, my instructor Deano told me about this try-a-dive thing at the Tech-Shack. I really had no idea what i was in store for, but agreed anyway. The next morning we met in front of the Big-Blue-Tech office and began our 2-dive technical course.

Tech diving is really fun, although by its very nature it's not meant to be a recreational activity. It is the skills and proficiencies you need to work in the professional diving field. This includes knowing how to use a bunch of new gear (and re-learn all the old gear, now with a technical diving spin on it), having to incorporate a bunch of new techniques into your repertoire, and having to face a brand new scenarios underwater.

The gear is a lot cooler in tech-diving. First of all you carry two of everything because tech-divers dive alone. This also includes two0tanks instead of one. You feel like a navy seal with all that jazz on. You also have to learn how to fin backwards. Do in-place rotations (helicopter spins), and fend off assailents meant to represent other tech divers who have run out of air, and are accosting you for yours. All in all very cool and the guys at the Tech-shack were really cool, caring, and extremely into what the were doing. Click the link below to view a gallery of tech-diving pics, they're pretty cool!

Tech Diving

I finished up the week with two recreational dives at Pottery and Japanese (two of the local Sairee beach dive sites. They were pretty cool. We did some pretty cool swim-throughs and played around groupings of rocks. There was a turtle and some other really interesting things. All-in-all, some really nice dives.

I just have to mention here, that Big-Blue diving resort was great and I am really glad that I went there. The diving experience was immense and I really enjoyed myself almost beyond words. The people there were also great, and the staff was freindly and generally amazing. If you dive and are planning a trip out that way, I highly recommend Big-Blue!

Then there was my injury on the last day.... to be continued....

Bangkok , Day Two: Ayutthaya and Lumpini park

The events described in this post took place on or about July 2nd, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand.  For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'



As I already related to you, I retired early after a long day of sight-seeing and temple-gawking. But fear not gentle reader.... It's not that I am succumbing to old age just yet. It was not out of weariness that I hit the hay early, but out of a knowledge of what the next day had in store that I crawled into my bed at nary a ten o'clock. I did this because I knew that I would have to be up early in the morn. A bus would be waiting for me early to take me to the old capital of the Thai empire... Ayutthaya!!!

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The tour I had already booked went up to Ayutthaya. It's a magnificent sight. The ruins themselves are broken into about 11 different sites (maybe more) We hit 4-5. There were so many cool sites in the ruins that I really can't go into it here. Nonetheless, it was an absolutely fantastic experience. I hope that the pictures above can paint the faintest portrait of how awesome it was. There were so many really great places in the tour, but I must say the reclining Buddha was one of my favorites, it was immense!!! On the way back, we got to get in a ferry boat and cruise down the river, That was awesome and relaxing, as well as a great way to end a day full of visual stimulation.

After the tour I took a few hours in downtown Bangkok (Silom, where my hotel was). One of the cool things about where I was (beside the close proximity to 2 Starbucks in walking distance) was Lumpini park. It's kind of Thailand's answer to Central Park or the Boston Commons. As you can see from the pictures, it's quite beautiful. The landscaping was quite pretty, and the atmosphere was generally chilled and quite convivial. The kicker for me was (and this is not a unique thing for Bangkok), is the amount of dogs that were just hanging out everywhere. It's such a departure from the Middle East, where dogs are considered dirty animals, and generally cast out of society. In Thailand, dogs are considered auspicious, and one can generally find them everywhere. If you know my general attitude toward dogs, you know that it earned Thailand a lot of points by having them around. As you will see in the photos, there was a lot of climate change during the tour. One minute it was overcast and drizzling, the next it was sunny. Mother Nature's 'mood' vacillated between these two poles all day. It made for some dim photos. So please excuse the lighting in some of them.

After I had my fill of that natural gem encapsulated inside the urban sprawl of Bangkok, I went back to the hotel. This time to check-out. I grabbed myself and jumped in a taxi to Kosan road. That famous street where every East-Asian backpacker and traveler eventually walks down. I grabbed some street pad thai, waited foo my departure, and was off on the overnight Bus/Ferry combo trip to the islands. Tomorrow, Ko Tao!!!

Bangkok: Temple crawl and Spa tourism

The events described in this post took place on or about July 1st, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand.  For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'
I must say, after enduring a long, hot, and mind-numbingly boring early Summer in Oman, I was completely ready for a Tapeten-wechsel (German for a change of scenery). After arriving in Bangkok, I quickly found my hotel room, put my things away, and made it out in the streets for a preview of what this strange city was like. I made no delay in finding what was to be my 'guide' for the next two and a half days in Bangkok. His name was Thomp (I don't know why it has a 'P' in it either), and he was a Thai in his early twenties who drove a Tuk-Tuk. If you've never been on one of those, it's kind of like a scooter-powered rickshaw. They weave in-and-out of traffic (due to there fast 'pick-up' and sub-automobile size), and one has the feeling of being one step away from the emergency room at all times. Though the ability to see your sorroundings as well as taking in the scenery while motoring around a new city is well worth the risk.

I spent the first evening letting Thomp guide me around some of the local 'sites'. Much of these consisted of 'girlie bars'. For the uninitiated, these are places where forieners go, buy over-priced drinks, and then you pick a beautiful Thai from a line-up that appears in front of you. After you make your selection (and you have to choose one, you can't get away from that), you are forced to engage in banal conversation with this girl. I was very nonplussed by these of these types of places. Thomp couldn't understand that though, most probably because the majority of male visitors (esp. those traveling alone), have some kind of a 'sexual-tourism' itinerary. After I made us leave the first three places he brought me to, I think he got the idea... I wasn't there for that. I retired early, and had a nice long shower in my hotel room. The room I was in was quite lovely, with an excellent view... I spent a while just looking out the lights of Bangkok before drifting away into a pleasant slumber.

The next day I was up early, and out of the 'house'. I only had two days in Bangkok, and there was a lot to see. I had some breakfast and headed out(Here's a tip for travelers: don't take Hotel taxis!!! Walk a few blocks and get a lift on the main drag). This first day the 'to-do' list was immense. I had already scheduled something for the next day (a tour), so today was all me, so-to-speak. I won't go on with the details of my tourism regime, but I will say that I visited many of the 'must-see' sites of Bangkok including, Wat Pho, Wat Mahathat, and a few other temples whose names escape me at the moment. For those of you who have done the 'temple crawl', you know what I mean.  You just wander around in and out of these things while you are in the 'Temple District'  The photos are in the web-album linked above. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

At the end of the day, I retired to my hotel for some dinner and a brief nap.  Upon awakening refreshed, I set out once again.  This time to enjoy one of the real attractions of Thailand... the Thai Massage.  Thai Massages are excellent, and for those of you who have not yet had the pleasure, I sincerely recommend treating yourself to this type of pampering.  It's not like any massage I've had so far.  Basically, it's like someone doing Yoga to you,  stretching you this-way-and-that.  It's a real treat, and the way you feel afterward... :).  Following the spa, I boogied back to my room and got some shut-eye.  I had a very early morning... tomorrow, Ayutthaya!!!

Flying out (Muscat to Bangkok via Doha)

 The events described in this post took place on or about June 30th, 2010 in Muscat (Oman), Doha (Qatar) and Bangkok (Thailand).  For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'

 Any journey starts with a single step.  One, which usually,starts over a threshold.  An act of leaving, an act of escape.  This one was no different.  It started in Muscat, in what some call an airport.  Others see it as a portal of sorts.  Whatever you would like to see it as, this is where this trip started. 

I write this post only for the sake of continuity and narrative.  Not because it is exceptionally important.  We know that all things start somewhere. If I didn't mention it, you would have probably guessed (correctly of course) that it began in exactly such a place.  I am mentioning it though.  As previously stated, not because it is exceptionally important, but because it does need to be documented. 

The trip starts as most do.  I showed up to the airport, waited longer than I had wanted to.  I wandered through the duty-free at Muscat.  As usual, I didnt  find anything that I wanted, and was amazed that things aren\t cheaper than what I could get elsewhere.  Finally I got into a plane.  We took a short flight to Doha (Qatar).  We disembarked, I wandered around another airport.  This one however, had an even larger duty-free (the Doha Duty-free takes up most of the airport).  Again, I have the same two realizations that I mention earlier.  This time, a bit more pronounced and prominent, relative to its size.

When the time came for me to get in the final plane that would take me to Bangkok, I could not wait.  We boarded the aircraft and were promptly on our way.  After another five hours on the plane, we touched down safely onto the tarmac.  With Iphone firmly in hand, I cued up Rush's 'A Passage to Bangkok'.  This was the my first installment of theme-music of my Asian sojurn. 

This is how it all started.  This is how this story begins.  Not uniquely, not in a new, bold and exciting way, but begin it did nontheless.  Now that this seemingly uneventful genesis has been told.... we can get on with business of the telling.

Diving Weekend: Diving the Dymanyats

Image at:   http://www.bishopmuseum.org/research/pbs/Oman-coral-book/Chap2/CorBkCh24.jpg

This post recollects events that occurred on June 25th, 2010 in Barka, Oman.  The original post can be found at: http://www.henrickatlarge.bloagspot.com. For those of you viewing this post through 'Facebook Notes', it  is highly advisable to click on the link to the original post.  This post contains embedded pictures, video and other media that do not transfer into 'Notes'.

As anyone following this blog knows, I have posted a few times on my new obsession, diving.  I haven't done much in the way of diving since my initial open-water diving certification in April. This is due to the general craziness of May vis-a-vis end-of-the-semester chaos, finals, and grades.  Though as previously mentioned, June is quite the opposite.  With very few work responsibilities, opportunities to explore neglected hobbies and interests abound. So, that's exactly what I've been doing.  This weekend is an excellent example of this.  As Friday rolled around, myself and my friend Jared jumped in the car and took a trip to Al Sawadi beach resort to take a diving trip to the Dymanyat islands.



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It was a great trip.  As I said above, I haven't gone diving since my certification.  That is important because (as you know) I am leaving for Ko Tao Thailand on Wens, where I will be on a 6 day diving excursion.  That being said, I only had 4 dives under my belt, and wanted some more practice before I went 'hardcore' next week.


Location:
As in normal, we went for two 45-60 min dives.  One in 'Little Junn Island' (Doc's Wall), and the other on the backside of  'Junn Island' (Junn wall and around the lip toward the Aztec Reef).

Creatures of note:
Seaturtles (Two of them)
 Lionfish (Three of these. One solo and a pair)
Honeycomb Moray (This one was tremendous, and it was in a rock that had an open back so you could see the rest of his gargantuan body)
Angel Fish
Lizard Fish
Picaso Trigger-fish

I'm sure there were a lot more species there, though my head was in another place.  I was much more concerned with working on the technical aspects of diving.  On that note, my bouyancy was much easier to maintain, and I was much better at controlling myself with my lungs rather than focusing too much on the air in my BCD. So, there was progress made.  Well... I have to go and make sure all the details are ironed out for Wens.

H

Murder Mystery Birthday (or 'Guess who Died at Dinner')

This post recollects events that occurred on June 21st, 2010 in Nizwa, Oman.  The original post can be found at: http://www.henrickatlarge.bloagspot.com. For those of you viewing this post through Facebook Notes, it  is highly advisable to click on the link to the original post.  This post contains embedded pictures, video and other media that do not transfer into 'Notes'.




As a general rule I'm not big on birthdays. I often view the celebrations of these 'occasions' as some sort of an obligatory social responsibility. Though once in a while I am reminded how cool such a celebration can be.  Especially when the itinerary deviates from the time-honored tradition of cake-and-singing.  This past Monday was just such a case.

We were gathered to celebrate the lapping of our star by three of our fellow Niz-wa-ra-tee.  My friends Jared, Emily, and Rachel (the last of whom we were all unaware of. as far as we were concerned, we were only celebrating the birthdays of the first two).  At the onset of the planning stage, someone put forth the proposition that we do something different.  That was OK by me.  By something different, I had assumed they meant a different type of liquor should be served, or a theme party where everyone dresses up like someone from the Matrix or something.  But when it was announced that we would all be participating in a murder-mystery, I was truly intrigued.

In a few days, we had all received scripts and characters.  The gist was this: It's the 1920's, and a Mob family is having a dinner to honor the ascension of a new Don.  The result: murder, madness, and mayhem ensues.  I was cast in the roll of 'Crusher Joe' a underground muscle type (talk about type-casting).  It was quite fun. I won't give away too much of the plot, but there was intrigue, roughed-up snitches and rats, and fake blood everywhere at certain points of the evening.  This all coupled with a lot of wine and a great pasta dinner.  I really did have a great time.  Kudos to Rachel for organizing everything and cooking an amazing dinner...
FORGETABOUTIT!

My 'Metrosexual' Weekend in Salalah

The events described in this post took place on or about June 16-18, 2010 in Salalah, Oman. For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'

As I have mentioned previously, June in Oman can be a month of impotence and boredom. I was suffering from acute ennui as a result of having no teaching hours, and being forced to amuse myself (which, as you know, always ends up in the most dreadful of affairs). So, I took the opportunity of scheduling a mini-vacation in a part of Oman called Salalah. I have a very dear friend there, and used this 'picture-perfect' opportunity to go visit her.

A little background:
Salalah is  located at the very southernmost of Oman.  It lies near the Yemani border in a region called Dofar.  The region is very old, and has a rich history as a port.  It was in ancient times, one of chief centers for the Frankincense trade.  It has a climate that is unlike the rest of the Gulf.  It is actually quite tropical and is known for its mild and pleasing clime.


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I took a flight out with Oman air. Spent a total flight time of one-and-a-half hours and arrived in Salalah.  There was a temprature difference of 15 celcius between my two points of travel. The truly odd thing is that I was actually a lot closer to the equator when I landed than when I started.  I was completely blown away by how beautiful Salalah is.  Coconut trees abound, and one can seldom tell you are still in the Gulf. This might be the closest I have been to being inside the 'tropics'. 


We spent most of the time at the beach.  Salalah has georgeous beaches of a caliber that I have not seen anywhere else in the Gulf.  Salalah is going into their rainy season (called Kareef). This is due to the monsoons in the Indian ocean and Asia.  As a result, the sea there becomes a more turbulent. This is not so great for swimming but it makes for a visual and auditory aestetic that reminded me of my Atlantic Ocean at home.  


We took a trip up the coast to a place called Mirbat.  Had lunch at the Marriot (which was the most pleasant hotel I  have ever been to in the Gulf so far).  The Marriot's staff was delightful.  The grounds were vibrant and the architecture was far more beautiful than the standard 'vacant' , 'dead', and 'generic'  type of structures you find in the 5-star chain hotels in this part of the world.  We also went to the Frankincense Spa at the Marriot, and got Balinese massages.  It was quite the 'metrosexual experience'. I am not accustomed to being rubbed down with fragrant oils, and breathing deep the aroma-therapy laden air of a spa.  I must admit, I quite liked it. I understand now why people undergo these types of procedures.  You might smell like a honeysuckle for the rest of the day, but boy do you feel amazing! 


During the ride out to and away form Mirbat, we got a chance to stop the car and check out some of the local sites.  The coast here is breathtaking in spots.  There are also many camels grazing along the side of the road.  I took some videos of these magnificent beasts (who were generally nonplussed by me I might add).


Here is a great video of me disturbing Camels near the beach as they try and eat.


After the Mirbat excursion, we took part in a yoga class that was held on the lawn of the Crown Plaza in Salalah.  This was great! It was like being in one of those Yoga videos.  Right behind the instructor was the crashing ocean. The smell of sea-brine and the roar of the waves made this a yoga experience like none other I have ever had.


The next day featured my first Thai massage.  This was great!!! I was kneaded and twisted in a variety of different ways for an entire 90 minutes.  This was a truly amazing kind of 'therapy'.  I can't wait to have it done again in two weeks (when I go to Thailand). 


The rest of the weekend was mostly coffee on the beach, authentic Indian cuisine, and enjoying fresh tropical fruit from stands that sell what they grow.  <sarcasm>You know... Blase</sarcasm>


All in all, I had a truly amazing weekend.  I got to hang out with one of my favorite people in the world, do really amazing things, as well as go to a truly spectacular place.  I highly recommend checking out Salalah if you are in the area for business/pleasure.  You will not regret it! It is a place like no-other in the Middle East!!!

Oman in June... 30 day nothing OR Navel Gazing for Dummies

So it's been almost a month since my last post.  But that's reasonable given the circumstances.  Almost everyone reading this has either been a member of the faculty and/or student body at some sort of tertiary institution of learning.  That being the case, you realize what the latter-half of May and early June consist of - EXAMS,CHAOS, and UTTER MAYHEM!!! The up-swing to this is like most tempests, what they leave in their wake can best be described as pacific.  So is the case here. In the aftermath of Exams exists a masoleum-like stillness.  It is actually driving me crazy!!! But, those of you who know me, can easily picture a frenetic-type of person like me having a real problem with unstructured down-time of this magnitude!

One of the ways I have come up with to deal with the amount of time at my disposal has been planning my vacation.  As you probably know, I have recently become an Open Water Diver.  I think of no better way to cut my teeth as a novice diver than to take advantage of my nearness in vicinity to some of the best diving in the world.  Yes, you guessed it.... Thailand.  As of the 30th of this month, I will be in 'The land of smiles'.   After a briefing 'whirlwind-tour' of visiting Temples and palaces (about a day-and-a-half), I will be off to Ko Tao  to stay at one of the many dive-resorts there. 

(for those of you who are looking, Ko Tao is the 'speck' to the upper-right of where it says Brandon Bay)
For those of you who have Google Earth on your machine, here's a better view

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Links to Big Blue Resort (where I'm staying)

Wiki Media links to pictures of Ko Tao
 Wikitravel page for Ko Tao

Here's a video shot at Ko Tao.  It's a group of diver's 'hanging out' with a whale shark (which are pretty common in the area). 

I am sure I will have many pictures, stories and tales of 'misadventure' to report on my return to Oman in early-mid July.  Until then, I guess  I will just have to find new-and creative ways of amusing myself.

Till then....

Jebel Shams: Hiking the Mountain of the Sun

The events described in this post took place on or about April 29, 2010 in Jebel AL Akhdar, Oman. For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'

In my last post, I talked about the hike I did in one of the most picturesque spots in the entire middle east, Al Jebel Al Akhdar.  Two weeks ago, I thought that would be hard to top.  That is, until I got a phone call from one of my colleagues (the same guy who organized the Akhdar hike), he was planning another hike.  This time it would be to Jebel Shams.  Jebel Shams is slightly further away from Nizwa (where I am) than Jebel Akhdar.  They are however in the same mountain chain (the Hajar mountains).  Shams is actually the highest point in all the Arabian peninsula.  Therefore it has long been on my list of places I must visit.  Coupled with the fact that it is only and hour-and-a-half away, well... I just had to.  Moreover, it is not only the highest point in Arabia, but it is also the second-largest canyon in the world (the first being the Grand Canyon in Arizona).  So I was totally psyched when I found out there was a hike planned for Jebel Shams this weekend.




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The view was fantastic!!!  It was just as amazing as the Grand Canyon!  We took a terrace walk.  That is to say that we hiked down a trail that runs on the side of canyon, leaving the entire gorgeous landscape below us to be viewed.  To give you an idea just how massive this place is, I've embedded two video clips I took during the walk (please excuse the shakiness).


Beginning of the Hike




End of the Hike


In contrast to Jebel Akhdar, this was no pleasure-walk.  There were no roads, no pavement, and no amenities.  The trail was rough and rugged, and at some points it was only fit for a mountain goat (which there were plenty of up there)!  The path was just rock, and covered with scree.  At the mid point (which was only a place to turn back and do it again, this time in reverse), we ended up at a small pond partially under a over-cropping of rock. This was a beautiful place indeed, and provided a some much needed shade, under which to rest.  Along the way, we came across some ancient abandoned villages.  These were really cool! The were practically built in 'grooves' in the cliff face.  How people could live up there I have no idea.  On the way back we also got to stop by a beautiful wadi called wadi Al Goul.  I took a few pictures of that place as well. 

Well all in all, this was a fantastic hike.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy. Though, it was certainly worth it.  So I hope you enjoy the pictures...

-H

Jebel Al Akhdar: Hiking the Green Mountain

The events described in this post took place on or about April 29, 2010 in Jebel AL Akhdar, Oman. For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'

This weekend I did something truly special! I had an opportunity to go hiking in one of the most spectacularly scenic spots in all the Gulf. It's call Al Jebel Al Akhdar, which literaly means 'the green mountain'. Coincidentally, it lies about 30 minutes away from where I live in Nizwa. It was one of the things that I was upset that I didn't do while I was here last year! One of my fellow teachers is an avid hiker, and goes on regular walks through the various trails all over this country. Sometimes, he organizes group 'walks' and invites others along. This was such a weekend.

Map of Jebel Akhdar ('A' shows the location of Jebel Akhdar)

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Well, we had a wonderful hike through Jebel Akdhar, and to describe it in words would just take away from the actual experience.  So I humbly offer these pictures and videos and hope you enjoy the view as much as I did!

-H

Jebel Akhdar Mid-way point in the hike


End of the Hike:

Going Under and Staying Under: Part Two

The events described in this post took place on or about April 21-23, 2010 in Muscat, Oman. For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'






As I have posted before, I had enrolled in a 'Open Water Diving' course at the Oman Dive Center in Muscat.  Also, I had already completed half of the course two weeks ago.  I was originally supposed to complete the other half of the course last week, but could not do so due to severe dehydration (I was hung over as hell from the Tom Jones concert!).  So this past weekend I decided to 'get 'er done' and finish it off.

I was in Muscat visiting one of my favorite people in the world (who was in town or the SQU ESL conference), so that made the whole ordeal a lot easier.  I stayed at this really funky hotel by the beach (The Qurum Beach Hotel).  It was totally something right out of an Arabian 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas).  From the font on the sign to the furnishings and decor, everything screamed 'Disco at the Casbah'.  It was actually pretty trippy. The lobby itself smelled like it was left over from the Seventies too (like someone's grandmother's house!  I spent most of Wens. and Thurs. hanging out and 'plotting' (something that I miss dearly).  We also had some great food in Muscat.  Being that I often go into to Muscat by myself, I don't really have the chance to 'dine' out (beside the occasional fast-food romp in one of the mall's).  We had a truly awesome dinner at Khargeen's (an Arabic fusion restaurant that gives you the option of sitting outside on a large carpet with pillows).  We even smoke a sheesha (Arabic style tobacco pipe) after dinner.  We also visited an amazing Thai restaurant as well.  We had been there last year, and I was very hapy to return.  If you like Thai and are in the Muscat area, I highly recommend 'Narjeel'.  They are the real deal.  I mean, they have five different types of Tum-Yam soup (not to mention a truly fantastic papaya sald).  The anachronistic accommodations notwithstanding, it was a great weekend!

On Friday, I did the last two  dives and finished my 'practical' part of the course.  Now I am officially an SSI open-water diver.  I can't wait to set up some really cool dives in the area.  It may even be the 'theme' of the Summer.  But anyway, after we came back to shore, I sat for a fifty-question test, got my 'ID' cards, and hurried on back to Nizwa.

Well, that was my weekend...

-H

Sir Tom Jones: Live in Concert

Sometimes life throws you a curveball!  You wake up and start your day just like you would any other.  You are sure and confident in what lies ahead of you.  You go through your normal tedium, blissfully unaware of what the universe has in store for you.  Then without warning, or even a memo in your inbox, life hits you with its little surprise.  Yesterday was that kind of day.

I started it off as a normal workday. Everything in front of me was transparent, or so I thought.  I would go to work, finish early and return home.  The weekend was layed out for me.  It was actually kind of jam-packed. Almost every moment accounted for.  On Thurs. and Fri., I would finish my diving certification and put in another two dives.  I would stay at a rest house that was very affordable, convenient and came highly recommended.  As an after thought, I had agree to accompany some friends of mine on Wednesday to go see the old crooner Tom Jones at the Intercontinental Hotel in Muscat.

This last item was really not particularly looked forward to.  I mean, hey it was something to do.  It would probably be lame right? I had imagined Tom (who is like 70) to come on stage with a nurse and a respirator.  I saw myself leaving early, and getting a good night's rest for an early start the next morn.  I had also rehearsed what I would say to mt friends as I excused myself from the venue.  That was the weekend I saw for myself.  I saw it as clearly as I could see my next meal.

Like I said, sometimes life throws you a curve-ball, and 'beans' you with it.

Tom Jones and his band took the stage with the vim and vigor of a young rock ensemble.  They were tight, energetic, and convincing.  He played most of the old stuff that everyone comes to expect from him.  He played 'It's not unusual', 'Sex-Bomb', 'What's new Pussycat' and many other of his time-honored classics.  He also played a few other songs, covers actually that I did not expect.  He did an awesome version of 'Momma told me not come' that found me 'boogieing' like a mad man, dancing with my bottle of wine (which was my drink that evening).  It was a great show!!! I was totally unprepared for what was in store for me last night! Usually you get totally let-down when a rock-show isn't what you expected.  It's always that the band wasn't as good as you were told they were.  It is a rare surprise indeed when this happens in the opposite direction!!!  Now I fully understand why he was knighted, and why he is touring at age 70.  He is still going strong while other rockers 20 years his junior have already been put out to pasture.  The show stopper for me was when he and his band launched into Prince's 'SMF' (sexy mother fucker) and proceeded to tear it apart, that I realized this was probably one of the best shows I had seen in quite some time!!

Way to go Sir Jones!!!

Going Under and Staying Under: Part One

As I mentioned in last week's post, I have signed up for my open-water diving certification class. So, today was day one of the four-day certification.  It was pretty cool.  I had a really chill instructor named Yaqoob (the Arabic version of Jacob).  It was myself and another guy (British).  We started out with a swimming test, followed by a water-treading test, followed by 2 1/2 hours in the classroom watching videos (did you know that Jacques Cousteau invented SCUBA gear?).  After that was all done, we got the SCUBA gear and headed into the pool.  It was a big leap into the water. I must say that it took some getting used to.  We did all the exercises (mask clearing, sharing air with a buddy, finding your respirator etc,)  The big challenge was finding what is called 'neutral buoyancy',  This is when you don't sink or float up, you just kind of 'hover' in the water.  I don't feel bad about it though, from what I understand it;s a hard time for everyone.  Well after the initial ordeal at the bottom of the 'end', and swimming around in circles like a goldfish, we got out and ended the day.

After the initial introduction to being completely submersed, I retreated to the outside restaurant.  Just being in the water for about an hour, worked up a very intense hunger.  Maybe it has something to do with effect of the air-mix in the tank... or maybe I was just hungry.  Well, whatever the reason, I poroused the menu for something to devour. The selection was everything you'd expect from a resort on the sea... and some things you wouldn't.  Camel meat for one!  Well, I was intrigued.  I had never had camel before, what on Earth would that taste like?  After pondering the idea for a while, I decided to jump in with both feet!  I ordered the camel burger!  With some trepidation I tried it when it arrived.  It was not at all what I expected. It was actually much like very lean beef, but with a 'after-taste' of 'game' that was ever-so-slight  It was actually quite tasty!  So after my burger, I gathered my things and ventured forth back into Muscat proper.  I quickly found a spot at one of my favorite coffee shops and enjoyed a nice proper Americano and unwound!

The next day started quite early.  WIth all of our 'classroom' and 'pool-time' already out of the way, it was now time to get on the boat for some actual ocean 'practical application' of the skills we worked on in the pool.  Directly under the boat was a large sea turtle, within a few minutes we had seen a few honeycomb moray eels, some huge cuttle fish (actually saw one change color, that was cool and  kinda weird), and the entire cast of Finding Nemo. Later on on that dive I was able to see a lionfish, one of the varieties of fish, which I never saw last year snorkeling (beautiful and very poisonous).  I am still quite stoked about that.  I also had the opportunity to sea a stonefish. Stonefish are very good at camouflage and also extremely venomous.  Luckily for me they are not aggressive!  When you dive you see so much more.  Being that much closer allows you to really get a good look at your environment.  I was amazed by how much more life you see when you can get closer than just floating at the surface.  So, all-in-all I did my first two dives, and I am half-way to my open-water diving certification.  Next weekend I complete it!  I am sooooo looking forward to that! I m absolutely stoked. My advice to anyone who had ever thought that learning to dive might be a good idea, DO IT!  It is an experience like no-other! It comes highly recommended!  Well, until next time!

Back In The Water

Well, it's been quite a long time since my last post. I know, I know, I keep on lapsing. But, contrary to popular belief, there is more to life than blogging about. At first you have to go out and do stuff. So do stuff I did. I must admit the last 6-7 weeks have mainly been dedicated to getting used to jumping through the hoops of this job. It's not that this one is very different from the other post I've had here, it's just that every 'place of work' is different, and has different expectations. So, I've been trying to get this particular 'dog and pony' show down pat.

Things of note:

Delivered a 'Professional Development' session to my colleauges in my dept. and others as well. I had been there for basically a month. People were like 'What's THAT guy doing up there'? Then I started talking... and they figured it out. So, that was fun.

I've been developing a very unhealthy relationship with Facebook (as most of us right?) In particular with one of those FB games. You know the one you keep seeing on your 'feeds'. I know it's embarrassing but hey, you gotta do something at work.

Lastly, and most recently, I have gotten 'back in the water'. Although I am now very far from the place where I usually went snorkeling (Al Sawadi Beach Resort), I am rather close to another 'Diving Resort'. Two weeks ago I went out and re-bought some snorkel gear. This week I took the drive down to Muscat (about an hour and a half). I went to a place I had only heard of, the Oman Dive Center (ODC). I had originally gone to sign up for a diving course (which I did). While I was getting the details, the man helping me answered a phone call. During this call, he booked two people for the 'afternoon boat' to go out snorkeling. As soon as he got off the phone, I pestered him to 'sign me up for that as well. It was a great time. The sea wasn't awesome, and visibility was a bit limited but I got a chance to try out my new gear. I also saw three sea turtles, a honey-comb moray eel, and the 'mother of all cuttlefish' ( I swear it was at least 18' in diameter). It was completely still a few inches from the floor, just hovering there like some sort of weird cephlepod space-ship. It definitely was cool.

Sorry I don't have any cool pictures... I have definitely been a slacker in that department. But, hopefully soon I will post some new pics. I am sure I'll be writing again shortly, especially after my 'diving instruction'. I'm pretty psyched... well until then...

A Wadi ran through it...

The events described in this post took place on or about Febuary 7th, 2010 in Nizwa, Oman. For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'

Sunday was one of those rare occasions in the Gulf when it rains. And like the old adage, when it rains... it pours. It was a well known fact for a day or so before the downpour that there were storm clouds over the region. But with mountains dividing much of Oman into ragged quadrants whose idiosyncrasy rivals the effect of British colonial cartography, its almost impossible to now where the rain will fall.

The clouds loomed dark and ominous overhead for most of the day on Sunday. My self and other teachers were all clearly pondering the question in our heads. 'Will it rain'? The look of curious uncertainty was etched on all of our face.

Later that afternoon, after being blanketed for several hours by clouds (which were flying so low they obscured the tops of the local mountains), the first drops began to fall. The day dripped by literally. With volleys of liquid dropping intermittently from the sky for several hours. But what one must remember is that people here (like in most other places), live in the valleys. In the surounding mountains it was pouring as clouds were forced to drop their payloads to rise above and beypnd the rising mountainous topography.

By about three or so in the afternoon (with the rain still periodically coming down in varying degrees of intensity), the call went out. "Everyone must leave, the Wadis have begun to flood'! I wrote about wadis sometime last year, and I won't repeat myself again here. So, I will just redirect you to that post.

The Wadis turned from dry river beds to raging forces of primal hydrodynamic fury in what seemed the blink of an eye. By the time I was on my 5 minute drive home, the roads had already been flooded in some spots, and traffic had been reduced to a crawl (or 'wade', as vehicles were forced to creep through the flooded parts at barely the pace of a crawl).

What made traffic matters worse is that there were pedestrians attempting to cross the streets at every conceivable point in the road. Everyone was trying to get to the wadi to see. Omanis were out in force. Gathering on what had now become the 'riverbank', watching the tumultuous brown river roar by.

I have included some photos at the top of this post. It is important to note that these pictures are of the same place (right behind my apartment, which at this point had become waterfront property). The first few are of the flooded wadi. The second group of photos are two days later, after the Wadi had delivered all of its water about 136 Km due east into the Gulf of Oman. I have never seen a Wadi like this before. There were wadis in Rustaq, but not of this size. So, for me this was a rare treat. I hope you enjoy them as well.

H

Nizwa: Things of note

The events described in this post took place on or about Febuary 4th, 2010 in Nizwa, Oman. For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which don't transfer into 'Notes'

One of the things you simply can't get around living in a new place is the obligatory exploratory phase. This usually occurs during the initial period directly after arrival. I, am no exception to this rule. After a settling in period, the mind begins to wander. You start getting the 'itch'. You become very curious as to what exactly lies outside the boundaries of your flat. Well, this weekend I gave in to that urge. I stepped outside the safe confines of my domicile, and took a 'walk' around. This post is more of a 'photograph journal' than an actual blogpost. Most of the relevant things that I found are illustrated best in the web-album above this post. That is not to say, that there are a few things of special note that deserve some textual elucidation.

The most hysterical thing that I've seen so far, is 'The Hungry Bunny'. It's a fast-food chain of Saudi origin, and it lies about 200 meters from my flat. I've actually been in there a few times so far (haven't really done that much shopping, and sometimes it's far easier to eat-out than prepare something at this stage). THe food is... well ehhhh. But the food isn't why I'm including it as a 'thing of note'. You need to just look at it. It's absolutely hilarious! Check out the 'cross-eyed bunny' that is its mascot. After your done laughing yourself sick, take a closer look at the font of the sign. Look familiar? It's the exact same font as Burger King. Also, the colors and design are quite similar. Way to take advantage of the corporate branding dollars spent by Burger King to imprint the global market. Anyway, every time I pass it, it brings a smile to my face.

On the tourism note, I spent most of the early afternoon at the 'Nizwa Fort'. Most Omani cities have one of these. It dates back to the tribal/feudal era, I think. I also believe that at one time most of the city proper fell within the walls of the fort. A massive round citadel stands at the fort's center. I went inside, and got to the top of it. The view was fantastic!. It has thick walls, ramparts, cannons, and anti-siege devices one would expect of such a tactical installation. One cool thing is the 'murder holes'. These are holes in the walls of the citadel, usually above doorways. They were used as a port to pour boiling liquid (usually date syrup) on attackers who managed to breech the fort walls, and were attempting to enter the citadel. All in all, it was pretty cool. So, I hope you enjoy the embedded slide-show above.

Until I have something new to report-

Henrick

Montauk: The End

Ok, this is a retro-active post.  This post documents events that occurred around the start of the new year, 2010.  For those of you reading this through Facebook, the original post can be found on my blog http://henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. This allows you access to picture galleries and other multi-media, which does not transfer into notes.

One of the things on my 'to-do' list when I was home was a trip to Montauk point.  Montauk is the most-Eastern part of Long Island, and the location of many books and movies.

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I haven't been there for God-knows-how-long.  I have some very good memories of Montauk. Most of these are from when I was just a wee-little-beastie.  There were also the adolescent 'all-night' trips to the beach during high school.  Though, as I said, I have not been there for quite some time.  My recollection of the place itself, is dust covered and yellowed by time.  So, I decided to take this time to go out and revisit Montauk point.

So, I packed up the dog, jumped in the car, and dutifully drove East.  On the way, I passed some of the older, more quaint East-end communities.  As I drove out, I got an opportunity to check out some old graveyards, vineyards, and windmills.  The traffic was such, that I couldn't really pull off the road and check it out more closely.  As a result, I had to take whatever pictures  I could from my car, snapping pictures between volleys of cars.  Attempting to get a clear shot without many cars in the way was not as easy as it seems.  Sometimes I had to wait on the side of the road for about 10 minutes before there was a clear shot.

Till next time
-H

Oman part two: Nizwa

For those of you viewing this through Facebook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com. It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which doesn't transfer into 'Notes'

So, I am back in Oman again. This is the second installment in the Oman series. I am still with the college of applied sciences, though I have changed campuses. I am currently in Nizwa.

There are many differences between the two cities. Nizwa is far more modern and developed. It offers many amenities simply not available in Rustaq. A former cultural center, the difference in attitude is palpable. There are hotels, and other Western conveniences that make life far more livable than what I was used to in Rustaq. It has three academic institutions (so there's more ex-pats living here), and has quite a bit of tourism coming through it. This all makes for a far less 'xenophobic' atmosphere (for the foreigners), and an all-around more pleasant living experience. It is about the same trip to Muscat. The roads are better, and driving to 'the big city' is not nearly as harrowing an experience as it was last year.

The department I'm in is far better organized than what I was used to. Compared with my former post, the college as a whole has a sane vibe, that seems to be far more conducive to work. Though the students have not showed up yet, I am fairly certain that the academic experience here will be better than that of the past.

My agent, totally rocks! This year, I have taken employment with CfBT (Center for British Teachers), and it is a very pleasurable experience so far. The level of organization, as well as genuine care put into my experience here, quite surpasses that of my former employer. They are great. From the initial application process to follow up once I was in my flat, CfBt has taken great care of me. It has made my 'transition' a relatively easy one. True, this life has its own challenges and obstacles, but CfBT has done its utmost to defray the strain of relocation and aculturalization. Well done! I recommend them to anyone planning on taking a position with the CoAS system. The 'other' agent, well... it will be far tougher than it needs to be.

I have no pictures as yet, but I promise they are on there way.

Countdown

For those of you viewing this through Facbook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com.  It will enable you access to photo galleries and other multi-media material which doesn't transfer into 'Notes'

Oh well, it's after New Years.  Time to start getting 'rrrready' for what the new year has in store.  The time is ticking down until the return to the 'Gulf'.  Lots of things yet to do.

This time I am forwarned, and so I am forarming myself with the things that I would have brought, and things I would have done when I went to Oman the first time.  I refuse to

But in light of all that I could be doing to get ready, I am still faced with a lot of down time.  For the most part, I have been reading, doing stuff online and amassing digital media (to take with me).

I will post a little on some of the things I have been reading and doing.  But this is most about where I will be going.  For those of you not familiar with the 'Gulf' area, I've included a map.


View Larger Map

I have also put a link below to some images on the web of Nizwa, in case any of you are interested to know where I will be going to.

In a nutshell: Its the samw average temperature as Rustaq. A little farther away from the Capital. Though it looks greener, and it is in fact a much larger city.

Nizwa Oman http://bit.ly/6qDQxV

Well... I've got to go back to my book... so I hope to see you before I go... whoever you are...

Korea, and Narita

Leave it to me to leave a country only to fly into a blizzard! The 'luck of Henrick' is still holding, and showing me that it is not as much a phase as it is a condition. I got on my flight on the 19th at around 1oish. It was only a two-hour flight. Then, hang out for an hour, and get on a plane slightly after one.

About forty-five minutes into the flight to Japan, the captain comes on and tells all of us that there is a storm in NY and we will be delaying our arrival in the States by approximately a day. Well, that suited me just fine. Mostly, because getting angry wouldn't achieve anything. Plus I could go to Tokyo, right? That would be cool.

As it turns out, Narita is about an hour to an hour and a half from Tokyo. That ruled out a little visit. So instead, I took the bus to Narita. I was underwhelmed. Outside of the Hiragana and Kitakana that all the neon was scripted with, there was no real way to tell where the hell you were. It could have been 'anywhere' in the first world. Funny thing, how the world really is getting globalized. I can't really say I think that this kind of homogenization is  pleasing. It was very 'cold' and suburban. Kinda disconcerting.

The airline in question, I must say, did completely 'hook it up'. We stayed in the local 'Holiday Inn'. It was a nice place. They had warm showers, internet and comfy beds, I was pleased.

At 7 o'clock in the morning we got our wake-up calls. I had been up for an hour already. Ran downstairs and got some breakfast, then checked out, returned my key and the ethernet cable (, they loaned me to surf in the hotel)and climbed aboard the shuttle back to the airport.

After another fairly pleasant 12 hours in the air, we touched down at Kennedy. Everywhere one could see, as one looked out the plane windows, was white-washed with snow. It was stil lightly blowing flakes around. We must have really just flew-in on the ass of that storm. Everything was stil not plowed. The snow blanketed everything in a homogeneous and even white.

I hung out longer than necessary at JFK. Getting back by LIRR was a long procedure. The trainds were running invredibly late. They had shut down a few lines to farther out on Island, due to track conditions and such.

When I finally got to the Lindenhurst, there was only one cabbie on duty. The roads were terrible, and lets just say that his car wasn't in optimum shape. He could get me as far as the end of my block. He couldn't go any farther in fear of getting the cab stuck. Anyhow, I hoofed it up the block to my Mom's house. First thing I did when I got home was to pet the dog, and dig the driveway and the car.

Welcome Home!

Korean Barbacue

For those of you viewing this through Facbook 'Notes', the original post is available on www.henrickatlarge.blogspot.com.  It will enable you access to photogalleries and other multi-media material which doesn't transfer into 'Notes'



One of the things you will here everyone say whence returning from South Korea when you ask how it was, is 'The Food is Great"!  One of the things all Westerners seem to like is Korean Barbacue,

It goes like this:  You sit at a table with your friends and family.  In the center is a grill. Above the grill is some kind of vent.  You order.  The waitress brings you the raw ingredients, and you proceed to cook it yourself.  It's pretty awesome.  Most of the time its pork, or beef.

Above are some pictures of a 'one last time' dinner before I left. I think that this is 'Galbi'.  Its a form of marinated meat.   The last photo is of  a previous occasion. We are eating pork I think.

One of the thing I think is worth mentioning, is that there are no knives at the table.  Koreans use scissors to cut the meat on the grill.  Kind of ingenious, I think.  Well here it is.
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