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