Cliff diving and rock climbing

The other day my family went to see the "Cliff diving world championships sponsored by Red Bull" held at Wadi Shab, about two hours from Muscat. (Wadis are these naturally-occurring oasis-es, usually in mountain valleys. For reference see below.)

 Posters and adverts have been plastered everywhere since I got here, but honestly, few Omanis seemed as interested in going as me and my sister Mariam; a characteristic response was skepticism that it really was the championships, because, "This is Oman, why would they have something big in Oman?"

That attitude was evident as I looked out at the crowd, about 2/3 expatriate, and not few of them my teachers. It was weird seeing huge crowds of people completely disregarding Omani standards of modesty. A month ago I couldn't care less if someone was showing a ton of skin in public, good grief I worked at Merriweather, a living shrine to old people dressing inappropriately.

Also just a generally strange place

Now it seems obvious and kind of funny to see people walk around like they're in Miami rather than Muscat--I've definitely gotten very judge-y about my fellow expats who don't dress like they're in the Gulf. 

I digress. As beautiful as Wadi Shab was, it was also hot and crowded, so we dipped out early to have a picnic on the beach. 

very very crowded

We went to a beach a few miles away, near a town called Fins. My host family owns some land there, on which, inshallah, they plan to build a bed and breakfast one day. Right now it's just an empty beach with lots of exceedingly climb-able rocky outcroppings. 

The village of Fins is just as photogenic, it looks exactly like one of the quaint little towns you picture when you think "Arabian village." 

All in all, an amazingly-wonderful-I-can't-believe-this-is-my-life kind of day.