It Really Does Rain in Oman!!

When I think of Oman, I think sunshine and blue skies.  Well, it does actually rain in Muscat.  Not often, but some.  Average annual rainfall in Muscat is 100 mm, or 4 inches.  Yesterday, we got seven months worth of rain, or over 2 inches of rain!  Just for comparison, Chicago gets about 41 inches of rain a year.

I have never seen standing water in my front yard.

We decided to go to lunch at Chili's in City Center Seeb.  This This is 18 November Street,  where more than half the road was covered.

By the new airport

Going under Sultan Qaboos highway

It took us longer than normal to get to the mall, but not too bad.  Not so for my friend, Erin.  She came on Sultan Qaboos and it took her two hours for what normally takes about 20 minutes!  There was actually about a foot of water over the highway near the new airport.

Just as southern US does not handle snow well, Muscat does not handle rain well.  There are parts of Muscat that flood seriously and easily whenever there is rain.  We thought we were avoiding those areas, but I guess not.

There is a cricket field under all that water.

We had put the towel on the floor because there was some leaking in the morning.  Most houses in Muscat are not totally leak proof.  Well, when we came in after lunch, we saw that we needed more towels.

The next three pictures were posted online.   All around Muscat.

This is not what I would want to be doing in my Rolls.  Like I have the option.  :)

Ahhh, the day after.  This is what I am used to!  No rain in the forecast for the next seven days.  Picture perfect weather for my mom and sis! 

Hike by Riyam Park

My family went on this hike back in December when all my kids were here.  I posted a couple of pictures of this hike, but I promised more pictures.  I am catching up on some blogging before my mother and sister come for a visit.  Can't wait to see them!

Back to the hike.  I didn't go on this one because I was home with a bad cold.  I had read about this hike and told them where to go.  This is what my Bradt book, Oman, said about this hike.  "From the parking area beside the Riyam Park [this is the park with the huge white frankincense burner] you will notice a brown trekking signpost which is the start of the way-marked walk C-38.  This path is recommend to give you a proper feel for the setting of Muttrah and Muscat, and follow part of the ancient overland route that linked the two places before the arrival of roads and vehicles.  The total distance is 2.5 km and it takes 90 minutes to two hours, ending behind Muttrah."

That is the Riyam Park in the far distance, with the aforementioned frankincense burner.

That is the harbor in the distance, and possibly the sultan's yacht.

The book also described this as an "easy hill and wadi walk".  My family assured me it was nothing of the kind!!

This is one hike I definitely plan on going on some day.  But not today.  I have never seen so much rain in my whole time in Muscat!

Buckingham Palace and Changing of the Guard

How to spend our last full day in London?  Buckingham Palace!  We tried to go before, but at this time of year, the changing of the guard only happens every other day, and not in rainy weather.  So this was the right day!  Here I am, in front of the Victoria Memorial.  This was one of the few times I needed my sunglasses.  :)

In the other direction, Buckingham Palace!

The flag was flying, meaning that the queen was not in residence.

So, we arrived about an 1 1/4 hours before the actual change.  It was recommended to stand at the Victoria Memorial, since it was higher and the views were better.  But we didn't want to wait all that time, so we went walking.

Another view of the memorial.  I loved the blue sky!  It came and went throughout the day.

As we were walking along, we saw the band.  Now the thing about winter is that the traditional red tunics are covered by gray coats.  Nice coats, but not as photogenic as the red.

Next came the horses.

I had done a little research about viewing the changing of the guard.  One of the recommendations was to actual stand in front of the stable yard of St. James Palace, just off the Pall Mall.   So that is where we walked to next.

The band is preparing to march.

The band, marching to Buckingham.

Here are the guards, right behind the band.  I don't know what happened to my sound in this video.  We enjoyed watching the guards and bands from this view.  We could have stood in front of Buckingham Palace itself and not seen as much!  

When one goes to see the 'changing of the guard', that means you are there to see these guys being relieved by their replacements.  These guards are actually at the back entrance to St. James Palace.  There is a chain between us and them, but only about ten feet or so.  Unlike Buckingham Palace, where there are the huge gates and a long distance between us and the guards.  We were talking to a very nice, older English man.  He was giving us lots of information.  For instance, the red tunics the guards wear cost about 700 pounds, or $1140.  The hats are real bearskin.  If the guards' father or grandfather was a guard, they may wear those hats.  Some of the hats are up to 150 years old!  One more thing, the rifles are very heavy.

In the winter, the guards are on duty for two hours, off for four.  When they are relieved with the new guards, the new guards will receive instructions.  Our English friend told us this was the most interesting part.  If you got close enough, you can hear the instructions.  You could learn which royals are in residence at that time, and what functions may be going on.  But that required another 30 minutes of waiting, so we decided to walk on.

Across from the palace is St. James park.  Loved seeing the London Eye in the distance.

All this walking was great therapy for Joe!

Our walk took us by Big Ben.  As I took my picture, Joe asked my how many pictures I had of the Big Ben (this is my third time in London.)  I said one less than I needed!  :)

Well, two less than I needed.  :)

So why am I including a picture of a faucet in this post?  I always see a new public faucet as a challenge.  How does it turn on?  Where does one place their hands?  Well, this one takes automated faucets to a whole new level.  So, what are the side arms on this faucet??  Hand dryers!!  I could hear the hand dryers, but couldn't find them.  A kind lady gave me a demonstration and showed me to place my hands under the side bars and voila!  Dry hands!  So if you are ever in the building right next to the London Eye, you too will know how to dry your hands.

We are now back home, in beautiful Oman.