During the winter months, our skin and sleep often bear the brunt of the chilly weather and shorter days. Harsh winds, indoor heating, and lack of sunlight can leave our skin dull and dry, while disturbances to our sleep patterns can leave us feeling groggy and less energized. But fret not! With a few simple […]

Today I saw a butterfly her blue speckled wings glistened in the sunlight the magic of her metamorphosis danced around in the winds * She flew over the sagebrush and landed on red sandy soil resting awhile opening and closing her wings a silent rhythmic drumbeat sending wave after wave of the knowledge she holds […]

Short entry today. This morning I flew from Muscat, Oman to Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tomorrow morning I fly home. By the time i got off the plane, got through the airport and immigration, and to my hotel, it was afternoon. With a few hours to kill, I made my way to a local mall, home […]

Today involved even more driving than yesterday. I wasn’t the one doing the driving, but I’m still exhausted. For more than two hours we headed south through areas that became progressively less populated. We passed loads of small villages, each backing up to the mountains, with perhaps ten or twelve homes. Not only were there […]

Today included a lot of driving, much of it through strikingly beautiful mountain ranges. The first stop was Nizwa, almost two hours southwest of Muscat. It is the capital of the interior and the birthplace of Islam in the Sultanate of Oman. First, I walked through the souk. It was surprisingly modern. I bought two […]

This morning, I went on a city tour of Muscat. My overall impression is that it is a very livable city. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are flashy, ever growing, with their motto being bigger is better. Here the impression I get is of the balance between people and nature and an emphasis on quality of […]

This morning I flew on Air Dubai to Muscat. It’s a short flight (50 minutes), but they start boarding very early so I was up and out before I’d had a good night’s sleep. Despite the shortness of the flight, the flight attendants passed out a lunch box. On flights in the states, you probably […]

Today was spent going from one end of Dubai to the other, in each place viewing different perspectives of the city. First stop was “the old town.” It isn’t old, it’s a replica. My favorite part was the painted camels that reminded me of the artist decorated cows that were on display in NYC many […]

After disembarking from the ship, the next stop was a transfer to the hotel. It’s a lovely hotel and the room is enormous—a welcome change after the tiny cabin on the ship. I’d wanted to visit a local souk, not the insanely over-the-top malls that Dubai is famous for. Google directed me to the Khan […]

Today was a very busy day, but this will be a short post. We disembark from the ship tomorrow morning. Between packing and saying goodbye to friends met on board, there hasn’t been much time to write. I spent this morning at the Dubai Miracle Garden. It is a miracle that this garden exists in […]