Muscat...

So, where do I start? This is a photo of three guys (obviously) spending their evening chilling on a bench in the souk in Old Muscat. I'm not sure if it was a textile souk, or a more, as the shops and stalls were selling almost everything - from fake Brasilian soccer jerseys to the traditional Omani dagger. I think the coolest part though was when walking through the spice section, where you could find frankincense, mirrh, along with tons of other spices. Can you believe that you can still get this stuff? I feel like I'm in the Bible or something - three wise men anyone??

All in all, Muscat was a pretty city, and I'm glad that Mark and I chose to drive here from Dubai instead of fly. Granted the drive was about 5 hours (which isn't that bad - Adam and I would do that for a freakin weekend of skiing at June) and took us through some interesting terrain, most notably in the mountains and through the desert. Driving along the coast here is not like driving along Highway 1 on the West Coast; it's straight and boring. I keep hearing how fantastic the beaches are supposed to be, but I guess the only way to really get to 'em is by 4x4, which I will be more than happy to try once I get my UAE residence visa, open a bank account, get some financing, insurance, and then, most importantly, a car... Baby steps, as they say. We only just signed the contract for our office, which means that we still have a week or two before we are officially registered in Dubai, and another 5 days from getting our residence visas. Boy, I sure do love bureacracy and red tape, don't you?

Ok, one more pic and then it's off to a lunch meeting with some guy that probably can't get us any business...


Camel crossing anyone???