GTFO.
Right. So this one will be somewhat
link-heavy and (utterly) slightly mad.
Don't worry about it. I've not got Nietszche's syphalis (yet), I'm not trapped in the onanistic discursive outhouses of expat (dysentry) cliche, and I'm staying slightly ahead of the bloody clicking jaws of hell grinding at my heels. All's well...ish. Tap the highlighted bits for links
if you want more information on whatever particular topic you're looking at. Have FUN for Gord's sake - you've only got so long...
This is what 40 liters of liquid sunshine looks like...
Red grape and apple-pear cider - 6 and 3 weeks old, SWEET...
Red grape and apple-pear cider - 6 and 3 weeks old, SWEET...
Jonesin in Salalah.
I just got here and I feel like I need
to get the hell out of here – so much for getting the fuck out.
Salalah is lovely – blazing sun, gorgeous beaches, sweet female
college students, jellyfish, bilharzia - that's “Bill Harzia” –
your most unpleasant wadi host – parasitic snail disease), hyenas,
leopards, impoverished hungry eyes in posh 5 star establishments,
ubiquitous SUV's, Pakistanis holding back room cock+dog fights,
underground heroine problems, massive port city, palm trees, sand,
sand, more sand, green hills after summer monsoons, huge corporate
shopping centers (Carrefour, Home Center), Indians on bicycles,
fabulous Turkish restaurants, Arabic loudspeakers blasting prayers
from the Koran, fresh bananas and coconuts in waterfront street
stalls, etc.!!! Things always get pretty quiet in the 30 degree
midday heat. BTW: For anyone planning on being in Sa'ada, Salalah, the best chicken tikka sandwich is at
Marmara Al-Turkey restaurant in the Al-Mashoor market – AND –
word to the trav'ler - Siam Kitchen http://siamkitchen.org/
is now closed – been closed for over 6 months now – and people
are still showing up!! It may re-open, and I may be part owner
and/or kitchen manager - time will tell - there's been a very tentative offer. I'm making around $1000
more (/month) than the standard average teaching wage in Korea, and
$2000 less than the standard hell-wage in Saudi – and around $5000
less than the better starting wages for Saudi employees at places
like ARAMCO and TQ. I need the higher flow, but lifestyle is worth
a lot when it comes to your peace of mind. A kitchen gig on the side
bringing decent coin would make Salalah do-able for awhile – but –
at this point in the line of thinking you have to consider the social
scene here (or lack thereof), and what other opportunities exist. Also, knowing what I know about the U.S. federal reserve and our current monetary system$$$, why the FECK should I bother to work at all? I
can deal with a lower wage if there's a good music and social scene
and something exciting happening on the side. Another year in an
Islamic country and I may go totally fucking insaaaaane. Most people
here are decent, peaceful, caring human beings. However. The ones
in charge seem to be sanctimonious hypocritical assholes, not unlike
our current leaders in the West. Sweeping generalization? Yes, but if the shoe fits...exceptions aside... It's a grim, untenable situation
for all but those who've already cashed in their souls for hard
capital gains. Bottom line East side – Sharia law – a man can
(multiple) rape, burn, and murder his 5 year old daughter on the
suspicion she's not a virgin, and get away with a minor
penalty while the whole world looks on in horror – more like
remains blissfully ignorant while it's locally swept under the carpet
- this will NOT be on the 6 o'clock news in Canada. I find it hard
to believe that the Prophet Mohammed or Sunnah tenets would allow
this. How can this be? Would he even have been sentenced if the story had not drawn international attention? How about the Saudi student who got away with killing 6 expat children in Jubail last year - whisked away by family - no known penalty - no information whatsoever. I was an eye witness to that accident and can't believe the driver survived - the SUV was crumpled like a twisted metal accordion. Cranking Type-O-Negative 'Dead Again' is the
only thing that makes sense tonight. Bottom line West side –
Harper is selling out to corporate America as fast as the Canadian
people will let him. Checks and balances? Yeah, right. Meanwhile,
the news out of Japan is slim, while TEPCO messes about with reactor
4 and the future of the entire human race hangs in the balance.
Sound dramatic? If that thing goes, and sets off a chain reaction
with the rest of the storage pools, it will be THE END...
An extended nuclear winter for the
entire planet. I'd say that's cause for dramatic rhetoric!!! If you
think this is exaggeration or fear mongering, you've not been paying
proper attention to alternative news sources. The Pacific ocean is dead. Seriously??!!! This is not a joke, and does not require a million
dollar grant for a 5 year project of empirical scientific
verification – it's bloody obvious and plainly visible. Not all is
well with the world today. I still believe in the power of caring
people – behead me if you like – post it on facebook – show it
to your children – no worries – it's not like they have a future
anyway. The so-called 'Illuminati' must be having a ball. Nice one.
Kickass. CASTRATION!! DOUBLE CASTRATION!! Warning, this post
contains extremely graphic content and may be upsetting. Stop
reading now. How much is too much? Truth? What truth? Yours or
mine? Objective Truth? That'll be clarified very soon by forces well beyond you and I.......
For now – stay on target!!
What's your point?
LOVE those rabbit ear balloons...
$$$ is the root of all evil?
Everyone teaching here in Salalah
wants to make more money. So why are they here? Unwilling or
unable to move on. Physically damaged? Socially or psychologically
incapable of 'getting something better'? Then there are those who
are already deeply accomplished intelligent expats who've chosen to
settle here. My first impression was 'decadent expats rotting on the
vine' but there is something more going on here behind the scenes,
something interesting. Usually is if you look a bit closer. There
seems to be a lot of fatalism towards the culture of our hosts –
which is fine as a matter of respect – and it's a safe, peaceful
location which is great. I have been warmly welcomed by the local
Omani's of Salalah, but as a temporary, visiting foreigner. I don't
think this status would change much if you decided to remain long
term – Arabs are powerfully tribal and I'm learning more about the
intricacies of what this means and how it developed over history.
Actually, Leon Uris' book 'The Haj' has done more to inform me so far
than any other single source (book review to come). Apparently he
had a Jewish background – will have to factor this in to my
analysis.
I did some research yesterday morning
regarding ocean currents in Salalah, and learned that if you're tied
to the ocean in any way, Salalah is a fascinating spot. The
'Khareef' (rainy season) in July, August, and September shoots storms
southwest along the coast, which causes massive deep water upswelling
by way of Ekman transport, the Ekman spiral, and the coriolis effect. This causes a huge phytoplankton bloom, which brings small
feeders and bigger fish who feed on them. It's brilliant!! In
December there is a sort of counter-storm, in which storms moving
north-east cause the opposite ocean current, with less powerful
upswells moving from the northeast on south. This originally became
of interest to me because of my knowledge regarding dumping of toxic sludge into the waters of Somalia. Somalian pirates have been using
this as an excuse for years, and the international community has lent
some credence to the notion via independent studies by NGO's along
the coast, especially after the 2008 tsunami, when empty storage
containers washed up on shore. There is wide speculation regarding
the Italian mafia underground buying toxic waste from global
corporations, then making it quietly (inexpensively) disappear off
the Somalian coast. Trafigura is the only company caught red handed
so far, and this was off the Ivory Coast of Africa. It's only slightly more nasty than the Corexit the U.S. government threw into the gulf to assist BP in covering up the full extent of the massive oil spill there. If there is any
truth toxic waters offshore of Somalia, with the prevailing ocean currents headed this way, and I'm considering spearfishing here, and eating
local fish regularly, I want to study the toxicity levels of the
fish!! This would make a great thesis topic, and I know the Omani
and regional governments have a vested interest and are probably
conducting private research. My only concern at this point (when
looking at that as an option) is that doing an M.a./Phd on this topic
could get me killed by Somalians!! We have a flotilla of 'pirates'
offshore from Salalah, and my expat friends here with oceanfront
properties sometimes sit and watch the ships pull out with their
security escorts and run the gauntlet to get past the Somalian pirate
blockade!! This is an ongoing thing!! Some interesting
opportunities exist here for the entrepreneur willing to take a
little risk. The place is slowly blooming – there's a general boom
– entire subdivisions are popping up overnight – one year and
whole new neighborhoods are appearing - with European and Arabian
tourists flocking to hotels like the Crown Plaza in Da'hariz. But
there is little-to-no social scene at present. Much as it may be
the 'one true religion' for millions, Islam is not good for night
life. There's nothing exciting happening here beyond one small expat
bar at the port with a nonexistent music scene and expensive drinks
(that get less overpriced as the owner realizes you're a 'local').
So you might run into an Asian hooker and get lucky on a good night,
but otherwise you're on your own, bud...I was thinking to overhaul
the place with some decent tunes – win over the locals with my
particular brand of musical charm, but from all accounts, there is no
appreciation for music here at all!!
Inconceivable......
10 hours by car, BIG thanks guys, what a blast.
WE CAN'T STOP HERE, THIS IS BAT COUNTRY!!!
One last comment on the general boom in
Salalah – Omani oil has about 15-20 years before it runs out –
and there is no water here at all. Tourism is doing great right now,
but when the economy dies after the oil runs dry, who will want to
visit a 5 star hotel surrounded by desperately poor Indians,
Pakistanis, Somalians, Philipinos, etc... The gorgeous beaches here
are full of 'brown people' happy to live on a few dollars a day for
now, but when the money runs dry, what then? Take a look at Yemen to
get an idea about the future of Oman – unless the (apparently
flaming) Sultan Qaboos has some radically innovative wild card up his
sleeve. Arabs are not known for hospitality when the chips are down.
In general yes, Sunnah tradition is great and all guests are treated
with honor and respect – but when times are desperate, doors will
be closed, and chaos will reign in the streets. I don't think my
graceful, beautiful, fashion conscious college students have a clue
that this economic, political, and social apocalypse is potentially coming to
their country within their lifetimes. The sense of lazy privilege particularly in the male students seems bizarre - culturally conditioned - I'm trying to get a sense of where they're coming from, but man... For now they have Wifi and
smartphones and assuredly comfortable futures through excellent
family connections. Really? Bless them, I hope they have a future
worth living for. Of course, their only stock answer to this?
“Inshallah.”
Now for a little self-depreciating humor.
May you find peace and
contentment in Allah, the compassionate, the all powerful one true
God. I haven't had a single non-commercial,
voluntary, mutually agreed upon and enjoyable physical encounter with
a woman since moving to the Middle-East, not in a year and a half.
Have I paid for it? As much as this blog is uncensored and
'alternative' and going to stay that way, I'm not up to writing the
steaming hot juicy-as-fuck red-light-column just yet. Is this an
'obviously, yes'? Na – but it doesn't rule out the maybes... At
least I could make some money for a change writing smut – more
than playing the clubs in a rock band for endless booze? Who knows.
Not the sort of thing to brag about right? No worries,
I've had a blessed charmed life with women – guess it's the hand of fate dealing me some desert contemplation. Time to reflect and plan - study - enjoy the silence. But it does cause inevitable moodswings –
like the most intense Full Metal Jacket in-your-face-type moodswings,
“They are ready to eat their own guts and ask for seconds”. So
many great quotes in this movie, but I know this one in my SOUL now.
This place is death to singles – the whole Arab world is death to
single male expats. Get used to abstinence and solitude...
Just Kill me now.
Nice one, fatalist. Washed up suicide
wanker? Not on your bloody life. Death and oblivion are inevitable
– better than another year of head down busywork and escapism?
Sure, why not. Who needs suicide anymore – it's just a matter of
time before the world does you in baby, just ride the wave with
everyone else – we're all heading for a heavily reinforced brick
wall at 800 mph anyway. What happens when an unstoppable projectile
meets an insurmountable force? Something RADICAL.
A KOSMIC REVOLUTION OF
MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.
Beyond the wall the doors
of oblivion
mark the end of the
beginning,
The beginning of the end,
and back again...
You know?
BIG LOVE,
-Grayson.
XXXX
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