Yesterday I took a trip out to the Musfer Cave (a 100 meter deep sink hole in the middle of the desert) and the Singing Sand Dunes.
Leslie at the mouth of MusferCave
Along the way we saw goats and camels roaming around the desert. The main dune was really huge and the people climbing up the face of the dune looked like ants:
We took a different approach up the dune which wasn't quite so vertical, but it was still quite a slog.
Me on the way to the top of the dune
Silly me, I thought the dunes just ‘sang’ as you stood there and listened. Oh, no, you climb to the top of the dune, sit down and skootch yourself down on your butt. The skootching action gets the sand moving and starts the dunes to ‘humming’ – a very cool sound, especially when you have about 20 of you starting at the same time! The skootching was really hard work on my legs – a good workout! Check the video:
The sound you hear is the dunes 'singing/humming.' That's Chris Jensen, our latest addition to UCQ staff, right ahead of me capturing the moment on her tablet which she is holding up in front of her. She's getting right into life in Doha!
Today, Saturday, I flew to Abu Dhabi for a visit with my friend and former P.E.O. provincial board pal, Nancy Racicot. She is visiting her nephew who is living and working in Abu Dhabi. It was fabulous to spend the afternoon with Nancy, chatting, eating and walking! So great to meet an old friend while we are on the other side of the world!
Nancy and me on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi
Another (better) photo of Nancy and me in the hotel w/out wind.
As we walked along the corniche, we watched the start of this sailing race:
One of the boats had some really inexperienced sailors who ran into a lot of trouble and were quite hilarious to watch; they actually came careening right into the concrete abutment where we were standing. There was a lot of shouting and waving of arms as the 'sailors' were trying to keep the boat upright, in the first instance; and then to get it back on course. They eventually got going. I wonder who won the race - they were quickly out of sight.
The mosque in Abu Dhabi is supposed to be the most beautiful mosque in the world. I have never been in it, but here's a photo of the exterior which I took asI drove past it on the way to the airport:
All in all, a great weekend!