A New School Year Begins!

The boys started a new school year last week at TAISM (The American International School of Muscat). We are now proud parents of a third grader and a kindergartener!  Unlike last year when pre-K was a little scary and the first day was filled with tears, the first day of kindergarten was all smiles - what a relief!

My handsome guys outside the front door of school on the first day!

Pick-up after the first day  - we did it!

These kindergarten friends are sporting "I survived the first day of kindergarten" ribbons

Celebrating with best friend Lenny

Ice cream is the only proper way to celebrate the first day of school!

 

Eastern Arabia

This past weekend we took a trip to the easternmost point of the Arabian Peninsula.  Our aim was to witness one or more female green sea turtles come ashore and lay her eggs on a stretch of protected shoreline.  The area we visited is a turtle nesting site for over 20,000 female turtles who come each year to lay their eggs.  They lay their eggs only at night when there are no predators and they patrol the shoreline during the day.  Our journey was well rewarded.  We were led by a gov’t sanctioned guide to the site at about 10pm and saw over a dozen giant, 150-pound turtles come ashore and lay their eggs.  We were told to keep completely silent and the only light that was used was a red one held by the guide to help us walk around the pits and holes the turtles dig to lay their eggs.  Regular flashlights and camera flashes disturb the sensitive turtles.  It was an incredible observation of  an intimate act of nature that we will never forget.  Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures, so we have no photos of the turtles.  But, we have lots to show of the surrounding area and the place we stayed.   

We stayed in semi-permanent tents a short distance to the nature reserve.

Atop a hill.  Nesting grounds and shoreline in the distance.

Contemplating the expanse.

It was quite windy on the mountain top and he is holding his hands out for balance.

Nearby fishing and shipbuilding town.