Luxury Without Snobbery*
Ana exploring the Sharqiya sands region of Oman
It’s always fun exploring a new country and while I enjoyed Muscat and the mountains of Jebel Akhar, by far the most memorable time I spent in Oman was glamping in the desert. I spent a night at the Deserts Night Camp and, if I were to plan the trip again, I would have spent at least two nights exploring this very beautiful Wahiba Sands/Sharqiya Sands area of the country.
Portrait of a buyer at the Muscat Fish Market
Located on the Persian Gulf, the Sultanate of Oman has become a bit of a buzzy destination. Located in a strategically important position on the Arabian peninsula, Oman wants the world to know it’s more tolerant than Saudi Arabia and Yemen (with which it shares borders). While it lacks the breathtaking buildings of its flashier neighbor, the UAE, Oman has many charms and an interesting history, much of it centered in the capital city of Muscat.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Architect Jean Nouvel designed the impressive and beautiful Louvre Abu Dhabi
Until recently I thought of Abu Dhabi as a city one connects through when flights through Dubai aren’t available. But that view was challenged during my latest visit to the UAE. I was surprised by how many people suggested visiting the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a world class museum which opened in 2017 as part of a thirty-year deal between the city of Abu Dhabi and the French government.
Trinity University Dublin’s famed Old Library Long Room
Earlier this summer I had the honor of being a panelist and presenter at MojoFest, a wildly impressive and inspiring conference about mobile journalism in Galway, Ireland. I was excited to meet a few of my social media friends in real life. Much thanks to Brendan O Se, the award-winning Cork-based photographer who was in charge of arranging the mobile photography panel, for including me.
