Finding beauty in the Middle East is much like looking for prehistoric remains in the desert. It requires time, patience and luck. And some locations are reliable, while others are more arcane. For instance, people rave about Oman and Jordan as must see countries, rich with beautiful landscapes, etc. But living in Saudi has proved more elusive as we search for natural aesthetics. We know about the Empty Quarter and Jeddah's pristine beaches/reefs; however, where we live, the land is featureless. Occasionally a sunset or sunrise will dazzle if the cloud formations are favorable; or the coastline's turquoise waters will entrance us, making us feel like we are in the Keys. But more often than not, we are surrounded by petrochemical industries and desultory cities. The array of flat, sandy plains which do remain provide little or no solace. On top of this, shamals (wind storms) come raging from the northwest and blanket everything with a thin sheer of brown dust -It makes cars look like they are wrapped in pantyhose. Here is a contrast of this country:
No, it's not fog on this beach, nor is this an old Polaroid photo.
I snagged this one on the Shayba dunes in the Empty Quarter.
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