I bought this abaya at an airport shop in Oman that sells some of the flashiest abayas I’ve ever seen. I foolishly didn’t buy one that I loved on our first time there so was determined to get one on our last trip. You can’t tell from this picture, but this is literally dazzling in the light (especially when I’m out at night walking Sahraa!), with a gold embroidered design surrounded by little rhinestones (and with rhinestones running throughout it) on the bodice and sleeves, and a large rhinestone pendant at the bottom of the bodice.

Not that anybody will notice, but I just had about 2/3 of my long hair cut off because it was breaking like crazy from the heavy mineral content of the water here. I was getting worried I wouldn’t have any hair left when we leave here next year!

Back in Diriyah, the monumental entry, posted earlier: