Guitar?

We go from a large country with wide open spaces, to a teeny tiny one, that is jam packed with folks. In fact Mongolia is over 600k square miles with around 2 million folks. Here I am squeezed into a place under 5k sq miles, and has about 1.5 million folks. Sheesh!

Not an island state, but close. There is plenty of oceanfront property, but at the same time lots and lots of dessert, so all the peoples are crammed into the cities. But don't let the dessert fool you this is a rich country. There's Black Gold in them thar hills.

Though it is crowded the city prides itself on its pristine environment. Swimming and water sports are very popular, as the weather is perfect almost every day. Once the sun sets, though the fun does not stop. I enjoy a moonlight stroll along the Corniche, or view the skyline from the bay on a traditional dhow. Also I take time to go star-gazing in the clear night sky. This busy and industrious little place, has many opportunities to unwind and enjoy the beauty.

Once near extinction this beautiful cousin to the antelope, now live and breed in protected herds here. They can graze on the sparse vegetation found in the dessert and use their antlers for weapons against their enemy. This graceful white animal is believed to be the basis of the legend of the unicorn.

Beautiful mosques are located throughout the country for daily prayers, and the locals are guided by the Muslim teachings and values. Primarily a Bedouin culture, the traditions are based on poetry and song, while amazing art is created through weaving. Using tools made from both wood and gazelle horn, weavers work with sheep, goat, and camel wool to create beautiful rugs, tents, and cushions.

Not unlike the last place we went Falconry is very popular here as a hunting technique and as a sport. These birds of prey were used originally by Bedouins to hunt game, providing an important addition to their diets. During the off-season, owners and falcons continue with training exercises. Its incredible eyesight allows the falcon to lock onto its prey; it can fly at speeds of over 100 kilometres per hour and dives at twice that rate. An important bond is created between owners and falcons, and the birds are treated with great care and respect.

Speaking of sports, these people are sports nuts. They host sporting events as much as possible and just hosted the Asian Olympics. Horse Racing, Diving, Golfing, Auto Racing, Football (soccer), Boating, Sailing, other water sports, Deep Sea Fishing, Tennis, Squash, Bowling, Shooting, just to name a few. They have targeted themselves as one of the world's leading sports destinations and continues to expand existing infrastructure and build new facilities to accommodate this growing market niche.

Don't for get the history. They go back, way back. There are many forts and other ancient sites to be seen. They could build em then, and they can definitely build em now! Mosques and Skyscrapers sit side by side in down town. Here is a place where the East meets West. Every modern comfort you could ask for, while still steep in tradition. The men and women still wear traditional clothing including the head coverings.

I hope that when you look for your three trivia answers you really try to get an impression of what these places we visit are like. I get so excited doing this research I just want to tell everyone everything I learn. But I all ready make it easy enough for you :0)

Enjoy, I hope you find the beauty here that I did.