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We saw falaj all over Oman and our eyes learned to 'pick them out' along mountain walls and wadi stream beds.

The hot springs of Ath Thowra are just a hop, skip and jump from the stunning Nakhal Fort, our very first fort in Oman! As with all springs in Oman, the water is channeled into a falaj system for local use and irrigation.

A local resource stated that the falaj system in Oman was (and still is) highly organized. The first water draw-off is put in wells for humans to drink, the second is diverted to local mosques for ritual washing, and finally it is doled out to the farmers for agriculture and livestock.

Just as our handy-dandy LP promised, there were kids (of both the human and goat species) playing in the water that emerged from the wadi walls. 

What the LP did not suggest was that there were dead-flesh eating fish in the waters!!  We put our feet in by the pool edge and 100s of little fish immediately latched on to our feet and began nibbling at us. Once you got over the initial tickle, it was better than a fancy spa:)  We bet they pay big bucks for this treatment somewhere in the world!

We ran into a group of Omani boys - high school or college aged by the looks of them - who were out dinging around in the stream, and while they were snapping pictures of each other, they were glad to smile for a shot or two.

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