Bedouin Country, Wadi Dahr and Ma'rib/Marib
In the section of Yemen we're heading tomorrow, tribes rule...not the government. This is Bedouin Country with deserts, oil fields, AK-47s, and kidnappers. The group started off for Ma'rib in the afternoon stopping by the rock palace of Wadi Dahr sitting on top of a tall crag. A fantasy in rock.
Down the mountains across the desert to Ma'rib. The province of Ma'rib lies on the southern edge of the "Empty Quarter" possibly known to you from "Lawrence of Arabia"...at least known to me. Ah...yes...I remember it well...watching Peter O'Toole struggling across the "Empty Quarter" of Saudi Arabia on his trusty camel. There are no official boundaries across it between Yemen and Saudi Arabia because who would want to go there! We had one extra day in Marib for a little R&R before the big desert crossing.
Saba was founded and flourished around 1000 BC and became great due to the construction of the Great Dam of Ma'rib in the 8th century BC. This feat turned the desert into a green oasis which supported a population of 30,000-50,000 people for more than 1,000 years. The capital, Ma'rib, was strategically located on the Frankincense Route and grew to affluence under an alliance between Saba's queen (Sheba) who controlled the southern end of the trade route, and King Solomon, who controlled the northern end. After a thousand years of use the Great Dam fell into disrepair and the kingdom faded away.
In Ma'rib/Marib, Achmed located a woman who unlocked a door to one of the rickety "skyscrapers" to get a better view of the city. This decrepit building looked and felt like it was in danger of immediate collapse. There were holes in the floors, missing bricks, etc., and we (I) climbed up as quickly as possible, looked around and got out of there fast...
Today, there is a new dam. There were many Bedouins (teens) visiting the new dam and now I was getting nervous. Each and every one was toting a firearm. All I could think of was what if one of them decided to shoot one or all of us just for the fun of it... even though they were very friendly. Masses of firearms make me uneasy. This very sweet young man had his djambia in his belt and a rifle on his back, prepared for anything.
Yemen's most famous archeological ruins are around Ma'rib, all which have to be properly excavated. I would think it is terribly difficult with the sand, heat and location. Pieces of the Great Dam still have Sabaean and Himyarite inscriptions describing repairs made to it.
Out by the ruins there was one Bedouin (supposedly guarding the ruins) selling little shards and flints dug up.
It was in Marib that Bill decided that he was really sick with a very high temperature. And as an M.D. (he was a Radiologist), self-diagnosed himself with Acute Appendicitis. This was the first time anyone had ever had a medical crisis on a trip with us and you should have seen Sarah spring into action. It took almost 24 hours of long-distance phone calls between Washington, DC, doctors, travel insurance company, Geographic Expeditions and Medivac before they reached a concensus. Get him back to Sana'a - FAST - where he would be medivaced to Turkey for immediate surgery if the doctors in Sana'a concurred on the diagnosis. Sarah, lead driver - Achmed (who spoke English), very sick Bill and his friend left for Sana'a while the tour responsibilities were turned over to Carolyn until Sarah could get back to the group. Very frightening...just think if his appendix had burst in the desert!
Tomorrow would be the famous desert crossing - the trip's BIG adventure - and I think we were psyched.
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