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A fast evening flight from Al Mukalla to Sana'a, and our Yemen trip was almost over. There was one more day in Sana'a with additional time to shop, revisit museums or do nothing before the farewell lunch. With the exception of Bill's appendix, we had no other traumatic story to relate to friends and family about Yemen. The kidnapping incidents aren't really kidnapping as we think of it. Rather, it is a Bedouin tradition and not terrorism. The Bedouins use it as a "bargaining chip" in their disputes with the government. Kidnappings usually only take place when Westerners venture into the desert without a Bedouin guide. Whether it has been in Mali or Yemen, it is foolhardy to venture into these deserts without native guides for security and navigation. To watch these amazing Bedouins navigate across the sand dunes and open expanses without one marker is nothing short of miraculous...
It was wonderful to revisit the suq /souk again and take photos of Bab el Yemen, one of the six adobe brick gates in the old city wall, and we learned one more interesting fact about Yemen. Over Yemen's long history, the land has been occupied by many but none of the civilizations ever succeeded in controlling the Yemeni people.
ex-Marine giving longing looks at the djambias in the suq
Continue reading "Back in Sana'a and Some Yemen Thoughts" »
Back to Seiyun for the night and the next day it was back on the road again. There is a road to Al-Mukalla from Seiyun but we drove instead through a dry canyon called Wadi Doan/Daw'an with a stop at Al-Hajjarayn, another rocky village built on a hilltop in a breathtaking setting. Al-Hajjarayn means "two villages" because the two towns are located on opposite sides of the wadi. It dates back over 1,000 years and looked every bit of its age with everything crumbling throughout it. If you have a chance to ride through Wadi Doan, you will be retracing the same route taken by Freya Stark. I had recently read the book Passionate Nomad about Freya Stark, a British travel writer. She was not only one of the first Western women to travel through Yemen and its deserts but often travelled solo into areas that few people had been, let alone a woman. This very unusual woman lived to the age of 100, devoting her life to solo travel and writing travel books.
We drove through the wadi for over five hours enjoying the visual contradictions. Lush greenery, palm trees and small villages along the watercourse with barren, desolate cliffs and rocks on either side as far as you could see. Our driver sat on the roof at times to navigate and we made occasional stops to stretch our legs.
Wadi Doan
Continue reading "Through Wadi Doan/Daw'an To Al-Hajjarayn and Al-Mukalla" »
Shibam is an ancient city and probably the most impressive in southern Yemen. It has a skyline of hundreds of white, five- and six-story buildings (most in deplorable shape) and is known as the "Manhattan of the Desert." The driving approach to Shibam was really some sight...flatness everywhere in the desert and suddenly, there was this collections of high-rises appearing out of nothingness. The tallest house had eight stories and there were over 500 skyscrapers squeezed into a tight space surrounded by city walls.
There are even connecting terraces built on the upper levels of some houses so neighbors can visit. Shibam was the capital of Wadi Hadhramawt by 300 AD and many of these houses date from the 16th century. In the late afternoon, we climbed a hill opposite for a view of the town at sunset.
Shibam, Yemen
Continue reading "Shibam, "The Manhattan Of The Desert"" »
Seiyun is the largest town in the Wadi Hadhramawt, a 220-mile wadi which has a collection of 31 small sultanates with Aden in the middle. Hadhramawt is the biggest wadi (seasonal river) in the Arabian Peninsula and runs for 99 miles through a stony desert along a valley. This area has been settled since at least the 3rd century AD and brilliant green fields ran alongside the wadi. The area is also known for mud-brick architecture and palaces.
Northern and Southern Yemen are also quite different with many Somalis, Ethiopians (we have a trip planned to Ethiopia in February, 2008) and Indians in this area. Many Hadhramawtis migrated to Indonesia and Malaysia for work which resulted in many Yemenis with mixed Southeast Asian blood. The djambiya , a traditional curved dagger, is also outlawed in this area but we saw plenty in the North.
view from the Al Howta Palace hotel
Continue reading "Visiting Seiyun and Tarim In Wadi Hadhramawt" »
Today was the big desert crossing. Sarah Timewell was on her way back to Sana'a with Bill (leaving Carolyn in charge) and would catch up with us. No contact lenses for me, scarves and anything else we could think of to protect against the sand. This was going to be an all-day journey. Tough, rugged and you wanted every orifice covered. A departure at 3:30 AM to take advantage of the morning's cool temperatures, into the 4WD's, with Bedouin guides and armed guards that included another teenager sitting directly behind me holding his automatic AK-47. If that doesn't inspire terror, I don't know what does. He kept smiling...and I kept thinking...what if he decides to blow my brains out for the fun of it? Anyhow, he had 265 miles to think about scattering my brains all over the car before leaving the desert.
All you could see in the darkness were flares from the oil fields but with the dawn came the large and beautiful dunes. A spectacular sunrise out there in the desert silence with just our group and nothing to be seen into infinity but sand. The first few hours in the dunes were fun and exciting. Scarves covering our mouths and heads, while the men went native with kaffiyeh's (a head covering usually worn by Arab men)...
waiting for sunrise in the desert
Continue reading "The Yemen Ramlat As-Sabatayn Desert Crossing to Seiyun" »
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.
Wadi Dahr Rock Palace - how impressive!
Continue reading "Bedouin Country, Wadi Dahr and Ma'rib/Marib" »
A day trip to visit Manakha, Al-Hajjara and Al-Houdaib, all found in the Jebel Harraz region of Yemen. This is an area of fortress villages and terraced hillsides planted with coffee, millet and Qat. Traditionally home to the Ismailis who built their defensive towns in the high mountains, Manakha is the principal town of the region. Manakha is another town with steep, narrow street, stone forts and fortified stone houses and has often used as a starting point of treks to Shibam and Kawkaban.
Al-Hajjara (or Hajjarah), set at 6,500' dates back to the 12th century and is literally built into the mountain with no foundation. Now, I am 99% positive that all the following photographs are of Al Hajjarih...(bad me did a terrible job of not labeling some of the photos) View image...
Continue reading "Manakha, Al-Hajjara and Al-Houdaib" »
In Ta'izz, staying at the Royal Ta'izz Hotel. we visited the 13th century al-Ashrafiya Mosque, not longer in active use. That meant we were allowed to visit the inside. Ta'izz is located at the base of Mt. Sabir and is a holy city. The Palace of Imam Ahmed is a national museum and crammed with objects and memorabilia. An interesting story in the Museum about the Imam, Ahmad, said "that his injuries from a would-be assassin's bullet resulted in taking a lot of transquilizers amd morphine which ended his life in the most fabulous and mythical manners."
The Salah Palace was another palace-turned-museum with a collection of old silverware and coins. Ta'izz was less conservative than most areas of Yemen and many women were unveiled and wore bright colors. Ta'izz, also in hindsight, had the best shopping of the entire trip and I think we were already out of money
Ta'iiz mosque
Continue reading "Ta'izz/Taizz, Jibla and Ibb" »
Al-Hodeidah is Yemen's second most important port. The city itself was nothing but on a clear day you could look straight across the Red Sea to Eritrea and Ethiopia, less than 40 miles away. This area is coastal with a big African influence. The population of Al-Hodeidah is around 130,000 with a wide blend of nationalities: Ethiopians, Yemenis, Somalis, Sundanese and others.
A wadi is a watercourse, usually dry until the rainy season. Driving over the track of the wadi (this was dry season), palm trees began to appear as we got nearer to the Red Sea coast. The women here dressed differently. The mountain women wore black and full veils whereas these women wore flowered dresses and trousers with face veils and straw hats. There was always something happening along the road...an impromptu goat market...
goats for sale along the way to Al-Hodeidah
Continue reading "Al-Mahwit Through Wadi Surdud to Al-Hodeidah" »
The group spent the day hiking down and through the mountain terraces. There were peaks and cliffs dotted with small villages along the entire route. Unfortunately, the hike also took us through piles of pink plastic bags and trash. Pink plastic bags could be Yemen's logo because I've never seen so many bags (or so much littering) in my life. Yemen must be where pink plastic bags go to die. We'd walk through a beautiful field of Sorghum or Millet and then have to navigate through and around gigantic piles of trash at the other end. Here we were trying to be ecologically sensitive and we'd see the Yemenis tossing garbage, trash, anything out of windows, and along the roads.
However, the trash display was more than made up for by the friendliness of the Yemenis. Everywhere we went, smiles and words of English followed us. ...View image...They couldn't have been nicer and even ex-Marine was starting to relax with thoughts of kidnapping fading out of his mind.
shy children
Continue reading "Day Hiking Around Al-Mahwit and Qat/Khat" »
Kawkaban and Shibam (not the Shibam in the Hadramawt valley) are considered twin towns. Kawkaban had more perfectly preserved stone tower houses perched on the edge of a 1,000' cliff top. An important stronghold during the Turkish occupation, Kawkaban protected the town of Shibam below and the only way the Government could subdue Kawkaban in the 1960's was by airplane. Kawkaban had huge iron gates that are still locked at night. During times of war, the residents of Shibam would leave their homes and flee to Kawkaban for safety.
There was a paved footway, or trail, between Kawkaban and Shibam. This province, Al Mahweet claims to be the most fertile and beautiful in Yemen. I loved the reddish architecture of Kawakaban contrasting against the green areas and mountains, always changing color with the sunlight. Into the 4WD's on what passed for a road....
Kawkaban on the cliff
Continue reading "Continuing On To Kawkaban, Al-Mahwit and A Henna Party" »
Packed up and ready to hit the road...View image...wondering if we'd ever be in another nice hotel like the Taj Sheba during this trip...it was into the caravan of 4WD's, heading to ancient Thula (also spelled "Thilla"), a walled town in the mountains. Thula's mountaintop fortress perfectly defended this town from invaders for centuries. It had well-preserved walls, stone-tower houses, narrow street, aqueducts and unique concrete architecture. At one time, Thula also had been home to a community of Jews in ancient times, some of the more than 50,000 that once lived in Yemen. Yemen is Teman in Hebrew. Job's friend Elifaz (in the Old Testament) came from Teman, and many Prophets also spoke of Teman) The Queen of Sheba is said to have heard about King Solomon from Jews in Yemen. I freely admit that my religious and geographic history is pitiful. This why I've always maintained that you have to travel to really learn in a appealing manner. All those dry facts, biblical or otherwise, mean something when you actually have a chance to see with your own eyes and stand on the same ground.
There was also a street called Jesus Street and our guide explained that some people in Thula still speak Aramaic and from the 6th century BC on, there was a gradual shift from Hebrew to Aramaic. The Christians in these areas also spoke Aramaic and we ended up buying an "old" piece of alabaster with Aramaic writing on it. What does it say? Who knows. When was it made? Probably yesterday by some enterprising Yemeni who knew a sucker like me would come along to buy a piece of ancient history.
Thula/Thilla
Continue reading "On The Road to Al-Mahwit Through Thula/Thilla and Kawkaban" »
An unbelievably seamless trip from Chicago to Frankfurt to Sana'a, Yemen with no problems. What a shocker! Met and transferred to the deluxe, centrally located Taj Sheba Hotel. Bed looked awfully good to us and we'd meet and greet the group tomorrow.
Sana'a is supposedly one of the first sites of human settlement, founded by Noah's son, Shem. Whether or not you believe that, other sources suggest that Sana'a has been around since the 2nd century AD and is a designated World Heritage Site. Since Sana'a is at an altitude of 7,200', taking it semi-easy was the order of the day. A meet and greet with our Geo-ex leader, Sarah Timewell, her second-in-command, Carolyn McIntyre who was just then beginning a long association with Geographic Expeditions and a full group of other intrepid Americans. Nine people from the West Coast, seven from the East Coast and us two lone Midwesterners. The average age of the group was definitely 40+ with Don and Lucy in their 70's and still seeking out adventure around the world.
Sana'a building detail
Continue reading "Arriving and Exploring Sana'a (Sana), Yemen" »
The only difficult part of the planning was deciding on air since it was a group tour.
Air? Lufthansa had a route from Frankfurt to Sana'a, Yemen. This was easy...cashed in United miles for roundtrip tickets from Frankfurt and bought United (our airline of choice) to fly Chicago-Frankfurt. Your only other airline choices to Sana'a are: Yemen Airways, Turkish Airlines, KLM, and Egyptair.
Hotel? None necessary. Wonder of wonders, no misconnects on this trip.
Visa? You must have a Yemen visa. U.S. Citizens contact The Embassy of Yemen. Everyone else, browse World Travel Guide.
Yemen map showing our route
Continue reading "Planning A Trip To Yemen" »
I can't say that either ex-Marine (husband, Steve) or myself had ever given any thought to visiting The Republic of Yemen and had to look on a map to see exactly where it was. (The tip of the Arabian Peninsula below Saudi Arabia and next to Oman.) There was only one reason for the sudden interest in Yemen...an interesting itinerary in my Geographic Expeditions catalog a few years back. Actually more than seven years ago before the terrorist attack on the USS Cole in October 2000 but it seems just like yesterday. This trip was called: Yemen: The Frankincense Route. Frankincense, I had heard of. By the way, Geographic Expeditions now calls this trip: Yemen: Arabia Felix.
The more I read, the more interesting this destination became. Sana'a, Yemen's capital, is 7,200 feet high; there are mountains rising from the Red Sea with fortresses on top; a desert crossing; old Ottoman buildings; the Queen of Sheba's historical kingdom (disputed between Ethiopia and Yemen); and Shibam, nicknamed the "Manhattan of the Desert." On the other side of the coin, Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the Arab world.
Yemen Map
Continue reading "Yemen: Where Is It and Why Should We Visit?" »
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