Blogs from Sana'a, Yemen, Middle East - page 2

La reine du sabba, elle est nee au Yemen, apres un voyage de visite au roi Salomon, deviendra encinte et son fils serai le premier Yemenite. Cette premier Yemenite, apres des anees sera le premier etiopian et le premier somalian. Une histoire des guerres deja bien connu et une colonialisme turque, anglaise, francaise et italianne sont la vie des fils de Sibis et Salomon. A-jourd’hui les fils somalienes emigrent au pays plus pauvre de l’Assie. Je me demande, si est -ce que le Yemen ne deviendra pas une autre Somalie apres toutes les problemes ecologiques politiques et religieuses. La celebration d’unitee national dans un pays jeune et que envieie malade est une contradictione de la quelle n’est pas possible parler dans la rue. On se demande si quand Sana’a deviendra seche et le transporte d’eau depuis ... read more

Dormir, dormir, il faut dormir... Mais, je suis deja habitue a dormir pas beaucoup depuis que j'habite a Paris. On fait, dormir est mal depenser les temps... Aujourd'hui je suis alle a la part ancienne du Sana'a. En fait, toute Sana'a est tres ancienne. Des gens qui mange qat, des chats, des immeubles extraordinaires, des femmes habilles en noir, des kalasnikovs... J'adore la ville, et demain je commence mon cours d'arabe. En raport a la situation du Yemen maintenant, il faut dire que a Sana'a tout resemble assez secure et les gens sont bien amicales. De' hors, il y a un conflicte entre Yemen du sud et Yemen du nord. Apres la reunification en 1993, Yemen du Nord, gaignent de la guerre, forme la plupart du gouvernement qui donnent preference a ses provinces. Par l'autre cotee, ... read more

A BOB OR TWO. Pleasant day snorkelling with the divers from Crowne Plaza. Two young German children who were absolutely delightful -willing chatty and friendly. We went by Mirbat -yet again, then off road to beautiful Eagle Cove. There were stingrays, turtles and the usual tropical fish. Relaxing sitting under the shelter the fishermen had built. I had arranged for Hafiz who I met last night to help me load the photos on to the blog. As I walked out of the hotel a smart Lexus slowly drove towards me in the dark. The occupants turned out to be Hafiz and a friend who took me to his office to sort things out on his computer. We managed to put some on after much trouble in reducing the size. I was embarrassed to be taking ... read more

Bombing of US Navy vessels, kidnappings of foreign tourists, tribal warfare including car bombings. This genre of headline had a lot of people asking, "why the hell are you going to Yemen?" I initially put these enquiries down to western ignorance to the everyday reality of this corner of the world. When residents of other Arab nations we have visited asked the same question, I'll have to confess some lingering doubts concerning the wisdom of visiting this country. "So answer the question Yeatesy, why did you go to Yemen?" Glad you asked but I'm not quite sure. Maybe I should simply quote Mallory, "Because it's there?" The question mark indicating there wasn't a lot of conviciton in that reply. Photographically it looked amazing, the Old city of its capital Sana'a is a World Heritage site, it ... read more

I have been the Fulla, the local Barbie doll, of my yemeni friends lately, that liked to see me getting dressed in yemeni , or arabic clothes just for the fun of it. I wish I could put pictures of some of the wonderful women I met here in Sana'a but it's been impossible to have their permission or their husbands for that matter. IMPOSSIBLE! Even for the henna session, I tried to take a picture of Sabah doing it on me, at least her hands, and she said he husband wouldn't allow it. Out of respect I didn't even try to sneak my camera into one of the room, celebration or hammam (though would have been fun to do so). I guess you'll have to content yourself with me. Gotta admit it is the ... read more