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Published: January 27th 2009
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Faces of Yemen
While the city may first give a closed off impression, a simple smile and hello goes a long way here. At this point in time, I have been living in the Middle East for around a year and a half. After some consideration, a good friend and I decided that it was time to see more of the traditional side of the region. Yes, Dubai is in the Middle East, but no, it does not accurately reflect what the culture of the area is. As for Yemen, there is nothing but traditional culture. First and foremost, I think it is important to mention that Sanaa, the capitol city of Yemen, was very safe and the people were very pleasant. Traveling north there were some security requirements, but that will be explained in the next entry.
This overall trip was just about 2 weeks long. Within this time, many adventures took place that had me meet new people, see amazing places and at put me in a totally new environment. For those who may consider traveling to Yemen, there are a lot of great points, and as long as you plan correctly, it can be a fantastic trip! Be aware though, I went through not seeing a Western restaurant, sleeping in a shack on the beach that was not as good
A city with feeling
Looking over Sanaa was an experiance itself. as a tent, getting used to being around people with knives and AK-47's, rarely seeing silverware, learning that negotiations here require eye contact with a solid poker face as well as many other new experiences. For those who are okay with roughing it and prefer an adventurous vacation, Yemen just may be the place for you.
As for Sanaa, I spent the first 3 days of my trip here and my last day. I went ahead and combined all the days’ pictures into this blog to hopefully give it justice. Walking through Sanaa was a great time in and of itself. One must realize that the entire old town is a UN dedicated historical city. The majority of the buildings range from 200-400 years old. This city has been an important location since the Sabaean era in the 6th century BC. Thus, this area has been lived in for over 2500 years, and has been a major city for the Himyariate Kingdom, Ethiopian viceroys, the Persian Empire after 570 AD, the Caliphate era, then under the Mamelukes around 1550's, then a capitol under the Ottoman empire in the 1800's, and after some recent nation border issues, is now the
The local atire
While every male carried a knife like this, keep in mind they are pretty much for style. capital city of the country. Thus, this city has been a major piece of history in the region for quite some time.
As an American, I was a bit on guard on my first day around the city. Many people were eager to talk to me though ask where I was from and engage in conversation. In a short matter of time, I got used to being greeted in a friendly way, and I began to feel at ease in the city. The old city of course was designed well before cars were a consideration, so meandering through the city meant seeing something new at every new corner. With this, the houses and buildings were stunning. In a weak comparison, walking through a theme park you somewhat feel like you are somewhere new or maybe back in time. In Sanaa, this was pretty much the real deal, or as close as you can get. I was very impressed by the preservation of culture and customs. Adding to this how friendly most of the people were, taking walks was how I spent most of my free time in the city (when not working on my Master's).
Within this time,
Late in the evening
This is probably the closest I will ever get to traveling back in time. I came to learn some aspects of Sanaa and Yemen. First, everyone loves their Qat. Qat is bigger here then beer is in America. Qat is a leaf that is harvested from trees in this area. When people chew a large amount of it, you can develop a 'disoriented' feeling. I would compare it to being buzzed from beer after chewing a few leaves. This tree is grown just about everywhere. The people selling Qat are just about everywhere. People chewing Qat are ...well, I think the point is coming across. Second, the markets here are quite neat. There are mostly traditional goods, but you can find stuff made in China as well. Third, driving in Yemen is only for the brave of heart and quick to honk. You will hear cars honking, all the time. I'm not kidding, 1 out of every 5 cars had their horn worn out, but still trying to use them. Children also grow up pretty fast here. Many times I saw very young children, even at the age of 3-4, on their own playing where ever they want. Usually I can see children around the age of 7 working pretty hard selling goods in
Sanaa in full daylight
Being surrounded in this view helps to inspire the Sanaa feeling. the market. Perhaps most important, even three guys at night carrying knives and packing guns can be very open to a pleasant conversation and happy to provide directions. After a day or two, the weapons do begin to feel like decoration, well, at least until the AK's get brought in.
Overall, having an open mind, a flexible attitude and the willingness to take a moment to be polite, Sanaa can be a place for a really enjoyable time.
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alelie
non-member comment
another look alike?
hey gypsy teacher, you almost look like your hotel host for not smiling eh....peace ;-)