Yemen?
Yes, Yemen … in the corner of the Arabian peninsula next to the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia and Somalia) … one of few countries on the New Zealand’s government’s “no go” list, ranking up there with Iraq. Makes the previous trips to Beirut and Tehran seem tame right?
The ranking ascribed to Yemen is due the kidnapping risk. There have been tourists kidnapped by tribes and held ransom as bargaining chips for new roads, release of political prisoners etc.
Yemen is known for its traditional architecture and buildings which are built in the most inaccessible place. That’s why I’m here.
And I’m in school because all too often I have fleeting visits to a country and seldom a long stay. School means cheap accommodation; one month in a hostel is similar to one night in a flash hotel elsewhere. And I get to pick up a new language at a reasonable price.
Sana’a
Yemen’s capital Sana’a was supposedly founded by Shem, son of Prophet Nuh PBUH (Noah) after the great flood. It is some 6000 ft above sea level. The medieval old city’s traditional gingerbread buildings are built without lifts. So I had my share of problems coping with the steps at this altitude.
The old city is stunningly beautiful and interesting. I’ll let these few pictures speak for themselves. There will be more pictures in subsequent posts from specific areas around the city and the country.
-
- Outside my school and hostel.
-
- Around Old Sana’a.
-
- Around Old Sana’a.
-
- Around Old Sana’a.
-
- Near Bab Al Yemen, the main city gate.
-
- The new grand mosque in the distance.
-
- Janbiya (dagger) shop.
-
- The Saila is a canal that’s usually dry. It functions as a road normally but takes on water as drainage during downpours.
-
- Man and his donkey.
-
- Women in the old city.
-
- Never too young to hitch a ride.
-
- One of my regular eateries.
-
- Another one of my regular eateries.
-
- Kids at my regular eatery.
-
- Children often run the shops, responsible for receiving inward goods and selling to customers.
-
- A well-stocked local shop.
First Lesson
After attending to essentials like a SIM card and a pillow, I headed out for lunch. But I ran into Mohammad. He suggested that we go to the Bab Al Yemen area today for an additional orientation, and I bought him lunch there.
Back at school, I had my first lesson with Ghailan. I learnt the alphabet, including the different ways it is written depending on whether its location in a word (initial, medial or terminal). And also long vs short vowels.