Our new home and killing a sheep

Marie had sent her feelers out for possible accommodation. This morning we got a phone call from a Yemeni friend of hers (and her French husband) who had a place available. Instead of settling into the nitty-gritty of the rental issue, we went out for lunch … then went to the house where we settled into the 5th floor mafraj (lounge) … he chewed qat (a Class C drug in most countries but a tradition in Yemen) and chatted about nothing and everything.

A few hours later he popped the question (in French) … “Do you think you could live here?” As I hadn’t seen the place, Marie showed me around briefly and said “Yes”. What I didn’t understand was that we could live there for free, if Marie leaves behind her (limited) furnishing at the end of the stay. I think the idea is that we iron out the problems with our brief stay (water, wiring, etc).

As part of moving into a “new” (refurbished) house, our landlords have to kill a sheep as sacrifice and give the meat to the poor in the neighbourhood. “We’ll do it in the garden, or in the bathroom ” his wife said. As it turned out later, he ran out of time due to a business trip and gave donations instead.

Here’s the layout of the place (without lifts):

Level 1: Main Entry with some windowless rooms. Also used as stable in old days?
Level 2: Fodder room (or stable?) and access to communal kitchen in a separate building. Kitchen comes with two barrel ovens (like tandoor) for making the whole range of delicious Yemeni breads.
Level 3: Apartment with foyer, two rooms and a bathroom.
Level 4: Our apartment with foyer, two rooms and a bathroom.
Level 5: Rooms and a bathroom.
Level 6: Mafraj, lounge with view of Old Sanaa.
Rooftop: Typical flat roof with view of Old Sanaa.

And here it is again with pictures.

Level 1: Main Entry with some windowless rooms. Also used as stable in old days?

: L1: Our neighbourhood is Fulayhi Quarter.

: L1: House in the middle is our home.

: L1: The front door … mind you head … but that goes without saying with any old doorway in Yemen.

: L1: Looking out the main door to the street.

: L1: Windowless rooms in entrance way.

: L1: Door leads to back garden, stairs to all other floors.

Level 2: Fodder room (or stable?) and access to communal kitchen in a separate building. Kitchen comes with two barrel ovens (like tandoor) for making the whole range of delicious Yemeni breads.

: L2: Fodder storage or stable?

: L2: Auxiliary kitchen.

: L2: Functional kitchen with new LG fridge, oven, blender and pressure cooker … more than what I have at home!

: L2: Two tandoors; not a toilet and bidet … or toilet and toilet.

: L2: Christening our kettle and stove for a cuppa tea.

: L2: Kitchen window.

Level 3: Apartment with foyer, two rooms and a bathroom.

: L3: Detail above the doorway into the lower apartment.

Level 4: Our apartment with foyer, two rooms and a bathroom.

: L4 (our apartment): Door lock and key to our apartment. You need lessons to work this one out.

: L4 (our apartment): Pull with both hands.

: L4 (our apartment): Marie’s room from entrance way.

: L4 (our apartment): Marie’s room.

: L4 (our apartment): Window in Marie’s room.

: L4 (our apartment): Window in Marie’s room.

: L4 (our apartment): The writing is on the wall!

: L4 (our apartment): My bedroom.

: L4 (our apartment): My bed.

: L4 (our apartment): View from my bed.

: L4 (our apartment): View from my bedroom.

: L4 (our apartment): Our bathroom.

: L4 (our apartment): Alabaster panes in the bathroom illuminated by the light in Marie’s room.

: L4 (our apartment): This seems to be some kind of bathroom drawing-room. Maybe like a hammam.

: L4 (our apartment): Vent from bathroom to apartment.

Level 5: Rooms and a bathroom.

: L5: Bathroom outside of our apartment. We had to used this one while our hot water wasn’t going.

: Stairwell: Alabaster panes for light in the stairwell.

: Stairwell. Big steps, goose steps.

: Stairwell: Stained glass window looking out to the neighbours.

: Stairwell: View of the neighbours through the stained glass window.

: Stairwell: View of the neighbours through the stained glass window. Collage of photo through various parts of the stained glass window.

: L5: One of two non-apartment rooms.

: L5: Terrace.

: L5: Above the door to the mafraj or lounge.

: L6: Mafraj or lounge; literally room with a view.

: L5: Above the mafraj window.

: L5: View from the mafaj (room with a view).

: L5: Remote control for door. Hole in the floor through each floor provides facility for a chain to the door latch on the ground floor. Pull to release latch after you’ve identified your guest by looking out (down) the window.