Burj al Salam Sanaa

... meeting, they dress in an open way to show their beauty. Because this is a chance for the single girls to promote themselves in the public in order to find a good husband. For the married ladies, this is the chance for them to find the wife for their son or brother.

When I'm in Sana'a, I feel I'm back into the history. Time returns to long long ago......

... 75 cents). Then it was into the old city souq to do some last-hour shopping before heading to the airport. First I went to the top of Bab al-Yemen and had a nice view from atop the city wall to the hubbub at street level. Again I was snapping away. Then I met a friendly teenager who offered to take me to the "goat coat" shop that I read about, but we ended up at a place selling sheepskin coats instead. They were some of the ugliest articles of clothing ...

... was quite a coincidence to meet a couple of guys that were pictured on a post card that I was carrying in my backpack. They both seemed very nice, but a minute later my guide from the previous day stepped forward and asked me to pay him more than what I had already given him (R3000) the day before. I refused. I had a bad feeling when he had told me "just pay whatever you like" the night before the hike. I told him ...

... stopped right in front of me. He reached into his jacket and pulled something out to give me. It was a pamphlet that explained in English why I should convert to Islam. He smiled and sped off, leaving me to think this missionaries in Yemen were similar to those in America, only evangelizing different faiths. I had to get photocopies of the travel permits issued by the police on the previous afternoon, but not many places were open at 8 am. I got them done at the ...

... this style of dress wasn't for my benefit, to the contrary, many Yemenis (men and women) continue to dress traditionally. Sorry ladies, most women here are clad head-to-toe in black outfits that reveal little more than eyes and henna-stained hands. Before heading out, we first had to go to the Ministry of Tourism to register our intended route and to secure necessary permits. A little odd, but Yemen is different. This ...

... have been back here for almost a month and I am happy to report that I am already benefiting from the fruits of my labor. It's quite rewarding. One of the great things about the institute where I am studying is that they organize weekend trips outside of the city. Last weekend, we went on a particularly fantastic trip to a couple of villages north of Sana'a called Manakha and al-Hajjarah. The trip was only a 2-day trip, but it was the best trip I ...

I've just arrived back after spending two days up in the Heraz mountains, which are about three hours away by car from Sanaa. I had spent a pleasant day in Sanaa catching up on sleep on Tuesday, and also squared away a few things like confirming my Cairo flight and obtaining a 'tasreeh' or travel permit (required whenever you leave Sanaa) for the Heraz. I had a terrific traditional Yemeni dinner with Ursula, which consisted of fresh, barbecued fish, spicy ...

... real visit there. I took the bus up and stayed with my friend T who used to be one of my roommates here in Aden. I found exactly what I needed in Sana'a: real Western-style coffee shops complete with grande lattes, comfy couches, cream-colored wall paper, ambient lighting, and jazz music playing at just the right volume. There were also nice restaurants with thin crust pizza, crushed red peppers, hardwood tables and ...

... in the mountains above Sanaa. Words can't describe the beauty of these rugged, lush outcrops of rock, dotted here and there with ancient abandoned villages and houses. The views over Sanaa were stunning too, though Ursula mentioned that twenty years ago, most of the urban sprawl that is cropping up daily outside the wonderful Old City was not there. We had an amazing dinner - a wonderful Yemeni dish that is basically a massive pancake that is ...