Aden - living it up and letting the hair down...
Trip Start
Oct 13, 2005
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15
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Trip End
Dec 22, 2006
Aden,
Yemen
Sunday, May 14, 2006
A couple of weeks back a few of the guys and I went on an overnight trip down to Aden, a coastal city on Yemen's south-west tip. Accompanying me were Evan, Aaron, Gary (all three American), and Alex (Malaysian). Now Aden, a former British protectorate and just a short boat trip from the horn of Africa, is a totally different place from the north, with an element of Christianity tempering the conservatism that characterises the devoutly Muslim north, particularly Sana'a. Alcohol, for instance, is easy to come across and there exists as many as two nightclubs!
We left Sana'a in late afternoon in a taxi that drove us the full seven hour journey for the sum of about $10 each. To pass the time we stopped en-route to pick up some qat - travelling and chewing for some reason go together really well
double cheek
. By the time we reached Aden I had a nice double cheek going but was relieved at the opportunity to spit it out. We arrived at about 11pm, dumped our bags at a hotel then headed for our most-anticipated destination: 'The Sailors Club'.Though in England such a name would be the exclusive domain of the country's gay-bar districts, The Sailors Club was a most heterosexual affair, not to mention delightfully tacky and a touch seedy. It was actually a beautiful location, right on the sea shore with the waves lapping up against the balcony upon which we sat. It was mostly open-air, with just the bar and the stage covered by a roof. The entertainment consisted of female dancers and singers (possibly Jordanian), one of whom was unbelievably beautiful, and I could barely avert my gaze all evening. Plus, just seeing an Arab woman not covered up literally to her eyeballs might also explain my adolescent transfixion.
The seedier element came in the form of the loitering prostitutes who desperately tried all evening to catch our attention, but whose gazes we successfully avoided. Indeed, such was the club's 'haram' (sinful) nature we were prohibited from using our cameras, which was a damned shame given the photo opportunities. As the wee small hours rolled by and the night's entertainment drew to a close, I realised I was a tad drunk from the beer I'd been enthusiastically knocking back as if I'd discovered it for the first time
hotel view
. We retired to the hotel where sleep was thankfully forthcoming. The following morning I awoke with the slight gnawing of a hangover - such an alien feeling in Yemen. However, after a spot of breakfast we headed for the beach which I knew, in the obvious absence of fried bacon, would provide us an alternative hangover cure. Upon reaching the beach we opted for the private section as it was more secluded and thus allowed us to bare our sinful white flesh without enduring the wrathful gaze of the locals. The beach was a picture, with palm trees casting shadows on the hot white sands and the sun glistening on the calm blue waters. The sea itself was a perfect temperature - not too hot, not too cold - and we were able to just swim or stand about in the water for a few hours without wanting to get out.
After we'd soaked up most of the day's sun we headed to the final destination of our trip: a renowned Chinese restaurant that serves a ten course fish meal. When in Aden it is paramount that you feast on fish, as it is as fresh as it comes in Yemen and it is the speciality of all restaurants. The food did not disappoint, though at almost $20 each it was easily the most expensive meal I have had or will likely ever have in Yemen. It was worth it though, and I recommend it to anyone passing through Aden.
Anyway, that about wraps up proceedings in Aden. Aaron, Evan and I (just about the only folk left at the school these days) may head west to Hodeida and Zabeed next weekend, so I'll probably write after that if it happens.
Bye for now,
Tom
