Trip to surrounding villages

Trip Start Sep 01, 2006

Trip End Nov 01, 2006

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Flag of Yemen Kawkaban, Yemen
Friday, October 20, 2006

When I first arrived to Yemen, I planned to treat it like any other country - spend barely any time in the capital, and then fly out to somewhere remote. However, a few hours in San'a changed that and I just wasn't able to leave. I settled on doing an all day 4wd trip to the areas surrounding San'a and we left at 8am to head to Wadi Dharh, a dried river bed with lots of trees (and qat farms), highlighted by a 5 story "rock palace" built in the 17th century. It was really well restored inside, and from the roof there was a fantastic view of the surrounding valley.

Next we went to Shibam - which had a really cool souq, with a big livestock area, and then to Thulla - really great architecture - and Kawkaban, a pretty city on a hill, looing down on Shibam. I had lunch (despite Ramadan) in the top floor of an old tower house, which was really cool.

I got home around the time people were breaking their fasts (sundown), and head back into the souq a little afterwards. I had seen an art gallery with really, really interesting paintings and decided I wanted to buy 3 of them. I didn't really have any cash and figured I could use a credit card as they had a visa sign. "Sorry, I don't know how to use the machine." the guy said. "Well, when could I come back and use the card?" "I'll know how to use it around 4pm tomorrow." "Is there any way you could find out how to use it before 4pm tomorrow? Because my flight is before then." "Let me think about it. No, sorry, I won't know until 4pm."

hmmm. well, at least as far as Yemen, I'm sure there will be a next time.

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