48 Hours in Yemen

From Monday 15 to Wednesday 17th of May 2006

I got a rare opportunity to fly to Yemen for 48 hours

The first thing I made when I arrived SANA'A, is to visit the old market ( The old souk ) situated inside the walls that encircle and protect the Old city of Sana'a

The big gate ( Bab El Yemen ) that leads to Sana'a old market

Big place inside the Souk with the Yemenite characteristic old houses, restored and preserved by the Unesco.

Inside the Souk, Some carpets are in display.

A shop who sells the well known daggers called Djambiya

A Yemenite seller of the ( DJambiya ) they hang all he time on their waist as you can see here

His left Cheek is bulging due to the " KAT " he keeps chewing all afternoon

All Yemenites traditionally wear the DJAMBIYA on their waistlines.

The kat is a big tree with leafs that the Yemenite like to chew like others do with the tobacco

Another shop displaying miniatures of typical Yemenite houses

To the left The minaret of the  mosque in  a district called El Rawda, on the right another mosque in old Sana,  Their mosques also their minarets are different.

On our way to visit Dar El Haggar that is a unique old house built entirely on a rock , we stopped to admire this landscape also typical of Yemen constructions.

This is the Chef D'euvre of Sana'a, it is called Dar El Haggar, it is an old house Built completely on a Rock.

Dar El Haggar as seen from different angles.

This is a scene of the surrounding Mountains taken from  the very top of Dar El Haggar

Dar El Haggar is situated outside Sana'a, in a  remote area surrounded by rocky mountains.

Part of the Mountains that form the landscape of many areas in Yemen.

Many villages are surrounded by mountains, SANA'A itself is surrounded  by mountains in all directions

Building houses perched on top of mountains seems to be a Yemenite habit

But you cannot but admire and enjoy the Beauty of the landscapes.

If you have a good look you will notice the beautiful  green color of the rocks on which the houses were built on.

Now we go back to old Sana'a to admire the houses with the windows made with all sorts of beautiful lace designs.

 Before we leave the Yemen lets not forget to buy some Honey, the Yemenite honey is one of the most pure and most expensive of them all a few ounces can cost hundred of Dollars.

Sun set on Sana'a, as we can see huge mountains surrounds it .