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Sana'a

I never thought I would ever come across a city more beautiful than Hanoi, but this week I did. Sana'a is beyond description. These pictures can't possibly do it justice. And the people are the most amazig people I've come across. They were unbelievably friendly -- even when I told them I was American. One guy reacted badly, making some rather repulsive hand gestures, and storming out of the little coffee house I had my morning brew in, but he was back in a minute or two and I think he was apologizing, but I don't know because he was speaking in Arabic. Everyone, and I mean everyone, else was unbelievably nice. People would walk up to me and say "Where are you from?" I'd tell them and they'd give me thumbs up people all over the world give me when I tell them I'm an American, and they'd say "You are welcome to Sana'a."

But of course, the main attraction is the old city, and it is stunning. Absolutely stunning.

Shops in midafternoon
Shops in midafternoon		 This street, which convienently also serves as a river bed, runs through the old city
This street, which convienently also serves as a river bed, runs through the old city		 Workmen replastering the windows
Workmen replastering the windows		 Wall-walking Yemenis
Wall-walking Yemenis		 Old city at night
Old city at night		 They were shooting a film while I was there. A British/Lebanese production
They were shooting a film while I was there. A British/Lebanese production
Looks like a newer house
Looks like a newer house		 Farm yard outside of mosque
Farm yard outside of mosque		 Same farmyard
Same farmyard		 Kids in a door
Kids in a door		 Qat time
Qat time		 Beetle
Beetle
No idea, but I could guess the Arabic says There is no god but god and Mohammed is his prophet.
No idea, but I could guess the Arabic says "There is no god but god and Mohammed is his prophet."		 The president. His pic is everywhere.
The president. His pic is everywhere.		 I was swarmed by kids one day
I was swarmed by kids one day		 This is about a quarter of them.
This is about a quarter of them.		 Yellow
Yellow		 The women are covered, but these movies play at the cinema
The women are covered, but these movies play at the cinema
Where I drank my coffee every day. Note the women in black balancing bread on their heads
Where I drank my coffee every day. Note the women in black balancing bread on their heads		 Pink
Pink		 ???
???		 Rainy day by the Bab al Yemen
Rainy day by the Bab al Yemen		 The big mosque on the Wadi street
The big mosque on the Wadi street		 Out my hotel window, sneaking pics of women
Out my hotel window, sneaking pics of women
Children shout at you from the windows: sura sura Arabic for picture picture.
Children shout at you from the windows: "sura sura" Arabic for "picture picture."		 Big mosque outside the old city
Big mosque outside the old city		 The National Cinema
The National Cinema		 The film is called A New Day for Old Sana'a
The film is called "A New Day for Old Sana'a"		 From the roof of my second hotel
From the roof of my second hotel		 I can't help sneaking pics of women
I can't help sneaking pics of women
Abby: Felix didn't die: he moved to Sana'a and opened a hotel!
Abby: Felix didn't die: he moved to Sana'a and opened a hotel!		 Palatial
Palatial		 A little color
A little color		 The dopiest tourist shot in the history of dopey tourist shots
The dopiest tourist shot in the history of dopey tourist shots		 Small child in alleyway
Small child in alleyway		 Drying rugs and hung bulbs
Drying rugs and hung bulbs
Goats (and women)
Goats (and women)		 More kids yelling sura sura
More kids yelling "sura sura"		 The school uniform is this vaguely military green
The school uniform is this vaguely military green		 I asked them to pull out their daggers and menace me, which they thought hilarious
I asked them to pull out their daggers and menace me, which they thought hilarious		 Roundabout statuary
Roundabout statuary		 Cemetary
Cemetary
Just outside the wall of the old city. Soon, it'll be redone with brand new cinder block. C'est la vie
Just outside the wall of the old city. Soon, it'll be redone with brand new cinder block. C'est la vie		 Tree, color
Tree, color		 Sura sura!
Sura sura!		 The wadi street at night.
The wadi street at night.		 Souq at night
Souq at night		 Spice souq at night
Spice souq at night
Mosque at night
Mosque at night		 Me and the guys having a glass o' joe
Me and the guys having a glass o' joe		 Outside the Bab al-Yemen, men selling garments
Outside the Bab al-Yemen, men selling garments		 u41/spoonbender/medium/27079040.P1010255.jpg Camel turning a grain grinder
Camel turning a grain grinder		 Quran dealer, outside the old city's biggest mosque: no infidels allowed
Quran dealer, outside the old city's biggest mosque: no infidels allowed
random souq shot
random souq shot		 This woman had added yellow to her outfit, and it struck me so much I snuck a shot of her
This woman had added yellow to her outfit, and it struck me so much I snuck a shot of her		 Another random souq shot
Another random souq shot		 The one with the scarf was quite keen to be photographed. The one in red less so
The one with the scarf was quite keen to be photographed. The one in red less so		 Abdellah, a shop owner by my hotel. One of the nicest men I've ever met. the bag in his lap is full of qat
Abdellah, a shop owner by my hotel. One of the nicest men I've ever met. the bag in his lap is full of qat		 I was quite taken with my artsy eye, for catching this early morning shot, with the palm tree shadow
I was quite taken with my artsy eye, for catching this early morning shot, with the palm tree shadow
Tobacco seller, across from the curb i sat on every morning drinking coffee. That's a woman coming towards him
Tobacco seller, across from the curb i sat on every morning drinking coffee. That's a woman coming towards him		 The indescribable beauty of old Sana'a
The indescribable beauty of old Sana'a		 Cafe
Cafe		 Dealer in abayas
Dealer in abayas		 The women covered in the colorful ones are ethnic Yemenis; the ones in black are immigrants
The women covered in the colorful ones are ethnic Yemenis; the ones in black are immigrants		 Garbage collector
Garbage collector
The Bab al Yemen (the gate of yemen)
The Bab al Yemen (the gate of yemen)		 New Sana'a
New Sana'a		 Street life
Street life

comment | share
Yemeni Photographer19-Mar-2007 21:59
did you delete my comment about the film and use the name in the title? Not nice!
Mufid A. 10-Sep-2006 08:20
Greeting;
Thank you very much for these beautiful photos; they are really so impressive !!! if I were not a Yemeni, I honestly wouldn’t believe this is Sana’a, but it is. It’s the city I always think of, and imagine my self there, thank you again for sharing your travel with us, and you are welcome to come with me one more time, or any one else interested in visiting Yemen. I am medical student in Fresno, California, and i would like to go to yemen some time during the summer vacation, You’re all welcome to Yemen.
Mufid A.

Rami 29-Aug-2006 12:05
Hi mates,
Yemen is the place to go, it's just need some more publicity and it'll be a major touristy destination.you see the buildings and their design, you'd say "awsome effots out there",really great. By the way, Yemen is supposed to be where the most Arabs' incestors come from.
Ron 08-Feb-2006 00:41
This is one of the most beautiful places, if not the most beautiful, i've ever seen!
Hadiya 23-Jan-2006 20:52
Hello there, I have just come back from a trip to Yemen last week. It was simply beautiful. I miss it there. You must go back and visit Aden, its beaches are simply breath-taking. I have many scenic shots of both Sanaa and Aden if you'd like them. I wouldn't mind posting them here with some commentary.
I am American born but my parents are originally from Yemen. Everytime i go back i learn new things, i love it!
We need more people like you in this world. Thank you for having and open mind and an open heart about Yemen.
Mohmmad H. Al-Hammdani 01-Jan-2006 10:19
hi there,
i appreciate very much youre prais of my country. i am a yemeni student in Virigna and i've been trying my best to represent my rich culture but i do not think a lot of people believe me when i tell them if they visit yemen, they would really like it and they would be warmly welcomed. now i can use your beautiful website to back me up. i thank you very much and i wish you had the time to visit all of yemen, it really amazing.
Joe 01-Dec-2005 05:53
Just wow! its just beautiful
Feras Al-Sindi 08-Nov-2005 05:38
hey! thank you so much for visiting my country I am a 24 yr old yemeni guy lived all my life in NJ USA and its realy nice to hear that my people were nice to you lol oh by the way i wish you took pictures of the new city couse i know that some of the new city sections like Hadda city has some very beautiful villas, high rise buildings, malls, resturants blh blh ... but thanks again i hope you go back again to take more pics.. oh also this link will be saved in my favorites.. smiles!
Sandy Hobby 04-Apr-2004 18:50
Jim, Thank you for sharing your travels on the internet. I did enjoy a mini trip to Yemen this Palm Sunday afternoon via your efforts. I can see why Jeneen is so hot to travel there, very unique. I was surprised by your comments of acceptance of Americans, I would think people would be more reserve. By current events from the area indicasies seem to be the opposite. It's so hard to know the truth from a distance.

Take care of yourself and be careful. Sincerely, Sandy
Marie Tamayo 25-Mar-2004 16:45
Beautiful! It's good to see you.
Marie
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