Yemen - February 2000

Mountains of fertile arabia

Before I went there, everybody told me Yemen was a beautiful place. I have to confess that the reading of some books on this country did not allowed me to understand this unanimous opinion. Once there, I understood. How could I describe these houses and the villages high up on the most inaccessible peaks and crests? How could I explain these vertical houses with one room per floor and with such a special design? How could I show these mountains located in the only fertile area of the arabic peninsula and which every useable square feet has been transformed into terraces?

The men of this country, opened to the western world only recently, are rugged ones and the weapons they are carrying at their belt don't always stay in their scabbard. As for the women, they always go veiled from the head to the feet. Everybody devotes a large part of his energy to chew qat. All this gives to this place, it's culture and it's architecture a unique character which deserves a travel. As for tourists kidnapping, don't worry, there are not so many (this was a good advice in 2000, not so much today)!