With the recent developments in Northern Africa and the Middle East, I cannot but feel inspired by the unity and courage that the people of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Bahrain etc. are showing. However, I worry for those that will end up sacrificing their lives in the name of a revolution. Why must revolutions always come at the cost of so many lives? No one will ever know.
I visited Yemen in 2009 and for lack of a better excuse, at the time I was “too busy” to blog or share my images from my experiences with the country and its hospitable people.
So here are some memorable moments from one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, a UNESCO site – Sana’a (pre-demonstrations).
Food for thought: Yemen has been battling water shortages for years. Experts say the capital, Sana’a, could run dry in 14 years. Check out http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6883051.ece
My Yemeni friends and their families were so hospitable! During their lunch breaks they’d meet me somewhere in the city to show me around! Here are some curious boys that greeted me while we explored.
No one can turn down the fragrant smells of Yemeni spices during lunch time. Here’s a man waiting to enter a crowded restaurant.
Most Yemeni women wear black cloaks and veils, better known as balto and bourga’a. I met some expats (women) working in the country and they told me that it was imperative to wear one in order to gain trust from colleagues etc.
The distinct skyline of Old Sana’a which is a UNESCO site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world!
Dates are loved by everyone! You can even have your fortune read through date pits. So don’t just trash them.
Yemeni sweets fresh out of the fryer! I swear everyone had a sweet tooth to the Nth degree! Dentists in the country must make a lot of money!
All sorts of kebabs and the seafood was sooooo fresh from the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea!
What use to be a moat protecting the Old City now is a crowded essential highway for commuters.
Busy market day on the weekends. Yes, this picture only features men.
Have a great week!
P.S. Remember the wise words of MLK: “Injustice anywhere, is a risk for injustice everywhere!”
Filed under: Life, Photography, Quotes, Thoughts, Travel, Yemen, balto, bourga’a, Martin Luther King, photographs by Susan Wong, postaweek2011, revolutions, Sana'a, water shortage in Yemen, where to go in Yemen, Yemen
