Notes on the Geography of Yemen: VillageNot even 10 miles northeast of Sana'a--just before the checkpoint that puts an abrupt end to casual wandering--there's a side valley with water and people. Make default image size larger ![]() We've climbed a hill overlooking the valley. Water pipes run hither and yon. ![]() We've looking down on... well, what? A black square rimmed by a low wall, an entrance, and an opposing bump. It's not a construction site. Ideas? ![]() Do thse graves help? ![]() Fancier ones. ![]() The perfect mosque, though hard on the knees. The mihrab or prayer niche points north to Mecca. The austerity doesn't leave a lot of room for creeping polytheism. ![]() How green was this place before modern pumping? Good question. No ready answer. Slaves might have drawn water from shallow wells. ![]() Qat, the local equivalent of caffeine-loaded chewing gum. ![]() Passersby. ![]() Always curious. ![]() An abandoned fortress, although a couple of men sit in its shade. ![]() So many questions, so few answers, but this is the entrance to the same fortress. ![]() Construction techniques include the true arch. ![]() Looking up at the underside of an interior staircase. ![]() Don't be shy. ![]() The view from the top. ![]() Your guide and host. |
* Argentina * Australia * Austria * Bangladesh * Belgium * Botswana * Brazil * Burma / Myanmar * Cambodia (Angkor) * Canada (B.C.) * China * The Czech Republic * Egypt * Fiji * France * Germany * Ghana * Greece * Guyana * Hungary * India: Themes * Northern India * Peninsular India * Indonesia * Israel * Italy * Japan * Jerusalem * Jordan * Kenya * Laos * Kosovo * Malawi * Malaysia * Mauritius * Mexico * Micronesia (Pohnpei) * Morocco * Mozambique * Namibia * The Netherlands * New Zealand * Nigeria * Norway * Oman * Pakistan * Peru * The Philippines * Poland * Portugal * Romania (Transylvania) * Senegal * Singapore * South Africa * South Korea * Spain * Sri Lanka * Sudan * Syria (Aleppo) * Tanzania * Thailand * Trinidad * Turkey (Istanbul) * Uganda * The U.A.E. (Dubai) * The United Kingdom * The Eastern United States * The Western United States * Oklahoma * Uruguay * Uzbekistan * Vietnam * The West Bank * Yemen * Zambia * Zimbabwe *