Arabian Gulf '06

Arabian Gulf - Yemen

Day 3 Sun 19 Feb 2006

Well, there are no two ways about it Sana'a is a noisy place. Last night it was the sound of tooting car horns and children shouting, then it moved on to a cock crowing (yes, in the middle of the night!), and finally a dog barking competition (which lasted some time). Eventually I popped in my ear plugs and drifted off to sleep. Awake a first light, and got a few photos of the sun rising over the jebel to the east of the city, a bit more of a sleep, a quick shower, and then breakfast on the roof of the hotel. Bread, cheese, feta, jam, and some local tea - very nice.

Got my valuables together and handed them in at reception for safe keeping. They counted all the cash, and gave me an itemised receipt - never seen that done before. My taxi to Wadi Dhahr was outside at 9am I negotiated a price ($20), then set off into the chaos that is Sana'a traffic. Some of the drivers are VERY young, I saw one kid who couldn't see over the dashboard.

The rock palace was amazing, got all the way up to the top and got some good photos. On the way back to Sana'a we stopped at a viewing point over Wadi Dhahr - very good, loads more photos. Back to the hotel by 11:30. Lunch was bread and cheese. I'm going into New Sana'a later to try and confirm my next flight.

Sana'a City Gate

Out at 3.30 in the middle of a rain shower, it didn't last long, but it did make walking into the new city dangerous due to the very slippy cobblestones. Failed to find the Qatar Airways office, but did find a local travel agent who confirmed my flight times. Then it was a stagger back into the old city, via the city walls. Found the main gate, and had a chat with some local kids, and then followed my nose into the Souq. Picked up a route that I'd used yesterday, and got back to the hotel by 5pm. Nipped out to one of the hole in the wall shops to buy a razor (I'd forgotten to pack mine), my unkempt look, and shaving mime got me a disposable razor for about 20p!

My shoes have developed a hole - I may have to go shoe shopping in Qatar!

Had supper at the hotel, chicken, rice, salad and some bread - all very nice, and then out for one last night time stroll, I made it all the way through the Souq to the main city gate again, even at gone 9pm the Souq is still very much in full swing. This afternoon there were quite a number of tourists wandering around in groups, but tonight it was just me and the locals.