Mussin' about Mukalla

While it may come as a shock to some, travelling isn'talways the adventure a minute thrill ride chock-full of delightfully exotic experiences that utterly change your perception of the world and it's workings. Actually, even the most far-flung locations can be downright boring. In eastern Yemen, the isolated capital city of Hadramaut governate, al-Mukalla, sees very few tourists. And frankly, i'm not surprised.

Occupying a not to unattractive stretch of shoreline along Yemen's southern coast, the city of al-Mukalla dates back to the 8th century. But this is not an historic city in relation to other places in Yemen. Al-Mukalla lacks any of the significant players to make much of a ripple in the chronicles of a regions with an overabundance of magnificent ancient sites. Instead, al-Mukalla was looking to the future. Being one of Yemen's most important ports, and fastest growing cities, the place was seen as an excellent opportunity to base ventures in the business savvy area. And when compared to nearby cities, al-Mukalla is a very liberal place (relative term). This made it all the more attractive to merchants. But recent troubles in Yemen have all but cut of al-Mukalla from any land routes. To the west, neighbouring governates of Shabwa and Abyan see extremely heavy, daily fighting between southern separatists and government forces. To the east, tribal warfare and border disputes rage in al-Mahrah governate. Development hasn't completely stopped, but it continues at an elderly snail's pace.

There isn't much for tourists to do here. However, the town's seaside cornish and riverside promenade do offer some mild entertainment. That is once the brutally hot sun finally sets. The city's old town doesn't really offer much. And in a country without significant museums, al-Mukalla's museums can certainly be skipped.

For the average traveller, getting here simply is not worth the effort. Permits will not be given for overland travel to the west. And getting permits to travel north to Seiyun or Shibam can be a struggle to secure. If you do manage to get a permit, shared taxis go for about 1,500 YR/seat (buses were unwilling to take me) The airport is 40 kms out of town (taxi 2,000 YR) There are no direct flights to Seiyun, with only 1 weekly FelixAirways flight to Aden. The only real use of the airport is either to the country's capital, San'a, or the tourist capital of the island of Socotra.

I usually say "only boring people get bored". But sometimes places are just boring. Al-Mukalla is not a bad place. On the contrary, the cornish is kind of nice, the scenery is pretty-ish and the feeling is rather laid-back. However, the place simply does not reward the effort required to get here.

Da'wan and Only

Carving up the Yemeni landscape like a blind, drunken butcher are countless ancient, dried up riverbeds called 'Wadis'. Similar to places like the Grand Canyon in the US (although not as dramatic), these wadis are one of the primary geological features in Yemen. One of the tributaries of Wadi Hadramaut in eastern Yemen is starting to get a fair bit of attention from travellers. It is the rather scenic Wadi Da'wan.

In a country starving for water and arable land, the fertile soils of the old rivers plus the access to underground water supplies mean that the wadis are shockingly green in a largely desert-like region. And where there's water and farming, there's people. Although hardly what you might call densely population, Wadi Da'wan seems to cram in more villages than the surrounding canyons. The tiny towns cling to the sides of the canyon walls like an architectural wallpaper. Life here is simpler than simple. Few cars, little to no electricity and trips to the well are all part of the slow paced life of the village folk.

The first town you come across in Wadi Da'wan itself, is al-Hajarin. Touted by some as the oldest village in Yemen, it is likely the most picturesque village in the valley. With no city planning, the jumbled mix of intersecting alleyways make for a 'surprise a minute' stroll. While there are no particular sites of interest, every corner reveals a new subtle little moment of life. A boy and donkey bringing goods to market, a child playing with dirt, men sitting on a stoop hoping something exciting walks by and countless other snippets of life await those able to clamber up the inclined village. But the state of the tourism industry, or lack thereof, becomes apparent as honey vendors will literally chase you down the mountain hoping for what must be his first sale in months. Other villages in the wadi are much the same, or should i say exactly the same. It gets to the point of, "once you've seen one, you've seen them all". I was actually looking forward to getting back to the hotel at the end of the day.

While the villages are nice to wander, i preferred another of the area's attractions. The valley is littered with countless little forts, castles and palaces. All of which have seen better days. But for me, i actually favoured the current state of re-absortion as the largely mud structures return to the Earth that originally gave them life. None are particularly ornate, nor are the feats of tremendous engineering, but many are highly photogenic and fun to climb on. And since all travellers have to use private transport (more on this later), there is freedom to stop off where ever you so desire. But, sadly, even these cool wilting flowers weren't really enough for me to get excited about the trip overall. As a matter of fact, i don't even believe the trip outweighs the cost of hiring the private car and driver for the day.

Since a series of attacks on foreigners, including a fatal ambush on a Belgian convoy, you will need to tell the police in Seiyun that you intend to go to Wadi Da'wan. There have been times that tourists have not been allowed to go (especially independent tourists). If permission is given, you will need a police escort with a private car and driver. I was unable to get a lower price the 10,000 YR for the day, which i know from living and travelling in Yemen is twice what it should be. But even that was negotiated down from 25,000 YR. It is unusual in Yemen for locals to try to fleece unsuspecting tourist. A sign of the horrible effects tourism has had on the area (unlike the majority of the rest of the country)

Wadi Da'wan is pretty, but i wouldn't call it spectacular. The villages are cute, however i certainly wouldn't use the word amazing. Perhaps it was the repetitive nature of the trip. Maybe it was the ridiculous cost. But this was not one of my favourite places in Yemen. One saving grace, however, was that people seemed to be nicer, more laid-back and approachable, certainly when compared to locals in Seiyun, Tarim or Shibam. I guess by the time i got to the old towns, i was a bit "old town"ed out. While i don't regret my choice to go, i have no need to rave about it, or even recommend it to others. That said, if in the area, you'll definitely find yourself looking for things to do to kill time. For that, Wadi Da'wan serves it purpose. Several tour groups even choose to stay in the Wadi on the way south to al-Mukalla. This would help break up the trip. And perhaps, that is how the area is best seen, in transit.

Shi-BLAM

I'm always looking for something different, somethingwhere you think "Oh, i've never seen that before". While visiting temples in Asia is nice, it gets rather repetitive. Same goes for churches in Europe or mausoleums in Central Asia. Since i was living in Yemen, something touted as the "Manhattan of the Desert" or "Skyscrapers in the Sand" or whatever other cool moniker sounded way too cool to pass up. Finally something unique. So off i headed in search of the land called Shibam.

Throughout human history, mankind has time and again managed to

accomplish great feats of architecture. At times, using sheer brute force like the Pyramids of Giza or the Great Wall of China. These landmarks, as iconic as they are, were sure bets, architecturally speaking, as long as there were slaves for labour and resources to build it. But in the dry riverbed of Wadi Hadramaut, in Eastern Yemen, locals took on a task of sheer experimentation. 2,500 years ago, when the vast majority of homes in the world were a mere single storey, the people of Shibam set their sights skyward. Using only the mud and dirt available to them from the desertified ground, a skyscraper city took shape. Not a place for kings or emperors (although it did serve as a capital for a while) the 7 - 8 storey tower blocks were the dwellings of merchants, homes for the common people. As a matter of fact, they managed to squeeze in some 500 dwellings into a walled city about 900 m2.

The image of these commanding structures has drawn in tourist for ages.

It is one of the absolute highlights of Yemen, and even the Arabian peninsula as a whole, being inscribed into the UNESCO Heritage list as early as 1982. This eruption of architecture, as if from nowhere, could have easily been a cash cow for the Yemeni tourism industry as travellers would undoubtedly turn up in droves to meander through the labyrinth of streets, and waiting for the popular sunset photo from the viewpoint over the city. While Yemen's instability has always been a slight deterrent, it was a single event in March 2009, killing 4 South Korean tourists, that absolutely decimated any hopes of a healthy tourism industry here. Heavily armed escorts for all tourists are now the norm (and pretty much obligatory). Permits and permissions are all part of a rather bureaucratic visit here. The sunset viewpoint is even fenced off for the exclusive use of foreigners. Even still, none of these measures can guarantee one iota of actual security. Hence the reason, very few make it out here.

So, i guess the question is, "Is all the effort and 'danger' worth it?"

To be honest, i'm not really sure. Certainly the overall view of the city from the view point is pretty, as well as unique, bordering on magical. But they (the guards) don't let you go high enough to get the angle that's shown on all the tourist brochures. Not a big deal, i suppose. But the thing is once your inside the city, it's really no different than every other old town in the country. On any given street in Shibam, you could mistaking think yourself in San'a or Ibb or Zabid. The buildings themselves are very un-ornate (they are made of mud after all). But on top of this, the streets are absolutely dead until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. And i don't mean 'kind of quiet', i mean you could very well not see another person except for your escort. The shops are closed. There's no market. And there are no interesting locals to try to sneak photos of. Then just as the town finally awakes from it's slumber, you rush up to the view point to get the sunset picture then are whisked away as foreigners aren't supposed to travel at night.

It's probably my fault. I guess i had set my expectations so unrealistically

high that there was no way Shibam (or anywhere) could have lived up to them. And while i walked away with an overall underwhelmed feeling, i still think that any tourist willing to overlook the overcautious travel advisories for Yemen should most definitely see Shibam. Once the people finally came out in the afternoon, they were as nice as anyone would be expected to be, considering you're walking around with some dude with an AK47. The kids, which most travellers dismiss as "annoying", simply want a photo (they are saying 'soora'). Once you take a pic, they happily leave you alone. As for timing, you won't need more than a hour (and even that's stretching it) to wander the streets. Maybe 30 minutes for tea, watching the locals argue over backgammon (the way they've done for thousands of years). Then 30 minutes to watch the sunset. It's certainly not a full day trip although it works well with a half-day to the cultural city of Tarim.

There are few options when it comes to transport to Shibam. Pretty much everything comes from/goes to the local 'capital' of Seiyun (where the regional airport is). Overland travel between Seiyun/Shiban and San'a was completely off limits to foreigners at the time of writing. Even travel south to al-Mukalla seemed abnormal and not typically granted to independant travellers.

From Seiyun to Shibam frequent shared taxi do the trip (less than an hour). Mini-buses do the same trip for the same cost (a few hundred Rials). A private taxi, there and back with waiting time, should be more than 2,000-3,000 YR. There is no reason to stay in town, unless opting for the super expensive al-Hawta Palace Hotel. There is a ticket booth at the main gate of the old city where someone may or may not be selling tickets for 500 YR.

Even with all it's security problems and logistical complications, Shibam still manages to bring in the tourists. I was quite surprised to see the number of western faces around, and down right shocked to see large groups of older travellers. But one thing is for sure, Shibam is more about the forest than the trees. It is a true testament to local engineering that each building has stood for as long as they have, but it is the overall image of a Skyscraper village from the desert floor that is the attraction.

Tiresome Tarim

At times, travellers will find themselves partaking in an activity or visiting a town not so much for personal interest, but as a means to fill in some time. While in Eastern Yemen, i found myself doing just that. Even with priorities set on other attractions in the region, i still found myself with a lot of time to kill. The town of Tarim didn't really sound too exciting, but i have been surprised by places in the past. Figuring i wouldn't be in the region again, i opted to check the place out.

If relying on CNN or BBC as a travel information source, the region

around Tarim (Wadi Hadramaut) will be better known as the most religiously conservative part of Yemen, ancestral home of the Bin Laden family and hiding place of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). While some of this may have a base of truth, a visit to Tarim will perhaps shed a different light. Tarim has, for centuries been a major centre of Islamic learning. It is easily the cultural and educational heart of the region, and even into the extended Muslim world. There are more mosques here than goats (not an actual figure). The Madresses (Islamic schools) are not populated with Jihadist hell bent on the destruction of the Western world, but instead by a shockingly multi-national population simply wishing to further their studies. Hadrami merchants remained extraordinarily successful until the 20th century. Returning to their spiritual homeland to create elaborate palaces as a testament to their overseas conquests.

However, for your average tourist, all this doesn't really amount to much. All mosques are closed to non-Muslims and many rest behind large walls blocking outside views. The palaces are much the same. And if not for the psychedelic neon paint jobs, they would hardly stand out against the towering cliffs. And obviously sitting in on a class is out of the question. Instead, a travellers will be led to the main attraction of the city. The 40 meter minaret of the al-Muhdar mosque (the tallest in the country) as depicted on the 500 YR note. The main library in town is open to the public, boasting some 5,000 manuscripts. But the vast majority of them are hidden away, and while some are beautifully displayed (no English label), the place is of little interest to travellers.

Getting to Tarim from Seiyun is easy enough. Mini buses leave in each direction with relative frequency for only a couple hundred Rials each way. There are also shared taxis for the same cost. For more comfort, a private taxi there and back plus waiting time shouldn't cost more than 2,000-3,000 Rials. Remember, you will have to take a military escort anywhere outside your hotel.

For me, the actually highlight of the trip was not the city itself,

but it was the journey there. Littering the desert floor are numerous extremely photogenic little castles and forts and such. Each slowly melting away, back into the sand which originally gave them life. As for Tarim, it is most certainly not the main draw of the country, or even the region. And it's definitely not a reason to come halfway around the world. For an outsider, Tarim is actually of very little interest other than taking a picture of a tall minaret. Instead, the heart and soul of Tarim is hidden away behind closed mosque doors and tall walls. It is a place only for the eyes of the faithful, not for the lens of a tourist's camera. But, even still, it makes for a time-filling morning trip while waiting for the sunset photo at nearby Shibam.

Seiyun... Say me.

For the audacious traveller still willing to brave Yemen's wild wild East,one particular staging post is pretty much unavoidable. With overland transport impossible between the capital, San'a, and the eastern governates, one of the few (and certainly the most popular) ways in or out of the region is through the city of Seiyun. While most may use the city merely as a staging point for more interesting sites in the area, the town does have a few things to occupy an afternoon.

The dusty town of Seiyun lies right smack dap in the middle of Wadi (dry riverbed) Hadramaut, pretty much in the middle of Hadramaut Governate (they aren't too original with names in these parts). Hadramaut, particularly the region around Seiyun, is ancestral home to a number of exceptionally powerful families (including the Bin Laden family). Many of whom have each made a mark on the business world even today. The towns and villages through the Wadi have benefited greatly from the plentiful bounty brought back from overseas business conquests. Massive palaces and fort litter the area. But recent times haven't been so kind to the region or Seiyun. Tourism, a one time major source of income, has not only dried up, but has withered up into a reeking rotting corpse. But life goes on, and the locals are making the best of it.

Arriving into town, it's impossible to miss the town's star attraction (it's even featured in the 1,ooo Rial note). The 19th century Sultan's Palace, shots up out of the wadi floor in all it's dramatic wedding cake glory. Originally built as a fortress, the whole place was retrofitted in the 1920s for Sultan Al-Katheri. The nearly 100 room palace has now been downgraded to the status of museum. In a country not known for great museums, this one has to rank near top by default. The YR500 entry fee gives access to multiple floors with displays ranging from bronze statues to elaborate doors to somewhat lackadaisical exhibits to old photos of the region (again Yemen isn't so famous for it's museums). But the views over the city are pretty, especially through the ornate window shutters. Even if museums aren't your thing, you will end up here, as this is where you first meet up with the tourist police.

The area has long been known for a few of it's "problematic" local residents. In March 2009, at a viewpoint overlooking the UNESCO site of Shibam, a suicide bomber drastically changed tourism in the region. The attack, killing 4 South Korean tourists and their guides, shattered the already fragile tourism industry. Nowadays, any and all tourists to the region MUST be accompanied at all times by a heavily armed member of the tourist police. There is no escaping this. Your hotel has strict orders not to let you leave the premises until they get an OK from the police. More often than not they will send a guard to the hotel to escort you to wherever it is you want to go, even is it's to by a bottle of water. At the very least you will be given orders to report into the police office which is located just inside the palace gates. When there, they will ask your plans. Travel to nearby Shibam or Tarim is usually fine (escorted of course) whereas trips further afield to Wadi Da'wan or overland to al-Mukalla will at times be denied. You can most certainly forget about any travel through nearby Ma'rib, Shabwa or Abyan governates.

It is of upmost importance not to pay or tip the guard. The colonel of the tourist police in San'a is doing his best to prevent guards from taking advantage of an unfortunate situation. General policy seems to be that it's fine o pay for lunch on a full day excursion, but DO NOT pay the guard.

In general, the guards do their best to be as unobtrusive as possible. But it's hard to make any connection with local people when an uniformed man stroking his AK-47 is standing right behind you. People tend o keep their distance. I only hope that it is because of the guard as this coldness is certainly not the Yemeni warmth and hospitality i have come to know and love while living here. But the hallmarks of tourism still linger. Here, more than almost anywhere else in the country (San'a and Socotra aside) there is a sense of trying to "cheat" the tourist. Vendors will give you a quick look over before telling you a price. If you look rich, the price is much higher. This doesn't usually happen in the rest of the country. But all these troubles can easily be left behind by the underrated old city which lies in the back streets of the palace. There are no cars, no vendors, no worries. In fact, there's pretty much no one around mid-day when the entire neighbourhood turns into a ghost town. Even still, it's picturesque and rather romantic if not for the soldier with the machine gun following you around.

Unless hoping for a higher end hotel, there is little reason to leave the palace area. With a number of hotel choices (all budget range), most of the restaurants and nearly all of the sites, you are unlikely to need to go to the 'burbs. The one exception might be to the old police station (built like a mini-castle) with excellent views of the city and Wadi. Flying in and out of town is painless enough with Felix, not Yemenia, offering daily (sometimes 2) flights to San'a with the occasional flight to Aden. There are no direct flights to al-Mukalla. Land transport is another issue. Shared taxis (Peugeots) aren't used to seeing independent travellers, and even with a permit it took a while before they would take us to al-Mukalla (first they had to find someone who could read). Buses refused to take me. Maybe i smelled bad?

With a history of violent attacks and the thought of needing a military escort may deter some, there is little question that Wadi Hadramaut remains one of the highlights of Yemen. Although the town of Seiyun may not be the region's main draw, it acts like an excellent base to explore the region.

News from the Old City

More often than not, capital cities are like a show piece for it's country. History, architecture, culture, nightlife or whatever standard of classification seem to shine brightest in the capitals. Who can think of France without Paris immediately popping to mind? Japan without Tokyo? I think not. Yemen is no exception to this rule. San'a might fall behind some in rocking night spots or glimmering museums, but it more than makes up for it with arguably the best "old city" in the world.

Touted as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, the

history of San'a dates back to a time before time existed. Some have even said that it was the grandson of Noah (of Ark fame) that was the founder. Kings, viceroys, imams and presidents have all used the city as the seat of power. In a country with a history of invading armies and internal strife, San'a has managed to offer relative peace and security for those who call it home (notice the use of the term "relative peace"). Although the city has never been a major world player, and it's capital to the poorest country on the Arabian peninsula (by far), San'a glows with a emerging new city and a magnificently magnificent Old City.

I've been on the road for some time now. And i have been lucky enough to see a disproportionate number of amazing places. I rarely like to give a

definitive #1 to any place in any sort of travel category. That said, i can comfortably say that the Old City of San'a has skyrocketed to the top couple of my favourite Old Cities in the world. Unlike the old city in Baku Azerbaijan, the streets of old San'a are alive. A busting market fills the streets with the sights, sound and smells of real life, as opposed to the tourist tat found in Tunis, Tunisia. Whereas Khiva Uzbekistan is a remodelled museum city, you would struggle to find anything Disney-fication inside San'as' fortified old town. OK, to be honest, wandering the maze of interconnecting side alleyways, back lanes and streets there is little to uniquely identify the place as San'a. It isn't until you reach a clearing or perhaps a communal garden or best of all a rooftop perch that the true splendour that is San'a is revealed. Known for it's cupcake frosting buildings, San'a looks good enough to eat (that is once you wipe the smile from your face)

But don't let me sugar coat it too much. This is hardly a utopian getaway where the streets are lined with gold, lions lie with lambs and the symphonic version of Ode To Joy plays merrily as you stroll along in a blissful trance. San'a, like every capital in the world, is a victim to mass urbanization. An uncontrollable growing population stresses the city to (and often beyond) it's limits. Many experts have predicted that San'a will be the first capital city with water (possibly within 5 years). The noisy polluting traffic more often than not resembles a parking lot as opposed to streets. Prices are inflated, especially around the tourism industry (whatever remains of it). Hotels are double the price of any others in the country for half of the quality. Day tours are quoted in dollars, not Rials (and it's a lot of dollars). Scammers work the crowds looking for a big score (ie foreigner) And that's not even mentioning the cold winter nights with no indoor heating or insulation. But none of that seems to matter with the wonderfully wonderful cupcake houses :)

There are other points of interest in the city. The newly constructed

al-Saleh Mosque is grand indeed. Dominating the skyline (and Yemen's fiscal record books), it is one of the few mosques non-muslims can enter in the entire country. But one really has to question undertaking such a pricey endeavour in such an impoverished nation. The Qa'a al-Yahud (Jewish quarter) makes for an interesting diversion from the the city centre (just don't expect to see any Jewish people). And of course there are some excellent out of city day trip up into the Haraz Mountains or to the Iman's (rockin') Palace in Wadi D'har. You could "do" San'a in a day. But to really enjoy the place, perhaps more so than anywhere else, you need to spend some time here. While getting lost is fun, knowing exactly where you're going can be strangely empowering. Being a regular at a cafe where you don't even have to order for your coffee to be brought to you is quite soothing. Such is the life in San'a.

While high end hotels like Mercure and Movenpick are in the city, it would be an absolute tragedy to come to San'a and not stay in the Old City. Many old buildings have been tastefully retrofitted and offer a close to authentic stay. Room are rather overpriced, but you have to figure in the cost of the "experience", as the little things like hotel keepers bring heavenly frankincense to your room transport you back to a time forgotten. The Dawood hotel is likely the best of the "budget" hotels in the old city.

Numerous airlines might the flight to San'a. Royal Jordanian and Egypt Air offer decent priced flights. And of course there's the national carrier Yemenia.

San'a may not be a glitzy as other made over old cities. But that's part of it's charm. The old world feel is a lost art in an ever modernizing world. Yet, San'a more than any other place delivers this sense of timelessness in abundance. If you want to visit Disney, then this is not for you. But if hoping for a bit of real life, San'a fits the bill perfectly.