Briefly Bahrain

Time is relative. An hour may seem like an eternity if waiting for the test results of that spot you got after that night with that girl. Conversely, that same 1 hour period may seem fleeting as you realize you didn't study nearly enough for your "introduction to time management" course exam.

6 Hours: As i was being evacuated for Yemen, my flight path had me

passing through another recent hot spot, Bahrain. It was just in transit, but 6 hours is way to long fro me to sit around staring at a wall in an airport. Yet 6 hours just didn't feel like enough time to head into town, trying to get a "feel" for the place. I was torn. Whatever shall i do? Well the tie was conveniently broken for me as the evacuation co-ordinator called to ensure there was no way in heck that i'd be foolish enough wander into Manama, the capital of Bahrain. Recent protests had proven deadly. "It's far to dangerous!" he warned. "Enough said, don't worry about it", I reassured him. So 15 minutes after touchdown at Bahrain international airport, i was in a taxi, visa in hand, heading into the Manama town centre, Bab al-Bahrain (Gate of Bahrain).

5 Minutes: It is virtually impossible to truly understand a place

in 5 minutes. Yet that exactly how long it took for me to get bored in Manama. But let's be fair. I was there at night when all museums and such were closed. To top things off, the recent protests had most locals taking shelter in the safety of their homes. But the framework for boredom was there. Clean streets, modern architecture, reliable electricity and nobody walking around with knives in their belts. Maybe i'd spent too much time in Yemen, but Bahrain, similar to it's gulf state brethren like Kuwait and U.A.E., had an air of sterility. There's no question, shopping malls and fast food chains are not exactly my cup of tea. That said, the funky World Trade Centre is pretty cool. And wandering the market streets behind Bab al-Bahrain can pass some time. But neither are really "move me to tears" kind of places.

I'm glad i popped into town. If nothing else than to prove the LP wrong again. Reports are that taxi drivers, particularly at the airport, refuse to turn on the meter. Not true. Although they will ask, almost demand, for tips.

Bahrain is hardly a major destination. I'm sure, that given more time, i'd find something to minimally fill that time. An extended layover was long enough for me. But that's just how the time related to me.

Premature Evacuation

I have had 100 lifetimes of "goodbyes". The trade-off of getting to explore new corners of the globe is you have to leave the old ones. Nearly 2 decades of continuous travel, living in a baker's dozen+ of countries (plus a couple more than once) and carrying out voyages in over 100 others, one might even call me a professional nomad. But one thing was always consistent, i left on my terms. Whether the end of a contract or i just got bored, i packed my bags and wandered off into the unknown when i felt it was time. Yemen, however, was a different story.

Moving to a country on the edge, i guess there was always the real possibility of the s**t hitting the fan. Yemen has long been predicted to follow in the footsteps of Somalia or Afghanistan. Perhaps that was part of the original appeal. But with recent events in Yemen crossing some sort of imaginary line with the State Department, I had no choice but to leave with notification of evacuation. There were no possibilities to stay. The State Department is my visa sponsor and without thier support, the visa is cancelled. Trying to find another sponsor on no notice was not an option. The evacuation package is a nice one, as i sit here in my over-fancy hotel in Istanbul. But the worst part of the whole thing is the evacuation orders came from some suit in an office a million miles away. It was entirely unneeded, or at the very least premature.

The thing is, there's always something going on. Houthi rebels in the north, separatist in the south, so-called Al Qaeda in the east, Yemen is a perfect storm of problems. But this is common and even blasé. Sure the current anti-government demonstrations added a new tension, but it's all part and parcel of living here. And, as always, things looked MUCH worse on TV. In my neighbourhood in Aden, kids still played soccer on the street and old men gathered night after night to play dominoes on the corner. There was normalcy amongst the reported chaos.

Each city was different in terms of how the demonstrations affected day-to-day life. In San'a, things were organized and highly focused. If you didn't go anywhere near San'a University, you wouldn't even know anything out of the ordinary was going on. The protestors would chant and scream for a few hours in the morning, then settle in to chew Qat for the rest of the day. Aden was different, being a much hotter coastal town, most activities were in the evening, after Qat. There was no organization or leadership. Hence, camp were fractured into several different locations about town. The news would report "1,000s demonstrate in Aden" What they failed to mention is it would be a couple hundred people at different times and different suburbs, rarely lasting more than an hour.The sad part of the whole thing is people are dying, and they don't even know what they want. Asking around some want Saleh to leave, some want him to merely change his policies while others are protesting for southern independence or even "'cause my friends are doing it". Ask any of them about the day after the president steps down and no one has even the slightest idea. Tunisia has an ironclad constitution allowing for smooth transition. Egypt has an all powerful military. Iran demonstrations were led by strong opposition leadership. Yemen has none of these. I have no idea what the future holds for Yemen, but i was looking forward to being there while it unfolded.

Honestly, Aden was not my favourite place i've ever lived (it's hard to compare it to Moscow or Istanbul or Beijing or Tokyo or....). But the people are nice and the living is easy. It pisses me off i was forced to leave by bureaucrats and not by actual danger. But it's done. I have to laugh at their concern for my safety as i apply for new jobs in Iraq, Palestine and Sudan.

Stormin' the Castle

I had a plan. When i moved to Aden some 6 months ago, it seemed totally logical to spread out the "tourist attractions" over an extended period in order to avoid gauging out my gallbladder with a spork from what seemed like inevitable boredom. Let's face it, Aden is hardly party central. Nor is it an iconic historic city with a bewildering array of activities. The plan was going well. I did the military museum in late January and the Zoroastrian temple in the middle of that month. And the Tawila Tanks were way back in December. But with looming civil war and pending evacuation, i had to scramble to see all the other sites in town. Luckily, there was only one left, Sierra Castle.I guess the first thing to point out is the castle isn't a castle at all. It is instead an 11th century military fortress strategically perched on a monolithic island at the entrance to the Aden crater. But who am i to split hairs. Actually until remarkably recently, say 5 years or so, the army still occupied it (thus the antiquated Lonely Planet review saying it was off limits). These days, anyone can clamber all over, in and through the steady structure until their heart's content. And speaking of hearts, the castle has become a famous make-out point for young lovers. A tourist attraction in itself in a very conservative country.

Face-eating couples aside, the views from the fort are quite nice.

Of course, you pay for it in blood, sweat and tears minus the blood and the tears. Firstly, there is no public transport that goes near the castle. While you could take a taxi (maybe 200-300 YR from the crater) where's the fun in that? But the kicker is, you have to walk up the hill. There are no escalators or even a road. But only a well laid stone path that snakes it's way up the steep embankment. Luckily, there are several benches strategically placed on the path so you can pretend to take in the view while you're actually trying to avoid a significant coronary event. I did the hike in March, and even then my shoes were squishy from the sweat. I can't imagine what level of Dante's Hell doing the hike in summer must be.

On a more personal note, this was a fitting end to my time in Yemen. There was nobody up there, i had the whole place to myself. Sitting there in serenity, staring at the chaos below, i had a moment. Either that, or i was suffering a partial stroke from the climb. Either way, the castle is a must do if in Aden.

Tunin'-up Thulla

I'm always torn between authenticity and modernization. When i travel to traditional, ancient locations (which i unequivocally prefer to glitzy and modern places) i hope to see life the way it was. I want donkeys, not motorcycles. I hope for community wells, not indoor plumbing. I look for kids playing in the streets, not in video game parlours. But, the expectation of people, towns or entire cultures to remain in the stone ages for my entertainment is selfish. Everyone has the right to a better life should they choose. The alpine village of Thulla, about 1 hour NW of Yemen's capital San'a, has chosen this "better" life. Several years ago, a bustling tourist trade plus an influx of UNESCO money led to the renovation, reconstruction and refurbishment of the nearly 2,000 year old town. However, i can't escape the feeling of Gucci-handbag knock-off that these restorations inevitably portray.

As the ride i managed to pick up a few KMs down the road

dropped me off at one of the towns main gates, it looked like Thulla was something different. This seemed like the sort of place where i would not find locals in blue jeans. There would be no tin roofs or snazzy sports cars. Like most villages in the region, Thulla has a quasi-organic feel as it seems to have been given birth by the mountainside the village is anchored to. But entering through the gates, it became obvious this wasn't the untouched gem i always hope for. Hotel signs in English and billboards for souvenir shops clutter the entrance. Distracting from what is otherwise a spectacular setting.

Sadly for locals, the tourism industry has all but dried up. The hotels are empty. The shops are closed. Once word spreads that a foreigner is actually in town (and word travels fast) there is a desperate dash to open things up and brush off the cobwebs to make the first sale in ages. I met up with a young university student whose school in San'a has been closed due to the recent political turmoil. He led me through the eerily quiet streets, to the countless mosques (which you can't enter) and the numerous cisterns (which are generally unused). There's even a fort on the tower hilltop. However, after my near heart-attack inducing climb of Jebal Kawkaban the day before, i opted to pass. The town is certainly photogenic, and the people are, as usual, nice. But the future seems bleak. The Disneyfication, which will certainly appeal to many, seems to have done little else but put a bit of make-up on the bruises from an abusive spouse.

The good news is, if looking for something with a little more of an

authentic feel, the village of Hababah is only a couple KMs away. Although much less spectacularly set, the village of Hababah retains much of it's traditional air. The heavily Jewish-influenced architecture is virtually the same as Thulla. Just less fixed-up. The intermingling streets, alleyways and hidden paths remain unpaved. And there were no tourist facilities that i noticed. But the highlight of the village (and arguably the entire area) is the central cistern. While most of the nearby towns have similar reservoirs, they have fallen into disuse. That is, except, for the one in Hababah. The incredibly photogenic pool of water beautifully reflects the traditional buildings teetering along it's edge. But the real treat comes as you sit quietly near the water awaiting the villagers who will enviably come to fill their buckets. A truly special experience.

Thulla is safe and easy to get to. Shared taxis leave San'a when full (there are no buses) for a mere 250 YR/seat or 1,500 for a "complete". Transport to other villages is also by shared taxi, with no schedules, usually costing 50-100 YR/seat. Alternatively, hotels in San'a offer trips to the area, including Shibam and Kawkaban, as a rather pricey day-trip. $75, and up, will include an English speaking guide and transport in a comfy 4X4 for the day.

Without question the "modern" standards that Thulla is able to offer will appeal to many travellers. Cafes with English menus, hotels with en-suite bathrooms and a relatively high level of English. Even with my usual aversion to completely made over towns, i quite liked Thulla. If combined with Hababah, you can get comfort with tradition. Certainly a worthwhile excursion.

Highs and Lows

Life is full of highs and lows. These can manifest themselves in a multitude of ways from the life-altering to the seemingly mundane. Perhaps momentous events ranging from the birth of a child to the death of a spouse. Or as simple as having a really good kebab one night to getting food poisoning the next. Travelling is full of these highs and lows. I experienced such a dichotomy recently on a trip into the highlands outside San'a, Yemen.

The “twin” cities of Shibam and Kawkaban encapsulate this idea of highs and lows. While the two towns share a lot of history, architecture and general relations, the “twin” association is more likely the result of a hospital mix-up as opposed to actual genetic lineage. Attitude plays a major role in differentiating between these villages, but likely the greater explanation for the distinction in each character is altitude.

Located at the base of Jebel (Mount) Kawkaban, the town of Shibam (not to be confused with the “Manhattan of the Desert” in Hadramawt governate) has a history dating back a couple millennia, including one of the oldest mosques in the country. As is often the case of mountain villages in Yemen, the stone

houses spring forth from the cliffside backdrop in some sort of Darwinian evolutionary chart. Nowadays, the town acts as the transport hub for the alpine region, with a bustling Friday market with villagers from most surrounding settlements. So one would think that with an ancient history, natural setting and present economic standing that Shibam would offer a lot for the passing tourist. But i found it quite the opposite. The buildings are quite ordinary, especially when compared to others in the region. There was a time where the few tourists who came to Yemen would pop up here. And it shows. While there tourism industry has completely dried up, certainly in the last year or so, the effects have lingered. Bleeding hearts who believed that they were “helping” by giving money and pens have only taught local children to beg. Any sight of a foreigner will whip the kids into a feeding frenzy with a constant chorus of “backshesh” or “gelum”. I have only seen this here, and to a lesser degree in the other Shibam in the country. A clearly negative side effect to misguided tourism. I was not a fan of the town.

Although i hit a low at the base of Jebal Kawkaban with the town of Shibam,

i was elevated to a mighty high at the mountains plateau. A spectacularly well maintain set of stairs carve their way up the sheer cliffside from behind the Grand Mosque in Shibam. Frankly, the nearly vertical climb was a bit of a struggle for a slightly out-of-shape guy who lives at sea level (keeping in mind the staircase starts at around 2,500 meters above sea level, ending at around 2,800 meters). And the ominous image of circling crows of death did little to lighten the mood. And if that wasn't enough you're sure to be passed by some 80-year-old local guy with a cane and a lisp. “Hewo, velcom do Y'men” as he zips by your panting, sweating, emasculated self. It's amazing how a pending serious cardiac event takes a backseat as you feel you have to keep up with the old guy. Only to be left in the dust. But it's all worth it once you get to the top.

Greeted by a massive fortified wall and city gate, it becomes obvious

immediately on arrival that the town of Kawkaban is something different. Perched on the plateau of the mountain of the same name, Kawkaban has, since it's birth, been a place of refuge. In times of trouble, the villagers from Shibam down below would scurry up the hill and lock the gates behind them. With a complex water cistern and amble granaries, the town was fully capable of holding off pending intruders then waiting around for them to leave. It remained unconquered for centuries. The town has not been Disney-fied despite it's high standing both literally and as a figurative highlight of the tourism industry. The buildings lie in various states of decay. Including an obvious

Jewish influence in the facades. But the town seems empty. This is largely due to the fact that nearly all the men, of the 1,800 people calling Kawkaban home, work in San'a. You are likely only going to see women and children rambling about the streets. Times are tough for the mountain village. Of the 3 hotels in town, 2 are shut. There simply haven't been any tourists for ages. The completely ridiculous portrayal in western media and foreign affairs offices has done a perfect job convincing people that a visit to Yemen is a death sentence. Bunch of crap!!! And while it's great to have such a special place all to myself, the look of desperation in the eyes of locals is rather disheartening.

Having spent the night, it was time to leave. After the death defying climb the previous day, i opted to bus down. Transport in the area can be a bit of a pain. There are no “buses” really. Everything relies on shared taxis which leave when full. From San'a a seat will cost a mere 150 YR to Shibam. Then it's another 50 YR up to Kawkaban. From Shibam there are taxis to Thulla or Hababah or further a field. Many tourists (the few that there are) opt to do all of these towns as a day trip out of San'a. Hotels offer this tour starting at a ridiculous $75.

Shibam is totally worth skipping, or at the very most setting aside a hour for a quick stroll before moving on. And although Kawkaban is hardly party central, it's magnificent setting, cool fortifications and “authentic” feel definitely make it worth the trip up from the capital. I'd even go so far as to say it's worth the gruelling hike up the hill. But perhaps they should think about looking into an escalator :)