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Our
thanks to the readers who answered the questions below.
Anyone who wishes to add to the answers, or contradict
them, is welcome to do so.
Click
here for a list of questions which are still awaiting
answers.
SUBMIT
YOUR OWN QUESTION |
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Can anyone provide contact
details for the Sana'a Institute for the Arabic Language,
which I understand was opened recently by Muhammed al-Anisi,
who used to be the director at CALES?
From: Josh Cates
The home page for the Sana'a Institue for the Arabic Language
can be found at http://www.sialyemen.com.
It contains all the contact details.
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We may be
moving to Sana'a at the end of this year and I need some
information about English-speaking international
schools. Are there any in Sana'a and what are their
fees?
From: Mustapha Noman
There are two international schools in Sana’a. Both are
expensive: one is US$8,000 and the other is US$5,000.
email your answer
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Is it possible to cross the Red Sea from Yemen to Eritrea by boat,
and
if so, from where? What about to Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan?
From: Mustapha Noman
Yes it is possible to do that from either Aden or Mocha ports.
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I
desperately need a recipe for salta, Yemen's national
food. Please HELP IF
YOU CAN!!
The Yemen Times has
published an article about this popular dish, which
includes a recipe: http://www.yementimes.com/00/iss35/culture.htm#2
email your answer |
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| I am an
American citizen (a woman) and very much in love with a
man who is from Yemen and is in the United States with
me right now. We would like to get married but do not
have everyone's blessings. His mom says it's OK but his
uncle, who is like the leader of the family, is very
upset by this. No one will go against the uncle and give
him permission. My fiance does not have any kind of
identification and we have been asking them to send us
some but they won't. He will be going back to Yemen to
renew his visa again - his uncle is sending for him. Do
you feel if he goes back they will have an arranged
marriage for him there? Does he have to marry that
person even if he will be 21 soon? Does age even matter?
Does he even have a say in what he wants to do with his
life? I am heartbroken because it seems that I will
never be accepted. Can anyone help me?
From: Nidhal
"Nick" Tayeb
Your fiance is a man that
is living dual cultures, i.e. Yemeni and American. If he acts like a
child, then his uncle will make his future. In fairness, his uncle
really thinks he is doing the best for his nephew. But tell
your fiance to be a man.
From: Muhammad
Amrani
Just get married, nothing will happen. Plus it's highly
advised that he doesn't go back to Yemen.
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| We
are interested to import seafood products from Yemen,
especially blue swimming crab. Can anyone provide the
address, name, phone numbers, email address, etc, of
companies dealing in these items?
From: Muhammad
Amrani
I will be able to help you with this. Please email
me what you need.
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| Where can
I get the best deal on air tickets from USA to
Yemen?
From: Mazen
Probably Ethiopian Airlines. They have a round trip
from New York for about $900.
From:
Lzalwazir@aol.com
Saudi Arabian Airlines offers Washington/New York to
Sana'a L Class fare for about $1,150. Delta and
Yemenia offer a similar fare through London
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| Is it
possible to rent for a short period (i.e. 2 or 3 weeks)
apartments or houses in Sana'a? If yes, are they
all-furnished and what are their facilities (bed linens,
towels, fully equipped kitchenette, TV, etc...) and
could you please indicate the rates? Could you please
provide addresses of agencies for that?
From:
Mazen
There are plenty of apartments. You're looking at
anywhere from $20 -$70 a night depending on
availability, location and standard.
email your answer
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| I was
planning to attend a four-week course in Arabic language
in Sana'a. I had heard and read about the kidnappings in
some provinces. It was my understanding that the main
target for this kind of practice were mainly group of
tourists or high-ranking foreign officers. The hostages
were being kept by local tribes which required some
social services in exchange. Normally, the hostages were
freed unharmed. Until the events of December 1998 where
four people lost their lives.
Today I read the news
about the Norwegian man shot dead near Sana'a. The
people who kidnapped him could not have possibly known
that he was an embassy officer (his post was in Zambia).
When he was kidnapped, he was not travelling in some of
the more dangerous areas of the country, but he was
walking in the centre of Sana'a. This means that the
basis for his kidnapping was merely the fact that he was
a foreigner.
If this is the case,
I would like to know what is your opinion regarding the
kind of trip I was planning to make, which consisted in
a one-month daily course in Arabic. Albeit I would be
staying in a university compound, I would still have to
go out to eat, as well as walk around the city to visit
(what is the point of travelling anywhere if you're not
allowed to visit the place you're in?). Would this make
me a potential target for kidnapping ? Also, I have no
previous knowledge of Arabic, which - in case things
turn out the wrong way - could represent yet one more
disadvantage. I am looking for opinions and advice.
From: Mazen
I would say you are very safe in Sana'a - if you are
sensible. Your travel around the country will be limited
but we have had dozens of western students and not ONE
has had a problem. The chances of something happening
are very slim, the same probability that you'll be
assaulted in any western society while taking a walk.
From: M.
I. Whitehouse
I went to Yemen to study Arabic last summer, just
after the Norwegian
man was kidnapped and shot. The first couple of days I was worried
about
walking around Sana'a, but after that I felt safer in Sana'a than
in any
other city I have lived in. Most of the people who have been
kidnapped
were either tourists travelling in risky areas or people working
for oil
companies - the Norwegian was just very unlucky. Yemen is a great
place
to learn Arabic and there are many schools to choose from. It does
not
matter that you don't speak any Arabic - I know other students who
arrived in Sana'a with no Arabic at all and have had no problems.
My
advice is not to stay in the university compound and not to be
scared
of walking around the city - you won't learn any Arabic
otherwise. I
managed to travel round Yemen for 2 weeks in September and felt
perfectly safe at all times, although I didn't go anywhere risky.
You
cannot get travel permits to go to places like Marib, Al-Jawf and
Abyan,
where most of the kidnappings have taken place. Just go - Sana'a
is one
of the safest and most beautiful cities you can find.
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Did Sindbad the Sailor
really exist? Was he from Iraq or may he also have
lived in Yemen? Some people in Yemen told me that they were
proud that Sindbad had lived in their mother country.
They had even painted his face on the door of their workshop. And then
there are many hotels and
travel agencies called "Sindbad" in Yemen.
From: Saad
Salah Khalis
Sindbad is not yet
confirmed to be real or imaginary. He was mentioned as a
legendary hero in the Arabian Nights (Alf Layla wa Layla)
from Basra, south of Iraq. I really do not know if he
ever lived in Yemen ... yet, when one is legendary, he/she
can live wherever imagination conceives. For details, go to http://www.iraq.net/arabnights/index.html.
You will enjoy it.
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| My
daughter was given a puzzler in school: where is the
world's oldest castle found? The answer given was
"Gomdan, Yemen". We have searched
through the web and so far we have found no reference to
it. Is there such a place? Or was it a
mistake?
From: Blair Stannard, Ottawa, Canada
The name of the castle (palace) is Gumdan. It is in
the 2,000-year-old city of Sana'a - capital of Yemen. It
was built between 200 AD and 300 AD as a royal
residence. The citadel of Al-Qasr, in Sana'a (Yemen), was
erected on an ancient Sabaean site. In the 3rd century A
D , the new royal residence, known as the Gumdan Palace,
was constructed outside and to the west of the citadel.
The city of Sana'a grew around the public buildings,
which were erected first in the east and later towards
the west. A nice photo of the old city of Sana'a can be found
at: http://members.aol.com/yalnet/sanaaa1.jpg
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How do you use
qat? What are its effects and how long do they last?
From: anonymous
Late morning: buy your qat. If you were an average
Yemeni this would cost you the best part of your
previous day’s wages. There are two basic kinds:
branches which come in a large plastic bag, and
shorter stalks (about 30cm long) wrapped in banana
leaves. The latter are known as rubtas and two should
be enough for a beginner.
Then have a good
lunch, because you’re not going to feel hungry for a
very long time. After lunch, you sit down with some
friends and copious bottles of mineral water and start
chewing. Start with the youngest shoots. If you’re a
vegetarian you should tweak them gently to remove any
insects.
Nip off the shoots one
by one, crush them with your teeth and push them into
your cheek with your tongue. You will gradually build
up a wad in your cheek (it doesn’t matter which
side). The ability to establish a large wad and keep
it there for several hours is a matter of social
prowess. Some Yemenis, whose cheeks have stretched
over the years, can handle a wad the size of a tennis
ball.
The effects? Well, if
you imagine a couple of joints followed by six double
espressos you’ll be on the right lines. But qat
creeps up on you slowly, almost imperceptibly.
By now you’ll
probably be in the midst of some deep discussion with
your friends and you’ll be impressed to find that
you’re far more articulate and intelligent than you
ever imagined. As the sun sets, you’ll realise why
the Yemenis like to put multi-coloured glass in their
windows. After dark, the lights will twinkle as they’ve
never twinkled before and you’ll want to touch the
stars. By the end of the session you will have (a)
thought of a solution to any problem you care to
mention or (b) decided that it doesn’t matter
anyway.
By the small hours,
won’t feel ready for bed, which is why some Yemenis
(though they rarely admit it) take a glass or three of
whisky at this point. By lunchtime next morning you’ll
be longing for a nap; your mouth will feel sore and
the hyperactivity that was in your brain the previous
evening may well have worked its way down to your
intestines.
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| I am a
Swedish citizen and my partner is Canadian. We would
like to get married in Yemen (in a civil ceremony). Can
anyone provide information?
From: Mustapha
Noman
The only obligation for arranging your marriage in Yemen is to get
the
visas ... If you seriously think about that the formalities can be
easily
arranged there.
From: Shieba
Can Trading
When are you going to get married? We could help if
it would be in mid-summer.
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| We hear
(in Germany) many things about kidnapping and car-napping. How
can we protect ourselves if we go with our own cars in Yemen? Are weapons
the right answer or shall we give them what they want (and lose our cars,
etc.)? For our
trip to Yemen I am also looking for geographical coordinates (for our GPS system)
of main points in the country. Who knows how to get these?
From: Mohamed
Alhaj
I have basic maps for some parts of Yemen. I use remote
sensing for detecting land cover changes in Ibb city. If
you are interested, please contact me so that I can send
some coordinates. - Mohamed Alhaj, School of Geography,
The University of Nottingham
Nottingham NG7 2RD. Telephone: 0115 9515452. Fax: 0115
9515249
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| In 1978,
our construction group built the Hadda Ramada Hotel in
Sana'a. It was fabricated using advanced technology
identical to that used to construct the Apollo and
Gemini spacecraft, all American re-entry heatshields and
many of the same principles are used to construct
aircraft wings. Sometime later, Sana'a and the adjacent
area was subjected to a very strong earthquake. I am in
the process of re-starting the company that produced the
Hadda hotel and I would appreciate any information you
have in regard to the earthquake including the date,
magnitude, epicenter, etc. Secondly, I would appreciate
any information that might be available in regard to how
well the Hadda Hotel endured the earthquake. Did they
have to rebuild any significant portion of it?
From: Etemen (etemen@compuserve.com)
The earthquake you are
probably referring to occurred in 1982. I believe
it was the last major one in Yemen. I don't know
where the epicenter was,
but the most damage seemed to be in the Anis area about
50 kms
south-southwest of Sanaa. I have met a very few
people in Sanaa who say
they felt vibrations around the time of the earthquake,
but they were
apparently very slight, and possibly the result of
passing trucks rather
than tectonic shifts.
In any event, the current owner of the hotel, which is
now called the Hadda
Hotel and is supposed to become part of the Best Western
chain in the
coming months, says the original building (and
subsequent buildings added
later) suffered absolutey no damage from the Anis quake.
Nor apparently
did any other buildings in or around the capital.
Let me know if you would like to talk directly to the
owner.
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| I
plan to go to Yemen for at least a couple of months. Can
anyone provide information on money matters? Is it
recommendable to take cash for a longer period of stay ?
I know that credit cards are not widely accepted.
From: elheran@aol.com
Well, do take enough money to support you for a while.
When you change currency don't change it all at once. Do
not show anyone that you have a large amount of money
(especially US dollars), particularly in the street or
in the market place, since some Yemenis will try to rob
you without you knowing. I hope you have a great time in
Yemen. You will find some of the Yemenis very hospitable
and kind. And again, not to offend you, but if you are a
female, don't buy anything in the marketplace without
the company of a man. Some Yemenis will try to rip you
off ... they think they are smart. I hope my info helps.
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| Many
years ago there used to be an American International
School just outside Sana'a, on the road to Wadi Dahr. Is
it still in existence? If so, who is the director?
From: Ed
and Lee Gulyas
Yes, The Sanaa International School is still in
existence after 27 years in Sanaa! The Director is the
founder of the school, Jim Gilson. Phone 967-1-234437.
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Does Yemenia
still fly to Socotra? Are there boats to Socotra?
Where from?
From: Dr.
A. Attieg
Yes, Yemenia flies to the island, twice a week. Boats
are available from Mukalla. Have a nice journey.
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| I have heard that coffee originated
in Yemen. Is this correct? If so, how was the drink first discovered? From: Blair Stannard, Ottawa, Canada
The short answer is YES, the origin of coffee was in Yemen and/or possibly Ethiopia
(remember that they were part of the same country at certain times in history). The
mountains behind the town of Mokha are cited as the original source. There is a very
interesting social history of coffee on the web. You can find it located at: http://www.blackapollo.demon.co.uk/apollo4.html.
I recommend it highly.
From:
SKUNTZ80@aol.com
Mocca, the coffee, comes from the name Mokha, which is the
name of a famous port in Yemen. The beans were not
actually grown there but they were exported from there...
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| A colleague of mine
has a Yemeni postage stamp which depicts a photo of Winston Churchill. Does anyone have
any information on this stamp? From: Blair
Stannard, Ottawa, Canada
There are a number of Yemeni stamps portraying Winston Churchill. Some came from the
sultanates of what became the People's Republic of South Yemen (later known as the PDRY).
Still others were issued by the Mutawakelite Kingdom of Yemen (the government of the Imam
who were fighting a Civil War with the Yemen arab Republic). I am not sure if the YAR had
any Churchill stamps. If you could describe the stamp, in detail, giving the colour, and
all English wording on it, including the value (eg 75 fils, 4 Bog. etc...) then I could
most probably answer your question.
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| Can anyone provide
information about Bruce Condé, a general and ministry royalist during the civil war in
Yemen? From: Abdurrahman Condé
He died a few years ago of heart failure. He spent his last few years in Tangier, Morocco.
From: Blair Stannard, Ottawa, Canada
Bruce Condé's life would fill a book. He is mentioned in a number of books about Yemen,
including that written by Dana Adams Schmidt and, I believe, the one by Edgar O'Balance
(see "Yemen the unknown War" and other titles).
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| I lived in Yemen for three years and
miss the country a great deal. One of the things that I especially miss is a food called Shafout.
It is made with yoghurt and bread. Can anyone supply a recipe? From: Claudia
Cooper
Outside Yemen the main problem is getting the right kind of bread. In Sana'a I would buy
"lahuh" from the ladies in the market. In England I have found a kind of
specialist pancake in Sainsbury's Supermarket called, I think "Staffordshire
Oatcakes"! These look just right, even though the grain is wrong. Otherwise, I use
wholemeal pitta bread, separated into its two layers and lightly toasted. To make the
sauce, I use natural yogurt diluted with water, mixed with finely-chopped fresh mint,
dill, parsley, coriander and chives, and a little salt. Some finely-minced green chilli
can be added. Pour the mixture over the thin layers of bread and let it stand for
about half an hour. This makes a pretty good approximation, though people who have never
tasted the Yemeni original seem to find it a bit weird! But the same would be true of
"salta".
From: M
Alabbas
Claudia's Recipe is very
close. Some people (Sana'anis) insist on adding slightly
roasted sesame seeds. Other ingredients add a bit of
sweetness and texture. Walnuts and sweet pomegranates
(Rommaan) are traditional Sana'ani elaborations too.
From: Norman
Alammari
We live in the USA and make shafout at
Ramadan and
other occasions. This
is how we make it: We take pitta bread (any kind you prefer,
white or whole
wheat), cut it in small pieces. Then use garlic and parsely
- crush them and use any amount you like. If you like it spicy use a
piece of japilino. Mix everything together and pour buttermilk on
it. Yes, we use
buttermilk. Let it sit for a hour. It tastes great. Try this
recipe.
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| Can anyone recommend a short
intensive Arabic course in Sana'a (up to six weeks)? Emphasis on spoken Arabic preferred. From: skully@aol.com
Contact Mazen Luqman, the director of the Modern American Language Institute located in
Sana'a. They have a great Arabic program. His email address is mali1.edu@y.net.ye
From: Ian
Ligertwood
The Yemen Language Center also has courses for both written and
Yemeni Arabic, and is highly recommended (by me and all who have studied there). Its
website is www.ylcint.com/ .There was also another
school being set up in the old city while I was in Yemen two years ago, which also looks
good and is maybe slightly cheaper, however I can't remember its name or who runs it. As
you enter the old city from Bab al-Sabah, it's past the Golden Dar. You come to a square
with some tourist shops on the left and a tea house on the way into Suq al-Milh. There's
also a street of silver sellers there. This place is in the area. That's the best I
can do, sorry!
From: Paul
Caruana
The Yemen Language Centre is first class. I spent 10 weeks there. I've
been to other Arabic language schools in the Middle East and they're
nowhere near as good as the YLC.
From:
M. I. Whitehouse
Try the Sana'a Institute for Arabic Language - in my opinion it
is much better than
YLC. Small groups or individual lessons ($460 individual lessons
for 1
month, 4 hours a day). It is in the old city of Sana'a on the
Sa'ila.
Their email is: sial@y.net.ye
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| I'm studying the uromastyx lizard
which lives in Yemen. Can anyone provide specific information, such as what areas of
Yemen does the uromastyx live in (mountains, deserts, coast)? Is it protected by laws,
etc? From: Blair Stannard, Ottawa, Canada
The type of uromastyx lizard you are looking for is "uromastyx benti - the Spiny
Tailed lizard" (commonly known as "bents"). This is the species found most
in Yemen and there are two types: the lowland bents and the mountain bents. There are many
other types of uromastyx lizards as well, but they come from other countries. As I don't
have more specific information on Yemeni locations, I suggest that you contact a
specialist like Mr. Mastyx, a breeder of uromastyx, including benti, (his real name is
Kenny). He has a web site at: http://www.mrmastyx.com
and it includes a section on benti.
Various species of Uromastyx have been imported into the USA since the early 1990s. Most
initially arrived in low numbers and commanded premium prices. The importers, noting their
high value, quickly started bringing in huge lots. Moroccan Uromastyx (U. acanthinurus)
were the first species to hit the pet trade, followed by the Egyptian (U. aegypticus),
Egyptian Ocellated (U. ocellatus ocellatus), and Ornate (U. o. ornatus). According to Grey
(Reptiles Mag. July, 1995) over 7,000 ornate and Egyptian Uromastyx were imported into the
U.S. in 1994 alone. Prices quickly fell, wild populations became depleted and ultimately
further importations were banned.
Today ornates and ocellateds are uncommon to rare and Egyptians extremely hard to come by.
Moroccans persist in reasonable numbers, primarily due to the efforts of a few dedicated
breeders such as Matt Moyle and Randall Gray. Since then various other species have
sporadically come in, commanded high to moderate prices, then disappeared from price
lists. These include the Sudanese Ocellated (U. ocellatus ocellatus), Mountain and lowland
Bents (U. benti), Rainbows (reputedly U. philbyi but may have actually been Mountain
Bents), and Mali Uros (U. maliensis). Today only the Mali Uromastyx is still imported in
any numbers. The rumour mill has been saying for over a year however that Mali is in the
process of closing off further exportations of Uromastyx.
Prices for bents run around $100 US to $125 US from
American breeders. As of September 1999, the San Diego zoo had one female and two males on
display. I hope this has been helpful in focusing your search, if not specific on Yemen
locations.
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| Where can I get a large, recent,
detailed street map of Sana'a? From:
Caroline Lees
I got an excellent one last February at the British Council Centre in Old
Sana'a. If you contact me I could fax you a copy.
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| Where in the UK can I get the best
deal on London-Sana'a air tickets? From:
whita@guardian.co.uk
On the Internet, try http://www.cheapflights.co.uk.
Egyptair is probably the cheapest airline (discount fares from el-Sawy Travel, 0171-258
1901) but a stopover in Cairo may be necessary. You can get cheap tickets for Royal
Jordanian from "In Style" travel, 01926-490490, but there may be a long wait for
a connecting flight in Amman.
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| Can mobile phones be used in
Socotra? From: Dr A Atteig
No cell-phones will work on Socotra Island. You can though call from the
telecommunication centre in Hadibu via microwave to the mainland. Good luck and regards to
this beautiful island.
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