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YEMEN ::: SANA'A
Sana'a Street Scene Sana'a Street Scene Sana'a Street Scene Sana'a Street Scene Sana'a Street Scene
General views of the streets of Sana'a
Sana'a Street Scene Sana'a Street Scene Sana'a Street Scene Sana'a Street Scene ash-Shuhada Mosque
Yet more views of the streets of Sana'a ash-Shuhada
Qubbat al-Mahdi Mosque al-'Aqil Mosque al-'Aqil Mosque National Museum - Tower House Rooftop View
al-Mahdi al-'Aqil Mosque Tower House Rooftops
Rooftop View Rooftop View Samsara in old Sana'a Bab al-Yaman Bab al-Yaman
Rooftop View Samsara Bab al-Yaman

Bab al-Yaman Stall in the Jambiya Suq Workshop in the Blacksmith's Suq
  Bab al-Yaman Jambiyas Blacksmith

Sana'a - Notes

Anybody whose preconceptions of Arabia involve vast sandy deserts will be in for a shock on arriving in Sana'a province. This is mountain country (sana'a is at 2250 metres) and can get very cold in winter. Sana'a is the capital of the YAR (Yemeni Arab Republic - as it has been officially called since reunification) with a population at the last census of just under 1 million. Although dirty, crowded and chaotic, Sana'a is a very friendly place with plenty to see - wandering lost around the myriad suqs is, as always, the best way of acclimatising to the local culture. It is also perfectly safe - there has been a lot of bad publicity recently about kidnappings in Yemen, but the hazards generally have been massively over-hyped by sensation- hungry western media. Apart from the significant risk of traffic accidents, you will almost certainly be safer in Sana'a than in your home town. Theft and muggings are almost unknown here.

The architectural richness of Sana'a is incredible - since 1984, UNESCO have been working hard to preserve this extraordinary open air museum. Most of the new buildings are being constructed in the traditional styles (even when using modern materials ) so one gets few of the visually jarring contrasts between traditional beauty and contemporary concrete utility that are characteristic of many ancient, but still living cities.