Shibam, Hadhramaut Valley, CENTRAL YEMEN

Surrounded by a fortified wall, the 16th-century city of Shibam is one of the oldest examples of urban planning based on the principle of vertical construction. Its impressive tower-like structures have given the city the nickname of 'the Manhattan of the desert'. I climbed very high up the nearby mountain cliffs and had an awesome view of this "little tall city". What an amazing place. As the blinding sand storms rolled across the surrounding valley, I captured a few great pictures of women fully dressed in their black abaya forging against the strong sand filled winds. Quite an amazing sight(I think National Geo will love my pictures!). Today is my 5th day in Yemen (3 more days to go) and I must admit that the Yemeni people are much friendlier than my first impressions. I'm getting a very warm "Welcome to Yemen" from many people, and as my Arabic improves, people are even friendlier to me. If you ever thought that Yemen was too dangerous to visit, or "what's there to see"...let me assure you: It's perfectly safe and the people and scenery makes this one of my most memorable experiences ever. Tourists are scarce (which is why I'm here) and most tourists travel in organized groups. I have found hardly any solo independent travelers like myself.

I would love to upload some pictures but with Windows (and browsers) all in Arabic, its a very tough task to navigate. Funny enough, the Arabic version of Internet Explorer is a mirror image of the English version! Why...Arabians read/write from right to left, so everything is in reverse.

This afternoon I fly back west to Sana'a from where I will explore the area north of Sana'a.