picture (Old Sana'a Shop)

(photo by Eveline Kuhlman)

A carpenter's shop in the Old City, where shops are often tiny.

Plaatselijke Gewoontes (in het NLs)

Jemenieten hechten weinig waarde aan privacy of "personal space"; vier vrouwen persen zich gezellig met z'n allen op de achterbank van een taxi, en twee mannen kunnen met gemak de passageirsstoel voorin delen. Drie mannen op een motorfiets is ook heel wel mogelijk, of een hele familie in de achterbak van een pick-up truck. Hoewel niet altijd comfortabel is het wel practisch, natuurlijk. Ik heb zelf een klein autootje zonder achterbak en een kleine achterbank. Precies genoeg voor mij en mijn twee dochtertjes, en eventueel een of twee passagiers. Soms geef ik een buurvrouw een lift. Haar zoon van een jaar of tien klopte onlangs op de deur om te vragen of ik ze mee kon nemen naar de markt. Omdat ik toch ergens heen moest, zei ik OK. Ruim een half uur wachten later kwam de jongen met twee grote tassen naar de auto. Ze gingen blijkbaar niet naar de markt maar naar een familielid daar in de buurt. "M'n moeder komt eraan" zei de jongen. Maar wie kwam was zijn moeders zus, die ik aanzag voor haar schoondochter omdat ze diens baby bij zich had (toch lastig soms, die gezichtssluiers). Ze ging op de achterbank zitten. Toen kwam zijn moeder met nog eens twee enorme tassen ("Wat hebben jullie bij je?" "Oh, wat kleren voor m'n zoon in het buitenland...") Ze stelde haar zus aan me voor, waaruit ik begreep dat de schoondochter nog moest volgen. Help! Vier vrouwen, drie kinderen (de jongen en mijn dochters), een baby, en vier enorme tassen in mijn krappe autootje? Als ik een zak cement meeneem begint 'ie al te kraken... Hoewel misschien onvriendelijk besloot ik dat het niet ging. Ze zagen dat natuurlijk zelf ook wel, dus stapte de zus weer uit, plantte de baby op m'n dochter's schoot, en de moeder van de jongen en de grote tassen gingen met ons mee terwijl de rest op weg ging naar de dichtstbijzijnde bus.
Tja, ik ben echt heel aardig geintegreerd, maar soms zijn de plaatselijke gewoontes toch de mijne niet!

Picture (Old Sana'a Door)

(photo by Eveline Kuhlman)

Front doors in the Old City are made of wood and often contain nice woodcarving. Bells that work on electricity are rarely used; instead, people knock on the door by banging the handle. Also notice the keyhole; keys for these doors are huge and may be about 20 cm. long!

Insects

Hot places invariably have a huge number of undesired insects and other small animals. The ones I have encountered here are the usual mosquitoes, which are pretty harmless though irritating, especially the tiny ones which are plentiful in the Old City. They bite vigorously but you can't see them. Then you have cockroaches in all sizes. They house in little holes so it is imperative to have all holes in your kitchen and bathroom stuffed up with cement. I had to discover this through experience. It was certainly unpleasant ot have to kill a nest of them with poison. They seem to resist anything. I recently saw a spider in our storeroom that was about ten centimeters wide (including its legs). Brr. Also in the storeroom, some little mice had eaten a way into a sack of old dry bread that was there to be given to a sheep owner. We only realised this after the sheep owner had taken the sack into his kitchen and woke up at night of the noise the mice made! There are lizards, which are small and fast. When I descovered one in one of the rooms, I asked a neighbor to come and catch it (I'm afraid I'm not that brave). It took him quite some effort to do so. You also have ants in all sizes - compared to Northern Europe, they can get pretty big. They are all said to bite, both the black and red ones, but I loathe the big red ones most. Once, they started to find a way into the kitchen at night. The solution was to put some sugar outside before nightfall. But worst of all are scorpions. Houses in the Old City have many. I was once stung by one in the middle of the night. It was a painful sting and I immediately looked around to see what had caused it but couldn't find anything. Only in the morning I found the scorpion, which was, of course, killed immediately.
Old, ground-floor houses are the worst in this respect, but even clean houses or higher floors are not always spared. It's simply something you have to live with.

Let's Count to Ten

It's a good idea for any visitor to the country to learn at least the numbers so that you can bargain in the suqs and with taxi drivers and understand how much you have to pay in the restaurant. Today, let's count to ten:

۱: wahed
۲: ethnayn
۳: theletha
٤: arba'ah
٥: khamsah
٦: setteh
٧: saba'ah
٨: thamaniah
٩: tesa'ah
١٠: 'ashara

Jemenitisch Eten (in het NLs)

Bananen zijn het enige fruit dat het gehele jaar door verkrijgbaar is. Elk ander soort fruit heeft zijn eigen seizoen: sinaasappels gedurende de wintermaanden, perzikken in het voorjaar, granaatappelen aan het eind van de zomer. Er zijn een paar korte periodes (vooral tussen de sinaasappels en de perzikken) waarin er practisch geen fruit verkrijgbaar is. Nou ja, er worden wel appels uit China geimporteerd, maar die smaken naar niks vergeleken met de lokale equivalent. Ze zijn ook nog eens drie keer zo duur. In die periodes moet je dus je vitamine-toevoer krijgen uit groenten. Echt veel groente eet men hier echter niet behalve soms een salade. De meest voorkomende warme groente-schotel is eenvoudig klaar te maken: je snijdt simpelweg alle verkrijgbare groenten in kleine stukjes en kookt deze. Dat men er naast aardappel, courgette, wortel, tomaat, en ui ook okra doorheen snijdt snap ik nog steeds niet. Okra heeft namelijk een slijmerige samenstelling en zo wordt het meer een groente-papje. Maar ja, zo is er wel meer typisch Jemenitisch voedsel. Wat dacht je van "aseed", vaak vertaald met pap maar dan gemaakt met water, niet met melk, en al helemaal geen suiker. Het is een massieve massa die met de vingers gegeten kan worden en er wordt een soort van botervet gegoten in een kuiltje in het midden waar je dan het klontje aseed in doopt alvorens het op te eten. Of men giet bouillon in het kuiltje, of honing. Een populair gerecht voor feestelijke aangelegenheden is "bint al sahn" (dochter van het bord, letterlijk vertaald). Dunne repen brooddeeg worden op elkaar gelegd met wat botervet ertussen en gebakken in de oven, waarna er rijkelijk honing overheen gegoten wordt. Vlees is een luxe. Geen wonder ook nu de kilo-prijs het equivalent van $10 kost. Het wordt practisch altijd bereidt door het in water te koken zodat men er soep aan overhoudt. De beste salta krijg je met deze soep. "Salta" is het nationale gerecht. Hete soep of bouillon wordt overgoten met een mengsel van opgeklopte fenugreek gemengd met gestampte tomaten, tijm, en knoflook, en eventueel verse pepertjes. Daarin wordt brood gedipt. Dit is volgens mij het enige gerecht dat echt heet gegeten wordt. Men heeft niks tegen koude rijst, bijvoorbeeld. Versgebakken Yemenitisch brood is trouwens erg lekker en ook practisch als er in de buurt geen brood verkocht wordt, zoals hier. En om nou voor elk mini-stokbroodje (het meest-verkochte bakkerij-brood) de auto te nemen is ook weer zoiets. Dus practisch ieder huis heeft een ronde brood-oven waarin tegen de wanden het dunne brooddeeg geslagen wordt. De eerste paar keren dat ik het uitprobeerde vielen de broden steeds van de oven-wand af, in het vuur eronder. Wat deed ik fout? De oven was niet heet genoeg. Toen ik het eens bekeek bij mijn vriendin zag ik de vlammen hoog opkomen en begreep ik waarom zoveel vrouwen zich branden tijdens het bakken van brood. Oud brood wordt in stukjes gescheurd en kort gekookt in melk. Zo hoef je nooit brood weg te doen. Men kent ook een soort van ei- en suikerloze pannekoek, bereidt met gist. Deze wordt doorgaans overgoten met yoghurt verdund met water en vermengd met "zahaweq", het mengsel van gestampte tomaten, tijm, knoflook, en verse pepertjes. Dit is vnl. een gerecht dat in Ramadhan gegeten wordt. In diezelfde maand maakt men ook overal "sambusa", deeglapjes gevuld met gehakt, aardappelpuree, of bruine linzen, gebakken in olie. Voor een simpele broodmaaltijd houdt men van driehoekjes-kaas. Deze wordt samen met jam op een stokbroodje gesmeerd. Of vermengd met een blikje tuna. Ik keek eerst wel wat gek op van deze combinaties maar moet toegeven dat het niet slecht smaakt. Wie hier de mediterrane bijgerechten verwacht te zien, zoals yoghurt met komkommer, hummus, e.d., heeft het mis. Eten is niet een aangelegenheid die al te veel tijd in beslag moet nemen voor de Yemenieten. Het is niet gek om binnen het kwartier het restaurant weer uit te zijn om een glaasje thee op de stoep te drinken. Wellicht eet men ook sneller omdat men met zijn allen van grote schotels eet en de langzame eter met niks achterblijft. Wie voldoende heeft gegeten, staat op en wast zijn handen. Geen kind hoeft ooit te blijven zitten tot de anderen zijn uitgegeten. En ze hoeven ook hun bordje niet leeg te eten omdat ze geen bordje hébben. Gasten worden wel veelvuldig aangespoord meer te eten, maar wie op wil staan, doet dat. Dit maakt een maaltijd ongedwongen, wat past bij de mentaliteit van het volk.

Recipe (salta / helbeh)

Now that you know how to make meat Yemeni style and zahaweq, you can try out the national dish of Yemen, "salta" or "helbeh", which is eaten for lunch, the main meal of the day. You will need fenugreek in powdered form. Put three spoonfuls in a small bowl of water (note: put water in the bowl first, and then put the fenugreek on top. don't stir). Let soak for at least a couple of hours. Then drain the water and beat the fenugreek with a wooden stick or your hand until it becomes white and fluffy. This typically takes between five and ten minutes. In meantime, you should have made the meat and zahaweq. Mix the zahaweq with the fenugreek. Pour the hot soup in a bowl and add some of the mixture. Eat the helbeh with flat bread (as other kinds get soggy).

Some notes:
- Many people cook a potato with the meat soup which is crumbled in the bowl before the soup for the helbeh is poured over it.
- Add some fenugreek mixture to the meat soup every now and then while eating.
- The meat is usually eaten separately or with rice, but you can put some small pieces in the helbeh, too.
- The bowl from which helbeh is eaten should be hot because this dish should be eaten as hot as possible. Here in Yemen, people use a "maqleh" for this purpose – either made of clay or stone. The stone ones stay hot for a long time.

To order fenugreek or a maqleh, you can go to: http://al-nakhla-export.weebly.com

Tips for Travelers (photography)

The architecture and natural scenery of Yemen are truly photogenic. So are the people, but not everybody likes to have his or her picture taken. Always ask for permission before taking a picture of any individual, especially women, who will most likely refuse - even if they're veiled.
On the other hand, you will also find plenty of men and kids who will happily pose for a photograph. Never give them a tip after taking a picture (as may be the habit in some other Middle-Eastern countries); this is not expected and it would be wise not to introduce it!

'Ashoora

Today is 'Ashoora, or the tenth of the Islamic month Muharram. It is encouraged to fast on this day although it isn't mandatory. The history of this goes as follows:
When the Prophet (PBUH) came to Madeenah, he saw the Jews fasting on the day of 'Ashoora. They said that this was the day when Allah saved Moosa and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people and that Moosa (upon whom be peace) fasted on this day. Consequently, the Prophet (PBUH) fasted on this day and commanded the Muslims to do the same. Then, when the fasting of Ramadhan was prescribed, this day of fasting became optional.
Fasting this day has great benefits. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "For fasting the day of 'Ashoora, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before."
Imam al-Nawawi said, "Fasting the day of 'Ashoora expiates for all minor sins."

Gratis Huisdieren (in het NLs)

Nadat mijn dochters maandenlang drie kleine poesjes hadden verzorgd, die met hun moeder hun intrek hadden genomen in wat bedoeld was als een kippenhok, gingen ze de wijde wereld in en komen alleen nog zo nu en dan terug. Maar enkele dagen geleden ontdekten we een nieuwe bezoeker in de tuin: in een teil met water vonden we een kikker! Waar 'ie vandaan kwam is een raadsel want na ettelijke regenloze maanden is de omgeving hier nogal droog. Maar hij lijkt het best naar z'n zin te hebben in z'n nieuwe onderkomen want hij zwemt er nog steeds rond. Gratis huisdieren: geweldig, toch?!

Pets for Free

After my daughters had cared for three kittens for several months, they went out into the wide world and only come back occasionally. However, the other day we discovered another visitor in the yard: in a big bucket full of water there was a frog! Where it came from is a mystery because the environment here is dry after many rainless months, but it seems to quite happy with its new home. Pets for free: isn't it beautiful?

Yemeni Customs (table manners)

If you like dining for an hour or two, Yemen is not the right place for you. Food is usually consumed in as little time possible.
Lunch is the main meal and breakfast and dinner are similar. All meals can be had in restaurants. There, the food is ready before you order, so you never have to wait long. Some restaurants only serve one kind of food, like salta. Cafetarias or small restaurants for breakfast have only beans and eggs on the menu, and sometimes maybe liver. These places are exclusively for men. Women can eat in bigger restaurants with a family section. These restaurants often have rice, meat, chicken, salta, and salad on the menu for lunch although some have a little more choice.
While most restaurants have tables to eat at, the majority of the population prefers to eat on the floor, which is done at home. A mat or piece of plastic is spread out and the dishes are placed on it. Yemenis don't have separate plates for each person; everyone eats together from the dishes in front of them. Bread, spoons, or simply your fingers (of your right hand only) are used to pick up the food. Whoever has eaten his fill says "alhamdulillah", gets up, washes his hands, and then sits down a little away from the people who are still eating, sipping from a glass of tea. A guest will be encouraged to eat a lot to show hospitality but can also get up whenever he desires. Although everyday food is often simple, a guest will most probably be served special dishes like meat, chicken, bint-as-sahn (a sort of layered bread with honey), or shafoot (bread soaked in yogurt and zahaweq). When a guest visits a family for a meal, the men and women eat in different rooms.

The Dragon Blood Tree

The island of Soqotra is rich in unique species of plants, the most famous being the dragon blood tree, which is often described as an "upturned umbrella".
This tree, Dracaena Cinnabari, is called "dam al akhawayn", or "blood of the two brothers" in Arabic. It is not clear whether this name comes from a legend or if the tree is named after the deep-red liquid that comes out of its bark when scratched. This precious resin has several uses. The Romans used it to disinfect wounds, and it is still used as a medicine, among other things to stop bleeding. It is used in cosmetics (mixed with a little water and applied to the face, it brings a blush to the skin) and for the decoration of clay pots. The dragon blood resin sells for more than $100 a kilo in the Sana'ani markets.
The dragon blood tree is uqite widespread in evergreen woodlands over the center and east of Soqotra. Some grow to over five hundred years old (although they have no rings to tell the exact age) but currently, their number is declining. Causes may be the numerous goats which devour seedlings, but climate change and drought are also said to affect the species. Growing some of the seedlings in a nursery situation is now being encouraged, and thousands of seedlings are produced annually in an attempt to rejuvenate woodland.

The dragon blood resin can be ordered through http://al-nakhla-export.weebly.com

Recipe (meat Yemeni style)

Chop up one onion, three tomatoes, and some garlic and heat in a little oil for a few minutes. Add approximately half a kilogram of meat or chicken in chunks, and add spices (salt, cumin, black pepper). Stir every now and then for approximately five minutes, and then add boiling water. Close the pot, and let simmer over low heat. Add some water after a while if necessary. About two hours later, the meat is tender, and you have a nice soup to go with the rice. Serve salad as a side-dish.

Wat ik (niet) mis uit Nederland (in het NLs)

Mensen vragen me weleens wat ik mis uit NL. Wat zou ik moeten missen? Het hectische leven? De eentonige rijtjeshuizen-architectuur? De 1001 wetten en regeltjes? Nee, ik denk dat het enige wat ik weleens mis is het 's winters wakker worden en dan te ontdekken dat de wereld is witgesneeuwd. Da's alles. Echt waar.

Qat

If you have heard of Yemen, you must have heard about qat. The qat plant, Catha edulis, is an evergreen tree that can grow several meters high. It is grown at high altitudes (1500-2500 meters). The ends of the branches, which contain fresh leaves, are picked, bundled, and sold at the numerous qat markets throughout the country. Qat can not be kept for more than a day or two, which means it has to be sold and consumed quickly.
Both men and women chew qat, but only the men frequent the markets to buy it. Depending on the kind of qat and the season, prices differ considerably, and buying and selling involves a lot of haggling.
Many Yemenis chew daily, either at work (think of shop owners, taxi-drivers, etc.) or at gatherings. These gatherings are held in the "diwan", usually the biggest and nicest room in the house. Some tall houses in the Old City have a "mafraj", a room on the top floor with a view of the city. The men make themselves comfortable with cushions and armrests. Apart from everyday qat chews, all important happenings are accompanied by qat: weddings, funerals, the home-coming of a traveler, discussions on tribal disputes, etc.
The leaves of the plant, and some of the small juicy branches, are chewed and stored in one cheek. A lot of water (and nowadays soda) is drunk during this process. At the end of the session, after several hours, the chewers stop talking and end up in a contemplating mood. Qat certainly helps you stay awake and focus on whatever you are doing. This is why students always have a good excuse to chew!
Women chew, too, but their cheeks never get as bulged as the men's. In a women's gathering, it is normal to find both chewers and non-chewers (who, instead, drink tea or coffee), whereas at a men's gathering, everyone chews.
Whether you like the habit or you don't, any visitor to Yemen should try it at least once. Without it, you have missed the most basic Yemeni experience.

Recipe (zahaweq)

A side-dish for rice, zahaweq is very easy to make. You get the best results if you do it by hand:
1. grind a little garlic, thyme, salt, and parsley (and, if desired, a small chili pepper)
2. add a couple of big tomatoes without skin and mix until it is a paste
However, you can also mix all ingredients in a blender.
Zahaweq is also eaten with boiled potatoes.

Sights in Sana'a (the National Museum)

The National Museum is located just off Tahrir Square in an old palace of the Imam. It displays lots of artifacts that were found among the numerous ruins throughout the country: pottery, coins, gravestones, copperware, statues, etc. There are some guards present who are more than willing to give some explanations (because there's not much written explanation), but they do this mainly in Arabic. There are also some old books on display and replicas of typical Yemeni architecture. The building itself is just as interesting as the finds on display, with its stone stairs, numerous windows, and arched hallways. On the stairways, there is an exhibition of old pictures of Old Sana'a. It is striking how little this place has changed over the years.
The museum is never crowded, so any time is a good time to visit.

Winter in Sana'a

It is winter, or "the cold days," as this period of the year is called here. Outside in the sun it's nice and warm, but inside it gets rather chilly (especially in the rooms on the northern side of the house). The usual greeting "Salam aleikum" is now often extended to "Salam aleikum - it's cold, isn't it?" while shaking an icy hand. At night, a thick blanket and sweaters are needed. The water is also freezing cold, especially at 5 a.m., when you do ablution for the morning prayer. It even happens that some water left outside in a bucket or so has a thin layer of ice on it in the morning. Average Yemeni houses do not have any sort of heating, so people chew qat or watch TV under a blanket. For me, who has lived through real cold winters back in Holland in my youth, it's all quite bearable, but for Yemenis, used to hot weather most of the year, it is kind of tough.
Ahwell, it's only another two or three months before "the hot days" are back!

Daily Life in Sana'a (water)

Some parts of the city are connected to running water, which may come once a week. Then you should make sure that your watertanks are all filled up. Other parts of the city do not have running water at all but instead have water-trucks for their supply, which come on demand.

A Little about Islam

Unfortunately, the media in the west usually give a negative picture of the Islam. But if you think logically, do you really believe that all the millions of Muslims in the world are of an inhumane nature? Of course not. This idea is only based on some sad incidents that don't reflect the true Islam. Similarly, if some strict Christians refuse to vaccinate their children, can we conclude that Christians in general don't care about the welfare of their kids? Or can we conclude from several school shootings in the U.S. that the entire American youth is violent? No, we obviously can't.
In fact, the Islam is a very peaceful religion. It unifies the previous religions of Judaism and Christianity and does not separate them. It believes in all the Messengers sent by Allah to guide mankind, the last of whom was Muhammed (PBUH). Muslims are encouraged to be righteous and good to each other. A few examples are the following hadith (recorded words and actions of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH):
"None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself."
"Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent, and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbor, and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest."
"Righteousness is good morality, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike people finding out about."
(translation taken from al-Nawawi's 40 hadiths)

Would you like to learn more about Islam? Then please click on the following link:
http://www.dar-us-salam.com/?a_aid=alnakhlayemen

Daily Life in Sana'a (electricity)

Sana'a experiences regular power cuts, which may last one to two hours at a time. This means that you may sometimes not be able to copy a piece of paper, fill up your car with petrol, or watch TV. Some shops and hotels have generators, but just as many don't. Always have a toarch or candle at hand!
Yemenis are used to this phenomenon and see it as a normal part of everyday life.

Daily Life in Sana'a (business hours)

Government working hours are officially from 8:00 - 3:00 (Sat.-Wed.), but you have the best chance to find the person you need between 9:00 and 12:00.
Post offices are usually open from 8:00 - 1:00 (Sat. - Thu.), but some of the bigger ones (like Tahrir and Shumailah) are open from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. as well, including Fridays.
Schools also start at 8:00 (Sat. - Thu.) and end somewhere between 12:00 and 1:30, depending on the school.
Shops decide on their own hours. Some are open until late at night, seven days a week. The same applies to money exchange offices, pharmacies, etc.
There are two major vacations in the country: one for Eid al Fitr (after Ramadhan) and one for Eid al Adha (approx. two months later). Many people take one to two weeks off during these periods in order to travel to their villages.
In Ramadhan, the government has shorter hours and the city is most lively during the hours of the night.