Good bye , Sana'a !

Irina Vivsyanaya

To tell the truth I was a bit afraid to come to Sana’a.

I didn’t know  a lot about the country, and what I heard didn’t seem attractive.
That is why after coming I was impressed by the atmosphere of safety, goodwill and welcoming. I didn’t expect people to be so helpful and communicative; they always were interested and tried to do all their best for me to feel comfortable in their country.

My first impression was a shock! I couldn’t imagine that in the 21st century it was possible to find a country where traditions and history are kept and so carefully preserved by every generation. Men in national dress with jambias and ladies with veils seemed to me a bit surrealistic; I felt like I take part in a historical movie shoot. At the beginning I really didn’t know how to behave but people were so kind and cheerful that it helped me a lot.
My second impression was the Old City! I have never seen anything like this and it was fantastic. Moreover the most impressive was the fact that all these splendid houses were inhabited by citizens. The Old Sana’a was not simply a museum – it was a living town crowded by merchants and children, tourists and women in abaya. Yemeni houses with original white ornament looked like a cake and each one was unique; I couldn’t find two identical houses in all Sana’a.
During Ramadan my husband and I used to wake up with the sunrise and go to Bab al-Yemen to see it sleepy and empty. Can you imagine all these beautiful houses silent and calm in the rays of the rising sun? This is unforgettable! We were strolling along the narrow streets absolutely alone, and all the citizens were asleep after celebrating Ramadan all night.
My strongest impression was Socotra! A magnificent, beautiful island with white beaches and blue sea. I will never forget these landscapes and nature, lonely beaches and long evenings near the fire smoking sheesha with stars above my head.
Cuisine: Have you tried kebabs in the Old city? If not, then this is a must! To feel the real glamorous atmosphere you need to climb to the second floor of the café where you will find a small room covered with picturesque views of Yemen and a few curtains to separate women. Kebabs are served in ancient aluminium plates with salad made of smashed tomato and onions. This simple food is fantastically delicious! I will be missing it a lot!
Outskirts: To see the wonderful view of Sana’a you need to wake up before sunrise and drive to the road that goes around the city in the mountains. You will find awaking Sana’a very beautiful and silent in the hills. And when the mosques start to “talk” you will listen to the whole chorus of different voices; Sana’a will speak to you.
In the evening this place is quite famous and you can find a lot of parked cars along the road. People chew qat here, smoke sheesha and of course watch beautiful Sana’a from the height of the mountains around the city. Some say that young Yemeni boys and girls used to have dates here: the place is very romantic; they are sitting in their cars and watching their lovely city.
Traffic: If you had a chance to drive in Sana’a, you know what I mean! Nevertheless I was surprised that in spite of the fact that there are no rules as we see it, people use their own system of signs and sounds and if you know it this will help you drive. So there are rules but you need to learn them!
Good bye, Sana’a! It happened so that I had to leave Sana’a before I planned and I didn’t know I would not be able to come back to say goodbye. And this makes me feel frustrated. I spent about a year in Sana’a and this city became a second home for me. I know the best markets and restaurants, I remember thousands of narrow streets around Bab al-Yemen, I met a lot of wonderful people and I will never forget my year in Yemen. This country is very special; you need to be tolerant and open-minded to understand it but after leaving it you feel that a part of your life will always be connected with this city and these kind people. Good bye, Sana’a, I will definitely come back to see you again some day!