It just keeps getting better….

My first blogging from Yemen.  For one, I am hesitant to say too much in an open forum like this – never know who is reading it.  That, and I finally have internet in my living quarters – after 45 some days here.  It was difficult being isolated that way – yes, I could use it at work – but not the same.  Plus, it was the primary communication path with the wife – hour-long daily chat sessions and free phone calls via Skype.  Without that, we resorted to daily e-mails and occasional text messages and phone calls, though at $3.49 a minute, we did not do that much.  Not the same.  Of course, in the last month we both got used to having that hour each day free, so some adaptation is necessary.  A very minor cloud on a big silver lining!

I also finally received my rental vehicle.  I had been using a mix of bumming rides, taking a shuttle, and borrowing a vehicle from the office.  Now, I have wheels – very nice at that – and my new ride has a functional CD player in it – so this morning I was cranking The Beatles.  (side note – was enjoying new found internet to look for Rubber Soul and Sgt Pepper’s… on iTunes and they are not there yet – foiled!)  So, the little things in life.  And, am actually getting somewhat used to driving.  The locals are still crazy, but there are some basic rules and I have sort of figured them out.

Strangely enough, am really starting to like Yemen.  It is a ruggedly beautiful place, and the people are growing on me.  To make very broad generalizations (being such there are numerous exceptions) my impression of a lot of the Middle East is that too many people over here have had too much money given to them without a lot of work.  Not so the Yemenis.  Also a land of strange contrasts – lots of dangerous things on the streets, (drivers, see below) but at the same time police here are cracking down – saw police on street corners checking people for seat belts…

One way to travel – in the trunk!  Not the first time I have seen this… (mind you, I have done this – but only for a short distance to sneak into a drive-in – and we had the trunk closed!)

Usual scene at ‘stoplights’ – while you wait, people try and sell you things – boxes of tissue and water bottles being the most common, but toys, newspapers, etc… Also beggars.  Often little kids, and they walk between lanes of traffic – that start moving with them still in the middle.

The Saleh mosque, recently constructed and named after the president.  This picture does not really capture the beauty of the place

Though this is a new mosque, I was in Old Town last week and my ‘guide’ pointed out one of the two oldest mosques in the world – is over 1400 years old and still is being used.  I will have more to talk about when I go shopping in Old Town again in the near future. 

That’s about it – month SEVEN is done, with just a smidge over 5 to go.  I just swapped e-mails with the guy who will be taking my place, so am starting to feel short… and the Q-tip box (#2) is already missing two dozen – another visible sign of progress.