Friday, November 12, 2010

New tour to Syria for 2011

September 6 - 16, 2011
Syria: The Cradle of Civilization
$3135 pp/do,land only

Join us for this in-depth look at Syria, the Cradle of Civilization. This tour will begin in Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. See ancient Roman cities near Damascus then head out across the desert to the trade route center of Palmyra. The tour then takes us to the banks of the Euphrates River to see the ancient civilation of Mari, which flourished in the third millenium BC, and other ancient trade route outposts. Continue along the river and then across the northern plains to Aleppo, another city with ancient roots and evidence of human habitation that goes back over 10,000 years. The city is named for a story of Abraham who stopped here to rest his flock of sheep. We will explore the city and the surrounding countryside with its beautiful Byzantine Churches then head south to Damascus to get a glimpse of the crusader history of this country. A day trip to the magnificent Roman ruins at Baalbeck in Lebanon is also included.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Levantine Adventure Comments

Below are comments sent to us by a participant in our most recent Levantine Adventure Tour. Thank you!

---------------------------------------------------------

My husband Bill and I travelled to Jordan , Syria and Lebanon on a Levantine Adventure trip sponsored by Caravan- Serai. We also did an extension to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman. This trip proved to be a trip of discovery, enlightenment and a sensitivity to other cultures and faiths.

Since 9/11 I have had many misconceptions about the Middle East, mainly because of what I have read and heard on the news. I was prepared to meet with some hostility since I was not wearing a hijab or abaya.

Bill and I did not meet with any hostility either in the cities or in the small villages visited. There were many school children on holiday (Easter week) who would approach us and ask, “Where are you from?” When we told them we were from the USA and lived in California near Disneyland we got a lot of smiles and a big “Welcome to our Country!”

We had the good fortune to have the owner of Caravan-Serai, Rita Zawaideh with us on the tour. Her colorful past living in both Jordan and Syria made for further insight into the lives of people living in the Middle East.

Both Bill and I enjoyed seeing and learning the history of the many ancient Roman ruins, amphitheaters, mosaic masterpieces, visiting Petra (the Rose Red City, spending a cold night in a tent at the Wadi Rum(I used all three blankets given to me),visiting Palmyra and the great Mosques (which were awesome in architecture and design. The inside of the Mosques had Swarovski crystal chandeliers costing over 60 million dollars. We experienced a jeep ride in the desert (it was like being on a roller coaster (I did not like the ride….too scary). I also had the unique experience to go to a fashion show in Dubai. Wow! I thought I was in a New York fashion show…. models from Russia and Sweden modeling the latest in Western attire with Hip Hop music in the background. There were men and women who were dressed in their traditional long black robes and scarf, others in Western garb all seating side by side enjoying the show.

Our tour also took us to a winery in Lebanon. We actually liked both the red and white wines and bought some at the Duty Free shop to take to the hotel.

The highlight of the trip was visiting Rita’s family both in Jordan and Syria. Both families outdid themselves to prepare a sumptuous lunch to top it off with delicious desserts. It was a real treat to talk to each of the family members and find out more about their lives. All were so welcoming, warm and friendly.

I would recommend the trip to all. It was a trip of discovery, educational, enriching, a priceless adventure. Both of us are grateful that we were given the opportunity to travel in these countries. However, it was good to get back to the USA, Irvine, our bed and to our cat, Koko Chanel who missed us.

Betty and Bill

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Wonderful Experience in Iran

Below is a letter we received from a client who recently returned from a month-long private tour of Iran. The person it is addressed to is our local coordinator in Iran who handles all of our ground logistics there. Our Iran tours, both private and group, continue to receive high praise, and all clients are always amazed at how well received they are while in Iran. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Waugh!

_________________________________________________________________________

Dear Ms. Sattari,

At the end of our recently completed month-long tour in Iran, I promised our excellent guide Siavash Amirsharafi that we would write you a note regarding his work for us.

We (my wife Charlotte and I) had an absolutely wonderful trip, thanks in large part to his efforts (and, of course, the planning and support provided by you and by Caravan-Serai). Not only is he extremely well informed (and, it seems, well connected), but he worked harder than any tour guide we have ever met to make sure that we not only followed the program but took advantage of additional opportunities along the way. He was very good at getting us through closed doors when we would otherwise not have been sure of admission.

Among his concerns was our well-being--making sure we ate well (if anything, we ate far too much!) and did not take ill, and "running interference" for us when we crossed streets in the (for us) somewhat daunting traffic in cities. I am an avid photographer, as he will attest, but he was always careful to alert me to instances where it would have been inappropriate for me to take photos.

Siavash is a real treasure. While I am sure he would perform as well for "ordinary groups", it is important that you assign him to individuals like us who have a deeper interest in Iran and its culture. As I understand it, he has guided and translated for various western scholars; some of them stay in touch with him, which is a tribute to his knowledge and abilities.

We have no complaints of any substance about the trip, which exceeded our expectations. And we hope eventually to be back to see places we did not visit this time (Khorasan is at the top of the list). Your country has so much to offer, we can hope that many Americans will visit; perhaps that will help to thaw relations on the official level, which I think we would agree are most unfortunate. Everyone we met was courteous and most interested to interact with American visitors; we in turn enjoyed every encounter. As a historian interested in the historic Silk Road, I learned a huge amount, but as with any such experience, importantly I learned how much more I want to know about Iran, its history, and its people.

With warm regards,
Dan Waugh

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Photos of Morocco

Here are some photos from Morocco - just follow the link to the Picasa Web Album! I will work on captions so there will be more information on the photos soon.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bpskier/Morocco?feat=directlink

Monday, May 10, 2010

Home at last

As I look back on the last two weeks, I realize how much ground we covered on our tour of Tunisia and Morocco. I also realized how many typos I made in my previous posts from what I have now found out is the French keyboard! I have gone back and corrected the typos (I hope I got them all!).

You never realize how much you get used to things being one way, and not even considering that there could be a different way, then you find yourself in a foreign country and can't type worth beans. A good analogy, I think, to remind us that there is a whole wide world out there where things are different than here in the US. It may be frustrating at first, but you come to realize that is normal for someone else. It adds to the experience and broadens your horizons. If everything were the same all over then there would be no need to travel, right?

So my next task is to go through all the photos and get some posted to give everyone an idea of the sites we visited, the landscape, and the people of Tunisia and Morocco. There are over 1500+ photos to go through so it may take a few days to get it done!

It was a wonderful experience, and much different than traveling to the Levant, or the Arabian Peninsula. Here it is Berber nomads rather than Bedouin. There is a strong French influence on government structure and administration and the education system. And while there are a few Christian churches, they are mostly a result of the French, rather than having deep roots in the region like they do in Syria, Jordan, and Egypt.

If you have been to the other regions before, and think that Tunisia and Morocco won't be anything new, please rethink that idea. You will be amazed at the differences from the blending of Arab, European, and Berber cultures. The food is much different, too, and quite delicious!

If you have any questions about the tour, Tunisia or Morocco, drop us a line!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Marrakech

We are now in Marrakech, and on the last few days of the tour. We have seen a lot - some things on the itinerary and some things not.

On our way to Fes we made a stop at the town of Moulay Idriss and came around the corner just in time to be behind a funeral procession. We followed the procession for a little while as our guide explained the rituals for a Muslim funeral, from the treqtment of the body, prayers, and burial. As we followed to pall bearers and family - men only for the procession -we could see that everyone they passed stood out of respect, whether they were having tea or in their car, they stopped what they were doing and stood as the procession went by.

In Fes we had a great tour of the ancient medina, which is loaded with history. The winding passageways can be confusing and claustrophobic as the walls literally press in on the pathways. One of our visits was to the oldest tannery around. The skins are treated and dyed in a very traditional manner in vats tended by numerous workers. It looks like hot stinky work to first soften the skins then to color them - using only natural dyes. The colors are amazing! Poppy reds, deep indigo blues, pinks, purples, greens, yellows, all achieved using only natural ingredients. And the leather is so soft when it is done - jackets, bags, slippers of the softest leather you have ever felt. Photos of the tannery will be posted later.

Along the way I have noticed a flower here that looks very out of place: a giant purple thistle that would make any Scot proud - all over Morocco! Flowers have been everywhere we go - poppies in fields, jacaranda trees with their purple blooms, pink flowers, and of course roses.

We are off to visit the famous square of Marrakech then to have a special dinner tonight. More to come later!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

The Kingdom of Morocco

Today we began our tour of Morocco, arriving from Tunis this afternoon and taking a short driving tour of Casablanca. It was hard to leave Tunis, but hopefully we all will have an opportunity in the future to come back and see even more of the small North African jewel.

So here we are on the edge of Africa along the Atlantic coast. I have noticed a bit slower pace to things here, which is fine. Each country has it's own rhythm and I suspect the pace will change again as we move inland tomorrow.

We will be visiting Morocco's Imperial Cities of Rabat, Meknes, Fes, and Marrakech. I look forward to seeing Fes again after about 15 years since my last visit!

Hopefully I will be able to post a bit more regularly than in Tunisia. More later!

Friday, April 30, 2010

On the edge of the Sahara

Hello from Tozeur. This tour has been great in showing the diversified landscape of Tunisia. From an almost European landscape and feel in the north to the Berber influence and desert landscape we have today. We spent the morning about 7 miles from the Algerian border in the oases of Chebika and Temerza. Beautiful contrasts. Unfortunately this post is going to be short due to the differences in computer keyboards. The qwerty type keyboard is not used here and it is almost painful for me to type and make sense.

As soon as I get the opportunity I will upload some photos of what we have seen so far. The people have been very welcoming and in many places we are asked why more Americans dont come to Tunisia. I wish I could give a quick answer, but I don't know why as a society we do not travel to this part of the world more. I mean, I do, but I just don't find the answer very logical, or based on facts. Americans are a rare sight in the Middle East and North Africa, but the place is crawling with Europeans, they come here in droves.

Ok, more to come later, its lunch time.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Tunisia!

We had our first day of sightseeing here in Tunisia, in the capital city of Tunis. Our day started in Carthage, which is a beautiful site. The views are spectacular, to match the importance of the site and it's history. We also visited Sidi Bou Said, a small hillside town of white and blue buildngs, and lots of tourists. It is a cute town and will remind you of a Greek island village. The gardens and architecture are very enjoyable, as well as the views. We ended the day in Paris, I mean downtown Tunis, with it's tree-lined boulevards and sidewalk cafes, not to mention all the signs being in French, it is easy to make the mistake. There is even a sort of Arch de Triumph, which is really one of the arched gateways to the old city, or medina.

The people have been welcoming and hospitible, but sometimes communicating can be a challange if you don't know any French or Arabic. English is the third language here, but most people are fluent in French.

My computer time is limited so this is a short post, but there will be more to come! We are enjoying Tunisia, and will head south along the coast tomorrow. Hopefully I can add more then.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Feb. 2010

Here is another entry from one of our recent tour participants - thanks Iryna!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Feb. 2010.

First, a very big thank you to all at Caravan-Serai who made our journey around Saudi Arabia such a wonderful experience!!!!!

After many years living in different countries (Ukraine, Russia, USA, England, Switzerland, Dubai), I moved to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia about three months ago. My first priority in a new country is to learn about its history, culture, and most importantly try to socialize with local people. I searched the Internet for locally-arranged tours around Saudi without success until I found the Caravan-Serai website. I was really impressed with the wealth of information and positive reviews by travelers on previous trips including the countries of most interest to me, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran...

Our trip took 12 days starting in Riyadh where I met up with our group and tour guide, Hatem Jameel, who is a Saudi from Jeddah. After two days in Riyadh, we flew to Najran (south, 15 miles from Yemen), then by road to Abha (took a cable car to a mountain village), later to Al Ula, Madain Salih (second most important Nabatean kingdom with Petra-type structures), Hail, Sakaka, Jubbah (go there if you are into petroglyphs), and finally Jeddah (highest water jet in the world).

Photos are of Rajal Village, Abha; Petra-type structure at Madain Salih; and Petroglyph at Jubbah

It was a wonderful trip around most of the country, everywhere we were met with delicious Arabic coffee and dates for which Saudi is famous. All meals were fresh, tasty, multiple courses, and with a variety of delicious breads (stopped counting calories after Najran!).

The Saudis we met were - without exception – friendly and hospitable and we reluctantly turned down many invitations to visit their homes due to shortage of time.

The highlight of my trip was meeting many different people and being invited into their homes and having the opportunity to ask many questions about their lives and society.

Although we saw many awesome sites, Jameel is the star of Arabia! He has so much local knowledge which he proudly shared without hesitation, with infinite patience and humor, plus he added a color and depth which would have been impossible to get if travelling alone.

In Jeddah, we met Jameel’s family who are wonderful people and I really looking forward to keeping in touch with them.

This was my first trip with Caravan Serai but definitely will not be the last!

Iryna Jones
Jeddah, March 1, 2010

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Below is a comment from one of our frequent travelers about his experience on our tour to Saudi Arabia. Thank you Mark!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good Morning Rita,

This trip to Saudi Arabia was the forth tour I have taken with Caravan - Serai and I just had another quality experience. The hotels and food were top of the line. Hatem Jameel was a very knowledgeable and very witty. He kept me laughing the whole time I was in the Kingdom. Whatever question that was posed to him, he took the time to explain his answer in detail. He looked after all of us so that the tour ran very smoothly until the end. I have a lot of respect for Hatem Jameel and hope to keep in touch with him in the future. It is to your credit that you continue to select the right guides to highlight their countries with tons of information both favorable and sometimes unfavorable giving an accurate account of their country. Hatem Jameel has good contacts all over the country and also at the airports as well. I loved meeting several of his family members and friends in several of the cities we visited. Saudi Arabia is a fascinating country with a lot of the diversity from North to South. I really lucked out with my roommate Oliver. He is very well traveled and we shared many similar viewpoints along the way. It was a pleasure to know him throughout the entire trip. I have included a photo of Hatem and his sister that Hatem wanted me to share with you.

Please keep me in mind for Libya during the last two weeks of February of 2011. Both Oliver and I are very interested.

Thanks Mark

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Trip to Yemen

Here another entry from one of our Yemen 2010 tour participants -Thanks Pam!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First of all you must conquer fear in order to go to Yemen to truly enjoy the trip. Friends were most concerned about this trip and many asked if my financial affairs were current. Nevertheless, I decided that I really wanted to go to Yemen and would not let negative thoughts dissuade me. I was amply rewarded for this decision. This was probably the best trip I ever took--the country, sights, food were amazing. The people of Yemen were most welcoming.

The tour was excellent giving us time to travel thoughout many regions of Yemen and enjoy the architecture. Frankly the afternnon at Shibam, the Manhattan of the Desert was undoubtedly one of the best, most intriguing places I have ever seen--and I have travelled throughout the world for over 30 years. Shibam was almost mystical especially at sunset.

The food was also a surprise--very fresh: salads, bread (terrific), goat, camel, beef, lamb and chicken (no pork of course). A lot of times for lunch we would stop at places along the highway where the locals eat. Shopping for souvenirs was also fun--that much room to bargain but the silver and other trinkets were well worth getting along with the local honey. After experiencing such dining and shopping experiences, I must say that the US stores and restaurants are boring.

But the real prize in Yemen was its people. Throughout Yemen we were constantly amazed that people were so welcoming and friendly. We had opportunities to talk to women (men and women are segregated and do not socialize together) as well as getting the benefit of a talk by a Yemeni analyst, Abdul Ghani Iryani, used by the western news media. We are not getting half the story in the US as Yemen and the Middle East are much more complicated than what is presented in the news media now.

Did I personally feel in danger. No. But it is advisable if contemplating this trip that you choose a specialist in Middle Eastern travel. Fortunately Rita is extraordinarly well connected and savvy and I would not hesitate in recommending her for any future trip to Yemen or to other Middle Eastern countries. We had police with us at certain points in our travels but they in no way interfered with our enjoyment and provided security for those who needed it. I do not want to mitigate Yemen's very really problems that are well known to anyone who reads the papers but the news media misses the beauty of the country and the resilience of its people.

I do feel that I was personally extremely privileged to be on this trip and met in albeit a very limited fashion the Yemeni people. The people are the tour--seven including me--were all very adaptable to any schedule changes and needless to say quite well travelled. The other best thing about this trip is realizing that I could overcome unreasoning fear and be rewarded with a most fascinating and intriguing destination--Yemen.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Socotra

Below is an entry written by one of our Yemen tour participants who took a pre-tour excursion to Socotra Island for 4-5 days. Thank you Peter, for writing this!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A three hour flight over the arid sands of the Rab al-Khali bridged the opulence of the Dubai airport and the third world reality of the Sana’a terminal. Time and patience were required to get the visa and change money, but that done my driver, Ibrahim, was waiting with my bag and off we went to his car, and the 20 minute drive to the Movenpick Hotel. The trip provided an introduction to the outskirts of Sana’a, past miles of small shops and empty spaces. Traffic was light but there was a lot of foot traffic. The men wore head scarves and ankle length skirt-like garb. The women were uniformly heavily veiled in full length black abaya and niqab. I was cautioned not to attempt to take photos of the women, or even to look at them too intensely.

The Movenpick is a nine story grand hotel at the edge of the foothills, with a sweeping view over the city. It has an Arabian nights quality about it, covered in elegant marble with high ceilings and a striking interior atrium. There are several restaurants and cafes, including an excellent Moroccan buffet. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and my room was modern, spacious and very comfortable.

Fully refreshed from a good night’s sleep, I was taken back to the airport by Ibrahim for the morning flight to Socotra. Felix Air flies daily between Sana’a and Socotra, with an intermediate stop in al Mukhallah. Each leg is an hour flight time. The aircraft are Bombardier CRJ200s, sleek, modern twin jets seating 50 passengers. The flight was nearly full. About half got off in Mukhallah, but about as many new passengers boarded there for the flight to the island.

My driver/guide for the next several days was Ismail, a native of the island. He was well spoken, knowledgeable, with a good command of English. It is about a 20 minute drive from the airport to Hadibo, the principal town of Socotra. The road was a well-paved two lane highway. We drove along the coastal plain, past the village of Qatab, up a rise where the mountains come down to the sea, which afforded a sweeping view over the turquoise sea and the mountains beyond.

Qatab is a ‘new’ village, replacing the ancient settlement which was washed into the sea by a massive flood in 1976. It is a Socotran 9/11, a date which defines local history by ‘before and after.’

Hadibo is a poor, physically unattractive collection of mostly single storey humble shops lining mostly unpaved dusty streets. We passed a couple of non-descript looking ‘hotels’, and pulled up to the Summerland Hotel, my home for the next few nights. What a pleasant surprise! A simple, white washed rectangular building with a pleasant lobby and dining room and a simple private courtyard framed by a two storey U-shaped structure containing about 20 units. My room was spotlessly clean, with crisp white sheets and a clean and functional bathroom, which lacked only hot water, which I was informed was a temporary problem. I had satellite TV, with a number of Arabic channels, and one English language station, Press TV, originating in Tehran.
My arrangements included meals, and as I was the only guest in the hotel, their Pilipino chef planned special meals for me, once I had opted for fish, chicken or beef.

After lunch we drove back toward the airport and then turned left onto a dirt track which brought us to the entrance of Wadi Ayhaft. We proceeded up an increasingly narrow, steep and rugged track, flanked on both sides with exotic and varied flora, growing on the steep banks and even out of cracks in the fantastical rocks and crags. We came to a dead end caused by a washed out section of the road. After a brief encounter with two young men who emerged out of nowhere, we turned back, descended and then drove across the plain , across the sand, to the shore. Much of the island is ringed with fine white sand beaches. Other than an occasional stone settlement, there is no sign of development, just miles of clean white sand and spectacular turquoise water.

Back in Hadibo Ismail and I had tea in a local spot, and then drove off to the only Internet facility. It was now dark. There are no street lights, just occasional pools of light from the shops which were still open. It was a bit spooky, but I never felt at all nervous or concerned. The people are generally indifferent, showing neither curiosity nor hostility. I suspect it might be shyness and reserve.
The area around the hotel includes the market section, containing small shops, some with wares spilling out into the dirt street. There is a fair amount of rubbish, and the ubiquitous goats.

The next morning Ismail picked me up at 8. We made a brief foray into the market to get some simple food for the picnic lunch planned for the beach, and then set off for the plateau and the south side of the island. The route up to and across the plateau, then down to the ocean is an excellent two lane paved road. There was hardly any traffic in either direction. The plateau itself is about 1000 meters above sea level and is quite vast. It is very sparsely populated by a few Bedouin families, and it seems quite poor. Although it was quite dry, there were a number of varieties of flowering plants along the way, and quite a few bottle trees. We also began to see some Dragon Blood trees, unique to Socotra. There are sweeping views across the area, with scarcely a sign of habitation. Just an occasional small group of square stone houses and out buildings.

Ismail clearly knew the area well, and we made several detours off the paved road on to dirt tracks, and some stretches that were just rugged terrain. We stopped at one settlement and had tea with the family, which included a total of ten brothers and sisters, from infants to one adult. Women were out of sight, except for an occasional fleeting glimpse. We drove on to the very edge of an enormous gorge, deeply cut into the otherwise rather flat terrain. Some of the small children shyly offered little bags of dried ‘Dragon Blood’ collected from the trees.

We visited a rudimentary nursery where they are attempting to grow new Dragon Blood trees. The only ones currently surviving are older, fully grown plants, which are gradually dying off. The goats devour any new growth, but it is hoped these can be transplanted into the wild and survive.

We crossed the plateau and then descended through another deep gorge onto the south coastal plain. There are few signs of life, just an occasional lone stone house or a small settlement. The landscape is covered with spindly shrubs, grazed over by a scattering of goats. The plain is wide, with long white sand beaches to the south, and towering cliffs to the north, pockmarked with caves and signs of heavy erosion. We passed a modern school building that had just dismissed the students. All girls, all in burqas, looking very much like nuns, and quite a contrast in the dazzling sunlight We turned off the paved road on to a dirt track which ended at the mouth of a large cave, where we parked the car. An old man emerged from nowhere, in search of an aspirin!

There was a sweeping view across the plain to the Indian Ocean beyond, and we decided to forge on to Aomak beach, which consisted of as couple of stone structures and some very basic ‘cabanas’ simple structures of poles and palm fronds, with a tarp-like carpet laid on the ground. Ismail had thoughtfully provided me with a folding chair, to spare my aching knees. He prepared our simple lunch, which consisted of sliced tomatoes, some local Socotran bread, and an orange. And of course, sweet tea.

I walked down to the edge of the beach. The waves were low and gentle, the beach itself was fine white sand, and it gently curved to a distant headland. The water near the shore was the same turquoise of the north coast, changing to a deep, intense blue off shore. Not a soul to be seen.

We retraced our steps, encountering a few camels grazing by the side of the road, then climbing back up to and across the plateau, and making the long descent to the northern coastal plain. The weather has been warm and sunny, except for some cloud cover over the plateau, and we did encounter a brief shower during the return.
Back at sea level we drove across the plain, on another dirt track which led to the shore line. Ismail maneuvered well over the soft dunes and we took a short walk along the edge of the sea. The waves were gentle. The beach itself is one long stretch of pure white sand, occasionally broken by deposits of smooth stones, apparently traces of wadis that brought waters from the seasonal rains down from the mountains to the sea.

We were back before dark and I had a nap, cleaned up, watched some TV and had an early dinner of sautéed chicken and peppers, and then went off to bed.
Day three was sunny and warm, and we headed east on the coastal (and only) road, past the commercial harbor, which consisted of one long dock and some oil storage tanks. Along much of this coast the high mountains come right down to the sea. They are quite striking, mostly of heavily eroded rock, with an occasional towering white sand dune interspersed. Some of these are more than 100 meters high. The road turned inland and brought us into a large valley which was much greener than any other part of the island that we had visited. This valley is ringed by high mountains, some of which are a bit reminiscent of the Dolomites. They reach heights of 5000 feet or more. Eventually the road turned back to the sea through a break in the mountains. We passed a couple of fishing villages, and then the pavement stopped. We continued on, skirting the sea, along a line of cliffs whose shapes became more and more fantastic. The face of the cliffs is heavily eroded, with deep caves and large boulders scattered along the shore. In the midst of it all is one huge sand dune. It is hard to imagine where that amount of sand may have come from, and it adds to the mysterious, other-worldly atmosphere of the area.

We turned off road to meet with three Chelal tribesmen; Ali, Bosalah and Salah. I had read that this tribe is unique to the island in having a gene that produces pale blue eyes. And sure enough, Bosalah had a pair of ice blue eyes. Quite a contrast to his mahogany skin.

The men had caught a young goat, which they slaughtered and skinned before our very eyes, to provide us with a hot lunch! We drove on a bit further to get some fresh water from a stream which was pouring down from the mountains above, a result of what had been heavy rains the day before. This stream blocked our way to drive any further east, so after filling some plastic water canisters we returned to have our lunch.

The goat had been reduced into a simple and well worn aluminum pot, where it bubbled away over an open wood fire. The internal organs had been removed and set aside on a wooden plank, to be grilled. I was the beneficiary of the heart, a kidney, and a nice slice of liver. No, the head was not cooked and the eyes were not on the menu. We sat around the stew pot, and systematically devoured everything. We were closely watched by several Egyptian vultures, which ventured quite close, and to which we tossed spare or inedible parts.

After the meal we had a chat, translated by Ismail. The men were quite curious about the US, and wondered if we too had goats roaming about. Bosalah had been as far as Beirut. He purported to have 10 children, but was interested in acquiring a western wife.

We said our thanks and goodbyes and proceeded back to Hadibo, a roughly two hour drive. Ismail would stop several times during the day to pray, usually in an interesting spot, which gave me an opportunity to stretch my legs and do a little exploring. This time we stopped by a lovely grove of date palms with a small stream meandering through it.

It was still daylight when we got back to town. The internet store was shuttered, but we did find a tiny shop that provided international phone service, so I was able to connect with the outside world. I found that a dear friend had died in New York the day before, so I had to make hasty plans to return as soon as possible. My travel agents responded so quickly and efficiently that I was able to fly out the next morning, and connect to an Egypt Air flight via Cairo to New York the following morning Trusty Ibrahim met me again at the airport in Sana’a, took me back to the Movenpick, and picked me up again at 2 AM for the flight home.

It was unfortunate that I was not able to spend one more day in Socotra to explore the western end of the island. Each part of Socotra is unique, and the western tip is no more that 100 miles from Somalia. The beaches and surrounding waters are supposed to be very beautiful, and I imagine there is a more African influence to be seen.

Socotra is located some 200 miles off the coast of eastern Yemen, and about 100 miles east of Somalia, The population of the island is about 55,000, spread very thinly over an area the size of Rhode Island. There are a lot of young children, and there are said to be over 250,000 goats! The women are completely covered, and almost all the men wear long sleeved shirts, skirt-like, ankle length wraps, and head scarves. In appearance, they tend to be thin, with light to dark brown skin color, and rather aquiline features: long straight noises, thin lips, long faces with close set eyes. Most are quite handsome.

Socotra is a truly amazing and unique place. It is very poor, with a subsistence economy. There is almost no infrastructure or development as we know it. No phone lines, almost no overhead electrical lines, no roadside stands, malls, or gas stations scattered over the landscape. No motor scooters or bicycles. People walk, or get a ride from the few and infrequent cars or vans that pass by. During our drives Ismail would occasionally stop to offer a ride to a lone pedestrian. We even picked up a couple of well-veiled women, who were apparently undaunted by sharing space with a western male. At one point we picked up a young man who Ismail knew. He was a poet, and had won the local prize for poetry the previous year. Ismail was on the Board of Nominators and was proud that he had put this person forward as a contestant.

The main elements of the diet are goat, lamb or fish, and rice. There is little fresh produce, and most of that is imported. I never saw a mosquito, and very few flies.

The people speak Socotri, an ancient (and unwritten) language, which is quite different than Arabic. I was told that there are more schools than teachers. There is one hospital on the entire island, and a few clinics, most of which are not staffed. The future looks bleak. Even with education, there are no sources of jobs or prospects of any meaningful development. One of the main sources of income is the remittances sent back from the several thousand islanders who have gone to work in the UAE.

The history of the island is complex. Earliest historical mentions indicate that remnants of Alexander’s forces settled there in the Third century BC. It was a source of frankincense, myrrh, laudanum and aloe to the ancient world. Dates were also an export crop at certain times. There are indications that the Romans were there. The sultans from the coast of what is now Yemen and Oman controlled the island for most of the intervening years, although the Portuguese had a brief go in the 16th century (whence the blue eyes, by legend.) The Dutch and the British had an interest because of Socotra’s location mid way between India and the Mediterranean.. In the 19th century it became a protectorate of the British Empire, and came part of South Yemen in the 1960s. The Russians maintained a presence there until the early 1990s. They built some schools and clinics, but their attempts to resettle the population did not sit well, and they are not missed. There are recent indications that they have shown interest in setting up a naval base there.

There is concern among people on the island that its designation in 2008 as a World Heritage site will not be a plus for the natives. There is very little tourism, and most of that consisted of environmentalists, who seem more concerned with the plight of the flora than of the people.

Socotra is clearly not for everyone. There is no night life, no discos, no fine dining, no beach resorts and few tourists, most of whom are the backpacking, tenting set. And don’t expect to find any alcohol. But there is a timeless quality to the life there, spectacular mountain scenery and beaches, unique flora, diffident but friendly, simple people, and tons of goats! A truly unique part of the world!

Saturday, January 16, 2010


Photos from Iran - at last!

At long last I have uploaded photos from our tour to Iran last October. Honestly I thought I had done this a while ago but probably what happened is I started putting the album together but got side tracked before uploading it to the web. Still brings back great memories of our tour there!

Enjoy! Questions and comments welcome!


Brenda