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 Qat leaves by Mcclovis
To chew or not to chew is up to you. I chewed only once. I was with a group of Yemeni friends sitting comfortably in a mafrag; listening to songs and religious readings; smoking sheesha; sipping water; inhaling incense and perfume and chatting or just relaxing.
I only chewed two handfuls of best quality qat (red tinged young leaves). The taste at first was horribly bitter but later I found myself popping qat in my mouth without thinking. The men around me all had bulging cheeks and a rather glazed look. I tried very hard not to swallow any but was not totally successful. I lost count of the time and I forgot that I had not eaten that evening. The effect on me was slow in coming but rather impressive. It did make me feel good but I will never try it again.
I do not know how people drive and chew qat. Qat interferes with one's power of judgement. For example I had to force myself to look right and left before crossing the street because I felt the other cars would stop because I was there!
Qat is also reputed to have aphrodisiac properties but it is more likely that it depends more on what you are thinking. Qat simply makes you feel you can be and do whatever you want.
Since I chewed a very small quantity, the effect wore off in a few hours. The company you are with and the place are all important factors to enjoy qat to the fullest. Leave a Comment
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 Deeply religious - my guide
and my police escort by dutchwindmill
2) Yemenis are actually thrilled when foreigners try on their national dress, whether men or women. They don't feel ridiculed, I have noticed. A lady friend visiting the Old City of Sana'a was greeted with enthusiasm, even though somehow immediately noticed that she wasn't Yemeni despite being completely covered, niqaab and all.
3) Then again, I don't agree that as a foreign woman wearing the veil (niqaab) is a sign of respect. A few decades ago wearing the niqaab was not uncommon, but wearing only a head scarf was not uncommon either. Today hardly any Yemeni woman feels free not to wear it, in large part due to wahabist influence from the Kingdom to the North. In the South, especially in Aden, it was quite common for women not to cover up, but since the unification (we're talking recent history here and not "time-honored traditions"!) this liberty has been pretty much stamped out. Sure, many Yemeni women will say they feel more comfortable wearing a (nylon) veil (at temperature of upto 45 degrees celsius in the shade or in the sea at Aden beaches), but for negative reasons: they (and their relatives) get sneers if they don't; some may believe it is what the Prophet wanted. But if given totally free choice, they would burn 'em - watch how many Yemeni women take it off as soon as they board an outward-bound plane. (This is the Internet, but in real life I only have discussions like this with Yemenis that I know well.)
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 by TheLongTone
In fact the government is spending huge amounts of money buying back the accumulated private arsenals of the country. Nevertheless, I was told that you could buy more or less anything under the size of a tank.....
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 Spinning tops are very
popular by TheLongTone
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Most places in the ME have a unique dress code and more often than not the locals dont mind someone trying to adapt but some foreigners buy some local clothes to fit in with their surroundings. Yemen is different in that most locals are offended by people trying to dress like them because being a poor country they feel as though foreign travellers are making fun of them. Good to know so that you dont make a bad first impression. Leave a Comment
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 Oblivious of how silly it
looks... by dutchwindmill
1) "There is no limit on the importation of alcohol." Yes there is. Of course there is. This is a very traditional muslim country. Even though it's not mentioned on the big notice board in the luggage hall at Sana'a International Airport, nor on the website of the Yemen Tourist Board you are NOT allowed to bring in alcoholic beverages in unlimited quantities. Muslims (in fact anyone from a muslim country, whether he or she is mulsim or not) are not allowed to bring in alcohol at all. Other foreigners may bring in 2 or 3 bottles each - the rules are rather vague, but this is what the airport customs people will tell you. There are frequent random checks of luggage (there is no real green "Nothing to declare" lane).
2) "Qat dissolves over time. There is no spitting." No, it doesn't dissolve and yes, there is spitting.
3) "People are muslim, so the women have to be covered up from head to toe." Trying to be benevolent, I'd say this statement reflects a minority position that more than 9 out of 10 muslims in the world (men and women) would not want to be associated with. In fact there is nothing in the Qur'an that says women have to be covered to the extent they do in Yemen (and in Saudi),
4) It's true that generally speaking mosques are not accessible for non-muslims (don't know why - maybe to avoid the risk of someone getting the urge to convert?). There are several beautiful ancient mosques that can be visited, though: in Taiz, Jiblah and Zabid I was invited to come and marvel (no money was asked beforehand but I made sure to leave a tip to my instant guide); in Rada there is the magnificent Amariyya mosque, a real pearl which is now a museum and has not been re-consecrated.
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Yemen, especially in the north, is as truly in the grip of this leaf as Western culture is to alcohol. Consuming it is a daily ritual if you can afford it: and its cultivation and distribution account for a large proportion of the country's economy. The qat plantations are readily recognisable: not only the distictive, slightly reddish, shade of green of the small tree, but the utterly distinctive guard towers and barbed wire fences.
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 by traveldave
Most Yemenis do not shop in modern shopping centers as are found in the West. Instead, they rely on street markets to purchase fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, and fish on a daily basis. Even non-food items, such as motor oil, batteries, toiletries, etc. can be purchased at street markets. Throughout Yemen, from the largest cities to the smallest villages, street markets cater to locals by offering locally grown foods. For the visitor, street markets offer a glimpse into the daily lives of Yemenis, as well as great photographic opportunities. Leave a Comment
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 Does she know where she is? by JohnniOmaniLeave a Comment
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 by traveldave
Due to the altitude of most agricultural terraces, the crops that can be grown on them are somewhat limited, especially when compared to those that can be grown in the fertile wadis at lower elevations. Some of the crops grown on the agricultural terraces include almonds, barley, corn, oats, and sorghum. The most common crop, however, is coffee beans. And qat is increasingly being grown, and may overtake coffee beans as the most prevalent crop. Qat is the leaf of a plant that when chewed, produces a mildly narcotic effect that supposedly helps increase energy and stamina. Leave a Comment
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