Archaeology handicrafts and science and technology sites to visit Yemen

The track leading to the apex of the Jebel Saber (3 006 m) is road. The mountain is covered by cultures, in particular qat, and built from countless villages. Magnificent panoramic views of Ta and the rich modern villas of taizzi industrialists. A pleasant stop at the village's small café, at Samira, 200 m from the top. Samira will soon open a hostel. You must cross the village on foot to arrive at a nice point of view on Ta. A second hostel is also expected to be a day, which will make it easy to facilitate hiking in the region. The village's little girls sell «makramas», long cotton veils, very colourful, and offer women to adorn their hands with henna designs. At Mount Saber, a small mosque is built in memory of the Sufi Abd Al-Rahman. Behind the mosque is the cave which was, according to tradition, the place of sleep of the «Ahl Al Kahf». It would be the «seven dormants» referred to in the Qur'a by the Koran - seven young men and their dog who, fleeing the persecution of a tyrant, took refuge in a cave. God slept there for 309 years, and then rehearsed them: " To make sure that God's promise is true and that there is no doubt about the time. (Koran, XVIII, 21.)

Small and charming, it is established between the two remaining doors of the Ta Enclosure: Bab Al Kebir and Bab Moussa. It stretches over three streets, including the one that descends from mosques and where many antique shops are held. Djambeyas and silver jewellery are cheaper than in Sana'a, and can still compete. Some of the dealers can pay by traveller's cheques. In front of Bab Al-Kebir, the goat cheeses are sold, which are the specialty of Rituxan, necklaces and jasmine bouquets. The first street on the left is reserved for fabrics, clothing and exchange offices. It overlooks Bab Moussa. In the second you can find roasters, spice dealers and agricultural instruments. The smiling atmosphere is a good child.

Two elements of the housing doors of the region are remarkable. On the one hand, the hole in the right amount of the wall, closed by a small wooden valve, in which one moves the hand to power the heavy bois. On the other hand, the mechanism of the lock, entirely in wood, as well as the key that activates it, in the form of large toothbrush that is brought into the mechanism, and acts like that of a Barbarie organ.

In the vicinity of Shibam and other villages, you will see busy workers in the manufacture of the peaks. Mixed with abundant water after April rains, the earth is spread over the ground, with, and left dry in the sun. Once dry, the bricks are cut and stacked close to the houses that sometimes hold a stock to replace those that the bad weather would have damaged. Two lime are used to protect walls: The warm lime outside and in the bathrooms to waterproofing the walls, the cold lime for the decoration of the walls.

It is possible to visit one or two houses that have been restored through foreign funds and transformed into a museum in situ. It is very interesting to see their interior intended for the whole family, between 15 and 25 people, distributed on all floors, on the ground floor being intended for reservations and kitchen, floors to rooms and common rooms of reception, the open terrace open to become the family dormitory. The houses are always built by peaks. This natural material is cheap and the thick walls that are made of it maintain freshness inside and prevent the heat from entering.