Sanaa, Yemen: Dust, History, and a Whole Lot of Questions

okay, so. sanaa. where do i even begin? i’ve been staring at this screen for like, an hour trying to figure out how to describe it, and honestly? it’s… complicated. it’s not a place you just experience; it’s a place that kind of… settles into you, like the dust. everywhere. seriously, the dust.

first off, the altitude. apparently, it’s the seventh highest capital city in the world. who knew? i just checked and it’s 20.3°c there right now, feels like 18.93°c, pressure’s 1015, humidity’s 21%, sea level’s 1015, ground level’s 763. hope you like that kind of thing. it’s… bracing. you feel it in your lungs. and the views! they’re incredible, looking out over this whole mountain valley. it’s like something out of a biblical epic, all ochre buildings and bistre-colored earth.

and the history! seriously, this place is old. like, over 2,500 years old. they say it’s one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. can you even imagine? people living here since the 6th century BC! it’s been a trade hub, a religious center, ruled by imams, revolutionaries… it’s got layers and layers of history just clinging to the walls. the Great Mosque, built in 633 AD, is supposed to be the first mosque outside of Mecca and Medina. that’s… a lot to take in.

the old city… wow. it’s a unesco world heritage site, and you can see why. it’s a maze of these incredible tower houses, built from rammed earth and brick. they’re like, several stories high, with these geometric patterns all over them. apparently, they were built for defense. it’s just… visually stunning. but it’s also… crumbling. someone told me that a lot of the wealthier residents have moved to the modern outskirts, leaving the lower-income folks stuck in the deteriorating conditions. it’s a bit heartbreaking, honestly. and the streets? narrow, winding, and definitely not car-friendly.

and the people. the population is around 3.3 million, which is a huge chunk of yemen’s total. it’s a zaydi muslim culture, steeped in 2,500 years of history. you see it in the 106 mosques, in the revitalized markets, in the artisan workshops. it’s… resilient.

but then there’s the… the other stuff. the rapid growth, the strained infrastructure, the water scarcity. and the conflict. it’s been a battleground since 2011. it’s… unsettling. you feel it in the air. there are security risks, obviously. it’s not exactly a relaxing vacation spot.

food-wise… i didn’t really find much about specific local dishes. which is weird, right? i was hoping for some amazing yemeni cuisine. i’ll have to look into that more.

if you get bored, taʿizz is just a short drive away. apparently, it was a temporary capital at one point.

overall? sanaa is… a lot. it’s beautiful, it’s historic, it’s complicated, it’s dusty, it’s challenging. it’s not for everyone. but if you’re looking for something… real, something raw, something that will stay with you long after you’ve left… maybe it’s worth a visit. just… be prepared.

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