After much demand here are some pictures from Yemen

After much demand here are a few pictures from my time in Yemen

Tala and me

Can you imagine using a toilet like this one? #2 isn't relaxing anymore!

Well, everyone keeps asking me when I am going to update this silly thing lol. But, I haven't really been traveling lately. The week before Christmas I went up to NYC for the day, nothing terribly exciting. Hopefully next month I'll have some better to post.

Finally, I got to go explore.

Well today I finally go to go out and see some of Sana'a. We drove over to the Haddah area. I've tried to upload some pictures but the internet connection is too slow here for it work. I'll try again later this week.

10/18/08

Well its been awhile since my last post, so I figured I'd better give everyone an update. I had planned on doing this Friday (my day off), but the hotel decided to turn off it's internet. So I learned something about Yemen today. Over here they do not follow the same calender that we do in the Western world. The calender goes Saturday through Friday, with Thursday and Friday being the weekend. Its weird.

Well, last Friday my Uncle got married. Congrats to Dave and Jennifer. Allison's show opens up in just about a month, so I better see everyone there! There will be great art on display, and if art isn't you thing there will be free food and booze. So there is something for everyone.

I have less than a month left in Yemen, and I have not really had the chance to go out and see the country at all. Its disappointing. I've seen pictures of the countryside and "tourist" areas. They all look very nice, its just that there are some over here that hate Americans. So I'll just hangout in the hotel.

Well thats all for tonight, hopefully I'll have more to talk about later in the week.


-T

The first week

Well I survived the first week in Sana'a. All in all it was not as bad as I thought it would be going into it. I finally adjusted to the time difference (I think) and the daily routine here. Today is my day off and I really do not plan on doing too much. Probably just hang around the room and rest up for another busy week. I've been looking online this afternoon for things to do when I get home. In December The Clarks are going to be playing in Towson at the Recher Theather. That sounds like it will be fun.

Other than my girlfriend, family, friends, and Rufus, I think that I miss football the most over here. I can't even catch highlights on the news here. Al-Jazair doesn't seem to follow the NFL. I'd like to hit up a Redskins game when I get home.

There is a Chinese restaurant in the hotel. I've eaten dinner there 3 days in a row now. It's the only place in the hotel where the food is somewhat recognizable and tastes relatively good.

Anyways, I hope everyone is having a good week and will enjoy their upcoming weekend.

T

Good Things in Yemen

Well Yemen may be the armpit of the Middle East, but I want you to know that it is not all bad. Here are a few things that I have found over the last week that might not be considered bad:

1. The commissary stocks Sam Adams
2. I do not have to my own laundry
3. I do not have to do any cooking
4. Someone else cleans my room
5. There is internet (however slow it might be)
6. The commissary stocks Jack Daniels
7. 90% of the people are very friendly and are wondering where a 6'3" giant came from

I know that it is not much, but its a start. I've been here for less than a week.

First Impressions

For those of you who do not know, I am currently in Sana'a, Yemen. Yes, Yemen. The US Embassy as attacked about 2 weeks ago and I am here working on the Embassy. So far Yemen is not my ideal vacation spot. All I have seen, and am allowed to see, is whats between the hotel compound and the embassy. Let me tell you, its very exciting.

I have not had a decent nights sleep since I arrived in country. Typically I run on about 3 to 4 hours of sleep a day, and let me tell you its rough.

I learned this afternoon about a drug that is used by everyone down here. It is called "Qat". This shit is disgusting! Its a hallucinogen that the locals jam in between their cheek and teeth. Apparently, the government allows the use of it to suppress the widespread hunger and depression that exists.

Tonight the Skins play, I'm gonna miss it. I cannot find any American sports on t.v. here.

GO SKINS!