Aden, proud capital of Yemen, bustling duty free port, destination for cruise ships bringing hundreds of tourists to a wonderful natural harbor and one of the most beautiful cities in the area. All statements accurate except that this description was 25-30 years ago during the British occupation, today is a different story. Today the city is crumbling and ramshackle, there has been little or no maintenance since those days. The litter, filth and squalor are appalling, goats are in the streets eating the garbage that has just been discarded. The heat is oppressive and there is dirt and dust everywhere due to the dust/sand storms that sweep the area every few days. The situation is worse than I can describe and pictures can't capture as one wonders how humanity can sink so low in such a short time. My only dilemma is, why do I like it here despite everything, and the answer is the people. The Yemeni people are the most sincere, friendly, outgoing and helpful anywhere. Most speak a little English and all are interested in where I am from. I have found no anti American sentiment and most have some family relation in the US and want to get a visa to go as well, but Visas to the US are difficult. I should clarify that when I say "talking to the people" I mean the men, one does not talk to the women who are all fully robed with only a small slit for the eyes, some even wear gloves to cover their hands. The women while definitely not high in the social order do seem to have jobs in managerial positions, in those instances they allow their faces to be seen and are then talkative and friendly although in a very reserved manner. When I have been in town with a camera the men clamor around and basically beg to have their photo taken, hamming it up for the camera with friends while the women will run and hide if a camera is pointed in their general direction. Any photos of women were unfortunately done on the sly without their knowledge or permission and for that I apologize. Most of the people seem to stay clean in never ending dirt and all seem very happy and cheerful. I suspect that "kot" helps. Kot is a leaf they all seem to start chewing around 3PM when the shops open back up for the afternoon and evening. It supposedly is a stimulant with a bit of a narcotic buzz. This is, of course, a Muslim country with strict codes and constant call to prayer; but almost every man smokes and chews kot and there is beer and liquor available to anyone in several bars in town. At the Sailors Club, which is a little restaurant near the dock, the women will relax their dress code coming in fully robed and then appearing minutes later in modern dress. Those in the most form fitting outfits are known as "free women" i.e. prostitutes and are very good looking and will openly approach men stating that they are available for money.
Aden is actually made up of 4-5 smaller towns, Tawahi being the port town where we spend most of our time. We have driven throughout the others with our guide Hussein, they are all quite similar but slightly larger. The guides and service providers are on the dock ready to greet you, and hustle your business as soon as you arrive. The most famous and definitely oldest guide, Omar, aka Omar with the red car, has retried due to hearing loss but he still hangs out at the dock watching for new arrivals. A guide is essential to get anything done efficiently, although that may be a bad choice of words; nothing gets done efficiently. The number of forms to be filled in, then visiting several offices for signatures and filling out new forms is mind boggling, carbon paper is alive and well in Yemen. It took fully a half day visiting two offices in two separate buildings, a total of 7 trips back and forth to get diesel fuel for the boat, all this with everyone looking for some "little gift" along the way. Hussein's car like most others is a non identifiable make of unknown vintage with no windows, doors which sometimes work, and an engine that has to be hot wired to start. Hussein must always park where he can pull straight out since the car has no reverse. His most valuable service is finding the various government offices that must be visited and since he knows most of the officials he gets us through reasonably quickly by Yemeni standards. He also knows and finds sources of needed parts or supplies. All this while taking you on a death-defying thrill ride through manic traffic for $5.00 US per hour. Irish, the laundry man, did a wonderful job on a load of rather foul garments that we had generated over the past 3 weeks and delivered it back to the boat. Whenever dealing with merchants I never feel the need to double check the prices or count the change since no one seems out to rip you off. The town comes alive in late afternoon and stays open till 10 or 11 o'clock at night when it cools off a bit, I never feel threatened or in danger walking down some fairly isolated streets.
We have gotten to know several of the merchants well and they always come out to greet us when we are passing by. Whenever we are carrying a bit of trash looking for a receptacle one of the locals will come and take it from us as if to dispose of it properly and promptly throw it out into the street. When you look perplexed they always say, "smile, you are in Yemen". The older people who remember the British occupation well would love to have the British back and the younger people just don't seem to care. There is some new construction but it is being done as a foreign venture or gift and generally seems to get stopped when about 30% done. The general deterioration of everything else far outstrips the repair attempts. I feel badly for the country and the people, I don't know what its economic status is but I don't see a lot of hope for the future. In spite of the hardships and all the problems the people seem very happy and made my short stay a very enjoyable one.
The boat was anchored in the bay right off the town wall, inside of a fuel bunker station. What I didn't know was that one month later the US Cole was to tie up at this very bunker.
