Yemen – Turbulent Historical Past, Incredible Natural Splendor
For those that like to travel, it can be nice to visit a place that is not over-run with tourism. The typical vacationer will visit popular destinations like France, Italy, Spain, however sometimes its easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of popular tourist attractions. Since many of these places depend on tourism to feed their economy, their culture may begin to adapt over time and lose a bit of its individuality. That’s why its nice to find a place like Yemen that is untouched by tourism yet has many fun and interesting things to do. When you visit, the culture and surrounding environment will be intoxicating and you will be glad that you went. When you are making your preparations, remember to secure your passport. If you haven’t gotten a passport yet it is easy to find online pass port application forms.
Online passport services make getting ready for a trip extremely easy. Online passport expediting services handle all of your passport needs, including a one day passport renewal. So if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, or you simply just want to get your passport quicker, visit one of these passport sites.
One of the great things about Yemen is the fact that there are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is a special honor that is given to locations in the world that have significant cultural and historical value. They are always fun to visit and well worth a trip to experience. One of these places in Yemen is the city of Sana’a. This city’s history goes as far back as 2,500 years ago! With such a long history, it comes as no surprise that it was a hub for political, religious, and economic activity. In this city there are 103 mosques, 14 hammams, and over 6,000 houses that were all constructed prior to the 11th century
Another one of these UNESCO sites is Shibah-Hadramout. When you visit this place it will come as no surprise why it is often referred to as “The Manhattan of the Desert”. This city is fortified by a thick exterior wall and demonstrates what is known as vertical construction. While many of the building reach high into the sky, others are constructed out of the side of a cliff! Continuing on with the UNESCO sites, you would also want to visit the town of Zabid. This place is noted for serving as the capital of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century. It features an Islamic university and marvelous architecture.
Lastly, on your tour of the UNESCO sites you need to swing by the Socotro Archipelago. As opposed to the other sites which are recognized for their historical significance, this site is noted for its biodiversity and its natural beauty. It is a series of islands and islets that contain life that does not live in other regions of the world. In fact, 37% of Socrata’s 825 plant species, 90% of its reptiles, and 95% of its land snail species only live in this area of the world!
Its safe to say that Yemen is a place where history, religion, and natural wonder collide. From the historical significance of the area, to the natural wonder, it’s a must-see for any person looking for a vacation that is off the beaten path. When you are preparing for your trip, don’t forget to make sure your passport is set. If you don’t have one, you can easily complete passport application forms online. If you need it renewed in a hurry, you can also select the one day US passport renewal option.
Will Somers – Podcast 5 – Surfing New England History-Surf Photography – Girls who surf.wmv
