Author Archives: explorermikaelstrandberg

….at first, it felt relaxingly cool and extremely silent. No buses, motorbikes or minibuses who tried to run me over, no Yemenis yelling at the top of their voices, no dirt, no potholes, vicious pollution or general disorganization, no harsh … Continue reading →

In a few days I will be leaving Sana`a and return to Sweden. It feels exactly like when the woman you love more than anything has just left you. Your heart aches, you feel empty, you look at pictures of … Continue reading →

…I guess to a certain extent, since the word is Arabic and means a student, and yes, I am a student of life in Yemen at the present. The following took place yesterday: ”What is it that you specifically like … Continue reading →

”My father and his father and so on, they all travelled to Mecca by camel” , the old man explained whilst touching the top of his jambiyya , “It took my father four months to get there and the same … Continue reading →

“Taxi, Taxi, taxi, we have to help this guy!” The old man shouting was, as always, Hussein, my landlord in Old Sanaa, where I am renting an apartment so I can work in peace, feel the atmosphere of the old … Continue reading →

War planes continue to fly north, tens of thousands of people get displaced, far too many killed on both sides, worry amongst sanaanis (local people of the capital) is growing fast, the heavy rains have taken a break for awhile … Continue reading →

A few hours ago I woke when the muezzin called for another day of fasting, accompanied by warplanes heading for the Saada Province and realizing that the Yemeni government under Abdullah Ali Saleh was stepping up their attempt to stamp … Continue reading →

”Ramadan is the best time of the year!” said my teacher Rashad with passion and continued: “It is a time when you get closer to God, when you think about who you are, feel compassion with others and show your … Continue reading →

“It´s is all haram (forbidden)!”, my new very good friend exclaimed with disappointment and threw out his hands, turned his new Mercedes Benz around and returned back to what was not long ago a foul-smelling sewer canal, which is called … Continue reading →

I have just put foot once again in Yemen, after four very relaxing days in Oman. I have been up and handling camels again…gee, I just love camels…they´re so sweet, cuddly, funny, difficult, independent and gracious….I cruised the dune ridges … Continue reading →