Old City, New City

Last Friday I had a walk around the wonderful old city of Sana'a, with its ancient architecture and rich street life. This Friday, I am in another part of the city, with modern apartments, department stores and supermarkets. Here are some photos, to give a sense of the varied nature of this city.

From Wikipedia:

The old fortified city has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years, and contains a wealth of intact architectural gems. It was declared a World Heritage City by the United Nations in 1986. Efforts are underway to preserve some of the oldest buildings, some of which are over 400 years old. Surrounded by ancient clay walls which stand 6–9 metres (20–30 ft) high, the old city boasts over 100 mosques, 12 hammams (baths) and 6,500 houses. Many of the houses resemble ancient skyscrapers, reaching several stories high and topped with flat roofs. They are decorated with elaborate friezes and intricately carved frames and stained glass windows.

One of the most popular attractions is Suq al-Milh (Salt Market), where it is possible to buy not only salt but also bread, spices, raisins, cotton, copper, pottery, silverware, antiques (both fake and real) and formerly, slaves. The majestic 7th century Jami' al-Kabir (Great Mosque) is one of the oldest in the Muslim world. The Bāb al-Yaman (Yemen Gate) is an iconized entry point through the city walls and is over 700 years old.

The modern city resembles many other developing country capitals and reminds me of Tehran because of the mountains and ring of smog that surround the city. There are several modern business hotels, some chic restaurants which I have heard about but haven't yet seen and even fast food joints like KFC and Pizza Hut, which I have no intention of visiting.

Many people have spoken of the wild traffic in Sana'a, but compared with Tehran, and even New York, I have not experienced anything out of the ordinary.  There was one incident where we saw a boy of maybe 12 years old weaving a car a bit recklessly through a narrow street, but otherwise traffic has seemed relatively calm and orderly.