Taking pictures in the old city is kind of difficult since everything is right on top of everything else. The buildings are sights to behold, but it is difficult to get the whole thing in the shot. The streets of the old city are all paved with stones. The really old parts (like where I live, the picture of the cobblestones was taken right outside of my building) have lumpy cobblestones. Your ankles get a real workout walking across them. The newer paving jobs use a flat brick that looks like it is made of concrete. Interestingly, they are all hand distressed. I saw a paver using a hammer and chisel to methodically put pockmarks in the surface. I guess it is for traction in the rain or something. I will have to take a closer look and see if they are quarried stones or cast stones. If you have a camera in your hand, the kids will not leave you alone. It really is a different atmosphere here in Yemen, kids are not afraid of strangers and neither are the parents. Photography is not frowned on here, unlike the US where you are looked at as if you are a criminal because you think a building looks interesting. The exceptions to this attitude are police, the military, and women. It is actually against the law to take pictures of the military or police. I don’t think it is officially against the law to take pictures of the women, but it is clear that no one would appreciate it. It cracks me up, it’s not like you can see any part of her. I’m constantly amazed that women recognize each other on the street, and husbands recognize thier wife (or wives). So you won’t see any pictures of women from me. If you look very closely in the picture with the building bridging the street, you can see a woman and a child or two…
Isaac