A Life Far Removed from Durian Trees

Received a security alert this morning, after hearing fighter jets flying overhead the previous few nights. Apparently some AQ-related activity in the south and potential anti-government retaliation in Sana'a. Gulp. I'm home alone. I packed a bag.

We bought a couple of brass trays at the Old City last night, one oval-shaped and one circular. I loved the shop - the owner had all sorts of brass/metal trinkets and small pieces of wooden furniture. Every little inch of space was covered in knick-knacks. The brass tray were sold "kaamil" - complete with a good clean and polish, which was supposed to take 10 minutes but ended up taking 2 hours! But the pieces looked terrific and the young boys really put their backs into it. Brass trays in the Old City are mostly from India. Usually priced by weight and intricacy of the design. Between USD 40 and USD 100. Some may have been in stock for a while and look very old but with a good clean, they can look brand new. Some have brass legs that can be screwed on, for low-lying tables, but these are heavier and so pricier. The cleaning process: soap solution and a brush, then rinsed and dried. Coated with brass polish and rubbed vigorously by hand. Then tray is covered with sawdust and...

I kid you not! While I was at Al-Shifaa, I couldn't resist buying something for myself. According to the brochure: Magic octopus cream for locale weight losing (YER 600=USD 2) This cream is made of the black seed, peppermint, mustard and other natural materials that are ideal remedies for removing fats from the body. In combination with a special soap: Al-Anaqah soap 4-in-1 (YER 200=USD 1) The first soap of its kind that combines between chest tightening and skin flabbiness. It also whitens and disinfects the skin. Directions for use: During evening shower, use the soap and lather up in target areas such as belly and chest. Leave for a couple of minutes. Rinse off. Massage in the cream in target areas. Repeat every evening. Updated brochure below. These products are locally made, from natural ingredients.

Mum & Dad have asked me to buy any medicines/oils/toiletries with habbat-us-sauda (black cumin) in it. Found this brochure while I was cleaning out my office. Perfect timing! I know where to go. It's a chain of shops that sell honey, oud (incense), bukhoor (perfume), and traditional ointments and creams.

Some things to buy before leaving Yemen: Jambiyya Mafraj Silver jewelry Yemeni art Yemeni honey Yemeni coffee Qamariya Woven baskets Incense and incense burner Shisha Persian carpets Turkish/Saudi/Malaysian carpets Brass decorative items Egyptian/Syrian cotton jalabiyya Cocktail dress Jambiyya . Buy a collection of different kinds: the "judge", bedouin, Sana'ani, Saada, etc. With rhino or cow horn handle. Silver or metal. Old jewish silver or new silver. *** *** *** Mafraj . No need to get a whole set. Just one "block" to put in a cosy corner, next to a window? (Left: the mafraj at the Imam Yahya Palace near Wadi Dhar) Silver jewelry . Apart from "old Jewish silver", the rest are mostly from India and Nepal. Perhaps not as refined or good quality as silver jewelry sold in Europe but it's cheaper in Yemen and okay for casual dress. Depending on weight, a non-Jewish silver pendant with a stone is around USD 12 and around USD 60 for a heavier bracelet...

I'm one of those people who (i) are very sensitive to caffeine and (ii) become tired (instead of energised) after breaking the fast. So now at iftar I make a cup of tea... and I think now I can make decent Yemeni tea. For two people, use the tea leaves from two teabags and boil 2.5 cups of water. Since we are a Splenda household, I don't boil the water with sugar first, just with the tea leaves and the Secret Spices... After the tea has become dark and has a nice spicy aroma, turn down the stove and let the tea cool down to a slow simmer. Add the evaporated milk (depends how milky you like it) and turn off stove. Add Splenda at the end. Does the trick!

My first thought before starting this entry: myblogissomundane! Every lesson, during my teacher's five-minute break, I look forward to a sweet cup of milky Yemeni spiced tea... The secret blend can only be found in Yemen... Recipe: 1. Boil water with sugar. 2. When water starts to boil, add Al-Kabous tea leaves (Yemeni black tea, or any strong black tea) and a quarter teaspoon of the magic powder, and boil for five minutes. 3. Add evaporated milk and turn off stove immediately. Getting the ratio of tea leaves/water/milk will require trial and error!

Now, with the "end" in sight, my Arabic teacher and I are trying to finish the textbook before I leave for the Eid holiday. Starting chapter 15 tomorrow, to reach chapter 20 by September 8th. "I don't think so." That's what my driver said.