Bir Ali

There is a small fishing village not far from Balhaf where one of our vendors has set up a recycling facility. I go there from time to time, as security conditions permit, to inspect the operations. The village itself is a pleasure to visit. The only commerce, aside from the recycling, is related to fishing - there are two ice houses with primitve ice making equipment, and a central auction area where the fishermen bring in their catch and sell it to the highest bidder.

There is also a coral beach with some open shelters where you can relax and watch the turquoise waves break on the smooth coarse-grained sand. This area was popular with adventuresome Soviet tourists who, once upon a time, were kindred spirits with the communist regime in South Yemen.

Photos show the recycling facility, Bir Ali Beach, and a tasty repast with recycler employees and, of course, one of my ever-present military escorts. On the menu - grilled goat, fresh tuna from the fish market, and lots of honey-containing bread and banana combinations. Yemenis are very proud of their desert honey.