Last week I went with 2 of my students to visit the Aden Wetlands Protected Area (click the name for photos). They are both applying to be high school exchange students next year in America. It would be cool if we somehow meet up there. Anyways, Maged, Mueataz and I visited this wonderful place. They take treated wastewater from a certain village (suburb) of Aden and then it is channeled to land near the coast. This is an area that is not as rocky as the city. The result is you have a nice area that is green, lush, fertile. Birds love it and we saw plenty of interesting species. Mueataz arranged for the visit with a friend who works there, Fares. Fares is actually a former Amideast student,and he is a local volunteer that is trying to promote the site for local awareness. The site has been funded by the United Nations Development Program and uses sustainable techniques and appropriate technologies. For example, there is a nursery made of mud brick walls and a palm leaf roof. There are alot of palms that grow there, specifically a species they called Hadash which they use to make vinegar, Khal. That vinegar is then turned around and sold locally. The palm trunks are used to make furniture..chairs, stools, and tables. All of the structures are made of natural materials..they even have a swingset made of tree trunks and rope.
Beyond the palm tree area, there is a wide green space where cows graze and birds find food. Mueataz and Fares had arranged a camel ride for me through this part. It was fun. My camel tried to go renegade so I had to have a guide too. At one point I got off, took pictures and when I remounted the camel started to rise and I simply fell on the ground.- Thanks to my catlike reflexes and jedi training, I was able to avoid any catastrophes. lol
So, it's a wonderful place that I had no idea existed here. Hopefully, more students and Yemenis will come to appreciate the eco-friendly ideas and practices used here.
Check out the photos on Picasa: http://picasaweb.google.com/TeacherMiguel
Beyond the palm tree area, there is a wide green space where cows graze and birds find food. Mueataz and Fares had arranged a camel ride for me through this part. It was fun. My camel tried to go renegade so I had to have a guide too. At one point I got off, took pictures and when I remounted the camel started to rise and I simply fell on the ground.- Thanks to my catlike reflexes and jedi training, I was able to avoid any catastrophes. lol
So, it's a wonderful place that I had no idea existed here. Hopefully, more students and Yemenis will come to appreciate the eco-friendly ideas and practices used here.
Check out the photos on Picasa: http://picasaweb.google.com/TeacherMiguel
