Why Sanaa?!? That's the question I keep getting asked. And the answer is that I was inspired by a cover story that I read in a Kuwait Airways inflight magazine in 2002. Just looking at the pictures, especially those of the architecture, I decided then and there that I would visit Yemen some day. I lived up to the promise in December 2004.

It's an entirely plausible excuse to travel to Sanaa only for its architecture: While the buildings within the perimeter of the walled city by themselves are simple mud creations, the decorative embellishments that adorn them give the old city a charming face and won a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition. This cluster of buildings are also recipients of the Aga Khan Award, placing it among some of the most distinguished Islamic architectural accomplishments in the world.

To experience the architecture from the inside, I booked myself into two different tourist-class hostels that were renovated old Sanaa homes. The Taj Talha was a fantastic experience for its suberb, generous service. The Arabia Felix was less so. The service was still good but I got a bill for every little thing they did for me--unreasonable dollar rates.

However, the great thing about Sanaa (largely true) is that people are relatively untouched by tourist dollars. They genuinely appreciate you for your visit. Can you say that about many other places in the world today? The Souk-al-Milh is a throbbing hub of activity behind the gate that leads into the old city. You can spend a whole day in this souk (market) shopping for spices, crafts, and other knick-knacks. This is not some specially refurbished tourist attraction--it's a part of Yemeni life, at least in downtown Sanaa.

Yet, notice that I've given an "Okay, but some problems" rating. If Stockholm is a 5, then it's good to think of Sanaa as a 2. This is not your run-of-the-mill tourist destination. It's not easy to get here. It's not easy to get out. Your flight is neither likely to land on time nor take off on time. The person who was supposed to meet you at the airport when your flight lands at 1am probably won't show up (happened to me). You can ask for directions to a place 20 steps away from you and nobody would know. You need permits to travel to places hours away from Sanaa. The police won't give you those permits if they don't feel like it on that particular day.

Some of us thrive on such uncertainty. It's not a price we pay. It's only part of the deal that makes up a truly unique Arabian experience unspoilt by the ill effects of tourism.