The migration of young men to the Gulf had been draining the highland villages since the late 1970s, and al-Jabal seemed clear evidence of that. Many of the houses had collapsed from neglect. A few old men sitting around outside the mosque constituted the only sign of life. Wolfgang, who thought he'd do a little work while he was there, pulled out his tape recorder and sat down. He introduced himself and said he was collecting Yemeni folk tales and stories for a book.
Some people like to collect stamps.
Ahmad was also a student of Yemeni society. He also talked about the dafa'a, or bride price. I thought it might make him feel better to know that alimony and child support can make divorce an expensive proposition for the American male. The guidebook described it as a charming little port known for its 18th century and 19th century architecture, most notably wooden doors embossed with Islamic geometric patterns. The American ambassador was reputed to have bought one of these doors during a visit.