Asir Province

 Asir Province  

                                        

We were on the look out for baboons.

We packed up our bush camp and set out again. We started to gain height as we moved into the mountains. I didn't have to ask whether we were at height or not as I opened some biscuits to have with my coffee and the plastic packaging had puffed up with the altitude. We saw our first baboons by the road side unfortuantely a poor picture as it was taken from a moving truck and in the shade.

As we moved into the hills, there was more grass and trees. There was ample grazing for herds of goats and fields growing vegetables. There was also an abundance of wells and large concrete water tanks. Some of the wadis had a dam across them and a nearby concrete water tank. When the rain falls, it collects behind the dam and can be pumped into the tank for use later.

And there were still camels in addition to baboons and free range goats.

We came across nother troupe of baboons near the road...

...but we only slowed rather than stop to take photos...

...and they seem to be used to moving traffic but ran away when we slowed.

And we passed something that I was surprised to see, the Tandaha Dam which holds back a lot of rainfall that had fallen in the hills. As we passed, it seemed to be full as there was very little freeboard at the dam or exposed beaches around the edge of the reservoir. 

Some of the fields as we passed near Khamis Mushait and around the giant military airfield.

We crossed a wadi in the centre of the city. A bridge was being built across it. It looked complete but it wasn't open and the access roads between the main road and the bridge approaches had yet to be laid with tarmac. The bridge must have been needed as the road bumps across the bottom of the wadi and there are depth markers and large warning signs to tell drivers hoe deep it is and not to cross when the red lights are flashing.

Cwntre right of the photo is a dam across a wadi with fields both sides. When it rains the dam holds back water to be pumped into storage tanks. The fields are flooded for a while and the farmers take a risk whether they will have a crop, whether it is inundated and survives or whether it is killed off completely.

We stopped at a view point above Al Habala, also known as the Hanging Village. It was built 400 years ago when the local area was under threat and frequent attack by the Ottoman Empire. It is inaccessible except by rope ladders. The locals built it to escape the Ottomans.

A closer view of the village. The large building is the lower cable car station with the upper station on the rim of the escrpment. It is the only access other than by rope to the village. The cable car is a tourist attraction to reach the village but being out of season, it was closed. 

Another view of the cliffs that protect the village and make it inaccessible. 

We drove on to Al Yanfa. It is being turned into a tourist attraction and is part of the Saudi Vision 2030 to create more places for tourists to visit. It hosts some unique archaeological styles of architecture and has been extensively refurbished and updted. There are also several alleyways which have been built over to provide shade in the summer months. 

The large square in the centre of the village.

A colourful door.

One of the many covered alleyways...

...and more.

After Al Yanfa, we took the road to reach the top of Mount Soudha and its viewpoint with a 360 degree view of the area. It wasn't looking good as were going up, the clouds were coming down. There was nothing to see except grey cloud. Visibility was poor and easily less than 30 metres at times.

But it wasn't a wasted journey as there were more baboons to see. These were more used to people and sat around for photos...

And behind this one is just a glimpse of rock but there was little other breaks in the cloud. We hovered for a while just in case of a break in the clouds but it was not to be. We drove down the mountain to find our hotel in Abha.