The World’s Grandest Stand
The New York Times had this interesting article on the Dragon's blood trees of Socotra. Excerpts:“I feel as though I’m walking through a cemetery,” said Paul Scholte, an environmental scientist who is the chief officer for the United Nations Development Program on this arid, windswept island, 200 miles off Yemen.
He was hiking over a steep mountainside through the world’s grandest stand, and one of its last, of dragon’s blood trees, Dracaena cinnabari.
The dracaenas were born 65 million years ago on the supercontinent Gondwana.....nowhere are they as populous, storied and majestic as on Socotra.
Read more from the The New York Times article.
Comments
I hate qat and I believe it should be banned.
I have seen the effect of qat in Mombasa and it's really destructive.
I couldn't believe it when I saw Qat in our university campus; somalis, ethiopians, etc, found a way to bring it here. It's banned in the US by the way.
When I hear descriptions like that, it makes me want to fly over.
By the way Omar, do you go hiking, camping, etc in the desert? I hope you avail yourself of the awesome opportunities there.
I have had the great luck and opportunity of being in some of the most beautiful spots and places in Yemen. Deserts, valleys and mountains. Deserts, interest me most. The vast desert expanse near the Saudi border is just pure magic! I can never forget the times I spent there, especially around Zamakh, Manwakh and Thamood - either in a tent or sleeping right on the sand with all the magic of the desert around and the stars above. The hills and desert expanse there, is just like from a completely other Planet. Of all natural features, I find deserts the most peace giving and best for contemplating life etc.