Well then, the sprout of a caricature fortuned at the eleventh hour but before it was too late a call. At least a-week-old expedition plan last weekend was to climb a humongous un-expectation of disappointment but things fairly went right for us in our path as three winter-seekers left their city to trip Al-Baha.
Two different group of winter-seekers chose two different path. One left to Wahba Crater, the place on which I wrote a blog of my experience http://atomic-temporary-52124787.wpcomstaging.com/2013/09/21/a-footnote-at-volcanic-crater/. And we left to revisit that centuries old Thee-Ain village existing, surviving and producing its natural phenomenon on a unique marble mountain.
Script from the very beginning is bizarre and worth narrative in three different angles. Myself (physically prepared and organized for the trip) was all of a sudden participating as a freedom-fighter in a civil war at commode -_- The other guy was already blue and walking in the clouds until he got a call to get ready for his first ever expedition. Things went further crazy as the man who made the call to the sleeper steeper, left his car key in the car in a haste. And he was supposed to pick the man who was still fighting the war with demotivating symphony. Summarily, we left our homes late as usual :P
With a plentiful joy and excitement on our faces like those flock of sheep in ‘Shaun the Sheep’, we equally had left the turmoil of working discrepancies of 5 days/week. The plan was to move our asses from house at 1am but wasn’t acceptable to God and added two hours. Due to the fact, the plan to eat a heavy dinner of local franchise Al-Furooj broasts turned into a small box of chicken shawarmas. We were in nothing-to-lose situation but the driver had limited his speed at 120kph to avoid traffic violence. So it was pretty sure that we will reach to our destiny a little late. The man in blue lied in his coffin behind and vanished. He wasn’t informed at time to make him mentally and physically prepare. Had a minor shopping to buy some drinks and chips.
We had covered almost 200 km and the darkness began to disappear at a low pace. Visibility of beautiful landscapes twinkled with grey clouds. Of all the songs the driver played, the most impressive track I found was Abdullah Qureshi’s Sufi Medley. The track was acceptable to my mind and ears because it gave an access to accept the beautiful nature installed on the farmvilles, crops, mountains, rocky houses and black camels which were hailing us.
The car was forced to break at couple of sites for the pictures. The temperature began losing its heat and dropped below 20 degrees. The expedition debutant was very excited to enjoy this whole destiny. We stopped at one of houses made of slate stones (the picture below). Observation was necessary because I did see such similar architectures in my last trip. There were many different bushes, mostly wild. Very old branches of trees and thorns occupy the house. ’twas 7 in the morning and that house appealed a wonder. Oh I remember now, the house had an incomplete ceiling made of juniper trees. Behind the house, there was a passage to go up but you have to defend yourself from shattered and hanging thorns attracted to your jeans and jacket. And there are numerous houses on our way to the destiny. At 9am, we reached Thee-Ain village with the knowledge that security guy is absent :S
Before breaking the jaw of security guard, let me tell you what is Thee-Ain Village. The history of this village is about 400-600 years. Centuries ago, the villagers of the land had witnessed the battle between Ottoman Turks and their inhabitants. There has been a local incidence in the legacy of village that a long long time ago, an old Yemeni man was asked to find water using a golden dowsing stick. When he struck the source, it is said that the stick jumped from his hands and took out one of his eyes. From that incident, the name of land widely became “one-eye village” which in Arabic the name you will trace over there is “Thee-Ain Village”.
Due to the absence of security guy, we parked our car outside the gate like other visitors. I know that feeling to be honest the way the readers have just read the line of watchman’s absence few seconds ago. It indeed is a critical concern of the safety of heritage sites. It is quite a mockery the way people responsible for tourism are taking care of. I had observed the laziness in taking care of the site of such prominence in Madain Saleh couple of months ago (http://atomic-temporary-52124787.wpcomstaging.com/2014/01/23/the-breezing-ula-part-iii-madain-saleh/) and now there was physically no custodian in this marble village to sit and check the visitors. Only farmers were working inside. So basically few of visitors including us parked our cars outside and walked by foot towards the site without paying for an entrance ticket. The most expensive ticket was for a family consisting of 5 members which was 40 Saudi Riyals. And I myself noticed at least three families entering the site without paying due to absence of security guard. Standing ovation for the people handling affairs in the Ministry of Tourism!!!!
Unexpectedly, the temperature wasn’t that favorable. It was peaking at almost 30 degrees (perhaps we reached very late and sun had began to speak). Glad to see some work has been done by the local contracting companies. The wreckages have been pulled out to keep the houses clean with a space. More juniper trees are installed to fill many ceilings. Cleaning and maintenance have been a subject with more proper care in many corners. Forestry and banana plantation farmville offers more marshing and water channel was still tricky to locate its roots flowing towards the other territories. Also we found a Bahraini wallet, recognize yourself if that really is yours :P
Last time, my pal and I had climbed many number of houses. This time we completed the remaining one (I hope so). The alibi of my previous experience of this site can be found in (http://atomic-temporary-52124787.wpcomstaging.com/2013/10/11/rocky-doodle-in-centuries-old-ville/)
Time to look for Albert the toad in the forestry area. My pal caught the lil creature twice in the pond last time. This time we perhaps found its cousins. The low-level water streaming is still a face therapy. No matter the water was clean or dirty, but it was cold enough to throw my bald in it. Aaahhhhh felt fresh in microsecond.
We moved forward to reach the place which was heaven beneath the sky where I lied above a big rock under the shadow of large tree. I found that rock and thank God no one occupied because village now produce more visitors than before. When I stood above the rock, I found feces. And when I had a close look at feces to realize what these were, all of a sudden I heard troop of baboons gibbering -_- Haaaaiiillllll FML!!!!
Last time I discontinued locating the origin of water streaming but now I moved further steps to note where this water reveals from. It wasn’t more than thirty steps when the path was closed. The water was flowing from a mountain, the rest is mystery yet to reveal. I and my friend watched a lizard preying on dragonflies. That wasn’t an ordinary lizard, this one had a neck to lift and see hither and thither. Moved its body and ran at a pace towards the prey. When it ran, the long and pointed tail lifted up. I don’t know what we name such type of lizard but luckily I have a picture. See yourself and help me out if you can.
One of our guys was eager to catch a dragonfly modeling in the pond. There we noticed that dragonflies are of many colors. Red was understood by the name itself, but we found blue and even grey. Actually dragonflies and damselflies are different insects under same classification but look pretty similar. When we see these insects altogether, we claim to see only dragonflies. You can read their difference here http://insects.about.com/od/identifyaninsect/a/dragonordamsel.htm There were innumerable dragonflies flying and mating. Dragonflies are the fastest flying insects in the world with an average of 4.5 meters per second.
While moving towards the plantation site, baboons over the mountains were screeching, fighting and showing their ass on us -_- When I get closer, few of them began staring at me don’t know why -_- My pals joined me and began producing sound like these creatures. It wasn’t of any use.
Left the apes on their own and moved to the promising site. That is a huge important site which cannot be ignored. We three were little exhausted as well as my Xperia as it was running out of battery. We were stuck in mental confusion whether we should sit in the car, take rest and charge the batteries OR should we step in the plantation area, cover as much as we can and leave to the next site?
If we sit in the car, our body language may force us to leave and move to the next site but I guess it was a right decision because we do needed to reboot ourselves. Well, off we go to take rest. The security guard has finally arrived but the door and window are closed, bravo! I am yet to understand the system.
Doors are opened, time to key the car but helloooo…. not responding!!! Tried again, twice, thrice, price, dice, mice, vice… but never started. Opened the bonnet, checked the whole anatomy. Tried to start again, but it the battery which didn’t respond. Jeepers!!! Whatta shocker!!!! It was unexpected and uninviting. Precarious to the situation that car has stopped breathing at an entirely weird place i.e., outside the gate of Thee-Ain village. And the road is contrary to sloping as we are in ascending position. Also, there is no taxi in surrounding. Wanna know more? Yeah it is Friday prayers time. This is called genuine or epic O-TWADDI FML -_-
Thanks for reading ;) and do wait for the next part under ‘Heavenz on Baha-way’…. Feel free to comment below and have a good day.
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Sami Naik | Film Critic 