The yearly mild weather spell that brings Yemen’s coast back to life

Mukalla, Yemen – Before the sun rises over Mukalla’s beaches, 15‑year‑old Abdulrahman Badr and his friend Tareq are already at their usual spot on the sand.They’re brewing tea and kneading dough for bakhmari, a traditional fermented flatbread from Hadramout – the vast governorate in eastern Yemen that Mukalla is the capital of.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3US says deal on reopening Hormuz close as Iran, Oman hold ‘positive’ talkslist 2 of 3Yemen’s crumbling roads mean an arduous quest for water for Taiz villagerslist 3 of 3Hundreds of tourists stuck on Yemeni island as tensions simmer on mainlandend of listTheir customers are the thousands of beachgoers gathering along the Arabian Sea shoreline thanks to a yearly climate phenomenon that turns the desperately hot summer cooler for a few weeks.Al-Baldah, as the climate pattern is known, typically lasts from late July to early August, and draws thousands of visitors from across Yemen and abroad to Mukalla.Before sunrise, the beaches, normally known for scorching heat and humidity, are packed with men, women and children enjoying the cool waters and refreshing sea breeze.“Al‑Baldah is a wonderful season. Business is boo...