The unification of North and South Yemen and the ensuing period of relative peace allowed the author, with Marcella De Palma, to explore the real and fabulous aspects of this ancient and sublime land. The places, the people, the trades, and above all the children and stones, accompanied this at present unrepeatable experience. The clamor and destruction of war have prompted this testimony of a past to preserve. NICOLA BASSO, former professor of surgery and director of the Postgraduate School in General Surgery in the University of Rome-Sapienza, is a pioneer of laparoscopic and bariatric surgery, with some 10,000 operations performed and over 200 scientific articles in international journals. He is married with five children and lives in Rome. He has also written six science and popular science books.