Hello,
desertdiaries just shared an Instagram photo with you:
“Ferris Wheel – Photo taken in “Habalah,” SW KSA. – Habalah is an #old #village that sits halfway down an impressive #cliff 63kilos southeast of #Abha. Habalah means #rope #valley or ‘the #ropes’, (a reference to the fact that this village built of #stone hewn from #rock at the foot of 300m cliffs), was once accessible only by rope #ladders (habal).
The village was settled about 350 years ago by members of the Qhatani #tribe who sought out the most inaccessible location as a means of protection from the #Ottomans.
Despite seeming to cling to the #scarp, the village was almost #self-sufficient, sustained by terraced #farms where they grew #coffee #beans, #fruit and #vegetables as well as raising #sheep, #chickens and #goats. If you look carefully along the rim of the cliff above the village you can still see the iron posts to which ropes were tied to lower people, goods and frightened #livestock to the village. Remarkably, it was inhabited until about #1980. Little remains of the old village. In it’s place is a #tourism #complex complete with private #villas, an #amusement_park and small #food stands.
Slightly adapted info taken from Lonelyplanet.com ”
Thanks,
The Instagram Team
Desert Diaries 