The Economist magazine ran a story this week on a group of islands called Socotra off the coast of Yemen. Dr. Zeuss might have been inspired by this place.
The Sucotran archipelago is on the right side of the above map
The beaches and sea around these islands are filled with giant lobsters, turtles, and dolphins. Because these islands are whipped throughout the year by gale force winds, the beaches have dunes of white sand that rise hundreds of metres high.
White dunes surround this very odd place
Beyond the beaches and cliffs, the islands comprise limestone plateaus cut by gorges of rushing streams, and spiked by granite towers rising to 1500 metres. About 50,000 natives live here, subsisting off mostly fish and goat. They speak four dialects of a 'sing-song' language intelligible only to the people of these islands, and they live in caves often cut into the granite towers. They follow an ancient Socotran calendar based on 13 months.
'Dragon's Blood' tree
The people live among 700 species of flora and fauna found only on these islands. A species of tree called 'dragon's blood' can grow up to 15m in height and can live up to 500 years. It oozes red sap and looks like a 'cross between a steroidal mushroom and a monster broccoli'. A breed of wild cat wanders about the limestone terraces, and a species of cows stand only a couple of feet high.
'Bottle' tree
One day I'd like to visit this place. Perhaps while there I'll meet 'Yertle the Turtle', or 'Bartholemew Cubbins'.
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