Tarim was once the capital of Hadramawt and a famous centre of Islamic learning, with a large library and reportedly a mosque for every day of the year. Today it is famous for its mud-brick palaces, many of which show the influence of Eastern architectural styles acquired by local men went out to the Far East to make their fortunes. The splendid but decaying mansion of Sayyid Umar al-Kaf is one of these buildings, and you can wander through its dusty rooms that glow with rose and turquoise light reflected in old mirrors and crumbling stucco work.