From travel photographer Charles Fred’s flickr: “The Tihami people who inhabit the Tihama area are extremely unique because they shun modern ways and prefer to live following their own rich heritage which is clearly demonstrated in their dress, housing, daily lives and celebrations. Unlike the majority of men in Saudi Arabia who wear the traditional white thobe, the men of Tihamah wear colorful sarong-like izars. Men in the Tihama area are often referred to as ‘Flower Men’ because they will sometimes wear a ring of sweet-smelling herbs and flowers in their hair.  There are not many photos of the Flower Men of Tihama on flickr, or indeed on internet. They live in a very remote part of Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen and there are many road blocks and security checks before you are allowed into the area. In fact,. I think foreigners/westerners are not supposed to go there without a permit band a guide, but somehow we managed it. INitial requests to take photos of these chaps was met with a no or a wave of the index finger, but eventually we managed to get them to warm to the camera, with these (and a few more as the result). I was very happy to ‘get’ them!” As am I!

I also included two random pictures Charles Fred took at the Nizwa livestock market in Oman (below), because yummy bears in fabulous turbans, why not? (via Sissy Dude)