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Published: March 28th 2007
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All of my friends who had been there before were jealous, and they knew what a pleasure it is to visit Israel. And when
the passangers started clapping when the airplane landed I understood what they were talking about - welcome to beautiful Isreal.
The airport was Clean and bright, the nice immigration lady asked me if I wanted my passport stamped (no thanks) and the smell of orange trees greeted me as I stepped outside. It was a bit disconcerting that the taxi driver had no idea where my hotel was, but a quick call to his buddy for directions solved the problem.
Israel is an interesting fusion of old and new, east and west. This is apparent in most things such as the architecture and the food.
Food.
Always one of my favorite subjects, they seem to grow everything here from Jaffa oranges to grain. Some of the more interesting meals included:
- Humous with shrimp, mussels, calamari, and eggplant,
- potatoes with minced lamb and Tehina
- huge shwarma (and humous) for 20 schekels with (kosher) beer and american blues.
- Dr. Shakshukla (just down from the clock tower in Jaffa) libyian food in
Isreal.
- Kosher McKabab, McNugget and Big Mac
Tel Aviv and Jaffa (Tel = mound)
At first I was staying at the Tal Hotel but had to move to the City hotel which was a bit more trendy, with young tennis players and middle age English football fans (England tied Israel in the qualifying match). I wandered about Tel Aviv on Saturday looking for the White City (UNESCO World Heritage site that few people in Tel Aviv could tell me about - in the southern part of Tel Aviv around the Shalom Tower). Most things were closed except the beach. but the quiet treelined avenues were great for a stroll. In the evening I noticed three ladies sleeping on a park bench - not all of the new immigrants get assimulated.
Jerusalem
On the quiet highway from Tel Aviv we passed tank carriers to remind us of where we were. Jerusalem was discribed as a 19 layer sandwich of cities and civilizations from the present day city to the days of the first temple 3000 years ago. Many different types of religious dress on the streets - even Franciscan monks like Friar Tuck. The Western Wall
was a highlight of the visit. In the library off to the left of the wall people sit on resin chairs chanting, while old guys are sleeping in the back. Stuff here is so old you are disappointed with the new Crusader era buildings. Old churches, streets and markets - even our old guide and driver was amazing, 72 years old, he spoke 12 languages, and had 2 phd's,
Bethlehem
A quick visit to the West Bank, which is much like the other side of the wall except there is more graffiti on the walls, and the taxis are 6 door Mercedes sedans. Captive shoppers buy Roman coins and israeli t shirts in the palestinian shop, and the Americans say they are Canadian for the day.
Dead Sea
The Israeli side is much busier than the Jordanian side. Factories produce magnesium, potash, cosmetics, jumbo shrimp, vegetables, lavender, from the lake, and Dead Sea Scrolls from the hills. We happened to visit during the 1/2 hour rainy season so we saw huge puddles on the road (Jerusalem runnoff) and rain on Masada. The 3 women on the tour got on the camel for a picture, but
none of the men did!
On my first visit to Masada we were delayed by work (work is the curse of the traveling class) so we could not go up to the top, but we did have coffee with the Park Manager (he came from Delaware 35 years ago, and has been at Masada since) so I went back a few days later. Visiting Masada helps to understand the Israeli side of the story - it is a point of pride that Masada will not fall again (Isreal as Masada). And the top is as interesting as the history: Polish pilgrims
praying at an old monastary, old storehouses, singing blackbirds (patch of brown on the wings), and swearing in ceremonies for the Army. The manager was saying that the mountain shakes when they swear in the soldiers. I am now looking to rent the movie with Peter Otoole.
The Negev can be as desolate as the Galilee is green. We froze working up in those hills - wind, rain, hail, lightning, (snow in Jerusalem) what a difference between here and the Tel Aviv beach an hour away.
Nazareth and Galilee.
Drove by Armageddon (Hebrew har megiddōn
or hill of Megiddo) which wasn't as bad as I had expected, through the land of milk and honey (which was more beautiful than I had expected. Washed my hands in the Jordan creek and had a St Peter's fish for lunch beside the Galilee. Since we left Tel Aviv on Saturday morning there were no other cars on the road. When we returned in the evening, the roads werre packed.
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Barry
non-member comment
Very Cool!
Thanks Rick. Nice pictures, and good story.