Page 5 of ThreeCats Travel Blog Posts


Europe » Italy » Veneto » Padua May 17th 2015

The trip over was expectedly long. I wish I had been able to sleep more than a few hours, but there were two movies I’d been wanting to see for quite some time so I watched “Still Alice” before my nap and “ Selma“ after my nap. Because of my Mom, “Still Alice” was far more memorable and Julianne Moore’s portrayal of a woman with Alzheimer’s was frighteningly realistic.We arrived in Milan primed to be in Italy where life is good, inefficient, but good. The lines for passport control were incredibly long. The only place we’ve been in longer lines in in the Bahamas where laid back is the name of the game. I had made train reservations from Milan’s central train station for about 3 hours after we landed since I knew it was nearly ... read more

Europe » Italy » Veneto » Padua May 16th 2015

I booked the airline tickets last August and began planning in December. This may sound a little OCD, but it's my way of enjoying at trip before I get on a plane. I can't say I'm looking forward to the overnight flight after a recent red-eye from Seattle to Boston, but I'm excited that in about 18 hours I'll be in Italy.... read more
Hundreds of people in 3 lines

Middle East » Jordan » South » Wadi Rum April 14th 2014

Our flight on Akira airlines was packed with 20-somethings heading to Eliat to party before Passover. After a five-minute taxi ride we were at the border and quickly were in Jordan. Our guide was waiting on the Jordanian side and got us through immigration and into a car very quickly. Our 23 year-old driver spoke some English, enough to point out sites along the route. The scenery is spectacular with rock formations rising up from the dessert, very barren and inhospitable. Our first stop was Wadi Rum where we spent 3 hours touring the area in a four-wheel drive. Our driver/guide was a Bedouin who is 32 and has four children. The natural scenery there is fantastic, but since I’m writing this after a day at Petra, it is definitely a #2. We also were invited ... read more
wadi-rum
The-Treasury-by-candle-light

Middle East » Israel » Jerusalem District » Jerusalem April 13th 2014

We were scheduled for a tour of the tunnel under the Western Wall at 11. We went down to the Wall early and both Jack and I left notes praying for the same things. A little later we watching a group of police escort a young man shackled at his hands and feet shouting “Allah Akbar” through the plaza. We thought it was an isolated agitator. This was our second tour of the tunnel. Since we had done this 20 years ago, the tunnel had been substantially extended. Seeing the stones of the second temple is very moving. Along the way you pass two huge stones, the larger of which is 45 feet long and weighs as much as 2 fully loaded 747s. It is a mystery how they were ever put in place. On our ... read more
Israeli Democracy
The-Wall-of-the-Second-Temple
IDF

Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra April 12th 2014

We were scheduled for an early pick-up and did out best to comply, but we had a hard time getting going. First, we couldn’t find the Petra tickets that we were supposed to have. After we gave up and left the hotel, it took about 15 minutes for us to realize that we’d forgotten our passports. When we got back to the hotel, they told us they’d found them within 2 minutes of our departure, but had no way to contact us. We had planned a hike to the Monastery, one of the major buildings in Petra for this day. Ali met us near the entrance to Petra and we boarded a beat-up four-wheel drive and headed off up the mountains. The four-wheel drive had several problems, the most significant being that the exhaust leaked into ... read more
In a cave at Petra
In-front-of-the-Monestery

Middle East » Jordan » South » Petra April 11th 2014

We were picked up about 7:15 (actually the guide was there at 7:15, but Jack was dealing with camera stuff for a bit) and headed toward Petra picking up our guide, Ali, on the way. Petra is too incredible to try to describe in words, I’ll add when I can add pictures. My memories were that it was unlike anything I had ever seen and the place did not disappoint. Ali gave us background and helped us climb to places that we would not have seen without his knowledge and help. Since he has been a guide for 23 years he knows everyone. He also has special relationships with some of the vendors. Early on, he and the proprietor of a shop told me that if I wanted to support a charitable project set up by ... read more
homes-at-Petra
Jordanian-Border-Patrol-at-Petra
Burka-Lady

Middle East » Israel » Haifa District » Haifa April 9th 2014

I started work at 6 am writing up step-by-step instructions for the data prep work that needs to be done in Haifa. Breakfast was a surprise. The Dan had already koshered its main kitchen for Passover so there was no Hametz, bread. All around me I could hear guests complaining. In Israel, Passover is a big deal. Schools are closed for a week before Passover so women can clean their kitchens. Having school closed so much is a real problem for working Moms. I thought I was going to work through lunch, but the best laid plans…..Jack, Hilla and I went back to Silgan’s for more salad. Israelis make the best salads! I ended up working until 4 and as I departed I was given a small gift made by the parents and children of the ... read more

Middle East » Israel » Haifa District » Haifa April 8th 2014

Day 3 stated with a couple of hours of productive updating of the application. While I worked, Jack went of to take picture of mother’s and their kids at the Center. Our walking tour began when we met Moshe and his wife at 11. We began outside the hotel at the top of the Carmel and we walked down the steps to the water. This is not a 5-minute stroll as the top of the Carmel is over 1,000 feet above the water. As Haifa grew up the mountain, stairs were built to enable people who mostly didn’t have cars, to get from the industrial neighborhoods to the residential neighborhoods. Haifa is an upside down city where the wealthy people live up on the mountainside and the poor people live down by the water. It may ... read more

Middle East » Israel » Haifa District » Haifa April 7th 2014

Day 2 was another full morning of training, receiving feedback and making changes to the system. In the afternoon we were joined by Moshe Goldman, a retired banker who is involved in the project and a couple of other folks to talk about implementation of Quick Books. Jack is responsible for that. After the discussion wrapped up, it was back to working with the application. Dinner that night was with Moshe and his wife. They are about 10 – 15 years older than us with 3 children and 10 grandchildren. Their oldest grandson just went into the IDF in the tank division. The IDF had wanted him in intelligence since he speaks Arabic, but you don’t always get what you want. The evening started off a little stiff, but everyone ended up engaged. Shared liberal politics ... read more

Middle East » Israel » Haifa District » Haifa April 6th 2014

CJP paid for my airfare and for my hotel in Haifa in return for my work on the system for Parents at the Center. They are certainly getting their money’s worth! We arrived at the hotel in Haifa and since we had the “CJP” affiliation and the hotel was empty they upgraded us to an Executive room. It is one of the top hotels in Haifa and I can’t say I minded being surrounded by such nice furnishing. Having been at this hotel before, I was looking forward to their Israeli breakfast, a huge buffet with fruit, salads, cheese, and cappuccino. I was not disappointed. Sunday, my workday began at 9 AM at the Parents at the Center facility. Here’s a link to a recent article http://www.jewishboston.com/359-boston-haifa-connection/blogs/5145-parents-at-the-center-community-mural-in-haifa-by-tova-speter. I met with Hilla, Oshrat and Liron all day ... read more




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