Politics and Fun

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Our tour awoke today to a beautiful and cloudless day. We enjoyed our stay at the Kinar Hotel which used to be on land that belonged to Syria. The hotel was situated on the Sea of Galilee which provides Israel with most of its freshwater supply. We started out today with a tour of the Golan Heights at Gadot Point. The bus drove along the twisting roads of the volcanic mountains that make up the Golan Heights. We arrived at the top of the Gadot Point which used to be a military lookout point, which looks right into Syria. The view from Gadot Point is beautiful but it has a military pass. This was an area where Israel and Syria has fought many times. Our tour guide was in the Israeli Defense Force in the 1970's and was stationed on Gadot Point. Just under the surface of Gadot point lies trenches and bunkers that the IDF used to use but the site is now a tourist type attraction. Although I never felt like I was in danger, when we were up on Gadot Point there was an IDF engineering group training. They were learning where the mine fields on the border were as they used the scopes on their rifles to look into Syria. There is still lots of IDF bases in the Golan Heights to protect Israel.

The Jordan River
Next, our group headed for a hike in the beautiful Banias area where the Dan river flows. This is actually were natural water springs are found that form the Dan River which is one of the many Rivers that feed the Jordan River, which in turns flows in the Sea of Galilee that makes up most of Israel's fresh water. The Banias area had beautiful trails to follow and some ruins of people that used to occupy the Dan area. So we enjoyed our hike even though the temperature outside was 101 in the shade.

We enjoyed a lunch in a shopping mall. I kept on forgeting that this was not in America untill I would read the products in the shops which were in Hebrew. Although I do not know how to read Hebrew I learned what the word for toilet looks like in Hebrew. I remember it because it look like 0 N17W but that is just my way of dealing with the language barrier.

The last thing for the day was to go rafting down the Jordan River. This is were you can notice cultural differences in Israel. We witnessed groups of young girls from around Isreal. The ones that you notice were the conservative girls fully dressed from head to toe to go down the river while the women in our group were mostly in Bikinis. Although they were dressed from head to toe they still acted like little girls act. They were talking, having fun, splashing each other, and acting just like any child. The River was cold and refreshing in the Summer heat. Our group floated, paddled, splashed each other, and swam in the mighty and percious Jordan River.

Tomorrow we travel to the Kinneret Cemetary, Shorashim, Jaffa, and to explore the night life of Tel Aviv. Thanks for reading and I will hopefully have pictures posted soon.

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Photos

Looking into Syria from Gadot Point
Israeli soldier looking at Syria from the Golan Heights

Underground Bunker
We were inside the underground bunker that the Israel Army use to use on Gadot Point

Underground Spring
One of the many underground springs that feed the mighty Jordan River

Comments

[Rosalind Horowitz]

Responding late June 6th
Hi Herb, so happy to hear that you are seeing so much. I've been to a number of the sites that you note, the Dan River, and other locations you have noted. I'm so enjoying the details, so keep writing. You will have a wonderful journal when you return. Be careful and alert. Enjoy and come back safely. Keep us posted on your activities. RH

[troy1on]

Yes, Rafting
Hello, sound like you are having a blast. You are doing stuff I like to do. I can wait to see pictures from your rafting and hiking trip. Have fun and good luck.