The Adventure Ends

it's been a great trip.  24 days in 3 countries.

• I've slept in 12 different beds.
• I've been to the Nile River, Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea
• I've had available to wear only 1 pair of shorts, 2 pants (only needed 1), 2 shirts and 2 tank tops
• My most fav moments: snorkeling in the coral reef, pyramids, Abu Simbel temple, Sea of Galilee, Petra
• My "claims to fame": climbing to the top of Mt Sinai to watch the sunrise, Red sea Snorkeling, slept in old city Jerusalem, boat ride on Sea of Galilee, went inside the 2nd pyramid, Hot Air balloon ride, slept on the Nile River in a felucca boat
• hung out with some great people during the Egypt tour!

Canada is an amazingly beautiful and free country in more ways that we realise.  I'm happy to call it home!

Tips for Travellers

In preparation for my trip, I read a lot of blogs of people who've travelled before me.  So, this blog entry is of Info for people who may be travelling to Egypt, Jordan or Israel after me.

Hostels
In all of these countries, bedding was provided in hostels, I didn't need my sleeping bag.  In only 1 hostel was a towel not provided.  If you want to pay less and sleep on the roof, you will need a sleeping bag.  Whenever a hostel had a kitchen, pots, dishes were provided, I did not need to bring along my camping pots.  Do bring a spoon/fork/knife combo.  great for yogurt,etc that you might pick up on your travels.

Israel
- when you leave Israel by land (as I did to get from Egypt to Jordan), you have to pay an exit fee, even if you are returning.  It was 98 shekels in November, 2010.
- when you take a taxi in Israel, you have to pay PER bag on top of the fare.  something like 3 shekels per bag, even for your day pack.
- TAXIS are double the price on friday and saturday (weekend). plus there are no buses or trains on friday afternoon until saturday evening for Sabbath
- churches that you might sight see require that your shoulders and knees be covered.  have zip off pants to shorts or a sarong along so that you may enter.  Capernum also has this rule.
- there is more than one bus company.  Egged and Dan  websites are: http://www.egged.co.il/Eng/ and http://www.dan.co.il/english/

Jordan
- when leaving Jordan by land, you have to pay an exit fee, I paid 8 dinar in Nov, 2010.
- I'd read that no foods and liquids are allowed into Jordan.  This is not true.  I had food along, plus water in plain sight, it was not an issue.

Egypt
- all prices quoted to you, whether for taxi or in the market, are generally 70% than you should be paying.  negotiate.  walk away, if they run after you, you know you're getting to the right price.  If you're in the market, 2 or 3 vendors may turn you down, but down the road, someone will give you your price.
- Mt sinai is freezing at the top, but it was the only place I needed the jacket, long sleeve and sleeping bag on my 24 day trip.  You can rent camel blankets at the top, at a decent price to stay warm and that way you don't have to take any warm layers along on your trip, free up the backpack space.

Hostel in Tel Aviv

Florentine Hostel - Tel Aviv
the hostel is on the 3rd floor/roof only.  I am standing at the door.

 roof top of hostel.  many were sleeping here at night.

 the hostel kitchen.  I'm in the black hat, putting away dishes at the sink.

Last day in Israel

It was a disappointing last day in Israel, but not atypical for Israel.... here's the run down:

Our tour driver was 15 minutes late.  Drove from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (there are 7 of us).  switched drivers.  Drove toward West Bank, held 'hostage' by a souvenir store owner for a half hour, most of us bought something from his over-priced shop, but then he came out after us and berated us for not buying olive wood carvings.  We were driven to an ugly church full of dark painted icons. switched vans, switched drivers.  Drove into the West Bank - Bethlehem. 

Note: No Isralies are allowed in the West Bank.  Similarly, no West Bank residents are permitted entry to Israel.  To leave the country, they must go through Jordan.  They have Jordanian passports even though they aren't Jordanians, but Israelis won't recognize them as Israelis.  Perhaps the Palestinians in Jerusalem are lucky, their id says Jerusalem resident.  they however, are not allowed to vote in Israel, nor in Palestine.  It's ridiculous.

So we were taken to the Shepard's field.  Big surprise, there is an ornate church on the site. 

I took a photo of the neighboring hill, which probably looks like it did 2000 years ago.

 Then were driven to the site where Jesus was born.  big surprise - 3 churches on the site.  All iconic and ornate and irritating. The door was deliberately made small that you would have to duck your head in a bowing position to enter the chruch.

 there was a crazy long line to see the "spot" where Jesus was born.  I would have skipped this, but it was part of our Tour.  We were "fast tracked" with our guide towards the front of the line, but still waited perhaps a half hour.  Here's the "spot".   Some people were touching it and kissing it.  I was really annoyed by this point.

then we drove to a grotto where Mary dripped some milk when she was nursing Jesus.  (seriously, I could roll my eyes).  it has a fitting name "milk grotto".

Then we waited 45 minutes in a line to get out of the west bank and back into Israel.  some man joined us in our van, i think he was like our benefactor to get us through the border, but he didn't do or say anything.  after the border we switched vehicles, switched driver.

 Palestinian license plate

Our driver stopped at this building for us to photograph.  It's the location of the Good Samaritan, which is funny because that was a parable, not recorded as an actually event!

drove to Jericho.  the oldest city on earth, 10,000 years old. 

 

 This is supposed to be Elijah's spring.  this spring flows constantly, providing mineral water for the region.

 jericho has 25 cities built on top of each other.  hmmm.  At least it's not a church.

 This is the spot of the Temptation of Christ

 This is supposed to be the tree Zacchaeus was in.  It's a 2000 year old sycamore tree.

the high light of my day, because it was what it looks like - real life.  A bedouin home in the Judean desert.  tell me you have a good life!  

these are shacks put together by left over wood and material and metal.  it's desert, barren, no trees, no grass.  In summer it's 54 degrees.

Drove back to Jerusalem, switched drivers.  Drove to Tel Aviv.  would have been better to lay on the beach and swim in the Mediterranean sea today.  

Mediterranean Coast of Israel

Caesarea

This is a Roman Theatre in Caesarea, it's view is the Mediterranean Sea

It is still used today by the locals to put on plays, etc.

 Mediterranean Sea at Caesarea

Caesarea was home of the first gentile convert, Cornelius, a Roman centurion baptized by Peter (Acts 10). Peter and Paul passed through Caesarea, and Paul was imprisoned here for two years until he was brought to Rome. Paul embarks for Tarsus (Acts 9:30), Philip preaches (Acts 8:40). The city was where Bishop Eusebius- an adviser to Constantine- wrote a history of the Church. Caesarea was rebuilt as a fortress during the Crusader period by King Louis the 9th of France, and later by the Turks. 

Haifa is built on Mount Carmel
According to the Books of Kings, there was an altar to God on the mountain, which had fallen into ruin by the time of Ahab, but was rebuilt by Elijah

View of Haifa from the Baha'i temple

More Mediterranean sea photos:

 aquaduct

 another aquaduct

 Rosh Hanikra

this guy was making a bracelet out of copper, and I was the lucky person who got to keep it!

 This is Haifa at sunset

another view of Haifa at sunset 

November 18 - Tiberias

Corner Convenience Store (Israel)

 Tiberias has "slurpees"

 the street at 7am.  later these "garage type doors' will all be open, selling falafel, etc

My favorite bakery in Tiberias

 My favorite pastry.

 totally yum

 This is Itzac, his father had this shop before him.  The first morning my juice was from carrots and apples and oranges

This morning my juice was carrots and beets and apples

 I got to squeeze the pomegranite

 Tiberias waterfront 7:30 am

 I got my boat ride on the Sea of Galilee!

 our boat looks just like this one

 tiberias, Israel

 My $4 cdn falafel

 the falafel store

 it's loaded and delicious!

Galilee

The Sea of Galilee

 Remains of Capernum

Capernum is where Jesus preached at the synagogue, healed Peter's mother-in-law, the centurion's servant, recruited his first disciples (fisherman).

view of the Mount of Beatitudes

 public bus stop

 My lunch and supper all in one.

This hotdog was loaded with chili, onions, beets, cabbage, pickles, cucumbers and tomatoes.  $4 cdn

Just before entering the remains of Capernum

 Actor portraying a carpenter/master builder from Jesus' time.

Nazareth Village

 Matthew 5:14 "You are the Light of the World"

this oil burner is from 1st century AD

 This is our water purification system.  5 drops of each, react for 5 mins and pour into 1 litre of water.  We're told we don't need it in Israel, but it's become habit after using it in Egypt and Jordan.

Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it."

The big gate was for animals, like camels.  the smaller gate was for people.

 Olive Press from the 1st century

 Synagogue from 1st century

November 17, 2010
Today we took the public bus to an intersection around the side of the Sea of Galilee.  Then we walked for 40 minutes to get to the remains of Capernum.  By 9 am it was over 30 degrees and no shade.  After viewing the site, the walk back to the bus, uphill took us an hour.  We had a lovely view of the Mount of Beatitudes, and despite the hot sun, it was a beautiful walk along the sea (lake).  We came upon a number of rock hyrax on our walk, a mammal native to Africa.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Hyrax There are only 4 species f hyrax.

Then we took the bus in the other direction to Nazareth, a bustling city because today was the first day of a 4 day muslim holiday.  Plenty of kids on the streets, obviously no school.  This holiday, called Eid-Ul-Adha, is Festival of Sacrifice marking the day after Arafat. The Day of Arafat is the most important day in the Hajj ritual.  Seems to me guns are part of this celebration as boys, as young as 2 and even teenagers, were walking around with guns - toys I presume.  But unsettling nonetheless.  Cana and Nazareth are definitely arab towns now.  
We went to Nazareth Village, a traditional Galilean village reconstructed with actors.  It was well done, we saw the wine press and olive press, shepherds with a flock, synagogue, houses, carpenter, vineyard.  It brought to life some of the parables for sure.


We had a 45 minute wait for our bus back to Tiberas and had the pleasure of sitting and people watching.  We were on the main drag of Nazareth and it was crowded with people and vehicles.  Apparently people "cruise main" here, just as they do in small town Manitoba.  Lots of young guys with their tunes booming out of their cars, checking to see if the people sitting along the streets were watching them.  Lots of boys around the ages 10-14, most with terrible haircuts, they're doing this unsightly spiking thing with their hair, but they thought they looked so cool.  Ah, the things you miss about regular life in other countries when you take a tour.  Public transportation offers a window into the daily life of the locals.


I'm glad I came to Israel, it's something to see and experience.  But to consider it a historical holy land tour would be disappointing.  Nothing looks like it did at Jesus' time and christians have foolishly (in my opinion) plunked churches on every location of any historical significance.  While I rant on that, I should mention that all these churches do not permit you entry if your shoulders or knees are showing.  I have little patience of legalism.  They say it's because it's a holy site.  Well, if you believe you have the holy spirit, then your body is a holy site.  God created Adam and Eve naked and they were good.  I hardly think God is offended by my knees.  On the contrary, He's more likely nodding His head saying, "I made those knees, they're awesome!"  End rant.