The Red Sea

Hello from Aqaba, Jordan, on the sunny Red Sea.  After our time by the Dead Sea in Israel we returned the rental car in Eilat (also on the Dead Sea).  We found a cheap campground across from the sea and spent a relaxing day lounging on the beach and swimming.  We spent last night lounging in a Bedouin tent by the sea smoking a hookah and drinking tea.  Today we had a guy we met at the campsite drive us to the border crossing into Jordan.  From there we walked across the border and hopped a cab for the cheapest hotel.  It's definitely exciting to finally be experiencing another country.  Now we are on the opposite shore of the Red Sea (gulf of Aqaba) almost looking across at our place in Eilat.  Should be a setup for a nice sunset.  Tomorrow we will try to rent a car again and head up to Wadi Rum and Petra.

Riding through the desert.....

Greetings from Masada in Israel.  We've been busy bees since you last heard from me.  From Bethlehem we had our same driver take us to Jericho, which is the lowest city on earth, at 200 meters below sea level, and also the oldest continuously populated city on earth.  The highlight of Jericho is its cable car that runs up the Mount of Temptation where Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days and nights.  I only lasted about an hour.  From Jericho we were headed to Ramallah, but Walid said it was too far/expensive for him to take us so he dropped us at a bus stop and we went back into Jerusalem and got another bus to Ramallah.  We spent the afternoon drinking terrible coffee and eating cheap falafels before meeting our couchsurfing hosts.  Travel Tip: don't let both traveling companions sleep on a bus at the same time only to wake up in a random Palestinian neighborhood.

After our adventures in Palestine we decided to head out to the dead sea and surround deserts.  With tours running almost $100 per person we thought it best to rent a car at $90 for three days.  We drove to spot on the Dead Sea called Qalia and did the obligatory floating and mud basking.  Jerod was able to confirm that it is indeed saltier than the Great Salt Lake.  From Qalia we drove down the coast to En Gedi (also on the Dead Sea).  We picked up an Italian couple hitch-hiking and drove them down the coast a bit.  Luckily we found a store open on Shabbat to buy some food for camping out and went to a beach on the Dead Sea with free camping.  Apparently it was also the night for every young adult in the area to show up and see who could play music the loudest and latest.  At 10 PM, with no sign of sleep on the horizon, we decided to get an early start on our day.  We broke our camp and loaded some day packs with some food, water, and our sleeping bags.  We snuck into the National Park and made a star-lit ascent of Mt Yishay (about 2000 ft).  At the top we camped out for the rest of the night, finally out of earshot of terrible arabic techno music.

We woke to the sun rising over the Dead Sea and headed out for the desert plateau.  We hiked around for several hours before choosing the trail labeled as the most difficult descent.  We made it safely into a lush river valley and cooled off swimming under a waterfall, ala shampoo commercial.  Now I am sitting in a Youth Hostel in Masada.  we are getting up a little before 5 AM to climb Masada and see the sun rise again. 

From here we are headed to Eilat on the Red Sea (Red, Dead, and Med).  We will make a stop in the Negev Desert on the way and Maybe get some camping in.  From Eilat we will cross into Aqaba, Jordan and begin our Quest for the Holy Grail in Petra. 

Until next time......

The New Wailing Wall

Greetings faithful followers.  Shalom and Salaam.  Don't worry, I have not come down with Jerusalem Syndrome (a documented psychological complex where visitors to the holy land begin to think they are a prophet).  Since you last heard from me we have gotten a great mix (oxymoron?) of Christian and Jewish culture.  We followed some of the Via Doloroso (wayof the cross) which follows Jesus' path as he carried the cross.  It culminates at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which (rumor has it) is the holiest christian place on earth.  We also got a chance to vist Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum) in Jerusalem, and had a nice dinner al fresco in the mountain town of Ein Karem.  From there we went to the Western Wall once again to take a tour of the tunnels that go deep beneath the old city of Jerusalem.

This morning my boots were delivered from El Al.  I feel whole again.  As soon as we got the boots Jerod and I walked to the Damascus Gate of the old city where we hopped on the "Arab Bus" to Bethlehem.  A bus to Bethlehem is definitely misleading because there is no open road there because it is in the famed West Bank.  The road from Jerusalem ends abruptly at a massive cement wall stretching in both directions.  It is garnsihed with razor wire and guard towers.  We passed easily through the control point, and found some cabs waiting on the other side.  We picked a driver with strong English and for a reasonable sum he took us to Mount Herodian and Shepherds Hill/Field (where the angels appeared after JC's birth).  After getting a room at the inn in Bethlehem we walked to the Church of the Nativity amd the Milk Grotto (feel free to wikipedia them, because I am not an expert).

I'll spare you any stereotypical rhetoric on the "apartheid wall" and mix of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian cultures.  I will try to post some post some pics soon, though and let you draw your own conclusions.

Jerod is getting sleepy so I am going to lay him in a manger.
Goodnight, and god bless..

The Holy City (doesn't require boots)

Hello from Jerusalem.  Jerod and I successfully navigated the bus system to arrive in Jerusalem before things started to close down before Shabbat.  My friend Kristiana met us at the bust station and we made the hike back to her place.  A nice restful afternoon led to a nice Shabbat dinner prepared by Kristiana's Israeli roommate Ouriel.  Afterwords we sat around talking and drinking wine until bed time.

Today, after a delicious breakfast (again prepared by Ouriel) we set out for the old city of Jerusalem.  We knew the Jewish quarter would be mostly abandoned, but the Arab, Armenian, and Christian quarters were all bustling with market activity.  We passed the Jaffa gate and Damascus Gate as well as few of the stations of the cross.  After wandering through the twisting labyrinth of streets we arrived at a security checkpoint to enter the plaza with the Kotel (Wailing Wall/Western Wall).  We decided not to spend too much time there today, but we will return after Shabbat and take some photos and try to arrange to tour the tunnels leading under the Kotel.  A long walk brought us back to Kristiana's a few minutes ago, and we will probably grab some dinner soon.  Tomorrow will probably take us to a few more spots in the old city, back to the wall, and maybe some of Ben Yehuda street and Zion Square. 

Moving on up (without boots)

Sigh....still no boots. But, at least we are getting out of Tel Aviv today.  We were going to be visiting a friend of mine near Tel Aviv last night, but he had to work a double.  Instead, he came into the city on Wednesday night to have a few pints. 

Today we are catching a bus to Jerusalem where we will be staying with a friend of mine.  We just need to make sure we get there early enough, otherwise things start shutting down in observation of shabbat, which starts at sunset.  Sine today is the start of shabbat most Israelis are off from work, and last night was their equivalent of Friday.  Jerod and I hit a few bars to get a feel for the "scene" here.  It was definitely good for a few laughs. 

We are definitely both excited to be moving on.  Tel Aviv is an interesting city, but still a city, and somewhat lacking in the historical splendor of the rest of the country.  In the next week we will be reporting back having visited places like the Western Wall, Bethlehem, and Nazareth (no, not the 80's metal band), so I don't think Tel Aviv really compares. 

Everyone pray for my boots.   

Sleepless in Tel Aviv

It's the morning of 3 March and it seems that famous Goldstein jet lag has finally sunk in.  It's almost 7AM and I have been up since 3AM after going to sleep at 1AM.  Oh well.  Yesterday was nice relaxing day.  We started with some breakfast before heading over to the beach.  Beautiful weather, but not quite beach weather.  We walked the boardwalk into old seaport of Jaffa before heading back to the hostel.  We spent a while reorganizing our gear since El Al was gracious enough to get it pretty disheveled.  I then introduced Jerod to schwarma before heading back for a little siesta.  We chatted with our roommate for a bit.  He is Brazilian tattoo artist from Rio.  His grasp of English being slightly better than my Portoguese made for an interesting conversation, but was fun none-the-less.  I also had my first lost wallet scare, sending me running back to the store I had used it at last, only to return to the hostel empty-handed but to find Jerod waiting out front with my wallet which another guest had found on the floor and brought by the room.  The kindness of strangers prevails.  I then bought a caribiner and some cord to manufacture a lanyard.  I won't lose it again.

El Al has still not delivered my boots, and a quick stop at a hiking store proved that replacing them here will be far costlier than it would be almost anywhere else.  I plan on calling the claims number today to get an ETA or maybe expedite the process.  Also on the books for today is a stop at the Carmel Market and maybe a trip to Hayarkon Park and Gardens just outside the city limits.

Thanks for stopping in.  Until next time.............. 

Greetings From Tel Aviv

Hello from the capitol of Israel.  After 16 hours, two planes, a train, and two buses we are safe and sound at our youth hostel.  The biggest snafu of the day came when El Al security confiscated my hiking boots for further inspection.  They were very vague, but hopefully they will be able to put them on a flight tomorrow and deliver them to the hostel.  It's almost half past eleven here right now, and we left the house at 5PM on Sunday.  It's definitely been a long day.  I think we will grab a beer or two and hit the rack.