Shiksa in Israel

Tel Aviv Map

Now you don't have to imagine the Tel Aviv map on top of the Jaffa map, here it is. Now you have to imagine the Jaffa map attached to the bottom of this one.

the blue pen circle at the bottom / southern part of this Tel Aviv map is around the David Intercontinental hotel, which means the restaurant Manta Ray is just below it. 

It's all coming together for you, isn't it?

Jaffa Map

obviously this map of Jaffa isn't perfectly clear, but it is clear enough to get a sense of what you're walking/driving into. Tel Aviv is north of Jaffa (imagine a map on top of this one).

free Jaffa maps are available all over Tel Aviv (hotels, car rental agencies, tourist agencies, shops, etc).

Jerusalem Weekend Walking Tours in English or Hebrew

the Municipal Tourism Authority of Jerusalem has licensed guides who conduct Walking Tours of the city. The 3-hour tours start at 10am at 26 Jaffa Street in Safra Square, next to the palm trees. On Fridays the tour costs 30-NIS but Saturdays the tour is Free.

T: 02-625-8844

Haifa

CSJ often hates me. He frequently says things like: I’m not your bus driver. I suspect he would feel less like a bus driver if (a) he bothered to consult the map and did not always need to rely on me, (b) he’d planned any part of the trip, (c) I wasn’t so easily excited by things we pass along the road.

Sometimes he stops; sometimes he does not.
Sometimes we’ve already passed “the perfect picture” or “something of interest that we’ll probably never see again.” CSJ rarely turns back.
Time in the car together is generally frustrating for both of us.

I mention this continual squabble for two reasons. (1) to thank CSJ again for (as he says) chauffering me. And also to thank him for mostly accommodating my whims. I musch appreciate it. (2) to insert this cool picture from Haifa from near the top of Mt. Carmel, I think. It’s the result of one of the times I asked CSJ pull over (read: suddenly shouted, “pull over”) even though we were in the middle of being lost. Well, not lost exactly. I knew where we were, it just wasn’t where we wanted to be.

Thanks, CSJ, your efforts are not forgotten.

Street Addresses in Israel

Israel may be technologically advanced – and every Israeli may be permanently attached to their cell phone – but that doesn’t mean everything about Israel is modern. I’m talking about Street Addresses, or the lack thereof. Bright, shiny, clear brochures for everything from hotels to restaurants to tourist attractions often lack street addresses. Business cards too. I imagine that this is how people used to live, like back when there weren’t any roads. A caveman would point and another caveman would grunt in reply. Maybe he’d find the watering hole, maybe he’d get killed by a dinosaur.
My problem is – I really want to find the watering hole, and CSJ wants to find it too. He hates it when we have to pass something to find it. I hate that too.

So, Dear Israeli people, I beg you to start including your street addresses in any/all promotional material so that we can find you. Thank you in advance.
p.s. Street Address means name of street and number on street.

Lost Cities of the Bible

I can't find it online to show you but I can tell you that National Geographic's Lost Cities of the Bible (Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jericho) is a pretty good documentary, especially if you can ignore the dramatic background music, and the melodramatic tone of the narrator.

Here's something very interesting we learned: brimstone (as in "fire and brimstone") is sulpher. And guess what happens when the suplherous earth below, say, ancient towns, is ignited? Earthquake-like explosions and scariness and fires and mass destruction.

Is that what happened to towns like Sodom and Gomorrah? Maybe.

Anyway, check the National Geographic Channel (no that's not the History Channel) for Lost Cities of the Bible.

Guided Hikes in the Ramon Crater and the Negev

I picked this postcard ad up in the Ramon Inn:

Nature Walks
Guided hikes in the Ramon Crater and the Negev
With an authorized tour guide (who apparently speaks English and Hebrew)
For Families, Groups, Singles
Gabriel: 052-881-9724

I highly doubt Gabriel is an ax murderer or the bad guy from Heroes, but in case he is…oops…sorry.

Carta directs us to Ein Kamonim

As much as I can complain about Carta Atlas City Maps – way too cute to be useful – I must give Carta credit for bringing us to Ein Kamonim, the goat and olive farm, shop, and restaurant off Road 85 (the north side) between Roads 806 and 65.

Ein Kamonim is getting its own post. This post is meant to praise Carta for that type of notation. Carta is great on relatively empty roads, when precision is unnecessary.

?National Geographic Masada Documentary?

I'm pretty sure I was told there is an excellent National Geographic documentary on Masada but I cannot find it. I searched "Masada" I searched "Israel" I searched "war and military" I searched "ancient history" and "ancient civilizations" to no avail. Sheesh.

I did, however, find this dvd (look below). Secrets of Jerusalem's Holiest Sites...Known as the Temple Mount to Jews and Christians and as the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims, it is so sacred to all three religions that followers willingly die for it. It is the most hotly contested piece of real estate on the planet and its name alone is enough to spark riots across the Middle East.

if anyone knows about the Masada documentary please let me know. thanks.

What’s the coolest thing about Masada?

The Roman encampments - spread all around the base – that can be seen from the top (and on the way up). How how how can those possibly still be there? You can see them all around. It's so cool. And unlike the structures on top of Masada, only one encampment has been ‘reconstructed’ (if that’s what you call it). It's the one pictured (best light); look for the square of dirt.

Some History: Herod chose Masada as a refuge from his enemies (it was 450 meters above the level of the Dead Sea), and as a Winter Palace (because Jordan gets so cold?). But he wasn’t the first guy up there - that was probably a priest/king named Jonathan – and he wasn’t the last – remember the Romans? He did, though, employ donkeys to hike water up the long steep hill.

Masada actually has a great brochure but your time is no doubt better spent with a guide. CSJ and I were lucky enough to hook up with a post-sunrise-hike tour conduced by an amazing guide named Shraga Kelson. We followed Shraga's group up the Snake Path – CSJ cursing me the entire way – then joined them for the fun, informative tour. This experience was also excellent because CSJ wanted to take the cable car down (not walk) so we had some hours to kill before the first run. Also, Shraga has a great sense of humor.

Details: the park opens for hikers one hour before sunrise. The first cable car is 8am.

Carry Water When You Hike. Even if it’s dark when you begin your ascent, it will still be warm and your body needs water. Bring as much as you can carry up – you can refill your bottles at the top.

Shraga Kelson - Certified Desert Tour Guide
e: S h r a g a m g d s@yahoo.com and shragamgds@bezeqint.net
t: 972-08-995-3464, 972-50-585-8169
Shraga conducts many different historical tours and lectures.