April A to Z Challenge -- E is for Ein Gedi and Electricity

E is for Ein Gedi

On the same day that we floated in the Dead Sea, we also visited Ein Gedi. Wikipedia has this to say, “Ein Gedi, literally "spring of the kid" is an oasis and a nature reserve in Israel, located west of the Dead Sea, near Masada and the Qumran Caves. Ein Gedi was listed in 2016 as one of the most popular nature sites in the country.”

It is amazing to see an oasis in the middle of the desert. When we toured in 2016, we hiked a short way into the nature reserve and we were able to see the falls.

On this trip, we drove around just a little bit and we saw lots of Ibex.

We also ate at a local kibbutz in Ein Gedi. The restaurant was in a hotel and it was a large space with several buffet lines.

Ibex in Ein Gedi - photo taken by Jean Deal

Do you remember the story about David hiding in the cave? You can read about it in 1 Samuel in the Bible. Here is one verse, "a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave." This verse is 1 Samuel 24:3. These caves at Ein Gedi are where David was hiding out . . .and where Sault had to "relieve" himself (y'all - he had to go to the bathroom!!). David could have killed Saul but he didn't! Seeing these caves is mind boggling to me -- DAVID and SAUL were very possibly in that exact location.

see those little holes - those are the caves!

I borrowed this picture and the one of the falls below from Bing.

The falls at Ein Gedi - an oasis right

smack dab in the middle of the desert

E is also for Electricity

This is probably a boring subject but when traveling outside the US, you will probably need to do some shopping for electrical equipment. The electricity in Israel is rated at 220V. In the US, electricity is 110/120 so an adapter and a converter are both required. I purchased this converter from Amazon and it was great because I could charge my phone, etc., in addition to being able to plug in.

I also purchased a hair dryer from target that was dual voltage but I never used it. The first hotel on the Sea of Galilee had a weak hair dryer but it worked. The hotel where we stayed in Jerusalem is a five star hotel and they had a nicer hair dryer than my own so I used the one they provided. I did plug in my straightener even though I was warned that it might mess it up but it is still working.

April A to Z Challenge - D is for the Dead Sea

D is for Dead Sea

The Dead Sea – bordering Israel, the West Bank and Jordan – is a salt lake whose banks are more than 400m below sea level, the lowest point on dry land. Its famously hypersaline water makes floating easy, and its mineral-rich black mud is used for therapeutic and cosmetic treatments at area resorts. (facts from google and Wikipedia and our tour guide!)

Did you know that the water in the dead sea has been receding by over three feet each year for the past 50 years? Some experts say the Dead Sea will be gone by the year 2050 if something is not done soon.

According to PBS, King David allegedly sought relaxation at the Dead Sea in 1000 BCE. I guess that means the Dead Sea was one of the world’s first health resorts.  A few paces away, on the mountain top of Masada, Herod the Great built palaces, and in 73 CE, a thousand Jewish zealots chose death in their fortress over surrender to the Romans. Centuries later, Byzantine monks lived in monasteries overlooking its shores, and Crusaders built their castles.

Did you know that the Dead Sea is the supplier of a wide variety of products from asphalt for Egyptian mummification to fertilizers. People also use the salt and the minerals from the Dead Sea to create cosmetics. I purchased some hand cream on our trip in 2016. This year, I purchased some really cool flavored salts to use in cooking.

When I traveled to Israel in 2016, I chose not to float in the Dead Sea and I made the decision as soon as I signed up for the 2018 trip that I would float this time. I’m so glad I did because it was much fun and we laughed a lot.

We packed our bathing suits and flip flops/water shoes (which you need) into our day bags and there were changing rooms located at the beach. Just FYI for my friends in the US . . .it is an open changing room . . .everyone is changing at the same time. Maybe I should clarify - there is a dressing room for men and a dressing room for women BUT there are no curtains - no privacy. 

this is a very different type of beach

than our beach in Alabama - Alabama Gulf Coast

is gorgeous white sand vs. mud at the Dead Sea

The beach is black mud and we were told to rub that mud onto any thing that hurt (knees, elbows, etc.) and to let it dry for about a minute and then to get into the water.

You don’t want to splash the water into your eyes. The high salt content will burn! Our tour guide told us to keep our mouths closed because two young boys had decided to see who could drink the most water and one of the boys died very quickly.  Of course, I slipped down in the mud and I was laughing so hard that I’m surprised I didn’t drink a bucket full!

If you ever travel to this part of the world, take your swim suit and float in the Dead Sea! If you can do it with friends, it is an even better experience!

April A to Z Challenge - C is for Camel, Caesarea, and Caesarea Philippi

C is for Caesarea Philippi

Caesarea Philippi was an ancient Roman city located at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon. It was adjacent to a spring, grotto, and related shrines dedicated to the Greek god Pan. Now nearly uninhabited, Caesarea is an archaeological site in the Golan Heights. (Wikipedia)

Caesarea Philippi, also known as Paneas to the Greeks and Romans and Banias (our notes from the travel agency said that Banias is an Arabic corruption of the word Panias) in modern times. Caesarea Philippi was a very lush place feeding the Jordan River her waters and the ancient Greeks said the water flowed from the cave, but Josephus reported that an earthquake altered the area so the waters flowed from underground springs. (source – bible-history.com)

It had rained the entire week before we arrived in Israel and the waters rushed by. Caesarea Philippi is a lovely place. On our visit, the sky was blue and the temperature was just right!

We were able to eat at a little restaurant within walking distance of the ancient city with a choice of all things good – chicken schnitzel (another C!); falafel; and I am pretty sure there was a third choice that day! We were seated outside at little tables by the water.

What is another special thing about Caesarea Philippi?

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” Peter answered for the disciples, declaring, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:13-20

When visiting this location, the question and answer make sense – they were standing there near grottos where other gods were displayed.

Standing near this sheer rock wall was also where Jesus called Peter, “the rock” and gazing up, one can understand this comment.

my roommate standing by the rushing waters

I have no idea if this "live" picture will work

on the blog or not!

sheer rock wall where niches are located - gods would have

been displayed here

also, sheer rock wall - Peter, the rock

C is for Caesarea

Caesarea — not to be confused with Caesarea Philippi in Galilee – was founded by Herod the Great on the site of an ancient fortified town. In 22 BC, with no expense spared, he began building a new city and harbour.

Massive breakwaters gave safe anchorage to 300 ships, a sewage system was flushed by the tide, and a vast hippodrome seated more than 20,000 people at chariot races. Later an amphitheatre was built to present chariot races, gladiatorial combats, animal performances and theatrical events.

(source – seetheholyland.net)

pieces of artwork were beheaded and many destroyed

over the years

Rafi, our tour guide in the white hat, did a great job explaining the history

I came out of the ladies room and found most of our men friends sitting on a bench - doesn't matter where you are in the world . . .women in the bathroom/men waiting outside!

those are original steps in the above picture - the ones at the bottom

the acoustics in that place are amazing - no microphone needed

the Mediterranean Sea is spectacular!

The location in the picture below was where they held chariot races - around and around

pictured below are some of my traveling friends - it certainly was fun traveling with lots of friends. It is hard to travel alone (hubby has not been able to go yet) but on both trips to Israel, I was surrounded by good friends.

C is for Camels

Y’all . . .I could write and write and write and not cover all of the alphabet. I’m actually amazed. I made my list over a month ago and I keep wanting to add to it!

I really wanted to ride a camel on this trip but the only one in our group who rode a camel was the son of our senior pastor.

So . . .I did the next best thing. I had my picture taken with a fake camel! This was on our last night as we were headed back to the airport in Tel Aviv. We had eaten at a restaurant in Joffa and when we came out, lo and behold . . .there was a camel. Forgive the bedraggled appearance. We had been touring all day and were headed toward a LONG journey home.

April A to Z Challenge - B is for Bethlehem

B is for Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The ever lasting light

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight.

Just to clarify, Bethlehem is actually in Palestine. We spent a day in Bethlehem on our recent trip to Israel so I wanted to share a little.

First of all, due to some regulations, our Israeli tour guide was unable to tour with us on our day in Palestine so the bus driver drove us to Bethlehem and we picked up Ramsey, a Palestinian Christian. Ramsey was a great tour guide for the day and he started our time of touring by reciting the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic, which is probably the everyday language that Jesus would have spoken.

Living in the US, we move freely from state to state and can even cross over the border into Mexico or Canada fairly easily. If a Palestinian wants to work in Israel, he or she must go through the border checkpoint which can take up to 3 hours each way. The wages are 3-4 higher in Israel so many Palestinians want to work in Israel.  I’m sure there is way more politics involved in all of this and it is way beyond my discussion level. I had just jotted down those notes.

I felt totally safe in Palestine – seems like the media often makes things seem worse than they are plus we were in the tourist areas.

So . . .on to the fun stuff.

We were traveling with EO tours and they like to support Christians working in Palestine so in 2016 and again in 2018 we had a tour of the Nissan wood working shop and we received “special discounts” in the store. I spent the most money in this store on both trips.

lots of olive wood

waiting to be carved

some items are carved by

hand and are VERY 

expensive. Other items are carved using

machines. Both techniques are

used on some items.

inside the shop

The restaurant where we ate lunch is right next door and both the restaurant and the shop are owned by the same family (maybe brothers??). The restaurant is a giant ballroom with many tables. Food is served buffet style with chicken, fish, salads, etc.

There are many street vendors trying to sell flutes and scarves and all sorts of tourist items and they practically accost you in the parking lot.  One young boy kept blowing the flute . . .and blowing the flute . . .and it was a shrill high pitched sound.

We also visited Shepherd’s Field. There is a cave that is attached to a Catholic chapel/church and we were inside the cave with several monks from Egypt. We all sang “Angels We Have Heard on High” together and that is one of the few times where I totally teared up (I am not a crier!). I also have “O Little Town of Bethlehem” written in my notes so I’m wondering if we sang that, also. On the hillside outside the cave, you can walk out onto walkways and see where caves dotted the hillside. Shepherds were considered a lower class citizen during the time period of Jesus’ birth so it is quite a big deal that they were the first ones to receive the word that a Savior was born.

cave

inside the cave

shepherd's field with

caves visible in hillside

We toured the Church of the Nativity. We waited in a long line to touch the star (sort of like X marks the spot) where Mary gave birth and the area where the manger was possibly located. We know that these may or may not be the actual sites but it is cool to think that just possibly Mary and Joseph were there with baby Jesus.  The location is ornate now but it isn’t hard to imagine what times would have been like 2000 years ago – stone streets, poor accommodations, definitely a humble beginning.

waiting in line at Church

of the Nativity

very ornate

star in the floor

possible location of manger

 Have you ever been to Bethlehem?

April A to Z Blog Challenge - Israel

Welcome to my April A-Z blog posts. I’ll be sharing about my recent trip to Israel.

A is for Airplanes and Tel Aviv and Avocados!

A is for Airplanes

Our flights were crazy. We flew from Birmingham to Houston to Newark to Tel Aviv.

In the Bham airport with travelling companions

We spent a lot of time in airports and on airplanes!  Our return trip was Tel Aviv to Chicago (with a SIX HOUR layover). There was a huge snow storm arriving in Chicago later that night and I was so glad we were able to fly on home. I wish that we could have spent a little time in Tel Aviv but that was not to be.

The flight from Newark to Tel Aviv takes about 10 ½ hours and the flight from Tel Aviv to Newark takes about 12 hours. When I went to Israel in 2014, that was the first time I had ever flown continuously for such a long period of time. The airplane is large with many seats and you actually receive a couple of meals while in flight.

The flight to and from Tel Aviv is usually full and it is always interesting to find out new things about your seat mates. I sat with a young man who has a start up company (Israel is the largest place for start ups!). I asked him what he thought the differences were in the US and in Israel because he told me that he had lived in the US for six years. His response was quite interesting – he said that our thoughts, as Americans, about freedoms – especially personal freedom – is a totally different thought process than an Israeli citizen might have. 

On the flight home, I sat with an older lady and her husband and I had the window seat so I had to climb over them several times. She was quite vocal about her political views.

Tel Aviv

The airport in Tel Aviv is the Ben Guiron airport and it is a large airport and actually quite pretty in spots. There are quite a few security checkpoints you have to go through before you can board your plane.

I hit up the duty free shops on the way

home looking for specialty bourbons for Mark

Avocados

Now why in the world do I have avocados? Did you know that Israel grows about 100,000 tons of avocados? About 70% of those are exported. (these are figures from 2016 so I imagine the number is even larger now.) They served avocados at breakfast and they were indeed some of the best avocados I have ever eaten. They were so yummy with scrambled eggs!!

Have you ever been to Tel Aviv? What is the longest flight you have ever travelled? Do you like avocados?