Pictures

Haifa - Exploring the famous Bahai Gardens with our Port Inn roommates


Port Town of Ashdod - the Israeli Riviera











Tel Aviv - Simon and I overlooking the Med from Old Jaffa

City by the Bay

"While Jerusalem prays, Tel Aviv plays... and Haifa works!"

It must be true. Upon approaching the port city of Haifa in Northern Israel, we immediately noticed the "high-tech park": we saw IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Google. Haifa was bustling with activity while Tel Aviv had shut down for the Jewish Sabbath.

Rewind to Saturday. We spent our last morning in Tel Aviv up on the rooftop of the Old Jaffa Hostel, trying to stay cool and digging into a new jar of nutella (we seem to go through them quickly). Mike's cousin picked us up mid-morning by the Old Clocktower, took us to see the beautiful coastal "Israeli Riviera" - a town called Ashdod with gorgeous beaches, and then we had a delicious homecooked meal with his family complete with glasses of port, a spicy Czech liqueur and plenty of good conversation to go along with our gourmet spread.

Following this fantastic meal, we said goodbye to Simon who flew back to Canada Sunday morning. In the evening Mike and I caught a sherut (shared taxi) to Haifa. As we were bearing North we noticed how lush Israel was becoming and we were excited to reach the city which reminds us both so much of San Francisco.

In Haifa there are only 2 directions: up and down, as the city is built into the slopes of Mount Carmel. With the help of the locals we made our way to Jaffa Street and checked into the Port Inn Guesthouse. We were not expecting too much but we were thrilled when we settled into the dorms. The place is very nice, well maintained and super clean! Expensive (75 shekels a night, about $25) but it is the most comfortable dorm I have stayed in so far.

Mike and I fell in love with the city immediately. After dropping off our packs we set out and climbed up to the top of Mount Carmel to look down at the glittering city by the bay. It only took an hour or so (ack - so many stairs!) and we were comfortable in the cool night breezes. We treated ourselves to McDonalds once we reached the top and at around 10 PM we got back to the Port Inn.

I slept very well last night after a hot shower and was ready to go this morning to see Haifa's famous site: the beautiful Bahai Gardens - the faith's second holiest site containing the Shrine of the Bab. Getting there required another hike up Mount Carmel which was significantly less comfortable than the previous night - considering we were now climbing in the heat.

We explored the beautiful gardens and learned about the Bahai faith with 2 of our friendly roommates from the Port Inn - Bram from Belgium and Evzen from the Czech Republic. Afterward Mike, Evzen and I picked up a rental car from Avis and stopped at a local sandwhich shop in the German Colony neighbourhood to eat dinner. If you are ever here, stop by the Big Bite on David Ben Gurion Avenue to try one of Shafez's delicious (and inexpensive) creations! I had the salami while the other two had duck.

Following our dinner, we hopped in the car and drove about 45 km East to Nazareth, where Jesus lived. We dropped Evzen here and explored a bit, but aside from the shops, bakeries and churches we didn't find much here and eventually came back to Haifa.

At the Port Inn, we met up with a small group of people (a Canadian, an Australian, a Kiwi and an American) who are completing a 7-week hike through Israel. They are literally strapping on their packs and walking from the North of the country all the way South to Eilat. At first I thought it was the craziest thing I'd ever heard but sure enough I remember Mike's cousin telling us about the famed Israel Trail hike starting North, passing through the Golan Heights, and continuing down through the Negev (presumably around Gaza and the West Bank) spanning almost 1000 km due to the winding nature of the trail. Once I got over my initial shock I was actually quite inspired though I'm not sure I could really tough it out as well. Maybe something to consider in the future in New Zealand, Portugal or even Bulgaria/Romania? There is a 46-month trail down the East Coast of the USA but I am pretty sure I wouldn't get the time off work :P

I am not sure what our plans will be for tomorrow, but hopefully I can get some pictures up soon!

New city, new scene

Hello from Tel Aviv! It was difficult but on Thursday we said goodbye to our excellent hostel (the Kaplan Hotel) in the beautiful city of Jerusalem to catch a bus to Israel's bustling "big city" of Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv isn't exactly what I expected... it's a big of a crumbling, uninspiring city. It isn't exactly a gleaming, modern new city nor does it have the charm and character of Jerusalem. It has the dated look of a place like Myrtle Beach (though when our parents took us there as kids, Nat and I did have a fantastic time by the ocean).

Once we arrived, we settled into our expensive yet very average hostel (the Old Jaffa Hostel). It isn't too bad - the showers have hot water, the dorms have a ceiling fan, and the rooftop terrace is quite nice. I wasn't especially thrilled about being separated from Mike and Simon (since I was put in the women's dorm) but I had fun getting to know my roommates who hail from all corners of the map.

The city is hot and humid... we made the fantastic discovery that Tel Aviv's outstanding beaches are just a stone's throw from the hostel. From the rooftop we have a great view of the Mediterranean.

Last night, we walked along the beach and watched the sun set, had dinner at a pub by the beach and chilled on the rooftop. Today we spent a few hours on the beach, swimming and playing frisbee. I have now dipped my toes in all of Israel's three Seas (the Med, the Dead and the Red... and yes I know I left out the sea of Galilee, but it doesn't rhyme!).

After that we explored old Jaffa and wandered downtown for a delicious meal at the only Thai restaurant we could find. I appreciate the city for its great weather and beautiful beaches and the fact that everyone here is so fit and active... but I guess it's hard not to be when you have such a great seawall for running and biking.

Tomorrow, we are leaving for Haifa.

The Dead Sea

Today, we had a nice relaxing day at the Dead Sea. We took the bus from Jerusalem to Qumran (where the Scrolls were discovered), about 40 minutes southeast of the city. Deciding to forgo the busy touristy beaches of Ein Gedi further south, we ended up being dropped off at the side of the highway so that we could make our way to Kalia Beach.

We spent our time sunbathing at the Biankini public beach, floated in the Sea (it is nine times saltier than any other body of water on Earth) and covered ourselves in mineral-rich mud (this was my favourite part!). We floated out pretty far into the Sea, but try as we might we were incapable of sinking or even remaining upright - we were so buoyant our legs kept floating back to the surface!

After a while, the salt started to sting so we left to catch a bus - but no bus would stop at the side of the highway for us. Finally we found a nice cabbie to take us up to Jericho where we caught a bus back in time for a shwarma dinner.

As Jericho is now a Palestinian city, we could not visit it this time - it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Next time for sure.

Happy Birthday to me!

I am now a year wiser - but since my morning was UBER-stressful, I feel a few years wiser.

Here's a recap of what's been going on since my last post. I don't have pictures yet - since this cafe has hidden its USB ports, but they are coming! The journey has been relatively smooth and I feel I can finally trust in my boyfriend's optimistic attitude of "everything always works out."

Egypt

The last couple of days in Egypt were not at all bad. We caught a comfortable air-conditioned bus in Cairo that travelled 8 hours across the Sinai desert and dropped us off in a sleepy coastal town called Tarabin Village. Being dropped off at the side of the road in a desert was a new experience for Mike and Simon - Mike had that "I am going to kill Meg" look on his face.

Of course, once we walked a few minutes in the direction of the Red Sea we found the Petra Camp and got our own little hut by the beach. I picked this place because it was cheap... but Tarabin Village is a hidden gem! It was completely devoid of tourists and run by young Egyptian beach bums - we had a blast. We woke up early in the morning, swam in the warm blue waters of the sea and played frisbee on a quiet beach. Truly our own private paradise.

Jordan

I didn't think I would be enamoured with any country as much as I was with Lebanon, but it all changed with Jordan. Granted the journey into Aqaba was not exactly efficient (the 1-hour "fast" ferry took about 7 hours from ticket purchase in Nuweiba, Egypt to leaving the Jordanian Immigration office) but we had researched the journey and knew exactly what to expect. Because Jordan shows preferential treatment to tourists, we were first to get on the ferry, first to leave, waived quickly through passport control, and skipped every queue.

As we left the Aqaba port we were amazed once more that from our spot we could see the glittering lights of Eilat, Israel and Taba, Egypt along the coast.

We settled into our hostel, the Bedouin Moon Village camp outside of Aqaba (about 10 clicks from the Saudi border... no worries, I didn't go there, haha!) and are pleased to confirm what we had already heard from so many backpackers: the Jordanians and Syrians are sincerely warm, friendly and welcoming, asking nothing in return for their kindness and hospitality.

We slept very well at the hostel (Simon was especially pleased with his Spiderman blanket) and woke up early for a dip in the pool and a yummy breakfast. We had found ourselves a driver to take us to Petra and back for 50 dinars.

PETRA! What can I possibly say about Petra?! It was AMAZING! Everything from the 2-hour drive up to Wadi Musa, to my first glimpse of the carved gates of the ancient city, the arduous hikes in the blistering heat up the rocky slopes to the sacrificial heights and the monastery left me speechless. Unofficially, the 8th Wonder of the World, Petra is not to be missed. We arrived at about 10:30 AM and left at 5 PM feeling very much like happy campers. It was the highlight of my trip.

Israel
I was quite sad to be leaving Jordan so soon but when I determined that I wouldn't have enough time to complete my PADI certification in Aqaba, we packed up and left the hostel to face what I was dreading the most on this trip: crossing the border into Israel. We had heard many things about how difficult it would be, particularly from an Australian woman in Beirut who had been turned away from the land crossing near Amman who had to explain the stamps on her passport (I imagined that I'd have to do the same).

All things considered, it wasn't that bad at the Arava border crossing at Eilat. It was organized and efficient: all we had to do was follow the arrows. Security didn't let me pass until I confirmed that I was of Indian origin. While Mike and Simon breezed through passport control, I was held back until I explained the Lebanese stamps on my passport, confirmed that I was of Indian origin, and provided proof that I had hostel reservations and a flight out of Israel. If Mike hadn't stepped in to vouch for me, I would have been there longer. We passed through in about 10 minutes. "Everything always works out."

Now I am in Eilat waiting to catch a bus to Jerusalem with that whole stressful experience behind me :)

Cairo... the city that never sleeps

The past couple of days have been spent in Cairo, a huge city of roughly 20 million people. The first thing I noticed about it is its striking resemblance to Mumbai. The city is bustling and full of life, the traffic is crazy, the heat overwhelming and the vibe - fantastic!

We met Mike at the Brothers Hostel - the most amazing hostel ever! The rooms are so clean with high ceilings, attentive staff, air conditioning, and comfortable beds.



So far, we've visited the National Museum and wandered up the Nile at night (when the city really comes alive) to enjoy spectacular views of the Opera House, the glittering buildings and various monuments. Today was spent wandering in Islamic Cairo along the narrow streets to see Mosques, mausoleums, bazaars. We've had a few "only in Cairo moments" so far:

• We've successfully managed to cross streets in traffic. It's like playing Frogger.
• We walked by a camel in an alleyway.
• We bought a carton of mango juice and drank it in an alley on the curb.

Tomorrow we're heading to Giza to see the pyramids and after that we begin our long journey into Jordan.

Some pictures :)

First up is to wish a Happy Birthday to Derek and Amy, who are both a year wiser today!

These two pictures are from Beirut. The first shows us standing in front of a mosque, a church and an archealogical site. The second is a motorboat cruising the Mediterranean by Rawshe Rock, which you may recognize from pictures in Shwarma places.

These pics were taken today in Luxor, where we went sightseeing in the Valley of the Kings and saw 3 tombs, then to a few temples on the East and West banks of the Nile (including Karnak).

It was ridiculously hot yet again, but we started off early in our bus with 2 Aussies, an Argentinian and our Egyptian guide. We bonded for the next 6 hours over ancient ruins, the heat, our professions, travelling, Diego Maradona and American cinema.

After we got back to the city, Simon and I walked (walked!!) to Karnak temple for some more pictures. Tomorrow we're up early again to catch a flight to Cairo and meet up with Mike. After chatting with the Aussies today, I wish I had planned for more time to visit the Red Sea for scuba diving. Maybe next time...