Back in Israel after 34 years. Aerial view of Kibbutz Shefayim where I lived for a few months in 1977 and met my wife, Regina. We came back and stayed on different kibbutzim in 1981 as well.
Eilat, Israel
Funky hostel in Eilat. I walked over the border from Aqaba, Jordan, and hitch-hiked into town. Last few times into this country took 3+ hours. This time...20 minutes. Go figure.
Buddy running the hostel was an artist. So happy to be warm after a few days of 3C in Petra. Going for a swim, asap.
The beach at Eilat. Once one of my favorite places. Have slept on this beach many times. Now all squeezed out by restaurants and hotels and within 100m of the airport runways. Freaks me out. I expected change, but was not ready for this.
I go for a swim, have a beer and sit to watch sundown. I see a lot of sunrises and sundowns when backpacking. I am very emotional here...I spent some formative time in this country. They say you can't go back, and tonite...I agree.
The Gulf of Aqaba. The hills are as beautiful as I remember. Back in the 70's, I hitch-hiked down to Sharm El-Sheikh, which is now part of Egypt. Slept outside in a big sandstorm in Nuweibaa. Quite scary.
I love Middle Eastern food and music. Quite happy to be here, even with all the emotional baggage.
Was scheduled to work on a Wwoofing farm near the Dead Sea, but had to change plans. Jerusalem had a big snowstorm (not my photo), so I headed up to Nazareth, a town I had not been to in my previous travels.
Nazareth, Israel
There is a very funky hostel in the Old City, very well-run by a mix of Jews and Arabs. Arabs make up 20%+ of Israeli citizens.
Just a gorgeous hostel, with a free, hot breakfast that is a great social mixer. A lot of people here for a cross-country trail run thru olive orchards.
I used to collect old radios, and still have one just like this. I will be walking the 4 day Jesus Trail from Nazareth to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee.
The start of the Jesus Trail...Mt. Precipice.
Along the trail, in Zippori National Park, there is a stunning Byzantine mosaic.
The tiles are about 1 cm square and up close, the detail is just amazing.
These things were everywhere and just crack me up.
A field of poppies after leaving the Arab town of Cana. We stayed in a brand new hostel run by a local Arab woman. We got to eat with her mother and hubby and kids and it was a very special evening.
Laura, a pastor from Chicago, was my travelling mate the first 2 days. She was making a little documentary, so we stopped in the churches built where Jesus made water into wine and fed the multitudes.
I stopped at a goat farm in Ilaniya. A very funky place. My next travelling buddy, Pius, had been there the day before, working for his food and lodging.
Because of the season, I am dealing with rain and slogging thru mud. Lots of time to enjoy the little things.
My first view of Sea of Galilee, thru the Horns of Hattin. This makes me very happy, mostly because the mud is wearing me out.
What is this, you say. It is what a large pile of cow manure looks like, just after you have sunk your hiking shoe into it.
Doesn't take a lot of elevation to make me happy. I used to live close to here, on a kibbutz about 12 kms inland.
This is just so beautiful. I will be clambering over the cliff on the right and then down the path in the middle Then off the trail to hitch-hike into Tiberias for a hostel for the night.
I can see the Sea! Highest point around for a bunch of kilometers. Only 3 days to get here, but I am happy to be on foot in the Holy Land.
This cliff face has been closed due to weather, but since I snuck into the Park, no one knows I am here and presto, the trail option is open for me. Bit dicey on the iron rails, but I am in no hurry
Day 4. Pius and I are back on the Trail with a few German girls who stayed in Arbel the night before.
Mother and daughter re-connecting on the Trail. Both pretty cool people.
The Gospel Trail and Jesus Trail are essentially the same thing going to the same places. One pushed by the Israelis, the other by the local Arabs. Ah, the Middle East.
Of course, first thing I do is go for a swim. Last time I swam here was 1981. First time was 1977.
There are half-dozen churches in this area. This one is Greek Orthodox. Busloads of tourists everywhere. Bit of a shock after 4 days on the Trail.
This from the very utilitarian hostel in Tiberias. The painting cracks me up.
The next day, I hitch-hike up to one of my old Kibbutzim. This one is Parod, just south of Safed. The place had changed a lot. I had left there under a bit of a cloud (long story), so didn't make myself known...just wandered about and found the old buildings the volunteers used to live in. There was a volunteer strike a few days after I left, and when I returned for a visit a few weeks later, they let me stay for the Toga Party, then asked me to leave. They blamed me for the strike.
A little garden spot in the Artist Colony in Safed, still one of the prettiest places in Israel.
Back in Nazareth before heading to Tel Aviv. I ate in this place a few nights, arguing politics with the outspoken owner.
Tel Aviv, Israel
Picture says it all.
I am staying beside the beach in a great hostel, again with a big free breakfast. The beach goes forever in Tel Aviv. I get in lots of swimming, but no surfing. Content to watch.
Swimming with some Russians at sunset, so I get them to take a photo.
Picture at the water tower on Kibbutz Shefayim, same place as the photo of Regina and I back in 1977 (inset). Easily one of the happiest days of my life.
I introduced myself to some kibbutzniks and told them my story. Got invited to have a meal in dining hall (mid-afternoon) for old-times sake.
Most of the old volunteer quarters are gone, but this was the old style. The place is dramatically changed. There is a big water park (declined to go there), a big mall. The beach is fenced off, I had to sneak under. Glad I took a week or so to show up here, or I would have been devastated.
I go skinny dipping everywhere I go. Not a big deal here on the Mediterranean. I am at a nude beach here, maybe the only Canuck.
I wander thru the refet (cow barns) to the kibbutz graveyard. No need to worry where the mall is...you can see it from the cemetery. Just jarring. Shafayim used to be a farm with about 300 people, now a small town.
Back in Tel Aviv. I am living at the beach.
I take a day and head to Jerusalem, to tour the old places. While at the Western Wall, I get into a bit of a scuffle...in the 70's and early 80's, I think it was males only...if not always, then most of the time. I wander towards the Wall to pay my respects...lots of yelling, a few people swatting at me. I am in the Women's section. I make amends and they give me candle Hannukah gifts for my daughters.
You can't get to Dome of the Rock (background) anymore, unless a Muslim with a local Muslim. I try to sneak in thru one of the old markets entrances, but get stopped by Israeli police.
The only problem with this meal is the Western prices. I have a hard time eating on the cheap in this country. This same meal in Jordan would be less than 50% of the price here.
Israel. Peace out.
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