By: Rebecca and Jason

For our recent trip to Petra, we decided to drive to Eilat instead of flying or taking a bus. The bus trip is looooong, and since there were three of us, it made more sense to drive than to fly. Another reason for driving was to take the scenic route through the Negev desert. 

We had been to the Judaean desert several times, but not further south to the Negev. The Negev covers more than half of Israel's land area, but is home to only about 8% of the population. We drove through the Negev highlands and the Aravah valley on the way south.

The Negev Highlands

Spring flowers in the Negev

With Alex as our guide, we decided to turn off the main roads and take a more interesting route to see some of the  impressive geological and historical sites. This meant we would drive down the infamous Akrabbim (Scorpions) Ascent. The road was originally built by the Romans as a shortcut for the spice route from Eilat to the coast. The road was so steep and treacherous that the traders abandoned their carts at the base of the mountain and used camels to carry the goods up to the top where there were new carts waiting for them. It might seem like a lot to go through, but this shortcut lessened the length of the trip by several days. Even for the Romans, time was money. 

We also stopped to see one of the many Roman forts that dot the desert. We even drove by one that Alex excavated. They don't look like much until you wander through them with an archaeologist. It continues to amaze us how much someone can tell about a site from a few remaining walls and some pottery shards. 

The famous Akrabbim Ascent - the black dots are 
barrels marking the edge of the road's many switchbacks

On our way back from Eilat, we were fortunate to drive through the Aravah Valley at sunset. The nearly full moon rose over mountains glowing pink and orange in the light from the setting sun. A beautiful sight and a fitting end to a fantastic trip

Sunset in the Aravah valley

Moonrise in the Aravah valley

More photos from our drive through the Negev:

The Negev

By: Rebecca and Jason

Last weekend we took a much anticipated trip to Jordan to visit Petra. Our friend (and fellow Fulbrighter) Alex came with us. We got so much more out of the trip having an archaeologist along for the ride!

A UNESCO world heritage site and one of the new seven wonders of the world, Petra has to be seen to be believed. Originally established by the Nabataeans as a necropolis (city of the dead), Petra eventually became a capital city for the living. The Nabataeans were eventually absorbed into the Roman Empire, but the city of Petra continued to play an important role in military and trade routes for centuries. Though there are ruins from nearly every era to see at Petra, by far the most impressive are the elaborate tombs carved into the pink sandstone. 

The Royal tomb

Our plan was to visit Petra on Friday and start back to Israel Saturday morning. The weather had other plans. We woke up to clouds and as we stood in line for tickets, it began to rain. We decided to buy 2-day tickets for a few extra dinar and cross our fingers that the rain would let up. As we walked down the road toward the Siq (canyon), it was windy, cloudy, and misty, but nothing we couldn't handle. 

About halfway down the Siq, the weather took a turn for the worse. It started snowing/hailing/freezing rain all at once accompanied by loud rumbles of thunder. I wondered out loud if we might become trapped in the canyon. We made it as far as the Treasury (impressive even in the rain!), but took one look at the sudden appearance of waterfalls from the canyon rim and a river running through the Siq and decided not to continue. We were holed up in a souvenir and tea stall with tourists from all over the world and a bunch of Bedouins. Jason had a deep discussion with one of the Bedouin men about religion and politics. We were eventually rescued by pickup trucks where we piled in like cord wood and held on tight for a bumpy ride back up through the canyon.

Cloudy, rainy walk into the Siq

Snow accumulated along the Roman road

Tourists being rescued

The next day, we started out at sunrise for Petra, take 2. As the sun rose, the sandstone came alive with rose and orange - stunning against the blue sky. The Siq alone is worth seeing. At every turn along the road there is another gorgeous view. Pictures do not do any justice to the colors of the sandstone. 

The Siq in the sunlight

You have to appreciate the magnitude and breadth of Petra. You feel like you are really entering another world. You don't just park your car and walk in. Once you have your ticket, you walk down a long road just to get to the entrance to the canyon. A horse ride down this road is included in your ticket, but we elected to walk so we could see the sights along the way. When you get to the canyon, it is almost another mile to get into the park proper! You can take a "desert taxi" - camels or donkeys - if you want to save your energy for later. 

Simple tombs carved into the sandstone cliff

Perhaps the most famous view in Petra is the Treasury. You may recognize the site from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The Treasury is actually a tomb from the later part of the Nabataean period. Much to Jason's dismay, it does not house the Holy Grail, gold, or any other exciting things. Although the Treasury may be the most famous site in Petra, there are hundreds of other tombs, some of them opulent and others just basic holes carved into the rock. There is also an amphitheater, a large temple complex, a Roman colonnaded street, and two Byzantine churches.

The Treasury

View from the Royal Tomb

Guard at the Royal tomb

With all the walking and exploring, we were grateful to be invited by a Bedouin woman to sit down for some tea. We started chatting with her and she was delighted to discover that Alex knew the archaeologists who had been working at Petra for years. "Martha is your friend, Martha is my friend, so you are my friend," she told Alex. 

Jason, Alex, a friendly Bedouin girl, and an
especially friendly donkey

The final highlight of the trip was the taxi ride back from Petra to the border crossing in Aqaba. We were prepared to bargain, but the first driver we came upon offered us an excellent deal so after a quick inspection of his car (we had a less than stellar vehicle for the ride there), we hopped in. Jason sat in front and chatted with our driver who spoke excellent English. An exceptional driver, he appeared to be a regular cabbie until, upon further prying, we found out that he used to be an official chauffeur for the Jordanian royal family. You may not believe him, but he made that Toyota Corolla feel like a Rolls-Royce (just one of the many cars he drove for the former King). 

More photos (and a video of the snow) from Petra:

Petra Trip March 2014

By: Rebecca and Jason

Last year, we were pleasantly surprised at how green the northern part of Israel is in the spring. We were fortunate to go on several trips to the Galilee and the Golan to see some of Israel's loveliest natural areas. It was something we wanted to do again this year.

Jason's aunt and uncle stayed with us for a few days this week and we decided another trip up north was in order. On the recommendations of friends and our trusty Lonely Planet guidebook, we set out for Gamla. A nature reserve in the Golan, Gamla is home to Israel's highest waterfall, rare Griffon vultures, and the remains of a fortified Jewish settlement. Led by Josephus Flavius, ancient Gamla joined the Jewish revolt against the Romans in 66 CE, but after a siege and subsequent attack, was defeated and it's inhabitants killed. Josephus escaped by agreeing to join the Romans and it is his writings that tell us the story of Gamla. The city was never rebuilt by the Romans and was forgotten about for 1,900 years until its rediscovery during a survey of the Golan Heights in 1968 after the Six-Day War.

Ancient Gamla on the side of the mountain

The scenery at Gamla is stunning. In the green of spring, the fields are awash with wildflowers and the waterfall flows dramatically down the face of the cliff. The cliffs are home to the nests of several different species of raptors; among them, the endangered Griffon vulture. Not beautiful, but certainly impressive, Griffon vultures grow to over 3 ft tall with a wingspan of almost 6 feet! We were lucky enough to see a pair guarding their nest. It was a beautiful day and the scenery is gorgeous, but the machine gun fire from the nearby army practice range is a little disconcerting. The signs tell you to please not shout in case you should disturb the birds, but I have to wonder if the machine gun fire isn't worse. 

Gamla cliffs

Gamla falls

One of the other surprising and impressive sites at Gamla are the stone formations clustered together in the fields. Known as dolmens, these 4,000 year-old stone tables are thought to have been ancient burial tombs used by nomadic tribes during the Bronze Age. This park, as many do in Israel, characterizes the presence of different peoples over thousands of years of history.

Ancient dolmen and giant fennel

Along with the lovely spring wildflowers, there are a variety of trees and shrubs including oak, pistachio, Judas tree, and willow. The vegetation is especially lush near the Gamla stream and serves as a home to all kinds of birds and frogs, which we were so surprised to hear. There aren't a lot of amphibians in such a dry country!

Spring wildflowers

Gamla is definitely one of our favorite national parks. We are glad we visited in the spring when the flowers were in full bloom and it wasn't oppressively hot. The surrounding area is home to several other parks and some great wineries. On a future visit to Israel, we'd love to explore it some more. 

See more photos from our adventure in the album below:

Gamla Nature Reserve

Jason's sister Beth, her husband Dick, and their two boys, Berni and Jesse took a family trip to Israel. Though they wanted to visit with us, they also spent a portion of their trip volunteering. We had a great time with them, but their trip was about much more than just visiting family and being tourists. Here's what they had to say:

Our trip to Israel far exceeded our expectations. By coordinating with the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Jewish Federation of W. Mass. we were able to plan a trip that gave our family an Israel experience far beyond a tour of the country.

When we first arrived in Israel we stayed with family in Haifa. During the several days we spent in that port city we shopped at an outdoor market in an Arab neighborhood, strolled around the Old City of Akko, swam in the Mediterranean Sea, and toured the subterranean caves of Rosh Hanikrah.

From Haifa we drove southeast to Afula for our volunteer work. In between our volunteer activities we toured the remains of a Crusader-era castle at Belvoir National Park, swam in spring-fed waters at Gan Hashlosha, visited tombs in burial caves at Bet She'arim, and returned to Haifa for a tour of the Marine Biology Department at Haifa University.

Exploring Belvoir Castle

Our first volunteer experience was with Project Leket at Moshav Nahalal, where we picked beets for underprivileged families. After two hours of gleaning, the volunteer coordinator showed us the huge plastic crate we had filled and told us it would feed 133 families in need! This experience taught our children the true meaning of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world.

Picking beets at Moshav Nahalal

On the same day we picked beets, we also volunteered at a community public library located in Afula and operated by The Tarbut (Cultural) Movement. Here we helped sort games and puzzles that had been donated for underprivileged children from one of Afula's rougher neighborhoods. A group of young adults told the story of The Tarbut Movement, a non-profit national movement of pioneering young artists who reside and work as Tarbut Communities ('urban kibbutzim') in weakened towns and cities throughout Israel. The group uses art and culture as a vehicle for self-empowerment and social change to reshape the future of Israel, promoting values of social solidarity, equality, democracy and tolerance. The young adults we met were inspirational and served as wonderful role models for our children.

Sorting puzzles

The next day we volunteered at the Bet Alfa Absorption Center, a Jewish Agency facility for new immigrants from Ethiopia. While our children played games with the Ethiopian children, a middle-aged Ethiopian woman told us her story of how she came to Israel from her native country 30 years ago. It was an emotional first-hand account of a long journey filled with hopes and fears and it is a story we will never forget. Afterwards, our whole family helped the children plant flower boxes of herbs. When it was finally time to say goodbye, nobody wanted us to leave! We all wish we could have spent more time there.

Children at the Bet Alfa Absorption Center

Later that evening the Gilboa family hosted us for dinner on a moshav near the Bet Alpha Absorption Center. The family has four daughters, all of whom got along wonderfully with our two boys. The food was amazing and there was so much of it we couldn't possibly try it all. We talked to the Gilboas about family life in Israel and, more specifically, living on a moshav. It was a wonderful evening and we were so grateful for the opportunity to eat and socialize with the Gilboas.

While engaging in volunteer work in the Afula region we stayed at Kibbutz Yizreel, where we experienced life on a kibbutz. Every morning we ate breakfast at the dining hall and talked to several residents to learn what it is like to live on the kibbutz. Our host's husband gave us a tour of the kibbutz's factory, which manufactures automated pool cleaners. The whole experience was fascinating and led to many family conversations about communal living.

The scenic Gilboa Heights

From Afula we drove southeast again to view the Dead Sea. Then we drove west to Jerusalem, where we stayed in a hotel for two nights. During our trip to Jerusalem we walked on the ramparts of the Old City, prayed at the Kotel, and toured the tunnels underneath the Kotel. On our last day in Jerusalem we visited Mahane Yehuda Market, a large indoor/outdoor market with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses and much more. We shopped at the market on a Friday morning and it was packed with people buying food in preparation for Shabbat.

Berni, Jesse, and Jason at Mahane Yehuda Market

Buying cheese at Mahane Yehuda

From Jerusalem we drove northwest to Hashmonaim, a yishuv located about 15 minutes southeast of Tel Aviv. Here we spent Shabbat in an observant community. After Shabbat we visited Yad Lashiryon in Latrun, which houses over 200 armored tanks, many of which were used in the Six-Day and the Yom Kippur wars. We also toured the Bell Caves at Bet Guvrin. Later that night we had dinner with family and traveled to Tel Aviv for our flight home. 

Getting to know our cousins

Yad Lashiryon

By: Rebecca

We woke up yesterday morning to partly sunny skies and what we thought were rain clouds to the southwest, but when we stepped outside, hot air hit us in the face. Those weren't rain clouds, it was dust. By 11:00 am, the wind picked up, visibility dropped to less than a mile, the air smelled like dirt, and the sky was an eerie shade of pink. The first dust storm of the year had arrived.

In Hebrew (and Arabic, too) "khamsin" is the word for the hot winds that carry dust from Africa and the Arabian peninsula. You can usually smell them before they arrive, the air smells like dirt long before you can no longer see the sun or the sea. Ordinarily, the storms arrive overnight and begin to abate by evening. Yesterday the storm arrived late and at 11:00 pm, I still couldn't see Haifa port through the haze. This morning, the sun is shining a bit stronger, but the dust is still hanging in the air. 

The two pictures below were taken from our balcony. They show pretty much the same view so you can see the difference between a clear day and a khamsin day. 

Haifa on a clear day

Haifa during a dust storm

According to many of our friends, last year's three severe dust storms were the worst they could remember. This winter was also one of the driest so I'm really hoping that the storms aren't even worse this spring. They are certainly starting early - not a good sign...