It's time to shower and finish packing after a leisurely day of sunning, shopping and snoozing. We have a very long day ahead of us, but such a fabulous time together, who could complain? So here's to Israel, Zionist aspirations, and a congregation filled with avid travelers and mensches. This trip will live on in our hearts.
Next year in Jerusalem!
rebhayim
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Petra
The road to Petra began with an early wake up call at 630am and a 10 minute bus to the border where we walked across to Jordan in search of our Jordanian guide and driver. We found them by 9am -- and then waited and waited for passport clearance and who knows what. We hit the road, already an hour late, when the bus broke down on a wilderness highway. Overheated. So there we are, a bus full of American Jews hanging out on the roadside near Aqaba, which means near nothing at all. Our Jordanian guide, a bit of an oddball, seems undone by this, and begs our forgiveness. We're cool, though those who saw 'Babel' are just a tad nervous.
Eventually, another bus and driver arrives. Mahmoud opens the door, we crowd in and then he speeds off. And I mean, he speeds. We are over 2 hours behind schedule and the border closes at 8pm. We are rounding corners at a zillion miles an hour and from the back Ron says, "Let's get there safely", which is a good idea, only Mahmoud doesn't speak a word of English and our guide is still too freaked out over what happened to be of any use in the bus.
Of course we arrived safely, took the famous walk and saw this amazing sight:
I mean, there is lots to see, but rounding the famous bend and seeing this is just too much; it becomes fixed in one's brain forever. We all loved it. It was a strenuous walk, but my God, it is just so amazing.
We made it back to the border in time after a late lunch that almost degenerated into a pogrom when we started playing with our straws and then there was a little bit of spit ball action and our Jordanian waiter just about blew a gasket. At any rate, we're back, without international incident.
Eventually, another bus and driver arrives. Mahmoud opens the door, we crowd in and then he speeds off. And I mean, he speeds. We are over 2 hours behind schedule and the border closes at 8pm. We are rounding corners at a zillion miles an hour and from the back Ron says, "Let's get there safely", which is a good idea, only Mahmoud doesn't speak a word of English and our guide is still too freaked out over what happened to be of any use in the bus.
Of course we arrived safely, took the famous walk and saw this amazing sight:
I mean, there is lots to see, but rounding the famous bend and seeing this is just too much; it becomes fixed in one's brain forever. We all loved it. It was a strenuous walk, but my God, it is just so amazing.
We made it back to the border in time after a late lunch that almost degenerated into a pogrom when we started playing with our straws and then there was a little bit of spit ball action and our Jordanian waiter just about blew a gasket. At any rate, we're back, without international incident.
Parting is such sweet sorrow -- and so is the Crown Plaza
Our group split this morning at about 130am. A little over half the group boarded a bus and went off to Ben Gurion. The rest of the group got up a few hours later and bused to the little Podunk Sdeh Dov airport. It's a tiny place and feels very retro. With only a minor hassle we flew down to Eilat. Flying to Eilat is a thrill because of the outrageous scenery below. The deepest meaning of the word, 'wilderness' is truly defined by the endless stretch of desert: dry, devoid of vegetation, no people, no nothing: just a dry expanse. It underscores Ben-Gurion's audacity to urge Israel to settle in the south and tame this empty, fearsome place.
All went swimmingly well. True, it felt cooler in Eilat than in Jerusalem, but ok, we could handle that. We aren't complainers, we intrepid TBA travelers. But then we checked in to our hotel: the Eilat Crowne Plaza. Liza and I entered our room, our suite, actually. A porch the size of a restaurant patio. Two massive rooms, not particularly well appointed, but pleasant nonetheless. That was wonderful and felt like the great way to end a terrific tour.
But word began to leak out that the other rooms weren't exactly clean. Oh oh, I thought; I don't want it to end in messy rooms. What can we do? Then more word came to me through the children of parents too polite and determined to have a good time. The rooms stink, the carpet is matted, the bathrooms are filthy, the bedding is stained, the electric kettle is in pieces... etc.
(The rooms didn't look like this -- and neither did the people)
Now I'm not a confrontational kind of guy. And even though it's high season in Eilat I was urged by my wife to demand what we should have: clean rooms. So I made the calls, I asked and cajoled and 3 hours later we moved out to the Dan Panorama, a really nice 3 1/2 star hotel. Compared to the other place, it's the Ritz and the 4 Seasons all in one. That was Monday!
PS In keeping with TBA tradition, the group had new year's eve dinner at the Boston Fish Restaurant! The food was great. But sadly, there was no live music. But there were incredible fireworks.
All went swimmingly well. True, it felt cooler in Eilat than in Jerusalem, but ok, we could handle that. We aren't complainers, we intrepid TBA travelers. But then we checked in to our hotel: the Eilat Crowne Plaza. Liza and I entered our room, our suite, actually. A porch the size of a restaurant patio. Two massive rooms, not particularly well appointed, but pleasant nonetheless. That was wonderful and felt like the great way to end a terrific tour.
But word began to leak out that the other rooms weren't exactly clean. Oh oh, I thought; I don't want it to end in messy rooms. What can we do? Then more word came to me through the children of parents too polite and determined to have a good time. The rooms stink, the carpet is matted, the bathrooms are filthy, the bedding is stained, the electric kettle is in pieces... etc.
(The rooms didn't look like this -- and neither did the people)
Now I'm not a confrontational kind of guy. And even though it's high season in Eilat I was urged by my wife to demand what we should have: clean rooms. So I made the calls, I asked and cajoled and 3 hours later we moved out to the Dan Panorama, a really nice 3 1/2 star hotel. Compared to the other place, it's the Ritz and the 4 Seasons all in one. That was Monday!
PS In keeping with TBA tradition, the group had new year's eve dinner at the Boston Fish Restaurant! The food was great. But sadly, there was no live music. But there were incredible fireworks.
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