Israel, Jordan, the West Bank and Driesje

It’s been a bit of a wild week, so I will wrap it up with segments (again).

Jordan

I ended up taking a two day tour to Jordan. While I can write here the amount of things wrong with this tour, I can pretty much sum it up in one sentence: the tour guide was shit. But aside from him, his disorganization, his work getting kick-backs, his inability to be enthusiastic about anything, his lack of knowledge and his lack of care, I actually had a good time with the main two events booked in. It helped that I was with a good group going through the same experience as me.

After leaving Tel Aviv at 3am, I was finally able to see a bit of my surrounds, once the sun came up. I think it’s a fascinating region. Crossing the border was interesting. Getting around in the middle-east is a pretty serious business. We spent about 12 hours driving and bumming around doing nothing, but in the afternoon, we went to Wadi Rum and drove around the desert on the backs of 4wd’s. While this was fun, I should comment that it was around 3 degrees and there was a sandstorm. It was seriously the most cold I have ever been, while, also, the most assaulted by sand. It was crazy, but it was very enjoyable. Especially when we went full speed down sand dunes. I also saw some of the magnificent landscapes in my life. And what’s an open drive through the desert without a sandstorm, right?

After a night in one of the dodgiest large hotels I have ever stayed in, we went to Petra. The bus ride was interesting. You don’t expect snow and ice in the middle-east, but we got both. Petra was very cool… and a much larger area than I thought. We beat the bus loads of Chinese tourists and got in pretty early. I made a friend over the two days who was very like-minded, so we walked away from our tour group and went rogue through the region. An amazing place.

I seem to have been recognized for my photography skills and became a personal photographer… not just for this tour, but for the next one as well. But to be fair, it meant I had someone to take photos of me too.

Glenn the American:

Glenn the American taking photos of me (not as skilled on the old camera as I am):

The West Bank

It was a fascinating tour. I took a lot more interest in the political/geographic/historic nature of the region than I did of the religious significance of this area. The artwork along the wall was amazing.

Standing in Bethlehem, looking out over borders was surreal.

Actually standing in Jericho, the oldest inhabited city in the world (10 thousand years of habitation), was pretty amazing. Also being that far below sea level was awesome.

The only thing I didn’t enjoy about these two places was the lengthy regurgitation of religious stories I already knew about, but I guess that is what a lot of people go there for, so they need to cater to their market. On a side note: I already knew which mountain Moses died on, and which mountain was where the temptation of Christ happened. So while they spoke about these things, I got my camera ready for some cool shots.

The dead sea was pretty awesome, to be honest. I chose not to float (maybe that is an “IT” thing), mainly because I preferred to keep my camera (and passport) close and my clothes on. It was insanely hot below sea level, compared to anything above. We went from freezing in Jerusalem to sweating at the dead sea. As with the Red Sea, I looked across it to see other countries, and dipped my hand in. It was seriously salty… as advertised. Even after washing my hand, I could still feel it. There were definitely not as many tourists there as I thought there would be.

Driesje

For those on my Facebook, I already mentioned why I got this tattoo. For those not on my Facebook, here is what I wrote:

“The black armband is in remembrance of the family we lost during the Holocaust. The writing is the Hebrew version of the birthname of one particular boy who represents the innocence and plight of our family, and the horrific brutality of the Nazis. The other part is the Star of David and the dates he lived. His story is too horrific to put here, or even my blog. But he should never be forgotten. None of them should!”

I don’t think I want to add anymore to that statement.

One thing to mention: I have had a few comments on messenger... so I will be clear about this. I understand and considered the consequences of having the Star of David and Hebrew on my arm. It was a very well thought out choice to have this tattoo in a place that is visible and easily seen. I don't need to be warned of the risks of showing my jewish heritage. We are all aware of how that can go down in certain places.

While the tattoo was one of the most painful, it got me in the spirit, so I think I might actually do more on that arm. Stay tuned for that one.

Next up; Jerusalem walking tour, including the Wailing Wall, the Holocaust Museum and some markets. I am also considering a balloon ride in Tel Aviv, but the weather is not being very friendly for that.

It's Sherwin's birthday today. I am so grateful to the amazing friends he has who chose to celebrate this day with him. According to my app, it is 16 days, 3 hours and 45 minutes until I meet him again in Nice.

Cheers,

JC