Ramot Resort Hotel

December 2010 Trip Report Israel

by Semiretired

Just (barely) got back from Israel. Went to Tel Aviv, Galilee, Jerusalem, Bethlehem. We would like to highly recommend the services of two independent guides. David Gurevich for Galilee and Jerusalem at david@touchisrael.com and for getting around Bethlehem and Palestine Sam Salem at guide.holy@gmail.com. These are two keepers.

We are independent travelers and made our way around Tel Aviv (port of Jaffa, Carmel market) using the shared ride sheroot transportation. Hotel recommend is Tal Hotel. There's not a lot in this city which is a cross between Los Angeles and Panama City, FL.

We picked up a car rental with David and saw Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Nazareth (which is 98% traffic and 2% sites to see.) Some people parachute, some run marathons, I rent cars in foreign countries for a rush.

Spent night at Hotel Ramot in northeast Galilee, the most peaceful view in the world. Then hit all holy sites in Galilee and made it to Beit Shean which is the coolest archeology dig we've seen since Pompeii.

We rented an apartment in Jerusalem that was superlative. VRBO.com number 191207. Right by pleasant Arab neighborhood at Damascus Gate. Ate at Al-Quds daily. David took us through each step from Mt. Olives to Church of Holy Sepulchre. Don't miss the "disputed ladder" story.

Sam took us into Palestine including Herodian and then Bethlehem. He knows everyone. Then we hit Masada and Dead Sea.

Advisories: Watch Friday nights and Saturdays are shabbat and things close. Don't answer questions that weren't asked by soldiers or customs people. Tell your guides to avoid "bus stop restaurants." There are no Starbucks in Israel. And fill up on Taco Bell before you go (you will miss it amongst all the hummus.) Travel while you're young (these hills will kill your knees).

Sam was extremely helpful is getting us accommodations when weather cancelled our flights. BTW, St. George's Guest House is a great place to stay, especially for families.

This is my second time to Israel and it just keeps getting better.

Nashville, TN, December 2010

In God´s country

by Faracy

"How I decided NOT to be an archeologist."

To make a very long story short, I wanted to go somewhere where I could do an excavation, and Israel was the place where I could be funded to do so. I was an archeology major at the time, (getting profound joy out of looking at long dead bodies, and ancient food.) Unfortunantly, unless you´re from an Israeli institution, you are not allowed to dig up human remains:( I spent a month in the beautiful Galillee digging an ancient sewer system, and cleaning sherds of broken pottery.
I didn´t have the Indiana Jones notion of archeology, but I realized that it just wasn´t the lifestyle I wanted... 20 years of school, and then MAYBE getting a good site! No..
I would much rather do an ethnography on archeologists themselves... a fascinating bunch of people.. too much time in academia isn´t good for the soul.
I want to spend my life with the living, not hypothesizing about the dead..

"Galillee (I can never spell it right)"

The Galilee, or northern part of Israel is by far my favorite part. During the dig, I lived on a Moshav called Ramot Naphtali... the nearest towns being Sfat and Kiryat Shmona. Being shy in group situations, I spent a lot, really ALL of my free time wandering the area by myself. I loved watching the night fall over the Hula Valley every night, looking at Mt. Hermon... It had a special feeling, and a special scent.
I wish I knew what flower it was, but it was really pungent at night.. I´ll forever associate that with Israel.
When I was up on top of the Tel, doing my work, I would look down at the lands around me and wonder if this is where my ancestors came from. I would look across the electrified barbed wire fences and see Lebanon.. how strange that something so close couldn´t be visited. The same with Syria... there is a point where you can see all three countries at once.
I was there during a pretty rough time between Lebanon and Israel, constant Hezbollah fighting, bombing overhead, and explosions. It became so normal to hear shelling overhead, that we didn´t even look up.
I don´t know when I´ll ever get back there, I hope I do someday.

"Tel Aviv"

Tel Aviv is a huge, frantic city. I spent most of my time at the beach, on the board walk, and avoiding gross men.... be very careful! I got grabbed even swimming in the water!
On a happier note, Joffa is beautiful!
I think there are few more beautiful sites on earth than light minerets at dusk or dawn... wow... I love the hazy blue green they´re light with, and hearing the call to prayer... I must have been Muslim in a previous life, I was much more inspired by the Islamic elements of Israel than the Jewish... and I have a Jewish background.
I vividly remember laying on the beach at 4:00 AM, and watching the waves crash in, and gazing at Joffa and the minerets..