The Unreasonable Man

We are back, after a somewhat long trip from Eilat via Tel Aviv, with an airport change in between.

I shall summarise my experiences over the next days, time allowing. The trip was effortless (security is done well in Israel - and with respect, which I have found to be missing in US/Canada/Europe security. And no, no taking off shoes or belts. So guess what: if it is not necessary to take off shoes in Israel, it is not necessary here either.

The only thing I found less than ideal in Israel is kashrut - all the kosher food laws. Kosher restaurants (i.e. most of them) are either dairy restaurants (meaning dairy can be used, but no meat), or no dairy (no milk in your after-dinner coffee, even). Obviously, that also means no cheeseburgers at McDonalds.

…very soon. When I start to put together my experiences of this trip, and make them into opinions.

In the mean time, this is our last day. Tomorrow, we leave Israel. Waah: I’d love to stay. This afternoon, we went shooting at the hotel’s shooting range - where better to learn than in Israel. Jason and I shot 9mm handguns and Daniel shot a .22 sniper rifle. Fun.

So yesterday we went to Jordan for the day. My first return ot an Arab country for quite a few years, but it was wonderful; just as though I had never been away. Great to give my family an impressoin of what Arab countries are like (Jordan of course being a very nice one).

A few grabshots here (link). These are grabshots. I can do pro work, but not while moving around with a guide and family.

We are now in Eilat, having just flown here from Tel Aviv. Beautful to be on the Red Sea (Gulf of Eilat).

And what a relief it has been this past week, and on the flight here, to see intelligent security in Israel. No dumb “everyone take off your shoes, belts, and coats”. No “no hand luggage”. Yes, they ask some questions - pertinent questions. They do not ask everyone the same questions. And most imprtantly, they do not act like God - they are in fact polite (unlike, for instance, British or American security, where you always feel a victim of the power games, of the “one wrong word and we arrest you” dynamic). Like here:

http://english.people.com.cn/200608/26/eng20060826_297023.html

But Israel shows that it can be done well, and this in my mind disproves the childlike “it is necessary” logic we get in North America and Europe. No, it is not necessary. Even in circumstances of severe threat, you can do security intelligently and politely, without it getting in the way and without making everyone feel like a criminal. Well done Israel.

Tomorrow, we travel to Jordan for the day - to see Petra. Tintin and Indiana Jones have been there, so I must go too.

Our vacation today was all about Old Jaffa, the Tel Aviv beach, and dinner and drinks in Tel Aviv at night. Click on the picture below to see some more.

Having just returned from that beach, we are going to bed now. Tomorrow, we fly out to Eilat. The day after, Jordan for the day. I am not sure my Eilat hotel has Internet, so blogging may be suspended for a few days.

Daniel has been advised that his “Israel Army” hats are not suitable for our visit to Jordan.

It is Shabbath, meaning some restrictions (no hot dishes in the hotel, for instance, since fire may not be made on the Shabbath), but also meaning families go celebrate the day.

Yesterday, we visited Caesarea; then a Druze village; then Haifa, which just last week was being shelled. It was interesting to see how clean and normal Haifa was: no sign whatsoever of there having been a month of rocket assaults. Daniel said that he would not have minded have been there during the war. Meaning, if 99.999% of a city is undamaged after a month of shelling, the chances of you being the unlucky one to be hit are apparently minimal.
Grabshots of the day here [link].

Old new.. we are now in Tel Aviv. We got here via the tank corps museum and an underground ammunitions factory, also a museum.

I am still having the time of my life, back in the Middle East. Check out some more pictures of the past two days (including some more of the Old Jerusalem Souk) here [link].

Israel. The Middle East. I am having the time of my life: it is like I am back home. 42 degrees today at the lowest point on earth and I loved it. It ewas like being 25 all over again.

And of course since we are presently in Jerusalem, I am using all my 50 words of Arabic all day. Today I was driven through Jerusalem (and past Ramallah), to Masada, and had a swim, er float, in the dead sea. God I love it here.
A few snapshots here (link).

We are at the airport, in the lounge. On our way, finally!
In an amusing notre, an hour before departing I backed my Land Rover into the garage door, which had started closing by itself just as I was reversing. Result: scratches and a dent in the LR3, and a crunched door and door frame. When I get back, I shall not be able to drive since the car is stuck in the garage. But guess what: I’ll worry about it when I get back.
I am also not worried about queues and security. Security checks were not very well organised at Pearson: the checked bag X-ray (needed for Tel Aviv and New Delhi) led to disorganised queues. World War Three nearly broke out when Air Canada put us forward in the queue (because we had already checked in, and only needed the X-Ray; unlike the rest of the queue that was waiting for checkin). Rather than engaging in war with the Israelis shouting at me, I shrugged, went back, and joined the checkin queue. Unnecessarily, but hey, what’s an extra hour queueing. We are off on a vacation!

Part of today will be spent packing and otherwise preparing for the holiday in Israel. Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Dead Sea, Masada, Jaffa, Eilat, and Petra (Jordan), here we come. Blog entries may or may not be sporadioc from 19-30 August: if I can go online, I will be posting pictures. Cameras feature heavily in my packing activity.