Tel Aviv, night shot
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Tel Aviv
I woke up this morning and had the strong urge to swim in the sea. So I went straight to Tel Aviv. I spent the day on the beach and went for a swim which was absolutely great and very refreshing. That is one thing that Jerusalem is missing, a beach. Although a bus ride that is just over an hour is not too inconvenient. I met up with an old friend of mine, Bonnie Shay in the evening. She actually lives on my street back in Toronto, although she lives in Tel Aviv now. It was great catching up with her. She took me to see Rabin Square, where Yitzhak Rabin was assasinated. It is a very sad area and there was a candle burning by his memorial. Although Tel Aviv is a very modern city, I definintely prefer to be in Jerusalem where I find it to be more spiritual and uplifting.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Passover
I have completed my two Seder Passover meals and am now in the Chol Ha Moed (intermediary period) of the festival of Passover: http://www.aish.com/holidays/passover/default.asp The first Seder was held at Rabbi Yom Tov Glaser's house where only I and my friend Adam Krepel were guests. We all took turns reading the Haggadah and drank the mandatory four full cups of wine. We ended up finishing the meal and exodus story at 4:45 in the morning. At that point I was extremely tired as well as inebriated from the wine and made it to bed at 5:30am. It was pretty special having just come out of Egypt physically and then to recall how my ancestors came out thousands of years ago from slavery as well. The main point was that we were meant to feel as if 'we' all had just come out of Egpyt spiritually and now we can enjoy ourselves in pure freedom.
The second Seder I went to was at Steve Bresler's house, the Hebrew teacher at Aish. There were many guests at that one and we finished a bit earlier at around 2 am. One of the guests I knew from back home, Gabe Bredin who went on a Yeshiva trip with me to the Catskill Mountains two summers ago. Gabe is also from Toronto and is now in Tel Aviv in Medical school. Today the old city was extra packed because it was Birkat Ha Kohanim day at the Western Wall. It only happens once a year and is where the Kohanim (priestly Jews) bless everyone at the same time. It really was something amazing to see.
The second Seder I went to was at Steve Bresler's house, the Hebrew teacher at Aish. There were many guests at that one and we finished a bit earlier at around 2 am. One of the guests I knew from back home, Gabe Bredin who went on a Yeshiva trip with me to the Catskill Mountains two summers ago. Gabe is also from Toronto and is now in Tel Aviv in Medical school. Today the old city was extra packed because it was Birkat Ha Kohanim day at the Western Wall. It only happens once a year and is where the Kohanim (priestly Jews) bless everyone at the same time. It really was something amazing to see.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Dahab to Jerusalem
I am back in the holly land once again! The exodus is complete! After a 16 hour bus ride from Luxor to Dahab and trying to sleep on the bus overnight while contstantly stopping to be asked to show our passports, we made it to Dahab in the Sinai. Gold in Hebrew is Zahav and in Arabic it is Dahab, named after the golden sand found on the beaches in the area. The city was quite nice and although touristy very confortable especially coming out of Egypt proper where it was much more rustic. As soon as we arrived I went scuba diving as I knew I wouldn't get a chance to go again for some time. I had a full hour under water with a very friendly Egyptian from Alexandria. I saw many different fish and went down 13 meters. It was deffinitely worth it. That night we played some cards, and hung out at a restaurant right on the beach. We could see the city lights of Saudi Arabia from the other side of the Red Sea. Today we left for Taba with a really friendly Bedouin who along the way took us for tea in the middle of the dessert with his Bedouin friends. We made it back to Elat and then took yet another bus to Jerusalem and arrived tonight at around 10:30pm. It is great to be back here and to see all of my friends again. I am really looking forward to celebrating Pesach now that I know what Egypt looks like first hand.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Luxor, Egypt.
Hi!
So we are now in Luxor, Egypt and now near the end of our trip. We had a really great time going to see Abu Simbel near the Sudanese border. There were huge statues carved into the rocks and it was very impressive. We then took an overnight felluca ride from Aswan to Edfu, and then took a taxi to Luxor. THe felluca was awesome, they say one of the highlights of Egypt is going down the Nile on a felluca and now I can see why. All along the bank was lush greenery, palm trees, and farmers. We slept on the boat with 13 other people.
Luxor is the most popular place to go in Egypt next to Giza and the Pyramids. We have already seen most of the ruins, some of them really did blow me away with the enormous size of the pillars and the intricate artwork covering all of the monuments. We rented bikes and have been going around the city on them since yesterday. It is so great to ride a bike again!
We are headed to Dahab today by bus, stay there tonight and tomorrow and then head back to Jerusalem via Elat. I am really looking forward to going there to swim and experience the beauty of the Sinai.
Take care!
So we are now in Luxor, Egypt and now near the end of our trip. We had a really great time going to see Abu Simbel near the Sudanese border. There were huge statues carved into the rocks and it was very impressive. We then took an overnight felluca ride from Aswan to Edfu, and then took a taxi to Luxor. THe felluca was awesome, they say one of the highlights of Egypt is going down the Nile on a felluca and now I can see why. All along the bank was lush greenery, palm trees, and farmers. We slept on the boat with 13 other people.
Luxor is the most popular place to go in Egypt next to Giza and the Pyramids. We have already seen most of the ruins, some of them really did blow me away with the enormous size of the pillars and the intricate artwork covering all of the monuments. We rented bikes and have been going around the city on them since yesterday. It is so great to ride a bike again!
We are headed to Dahab today by bus, stay there tonight and tomorrow and then head back to Jerusalem via Elat. I am really looking forward to going there to swim and experience the beauty of the Sinai.
Take care!
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Aswan, Egypt.
Hello,
We are currently in Aswan, a city in southern Egypt. We arrived on Friday and had a really nice felucca (boat) ride to the the west bank of the Nile river where we saw some ancient ruins and explored. The view from on top of the bank was quite beautiful watching the Nile go by flanked by palm trees. We stayed in the same hotel that Adam Krepel stayed in last year so we got a really nice room and everyone is very hospitable here. We spent Shabbat here which was really nice. Tonight we are heading to Abu Simbel, in the south on a felucca boat and we are leaving at 3am. From there we will most likely head to Luxor for a day and then make our way back to Israel just in time for Passover!
We are currently in Aswan, a city in southern Egypt. We arrived on Friday and had a really nice felucca (boat) ride to the the west bank of the Nile river where we saw some ancient ruins and explored. The view from on top of the bank was quite beautiful watching the Nile go by flanked by palm trees. We stayed in the same hotel that Adam Krepel stayed in last year so we got a really nice room and everyone is very hospitable here. We spent Shabbat here which was really nice. Tonight we are heading to Abu Simbel, in the south on a felucca boat and we are leaving at 3am. From there we will most likely head to Luxor for a day and then make our way back to Israel just in time for Passover!
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Greetings from Cairo!
Salaam Aleikum, (hello in Arabic)
I am writing from Cairo, I am travelling with Adam Krepel and Josh Kopple (from LA). I had a spectacular 2 day and one night stay in Mitzpe Ramon crater led by Rabbi Yom Tov Glaser and the alumni for the 'possible you' trip. We took an incredible hike into the crater and the views were out of this world. We hiked and talked until it was completely dark outside and we could see the stars very clearly. Although I was there when I was on Birthright Israel two years ago, this time we had a lot of time to really soak in the environment. We had to navigate back to our bedouin tent in total darkness and all the while going back up the mountain out of the crater. With flashlights we were very happy to see the next marker on the rocks. On Monday the 11th we had another half day of hiking around and sightseeing in the area. The rest of the group went back to Jerusalem or to other destinations and Josh, Adam and I were taken to the bus station to catch a bus to Elat. The last bus left at 5:30 pm and we arrived at 6:30pm! We were trying for half an hour to hitchhike a ride Elat with no success. Just as we were losing patience with the situation a car pulled up that we flagged down and said that he was going to Elat and it would be his pleasure to take us down there with him! Thank G-d that he came for us because otherwise we would have had to spend the night in Mitzpe Ramon and lose a full day. The driver - Yonatan, was extremely nice to us and although he was born in Haifa he now lives in Elat and is the chief engineer for the city! The views driving down to Elat were awesome and it felt like we were driving with James Bond because of the high speed we were going, the views and that Yonatan was telling us how he has been all over the world on business and on pleasure trips. He drove us right to a hostel called the 'sunset hostel' and because he was friends with the owner, the owner- Ari, gave us his best room. We relaxed at a beachside restaurant for the night and it was nice to be back in Elat after being there three months ago.
The next morning we got our visas and entered into Egypt. The drive from Taba to Cairo took about six hours and gave us spectacular views of the Sinai desert. We saw wild camels along the way and sand dunes. The first night in Cairo we went to a popular bazaar called Fishawy.
Yesterday we went to Giza and road on horses to the Pyramids. The pyramids were very impressive and it was nice to finally see them in real life!
The horses were sprinting for most of the way and the scene looked like it was right out of an Indiana jones movie with the sun setting behind the pyramids as we were racing towards them on horseback. We got as close to them that we were standing on the first layer of the pyramid. We then were invited back to the Egytians man house who led us- Ahmed and he gave us tea and showed us photographs of him and his family. He then took us to a wedding which was pretty interesting because everyone was staring at us because we clearly stood out as foreigners. As we left there were about 50 local Arab kids running after out taxi trying to talk to us.
Today we are going to go to the Museum in Cairo and tonight we are headed for Aswan and Abu Simbel in the south. It is actually quite close to Sudan and both countries share Lake Nasser. We plan to take a felluca boat down the Nile and to head to Luxor. I am really enjoying Egypt so far, and must say that the people are incredibly hospitable and friendly. Many people greet us with smiles and when we say we are from Canada, they say "Canada Dry, never die!" I think some tourist started that line a while back and now it has stuck so that almost everyone says it.
I hope you are well!
I am writing from Cairo, I am travelling with Adam Krepel and Josh Kopple (from LA). I had a spectacular 2 day and one night stay in Mitzpe Ramon crater led by Rabbi Yom Tov Glaser and the alumni for the 'possible you' trip. We took an incredible hike into the crater and the views were out of this world. We hiked and talked until it was completely dark outside and we could see the stars very clearly. Although I was there when I was on Birthright Israel two years ago, this time we had a lot of time to really soak in the environment. We had to navigate back to our bedouin tent in total darkness and all the while going back up the mountain out of the crater. With flashlights we were very happy to see the next marker on the rocks. On Monday the 11th we had another half day of hiking around and sightseeing in the area. The rest of the group went back to Jerusalem or to other destinations and Josh, Adam and I were taken to the bus station to catch a bus to Elat. The last bus left at 5:30 pm and we arrived at 6:30pm! We were trying for half an hour to hitchhike a ride Elat with no success. Just as we were losing patience with the situation a car pulled up that we flagged down and said that he was going to Elat and it would be his pleasure to take us down there with him! Thank G-d that he came for us because otherwise we would have had to spend the night in Mitzpe Ramon and lose a full day. The driver - Yonatan, was extremely nice to us and although he was born in Haifa he now lives in Elat and is the chief engineer for the city! The views driving down to Elat were awesome and it felt like we were driving with James Bond because of the high speed we were going, the views and that Yonatan was telling us how he has been all over the world on business and on pleasure trips. He drove us right to a hostel called the 'sunset hostel' and because he was friends with the owner, the owner- Ari, gave us his best room. We relaxed at a beachside restaurant for the night and it was nice to be back in Elat after being there three months ago.
The next morning we got our visas and entered into Egypt. The drive from Taba to Cairo took about six hours and gave us spectacular views of the Sinai desert. We saw wild camels along the way and sand dunes. The first night in Cairo we went to a popular bazaar called Fishawy.
Yesterday we went to Giza and road on horses to the Pyramids. The pyramids were very impressive and it was nice to finally see them in real life!
The horses were sprinting for most of the way and the scene looked like it was right out of an Indiana jones movie with the sun setting behind the pyramids as we were racing towards them on horseback. We got as close to them that we were standing on the first layer of the pyramid. We then were invited back to the Egytians man house who led us- Ahmed and he gave us tea and showed us photographs of him and his family. He then took us to a wedding which was pretty interesting because everyone was staring at us because we clearly stood out as foreigners. As we left there were about 50 local Arab kids running after out taxi trying to talk to us.
Today we are going to go to the Museum in Cairo and tonight we are headed for Aswan and Abu Simbel in the south. It is actually quite close to Sudan and both countries share Lake Nasser. We plan to take a felluca boat down the Nile and to head to Luxor. I am really enjoying Egypt so far, and must say that the people are incredibly hospitable and friendly. Many people greet us with smiles and when we say we are from Canada, they say "Canada Dry, never die!" I think some tourist started that line a while back and now it has stuck so that almost everyone says it.
I hope you are well!
Saturday, April 02, 2005
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