Day Ten - The struggle goes on

The image of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad appeared on the news today. A tall man he was dressed in military attire with a saber. The purpose was a dedication ceremony for a communications center in Kuneitra, the Syrian town closest to the border with Israel in the Golan Heights. An announcement was made at the time that Syria was once again threatening to take the Golan back from Israel by force. Prior to his political career as President starting in 2001 the son of the former President of Syria Hafez al-Assad was best known for introducing the internet to Syria. It was hoped that he would usher in a new level of freedom in Syria which really never happened.

The press conference cited the Druze living under Israeli rule in the Golan as the reason for reclaiming the area for Syria. The truth of the matter is the Druze in the Golan are fairly independent of both Israel and Syria. They enjoy the benefits of living in the Democratic State of Israel but are separated by the border from family who still live in Syria. They know their life in Israel is far better than their Syrian counterparts but are not becoming Israeli citizens for fear of Syrian reprisals and the are not sure what country will ultimately be in charge.

Next story: The Heredim (Ultra Orthodox) are rioting in Jerusalem because a Parking Structure in the Old City will be open on Shabbat. A demonstrator is hurt when he fell off a fence he was climbing. A short stocky policewoman is pushing a heavy set man dressed in 18th century black clothes and hat. Two blond twins with kippas and curls maybe 7 or 8 years old are throwing rocks.

As Nick and I tour the Nimrod Fortress in the Golan and the Banias Nature Reserve the conflict continues. Battles have raged for 3000 years. The land is won and lost. Civilizations thrive and decline. Kings build great walls to protect what they have but time takes them down.

Banias Falls. This is an important tributary to the Knerret that provides fresh water for the entire area

While walking the Banias Nature Reserve barbwire fence warns and seperates park goers from land mines

Nimrod Fortress. Note the rocks above. Visitors are warned to stir clear of collapsing walls.

This spiral stair goes down two flights in the Southwest tower. It is pitch black and Nick and I encountered bats at the bottom

We hiked to the top of the Fortress Donjon or Keep high up over looking all of the Golan.

Day Nine - Finding the Hermon Field School

From the Sea of Galilee we headed north up Highway 90 to the most Northern part of Israel and to one of the areas of world controversy captured and retained in the 1967 War – the Golan Heights. Greater care appears to have been taken in planning the development of this area and the natural beauty of the mountains and valleys have been enhanced with wineries and Moshavs interspersed along the highway. An interesting mountain cut was made into undulating vegetated terraces one on top of another on either side of the roadway. A communication tower has cut out human shapes climbing the structure. Always a reminder of things past and present a bombed bus or truck will appear and are left in place as real danger still exists.

The area is less likely to be visited by tourists and consequently English signs begin to disappear unlike most of the rest of the country. We were headed to a Field School to spend the night near Mt. Hermon (or Khermon depending on the map). We called ahead to make sure they knew we were coming and got some quick instructions about turning right about 12 kilometers after Kiryat Shemona. It would have been helpful if they said turn right onto Highway 99 from 90 but the Hebrew/English communication left us with a simple turn right where the sign was. It does not take long to go too far in Israel and we found ourselves on the Lebanese border town of Metula having missed the turnoff. We called again. “You have gone too far!” the reception said. “Turn around and come back to the shopping center and turn left.” After several more missed directions we finally made it onto the correct road to Mt. Hermon.

After about 20 kilometers we came to “the sign” saying Hermon Field School and we turned up the mountain road and proceeded to pass Hebrew signs on our way to the end of the road and the gate to a Kibbutz. Entering the Kibbutz, a large cattle ranch, we drove around looking at the Hebrew signs hoping we could suddenly recall the meaning of words never learned by sounding out our elementary pronunciations of the Hebrew letters. Farm animals stared amusingly at us as we searched for human contact or signs of any kind in English or Hebrew we could understand. We found a group of soldiers and one knew a little English but had no idea what the Hermon Field School was. We found the grocery and the cashier also had no idea what we were talking about. She directed me to an office with a phone at the door and a phone number posted. I dialed the number and no one answered and I hung up. The phone rang and I picked it up. “You need to go back down the hill and turn left at the sign” the voice on the other end of the line said. Someone must have been keeping track of us. We finally made it to the gate of the Hermon Field School. Security gates are very common in Israel and the large metal gate opened and we drove in to find an expansive vista of the valley below and a setting of small bungalows. “The manager” greeted us and warmly wrapped his arm around my shoulders and said “you finally made it.”

Hermon Field School

Day Seven and Eight - Ein Gev

Generally very good roads the highway system in Israel can go from a speedy two or three lane racetrack to a round-about slowing traffic down to a standstill or worse, two or three lanes for many kilometers and then suddenly a stoplight. The round-abouts seem to really confuse everyone and is like two people getting into a revolving door at the same time taking baby steps until reemergence.

Armed with our maps and GPS we once again hit the road cutting off the streamline 79 onto a more pedestrian 754 through the of Moshav of Kafr Kana and then onto another main artery to Tiberias, (the main city on Lake Knerret) Highway 77. The 754 twists and turns through Jewish and Arab sections and Nick and I constantly were asking ourselves if we were still on it.
City planning is not exactly been the hallmark of Israeli Moshevs. Things are where they are because that’s where someone wanted it. The dust of the dry Mediterranean climate attaches itself to everything and mixing this with grim of auto exhaust casts a dark shadow on buildings generally made of concrete, concrete block or more traditional stone.

Kafr Kana seems typical of a lot of Moshevs with a confluence of Jewish, Arabic and Western signs and people. Make no mistake about it this is the Middle East.

With only one slight wrong turn off the highway in Tiberias we arrived at the Sea of Galilee surrounded by tall rolling hills. Winding our way down the streets of Tiberas shopping and resort atmosphere we turned south on Highway 90 and then north on 92 to our destination of the east side of the Lake in a Kibbutz operated resort called Ein Gev.

With scorching 100 degree plus days we rested here for two days taking advantage of the spectacular setting.

Ein Gev sunset on Lake Knerret. Fireworks and disco carried across the lake from Tiberias on the western shore

Day Six - Zappori National Park

The Zippori National Park is an active Archeological site. It seems that Israel takes great care in excavating and preserving the rich and varied history of the area and Zippori is one of the best sites we have seen on our travels. There is always a gate and a fee to get into the Parks and this one was well worth it. To get to the Park we retraced our route back out of the Zappori Moshav (village) toward Highway 79. The road to the Park is a left hand turn just before reaching the highway and can easily be missed. As we have so far learned the hard way once you get to general destination finding specific directions can be an adventure.

What makes this site particularly interesting is its strategic significance to the area as a Jewish, Roman, Christian and Arab city. The story of this city is one of struggle with the Romans first taking the city from the Jews in the 1st century BCE, the Jews taking it back and then losing it again. It was returned to Jewish control in the War of Independence in 1948.

Zappori National Park

Active Archeological Dig

Trying to avoid the bus loads of tourists to this site we took a shortcut. Compliment from Nick "You look like a tourist but once you start talking you don't seem like one at all"

The Fortress built during the Crusades

From the top of the Fortress the view of the western Galilee can be seen

Day Five - Zappori Village

On Sunday we rented a car in Jerusalem and drove north to the Lake Knerret (Sea of Galilee) region with the help of a GPS Carol loaned to us and a half a dozen books and maps. Driving in Israel can be an adventure but with only one wrong turn so far fairly uneventful. Highway signs are in Hebrew, Arabic and English. There is an interesting variety of English transliteration for the same place that can be a bit confusing or amusing depending on your circumstances. We had several routes we could take to get to our first destination Zappori Village which is also called Zapori, Tzapporri, Sappori and Sheppori depending on the map, sign or mood of the transliterater. The route we chose was going Highway 1 which turns into Highway 2 through Tel Aviv. We could have chose a toll road Highway 6 but the car rental company charges 50 Shekels. Apparantly you drive through an electronic toll gate and it matches your license plate up with your registration and you recieve a bill. I am told that the rest of Israeli drivers pay 17 Shekels. A Shekel by the way is currently worth about 25 cents.

We arrived in the afternoon and checked into our little stone cottage for the night built in 1949 and renovated by Mitch and his wife Suzy owners of the Zappori Village B&B, a collection of small rentals set on a farm where Mitch and Suzy produce a variety of foods from olives and olive oil to honey and jams and wine. After settling in we took a walk to the local grocery for an ice cream. A short path led us through the hills surrounding Mitch’s place where we encountered an old columbarium and views of the monastery and a sheep farm. Zappori is located near the city of Nazareth and is near a significant archaeological dig of an ancient Jewish city. The sleepy rural town has several B&B’s that seem to cater to visitors of the Ruins nearby. It has a boutique food industry and next door to the B&B is the Ellis Dairy Farm with a sign out front that actually reads “Diary Farm.” While in Tzur Haddassah I found a tasty goat yogurt drink that I had every morning. Luck would have it that yogurt I liked so much was from the Ellis Dairy.

After a short nap, Nick and I made our way over to the Dairy for dinner which Mitch called ahead for reservations. After being escorted by Mitch’s dogs down the street we were handed off to 5 dogs at the Ellis gate and they escorted us to a small modular structure where we were invited to take a table “any table, but not that one” as we were just about to sit down.
Yoav Ellis moved with his family from Texas 24 years ago and grew upon the farm where they not only make the yogurt products but also an assortment of goat and sheep cheeses. He said it would take awhile to prepare dinner as it was just him making and serving and we told him we had all the time in the world. It was worth it. Yoav started us out with homemade lemonade for Nick and a local beer for me. Our appetizer was a crunchy potato skin with melted goat cheese and a sprinkle of chives. This being a Dairy restaurant no meat was served. I got the assortment of Ellis made cheeses with a garlic foccacia toast, local olives and Greek salad. Nick had a goat cheese pizza.

It was a terrific meal and afterwards Yoav sat with us and we talked. He said the economy had affected a business he had of distributing the family cheeses to Israeli delis. In two weeks he was heading for Alaska to seek work. Next morning I told Mitch and he thoughtfully looked at me and said “I’ll have a talk with him.”

Entrance sign to Zappori Village


Breakfast of local yogurt, bread, honey, jam and cheese

Cottage #5

Israel is at once beautiful and overtly pragmatic

Day Four - Our hosts Carol & Jake

Carol and Jake have been our extraordinary hosts in Israel and on Saturday we had a BBQ at their house in Tsur Hadassah a village outside of Jerusalem. Jake's children Eitan, Yael andAvivit along with their families came. Eitan and his wife Ofira have 3 girls, Yuval (birthday girl), Gefen and Adi. Yael and her husband Yaron have a girl, Yarden and boy Shalev. It was also Yaron's birthday. Avivit (Vik) and her husband Hagai who we will be visiting in Haifa later this week. Also at the BBQ was long time friends of Carol and Jake, Neil, Tikva and their daughter Shira.

Eitan and Adi


Shalev & Carol

Gefen, Yarden, Yuval (birthday girl)

Avivit (Vik) and Yael

Jake & Eitan

Day Three Part Three

Nick and Carol from the Promenade which is a spectacular view of the Old City

The view from the Promenade

King David's Tower at the Old City

Food stand in the Old City with fresh bread and corn on the cob and kid playing video games.