SuzeBlogz

now, dont be upset....

I am fighting a horrid head cold and when we descended into Luxor I lost the hearing in my ears. It took an hour to get it back. And..I'm coughing up a storm.

BUT...I am a fighter and we went to the Light Show at the Karnak Temple regardless

and I will have a lot of pix to share tomorrow...but NOT TONIGHT !

I need to take a decongestant and go to sleep...so....

bear with me..and stay tuned !!!

heaven knows I wouldn't want to disappoint any of you...!!!

 

walk like an Egyptian !

this is a good look for me...don'tcha agree????

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through the streets of Cairo and into Giza

 IMAGINE THIS :

viewing the 2 million 500 thousand limestone steps of the big pyramid.

and climbing them...(well, not all of them of course....)

Oh My God...say that again 50 more times cause it is mind boggling to even imagine it..let alone to be there !

The Pyramids...the actual REAL pyramids.....

and The Lenster, Carol and Brooks went way down into one..it is very very narrow, claustophobic and you have to walk all bent over to get into it...most of us opted to stay on land !!

 Sheik Lenny (no...he did NOT buy the headdress, he's no fool !!)

and the ever present GORGEOUS young girls of this country and their stunning headwear and vivacious personalities.

 

everyone in this country is incredibly friendly and seem to love us

Lenny and Brooks went pretty high up...brave souls.

 vendors selling their wares even from their heads...!!

I mean seriously...THINK ABOUT THIS !!! we stood on THE PYRAMIDS

it blows your mind away...I walked right up to the Sphinx. I stood really close.

OH MY GOD....This was the experience of a lifetime.....freakin' scary when that animal began to get up and move..I was screaming...I was thrilled out of my mind....I was on a huge camel...a CAMEL for cryin' out loud ....at the Pyramids...IN EGYPT !!!

there are vendors everywhere...and they nudge you like crazy and you keep saying "La, la,la,la" which means no, no, no, no !

THEN...on to lunch at a lovely place

with very unusual decor

and some strange things on the menu...like Pigeon. Prices are in Egyptian pounds

then, and on to Papyrus Gallery

where this lovely young lady

showed us how they made paper from the papyrus leaves

and you see all kinds of people on the streets

you have no idea how many more pix I took...but it's impossible to post everything. I just want to give you the flavor...

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and, speaking of flavor....there I was browsing the hotel gift shop when all of a sudden....

this lovely lady, Marilyn Roberts from Shropshire, UK comes up me and asks if I am Suze Weinberg...

I have been stopped or recognized many times in many places but this seemed just so funny...

seems she's seen me on QVC UK several times and was in awe....I'm glad I can still "awe someone" !!

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then it was off to a cruise up the Nile and a dinner show...

....the only bad thing that's happening is that I (along with everyone else in the group) am coming down with a cold...or it could just be all the dust here...but tomorrow The Lenster, Carol and I are off to Luxor.

The rest of the gang is headed back home...we extended our trip.

 

So...hopefully there will be internet and you'll here from me again.

 

22 million people, 6 million cars..

YES...this comprises the city of busy, bustling Cairo. You have to see it to believe it.

ironically, TUT, (my daily note from the Universe) told me this today

"Don't be afraid to go where you've never gone and do what you've never done, Suze, because both are necessary to have what you've never had and be who you've never been."

Be the ball,
    The Universe

How appropriate !

first up breakfast

where I met this gentleman dressed in the national garb

he thought I was "beautiful" (LOL) and said 'would you marry me'?? I told him I was already married 47 years and he said "Time for a change" !!!!! He was kidding..yes....!!! YES !!! But The Lenster wondered if a trade might be good for a couple of goats !!!!!

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so..we visit The Egyptian Museum. This Museum has 107 halls. At the ground floor there are the huge statues. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamon treasures and the mummies.

there are mobs of people waiting to get in to see the 12,000 relics

some which haven't even been unwrapped yet

after a few hours in the very crowded surroundings we dashed off to The Citadel.

Before Saladin came along, the local rulers of Cairo had overlooked the strategic value of the hill above the city. But within a few years of his arrival in Cairo in 1168, Saladin began making plans for the defense of the city with al-Qala'a - the Citadel - as the key element.

when you go inside this holy place you have to remove your shoes
which felt kind of weird...walking in a public mosque with nothing on your feet.

In the 12th century, Saladin and his successors built an impenetrable bastion in the Citadel, using the most advanced construction techniques of the age. For the next 700 years, Egypt was ruled from this hill.

Nothing remains of the original fortress except a part of the walls and Bir Yusuf, the well that supplied the Citadel with water. The Ayyubid walls that circle the northern enclosure are 33 ft tall and 10 ft thick; they and their towers were built with the experience gleaned from the Crusader wars.

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everywhere we walked the streets are filled with the most gorgeous head coverings.

and when I tell you that the people are super friendly you can't even imagine...they are fabulous !

It must have been my red spikey hair that caused quite a commotion with this young group of girls...they stopped me and wanted to talk to me and take a picture of me.....one of our group, Carol, jumped in too

everywhere we've gone people stop to say hello and talk or wave. The Egyptian people are lovely.

Here are some of the visions I caught today...very unusual in our eyes.

this dress is NOT a required dress in Egypt. Some of the more modest women, or those from Saudia Arabia may choose this style. It is up to them.

I asked before I took their photos..everyone said..FINE !!

you do NOT have to cover your head here, but most of the young women and older women do.

after a wonderful lunch we visited an aromatherapy and scent factory where we sampled all sorts of delicious oils for the body and mind

 

with just an hour to spare (and we were so tired....) we went to a light show at The Pyramids

OMG...OMG...OMG

check this out.....our shadows in the light of the great Pyramid

I am blown away by this......

and I petted a camel

and tomorrow.....going UP to the Pyramids during the day and maybe...just maybe, I can promise you I'll be ON the camel !!!

 

 

Tel Aviv me more........

it's midnight....we have just flown from Tel Aviv to Cairo on a very late flight

....but, we were very fortunate....we were able to spend a full day in Tel Aviv before flying out.

we got to shop in Old Jaffa, we went to Independance Hall and then to the 1948 underground munitions factory (which was completely fascinating !)

I could fill the page with all kinds of commentary but I am soooooo tired and we're off and running again tomorrow morning with a big agenda (and our new guide Mohammed who, so far, has been very funny !) so..I am going to post pictures and just let you drift through todays journey while I try to stay awake long enough to get it all up !....

Lunch at a middle eastern restaurant

Hummus leads the pack for me !!!

Diana loves the local food !!

I love the junk in the local flea markets...$8

Annette is the first to run up the stairs and finds all the good stuff !! Now we just have to teach her how to use all the features on her camera.

Like I said before...cats are everywhere !!!

and The Lenster still thinks he's the bibical hero Samson

Lenny is at The Wishing Bridge

There's a bridge in Jaffa called the Wishing Bridge. Legend has it that if you stand on the bridge, holding your zodiac sign, facing the sea, your wish will come true. There's a mosaic with all the signs of the zodiac nearby - where you can make your wish.

Rhoda and Bernie have made this trip the funniest one ever. Bernie rates all the bathrooms and Rhoda has the funniest punch lines.

it's a good thing I have this picture to remind everyone of the Rabbi and his "antiquated' film camera.....WHY you ask? Well..because we nudged him like crazy about coming into the 21st century and getting a digital and on this day...HE LOST HIS freakin' CAMERA...he thinks it was a plot

  

and, speaking of cameras...this adorable little boy wanted to take pictures of US !

Old Jaffa

Lannie and Angela left to go back to the states today...we will miss them tremendously...they are wonderful people

here is some of the art we saw today....and other good stuff...!

 

this amazing work of art is made entirely from fibers

and this one too

and now...just some other 'filler' pictures cause I'm looking at that comfy bed and I feel a few snores coming on....

These was taken at the Israeli Independance Hall

St. Peters church

and then we passed an abandoned church that had bats flying all over it and hanging from the walls

well...there are still about 30 more pix lined up but I am really exhausted...so...just let me leave you with the sites from my window balcony in Cairo....

and, let me tell you....when the light in our hotel room has an ancient egyptian on it I can just feeeeeeel the thrill coming through.

Hopefully...I'll have more time to blog tomorrow...but thrn again...who knows...

I might just have to be a dirty stay out. !!!!!!

I will conclude with the warmest and most special wishes to the man who made our trip in Israel completely phenomenal. I cant wait to come back next year just to have David as our guide.

we just loved you David

anyone who might hve an interest I'll send you his info.

 

Northward Ho !

Okay...grab those reins....we're heading north today

and, lest you should think everything about Israel consists of old rocks, dirt and mountains...HANG ON !

The morning begins at the Mediterraean

where we hold Shabbat morning service outdoors and each of us reads a line from this weeks Torah portion and becomes a Bar & Bat Mitzvah

then Rabbi Susman gives us all candy in celebration

now get this.....across from the hotel and right at the beach is all this exercise equipment...a gym right by the sea. Fantastic !

however...we dont need to take advantage because we walk enough for a camel in the desert....walk, walk, walk...hike..hike..hike...OY !

after our wonderful service we head over to Caesarea, an ancient port city...OMG !!!

now we see examples of Roman times

In 22 BCE, Herod began construction of a deep sea harbor and built storerooms, markets, wide roads, baths, temples to Rome and Augustus, and imposing public buildings.

Every five years the city hosted major sports competitions, gladiator games, and theatrical productions in its theatre overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. (see Masadsa blog to understand my TOMS sign !!)

most of the statues here were found headless.

all of the relics are authentic.

All of us fell in love with Caesarea...the sea is breathtaking and the climate is perfect for a resort town

Like I wouldn't mind a little summer cottage there...HELLO !!!

but wait....here comes the hysterical part....David explains that in ancient time the Romans would march into the theater, lift their robes..."do their business' on these "toilets' and proceed in to see the games and other amusements.  No...we did NOT test it !

(and we worry when we don't have adequate toilet paper !!! LOL)

then he shows us where original frescos had been but are no longer.

and he explained how the orginal walls were made from pottery shards

which you can see on the lower right

original floor mosaics

these were the original palace vaults

there is just no way you can't feel like you are back in Biblical times.

Perhaps even riding your chariot !!

from the starting gates two horse or four horse chariots dashed on a seven lap race.

Caesarea had lovely artisan gift stores....and when I hear the words "You have 1/2 an hour to pee and shop"...well....I'm off and running...

here's some of what we saw...

we found a wonderful shop that sold dreidels...all hand made...and these are....

 
...the potters tools

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I LOVE cats but I have to say..Israel is over run with them

I love their unusual foliage

but...no matter where you go people have the same problems everywhere !!!

we continue northward...Past the Druze section

The Druze (Arabic: درزي, derzī or durzī‎, plural دروز, durūz, Hebrew: דרוזים‎ druzim) are an esoteric monotheistic religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. That emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism and incorporated several elements of Gnosticism, Neoplatonism and other philosophies. 

The Druze call themselves Ahl al-Tawhid "People of Unitarianism or Monotheism" or al-Muwaḥḥidūn "Unitarians, Monotheists."

and finslly we reach tha B'hai gardens of Haifa

sit down...you are about to faint from gorgeousness !!!

and then back to Tel Aviv....our last night here

and the sun sets

we conclude the evening with the traditional Havdalah service. Havdalah is a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the symbolic end of Shabbat and holidays, and ushers in the new week. Shabbat ends on Saturday night after the appearance of three stars in the sky.

and a farewell dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant with fabulous food

tomorrow we'll do some last minute touring before we board the plane for Egypt.....

 

SHALOM.....for now...I am pooped out but I loved Israel with all my heart and cant wait to make a return trip.

Climb every mountain

 

so...you all know I'm not a fan of the water...okay..I braved that one.

Also...I'm petrified of heights....BUT...cross number two off the Bucket list...I WENT TO THE TOP OF MASADA

WHAT IS MASADA ?? It is a desert fortress overlooking the dead sea and one of the Jewish peoples greatest symbols.

Here is a wonderful explanation if you should decide to read about it.

no...I did NOT climb it. You really do need to be in good shape for the 45 minute -1 hour  all stairs winding road walk...but the Rabbi, Angela & Lannie Mills did do it. See that zig-zag white line...thats the way UP !

I had on my TOMS sneakers. if you take a pix holding the little TOMS flag (which I brought with me) and send it to TOMS they will donate a pair of shoes to a needy child.

okay...I digress....back to the story...they started out...the fearless threesome

but we went up in a cable car...this was a HUGE biggie for me...but I said..HEY you only get one chance..just get over it !!

 

and we could see them down below

WAY DOWN below....

and then eventually they reached the top...brave souls !

I left my footprint in Masada

The Rabbi and Lenny wore their Hillel's Angels T-Shirts for this appropriate trek. Thats the Jewish motocycle club Lenny belongs to.

and let me tell you....it IS a trek...there are many steps on the top of Masada and I walked those...150 of them up AND down.

OY VEY !!!!

the views are spectacular

this was a Roman military compound (the enemy way back then) seen from above

Herods palace had magnificent designs

inside the main building before boarding the cable car

an overview of a model of the Masada fortress

We spent a long time on Masada & then on to EN GEDI an Oasis nature reserve west of the Dead Sea.

The name ein-gedi is composed of two Hebrew words: ein means spring and gdi means goat. Ein gedi thus means "Goat spring."

The Rock Hyrex lives there

I dont live there....but I pretended I did and left my shadw there  !!!

LUNCHTIME.....in Qumran, (at a restaurant). This town is an archeological site on the West Bank........and the restaurant had a glorious gift shop

check these out...

and they are made by

I know...it seems endless....how could there still be more...but there is..

DINNER at our hotel in Tel Aviv and Shabbat services

then a stroll into Old Jaffa where we could see the Meditearrean in the moonlight

and Arabic quarters too

there's just one way to sum this up

Can You Tell ????!!!!.....

It's a salty tale

When you're on a tour you move fast...up early, eat early...not even sure my digestive system knows what to do with the vast amount of food you are served at meals. It's amazing...and this is just breakfast !!!

Just trays and trays of foods

then..bye bye Elat hotel

identify your luggage for the bus...that's mine painted with Ranger Dabbers !!

and get ready to see the Timna Valley in Southern Israel

The Egyptians discovered copper ore as early as the 5th millennium BCE, in the Neolithic period, and began the world’s first copper production center in Timna valley. This area is rich..rich...rich in copper ore and has been mined since the 6th millenium BCE.

This is the entrance where we go in to see a short, really wonderful film before actually touring the area

In 1959, Professor Beno Rothenberg, director of the Institute for Archeo-Metalurgical Studies at University College, London, led the Arabah Expedition, sponsored by the Eretz Israel Museum, and the Tel Aviv University Institute of Archaeology. The expedition included a deep excavation of Timna Valley. This was what a mine shaft looked like.

The most striking and well-known formation in Timna Valley are Solomon's Pillars. The pillars are natural structures that were formed by centuries of water erosion through a crack in the sandstone cliff until it became a series of distinct, pillar-shaped structures

 

By 1990 Prof. Rothernberg discovered 10,000 copper mines and smelting camps with furnaces, rock drawings, geological features, shrines, temples, an Egyptian mining sanctuary, jewelry, and other artifacts never before found anywhere in the world

Look at how amazing these formations are...looks like skulls, huh?

Timna Valley Park was opened by the Jewish National Fund to share Rothenberg’s findings with the public, and there are around 20 different walking trails and some roads in the park to lead visitors to the various attractions.

I always said The Lenster could move mountains !!!

our guide David gave us quite a history lesson and I looooove all this stuff. After all...when you come this far you want to know everything.

amidst everything I found these beautiful bird feathers in the rocks

The thing that's so amazing is that hundreds of millions of years ago, the Negev desert was covered by an ocean.

....on the way back toward the Dead Sea we come to the 4,000 acre Hai Bar Yotvata game preserve. Nubian Oryx are found there...and ostrich, and other unusual species.

This is not a zoo. It is a unique way of restoring these animals to Israels landscape.

so...after the park we stop for lunch and....who do we run into...our friends from New Jersey - AGAIN !!!!

what are the odds of that happening twice on one trip !!!

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moving right along...

past the salt production drying beds and past many salt pillars

to the Dead Sea...the sea of salt....we got there late in the day. Everyone flew out of their rooms and down to the water.

Its surface and shores are 1,385 ft below sea level the lowest elevation on the earths surface on dry land.

I don't swim so this is sort of perfect for me...right !!??  ARE YOU KIDDING ???!! The Lenster is telling me "Honey don't be afraid...we're not gonna let you drown. See everyone else has gone all the way in !!"

it's cooooooold I say !!! Any excuse !!! I hate the water so when he said "Lean back and just let yourself go"....well....

I wasn't gonna be a wuss.....it was a 'moment' !!! The rest is history !!!!!

the others in our groups had a lot more faith !!

Rabbi for one !!!

and my friend Diana....Bless their hearts !!

when you come out you must shower off because you are covered with salt

 

 

OKay...I admit it...it was a once in a lifetime thing..I loved it !

Our hotel is lovely

and today was Angelas birthday so we had a special dinner, sang to her in Hebrew, all signed her lovely card and had some hilarious laughs.

tomorrow...more of the same as we head to Masada

 

I'm not "kibbutz" ing you !!!

What a day...OMG...rise early for breakfast. This rising early thing is a whole new experience for me...when they say early, they really mean early !!!

On to breakfast...every meal consists of the most wonderful, wholeful, healthful foods

on to the bus

first stop...into the jeeps for the ride in the Ramon Crater...the desert

The Ramon Crater is 24 miles long (40 kilometers) and 6 miles wide (2 to 10 kilometers), shaped like an elongated heart. It is a part of the Ramon Nature reserve that also includes the surrounding Negev mountains. The only settlement in the area is a small town of Mitzpe Ramon (Ramon Observation Point) standing over the northern wall of the crater. The name Ramon comes from the arabic "Ruman" meaning "Romans", and probably linked to a track that Romans built here.

we had 2 GORGEOUS Israeli guides for this adventure

Zvi and Oded...the Jeep Boys !!

The crater formation began hundreds of millions years ago when the ocean that covered the Negev began to move north. First, there was a hump-shaped hill. Water and other climatic forces slowly and steadily flattened the curve on top. Much later (only some 5 million years ago), the Arava rift valley was formed and rivers changed their course. As they did so, they carved out the inside of the crater.

it was one bumpy, wonderful ride and we learned so much

The crater is 500m deep

I wanted to take Oded home !!! Or find him on Facebook !!! I am sure we should be 'friends' !! LOL

our ride really was the adventure of a lifetime.

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From there...back on the bus and off to the Lotan Kibbutz

Our fabuous guide David lives on this kibbutz so we got a firsthand tour like no other. First we pulled up to the field of date trees which are harvested on their land and help bring in their revenue.

This kibbutz is 150 feet from the border of Jordan.

David explained how the dates grow on leaves, which looks like a palm leaf. These branches are cut off using hydrolic shears then shaken so the dates drop off onto a flatbed.

Next up...delicious home made lunch

and always beautiful fruits.

and meeting some of Davids family. Davids (r) wife Leah is also a Rabbi and they have another son and a daughter

then...a tour of the kibbutz and the students quarters made from straw and mud. They have a geodesic steel frame underneath and there are many different, wonderfully artful design fronts.

we continue touring the unusual landscape of the Kibbutz. Every corner had another amazing element of surprise...all made from recycled materials.

everything about the enviornment is about recycling, ecology and saving the planet. They have an arts and crafts area....incredible...

they even have a little version of a solar oven and they were making cookies in it...

they made 'bricks' from mud and straw and artistically decorated them

 we didn't go into the private living quarters but we were assured they have all the normal accountrements we have even though some of the toilets in the general areas were compost toilets !!

You know.......you go but don't flush...just throw straw into the "toilet". Now get the idea of a latrine out of your mind...it isn't one !!!

C'Mon...you really can get used to it...we're just all spoiled !! We need to be in touch with nature more.

We saw the goats on the kibbutz. They are milked twice a day. They also have cows.

After many wonderful hours...and I do mean wonderful.... we said good bye and headed out for Elat

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Elat is Israels southernmost city.

It's a busy port as well as a resort area.

From across the water you can see Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It has an arid, desert climate and a hopping nightlife !!!

here's some of the scrumptious jewelry we saw in a shop in Elat

and the fun food

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tomorrow, with luck, I may be floating in the dead sea....stay on board to find out !

 

Boy, Moses sure had a long walk

So, today we left Jerusalem and went off into the desert.

Let's all board the bus

First stop: The Hatzerim Israeli Air Force Museum established around 1977.  Especially meaningful to The Lenster and me because of son Lee who, as you know, just retired from our Air Force. We kept thinkng "Lee would have loved this "

and, I have to say, after you learn how incredible the Israeli Armed Forces are you just know we could take some lessons from them.

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Then...we start really heading toward the desert. Passing some nice looking apartment housing as we head out

 
then suddenly we know we're leaving civilization

AND WOW ! The desert in Israel is biiiiiiiiiiiig!

 Impossible to even picture it till you see it before you.

Poor Moses wandering there for 40 days and 40 nights...how'd he find his way with no GPS !

Second stop: En Avedat National park

This is where you find the Ibex (a species of wild goat), common in the Negev, the hills around Elat and the Judean mountains in the vacinity of the Dead Sea.

and, possibly sitting in front of your hotel....!!!

so cool !!!

But, back to the desert and the mountains and the deep, deep rock formations..I must share these shots with you.

The En Avedat Canyon is part of Nahal Tzin - the largest wadi that begins in the Negev. The point is...you can't but help imagine you are back in Biblical times. These formations go back thousands, more likely millions, of years.

Here the brave group stands by the rail looking down...down...down

Here I do MY Moses impersonation !!!

not what you'd exactly call lush vegetation !!

and, from out of nowhere come the 'locals' !

 

moving along a little further to The Ramon Crater

This is the largest nature reserve in Israel and you find geological formations unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

The Lenster is so excited he starts dancing The Hora !!!

  then we spot some high school kids from an art and music school celebrating too

and all along we continue to be guided by our fearless leaders...

Rabbi Brooks Susman and our guide David Shoenveld

we are here just overnight...in the lovely Isrotel Ramon Inn

we have so many more places to see and tomorrow we're off on another adventure..well be in a jeep in the desert..are ya still with me ??A jeep n the desert....someone MUST be kidding me...where's the spa !!??

(I never know if I'll have internet or not, so just stay tuned...)

 

Experiencing it !

it's very exciting to be at the Western Wall on the day of a boys Bar Mitzvah (age 13). Monday is a big Bar Mitzvah day in Israel.

if you look carefully at the bottom of the pix you can see how the men and women are separated by a fence. The women look over to watch. Several boys were becoming Bar Mitzvah today and we watched as they made their way into the plaza. I had never seen anything like this in America. Fascinating.

The birds eye view was amazing. We had to walk thru a high tunnel type bridge to be able to see down

the bridge then got us down to the lower level where we could see the boys and their families arrive for their ceremonies.

Some came dressed in elaborate 'costume'.

with drummers leading the way to the celebration..it was amazing

some came in carrying beautiful Torahs

some came in under a canopy

some were blowing the Shofar in anticipation

you dont have to understand any of this from the religious standpoint...just know what a glorious custom this is and how wonderfully it is celebrated.

The Lenster went into the mens section to capture some other pictures, like this Torah encased in glass.

and then he left his own prayer in the wall

 we not only got to do this but we were also allowed to go up to the Temple Mount. We were NOT allowed in because we are not Muslim, but it was such an amazing thing to be able to get this close.

No trip to Israel is complete without visiting Yad Vashem, the Holocaust history museum. You come away from this experience a changed person.

I can only give you very small snipets of each days experiences....to be living this day by day makes me the luckiest girl on earth. Every day I wake up and say I cant even believe I'm here.

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More still...a visit to the Israeli Museum where we spent a long time with David, our guide, as he explained about what Jerusalem looked like back before Jesus. It's all done using this AMAZING scale model of the city.

inside the museum the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed in a temperature/climate controlled environment

before dinner we did manage to get in a few more pix, like this one in front of the 7 branch menorah across from the Knesset

a teacher leading her class informally.

well...no question...this has certainly been my week...

and I hope I'm doing a cool job of making it yours as well !!!