Israel !

We have one more day in Eilat before going back. A lovely Kibbutznik named Hanit (say "Honey" and clear your throat when you say the "H") gave us some "local" ideas - she said "go down by the Jordan Border, drive along the barbed wire, turn right at a farmer road that says "No Trespassing" in Hebrew and you will find water. We did - and found a salt evaporation pond owned by the Israel Salt Company full of flamingos on their way north! Sea birds galore - and then we drove north a mile on the old sand road and ran smack into a well used by Moses and the Israelites escaping from Egypt! It's still there, and it still is producing water.
Walked in the desert for a bit - we saw fox tracks, mice, birds, and many others we couldn't identify. Gazelles bounced by us and headed into the desert. A few more miles up the road and Judy said "Ostrich"! By now she was beginning to doubt her eyes, so we stopped at a dairy farm for Banana Milk and lunch; turned around and drove down to the Egyptian border and saw some gorgeous red canyons along the wire. You follow the "Old Patrol Road" - now that Egypt and Israel are friends it isn't used any more. Watched the sun go down over the desert from a lookout along the border about 1000 meters elevation.
You've gotta go here.
Flying back to Tel Aviv on a small plane, to avoid Gaza. The view of Israel from the air is amazing.
Tomorrow begins 2 days of flying - we're spending the night in Tel Aviv, then Miami, but it's up at 4 AM in order to arrive there by 7 PM. Early flight again Saturday - getting back home at 9:30 PM.
Tel Aviv: We started walking down the main "Market" street of Tel Aviv - which just happens to be right outside the door. Staying in the "Cinema" Hotel - a 1930's movie theater converted to a 4-Star Hotel. The've saved the old theater seats for the lobby, and the original projectors and movie equipment is used throughout the hotel. At 5, movies start in the lobby and popcorn is free.
Cool place!
Go out at sunset and just watch the "city" people going about their evening. Tel Aviv is the center of fashion, commerce, top-shelf restaurants and night spots. Walk slowing down the main drag from the fountain and look in at the little shops all lit up and full of clothing, fresh fruits (get them to squeeze a fresh pomagranite for you; a glass full is awesome!), shoes, baked goods, snacks, outdoor cafes ... stop at the "Cup of Joe" on Gordon Street, grab a table outside and ask for tea. They bring you a French Coffee press with tea leaves and fresh fruit chopped up and a tall glass. It's almost too nice to drink! Coffee is Arabic - brewed in the cup. Food is everywhere you look. A guy drove up on the sidewalk in front of us, waited for the light, and drove off down the street. Girls walk by showing off the latest fashions; people walk their dogs on leash, and clean up after them. Judy pointed to a guy and his girl waking slowly hand in hand - he had a .45 in full view on his belt and nobody even blinked. Female Israeli soldiers sat next to us, finished with their day, putting their M-16's on the ground and relaxing; probably doing the same thing we were -- people watching and enjoying the warm evening.
Tonight we are being treated to a visit with our friends from Galilee, Ofra and Shimshon. They invited us for Sabbath dinner when we first arrived in Israel. They are driving down to meet us here for a late dinner. and we hope we can return the favor in some small way. Shinshon's brother Naim spent 5 days with us showing us the north - their Israel. He taught us how to eat, how to get around, and how to enjoy this amazing country. We can never tell them how much we really appreciated him and his wife.
I'm on the 4th floor of the Cinema looking out over Tel Aviv from the roof-top lounge. It's cooler here, and the city is just waking up for the evening.
Back to our world tomorrow - we will never be the same.
Shalom!
Bruce
Bruce