Lately.

Saturday:
I was on Mount Carmel today looking out over the city and port of Haifa. Met a lady at breakfast from Bulgaria who has been traveling here and was to meet up with her friend (Anne)who recently moved here. They are both Jews. Anne said a lot of Russian Jews have moved into this area which is high in manufacturing. They drove me up the mountain. Quite a view. I walked back. Was suppose to be a bus 23 running, but never did see one. Took short of an hour.

Sunday:
Went on the train to Caesarea which was the heart of Roman government in Israel. Quite a story behind the ruins there. It took King Herod 12 years to build a city and port of such splendor that the writings of Flavius Josephus about it were believed to be wild exaggerations by many scholars. It’s also where Paul was held captive for two years or more. I may have walked on the very dock where he boarded the ship to Rome.

I had a tuna sandwich at a cafe there and thought they would come with some small thing. Instead it was so big, along with a big salad, that I only could eat half. But I finished it off tonight! I’m staying at Port Inn Guest House in Haifa by the way if you want to look up their website. It’s a nice place and not expensive.

The train ride was interesting. Guess leaving in the morning, I ran into a lot of the soldiers, guys and gals, going to their jobs or something. Seemed at least half the passengers were toting AK-47′s.

Had something I wanted to add about the tour I first took into Egypt. It was to the pyramids and included the hotel package. I had to pay $25 extra for being single (room), so decided I should be able to sit at my own table.
Waiter: One person?
Me: yes
Waiter 2 + 5 minutes: Only one person.
Me: Yes, one person.
Waiter 3 + 10 minutes: One person?
Me: Yes, one person.
I wanted to say, but didn’t, “One persons eat too in case you didn’t know that before!”

And in case you don’t like that for an ending here, the woman I was traveling with later in Egypt had a big tattoo on her leg. She started telling me that she sure needed to shave her legs because the belly dancer tattoo was growing a beard.

I save more interesting things for next time.

Take care,
Caryl

Haifa, Israel

Computer time is cheaper in Egypt.

We did an overnight convoy back to Cairo–long ride. Checked in to the same hostel that my friend had stayed at earlier, for the day, rested some, then my traveling friend wanted to do some shopping for her family. We did quite a bit of walking around, but she never did find the market she had been to before when she’d started her trip in Egypt. We had something to eat, slept a couple of hours.

Then we did find the market by taxi on the way to the airport that evening and she got her family some gifts. She was flying to Amsterdam and then on to America in the AM. My flight left at 10:30PM for Tel Aviv. Israel security really puts one and one’s baggage through a checking. It’s necessary. I stayed at a bed and breakfast in Tel Aviv and then came north early afternoon. Had my travel book open on the train and reading about the Mediterranean, looked up and there is was lapping waves at me. Saw some surfing in one area.

I had wanted to stop at Caesarea first, but didn’t seem to be any hostels there so I can go back there for a day trip I think. I can go to Akko and Nazareth from here. Then maybe get a base at Tiberius. If I have time, I’d like to go back to Jerusalem to see the museums.
It was raining (again) when I came in, but sun was out this morning. It’s the Sabbath here now so everything is mostly closed. Quiet. Nice.

Take care,
Caryl

Egypt

I’ve ridden a camel twice. Once on a photo overlooking Jerusalem, and again at the pyramids near Cairo. Was fun.

After the two day trip in Cairo (saw the pyramids, etc) I tried to hook up with a tour going up the Nile river but the hang up was that there were no seats available on the flight from Cairo to Luxor. So I was left on my own and went to the train station.

I took an overnight train to Luxor, or so I thought, but met a lady on the train that was going on to Aswan. She’s a well experienced traveler so I asked if we could travel together. Tonight we’re in Aswan and will be in a convoy to Abu Simbel early in the morning.

The next day we will tour around Luxor–Valley of the Kings, etc. It’s fascinating being here and haven’t quite realized yet that I really am here.

My first impression of the pyramids was, “Boy! that’s really a big pile of rocks!” My second thought was, “stacking them–community project–sure would keep a lot of teenagers out of trouble.”

I was told the trains were full too. It’s not only an Arab holiday on the 10th, but with Lunar New Year in Asia, there are tour groups from Asia traveling in these parts. Anyway, at the train station, after the third window, I got a ticket from heaven and even had a soft seat to sit in that reclined some–14 hours. There were room for six people, but were only four. The two men actually slept on the floor which gave all of us space to stretch out and sleep fair. The men were very respectful.

Conductors and police are aboard the trains too. Even the tour bus coming into Cairo had two drivers, two tour guides and a guard aboard.
Take care,
Caryl

Eilot, Israel

i’m on the south tip of israel and will leave for Cairo at 4AM in the morning, Thursday. The Taba border crossing is down the road. in fact, i walked to it today accidentally passing up the place where i was going to go scuba diving so had to back track some. The Scuba diving was absolutely fun, fun, fun as well as an experience. i wanted to reach out a grab a few of the fish that i was close to. i told the girl that helped me that it’s an everyday thing for her, but a life experience for me.

Then this evening i did some target practicing in the bunker of the Ambassador hotel. i knew the person that worked there because he was the driver that brought me back from the jordan border to the hostel last night after the Petra trip.

i went to the ocean observatory this morning with the German girl that i roomed with in the dorm last night. Then she caught a 1PM bus. in some ways, she reminded me of Anika. She’s going to work on a kibbutz for a couple of weeks with her friend.
Take care,
Caryl

Petra.

Went over to Petra today in Jordan. Long ways out there, so was good to go on a tour bus, especially to get through the border. Have to go out the Israel border and then go in to the Jordan border.

Quite interesting how people that used to live in Petra area carved things out of rock. Even an amphitheater carved out of rock-pink beautiful rock. The theater could seat maybe 6000 people. Of course tombs were carved too. There was still some snow out there left from last week. We had a great meal after our walking tour into Petra. I sat at a table with a teacher from Brazil.

Got a new roommate tonight. She is from Germany. We have a great bakery across from the Hostel–cinnamon rolls, apple turnovers, and several other kinds. They don’t seem to use msg. Really good and fresh out of their ovens!
Take care,
Caryl

Nazareth, Capernaum, Galilee

I’m in Eilat near the Taba border to Egypt. I do Petra tomorrow and a tour into Cairo on Thursday. I hope I can connect with another tour after that and see the other sights up the Nile. then I hope to fly back to Tel Aviv and do northern Israel. Don’t know if I will visit a Kibbutz (a large farm) yet. I’m eating bananas, but not sure where they’re coming from.

I sat by a girl in the army on the bus down here. She works in Eilot two times a week. I guess she works in Jerusalem the rest of the time. Guys are in the army three years and girls are in the army two years. It’s required. They usually go into the service after high school and then start college after that.

One gets used to seeing lots of male solders on the streets, in the shopping areas, in the bus station all carrying weapons over their shoulders, but it’s somehow a bit more surprising seeing the girls doing that.

In Korea, the guys are required to do two years and two months service. Girls are not drafted. Most guys go in after their first year of college.

I expected it to be a lot warmer here, but it really isn’t that much warmer. It’s hard to find internet here for some reason and so it costs.

Take care,

Caryl

Jerusalem, Bethlehem

I had a driver Friday and went to Bethlehem and Jericho. They are in the West Bank and controlled by the Palestinian Authority. I took a bus to the wall between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, went through the border area and my driver was waiting on the other side. A lady here at the Hostel had called him–a friend of hers.

Bethlehem was as I pictured it. Houses up the side of the hills and mountains and down through the valley. It was good to be there. Oh little town of Bethlehem is my favorite Christmas carol.

In Jericho, I saw the ancient walls that were probably the ones Joshua dealt with. The old city was much smaller than I realized, or at least the walls around the city seem to say that it was a small city. There was a cable car up into what’s considered the Mount of Temptation, but maintenance work was being done on it so couldn’t use it. The drive was a longer drive than I expected, but certainly the right season to go as my driver said in the summer time that road is a traffic jam and many times takes over an hour to get through the check point on the way. As it was, we had one car ahead of us. My driver produced about ten different papers–one to show that he was legally a taxi driver, another that he was legally a tour guide and five other papers or so for various things. The police at the check points are in their little forts surrounded by sandbags. I saw a UN van like one sees on TV.

I kept thinking of the story of the Good Samaritan as the setting of that story was the road to Jericho. Lots of curves and steep in places. Also lots of barren area–really wilderness with the Bedion tribes and their sheep, goats and a few camels. The sun and came out on our return trip and added a lot of color and light to the scenary which became quite pretty in it’s own barren way.

We stopped at Herodian Mountain for a panoramic view of the Dead Sea, then looked toward the directions of Jericho, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. Then high above all that, we saw the white snow capped mountains of Hebron. Beautiful comes no where close to how it looked. It was so much more than that.

After getting back to Jerusalem, I followed all the people dressed in black heading for the wailing wall to do their Sabbath praying at sundown. Quite an experience to be there.

I saw the Mt of Olives from a distance the other day, but didn’t walk up there. I was tired, cold and my foot was hurting from the new snow boots I had bought. Now that the snow has melted, I’m going to wear my regular shoes, take my backpack and hike up there from the Old City. Much of the Mount is a cemetery, the oldest still active (inactive?) cemetery in the world. I was reading Zachariah chapter 14 this morning. So far, I haven’t had any more vicious headaches from the msg like I had Wednesday for which I am thankful.

Take care,
Caryl

Hello from Jappa.

The ancient port of Jappa (next to Tel Aviv) in Israel was very interesting to explore this forenoon even though there are typhoon like winds and rains here right now which are suppose to continue for the next couple of days still.

I saw what was supposedly the house of Simon the Tanner this morning. This was the house where Simon Peter was staying when Cornelius sent for him to come and speak to him in Caesaria. Cornelius was a gentile. Read about it in Acts chapters 9 and 10. Jaffa is also where Peter raised Dorcas/Tabitha from the dead. It’s also the port where logs were brought in to port for the temple that Solomon built. Lots of other history here too.

I may go on to Jerusalem tomorrow if I can find some warm boots. Otherwise, been thinking about going down to Egypt for a week or so, but maybe it’s raining there too.

The trip here was a looooooonnnnnnnngggggg one. Twelve hours to Paris and then I RAN to catch my transfer which was already loading when I landed. Couldn’t find the right exit to the transfer plane even after asking two different airline workers where to go which cost me precious time. Finally a third worker called somebody and then strongly suggested to move fast, following gate signs 59-71 through the airport. My luggage is suppose to be delivered tonight. The youth hostel gave me a couple of extra sweaters. The rain is chiling.

The transfer was another five hours and it was a rough ride at times. At one point when we had just finished eating, some of the dishes fell off our trays to the floor and the flight attendents were forced to take seats.

By the way, the transfer plane was not the usual plane. To get to the usual plane required exiting the building and taking an airport bus out to the plane. I figured that out later.

The rain didn’t start here until this morning. I was glad that I got in to the Jappa hostel before it started as the plane landed right at midnight. Then I took the airport train into Central station. This was after I got through immigration who are very good at asking questions to try to trip you up. I sure would hate to have anything to hide. Then I had to fill out a report about not finding my luggage. All takes time.

When I was waiting for the last run of the airport train, the ticket lady kept me company. Then a gentleman showed up and the three of us talked awhile. I finally said I better get down to the tracks. A few other showed up. The gentleman rode down the escalator with me. He told me not to worry about missing the train because he was the driver. I was very surprised. Then he waved at me as he drove up to load the people. I am impressed with the friendliness of the people here.

Take care,
Caryl

Cambodia.

Arrived in Siem Reap and have been touring the temples. Started with the world famous Angkor Wat and it was great. But it was one I saw later that really caught my attention with all the pictures on the walls that were so visible, something from the 7th century. Hard to believe. There’s a lot of reconstruction going on with the temples that’s also extremely interesting.

Lots of people coming through and hear several languages every day. The hot hot weather and dust was pretty bad yesterday going from temple to temple, but did the longer tour today so more riding on the motorbike and less walking.

Went to buffet dinners two nights in a row and saw tradional Cambodian dancing while eating. Very pretty customs. Other dances looked like they involved farming with baskets and a couple of dances were really cute with the idea of courting and catching the girls attention, etc. Dancers did a fine job.

Going on the bus to Phnom Penh in the morning, Wednesday, a five hour trip. The internet is slow and this computer i’m on isn’t the best so signing off for now.
Take care,
Caryl

Mekong delta.

Did a one day tour of the Mekong delta Saturday. It was nice. Was a little disappointed with the tour. I believe we were suppose to have a couple more activities including more time on the boat. But on the other hand, I’m not used to the heat so was kind of glad to get back on the air conditioned bus headed back to Saigon. So it was okay, but short of what I expected.

That good food I was telling about with all the vegetables and tofu somehow got hot peppers in it the second evening that I tried it. Must have changed cooks or something. So I was fishing my vegetables out of the broth much like I do in Korea. I haven’t tried it since. Switched to chicken and rice instead.

The TET holiday is almost here. In Korea, it’s called the Lunar New Year. In China and Hong Kong it’s called the Chinese New Year. I’m leaving for Cambodia this evening, Sunday, so will be in a country that doesn’t celebrate it. I will be at Angkor Wat at first in the city of Seim Reap:

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1848/angkor.html

I’m packed up and will be leaving for the airport pretty soon. I’m pretty sure I’ve got everything. Lots of traffic because of the holidays coming.

I don’t know what the internet service will be in Cambodia and Laos. It could be slow to nonexistent. Sometimes it’s been slow here and I simply walk away from it rather than trying to hassle with it.

I’ve had kind of a cold. Lots of sneezing among tourists and air conditioning. But I’m feeling a lot better today.
I need to get going.
Take care,
Caryl