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We slept in a bit today as we were worn out and sore from all the walking yesterday. Breakfast was awesome again, with the addition of a couple of different salads. One of our favorite items is the halvah with freshly-roasted pistachios on top – so yummy I want to bring some home. We took the light rail from Jaffa St. to Yad Vashem, an easy 20 minute ride to the end of the line at Mt. Herzl. 6.90 shekels for each person one day – pretty reasonable cost and speedier than sitting in traffic. Yad Vashem is a solemn, quiet place with unusual architecture meant to echo the cold and inhumane conditions of concentration camps. The main exhibition hall is free and there are several squares (the Warsaw ghetto square), etc. that in the summer would be quite beautiful with fragrant flowers. This was a Monday about 11:30am and we were astonished how very crowded the museum was with large numbers of Israeli students in tour groups and groups of people from other countries, all being guided through the multitude of video, audio, and print exhibits plus artifacts (shoes, suitcases, household items, jewelry, documents, letters) chronologically depicting the rise of antisemitism through the implementation of the final solution. Sobering to walk through and see how it all happened, with some analysis of the historical precedents and how various governments actually perpetuated myths about Jews. As one looks back 70 years, the experience of being at Yad Vashem (different from other holocaust museums around the world), is painful and heart-rending. It is exhausting to go through the museum and there really is nothing more than a few small ottomans in a couple of rooms where one can even sit down and take a break. At the end, one can go to the bookstore and gift shop and also to a cafeteria that serves passable snack items. After the museum and a rest, we got back on the light rail to the Mahane Yehuda open-air market. Not so pleasant in winter, but we had a great light lunch at Azura where we ate silky-smooth hummus and tahini with fresh bread and a plate of baked eggplant with beef and pine-nuts in a savory, cinnamony tomato sauce. The tahini was so good that I asked the restaurant owner where he got it and I was directed to a stall where, supposedly, I got a jar of the “best local tahini”. I’ll reserve judgment til I get home and try it out in some recipes. Back home around 5pm for a rest, then wine and snacks at the hotel. Dinner was at Chakra, an 8 minute walk from our hotel. Fortunately we were coached that the restaurant is below King George street down a steep driveway behind a round building. The food and atmosphere were great. We shared a whole sea bass with an herb pesto and mushroom risotto. We got a complimentary focaccia that was among the best we’ve ever had, thin-crusted and brushed with a delicious seasoned olive oil. We also ordered a bottle of Rioja wine by Lopez de Haro that was really tasty. Dessert that all four of us shared was a “snowball”, whipped cream mixed with bits of sweet meringue and fresh strawberries and raspberries- decadent and delicious.

We had the most amazing, exhausting day today with our tour guide Roni Stern. He met us at 8:30am and took us through the Jaffa gate on a comprehensive tour of the Old City. We began with the view from the Tower of David where we had an excellent view of parts of the city, then to all four quarters of the Old City, enjoying the festive atmosphere. From there, we visited the southern wall excavations (where a parking lot stood fairly recently), and looked at all that had been unearthed and is still in the process of being catalogued. Intriguing information. A quick stop for delicious coffee and then to the City of David and the cardo with much more to see. We passed by the art area of the Jewish quarter and visited an artist named Udi who painted a very famous painting of soldiers standing at the wall and praying. He welcomed us warmly, offered us tea, and our friends bought a lovely painting. On the back, Udi took the time to do some line-drawings using their names, which makes the artwork very personal. Then we we went to the wailing wall. There is a small section for women on the outside and a larger section for men that includes a covered portion. Most of the men inside were dressed as Orthodox Jews and were praying mostly alone with some in groups. We went then to the stunningly beautiful Hurva Synagogue and were able to go to the women’s section as we watched Orthodox Jews study in pairs with texts. You an also go to the third floor and see a stunning view of the old city by going outside. Afterwards, we had lunch at Al Kareem cafe where there was a line for the most amazing falafel – well-seasoned, fried balls, served in pita with french fries, pickles, cabbage, and cauliflower. I had a drink of freshly-squeezed pomegranate juice which was heavenly. By this time we were getting tired, but we walked along the Via Dolorosa and the Stations of the Cross, to Holy Sepulchre Church and back out through Jaffa Gate walking to our hotel. 5:30 and we had walked over 20,000 steps and climbed up 19 flights of stairs – we were justifiably tired and sore. Said good-bye to Roni, had wine and freshly-made mushroom soup at the hotel and later went to dinner at Cafe Rimon. Nothing special but the lentil soup was tasty enough.

Our 14 hour flight to Tel Aviv on United was uneventful, but I would prefer not to fly United again. Even Polaris Business looked cramped and unappealing! First off, although we had premium seating, we were in the second to last boarding group, and by the time we boarded, even though the section was not full, there was NO overhead bin space. No flight attendants were anywhere nearby and no one offered to assist. Also, the area under the aisle seat was partially blocked (in every aisle seat, from what I saw) by some sort of technology box, which significantly reduced the amount of space available for my small, under-seat carry-on. The two adjoining seats had one large area for both people and our seat mate was likewise irritated that he had no storage underneath except for something very small and his bag wouldn’t fit in the overhead bin either. While the flight attendants were not surly, neither were they particularly welcoming or gracious, unlike our typical Southwest experience. The food was adequate and we were given water quite frequently, so that was fine. Also, there was an outlet at each seat for power but lighting and vent buttons were inaccessible as they were located above the window seat near the ceiling. Whose idea was that? Arrival to Tel Aviv was a bit early, the terminal is built of beautiful creamy limestone, very modern, clean, with a gorgeous central rotunda and atrium. Baggage pickup was a breeze, as was immigration and customs and we were quickly on our way to meet our driver. His name was Alex and he had a lovely, clean Mercedes van that took us quickly to Jerusalem. After arrival at the hotel, which is small and charming, if a bit tired in the decor of the rooms. Scott and I didn’t sleep more than an hour or two, but our first day in Jerusalem neither of us was particularly tired. We’ll pay for this tonight, for sure! Our room has its own Nespresso Vertuo machine and we had delicious espressos first thing. A bit later, we had a bountiful breakfast in the lobby from 7-10, including two different types of fish, a multitude of vegetable and tuna salads, cheeses, freshly-baked mini croissants, bread, jam, date syrup and tahini. Plus there was a frittata and soft-boiled eggs, and some potatoes in cream as well as delicious pink and yellow grapefruit and a big bowl of fruit for us to help ourselves. There were a couple of pastry-type desserts, but I didn’t try them. There was also a variety of types of yogurt, including Kefir, plus milk and lots of cold cereal options. Our plan for the day was to include a walk to Jaffa Gate through the Old City, and wandering around the Arab souk. Lots of tourist-y items and shops, but a couple of the interesting ones held unusual spices and herbs, and mixes for tea. The tea mixes had different flavors made with dried fruits, herbs and candy, and the idea was to use two teaspoons in a cup of water, drink the tea, and then eat the remaining herbs and candy. Halfway through, we had a delicious (looking back, though, pretty pricey) lunch of two plates of shawarma and two bowls of well-seasoned lentil soup. We’ll check billboards for pricing next time, as most places charge half of what we paid! The weather is very cold (38-40 degrees) with heavy rains and winds. Although we had the right clothes, our umbrellas couldn’t stand the onslaught and promptly broke. Arthur Hotel to the rescue with big umbrellas for us to carry with us. We walked around until we were thoroughly exhausted, and soaked, and then returned to the hotel for a much-needed rest and warm-up. Later, we took a cab to the old train station which has been turned into an amazing outdoor area with a stage for live events, and many restaurants. We had made reservations in this are for Adom and it did not disappoint. We had an interesting cocktail made with Stoli vanilla, red berries, cinnamon, elderflower and some “broken meringue” plus appetizer and main plates of shrimp in butter with polenta tortellini, fish stew with a thin flavorful broth with nary a tomato in sight, an orzo paste with spicy chorizo, clams and shrimp and my dish which was roasted cabbage that had been marinated in some vinegar, served with a swipe of labneh and a rib of bacon, that was more like a fatty spare rib. All of us thought the flavors were awesome and the presentation and service exceptional. Dessert was an intense chocolate souffle with housemade vanilla gelato and crisp meringue pieces. Dessert was no match for four greedy spoons! Taxi there was about 35 shekels, 65 on the return, and we couldn’t get an answer as to why. Oh, well. Tomorrow we have a tour with Roni through the Old City beginning at 8:30am.

Welcome to my first blog post. I’m excited to start creating this online journal of my husband’s and my travels around the world. If I’m being honest, I’m still not quite sure exactly what one is supposed to write in a “blog”, or how one goes about making it interesting and informative to others, but I’ve been told that I have a lot of great travel wisdom to share. Yes, mostly from my family who is tired of being my only audience! I’d like a place to document everything, so I’m taking a deep breath and starting. And, I have to admit, it feels great and terrifying at the same time to be starting something brand new at my age, but I’ll dive in and start this very moment with some thoughts below about our trip to Israel and Jordan. Scott and I are getting ready for a two-week trip to Israel and Jordan, which begins soon. I’ve been once before, but he has not and I’m excited to see everything through his eyes and also to explore the country more deeply with him this time around. I certainly was awed by the immense sense of history I felt emanating from the streets and buildings of the old city in Jerusalem and I wonder if he’ll feel the same. The itineraries with beautiful pictures have been produced and edited and it seems all is in order for the vacation to proceed smoothly. First is the 15 hour flight on United Airlines to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, with a driver picking us up and delivering us directly to the hotel Arthur in Jerusalem. Saturday we’ll be exhausted and definitely in need of a day of rest, which coincides with Shabbat (the Sabbath) in Israel. From past experience, I know that Jerusalem is VERY quiet on Shabbat with almost no traffic and people getting together with family and friends for some time together. Buses don’t run, the only transportation is shared shuttles (called sheroots) and they are few and far between. All shops and attractions are closed, as are most restaurants. Hotels typically have elevators that stop on every floor (one is not allowed to push buttons) and food that is served is usually a cold buffet. Patience and flexibility are definitely needed to get through the day. I have heard that the First Train Station and the Arab parts of town are open and thriving. Things start hopping again on Saturday night after sundown when shops, restaurants and transportation begin again, and there is a festive mood in the city. The weather is supposed to be quite chilly and occasionally rainy, so we will be prepared with long underwear (silk, to minimize bulk), warm clothes and umbrellas. In terms of packing, I recently learned that even though rolling clothes and folding take up the same amount of space, if you roll clothes, there are fewer wrinkles to contend with when at the destination. Also, for liquids and gels not to leak while in transit, use a small square of Saran-wrap over the top, under the lid. I haven’t tried this before and we have often had leaks, no matter how tightly we screw on lids. Hope this tip helps and we arrive with everything in good shape! That’s all for now. I plan to write again when we arrive in the Middle East.