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Middle East - October 2017
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Middle East - October 2017

A 27-day adventure by Paulnangie's Adventures Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 7, 2017
    Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    Ready for our journey to begin...
    Little India MRT station

    Singapore

    October 7, 2017 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Well we made it safe & well to Singapore! The flight from Brisbane took 8 hours & there is only a 2 hour time difference making it 3.15pm local time (5.15pm Brisbane time) when we landed.
    Changi Airport is huge and has 4 seperate terminals connected by little trains! It is also soooo clean!
    We had a lovely taxi driver who drove us to our hotel (Ibis on Bencoolen) via the coast road & filled us in on all the places we need to visit & the foods we need to try - the latter being, BBQ stingray & fried carrot cake at the Newton Hawker Centre - we will let you know how we go with this...
    Once checked in, we headed out to explore our new surroundings. We caught the MRT (train) from Rocher to Clarke Quay (a hip & happening area on the river filled with restaurants, clubs & bars) for a bit of a nosy. We had dinner at The Bungy Bar & watched the Bum Boats ferry passengers down the river. It was a great spot & we got to view the Marina Bay Sands hotel's light show in the distance. Very cool!
    We were very tired after our first little adventure (we had walked over 10,000 steps) but our first impressions are that Singapore is a vibrant, colourful, clean city with a focus on green areas & recreation for visitors & locals alike.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    Singapore Flyer

    Singapore

    October 8, 2017 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Today we walked for miles exploring Singapore. We started off by taking a bus to the Singapore Flyer - the world's biggest Observation Wheel. We got there early, & as a result, we ended up with a capsule all to ourselves (normally would hold up to 28 people)! It took 30 minutes to complete one full rotation & wow; what a view! Absolutely stunning!
    Next, we headed to the beautiful Gardens by the Bay via the Helix Bridge & Marina Bay Sands shopping mall - The Shoppes!
    The Shoppes complex was overwhelming, to say the least - with over 270 boutique stores & even Sampan boat rides down the canal running through the complex! We stopped for a drink & Red Velvet cupcake at High Society to centre ourselves & escape the stifling Singaporean heat & humidity (33C today). Once we were suitably refreshed we headed up a couple of levels to experience a Fish Spa - yep, you get your feet & legs washed before plunging them into a pool full of carnivorous little fish that go crazy for exfoliating your feet - kinda creepy & weird, yet strangely enjoyable!
    We walked across the bridge linking the Marina Bay Sands complex to Gardens by the Bay where we began our afternoon of exploring the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen - what an incredible experience! We visited the Cloud Forest & the Flower Dome - both were essentially air conditioned green houses on steroids & were absolutely phenomonal! I am sure they had an example of every single plant & variation known to man on show - most of them grouped by country/region. The colours of the flowers & plants were spectacular!
    Our final stop in the gardens took us to Supertree Grove & the 22m high Skyway, a 128m ariel walkway that connects two of the Supertrees giving us a very different perspective of the gardens. It was awesome!
    After a very 'full on' day we dragged our weary bodies back to the hotel, via the very efficient Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) network, where we fell into bed for an early night in preparation for our next adventure - Sentosa Island & Universal Studios tomorrow...    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler

    Singapore (Sentosa Island)

    October 9, 2017 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We had a bit of a sleep-in this morning & had breakfast at around 8.30am - with everyone else 🙄😃; breakfast in Singapore consists of many different options - think curries, noodles & plenty of fried things.
    After our bellies were full, we caught a cab to the beautiful Mt Faber, where our Day 3 adventure began...we were heading to Sentosa Island!
    We boarded our very own cable car carriage for the journey to the island - the view was spectacular! On arrival, we switched to the Sentosa Line and did a loop of the island before alighting at Merlion Station and heading down to Universal Studios. Once in the park we headed straight for the rides & knocked off The Mummy; Battlestar Galactica & Transformers pretty quickly before we headed to the Waterworld show after lunch. Our favourite ride was Transformers - the effects were awesome!
    Walking out of the park in the afternoon we marveled at the stores in the precinct - a junk foodies paradise! - Herschy's, Reece's, Candylicious & Krispy Kreme to name but a few!
    The next stop was the Skyline Luge attraction - we had so much fun here! We flew down the winding course, avoiding all of the "Sunday drivers", before catching the ski lift back up to the top of the hill & doing it all again! Possibly my favourite part of the day 😁.
    We finally boarded our cable car & headed back to the mainland. We were so knackered now, but dragged ourselves back to the hotel via the MRT - when did we become so old? Lol!
    All in all it was another great day exploring this part of the world. Tomorrow we will do a quick victory lap of this green & active city before packing & preparing for the next leg of our journey - Turkey.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    1-Altitude Rooftop Bar
    Maxwell Hawker CentreChinatownHaji LaneSelfie Coffee!Raffles Hotel & Bar

    Singapore

    October 10, 2017 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We are currently sitting in Changi Airport awaiting our flight to Turkey & have plenty of time to kill - the perfect time to note down what we got up to today....So, first up, we packed our bags, checked out of our great little hotel & left our bags with staff before catching a cab to the CBD; we were off to 1-Altitude Bar for a personalised tour with Santiago - the friendliest Columbian tour guide you could ever meet - & he's lived in Brisbane!
    1-Altitude is the highest alfresco bar in the world and the view was incredible! The weather today was pretty good too & it allowed us to see right into Malaysia & Indonesia! Santiago pointed out all of the landmarks & gave us a wonderful overview of the history of Singapore plus some tips on where to go & what to experience. It was facinating & insightful.
    Once we were armed with all of this new information we headed off to Chinatown to experience "the best chicken rice in Singapore" at a little store called Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, hidden within the Maxwell Food Centre (Hawker Centre). The queue was 30 deep (a good sign that the food is good) but moved quicky & it was essentially our first time trying an authentic Singaporean dish - it wasn't bad, although the little dipping sauce on the side incinerated our tastebuds - hokey smokes it was hot!!!
    After lunch we wandered around the corner for a quick photo opportunity, capturing a shot of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum.
    Next stop was Arab Street - an eclectic mix of old & new world charm & plenty of arty boutiques & cafes with a Middle Eastern flavour - we stopped at the Selfie Coffee shop in Haji Lane for a, you guessed it, Selfie Coffee!
    From here we walked to the famous Raffles Hotel where we ducked in for a refreshing Singapore Sling (as one does in Singapore 😁) - it was pretty good, although for $31SGD, it should be! This was our final experience in Singapore & we wouldn't have done anything different. Next stop - Istanbul!    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    The 'Smiling Swindler' at the Spice MarketsHagia SophiaA 5000 year old Obelisk - gifted from Egypt.Blue Mosque courtyard

    Turkey

    October 11, 2017 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    We arrived in Turkey from Singapore at 5.20am, with a flight time of just under 11 hours. There was approximately 90 of us (Australian Light Horse Assn. members) on the flight - a really diverse bunch with ages ranging from 8-90! The rest of the ALHA group (approx. 90 more) will connect with us in Israel in a week or so.
    Once we had cleared customs & collected our bags, the group was split into three & we were allocated to Bus 2 with Kelvin Crombie; historian, guide & author (amongst many other talents).
    We were on the road by 7.30am, with our first stop being the famed Spice Markets where we were swindled out of an obscene amount of money for authentic turkish delight, tea & spices! It is here that we learnt a number of valuable lessons, best summarised by the Penguins of Madagascar "just smile & wave boys; smile & wave" 😁. Needless to say we will be enjoying authentic turkish tea & delights for the next 6 months!
    With our wallets markedly lighter, we were back on the bus & heading to the ancient Hippodrome, home of the beautiful Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia. The photo opportunities, architecture & history here were incredible! After lunch we boarded a boat that took us on a two hour cruise on the mighty Bosphorous River where we learnt so much about this ancient & diverse city.
    We were well & truly ready for a shower & a good night sleep by the time the cruise finished. Thankfully, our accommodation (Akgun Hotel) in the old part of the city had both bases covered.
    Sitting in bed reflecting on our first impressions of Istanbul, the word that keeps popping up is Wow! It is an incredible city of approximately 20 million people spanning two continents - Europe & Asia! Essentially, the centre of the world, quite literally, for Millenia. It is nothing like what we are used to at home in Australia - in every way, both good & bad. We found survival instincts we never knew we had (or needed) - they kick in pretty quickly, as it is an "eat, or be eaten" way of living.
    We witnessed everything on extreme ends of the spectrum - poverty & wealth; humankind at its best & worst; ancient architecture & relics alongside contemporary & modern structures - even a Synagogue, Mosque & Church built alongside of each other & sharing the same common wall! We fell asleep thinking about how blessed we are to have been raised & live in a country as wonderful as ours.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    View from Topkapi Palace
    Hagia Sophia

    Turkey

    October 12, 2017 in Turkey ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    Today we visited the beautiful Topkapi Palace, built in the 15th Century. We spent the morning taking lots of photos as the location is stunning; perched on a hilltop overlooking both the Asian & European continents & the Bosphorus River. In addition, the palace buildings & grounds were exquisite and meticulously maintained. It was Instagram gold!
    Lunch was organised for us in the same precinct & involved a private showing of handmade rugs & the silk rug making process. Of course, then came the hard sell - only this time we were prepared! 😁
    The next stop was the Turkish Military Museum before we headed to the Grand Bazaar - & boy was it grand! 5000 stores; 19 entrances & 22 exits - it was a maze you could get lost in for days!    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    ANZAC CoveThe peak in the background referred to as 'The Sphynx'Shrapnel Valley CemetaryThe Turks were firing on our boys from the valley over Paul's shoulder

    Turkey (Gallipoli Peninsula)

    October 13, 2017 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We drove 4 hours from Istanbul to Gallipoli today. We stopped for lunch just outside Eceabat, a small town overlooking the Dardanelles Strait, before heading to Gallipoli.
    Approximately 75% of our group were in full WWI Light Horse ceremonial dress, as we had a number of wreath laying ceremonies scheduled with the Australian Consulate Military Attache & Turkish Officials. We visited ANZAC Cove, Shrapnel Valley & Hell Spit before laying wreathes at Lone Pine; Turkish 57th Memorial Park; The Nek; & Chunuk Bair.
    The work done by the Turkish Government to preserve & maintain the National Park, monuments & the Gallipoli Peninsula in general, is nothing short of incredible. Everywhere we went, the Turkish people welcomed us with open arms & wanted to shake our hands & take photos with us.
    It was a very moving day, & the trip back to Eceabat, where we caught a ferry to Canakkale, allowed us to reflect on what those brave young men went through in order to secure our freedom.
    Interestingly, there was a great display that we explored at Eceabat, on the waterfront - it has a life size model of the trenches, as well as a 3D walkthrough map of the Gallipoli Peninsula which gave a really good birds eye view of the battleground & region. Well worth a visit if you are in the region.
    We spent the night in Cannakale (Iris Hotel) in preparation for exploring the region further tomorrow.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    View north from ferry crossing from Canakkale (Asian side)
    View south from Canakkale (looking towards European side)View of Suvla Bay & ANZAC Cove from the high point overlooking both sides of the peninsula & the town of KrithView to Cape Helles & the mouth of the Dardenelles Strait (the opposite side of the peninsula from ANZAC Cove)Turkish Memorial at Cape HellesV Beach at Cape Helles - European side of Dardenelles Strait.Lunch in Gelibolu (Gallipoli)A fish sandwich with a view!

    Turkey

    October 14, 2017 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Today we explored the Gallipoli region further, including visiting the British, French & Irish memorial sites at Cape Helles & V Beach.
    We learnt so much about this region & its significance in history, including the roles of all countries involved. The blood shed & lives lost is incomprehensible.
    We had little knowledge of the fact that the British/Irish & French forces suffered even greater losses than our own on 25th April 1915 at V Beach (located on the opposite side of the Gallipoli Peninsula from ANZAC Cove), where they were slaughtered after disembarking from the SS River Clyde. Historical recounts of the day indicate that it was an absolute bloodbath with the water at the beach turning red with the blood shed there.
    Again, a very moving & educational day.
    We made the 4 hour journey back to Istanbul, stopping on the way for a late lunch at the little fishing village of Gallipoli (Gelibolu)! We enjoyed a delicious & traditional fish sandwich (fried sardine) before treating ourselves to a turkish coffee & baklava in a gorgeous cafe/patisserie.
    We are off to bed early tonight (back at Akgun Hotel), as we will be up at 3am tomorrow in order to catch our flight to Cairo.
    We might be a bit quiet for the next 4 days or so as we will only be accessing WiFi in Egypt & Jordan due to the data roaming being limited (& extremely expensive) in these countries.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
    This papyrus is the oldest found in Egypt!

    Egypt

    October 15, 2017 in Egypt ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    After an early wake up call, we were on the bus at 3am heading to Ankara International airport, for the next destination in our journey - Cairo, Egypt!
    The flight was a little under 2.5 hours & we arrived to a beautiful morning. First impressions - Wow! - Istanbul was exotic but Cairo is ancient! There are 20 million people living in Cairo & it is a thriving, throng of humanity & culture. Only one word accurately describes the traffic in this city - crazy! You indicate with your horn & there are no real line markings on the road, so it is every man for himself! Roads that might comfortably hold 3 lanes of traffic in Australia, hold at least 5 here!
    As our hotel was not ready until midday, our buses carefully navigated the traffic to the famed Egyptian Museum of Antiquities - wow, wow, wow! This museum is so full of antiques & ancient artifacts that it cannot hold them all! A new museum is currently under construction, directly opposite this important treasure, & is scheduled to open in 2018 - we will have to come back for another visit then. The current museum is breathtaking, although cramped with pieces in boxes stacked haphazardly everywhere. With new artifacts being found on a daily basis, this facility is bursting at the seams & our guide (a local Coptic Christian & Archaeologist), informed us that there are multiple warehouses around the city, stacked high with pieces that have never before been seen! 🤤
    The history held within the museum's walls dates back to at least 2500 years BC! Tutankhamun's artifacts are all stored & displayed here. It was absolutely mind blowing! There is a definite sense that being surrounded by these ancient artifacts is just 'normal' for the local Egyptians.
    We stopped for lunch at a boat docked on the Nile River, before heading to our hotel (Barceló Hotel) for an easy afternoon. The Nile River is surprisingly filthy (that's the last time I'll be purchasing Nile Perch) & boy does it flow; like really fast!
    At 6pm we were on the bus again & heading to our boat cruise dinner on the Nile where we were entertained by a Belly Dancer & a Twirling Dervish, the latter of which was absolutely mesmerising. How he spun for at least 10 minutes without getting dizzy was beyond me 😁.
    We were asleep within 5 minutes of our head touching the pillow, just after 10pm.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    A burial chamber inside the Great Pyramid of Giza!

    Egypt

    October 16, 2017 in Egypt ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We awoke to another glorious morning in Cairo, with the honking of car horns our new 'normal'. We were on the bus at 8am & headed to one of the seven wonders of the world - the Pyramids of Giza! It didn't take long before we spotted them in all their glory, sitting right alongside the city fringe - you could have Pizza from a Pizza Hutt that was less than 100m from the Sphynx!
    We were in complete awe at the magnitude & splendor of them - they were breathtaking! The biggest one, known as the Great Pyramid or Cheops, was the burial site for Khufu who ruled during the Fourth Dynasty in the first half of the Old Kingdom period (26th century BC) - we even got to trek inside & visit his burial chamber located about two thirds of the way up! It took about 15 minutes to walk up via steep passages, some of which were incredibly expansive, & low, close tunnels; completely worth the $12AUD each for the privilage, albeit slightly terrifying & almost overwhelming knowing you were inside one of the most ancient & mystical structures on the planet!
    Next, we drove around to the 'Sahara Desert side' of the pyramids, this is where we got the perfect picture opportunities, with all 3 of the major structures visible. It is from this location that we also began our iconic camel ride - a highlight of the trip so far! We were speechless & the view from the Sahara Desert, looking at those ancient marvels & the glistening city beyond, was a memory that will be etched in our memories until the end of our days.
    After our ride we boarded our bus & headed back towards the 'city side' of the pyramids where we viewed the mighty Sphynx statue before heading back to the hotel for a restful afternoon; many in the group were coming down with the lurgy and this time allowed us to pack & prepare for the 3.30am wake up tomorrow morning for our flight to Jordan.
    After a quick tidy up at the hotel, we ventured out for a walk in the crowded, dusty streets before coming back & preparing for our trip to view a laser light show at the Pyramids, before a formal dinner at the famous Mena House Hotel; another historic site in WWI history, as it was here that our ANZACs were based before moving through to Israel (then Palestine).
    Another fantastic day done & dusted; we are ready for Jordan tomorrow!    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    The Citadel dates back 7000 years!

    Jordan

    October 17, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    What an eventful day! It started at 3am this morning when we were roused from our sleep by a wake-up call so that we could be on the bus at 5am for our journey to Cairo's airport. Our flight to Amman, Jordan departed at 9.15am so we had plenty of time to get through the four security check points & two pat downs before we boarded the plane (with plain clothes security guards) for the 1.5 hour flight. In hindsight, this should have been our first red flag on how strict Jordan is on those visiting the country...
    We arrived safely at just after 9.30am local time & proceeded through customs (& more security check points) to the baggage carousel. Now the fun begins....Pauly's bag, along with a number of other tour members' luggage did not arrive on the carousel.... After discussions with Jordanian Security Forces, the bags were located but further inspection & questioning was required...Almost 3 hours later, & after segregation & questioning (via translator), Pauly was freed to us with his secured contraband item, for which a refundable fee of $54JD ($115AUD) was required. We have been told that the fee will be refunded to us at the Israeli border on Thursday, upon which our binoculars shall also be freed from their secure, plastic prison 😂...Second lesson learnt on this trip - don't carry binoculars into Jordan; ever!
    After all of the excitement at the airport, we were then on our way to the hotel (beautiful, by the way) before heading out to the ancient Amman Citadel (built around the time of Alexander the Great). Most of the buildings still visible at the site are from the Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad periods. The major buildings at the site are the Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine church, and the Umayyad Palace. This stop also provided incredible picture opportunities of the beautiful city of Amman.
    By the time we finished & had navigated our way back through traffic to the hotel (imagine traffic being slightly less crazy than Cairo, but a whole lot more scary! - I am not sure that driving tests are compulsory in Jordan, before being issued a licence...), we were well & truly worn out & enjoyed an early night with dinner in bed at our beautiful accommodation - Olive Tree Hotel.
    Tomorrow we meet the Australian Ambassador to Jordan & Jordanian dignataries for a wreath laying ceremony at Es Salt before we board a restored WWI steam train, from Amman's famous Hejaz Station, for a journey to Zizah Station, where a very important event occured in relation to the Middle East campaign in WWI...    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    Amman's Hedjaz Station
    ViaductRailway sleepers left from WWI, just outside Zizah Station.Russell & Geoffrey striking a pose.Es Salt's Turkish Memorial

    Jordan

    October 18, 2017 in Jordan ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    After a wonderful 8 hour sleep at our hotel in Amman, we awoke refreshed & ready for another big day. We had a special tour organised for us in the morning on a steam train from Amman's Hedjaz Station to Zizah Station, the latter of which was significant for our Light Horse troops in WWI, as it was here where they helped protect the Turks in the region against the Bedouin tribes who would have slaughtered them if they surrendered to the Aussies. The incident was known as the Zizah Farce.
    We were extremely privilaged to have been given the opportunity to ride on this train as it is very rare that it operates. Needless to say we drew crowds of locals who greeted us all with with lots of curiosity, smiles & waves. We saw many things of interest whilst on the one hour journey, including the old city's viaduct (from Roman times) & Bedouin communities in the arid countryside.
    After lunch we took a special journey to Es Salt's Turkish Memorial where we held a special wreath laying ceremony in honour of the fallen Turkish troops who battled here in 1918. The grounds of the memorial site contained a cave that was discovered in 1953 that held the bodies of 300 Turkish soldiers. It had been beautifully restored & made for a poignant display. We were privileged to have Colonel Christopher Buxton from the Australian Defence Attache in attendance, as well as the Turkish Ambassador to Jordan, the latter of whom was deeply moved, as this was the first time any Australian group had honoroured the fallen Turkish soldiers here. It was a very special moment that we were able to share in.
    As an added bonus today, we witnessed a police motorcade escorting Australia's Govenor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, from the airport - he had just arrived in Amman for trade talks. Our group leaders, & the Consulate staff had tried in vain to have him join us, but unfortunately his time was limited. Apparantly, he was most upset at the missed opportunity.
    We are off to Israel tomorrow where we should be at the border crossing by 9.30am; then the fun will begin again for Pauly & those dastardly binoculars....    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    Tel Aviv at sunset
    Our decent from Jordan to the Plains of JerichoDate Palms growing in the West Bank. High in the distant hills lies Jerusalem...Our first glimpse of the Old City from the Mount Scopus side!A display at Rishon Le-Zion Museum in Tel AvivOld Jaffa Railway Station (HaTachana) in Tel Aviv.

    Israel

    October 19, 2017 in Palestine ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    We left our hotel in Jordan at 8.30am for the 1 hour journey to the Jordanian border, crossing through the beautiful Jordan Valley. The valley is lush & green & sits at least 400m below sea level, once here, all the bags came off the bus & were x-rayed etc...(& Pauly's binoculars were freed from their restraints with minimal fuss & lots of cigarette smoke). Next we were back on the bus travelling for approximately 10 minutes through 'no man's land' (our view was sniper towers, trenches, barbed wire & desolation) to the Israeli border crossing. Here, the bags came off the bus again & were x-rayed whilst we obtained our visas, passed through security checks & moved to our buses (all new buses & drivers as our Jordanian guides did not cross into Israel). Interestingly, the binoculars were of no interest to the Israelis, however my 5 kg of authentic turkish delight was a different story 😁; but once they had performed all of their necessary security checks I got my loot & was free to go. The Israeli guards were very thorough but made us feel very welcome - a dramatic difference to what we had experienced entering other countries. We were now officially in Israel & on our way to Tel Aviv!
    The first city we spotted was the oldest in the world - Jericho! Unfortunately we did not have time to stop but we will definitely come back on another visit!
    Lunch was held in Tel Aviv at the Rishon Le-Zion Museum where we learnt about the history of the Jewish nation & the Israeli flag, amonst other things.
    This afternoon we were treated to a wonderful concert at Jaffa Railway Station, on the Tel Aviv foreshore, by our concert band (The Perth Hills & Wheatbelt Band). They flew in from Perth this morning along with all other ('Option B') tour members - there are now 180 of us in total!
    After another long day, we enjoyed a scrumptious buffet dinner at our wonderful accommodation - Dan Panorama Hotel, before a quick "hello" & welcome from the Australian Ambassador to Israel.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    Tel Aviv Beach
    The Port City of Haifa with a view towards the UNESCO World Heritage Baha'i Gardens & Golden DomeHaifa War CemeteryOld Jaffa Port (Namal Yafo)Etzel Museum on the Tel Aviv sea shore

    Israel

    October 20, 2017 in Israel ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Today we drove north of Tel Aviv to the city of Haifa at the foot of the Carmel Mountains. On the way we stopped at the small village of Zichron Ya'acov where we visited the Aaronsohn Family Home & N.I.L.I. Museum. We learnt all about the sacrifice this family made to provide intelligence to the British forces on Turkish movements from 1915-1917.
    The acronym N.I.L.I. stands for "Netzah Israel Lo leshaker" - "the Eternity of Israel will not lie", taken from 1 Samuel 15:29. It was essentially the first Jewish underground.
    The goals of N.I.L.I. were:
    ▪To assist the British army in winning the war against the Turks by collecting intelligence material
    ▪To support the Jewish community in Eretz Israel who suffered from famine & disease
    ▪To draw the attention of the outside world to the situation in the country
    ▪To further the Zionist dream of a National Homeland
    Due to the assistance of N.I.L.I. spy ring, the British (& allied forces) succeeded in conquering Palestine from the Ottoman Empire, & this accelerated the end of the war in the entire region.
    At the port city of Haifa we stopped for a wreath laying ceremony at a small cemetary where 19 members of the 4th LH Regiment are resting in peace after fighting in the battle of Semakh on 25th September 1915.
    The drive back to Tel Aviv was 1.5 hours on the coast road & many wonderful landmarks were pointed out along the way. Once we arrived back at the hotel we went for a walk along the beach to the old port of Jaffa & explored her hidden pathways & history.
    Another great day done & dusted.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    Exploring the ancient port city of Caesarea
    View from Tel Megiddo - otherwise known as Armageddon!Excavations have revealed 26 layers of ruins dating back to 7000 BC

    Israel

    October 21, 2017 in Israel ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    We awoke to another jam packed day full of activities & places to visit. Our first stop was the ancient port city of Caesarea; the beautiful weather that we have experienced on this trip, has made for fantastic photo opportunities. The history of this once great city was incredible! Next we stopped just up the road to view the ancient aquaducts that brought fresh water to the city; amazing architectural & engineering feats & in a beautiful location along the Mediterranean Sea.
    The next hour was spent taking in the gorgeous views of the Israeli countryside (very similar to Australia) on our way to lunch at the ancient Tel Megiddo aka. Armageddon. Wow! The view was phenomenal! No wonder this was such a strategic stronghold for millennia! We could see the hills of Nazareth, Mount Tabor, Carmel Mountain Range & the Jordan Valley from here.
    After lunch we drove for another hour to Nazareth for a quick photo opportunity from the top of Mount Precipice. Hokey smokes, the view from here was breathtaking - way higher than Megido! We could have spent all day exploring the old city of Nazareth - we will definitely have to come back 😁
    We were back on the bus again for the 45 minute journey to the serene Sea of Galilee where we enjoyed a cruise before checking in to our accommodation for the next three nights - a kibbutz on the edge of the Sea of Galilee (Nof Ginosar). A beautiful, relaxing place to lay our weary heads after a long day of travelling.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    The ancient Nimrod Fortress dating back to the 13th CenturyThe oldest known mud brick arches in the world. The Canaanite Gate near Tel DanThe Tel Dan Nature Reserve is very close to the border with Lebanon.Ray guarding the South Gate entrance to the old city of Dan

    Israel (Golan Heights)

    October 22, 2017 in Israel ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Today we had another beautiful day of sunshine & blue sky - the weather has been perfect thus far! We started out a little later today which was good, as we needed a moment to catch our breath.
    We are still located at the Kibbutz on the edge of the Sea of Galilee & essentially travelled north east today to the border regions with Lebanon & Syria - we were exploring the Golan Heights!
    Our first stop was Mount Bental, with a wonderful coffee shop (Coffee Anan) & lookout at the top. Mount Bental is a dormant volcano & is also a strategic UN outpost used to survey the happenings over the border in Syria. If you stopped & were quiet, you could hear the odd gunshot in the distance - we later found out that four missiles were intercepted mid flight the night before...
    From here we headed down the mountain & closer to the Syrian border, where we stopped, overlooking Golan Volcanic Park, & listened to a talk given by a recently retired Brigadier General & Chief of Staff (Northern Region) from the Israeli Defence Force on the current military situation & it's recent past - it was so fascinating & informative. From here we could clealy view the border fence & crossing, the destoryed town of Quneitra on the Syrian side, & the UN Peacekeeping base on the Israeli side. The difference in the fruitful abundance of the Israeli side in comparison with the desolate wasteland on the Syrian side was immense & incredibly thought provoking...
    We were back on the road again & heading north (only a few minutes up the road) to the Druze village of Mas'ade (Masada) - The Israeli Druze are a unique religious and ethnic minority among Arab citizens of Israel. Mas'ade is a small town of approximately 3,500 not too far from Mount Hermon - the highest point in Israel & home to Israel's only ski fields (there was no snow there at this time though). We had a wonderful falafel for lunch here before continuing up into the hills, passing Nimrod's Fortress along the way.
    Our next stop was the ruins of the ancient (4500 BC) Israelite City of Dan (Tel Dan) & taking in the incredible history & beauty of this world renowned National Park. We saw where the spring that forms the Dan River is located & I even managed to dip my feet in a pool of cool waters. We saw a 700 year old flour mill & the oldest arch known in history - a Canaanite gate. After spending almost 2 hours exploring this ancient area we were back on the bus again & descending into the beautiful Hula Valley where we were just in time for a tour of the Hula Valley Bird Centre & a trip on one of their camouflaged tractor trailers to view the migrating birds come in to rest for the evening in the grassy marshlands. We saw flamingos, herons, cranes (they are so big & noisy), black ibis (a little more glamourous than the 'dump birds' we have at home), kingfishers, pelicans & ....a wild boar! It was incredible! The setting sun reflecting off the mountains boardering Lebanon created perfect picture opportunities & topped off the day.    Read more

  • Paulnangie's AdventuresMiddle East - October 2017Traveler
    View south with Tiberias on the right. The Sea of Galilee lies 693 feet below sea level!
    Yigal Alon Museum at the Kibbutz Ginosar on the Sea of GalileeRemanents of the Galilee Boat from the time of JesusThe mammel Nutria (or Coypu) is a web footed rodent that runs rampant in these parts.

    Israel

    October 23, 2017 in Israel ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We had a rest day today and bypassed the itinerary. We got up to date with all of our washing; had an afternoon nap; explored the museum onsite at the kibbutz - Galilee Miracles Centre & enjoyed a walk along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It was wonderful to just rest & catch our breath.
    The museum was fascinating & contained a boat found, not far from the kibbutz, in 1986 that has been dated to the first century BC!
    The boat was over 8m long & was made using 12 different types of wood. It was found after the waters had receded, during a severe drought & the tale of its excavation & restoration was really interesting.    Read more

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