2017 -- JANUARY 5-18 ISRAEL & JORDAN, JANUARY 18-25 NYC
ITINERARY
12 nights First Class accommodations
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv; transfer to your hotel in the "golden" city of Jerusalem. Time to settle in and acclimate to your new time zone. In the evening, meet your Tour Manager for a briefing on the extraordinary journey that awaits you in Israel, followed by a light supper together with your fellow travelers
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Dinner
JANUARY 5, Thursday and 6, Friday
The future, it is said, is unknowable. That doesn't mean we can't speculate. What will a journey to the Middle East yield--an area of the world fraught with danger--there are advisory warnings about travel to Israel and Jordan, our destinations--and yet this is a place redolent with tradition and personal identity. Sheryl, our financial planner, said you won't be prepared for the emotions you'll feel being in Israel. I'm an emotional person I replied. And I was it turns out a young Zionist, oh 60 years ago, playing kibbutznik at a camp for Zionist teenagers. But that was then. Now I want Israel to stop pushing borders and settling, settling. Who knows what we'll learn about all that once we're there, what we'll feel there. The future is unknowable it is said.
These thoughts while rocking in a rocking chair on the terrace of the Delta Sky lounge--we're first class travelers garnering first class treatment this very early morn in San Diego. A few hours earlier we both arise in the middle of the night to get ourselves together for the journey. Uber arrives instantly and we're off, surprised by all of the traffic and hubbub as we approach the terminal at this early hour.
I'll have a Bloody Mary I tell the giant first class steward from my first class seat. (Are we a bit too obsessed with our rarified fate?)
For breakfast we've ordered the omelette not the hot Luba oatmeal, whatever that is. (Oatmeal is oatmeal Bob confides.) Bob is disappointed that the flight to New York is "only" 4 hours. I say first class makes it fly faster. Time for bloody number 2. Then the lead assistant addresses us by name and serves us a ginormous breakfast. Bob noticing I've a few morsels left on my plate says "You eat like a bird." I "A big fat bird." "A raptor."
Bob watches Bridget Jones Baby which he finds "diverting, an airplane movie". I watch Florence Foster Jenkins with Meryl Streep. I'm not sure if it's the 3rd bloody but I think it's the funniest movie I've ever seen. 4th bloody and I think it's the most passionate movie I've ever seen. Whatever the sober truth I sure enjoy it. Brilliant performance by Streep of course as the duped Jenkins who buoyed by those who love her thinks she can sing. Hugh Grant as her loving husband delivers greatly as does Helberg as her at first reluctant gay accompanist. Splendid fun.
Next I'll try a movie I've not heard of, DANCER, simply because I'm a dancer (sort of). Almost. Can shimmy like my sister Sam. Doc bio of the Ukrainian born ballet star Sergei Polunin, "the next Nureyev". Became a principal of the Royal Ballet at 19. He became the bad boy of ballet and quit the RB. Then tried connecting with his family. Fascinating portrait of the tortured artist, how a true artist must sacrifice for his muse. Some day I'll catch the last ten minutes--plane has landed--and find out how it ends. Of course it hasn't ended. He's still a young man.
The Swiss Air lounge is a welcome relief after the security line (even if it's a priority line) and needing to take off our shoes. Of the indignity of it. Some cheese and red wine will need to tide us over until the feast presumably awaiting us on the next leg of our trip a few hours hence.
Well Swiss Biz class is pretty damn posh. Lots of space and gadgetry, makes Delta 1st look like economy. There's a whole mission control panel for each of us; we can control the firmness of our cushion and there's a button for a "mood light" and controls for seat massage, lounge and sleep positions. I'm like a kid in a candy store. And here's our candy, I mean really good champs. And here's "treats" for us. I make barking noises. There's a hat with comfy socks and other little necessaries. And a gooseneck lamp for reading. Ooga, ooga.
Capt. says our flight is 7 hours.
The attendants start speaking to us in German (or Swiss--can't tell, being an ignorant American monolinguist despite years of language study). Bob is proud that we are being taken for foreigners. Not such a good thing in our country I reply. These days. Ach these days.
Let's see, I'll see GHOSTBUSTERS. Interrupted by din din. Bob has an Australian Shiraz which he likes as I do my Pinot Noir. The cheesecake--we Needed it--is really really good. But of the movie, lame. Very little wit. Not much of a feminist screed either. Too much destruction and violence. Next.
Great that the seat reclines into a bed. Then it sits up and slaps you upside the head. Not that but though there will be no sleep I do indeed recline.
As we hover over Zurich's environs and land we see snow everywhere. It's a startling and lovely sight.
It's good we arrive early at the gate from Zurich to Tel Aviv because we'll be flying El Al and we are directed to a kiosk for intense questioning which actually makes us feel safer. "What is your connection?" "We're married 8 years. Together 42." "A young couple." "Nothing young about us." Much discussion of our bags and potential bombs. I tell him my name is Hebrew but neglect to tell him I'm a Jew and this trip is a big deal for me. There's a couple of military types patrolling the lobby--"politzei" with rifles. I don't know whether to feel safe or scared. The flight we are told is mostly empty. Hmm. I try to get an upgrade but at $600 per for a 4 hour flight. No ma'am. And we're told our row is empty anyway. As we sit and wait for check-in, we notice the guy who questioned us is gone. "Maybe god sent him just to question us," I say. "That's theologically incorrect," says Bob. "Not incorrect. Maybe questionable," I reply. "I don't see any Jews in big fur hats" says Bob. I say, "that's Ukrainians."
And I've never seen so empty a plane. We're in a row of 3 and can leave the middle seat for Elijah (getting Biblical references onboard early). I count 3 passengers in Business Class and maybe 25 in economy. And this is a plane that could cram in maybe 350. And so decrepit a plane. Nothing like the spanking new luxe high tech Swiss plane that got us to Zurich from New York. Speculation as to whether people are avoiding Israel because of all the mishigas. Bob thinks it's the season. I speculate that the Gate 1 tour will probably be full. We'll see in 4 hours.
We seem to be taxiing forever in the interstices between the snow. Once aloft it's blintzes for lunch. They are sweet and good. Couple of different kinds of yogurts. Simple after the fare we've been having in the upper classes. But I've been eating to bursting in those upper regions of luxe.
Water water everywhere and finally Tel Aviv sprawling below--spread out, huge, clusters of buildings or houses or roadways and arable land, no sign of desert. Bumpy landing at Ben Gurion Airport. Bob says send him back to school (the captain). We're wished "Shabbat shalom". Yup it's late Friday afternoon. Soon it will be sundown and the Sabbath will begin. I'm already tearing up. What a wimp.
Easy peasy through customs but Our Gate 1 rep directs us to belt 3 which is thick with humanity waiting for luggage. Wrong belt.
Ricardo (South American name but a Jew) our limo driver (yup a Mercedes just for us) tells us that the drive to Jerusalem is 45 minutes but that it takes forever to get out of the nasty parking lot especially because it's the Sabbath. This explains the crowds in the terminal waiting to make it in time. He explains that El Al doesn't fly on the Sabbath hence so many last minute flights.
He tells us there's 8 mil population in Israel, about 6 1/2 mil Jews the rest Muslim. I'm wondering how to introduce politics. I do. He says the US is Israel's daddy, it's rich uncle. He says that they are trying to bring down "the great man" Netanyahu with corruption charges but today found only Cuban cigars and champagne in his Home. "That's all." He turns on the news. He says they (I say opposition party?)
He says they're trying to show proof that he took a bribe from the Germans for a submarine sale. We are climbing through lush hills. Palestine is 2000 feet high.
We pass a McDonalds which he says is now closing for the Sabbath. I tell him about my youth pretending to be a kibbutznik. He says why didn't you come? He says that impetus is over these days. Young people no longer want to work the land as volunteers in kibbutzim. I mention that I collected money as a kid to plant trees. He says that's still going on, that the groves we passed were planted through an organization that collects funds.
We pass a Muslim Arab village. They open now for the Israelis on the Sabbath. The Israelis love their hummus. I say they're like shabbos goyim. He laughs. "Kind of." He says 15 % are Sabbath keepers here. I guess I'll find out what that means. On the left is east Jerusalem, mostly Muslim. On the right is the Jewish side.
We pass hassids. As we go through a tunnel he says on the other side we go back 5000 years in time. Bob asks about Bethlehem. He says it's a suburb of Palestine but it is strictly for Palestinians and closed to Israelis.
The Mt. Zion Hotel has charm but our room is small and our view of the old wall is at an angle. Since we discover we'll be here 4 nights, I ask the clerk about an upgrade. Not possible tonight because they're sold out but enquire tomorrow. I will.
Ofer is our guide. 41 people in our group. This is a Turkish style hotel. He brought his 4 1/2 year old adorable twins (boy and girl) who play a game counting people as we sit.
We sit in a circle and introduce ourselves. I'd say quite a few non-Jews, most are frequent Gate 1 travelers. Mostly older. 1 20-something. We're the only gay people. That's ok. He goes over the Israeli itinerary. Despite notoriety he says we are not targets of terrorism. Israel is very safe. From his mouth . . .
Nice "light" supper buffet. We like the orange colored soup--not sure what it is. Brugies (little roll sandwiches) and salad and some near eastern type delicacies. I've a roast beef one to take to the room with our lovely smuggled vodka during which quaffing Bob reveals he feared terrorist detectors would think we were smuggling liquid bombs in our suitcases. Please let's catch up on sleep before tomorrow's trek of the city.
JAN 7 DAY 3, Saturday - Jerusalem's Old City
This morning, enjoy a walking tour, exploring Jerusalem's walled Old City with its four distinct sections known as the Christian Quarter, Jewish Quarter, Muslim Quarter and Armenian Quarter. At Mt. Zion, visit the Room of the Last Supper and the traditional tomb of King David. Ascend Mt. Scopus, to view a panorama of the city
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bob is up and about at 5 am. "We went to bed at 9," he explains. But I have had but 3 hours, max 3 1/2 hours, having arisen at 12 and then wrestled with the too cantankerous Morpheus, phony god of sleep, into the long night. Only benefit is that I get to think creatively--there's a five minute Jewish play contest. (I know, my goal for 2017 is to write a production-worthy full-length) but this trip will offer all sorts of 5 minute grand ideas, like capitalizing on the ride from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, dialogue with the Israeli driver. Making stuff up. That's entertainment.
The hotel has a certain exotic quality, not sure it's old--made up to look old. Like me. No wait . . . And this carries through to the dining rooms, one capacious one of which is set up for breakfast. Really good. Authentic food. No omelette and pancakes in evidence. A piece of salmon, honey baked (?)-- is heavenly. Homemade cream cheese. Nice spinach quiches. The hot sauce has kick and more kick. I'm afraid we indulge in the desserts too--strudel (Middle East?) and a chocolate twirl pastry.
Although the sign on the bus says it's mandatory to fasten the seat belts we find none.
We get our Whisperers, a misnomer for those troublesome but essential devices for a large--too large--group of tourists.
Jerusalem is 3000 years old one of the oldest cities in the world. Only l,850,000 pp. makes it the largest in Israel. Founded by king David. 2 parts. New and eastern--which we'll see today. This is the Arab side. Until 1967 there was a wall between Israel and Jordan. Then Israel demolished the wall.
We'll drive to Mt Hebron's Hebrew university built 1921. Lost to Jordan in 1948, then regained in 1967. Fri (Muslim) and Sat (Jews) off. The population thus works Sun -Thurs.
He says a prayer, Baruch ato . . . , which we repeat as we hold hands. Golden dome. This is where Jesus chased the money changers. Wall: mercy gate. Jesus declared himself the messiah. Wide dome is the great synagogue.
Ofer tells us that the history he will relate will offer us insight into everything we will see ("the classic comics version" Bob will say).
It starts with the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. This represented the Beginning of Judaism 4000 years ago. 3000 years ago it would be king David who called the city he built the City of David, the beginning of Jerusalem. His son Solomon, a man of peace, built the first Jewish temple. Housed menorah. 7 candles. Day of rest. Gave us all the week. Lasted 400 years.
Israel was the main junction of the world. So therefore every nation wanted to conquer Israel. Jews were exiled to Iraq. Persians took over Iraq. 1/2 remained in Iran. 1/2 came here to this poor country. Prophets said come. Then Alexander the Great took over Israel. That lasted 200 years. Then the Romans--700 years. Built beautiful cities. Jews not happy. Wanted their temple. King Herod (1/2 Jewish) built the great port city, Caesarian. Built a great palace, Masada. Made a flat mountain for the temple. Built walls to protect the temple. Western wall, etc. Then Mary, that virgin, heard she'd have a son, the messiah. He had to be born in Bethlehem. At 18 she informed him that he had to be the messiah. (Pushy stage mothers!) So he walked from Galelee. Performed miracles. Then walked along the Jordan river to Jerusalem. Met John--got baptized. Saw the temple in Jerusalem. Walked. Disappointed. Saw money changers. Stayed in the Garden of Gotsemene. Invited to Passover in Mt. Zion. This was the Last Supper. Judah betrayed him. Walked. Crucified. Romans decided to destroy Jews who rebelled. Exiled them. Made to bring menorah to the pope as proof of what they did. 2/3 of Jews were killed at that time. As of 324, 1700 years ago, Queen Eileen of Rome told her son she adopted a new religion. She built the Holy Sepulcher church. Her son Constantine said he would also adopt Catholicism.
Mohammed said there is one god only. He never formed a religion. That happened 50 years after his death. His Disciple said he saw that Mohammed flew to Mt Moravian. Became a holy place. 1100 years ago Muslims took over Jerusalem, destroyed churches and built mosques. Europe became more Muslim 100 years ago. Protests. Crusaders arrived to defeat Muslims and send them back to countries. The Crusaders destroyed mosques in Jerusalem. Then 700 years ago the Crusaders were themselves defeated. Became Muslim once again. But the holy sepulcher church was never destroyed. 500 years ago the Turks oppressed the Jews up until the 1st world war. British then dealt with the Turks who said the Jews can have Israel.
We look up at the Mt. of Olives where Jesus walked.
Walk through Lions Gate to the old city. Beth Hassan Holy Sepulcre church belongs to all Christian denominations who want it. We see three Ethiopian clerics walking to sit in the sun in their heavy robes.
Lunch as a group is at the Fountain Restaurant a little semi dive. Bob likes his falafel ($10) very much, I a bit less so the shawarma ($12).
King Herod. "Gifted but crazy." We're at the tower of David museum built 900 years ago with stones Herod used for his palace.
35,000 people Are living within these walls.
The Mameluke slaves took over the Middle East 1260-1517.
Jewish flag is the prayer shawl with Star of David.
Mt. Zion gate. Difficult to penetrate. Slits to shoot out repelled the invaders.
The Upper room is a Real location. Destroyed and rebuilt many times. Blood and flesh in Christian ceremony all from here, the last supper. Why upper room? Under it king David's tomb. Closing the circle. Most holy place is here.
In King David's tomb the Hassids seem to be having such a good time. They are singing and jumping up and down and banging their bibles rhythmically. We touch the tomb. I ask the nice Philippina ladies we met at lunch what the separated women were doing. They said just reading. I say it's a shame; they were not having nearly as much fun. The Philippina ladies seem flummoxed by my remark. Or do they pity me for thinking that men barking and jumping have a better idea than women in prayerful contemplation?
We're glad to be back on the warm bus passing a cemetery where Schindler is buried. Another reminder.
Recap of our visitations. Mt. Scopius 1st. Then the old city with the stations of the cross. Then the Christian bazaar. Then David's museum. Finally the upper room of the Last Supper. We walked 4 miles and 7000 steps. (Confirmed by users of the latest iPhone.)
"Today we felt earthly Jerusalem with foot and heavenly Jerusalem with our hearts." And Bob declares Ofer is the best guide we've had. Probably but I remind him that Gate 1 has offered us a number of fine tour leaders. There was the Thai guy for example.
First thing, and I'm proud of myself, we get our room upgrade ($70 more a night). Pack and get sweet Ameer born and raised in Jerusalem to fetch our luggage and lead us down (it takes two tiny elevators and a number of marble steps) to a very private enclave to our new quarters, somewhat larger, more refreshed, and more importantly offering a balcony with a great view of the old city of Jerusalem. Much more to our standards and a classy way to show our respect for this incredible place over the next three nights.
After assembling in the lobby where Ofer again has rules of the road and hints of things ahead we walk to our restaurant in the lower levels of an art house movie theatre cum cultural center.
We have a room to ourselves. The bread a sort of 1/2 focaccia 1/2 nan is delicious. We have a 1/2 carafe of red wine which is quite good, has personality, a dry finish. The food served plentifully family style is uniformly delicious. I particularly like the spiced lamb balls (though not typically a fan of lamb). Dessert coconut sorbet and chocolate sorbet-- lovely with ginger tea. I'm instructed by my new friends to slice the ginger floating in the hot water. Is this something only pan-Asians know? The taste of the tea is subtle and fine.
Walking, just ourselves now, is a relief. Bob says these dinners are always a struggle. He was sitting at the end of the table across from the ever-scowling Vietnamese man who made a scene at lunch today. It was when he marched in to the space where we were crowded at long tables awaiting our food that he demanded "You don't have to eat here! There are other places." This clearly disturbed Ofer who protested "I told you this." There were a few defectors and lunch proceeded. Ofer sitting next to me responded when I said it's nice here with a quizzical smile and later assaulted the manager with a barrage of intense Hebrew. So this same man, a freedom fighter? a perpetual discontent? sits at table's end, across from poor Bob while I engage his sweet wife, and the Chinese couple across from me, and the Philopeno couple of this afternoon's lunch, to my left. Later when we walk by ourselves--blessedly--back to the hotel Bob says of this "third world contingent" "you charm them" in recognition of my engagement in conversation mainly about our many mutual travels. It is only when the discussion turns to their grandchildren that I too am removed.
Wake up at 3 in the morning to the song of dogs incessantly barking from a dream in which I am a high school teacher. The new graduates are planning to have a party at the school, an illicit party where there will be drinking. As a new popular teacher I can attend. But there is danger in that. Donald Trump's daughter is in the graduating class. If this gets out and the kids inevitably self destruct we'll . . . There is a call. Are we threatening one another, Donald and I? He has his strongarm ways. He will drive by in his limo and intimidate everyone. (Clearly the results of the American election have invaded my psyche.)
Anyway the dogs are really barking. Where am I? At home? No. On an airplane? No traveling. Where? Reuel can't you at least remember that? Mexico? No. Some quasi-Slavic country? Ah, I think tenderly, Israel. Are these dogs barking in the arroyo because there are intruders. There's always that lurking in this country. A Guard sits warily in a high seat in front of the hotel and there's one in the lobby. Black clad Sabras (soldiers) guns in holsters, rifles at the ready, patrol the streets, surveying the crowds at the crowded antiquities, nexus of ever-warring cultures.
The dogs continue to bark as I write this. Will they ever stop. An hour later they are silenced. Will the peace last?
That question will no doubt be implicit in the prayers we write for tomorrow's visit to the eastern wall.
The barking returns. Bob is up too. He cannot sleep. Are they wild mad dogs? Is there no stopping them? And no peace in the Middle East.
JAN 8 DAY 4, Sunday - The Old City's Jewish Quarter
Today, explore the Jewish Quarter starting at the Southern Wall excavations. Visit the state-of-the-art Davidson Center in the Archaeological Park with its exhibits, illustrations and interactive multimedia, including a virtual reality reconstruction of the Herodian Temple Mount in the year 70 CE. Then, an extraordinary experience as you walk through centuries of history with a local expert in the Western Wall Tunnel with its wealth of wondrous archaeological discoveries. Continue to the Cardo, an ancient Roman shopping street; see the excavations that reveal another layer of the city's past. End the tour at the remains of the defensive Broad Wall built by Hezekiah during the 8th century BC. The remainder of the day is on your own. Stroll through the lanes of the Old City, visit the exotic bazaars or join the throngs of people at cafes along Jerusalem's main shopping street. The optional afternoon tour to Bethlehem includes a visit to the Church of the Nativity, commemorating the birthplace of Christ. This evening, discover independently some of Jerusalem's diverse cuisine and fine restaurants
Optional: Half Day Bethlehem (PM)
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
The dogs are at last silent and it is morning.
We put our prayers in the niches of the western wall. I
dedicate mine to my parents. Bob won't tell me his. Bob says it's very
touching, like lighting candles. We ask the nice young man to take our picture.
I say to Bob, why did you say he's full of himself. Bob says "That's
before I got to know him. Stop chiding me. You're full of chide."
"That's true," I say. "That's because we're in Israel and I've
become more Jewish."
Three times a year Jews made
a pilgrimage to the Holy of Holy.
Why only women? Because need a minion. Can enable Jewish
life with ten families wherever you are.
Offer drops us off at the hotel. He's not permitted as an
Israeli Jew to join us. On the way to Bethlehem we pass through the checkpoint
at the big steel-looking fence the Israeli's built. Johnny hops on. He's our
Christian Palestinian guide. We stop at a huge emporium, where we are the only
group, with the usual choices. Today Bob and I have a falafel sandwich. He says
it's better than yesterday's, more full. I might have preferred the pizza but
am trying to do in Rome as the Romans. Then a little baklava.
"The circle's closed. Born in Bethlehem. Return to
Bethlehem, except it was the other one, not Pennsylvania's Xmas city but the
city of Christ."
Dinner at this old train station, now a commercial enterprise somewhat akin to San Francisco's reworked Ferry Stop.
The two guys at the very close next table order the cocktail of choice, a whiskey
concoction. Sounds awful says Bob. It's named after a staff person from Puerto
Rico. They do that with their drinks.
My chestnut gnocchi has a very much risotto taste. It's
good not brilliant we agree. Could use a little, what, salt? Bob's burger also
good not brilliant. He doesn't like the bun so much.
Morning visit to the magnificent Israel Museum, strikingly set on a hillside surrounded by the Knesset, the Supreme Court and Hebrew University. Here, tour the Shrine of the Book, home to the world-famous Dead Sea Scrolls, one of the world's most important historical finds and the Scale Model of ancient Jerusalem that depicts in miniature the city from nearly 2,000 years ago. Continue to Mount Herzl to pay respects to Israel's war heroes, dignitaries and founders. Next to Yad Vashem, memorial to the Holocaust on the Mount of Remembrance. Walk along the Avenue of the Righteous, visit the Children's Pavilion and tour the Museum. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, or participate in the optional tour to the Herodian Mansions, a 2,000 year old excavated residential quarter, and the Burnt House, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Don't miss tonight's very special optional evening that includes dinner at a popular restaurant, attendance at the spectacular "Sound & Light" Show at the Tower of David, and a drive through illuminated Jerusalem
Optional: Half Day Jerusalem Herodian Mansions & Burnt House (PM)
Optional: Illuminated Jerusalem with Dinner (PM)**
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
Josephus converted to be a Roman. Those who didn't convert
were killed. 3rd group: "Let's flee." Formed Jericho and Masada.
Another formed an all male community to keep Judaism alive. These men took ritual baths. Studied the bible and to make a living they sold dates. Thought it was the end of the world so
they copied the bible into scrolls. Described everything. Put scrolls in caves.
In 1947 these were discovered after 2000 years. Then the war of independence
occurred. King Hussein kept Israel for the Jews. 1967 found fragments. Main info--what
the ancient temple was like. Only the book of Esther was not found. Until the 50's the
scrolls were spread around the world. To house scrolls an American family
supplied the funds on the condition that their young son would be the architect. 
At Mt. Herzl. Soldiers here. Required to have 1 week of
education.
Herodian house. Six families living together. 1 ritual
bath for each family. Must be pure . Can just add rainwater. Soldiers there
sitting listening to an orthodox woman lecturing. Ofor says that the right
wing government is increasingly requiring religious indoctrination.
"Turning Israel into almost Iran."
Roasted eggplant w tahini.
Depart Jerusalem driving along the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, to Masada. Ascend by cable car to the top of these heroic heights; listen to the narrative of the Zealots who chose to perish rather than live under Roman rule. Visit the archaeological sites including the remains of Herod's Palace, a synagogue, bath houses, dwellings and workshops. At the base, visit the Museum of Masada exhibiting relics discovered on the mountain before driving to the hotel on the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight
Overnight: Dead Sea
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
As I snap a parting pic of the bustling, spacious dining
hall the maitre d' who seemed at first distant quips "One dollar, one
dollar". I say "you're selling cheap" and think he like everyone
on this tour has emerged with personality and warmth.
We stop by the side of the highway to see the caves where the scrolls were found. We take a picture. When British came here in 1921 they asked the Bedouins how to find water. Marked water level. Dead Sea in Hebrew is called Salty Sea.
At the apex Ofer tells the story: King Herod builds a winter palace here at this steep protected mountain with a double wall. He thus had status but never visited. Later on in the Roman era 3000 Jews moved in. Romans killed Jews everywhere except in Herodia and Masada. Jews stoned Romans climbing to the top. For 2 months Romans put on a seige. Some Jews left. Then Romans built a wall around the mountain. But Jews survived with Herod's sisterns. 1500 were left. Slaves built unfinished ramp. Then brought Jewish slaves to build a ramp. The Masada wouldn't kill fellow Jews. Knew they were going to die. These 900 people were ordered to kill themselves. Romans found them dead. "Masada shall never fall again."(200 years ago.) Ofer promises that emotionally. I'm tearful.
We sit in the oldest synagogue and then see a scribe
writing the book of Isaiah with the permission of the Israeli government. We go into the enclosure and see him writing
and hear him flirt with Sharon the criminology prof we met last night. We learn
from Ofer that he takes orders from synagogues for $80,000 to 
transcribe a
Torah. Takes 2 years. Then we see one of the three water holes.
We look down at the northern palace. The three floors.
220 feet high. Lowest for guests. Middle for fun. Top is the palace.
Shortly later we find the lobby bar where Conner is
sipping wine and communing with his iPhone. The non-English speaking bartender
clearly having no idea what a martini is we resignedly order the one drink he
knows, red wine. Conner's irrepressible uncle, Roger--he of small town
Wisconsin--joins us at the bar and what ensues until Ofer gathers us for dinner
is a fascinating discussion at first of mutual travels and then of our mutual
fear, he a conservative who voted for Hillary, of the new administration. 
As to the buffet, well it's in a cavernous room, too well lighted, crowded--the usual mid Eastern favorites--and after a while we decide to pass on the Israeli guest dance and song fest in the lobby--oh happy fate--and repair to our room, eyes shut by eight.
This morning travel into northern Israel through the Jordan River Valley passing Qumran, the archaeological site near the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Afterwards, stop at Beit Alpha***. Go back in time and visit the mosaic floor of the ancient Synagogue depicting lunar Hebrew moons and their corresponding zodiac signs. After a short lunch break on your own, visit the ruins of the Roman theater in the impressive archaeological site of Beit She'an. From here continue to Yardenit, a popular baptismal site on the Jordan River before a stop in Caprice, famous for the diamond factory. Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening
Overnight: Galilee
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
His opinion: if they ask for independence, give it to
them. But 12 years ago he was shocked by Sharon. He was the most right wing prime minister but after
2 years in office he decided to pull out of Gaza completely. Moved Israelis
out. Sharon said let's invest money into it and built an industry area.
Happiness reigned for 2 years. US pushed for elections. But Hamas was elected.
They bombed the industrial area which meant Palestinians were without jobs and
were dependent on the government. Bombed Israel. 2 years ago there was war. His
home was bombed. His Twins were away at school. Israel retaliated. Peace since.
So now Ofer doesn't trust Palestinians though he wants peace for them. He
doesn't know what the solution is. 
Health care: Israel had same system re. insurance as we had before Obama. 25 years ago however the government took over. The citizens give 2.75% of their salary for health care. Free to see family physician. 25 shekels to specialist for 3 month of care. Extra $5 for 3 years. Pay not more than $100 per month for medicine. It works. As of 5 years ago kids are getting a free start--soon up to 18. Private medical care, for $15 a month. He pays $50 a month for the whole family for care anywhere in the world.
(We're leaving Dead Sea to northern valley.)
Israeli citizens are not allowed into Bethlehem or
Jericho. Autonomous Palestinian.
The Bet Alpha Kibbutz.
On our way, Ofer shows us a map which he affixes up front
in the bus. Israel is 360 miles long. 80 miles wide.
Arena area housed refugees who found the area. Excavated.
The archeologists don't dig for houses but rather dig in the center of town.
Then we go shopping in the Roman "shopping mall" through the streets
of the city.
At first we don't get to see anyone being baptized at our
stop by the Galilee. Nope. Then there's a Man and woman self-baptizing (without
a priest) in white baptisms' sort of nighties. 3 submergings in the cold water
and apparently you're cured or something. Kidding but it's nowhere near an
antidote to catching the religion disease. Pretty scene. Nice smells. Girl
feeding flying doves. Outta here.
We are in sight of our next hotel which, after our welcome drink in the lobby, provides us with the keys to a room in another building on the campus. This room pleases Bob who likes the Danish modern new style that typifies our hotel (which has some connection to a kibbutz). We're on the first floor which means in this case that there's a patio leading out to a rolling green lawn, the hills of Galilee, or so I imagine them to be, that will later twinkle in the distance.
We're tired. We rest. But we've an obligation to Bacchus
who in my case is the clearly non-professional (Bob needs to open the bottle
for him) bartender who serves a Stoli on ice for about 7 bucks and a cab for
Bob. Our usual cocktail hour accomplices are Wisconsin Roger and his DC
girlfriend and his nephew Conner, this time chatting animatedly about,
expectedly, Trump while we enjoy our drinks in happy isolation.
Enjoy a full day at leisure in the lush Galilee region with its pristine Sea of Galilee and meaningful religious heritage. Don't miss the optional full day tour to the Golan Heights to understand more about this strategic area
Optional: Full Day Galilee & Golan Heights with Lunch (AM)
Overnight: Galilee
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bob notes that
much of art in the town has been influenced by Chagall. We are in art heaven or somewhere nearby so
we buy a print of the Holy City in one shop from a hassid and purchase from the
artist an original water color of a poplar tree in the wind, (reminds him of a
candle that his wife lights on Shabos) for 320 shekels ($80) framed. Our reward
is a steaming glass of pomegranate tea in the town square--delicious and yes
it's cold out.
Pass a bomb shelter. Have dozens. The Kibbutz was
declared an army base so got fired on.
Not obligated to work in the Kibbutz. Can work outside.
The winery: Time for a discussion of the liabilities of
technology. My selfie stick is not working. Check. My battery extender has
decided not to work at all. Check. Thus there's no way to record a complete
touring day with camera and notes.
Drinks: Israelis have an aversion to atmospheric
lighting. The bar area is as bright as an airport runway. Is it because they
want to be aware of the sniper lurking behind every column?
Drive through the rolling hills of the Galilee to the sacred town of Nazareth where (according to tradition) Jesus spent his childhood and youth. Visit the Church of the Annunciation and Mary's Well. Continue to the seaport city of Haifa perched high atop Mt. Carmel. View the golden domed Baha'i Shrine and the stunning Baha'i Gardens, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Follow the crystal-blue waters of the Mediterranean coast to ancient Caesarea; see the astounding Roman, Byzantine and Crusader ruins and the 2,000-year-old theater. At the Visitor's Center, watch history come alive at the fascinating multi media presentation. Then on to vibrant Tel Aviv for dinner and overnight. Later, be sure to walk along the dazzling beachfront promenade and stop at a café and just people-watch
Overnight: Tel Aviv
On the bus discover that the wife of the couple who were stuck in Istanbul because of the storm was Beth, my niece's, supervisor as county mental health conservator. (Beth took over her job.) Small world indeed.
Magdela. Romans killed Jews hiding in caves. Mt. Arbil.
Leaving the sea of Galleli area.
Ultra orthodox took Shabbat to a far place. Must rest on Shabbat!
Issue here. Can't walk beyond
city. Fri morning clean the house. Then ritual bath. Today 3-4 everything shuts down. Automatic elevators. Go to synagogue. Then dinner. Sing Shabbat sholom. Dip bread in salt (because was most expensive, best in Russia). Soup. Gefelte fish. 6-10 pm family gathering. Wake up early on Saturday. Brunch after synagogue. Tel Aviv family have a gathering in a restaurant.
80% are orthodox in Israel. Ofer Calls himself a Jewish Protestant.
Pass where Jesus turned water into wine.
Nazareth. 60,000 pop. So far a charmless town.
Clashes between muslims and christians here today.
We're visiting the Church of the Annunciation. Also called the all nation church. Built in '50's. Can see images of Mary as each nation sees her. Here if a church is named St. Mary it's because something happened there (unlike US). Here Mary got the message that Jesus was going to be the messiah. Beginning of Christianity. Queen Elana built this church. Destroyed and restored.
Vatican rebuilt it. Facade with stone carvings.
Beautiful doors depict Jesus's life. We'll see ruins of the 1st church 1700 years ago. Also wall 900 years old that Crusaders destroyed.
Not topped with marble upstairs because waiting for Jesus to return.
Inside. Bob says it's very '50's. Interesting different interpretations of Mary and Jesus .
Mary got the message by a water spring. This Church was built on it.
Our Pilgrimage to the local Arab sweet shop--damn good sweets. The pretense is that it's in celebration of one of the couple's anniversary.
On our way to Haifa to see the B'Hai Gardens. He makes us pronounce it with the -ch. someone asks can we get a chamburger there?
20 years ago no fast food. All Boycotted Israel. (Muslim pressure.) Only coke. But when the fast food chains came in, they failed. Israelis didn't like them.
Only McDonalds (expensive) and KFC still extant. Israelis Breakfasts consist of vegetables, cheeses. (Ours have consisted of everything.)
Most Arab communities drink Pepsi, Jews drink Coca Cola.
Christian Arabs assimilated into Israeli society.
Israeli agriculture is limited: Can have only sophisticated agriculture. Genetically engineer cotton, for example. Give cows classical music. Israelis developed modern Chinese agriculture.
Bob and I find ourselves snoozing on the bus though we slept well.
There's the Carmel ("god's vineyard") mountain where Elijah defeated the false prophets; it stretches all the way to the city of Haifa: Port city. Refineries. Very polluted.
Israelis get all their wheat from Canada.
Pass the German colony where the Germans were kicked out by the British at the start of WW 2. Now Christian Arabs are there. Nice restaurants etc.
250 years ago area of Iraq lush. Jews and B'Hai came out of Muslimism. B'Hai have 3 million people worldwide. Built a temple for each continent. Turkish Muslims moved leader of B'Hai to Haifa thinking it would have no influence. He's Buried in the golden dome. Their court is for all disputes. All B'Hai visit Haifa once a year--good for tourism. So we get a great view over the gardens out to the port of Haifa. (Ofer translated B'Hai tourism pamphlet into Hebrew when he was young.)
Very green and pretty as we drive along the Mediterranean, the city on the hills above.
Story about Holocaust survivors barred by British here. Sent to prison which we pass and now a museum. Told to take showers. Soldiers had to take it with them to prove they were not gas chambers. After 1948 they all became citizens.
Welcome to Caesaria. A beautiful Roman style city on the Mediterranean. We see an excellent short film that shows the various incarnations of Caesaria, Herod's palace and theatre included and then see the ruins built out onto the brilliant blue Mediterranean.
On the way to Tel Aviv We return our "whisperers" which, though yet another techno encumbrance literally hanging around our necks, is a valuable way for guides to speak softly and reach everyone in the group, even in sacred places where silence is appropriate. Harold (HJ), Beth's former boss's husband, and I sing "Shalom Havarim" on the bus a sort of antidote to jingle bells sung at the Herodian theatre.
We pass through Hertzalia named after Theodore Hertzl, now a major tech center. It's just on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
We check in to the Dan Panorama, one of a number of mega hotels along the beach.
Our room offers modern design, a curved wall and, importantly, a view of the ocean. We mustn't dawdle. We've precious little time to see Tel Aviv. But we revert to type. After walking the few blocks to the market in search of a late lunch, we turn back, paranoid about the crowds in confining streets and head back to the hotel's perfectly acceptable bar for a shared Marguerita pizza and a couple of martinis (moi) and cabernets (Bob). Then to rest upstairs in . . . Is it Tel Aviv?
Of Jaffa. Turkish area, art colony. This Ofer points our as we ride to our "farewell dinner" restaurant. The city is still. No one's out. Ofer says he is "no less a Jew" because he doesn't follow all the orthodox rules, working on the Sabbath, for example.
At dinner in an oceanside restaurant (though we see only fairy lights on the windows not the darkening ocean) we are served family style all kinds of mysterious dishes (seems to be the modus here) with plentiful wine. Ofer offers one of his emotional stories about a rabbi who hides a gold spoon he stole at a bar mitzva and put in the boy's talis bag to see if he ever used it. We must use what we've learned on this tour is the moral. I'm tearful. [Later I use this anecdote in my play "The Talis"]
We deliberately sit across from Kathryn and HJ (Beth's friends who serendipitously happened on our tour). We hear of their horrendous weather delayed time in Istanbul for days before they could join our tour. (Gate 1 was blameless and behaved well even providing a private guide to catch them up). And we take a photo to send to Beth of the four of us--we take glee in her inevitable surprise. Her response: "What???"
Many hugs with Ofer (whom we've given a big tip and to his driver as well. Both well deserved.)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
The journey to Jordan begins at the Allenby Bridge border crossing where you'll be escorted through formalities and met by your Jordanian Tour Manager. The first stop is at Bethany, the site of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, and where the prophet Elijah ascended to heaven via a chariot of fire. Afterwards, travel to your hotel at the Jordanian Dead Sea. Here, you can float in buoyant, salty waters at the lowest spot on earth. Take time to relax and enjoy the benefits of the mineral-rich therapeutic waters
Optional: Dinner Package
Overnight: Dead Sea
Meals: Breakfast
Hassan is our driver. Tour guide joke. He's 2nd best driver. First
died last week in a 
Mt.
Nebo is 2200 feet above sea level. This is where Moses died. The church which was closed in
2008 just reopened.
Omar is questioned about Istanbul. "Do you mean politics or weather? I have control over
neither." Jordan is tribal. Either farmers or beduins. He is from the
farmer tribe. His mother says he's a Bedouin because he's always traveling with
groups.
We
speak of politics, how the Iranians who are not religious right are great
people, of the terrorist attacks on the castle that will keep us from visiting
it. How Jordan is tribal, of King Hussein who was a great man the likes of whom
the Middle East will not see again. He doesn't really address my question about
what Jordanians know and think of Trump.
Travel along mountain fringed King's Highway towards Petra. On the way, visit Mount Nebo, where the Bible says Moses climbed to see the Promised Land, and where he is presumed buried overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Continue to Madaba. Enter the Church of St. George to view the vivid 6th century Byzantine map created of mosaic tiles depicting Jerusalem and the Holy Lands. Afterwards, visit a school and workshop to learn about the craft of mosaics. After lunch, on to striking Kerak Castle in a fortified Crusader town and then make a stop at Moses Spring before proceeding to Petra for overnight
Overnight: Petra
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Marriott provides a great bed, a sublimely comfortable
bed, and we sleep the night like princes.
Next mosaics in the Procopius church; one depicts a winery story, from gathering,
carrying the grapes on a donkey and then pressing the grapes to protecting the
grapes. Sheep with its 3 stomachs represents storing of the wine,
Are we, GATE1, the only people in the hotel? Our plan
people are in one dining room. The Philippinos at one table. Others at another.
And we arriving after 7 at our own. The non-plan people are at the bar lounge
and seem to be having appetizers. We are told we can order anything from the
menu. Woopee. And we order the most
expensive dishes on the menu. I am sorry I don't have room in my four stomachs,
however, for a soup course.
Grape leaves nice. Gunna, baba ganouche. We're definitely
not eating American food on this trip. Bob loves the concentration on
vegetables. And our main--Skewers of wonderful meats. Plus. Lamb chops and
vegetables and underneath that great bread.
An astonishing day exploring Petra! Enter the "rose red" city hand sculpted from a mountain range by the Nabateans in the 3rd century BC. Begin your walk (or ride) through the Siq, a winding canyon road. At the end, you'll gaze in total amazement at Petra's most extraordinary monument; the towering Treasury building rising over 140 feet. Beyond, discover soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a theater, burial champers and water channels; all remnants of a once great Nabatean culture. Today Petra is both a Jordanian national treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience! There will be time on your own to further explore Petra before returning to the hotel
Overnight: Petra
Meals: Breakfast
Civilization of Petra. 550 bc-106 ad. Before this Iron Age= Biblical Age. Divided into 3 kingdoms. Now we're in the Edomite lands. All 3 not monotheistic. All spoke Aramaic. Often fought.
This is the Frankensense,
Spices and Myr trading route. In 550 BC the 3 kingdoms vanished by conquest of
Babylonians who wanted to make up their loss of revenue to the Chinese. Nabeeda
tribes made a bargain with the Babylonians to be their agents. Rekem which became
Petra was their capital.
The Babylonians became wealthy. The Greeks failed to
defeat them because Petra was fortified until 106 ad when it fell to the
Romans. "All roads lead to Rome." Early 1100's earthquake so Petra was lost to
maps. The inhabitants lived in ancient tombs until 1985 when Petra was made a
Unesco heritage site and the government convinced the people to abandon their caves. Petra is one of the
new 7 wonders of the world.
Facing a potentially long walk back, we settle into The Basin restaurant at the foot of the Monastery walk which we opt out of--Bob's Achilles heal not ready for the 800 step climb and Reuel not certain of the agoraphobic catastrophe that would ensue walking along the side of a cliff. Our lunch companions are HJ and Kathryn from San Diego. Quite a commodious buffet.
We walk to the Treasury, without the earlier crowds. At
the Treasury we find Abraham or, rather, he finds us. His horse is Oshraf (or
something like). He has 3 horses who have five hour shifts, two days on, one
day off. Maybe not so liberal during the winter when there are fewer tourists.
He is a Bedouin, was born in 1975 and lived 10 years in a cave when in 1985 under
King Hussain the Beduins who lived in the caves were moved to a nearby
community by the government. The ride is as promised quite bumpy, "a
massage" says Abraham who we give $30 for the ride plus $10 tip.
Where were we? We've arrived at the visitors center and
collect our Petra book with overlays and drawings for $30. We find some seating
and our compadres, those who didn't go on the additional trip to the Monastery.
Much talk about the conditions of old age, how hard to walk up, this hurts,
that, Trump alas, complaints. "With Trump we'll have to go back to
work." Anne and her husband from Silicon Valley are a delight. Sense of
humor in full drive. [Omar of our fate: Tomorrow it will be Wadi Rum, Valley of
the moon, a 1 hour and half ride. Off bus 3 hours. Camel rides. Expect great
weather. Don't take credit cards or cash. After 4 hour ride. At hotel 5:30.
Dinner 7:30. Bags tonight out 7:15. Bus 8:]
So we're nicely early back at our room--to watch the sun
setting eventually over the pool view from our windows, a glimpse of the
gorgeous mountains beyond. Then there's the problem after a pseudo naptime of
how we shall keep our luggage weight down. Ah. Drink the weighty wine we bought
in Israel. Clever boys. Then to discover that we will have no sleep the early
morning of Wednesday the 18th in order to get to our departing plane. Oh well.
Meanwhile I reserve tickets for The Present in New York, the hit limited run
Cate Blanchett play.
Our mains: Reuel: Mansaf/National Dish of Jordan. Lamb
cooked in yogurt sauce, served with rice, roasted almonds, and pine nuts. I
don't detect the pine nuts. The yogurt is actually a liquid to douse the lamb
shank and it's very fine. I say it gets 15 points for being authentic. That
makes it an 85. The rice is wonderful. I'm glad these people eat awfully well.
Morning departure to Wadi Rum, a surreal desert terrain of ancient river beds, wind sculpted mountains, vast desert vistas and pastel colored sands. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, often described as the "Valley of the Moon" served as inspiration (and site of the filming) for T.E. Lawrence's novel, Lawrence of Arabia. Ride in a 4x4 vehicle to explore the valley, with its looming rock faces that seem to grow directly out of the sand. Cross the huge red sand dunes and the eroded pillars of sandstone rock known as "The Seven Pillars". Then, a fabulous lunch in an authentic Bedouin tent in the midst of the desert, where you'll be introduced to "Zarb"; a selection of foods cooked in an oven with hot coals beneath the desert floor. Afterwards, travel to Amman. Tonight, a festive Farewell Dinner with your newfound friends
Overnight: Amman
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
His family has 8 women. One sister in law not covered yet
she's considered more religious. Religion is not only prayers but ethics.
Nobody knows your heart.
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight
Maybe we're too damned old to travel. I find my ticket on
the floor and then can't find my passport. It's in my carry-on in the overhead.
Then Bob can't find his ticket. Frantic searching. Nice young man in the seat
behind him finds it. At which point breakfast is served which Bob, stalwart
fellow, actually refuses. I just "pick". We survived this stage of
the trip with a few hours of sleep. Next.
Zo. I fall asleep on one of the too comfortable lounges
for that purpose and Bob even though it's 10:05 and our plane is scheduled to
leave at 10:59 being of a certain how shall we say nervous disposition is beside
himself. He makes us gallop the mile or so marbled halls to our gate and we're
quite nicely on time thank you very much (I get to control editorial since I
write this thing) and discover that premium economy in this mega-liner is
better than biz class on some airlines. Spacious, loads of legroom. Really
nice.
HER. Another film I wanted to see. A very peculiar film that caused a sensation
and well deserved accolades for Joaquin Phoenix a sensitive man who falls in
love with an OS (operating system). She becomes all too human. A rumination on
the nature of relationships. Scarlett Johansson as the OS's voice. Finally she
surpasses him. Directed by the estimable Spike Jones (not the '40's era
burlesque band leader I'm old enough to remember).
ITINERARY
12 nights First Class accommodations
- 4 nights Jerusalem
- 1 night Dead Sea (Israel)
- 2 nights Galilee
- 1 night Tel Aviv
- 1 night Dead Sea (Jordan)
- 2 nights Petra
- 1 night Amman
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| PAC MAN |
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| PACKED, MAN. |
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| HALL CLEARED FOR BATH RENO WHILE WE ARE AWAY |
JAN. 5 DAY 1, Thursday - Depart for Israel
Depart for Israel
JAN 6 DAY 2, Friday - Arrive in Tel Aviv, Transfer to Jerusalem Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Dinner
JANUARY 5, Thursday and 6, Friday
The future, it is said, is unknowable. That doesn't mean we can't speculate. What will a journey to the Middle East yield--an area of the world fraught with danger--there are advisory warnings about travel to Israel and Jordan, our destinations--and yet this is a place redolent with tradition and personal identity. Sheryl, our financial planner, said you won't be prepared for the emotions you'll feel being in Israel. I'm an emotional person I replied. And I was it turns out a young Zionist, oh 60 years ago, playing kibbutznik at a camp for Zionist teenagers. But that was then. Now I want Israel to stop pushing borders and settling, settling. Who knows what we'll learn about all that once we're there, what we'll feel there. The future is unknowable it is said.
These thoughts while rocking in a rocking chair on the terrace of the Delta Sky lounge--we're first class travelers garnering first class treatment this very early morn in San Diego. A few hours earlier we both arise in the middle of the night to get ourselves together for the journey. Uber arrives instantly and we're off, surprised by all of the traffic and hubbub as we approach the terminal at this early hour.
I'll have a Bloody Mary I tell the giant first class steward from my first class seat. (Are we a bit too obsessed with our rarified fate?)
Bob watches Bridget Jones Baby which he finds "diverting, an airplane movie". I watch Florence Foster Jenkins with Meryl Streep. I'm not sure if it's the 3rd bloody but I think it's the funniest movie I've ever seen. 4th bloody and I think it's the most passionate movie I've ever seen. Whatever the sober truth I sure enjoy it. Brilliant performance by Streep of course as the duped Jenkins who buoyed by those who love her thinks she can sing. Hugh Grant as her loving husband delivers greatly as does Helberg as her at first reluctant gay accompanist. Splendid fun.
Next I'll try a movie I've not heard of, DANCER, simply because I'm a dancer (sort of). Almost. Can shimmy like my sister Sam. Doc bio of the Ukrainian born ballet star Sergei Polunin, "the next Nureyev". Became a principal of the Royal Ballet at 19. He became the bad boy of ballet and quit the RB. Then tried connecting with his family. Fascinating portrait of the tortured artist, how a true artist must sacrifice for his muse. Some day I'll catch the last ten minutes--plane has landed--and find out how it ends. Of course it hasn't ended. He's still a young man.
The Swiss Air lounge is a welcome relief after the security line (even if it's a priority line) and needing to take off our shoes. Of the indignity of it. Some cheese and red wine will need to tide us over until the feast presumably awaiting us on the next leg of our trip a few hours hence.
Well Swiss Biz class is pretty damn posh. Lots of space and gadgetry, makes Delta 1st look like economy. There's a whole mission control panel for each of us; we can control the firmness of our cushion and there's a button for a "mood light" and controls for seat massage, lounge and sleep positions. I'm like a kid in a candy store. And here's our candy, I mean really good champs. And here's "treats" for us. I make barking noises. There's a hat with comfy socks and other little necessaries. And a gooseneck lamp for reading. Ooga, ooga.
The attendants start speaking to us in German (or Swiss--can't tell, being an ignorant American monolinguist despite years of language study). Bob is proud that we are being taken for foreigners. Not such a good thing in our country I reply. These days. Ach these days.Let's see, I'll see GHOSTBUSTERS. Interrupted by din din. Bob has an Australian Shiraz which he likes as I do my Pinot Noir. The cheesecake--we Needed it--is really really good. But of the movie, lame. Very little wit. Not much of a feminist screed either. Too much destruction and violence. Next.
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| OUTFITTED WITH NEW SWISS AIR CAP |
Great that the seat reclines into a bed. Then it sits up and slaps you upside the head. Not that but though there will be no sleep I do indeed recline.
As we hover over Zurich's environs and land we see snow everywhere. It's a startling and lovely sight.
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| VOGUE MODEL PROTECTOR |
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| ZURICH--WINTER WONDERLAND |
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| SWEET BLINTZES |
We seem to be taxiing forever in the interstices between the snow. Once aloft it's blintzes for lunch. They are sweet and good. Couple of different kinds of yogurts. Simple after the fare we've been having in the upper classes. But I've been eating to bursting in those upper regions of luxe.
Water water everywhere and finally Tel Aviv sprawling below--spread out, huge, clusters of buildings or houses or roadways and arable land, no sign of desert. Bumpy landing at Ben Gurion Airport. Bob says send him back to school (the captain). We're wished "Shabbat shalom". Yup it's late Friday afternoon. Soon it will be sundown and the Sabbath will begin. I'm already tearing up. What a wimp.
Easy peasy through customs but Our Gate 1 rep directs us to belt 3 which is thick with humanity waiting for luggage. Wrong belt.
Ricardo (South American name but a Jew) our limo driver (yup a Mercedes just for us) tells us that the drive to Jerusalem is 45 minutes but that it takes forever to get out of the nasty parking lot especially because it's the Sabbath. This explains the crowds in the terminal waiting to make it in time. He explains that El Al doesn't fly on the Sabbath hence so many last minute flights.
He tells us there's 8 mil population in Israel, about 6 1/2 mil Jews the rest Muslim. I'm wondering how to introduce politics. I do. He says the US is Israel's daddy, it's rich uncle. He says that they are trying to bring down "the great man" Netanyahu with corruption charges but today found only Cuban cigars and champagne in his Home. "That's all." He turns on the news. He says they (I say opposition party?)
He says they're trying to show proof that he took a bribe from the Germans for a submarine sale. We are climbing through lush hills. Palestine is 2000 feet high.
We pass a McDonalds which he says is now closing for the Sabbath. I tell him about my youth pretending to be a kibbutznik. He says why didn't you come? He says that impetus is over these days. Young people no longer want to work the land as volunteers in kibbutzim. I mention that I collected money as a kid to plant trees. He says that's still going on, that the groves we passed were planted through an organization that collects funds.
We pass a Muslim Arab village. They open now for the Israelis on the Sabbath. The Israelis love their hummus. I say they're like shabbos goyim. He laughs. "Kind of." He says 15 % are Sabbath keepers here. I guess I'll find out what that means. On the left is east Jerusalem, mostly Muslim. On the right is the Jewish side.
We pass hassids. As we go through a tunnel he says on the other side we go back 5000 years in time. Bob asks about Bethlehem. He says it's a suburb of Palestine but it is strictly for Palestinians and closed to Israelis.
The Mt. Zion Hotel has charm but our room is small and our view of the old wall is at an angle. Since we discover we'll be here 4 nights, I ask the clerk about an upgrade. Not possible tonight because they're sold out but enquire tomorrow. I will.
We sit in a circle and introduce ourselves. I'd say quite a few non-Jews, most are frequent Gate 1 travelers. Mostly older. 1 20-something. We're the only gay people. That's ok. He goes over the Israeli itinerary. Despite notoriety he says we are not targets of terrorism. Israel is very safe. From his mouth . . .Nice "light" supper buffet. We like the orange colored soup--not sure what it is. Brugies (little roll sandwiches) and salad and some near eastern type delicacies. I've a roast beef one to take to the room with our lovely smuggled vodka during which quaffing Bob reveals he feared terrorist detectors would think we were smuggling liquid bombs in our suitcases. Please let's catch up on sleep before tomorrow's trek of the city.
JAN 7 DAY 3, Saturday - Jerusalem's Old City
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bob is up and about at 5 am. "We went to bed at 9," he explains. But I have had but 3 hours, max 3 1/2 hours, having arisen at 12 and then wrestled with the too cantankerous Morpheus, phony god of sleep, into the long night. Only benefit is that I get to think creatively--there's a five minute Jewish play contest. (I know, my goal for 2017 is to write a production-worthy full-length) but this trip will offer all sorts of 5 minute grand ideas, like capitalizing on the ride from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, dialogue with the Israeli driver. Making stuff up. That's entertainment.
The hotel has a certain exotic quality, not sure it's old--made up to look old. Like me. No wait . . . And this carries through to the dining rooms, one capacious one of which is set up for breakfast. Really good. Authentic food. No omelette and pancakes in evidence. A piece of salmon, honey baked (?)-- is heavenly. Homemade cream cheese. Nice spinach quiches. The hot sauce has kick and more kick. I'm afraid we indulge in the desserts too--strudel (Middle East?) and a chocolate twirl pastry.Although the sign on the bus says it's mandatory to fasten the seat belts we find none.
We get our Whisperers, a misnomer for those troublesome but essential devices for a large--too large--group of tourists.
Jerusalem is 3000 years old one of the oldest cities in the world. Only l,850,000 pp. makes it the largest in Israel. Founded by king David. 2 parts. New and eastern--which we'll see today. This is the Arab side. Until 1967 there was a wall between Israel and Jordan. Then Israel demolished the wall.
We'll drive to Mt Hebron's Hebrew university built 1921. Lost to Jordan in 1948, then regained in 1967. Fri (Muslim) and Sat (Jews) off. The population thus works Sun -Thurs.
He says a prayer, Baruch ato . . . , which we repeat as we hold hands. Golden dome. This is where Jesus chased the money changers. Wall: mercy gate. Jesus declared himself the messiah. Wide dome is the great synagogue.
Ofer tells us that the history he will relate will offer us insight into everything we will see ("the classic comics version" Bob will say).It starts with the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. This represented the Beginning of Judaism 4000 years ago. 3000 years ago it would be king David who called the city he built the City of David, the beginning of Jerusalem. His son Solomon, a man of peace, built the first Jewish temple. Housed menorah. 7 candles. Day of rest. Gave us all the week. Lasted 400 years.
Israel was the main junction of the world. So therefore every nation wanted to conquer Israel. Jews were exiled to Iraq. Persians took over Iraq. 1/2 remained in Iran. 1/2 came here to this poor country. Prophets said come. Then Alexander the Great took over Israel. That lasted 200 years. Then the Romans--700 years. Built beautiful cities. Jews not happy. Wanted their temple. King Herod (1/2 Jewish) built the great port city, Caesarian. Built a great palace, Masada. Made a flat mountain for the temple. Built walls to protect the temple. Western wall, etc. Then Mary, that virgin, heard she'd have a son, the messiah. He had to be born in Bethlehem. At 18 she informed him that he had to be the messiah. (Pushy stage mothers!) So he walked from Galelee. Performed miracles. Then walked along the Jordan river to Jerusalem. Met John--got baptized. Saw the temple in Jerusalem. Walked. Disappointed. Saw money changers. Stayed in the Garden of Gotsemene. Invited to Passover in Mt. Zion. This was the Last Supper. Judah betrayed him. Walked. Crucified. Romans decided to destroy Jews who rebelled. Exiled them. Made to bring menorah to the pope as proof of what they did. 2/3 of Jews were killed at that time. As of 324, 1700 years ago, Queen Eileen of Rome told her son she adopted a new religion. She built the Holy Sepulcher church. Her son Constantine said he would also adopt Catholicism.
Mohammed said there is one god only. He never formed a religion. That happened 50 years after his death. His Disciple said he saw that Mohammed flew to Mt Moravian. Became a holy place. 1100 years ago Muslims took over Jerusalem, destroyed churches and built mosques. Europe became more Muslim 100 years ago. Protests. Crusaders arrived to defeat Muslims and send them back to countries. The Crusaders destroyed mosques in Jerusalem. Then 700 years ago the Crusaders were themselves defeated. Became Muslim once again. But the holy sepulcher church was never destroyed. 500 years ago the Turks oppressed the Jews up until the 1st world war. British then dealt with the Turks who said the Jews can have Israel.
We look up at the Mt. of Olives where Jesus walked.
 |
| WORSHIPPERS IGNITE A FIRE |
Lunch as a group is at the Fountain Restaurant a little semi dive. Bob likes his falafel ($10) very much, I a bit less so the shawarma ($12).
King Herod. "Gifted but crazy." We're at the tower of David museum built 900 years ago with stones Herod used for his palace.
35,000 people Are living within these walls.
The Mameluke slaves took over the Middle East 1260-1517. |
| SCRAWNY. NOT MICHAELANGELO'S BUFF DAVID |
Jewish flag is the prayer shawl with Star of David.
Mt. Zion gate. Difficult to penetrate. Slits to shoot out repelled the invaders.
The Upper room is a Real location. Destroyed and rebuilt many times. Blood and flesh in Christian ceremony all from here, the last supper. Why upper room? Under it king David's tomb. Closing the circle. Most holy place is here.
We're glad to be back on the warm bus passing a cemetery where Schindler is buried. Another reminder.Recap of our visitations. Mt. Scopius 1st. Then the old city with the stations of the cross. Then the Christian bazaar. Then David's museum. Finally the upper room of the Last Supper. We walked 4 miles and 7000 steps. (Confirmed by users of the latest iPhone.)
"Today we felt earthly Jerusalem with foot and heavenly Jerusalem with our hearts." And Bob declares Ofer is the best guide we've had. Probably but I remind him that Gate 1 has offered us a number of fine tour leaders. There was the Thai guy for example.
First thing, and I'm proud of myself, we get our room upgrade ($70 more a night). Pack and get sweet Ameer born and raised in Jerusalem to fetch our luggage and lead us down (it takes two tiny elevators and a number of marble steps) to a very private enclave to our new quarters, somewhat larger, more refreshed, and more importantly offering a balcony with a great view of the old city of Jerusalem. Much more to our standards and a classy way to show our respect for this incredible place over the next three nights.
After assembling in the lobby where Ofer again has rules of the road and hints of things ahead we walk to our restaurant in the lower levels of an art house movie theatre cum cultural center.
We have a room to ourselves. The bread a sort of 1/2 focaccia 1/2 nan is delicious. We have a 1/2 carafe of red wine which is quite good, has personality, a dry finish. The food served plentifully family style is uniformly delicious. I particularly like the spiced lamb balls (though not typically a fan of lamb). Dessert coconut sorbet and chocolate sorbet-- lovely with ginger tea. I'm instructed by my new friends to slice the ginger floating in the hot water. Is this something only pan-Asians know? The taste of the tea is subtle and fine.Walking, just ourselves now, is a relief. Bob says these dinners are always a struggle. He was sitting at the end of the table across from the ever-scowling Vietnamese man who made a scene at lunch today. It was when he marched in to the space where we were crowded at long tables awaiting our food that he demanded "You don't have to eat here! There are other places." This clearly disturbed Ofer who protested "I told you this." There were a few defectors and lunch proceeded. Ofer sitting next to me responded when I said it's nice here with a quizzical smile and later assaulted the manager with a barrage of intense Hebrew. So this same man, a freedom fighter? a perpetual discontent? sits at table's end, across from poor Bob while I engage his sweet wife, and the Chinese couple across from me, and the Philopeno couple of this afternoon's lunch, to my left. Later when we walk by ourselves--blessedly--back to the hotel Bob says of this "third world contingent" "you charm them" in recognition of my engagement in conversation mainly about our many mutual travels. It is only when the discussion turns to their grandchildren that I too am removed.
Wake up at 3 in the morning to the song of dogs incessantly barking from a dream in which I am a high school teacher. The new graduates are planning to have a party at the school, an illicit party where there will be drinking. As a new popular teacher I can attend. But there is danger in that. Donald Trump's daughter is in the graduating class. If this gets out and the kids inevitably self destruct we'll . . . There is a call. Are we threatening one another, Donald and I? He has his strongarm ways. He will drive by in his limo and intimidate everyone. (Clearly the results of the American election have invaded my psyche.)
Anyway the dogs are really barking. Where am I? At home? No. On an airplane? No traveling. Where? Reuel can't you at least remember that? Mexico? No. Some quasi-Slavic country? Ah, I think tenderly, Israel. Are these dogs barking in the arroyo because there are intruders. There's always that lurking in this country. A Guard sits warily in a high seat in front of the hotel and there's one in the lobby. Black clad Sabras (soldiers) guns in holsters, rifles at the ready, patrol the streets, surveying the crowds at the crowded antiquities, nexus of ever-warring cultures.
The dogs continue to bark as I write this. Will they ever stop. An hour later they are silenced. Will the peace last?
That question will no doubt be implicit in the prayers we write for tomorrow's visit to the eastern wall.
The barking returns. Bob is up too. He cannot sleep. Are they wild mad dogs? Is there no stopping them? And no peace in the Middle East.
Optional: Half Day Bethlehem (PM)
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
The dogs are at last silent and it is morning.
Absolutely wonderful breakfast. I have an omelette made,
must learn the technique of tossing it. Bob says it'll get lost in the ceiling
fan at home. (Later I remember we don't have a ceiling fan--but its a funny line.) Bob after his big breakfast discovers a basket of his favorite
food, the pretzel. It is consumed before we wind our way through the
subterranean labyrinths to our room sequestered away from other beings.
It's cold out and though the storm is coming to us from
Istanbul there will be no rain until Tuesday.
We're heading to the other side of the walled city today,
to the western wall. This 140 year old neighborhood was the first to be built
outside of the walls.
5717 is the Jewish year. Months are different too. The
holidays according to that calendar.
Only American jews eat bagel and lox.
Dung gate. 5 gold
coins cleared it.
Not all of our compadres are here. Stuck in Istanbul.
Terrible weather as in New York. We're at the Davidson family center. South and
west wall excavation. Today is the Jewish quarter. Yesterday Jaffa Gate, Zion
gate etc. today Mt.. Moriah.
A 500 year old Turkish wall bisects the 2000 year old south
wall.
Another terrific museum. We see a film.
We sit on broken stones 2000 years old that Jesus or any
Jew walked on. Southern steps of the temple. To our left is the Mount of
Olives.
Western wall 1/2 mile long. Only for protection.
Here as we pass thru security I beep but pass being not
young. Security is racially based. Not the US. (Hmm.)
We put our prayers in the niches of the western wall. I
dedicate mine to my parents. Bob won't tell me his. Bob says it's very
touching, like lighting candles. We ask the nice young man to take our picture.
I say to Bob, why did you say he's full of himself. Bob says "That's
before I got to know him. Stop chiding me. You're full of chide."
"That's true," I say. "That's because we're in Israel and I've
become more Jewish."
Jews need to keep 650 rules. 1/3 related to temple.
Reason for anti-Semeticism: In Europe there was disease but not for the Jews because
of their ritual baths. Hassids dress the way they do, furry hats and all,
because the head man's kids were not drafted so they dress like him to
this day.
 |
| AT THE WESTERN WALL |
The stone foundation where only Muslims can pray now
was where Isaac was sacrificed 4000
years ago.
 |
| STARTING EARLY |
I experience claustrophobia walking along the bedrock and
the wall above.
We pass the western wall into a water tunnel into a
cistern.
Now we're in the Jewish quarter built after 1967. We look
at the 2700 year old wall that repelled the Assyrians, the ruins of a street
where people shopped. I don't take photos because I've very little battery
life.
Offer drops us off at the hotel. He's not permitted as an
Israeli Jew to join us. On the way to Bethlehem we pass through the checkpoint
at the big steel-looking fence the Israeli's built. Johnny hops on. He's our
Christian Palestinian guide. We stop at a huge emporium, where we are the only
group, with the usual choices. Today Bob and I have a falafel sandwich. He says
it's better than yesterday's, more full. I might have preferred the pizza but
am trying to do in Rome as the Romans. Then a little baklava.
I leave my iPhone in the restaurant. The driver comes on
board with it. "Who wants to buy it? $200." I tell him it's worth
$700. (Actually $900.)
Bethlehem is 25% Christian. Many have left. We're in the West Bank. 1.5% are Christians who live in the holy land.
40,000 pop.
Since my battery is dying, I can take neither photos nor
notes, so here are the results of an interview the next day with Bob who
enjoyed the experience .
"The circle's closed. Born in Bethlehem. Return to
Bethlehem, except it was the other one, not Pennsylvania's Xmas city but the
city of Christ."
Here are BOB's notes:
"The drive from Jerusalem was refreshingly short, about a
half hour. Quite a surprise as I must have misread drive time since I told
Reuel it would take 1 1/2 hours. Probably not a good thing to let me read a map
for you.
Our guide, who could not enter Palestine because he's an
Israeli, sent us under the protective mantle of our bus driver, who obviously
had guide experience. He also warned us to take our passports, as the
Palestinian soldiers sometimes insisted on them. Happily we sailed across the
border. On the other hand, the border is marked by an immense wall, the kind
that separates San Ysidro from Tijuana, the kind revered by Trump and the
alt-right.
Our first stop was at an immense but empty restaurant
where we had three options: chicken schwarma sandwich, falafel sandwich, or
pizza. Reuel chose the first, I the second, possibly the better choice. Folks
at our table had nothing good to say about their cold and unappetizing pizza.
The owners also provided a dessert test, a cube of baklava. I liked it, Reuel
thought it too sweet.
Next to a religious items shop owned by a family of
Christians, a dying breed in unfriendly Palestine, who support Christian
causes. Lots of crèches of carved olive wood. Heavy, serious, bordering on
kitsch. The sales people followed us around trying to pressure us into a sale.
Didn't work.
Next a short ride to the Church of the Nativity. We drove
up Manger Street to a parking garage from which we walked about ten minutes up
the hill to Manger Square, site of the church. Windy and cold walk past
uninteresting tourist schlock shops. Highlight of the walk was this sign:
"Stars & Bucks Coffee Cafe." The sign and logo mirrored their
more famous competitor.
Since Ofer wasn't there our guide was a prominent local
Christian, possibly fluent in nine languages. He did a great job.
At Manger Square he told us about the structure, parts of
which date to Emperor Constantine's mother's determination to spread
Christianity.
We entered the church through a tiny door called the humble
gate. Didn't really understand why it now was so small, since it was a large
arched opening when the Crusaders controlled Bethlehem for 200 years. Alas, the
church is undergoing restoration (and has been for many years) so there wasn't
much to see."
This evening we're at the First Station a short walk from our hotel and on our own. Bob notes we can be in
the US. I agree that there is nothing in the atmosphere that denotes the Middle
East. That's ok. It's smart and happening.
Dinner at this old train station, now a commercial enterprise somewhat akin to San Francisco's reworked Ferry Stop.
Tulip Just Cabernet Sauvignon @145 shekels the bottle.
Not bad at all. We decide that our waiter is cute; he has a sweet demeanor. And
he's a Jew! The young guys next to us seem to be meeting for business. They
speak to one another in similar foreign accents in English. One I learn from
overhearing is from Estonia (married) the other from Israel (has a
girlfriend--drat). One of them invites the other to join him at the gym and
recommends an exercise that's great for " the ass". I'm mirthful.
But as they've finished their wine, there is a man to man
discussion of waking up in bed with someone else. The Israeli says, maybe not
with a girlfriend but with a friend. Aha! The Estonian rises to go to the lab.
I understand the attraction! (Or was something lost in the translation?)
My cervice is heavenly. The yogurt is a wonderful
counterbalance to the lemon flavored cervice.
Bob regards his mushroom soup as "quite good". (I'm a little
less impressed.
JAN 9 DAY 5, Monday - The New City of Jerusalem
Optional: Half Day Jerusalem Herodian Mansions & Burnt House (PM)
Optional: Illuminated Jerusalem with Dinner (PM)**
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast
We wake up to our pretty view out over the hills on which
the Mt. Zion Hotel is perched (guess we're on Mt. Zion?) looking out to the walled city and
the outer city below. Why keep your curtains closed with such a sight readily
available?
So I email an unhappy new tenant with "Good morning
from Palestine." We don't know where the hell we are! It turns out there
was a terrorist attack ("Jerusalem is 100% safe," said our tour leader
moments earlier) yesterday while we were on our day trip from Jerusalem to
Bethlehem. Army troops--ever ubiquitous here with their rifles--were the
targets of Isis, not us dithery tourists. This time, that is.
Looks like we've got a full day ahead with two optional
programs in the afternoon and evening. Wonder what the non-optional people do
with their freedom from tourdom. Their nails? Bob out of the shower apologizes
for taking so long. He washed himself with the shampoo and had to redo with the
soap amenity. Da noive. Keeping me five minutes more from my big breakfast.
And it is. Omelette, yogurts, breads (ok I break the
toaster with my bread selection, realize there's the smell of a burning toast
stuck somewhere in its coils pervading the glorious high-ceilinged and columned
dining room and need the aid of one of the Maitre d' thugs, who patrol the room
wary of us elderly tourist residents, to
properly toast me another).
We're heading to
Capital Hill. Overhear a conversation on the bus about a trip to Antarctica.
Sounds fascinating. Ofer offers all kinds of info about our schedule and
responsibilities. My head is bursting.
Pass prime ministers residence where Israelis demonstrate
against Netanyahu. For 4000 years buildings are limestone. Now limestone is
even required by British law. Called Jerusalem Stone now. Best material to
survive the earthquakes that occur every 80-100 years.
Israeli Air captains flying American airspace must
sit with passengers so a younger man can fly.
Pass US embassy--may be a consulate if Trump has his way.
Pass the parliament--the Knesset. Parliament system according to Ofer is
fragile. Netanyahu wants to build a White House for himself and an Air Force 1.
Israelis don't like that.
Museum. Model of Jerusalem. Amazing as it was in Solomon's day. Time of
Jesus.
Herod knew that the Jewish bible said everything bad comes from
the North. So he built a palace to the North.
Josephus converted to be a Roman. Those who didn't convert
were killed. 3rd group: "Let's flee." Formed Jericho and Masada.
Another formed an all male community to keep Judaism alive. These men took ritual baths. Studied the bible and to make a living they sold dates. Thought it was the end of the world so
they copied the bible into scrolls. Described everything. Put scrolls in caves.
In 1947 these were discovered after 2000 years. Then the war of independence
occurred. King Hussein kept Israel for the Jews. 1967 found fragments. Main info--what
the ancient temple was like. Only the book of Esther was not found. Until the 50's the
scrolls were spread around the world. To house scrolls an American family
supplied the funds on the condition that their young son would be the architect. 
Amazing jar lid to display the Book of Izaiah (originals
in "bomb shelters"; 920 scrolls found) as if on handle of the
Torah.
Fascinating.
Driving up to Mt. Hertzl. 85% live in apartments. Pass
where Ofer's mother lives.
Hertzl: We're at Hertzl's tomb--he was a journalist in France
covering the Dreyfus trial. Said Jews should live in one place. Decided to come
back to the homeland. The new Jewish land would be based on the old. Layers of
hills of an old civilization.
Analogy of flowers blooming under snow. "Aviv".
New life.
Memorial Day ceremonies occur here.
We see the graves of the prime ministers, Shamon Perez
the latest to die, the presidents, the soldiers.
It's too cold to take notes. I'll have to live for the
moment. (Huh?)
At the holocaust memorial we see the memorial to the 1.5
million children killed.
This is the Yad Vashem Museum. (From book of Isaiah--meaning not
to forget.)
Ofer sees a parallel in closing doors to refugees today.
Israel officially sealed its gates. But Israelis disobeyed orders. Now there are 80,000
Muslim refugees. These don't get citizenship. Israel sends them back with an education and
with 3 years salary.
You are a Jew if your mother is a Jew (because can't always know who
the father is). To move here must have 3 generations of Jewish blood. Non-Jews
can't get citizenship. Non-Jewish spouses are just residents. If husband dies, the spouse can be extradited.
Tel Aviv has 400,000 people. Jerusalem is the poorest city
because Hasidim are 1/3 of the population, muslims the other third.
Ofer clearly dislikes Netanyahu. Gas is very expensive. (4 x
ours.) Cars are twice as expensive.
Spain expelled 100,000 Jews 500 years ago from Spain.
These are the synagogues. So here we are back in the old town where there's a
choice of fast food restaurants. In one I have a tomato and rice soup and a
huge shawarma and bob a coke and a huge falafel.
Matrons family House destroyed by Romans. Set afire.
Herodian house. Six families living together. 1 ritual
bath for each family. Must be pure . Can just add rainwater. Soldiers there
sitting listening to an orthodox woman lecturing. Ofor says that the right
wing government is increasingly requiring religious indoctrination.
"Turning Israel into almost Iran."
House--many levels--windows facing inside to the
courtyard, wall outside to street. Built on slopes of the mountain.
5:45 And everybody is already waiting for us on the bus. We're going to Eucolyptus 1st for an "authentic" dinner. 📴
Roasted eggplant w tahini.
Next a choice of soups, artichoke, tomato and mint (Bob)
and lentil (me) A special dish like paella. Ground beef and lamb dish
Desserts look charming--semolina cake.
Amazing projections onto the walls of David's palace with musically underscored narrative describing the history of the walled city.
JAN 10 DAY 6, Tuesday - Masada and the Dead Sea
 |
| AT THE TOWER OF DAVID SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW |
JAN 10 DAY 6, Tuesday - Masada and the Dead Sea
Overnight: Dead Sea
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
We must take our leave of Jerusalem. Meryl Streep's
speech criticizing the Donald at the Golden Globes and his cheap retort
criticizing her acting radiates large from Sky TV as we scurry to have our bags
packed and tugged to the hall for on-time pickup. Will the porters find us in our
private subterranean (feels that way though we are perched high on the hill)
getaway--(which we've loved by the way)?
Much hustle and bustle at breakfast--great repast. I note
that it offers very Israeli selections--not that I know as a fact what a
typical family enjoys of a morning. But very healthy, very well prepared and
very plentiful. As I select my tea, Roger (the rather loud, very gregarious
small-town midwesterner) comes over and compliments my colorful shirt
("best on the trip") only to say too bright for him to wear in the
Middle East (he giveth and he taketh) reminding me of our erstwhile friend
John's mother who, regarding her daughter-in-law's dress, "I like it but it would look
cheap on me."
As I snap a parting pic of the bustling, spacious dining
hall the maitre d' who seemed at first distant quips "One dollar, one
dollar". I say "you're selling cheap" and think he like everyone
on this tour has emerged with personality and warmth.
We see police cars in front of our hotel with blue
flashing lights (we are told these are always on because "Israelis aren't
polite") checking trucks because of what happened a few days ago, the terrorist
attack with a truck. Oy.
We pass the panoramic view of Jerusalem and we repeat
after Ofer in Hebrew "Next year in Jerusalem". Leaving Jerusalem it's
now desert and we pass the Palestinian part of Israel. And the biggest Jewish
settlement in the West Bank. Settlers live there not for ideology but for the benefits
the government gives.
We pass a Bedouin camp. These are nomads who set up camps
and follow the food. 120,000 live in big cities. 4000 live along the highway.
Have up to 5 wives. Camels: Camels are good for everything. But beduins don't eat
their camel "because you don't eat your Toyota". Also use the camel to pay doweries. Quite a
creature.
Jerusalem ranges 3000 feet above down to the Dead Sea
1200 feet below. That's the lowest place on earth.
Pass Jericho. Big flash floods 5 times a year.
We stop by the side of the highway to see the caves where the scrolls were found. We take a picture. When British came here in 1921 they asked the Bedouins how to find water. Marked water level. Dead Sea in Hebrew is called Salty Sea.
Mineral salt sales are big for Israel but are killing the Sea. So
Israel is going to Pipe water to it from the Red Sea. More oxygen here. Good
for health.
We take a cable car up to Masada, great view. Young
people climb up in 35 minutes. Older an hour or so.
Importing F35 airplanes now for the Air Force.
At the apex Ofer tells the story: King Herod builds a winter palace here at this steep protected mountain with a double wall. He thus had status but never visited. Later on in the Roman era 3000 Jews moved in. Romans killed Jews everywhere except in Herodia and Masada. Jews stoned Romans climbing to the top. For 2 months Romans put on a seige. Some Jews left. Then Romans built a wall around the mountain. But Jews survived with Herod's sisterns. 1500 were left. Slaves built unfinished ramp. Then brought Jewish slaves to build a ramp. The Masada wouldn't kill fellow Jews. Knew they were going to die. These 900 people were ordered to kill themselves. Romans found them dead. "Masada shall never fall again."(200 years ago.) Ofer promises that emotionally. I'm tearful.
By the end of the 6 year war there were 30,000 volunteers
to dig Masada. We walk a little around the mountain from the Roman ramp. Bush
repeated those words when he visited.
Bob says , when I explain I'm an emotional person, that
"When a leaf falls in the forest . ." . I finish. "I weep for
the forest."
Herod put holes in the walls for pigeons--their dung
made fertilizer. (The guy thought of everything.)
We sit in the oldest synagogue and then see a scribe
writing the book of Isaiah with the permission of the Israeli government. We go into the enclosure and see him writing
and hear him flirt with Sharon the criminology prof we met last night. We learn
from Ofer that he takes orders from synagogues for $80,000 to 
transcribe a
Torah. Takes 2 years. Then we see one of the three water holes.
We look down at the northern palace. The three floors.
220 feet high. Lowest for guests. Middle for fun. Top is the palace.
Then to the bath house. The frescoes used vegetation from the Dead
Sea for colors.
Boiling water between floors, glorious views out to the
Dead Sea. Herod had women-only guards because they could scream if they saw an
enemy. Ofer asks our women to scream. Yup. Smart cookie that Herod. And he knew
also that he needed to treat his guards well.
We're on our own for lunch which is actually an excellent
buffet with good beer we enjoy alfresco.
Then fascinating private conversation with our guide who
shares photos of his so-cute twins after we've viewed the Masada Museum. He
wonders why I bought a t-shirt that says Palestine and not Masada at the museum
store. I tell him I feel terrible and privately think I'd better order one
online.
Next. On to Elat, the seaside resort and our big hotel,
the Daniel, among others along the shore of the Dead Sea. We must move quickly
while the sea is relatively warm. Bathing suits on we find others of our group
and walk to the beach--having fun being doofuses. And there we tread into the
water. Bob, being brave, tries it, he who has an aversion to water. You sit and
the water picks you up--it's not possible to swim. You must float. Salt balls
on the sea's floor. Try not to swallow or you'll be dead in 20 minutes we are
warned. Much merriment.
Then there's Ofer ashore with bags of mud couples can
share and we paint one another with the mud. Much merriment as we mud-men
re-enter the sea. Roger offers to rub off the mud of the front of anyone. But
we know who he means. Much merriment. Laughter at Bob's heroic efforts to trust
the sea and float. We are all aware of the myth that floating will take 5 years
off. The old fragile ladies who gingerly walk in say that their feet are five
years younger. I ask Conner, the 20 year old on holiday from his college, if
he's younger. He says he doesn't want to be 15 again. One of our Asian lady
friends once on the beach tells Bob and me that she will tell others that she's
really 100 and now looks 75. Me too. Me too. Then it's showering off communally
on the beach, Bob to head upstairs for a proper shower in the hotel and me to
take to the steam room at the hotel spa, later joining Bob upstairs to take in
the sea view from our room.
Shortly later we find the lobby bar where Conner is
sipping wine and communing with his iPhone. The non-English speaking bartender
clearly having no idea what a martini is we resignedly order the one drink he
knows, red wine. Conner's irrepressible uncle, Roger--he of small town
Wisconsin--joins us at the bar and what ensues until Ofer gathers us for dinner
is a fascinating discussion at first of mutual travels and then of our mutual
fear, he a conservative who voted for Hillary, of the new administration. 
As to the buffet, well it's in a cavernous room, too well lighted, crowded--the usual mid Eastern favorites--and after a while we decide to pass on the Israeli guest dance and song fest in the lobby--oh happy fate--and repair to our room, eyes shut by eight.
JAN 11 DAY 7, Wednesday - Jordan Valley, Beit She'an, the Galilee
Overnight: Galilee
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This was an overnight stop so it's a fast pack and out
the door by 7:30 where our bags are the last in the hallway lineup.
At breakfast there are so many fresh food things we've
never before tasted. No meat and no butter but you can't have everything. A
great spread and I "specialize" this morning with a selection of
cheeses--not one a dog. Topped off with an apple pastry. Not the pandemonium of
last night but just us Gate 1 travelers and a smattering of old Jews speaking
Hebrew all bussed by thin sallow-faced dark-haired young men.
Much commotion on the bus as we try to determine who sits
where on the rotation. The Vietnamese guy is very disturbed about one couple in
"violation". I say we need to determine what punishment they must
have. A smattering of laughter. Some are becoming accustomed to my snarky
comments.
We're on our way to a kibbutz. We'll be driving from 1200
ft. below sea level to 600 ft. above the Sea of Galilee.
Israel is the size of New Jersey but 2/3 is desert rising to
mountains 3000' above sea level. In one hour of travel there are huge
differences in topography.
To the north of Israel there's Lebanon and to the
northeast Syria (Assad killed 600,000 of his own people). To the right is the
longest border, Jordan, with whom since 25 years ago there's "cold
peace". To the South there's Egypt: peace but groups of Isis abound. The
US therefore can't complain about its borders. For example Mediterranean Sea
neighbor Lebanon wants gaseous Israel mined. Israel is the only 1st world
country in the region. We'll see that contrast clearly in Jordan.
Of 8.6 million Israelis 6.2 million are Jewish. After the
2nd WW, the biggest Jewish population
was in New York. Now Israel is the biggest, especially Tel Aviv though there
are only 15 million Jews in the world. 1.2 million Arabs live in Israel as full
rights citizens. The only difference is that Israeli Jews are drafted. Muslims
no. Some other small minorities.
Until 1948 Israel was
under the British which in 1947 created Israel, Lebanon, and Egypt. Almost
every British colony became a democracy. But all have border problems.
Jews were offered only a small country. There were many
dissenters including the US. But Ben Gurion accepted an offer of this small
state. So in 1948 it was declared as a free state.
Until 1967 it remained with those borders. Then 100
million Muslims wanted to destroy Israel. But Moshe Dayan decided to start a
war with those 5 countries rather than be attacked. Destroyed their airways.
But then Palestinian problems started. Not until 1967 did they ask for their
own place. 4 million Palestinians live in the West Bank in Gaza. Israel pulled
out of Gaza 10 years ago.
His opinion: if they ask for independence, give it to
them. But 12 years ago he was shocked by Sharon. He was the most right wing prime minister but after
2 years in office he decided to pull out of Gaza completely. Moved Israelis
out. Sharon said let's invest money into it and built an industry area.
Happiness reigned for 2 years. US pushed for elections. But Hamas was elected.
They bombed the industrial area which meant Palestinians were without jobs and
were dependent on the government. Bombed Israel. 2 years ago there was war. His
home was bombed. His Twins were away at school. Israel retaliated. Peace since.
So now Ofer doesn't trust Palestinians though he wants peace for them. He
doesn't know what the solution is. 
Just today bribes to the prime minister from an Israeli
billionaire who lives in American are being investigated. The question: Was it
cigars and champagne to Netanyahu in return for an American visa?
Health care: Israel had same system re. insurance as we had before Obama. 25 years ago however the government took over. The citizens give 2.75% of their salary for health care. Free to see family physician. 25 shekels to specialist for 3 month of care. Extra $5 for 3 years. Pay not more than $100 per month for medicine. It works. As of 5 years ago kids are getting a free start--soon up to 18. Private medical care, for $15 a month. He pays $50 a month for the whole family for care anywhere in the world.
Minimum wage $1300 a month. Pay tax which is progressive, 9% to 48%. He pays 3% tax because of his kids. For social security pay a small
percentage of salary.
VAT 17% but included in the price you pay.
Education. Like US. Starts at 6 ends at 18. You can be
imprisoned if you don't send your kids to school. Kids here are undisciplined.
Parents can send them to religious schools. Choice. Government universities are
$3000 a year and are better than private universities.
Israel is the most expensive place to live. But cheaper
for mobile phones. A woman set up a tent in protest of rent raises. Then
thousands did. Said everything is too expensive.
(We're leaving Dead Sea to northern valley.)
Result--school from age of 3 is free.
Main problem: Prices of real estate.
Also clothes. (He stocks up on his visits to the US.)
We Pass Jericho. Joshua sent 2 guys after 40 years in the
desert to see if the country is good for settlement, is in fact the promised
land. With shofars city walls fell apart. We see the date trees irrigated. But
enough springs in Jericho itself for them.
In 1948 borders were opened to Jews. 600,000 Jews came in
one year. Africa expelled its Jews. They lived in refugee camps. 600,000 Arabs
lived there as well. 1951-52. There was an unusual month of snow in Jerusalem.
But Refugees were in tents. Government imposed restrictions but built
accommodations. No longer refugee camps here. But not so in Palestine. 1967-70
terrorist attacks from Jordan. But Golda Meier went to the king who killed
30,000 refugees. Peace since then.
Break. Ofer gives us Time Out chocolate bars (like the
obedient puppies we are, we get treats) and talks about kosher. 1 hour between
dairy and meat. 5 hours between meat and dairy. Kosher meat if animal has hoof
and 3 stomachs (cows do; pigs don't). Why is the pig the symbol? Because it was
most prevalent in Eastern Europe where the Jews settled.
For wine to be kosher, 10% must be given to the poor. A
bottle can only be opened by a Jew. (!)
We pass Israeli settlements on the left bank. Minefields.
"Anyone for a tour?"
Back through a checkpoint into Israel. Cute guard with a
machine gun comes through. Ofer tells us to smile at him. No problem.
The Bet Alpha Kibbutz.
We're in a Jewish synagogue with a 1400 years old mosaic
and are shown a "charming little" film recreating the possible
circumstances of the creation of the mosaic. Spotlights highlight different
areas of the somewhat naive mosaic, the zodiac at the center, surrounded by the
four seasons, the tabernacle, and the slaying of Isaac.
We pass through Bet Shayan. Looks like Southern
California, nothing much. Bob says if we move to Israel, I could work. He
couldn't and they'd kick him out if I died. I'm sympathetic.
Bet Sh'an: One of the oldest cities in Israel. 3300 years
old. King Saul killed himself rather than fall into alien hands. Head brought
here that's how we know where it was. Became capital of northern Roman lands.
Became skytopolis.
1500 years ago earthquake destroyed it.
Arena area housed refugees who found the area. Excavated.
The archeologists don't dig for houses but rather dig in the center of town.
Then we go shopping in the Roman "shopping mall" through the streets
of the city.
Could tell where you were by the style of mosaic. Here's
a Semi-circular food court. We copied that too.
Amazing sound system reproducing sounds of the time. In
the last 5 years they reconstructed much from the original earthquake
destruction.
Vomitorium is the exit. It vomited out the crowds.
 |
| MC D'S IS EVERYWHERE |
At lunch, surprise surprise, the $10 falafel with drink,
Ofer sits with R&B and I ask him about his job. We learn that he has 5
different tour companies as insurance against losing any and slow seasons.
Nickname for Jordan River is the Missy Peepee (it's
small).
3 million tourists a year in Israel vs. 30 mill NYC, 40
mill Paris and London. But there are 600 mill tourists along the Jordan border
(it's a birds migration route :) Clever approaches to getting the birds to feed
in only two fields rather than eat up farmers' crops.
At first we don't get to see anyone being baptized at our
stop by the Galilee. Nope. Then there's a Man and woman self-baptizing (without
a priest) in white baptisms' sort of nighties. 3 submergings in the cold water
and apparently you're cured or something. Kidding but it's nowhere near an
antidote to catching the religion disease. Pretty scene. Nice smells. Girl
feeding flying doves. Outta here.
As to baptism, we talk among ourselves about Messianic
Jews who will get baptized. There is a question about cultural Jews. Ofer is a cultural (agnostic) Jew but because Israel is
orthodox, he has to go along with the kosher/Sabbath flow.
Next stop the inevitable kickback to a Gate 1 diamond
factory.
"Mazal u
Bracha" we get to see a movie about diamonds. We have a conversation with
Ivan (he's an old guy of 73 traveling by himself--his wife died last year) who
wonders why anyone would buy a diamond "off the rack". I also wonder
why they think people who choose a bargain travel company would buy diamonds
here.
We are in sight of our next hotel which, after our welcome drink in the lobby, provides us with the keys to a room in another building on the campus. This room pleases Bob who likes the Danish modern new style that typifies our hotel (which has some connection to a kibbutz). We're on the first floor which means in this case that there's a patio leading out to a rolling green lawn, the hills of Galilee, or so I imagine them to be, that will later twinkle in the distance.
We're tired. We rest. But we've an obligation to Bacchus
who in my case is the clearly non-professional (Bob needs to open the bottle
for him) bartender who serves a Stoli on ice for about 7 bucks and a cab for
Bob. Our usual cocktail hour accomplices are Wisconsin Roger and his DC
girlfriend and his nephew Conner, this time chatting animatedly about,
expectedly, Trump while we enjoy our drinks in happy isolation.
This is not to be the case at the well stocked buffet
dinner where we join the "sisters" of the group, Gail--former
teacher, author of oral history books on Native American lore, and archeologist
and her equally accomplished and interesting sister Didi. We have a grand old
time discovering one another. And, by the way, the desserts here are great.
JAN 12 DAY 8, Thursday - Full Day in Galilee
Optional: Full Day Galilee & Golan Heights with Lunch (AM)
Overnight: Galilee
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
A quite different breakfast. I don't know what we're
eating but it's tasty. They've got all
the latest food machines here including an orange juice maker which squeezes
the juice from oranges cascading like pinballs. Tastes like ... orange juice.
We start out overlooking the Sea of Galilee which
surrounds our hotel actually.
At least one of our group is a cat person who requires an
explanation for the proliferation of said cats. The Israeli government sees
cats as clean. 85% of cats are wild. Some are sterilized. People feed them.
Courts said they had to be returned to their street. "More free than the
people," says Ofer.
We are here at the City of Tzvat, high up. Best to live
here if you believe in mysticism. The old city's nicer than the new city (50's
boxy).
 |
| HATIKVA SCULPTURE |
At a gallery we learn Marc Chagall was here for 5 years,
at this collective. Much celebrated is the work of Nicky Imber who escaped the
Halacaust. Made 3 statues for the town. Mother and daughter held aloft--free.
Called Hatikva. We see a video.
 |
| BAR MITZVA IN STREET |
We're in an Israeli style Sephardic synagogue. Took from
cultures. Sephardic sit in circle. This founded by North Africans. 3 earthquakes
but the ark survived even after 1927 synagogue. Built according to song: one of
this two of that, etc. All synagogues here are blue and white. Murals of
wailing wall and Rachel's tomb. Synagogue faces Jerusalem.
Ofer opens the ark. Torah books worth $150-$200,000. Can
only take the books out of the ark on Mon, Thurs, and Sat. I say it's a lovely
little synagogue. Bob says it would make a fabulous restaurant. True but we're
no longer in the market for one.
 |
| "TRAINEE" COPYING TEXT |
500 years ago Spain became a Christian country. Jews had
48 hours to leave the country, many to North Africa. Only Turkey accepted them.
Some to Israel. Jerusalem occupied so went to Tzvat. Then Jewish mysticism
began. Can tell future. Ofer thinks that the believers are lunatics. Darker
people are Sephardic. If the last name is Ashkenazi as is Ofer's then they are
sephardic. (Technique to avoid persecution.) Beautiful winding limestone
streets. Art colony.
For Jews the synagogue's building does not need to be
beautiful. Simple. Can be a room.
 | ||
 WE BUY A PRINT FROM HIM
Ethiopia tribe claimed to be Jews. Israeli government investigated and granted them asylum. They walked 100's of miles. Flew 25,000 of them in one day. Difficulty adjusting. Structure of family broke because elder couldn't learn the language but his kids did. Israel still needs to assimilate them fully. |
If I immigrate I'll get a passport, Money and Employment.
(Hmm.)
Next Kibbutz Gadot. 1948 golan heights mountains Syria,
valley Israel. Yafeit is our guide. Every Kibbutz developed differently. Make
own rules. From 1948 started when Israel started. Put them where nobody wanted
to live. More committed to a community than to the land. At first they followed
the Marxist idea. Then in 2009 they privatized the Kibbutz. Every member gets a
share.
35 years ago the Kibbutz was based on agriculture. Grew
things that don't need a lot of water. Before 1945 this was a swamp close to
their enemies. So all of the houses made of thick iron cement because of the threat.
At first children raised in children houses--saw parents 3 hours a day. This
Kibbutz emphasized education. 100,000 chickens every 45 days--organic; don't
need antibiotics--then made for dinner. American chickens 30 days. Collapse
after 30 days. Americans like big breasts. Israelis long legs. (In their chickens.)
Pass a bomb shelter. Have dozens. The Kibbutz was
declared an army base so got fired on.
Not a religious Kibbutz. Have people from all over the
world.
273 kibbutzim in Israel.
Choose a leader every 4 years. Can serve two terms. Vote
members in so that children not necessarily members. Go through tests.
Must buy a house, a share. In process of working out how
to divide equally.
Clean community-no crime here. Have a John Deere factory
and a plastics factory.
At lunch. Looks like a school cafeteria. Who knew I'd
like stewed tongue. Delish. Everything is good, fresh.
A lady sitting across from me volunteers to bus and wash
my plate and utensils (depriving me of my kibbutz work experience. But why be ungrateful.)
Ideas from Russia--Jews brought Marxism from the pogroms
to Israel. Whatever you can give, get what you need. Children moved into a
children's home from age 2 months to 18. But the kibbutzim were failing so
needed to have industries for revenue then, failing that, they needed to be
privatized. So now you need money to be a socialist.
Story of Israeli spy in Syria. Eli. Told the Syrians,
once he was trusted, plant poplars around your bases. So Israelis knew where to
bomb in Syria during 1969 6 day war.
Now we're driving through a volcanic mountain. Ben Talle.
(Son of the morning dew.) Avi Talke (Father of)
We're on top of Mt. Ben Talle former military base. Below
we see cultivated land. In the distance there's a UN military base. We see
Syria on the border.
1973 war is described. Occurred in that valley
below. Golda Meier's mistake on Yom
Kippur eve. Syria invaded. Finally US sent weapons.
Beautiful day. We luck out for our clear view of the
borders of Lebanon, Syria and Israel.
Bob says once back on the bus, "I swear the seats
are getting smaller." (Could it be we're getting bigger?) Ofer passes
around Red Cow chocolate.
The winery: Time for a discussion of the liabilities of
technology. My selfie stick is not working. Check. My battery extender has
decided not to work at all. Check. Thus there's no way to record a complete
touring day with camera and notes.
 |
| OUR KIBBUTZ HOTEL |
Drinks: Israelis have an aversion to atmospheric
lighting. The bar area is as bright as an airport runway. Is it because they
want to be aware of the sniper lurking behind every column?
JAN 13 DAY 9, Friday - Nazareth, Haifa, Caesarea, Tel Aviv
Overnight: Tel Aviv
On the bus discover that the wife of the couple who were stuck in Istanbul because of the storm was Beth, my niece's, supervisor as county mental health conservator. (Beth took over her job.) Small world indeed.Magdela. Romans killed Jews hiding in caves. Mt. Arbil.
Leaving the sea of Galleli area.
Ultra orthodox took Shabbat to a far place. Must rest on Shabbat!
city. Fri morning clean the house. Then ritual bath. Today 3-4 everything shuts down. Automatic elevators. Go to synagogue. Then dinner. Sing Shabbat sholom. Dip bread in salt (because was most expensive, best in Russia). Soup. Gefelte fish. 6-10 pm family gathering. Wake up early on Saturday. Brunch after synagogue. Tel Aviv family have a gathering in a restaurant.
80% are orthodox in Israel. Ofer Calls himself a Jewish Protestant.
Pass where Jesus turned water into wine.
Nazareth. 60,000 pop. So far a charmless town.
Clashes between muslims and christians here today.
We're visiting the Church of the Annunciation. Also called the all nation church. Built in '50's. Can see images of Mary as each nation sees her. Here if a church is named St. Mary it's because something happened there (unlike US). Here Mary got the message that Jesus was going to be the messiah. Beginning of Christianity. Queen Elana built this church. Destroyed and restored.
Vatican rebuilt it. Facade with stone carvings.
Beautiful doors depict Jesus's life. We'll see ruins of the 1st church 1700 years ago. Also wall 900 years old that Crusaders destroyed.
Not topped with marble upstairs because waiting for Jesus to return.
Inside. Bob says it's very '50's. Interesting different interpretations of Mary and Jesus .
Mary got the message by a water spring. This Church was built on it.
Our Pilgrimage to the local Arab sweet shop--damn good sweets. The pretense is that it's in celebration of one of the couple's anniversary.
On our way to Haifa to see the B'Hai Gardens. He makes us pronounce it with the -ch. someone asks can we get a chamburger there?
20 years ago no fast food. All Boycotted Israel. (Muslim pressure.) Only coke. But when the fast food chains came in, they failed. Israelis didn't like them.
Only McDonalds (expensive) and KFC still extant. Israelis Breakfasts consist of vegetables, cheeses. (Ours have consisted of everything.)
Most Arab communities drink Pepsi, Jews drink Coca Cola.
Christian Arabs assimilated into Israeli society.
Israeli agriculture is limited: Can have only sophisticated agriculture. Genetically engineer cotton, for example. Give cows classical music. Israelis developed modern Chinese agriculture.
Bob and I find ourselves snoozing on the bus though we slept well.
There's the Carmel ("god's vineyard") mountain where Elijah defeated the false prophets; it stretches all the way to the city of Haifa: Port city. Refineries. Very polluted.
Israelis get all their wheat from Canada.
Pass the German colony where the Germans were kicked out by the British at the start of WW 2. Now Christian Arabs are there. Nice restaurants etc. 250 years ago area of Iraq lush. Jews and B'Hai came out of Muslimism. B'Hai have 3 million people worldwide. Built a temple for each continent. Turkish Muslims moved leader of B'Hai to Haifa thinking it would have no influence. He's Buried in the golden dome. Their court is for all disputes. All B'Hai visit Haifa once a year--good for tourism. So we get a great view over the gardens out to the port of Haifa. (Ofer translated B'Hai tourism pamphlet into Hebrew when he was young.)
Very green and pretty as we drive along the Mediterranean, the city on the hills above.
Story about Holocaust survivors barred by British here. Sent to prison which we pass and now a museum. Told to take showers. Soldiers had to take it with them to prove they were not gas chambers. After 1948 they all became citizens.
Welcome to Caesaria. A beautiful Roman style city on the Mediterranean. We see an excellent short film that shows the various incarnations of Caesaria, Herod's palace and theatre included and then see the ruins built out onto the brilliant blue Mediterranean.
On the way to Tel Aviv We return our "whisperers" which, though yet another techno encumbrance literally hanging around our necks, is a valuable way for guides to speak softly and reach everyone in the group, even in sacred places where silence is appropriate. Harold (HJ), Beth's former boss's husband, and I sing "Shalom Havarim" on the bus a sort of antidote to jingle bells sung at the Herodian theatre.
We pass through Hertzalia named after Theodore Hertzl, now a major tech center. It's just on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
We check in to the Dan Panorama, one of a number of mega hotels along the beach.
Our room offers modern design, a curved wall and, importantly, a view of the ocean. We mustn't dawdle. We've precious little time to see Tel Aviv. But we revert to type. After walking the few blocks to the market in search of a late lunch, we turn back, paranoid about the crowds in confining streets and head back to the hotel's perfectly acceptable bar for a shared Marguerita pizza and a couple of martinis (moi) and cabernets (Bob). Then to rest upstairs in . . . Is it Tel Aviv?
Of Jaffa. Turkish area, art colony. This Ofer points our as we ride to our "farewell dinner" restaurant. The city is still. No one's out. Ofer says he is "no less a Jew" because he doesn't follow all the orthodox rules, working on the Sabbath, for example.
At dinner in an oceanside restaurant (though we see only fairy lights on the windows not the darkening ocean) we are served family style all kinds of mysterious dishes (seems to be the modus here) with plentiful wine. Ofer offers one of his emotional stories about a rabbi who hides a gold spoon he stole at a bar mitzva and put in the boy's talis bag to see if he ever used it. We must use what we've learned on this tour is the moral. I'm tearful. [Later I use this anecdote in my play "The Talis"]
We deliberately sit across from Kathryn and HJ (Beth's friends who serendipitously happened on our tour). We hear of their horrendous weather delayed time in Istanbul for days before they could join our tour. (Gate 1 was blameless and behaved well even providing a private guide to catch them up). And we take a photo to send to Beth of the four of us--we take glee in her inevitable surprise. Her response: "What???"
Many hugs with Ofer (whom we've given a big tip and to his driver as well. Both well deserved.)
JAN 14 DAY 10, Saturday - Allenby Bridge, Bethany, Dead Sea (Jordan)
Optional: Dinner Package
Overnight: Dead Sea
Meals: Breakfast
Bags
out and breakfast is in an enormous dining room overlooking the sea with a vast
array of now familiar unidentifiable good food including a honeycomb that drips
delicious honey that I am advised by the blond Asian lady "I especially like to
eat with yogurt".
Our
Bus is 8 passengers lighter, now 33 pilgrims to Jordan.
Our
driver Uval is a joker in the Shecky Green tradition. A woman's husband is late
to the bus so he says she can find a new one in the next village. If we forget
our passports we can stay at his house.
Gate
1 control is evident. We worry, unnecessarily as it turns out, that our wine
will be confiscated. Strange that our group is 1/3 Asian.
We
pass through the checkpoints easy peasy. The border control where we await our
new Jordanian bus is very exotic, women with habibs and long mostly bearded
Arab men. "They all look like terrorists," I whisper to Bob. "Especially the women in their manly suits," he replies.
Ok
we've reached one hour and just had our passports inspected, still waiting for
some of our compadres. Ann, blond formerly from Vietnam Nam, is entertaining
and awfully nice and helps wile away the time. After 40 years she went back to
Vietnam Nam and found it very emotional but she discovered that it is no longer
her home. California is.
1/2 hour more and we pass through our final check point in the
border terminal and are on our bus. Conner asks his uncle, did you see
our luggage? I saw mine. As Conner rushes out to check his, Roger shouts,
"Sorry you left your mom at home pal." Laughter.
Interesting topography, I say of the Mesa-like sand shapes. Looks like the American southwest notes Bob.
Omar our guide greets us at our next stop, tourism arrivals. He
seems energetic and has a good command of English. Check. He takes our
passports for processing and then yet more waiting ensues.
car accident. Ha ha.
Tap water not safe to drink. All restaurants booked are safe.
We're expecting nice weather. "Enchala" exclamation used constantly,
god willing. (Siri spells out "enchiladas" instead. So
helpful.)
Bethany beyond the Jordan. Just found in late 1890's. Site
where Jesus baptized by John. Controversy as where it is located. Triangle of
information. Visitors reports. Something on the ground. Prof Waheed relied on
diaries. Claimed east side of Jordan. Bible written in Jerusalem so
"beyond" is here.
Said to be 5 Roman miles (7 km) north of the Dead Sea. Also here
early 1500 bc. Israelites crossed Herman Hill where St. Elijah ascended to
heaven in a chariot of fire. A lot of stuff happened here. This area
called The Wilderness of John. Full of land mines before peace treaty in 1994. The professor keeps applying for designation and digging of the site. Location.
Location. Location.
Basilicas always enter West to East.
3 churches on top of another. At this point in his narrative a cat
appears and particularly nuzzles up to me. I tell my neighbors that I was a cat
in the last century and silently note that my scene study acting teacher the great Uta
Hagen said any actor will take second place to a cat because the cat is
unselfconsciously focused.
We are on the Jordan side looking at the Israeli side. We see
Ethiopian Christians baptizing.
5:30 orientation. Dinner 6:30
Mt. Nebo where Moses was fated to die. We're going tomorrow.
Jordanian dining: Breakfast is at 7. Late lunch. 3-4:3
pm. Dinner is the same as breakfast. Starters hummus.
Upside down dishes. We'll have Zarb the Last night, a Bedouin
meal. Meat cooked under the ground.
And here we are at the Marriott. Getting into 5 star territory here. Luxe. A little
cool out so I prefer not to float again in the Dead Sea steps away. (It's
clear where Bob stands on this issue.)
Everyone finds the sports bar where you could be in Burbank so
America manque is it. Only the handsome swarthy Jordanian servers belie the
impression. Appetizers will do at this late afternoon hour. At our high top
we're having spring rolls, a stoli (served in a water glass with a straw!) and
a Chardonnay.
It
looks like we're essentially in an empty hotel--wonder why.
Omar
at orientation punctuates almost every sentence with enchala.
We
get goodies, a map of Jordan.
A long
drive is promised for tomorrow to Madada, Capital of Mosaics. Stories are told through these artistic pieces.
Then
St. George church from 1896 houses the original mossaic floor from antiquity
which was a map.
Jordan:
Muslims 93%. Jews 1%. Christians 3%.
Mosaic
workshop. Karak is off the itinerary because of terrorist activity. Whew! We'll see
castle Shobac instead.
3
1/2 hours to Petra. Always high season there.
South
of Petra. Waddi Rum. Real desert.
People
from half desert. To Amman 4 hours.
 |
| THIS COULD BE OMAHA |
Omar is questioned about Istanbul. "Do you mean politics or weather? I have control over
neither." Jordan is tribal. Either farmers or beduins. He is from the
farmer tribe. His mother says he's a Bedouin because he's always traveling with
groups.
He
mentions the optional camel ride. Bob, clearly trying to get out of the gig,
says he's been on a camel by the way. I say no. It was an elephant. Oh, ok it
was.
Tomorrow:
8:30 on bus. Breakfast starts at 7. Luggage out by 7:30.
Omar
is 34. Guiding tours 11 years. With Gate1 6 years. Married 7 years ago. 2
children boy 6 1/2. Aisha 2 1/2. BA physical ed. MA from England in physiology.
Almost PhD. To be your guide you must speak another language. And have a BA.
He:?Badminton champion.
At
the Terazzo we do not have the buffet since there are too few for a buffet--so
goodie. Bob and I have the minestrone which is excellent, fresh vegetables. Bob
chicken. R sea bass over spinach,eggplant--delicious.
And
the tiramisu is the perfect ending. Not to mention the two glasses of wine apiece
(at
$14
a glass plus VAT and service charge and tip $78 extra).
But
what an interesting dinner--traveling with others enriches the experience. At
first only Cindy and Roger, she we later to discover is a defense contractor
"Don't tell our guide", he in "plastic bottles". They
insist they are not "together", they are just friends who enjoy
traveling together. They are laughing about 20 year old nephew Conner who
earlier and "on vacation" orders a martini and a Cuban cigar and will
appear later.
Then
there's our guide, Omar, who we all quiz. He's an independent guide. One of six
brothers, 3 of whom are guides. Says he makes a very good living. Guides for
Gate 1 must have another language and a college degree. In answer to my
question he says English is often the first language because it's the school
language from grade 1. He lives with his wife and two kids in a compound
their father, a former minister of education, owns. Says there are downsides to
having dinner every night with the same 30 family members. How he doesn't like
two of his sisters in law--family dynamics. As Jordan's champion badminton
player he's visited 55 countries. Speaks highly of Gate 1 because it pays their
guides the most and its guides must stay in the hotels with their group and be
more involved personally.
We
speak of politics, how the Iranians who are not religious right are great
people, of the terrorist attacks on the castle that will keep us from visiting
it. How Jordan is tribal, of King Hussein who was a great man the likes of whom
the Middle East will not see again. He doesn't really address my question about
what Jordanians know and think of Trump.
Ivan
comes in and sits next to me. I discover his wife died a year ago and he's
finding it difficult to travel by himself though he prefers touring to
cruising.
Conner
comes in about the same time the Vietnamese 4 do--we seem to be only about ten
on the meal plan--how strange. This time he sits silently with his meal busy on
his iPhone though no martinis or cigars are in evidence.
JAN 15 DAY 11, Sunday - Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Kerak, Petra
Overnight: Petra
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
I'm Not pleased that Marriott puts a calories label on
its breads and pastries. Why ruin a perfectly lovely breakfast selection. And
finally--being in infidel land--such staples as butter and sausage are
available for the taking. Actually as we remark to HJ and Katherine the
food here (Middle East) is so fresh and awfully good. My mini spinach quiches,
my Turkish cheese rolls yum.
Gaasan is our driver. Abdullah is our tourist police
guard. He packs a gun to protect us . . . from ourselves?
Mt. Nebo--theoretically Moses is buried here. Exodus 1513
bc. In 1933 monks from Italy discovered 3 biblical kingdoms in the land of Moabites. Hill is
the same as Moses described. Supportive tool: natives called it Nebo. Then a 70's
dig found the 531 AD Christian church.
Called the Monastery of Moses. Only church so named. Pope visited. Paved for the
popemobile and Called the"Mercedes path".
We see a mosaic. Making mosaics started 4000 years ago in Sumaria
(Iraq). Began chipping pieces smaller, then designs, then color. Greeks and
Romans used stones with natural colors. Then micro stone technique. The mosaic
is art plus a story. Called mosaic carpets. Also kindergarten books. Taught
children with pictures. Next city they only found mosaic furniture tabletops.
I Take a photo of a 100% intact mosaic, 531 AD, in the
Memorial of Moses bearing the Greek inscription date, names of the artists, 11,000 drachmas paid.
Took 2 years to create this mosaic depicting mankind's lifestyle progression. Men defending selves from cougars.
Hunting. Then domesticating animals. Then trading between a light skin and a dark
skinned man. Spotted camel (actually saw a giraffe).
Asian lady points out dying dog and tells us of her seven
chihuahuas that she misses. Ok. [It's Anne who I will grow quite fond of.]
the other 4 seasons. 4 trees 2 oxen drinking show the
growth of the pomegranates in the trees. Wind, water, earth, fire.
It's remarkable. Bob says "I don't like
mosaic". Of course I provoked this by declaring we need to put a mosaic
floor in our opium den at home. I guess we're both kidding.
 |
| ROGER RUG SHOPPING |
 |
| SAND PAINTINGS IN A BOTTLE |
Next the mosaic school. Queen Noor encouraged craft
skills and this school. She imported Italian artists to encourage locals. Major
importing. Pomegranates (prosperity) and grapes (fertility). Mosaics used
limestone, travertine, onyx. Glue is water and flour. Turn mosaic upside down.
Value is based on the size of the stones. Training takes two years.
Bob insists the bottle with a sand scene I purchase for 5
dinar ($7) when he's not looking was around since we were children and you
could buy it in a 5 & 10. I explain there are no more 5 & 10's and it
will look lovely in our niche of around-the-world tchokes. Kathryn, in similar
circumstances with her husband, purchases a $200 tree of life mosaic.
To Madaba for lunch and the church.
We are told Abdalah will follow behind as we walk through
the streets from the restaurant to the church with his um gun. R & B opine
that it's not so we won't be lost as is the tour's excuse but for our safety.
Well Mrs. Bush junior dined here according to a photo on
the wall as we enter the restaurant. Of church. Only the floor is original.
Represented church of the holy land. 2.1 million tiles in the whole map.
Oriented to East. Guide for pilgrims.
Our driver manages to get us through the winding narrow
streets of the town (population 100) as we begin our 3+ hour journey to Petra.
The meal is really very fine--family style. Appetizers to
put in delicious Nam including hummus, baba ganoush, tomatoey things. And then
spiced barbecued chicken.
Crusaders castle. Highest inhabited area of country. Date 1115. This is a poor substitute for the
originally scheduled castle where terrorism recently occurred.
Ordinarily at this time of the year everything would be
covered with snow so we're very lucky.
A stop at the much storied Moses water spring. So this is
where Moses had a drink? (I prefer the happy hour bar at the Marriott. Bob says
the pricing here is better.) We see boys filling bottles with the water.
Apparently the locals drink from it.
Omar Tells story of tourist who asked him why didn't we
visit Shala? "You keep talking about what's in Shala."
Well this ain't the Marriott of yesteryear. I mean
yesterday. First of all. We want to have a drink of our wine. There's only one
glass. Coffee cups will have to do. Then we wish to go to dinner and Bob looks
for the safe. None. When I call, front desk guy says. "Safe-- we will
right now send it to you." Huh?
Are we, GATE1, the only people in the hotel? Our plan
people are in one dining room. The Philippinos at one table. Others at another.
And we arriving after 7 at our own. The non-plan people are at the bar lounge
and seem to be having appetizers. We are told we can order anything from the
menu. Woopee. And we order the most
expensive dishes on the menu. I am sorry I don't have room in my four stomachs,
however, for a soup course.
When Roger and co enter we dine out on our ridiculous
moveable safe story.
Bob: "We've eaten an insane amount of food this
evening." I: "We've simply sampled the variety available."
Conversation happily ends there.
JAN 16 DAY 12, Monday - Petra
Meals: Breakfast
Exciting day ahead.
Civilization of Petra. 550 bc-106 ad. Before this Iron Age= Biblical Age. Divided into 3 kingdoms. Now we're in the Edomite lands. All 3 not monotheistic. All spoke Aramaic. Often fought.
Petra Rock. Obsessed with afterlife. Openings carved out
while still alive. Tombs not sealed. Sandstone. Mainly they cremated the
dead. Hired architects from trading
civilizations to carve in the sandstone. The Treasury was carved by masons from the time of Christ. Babylonians and Sumarians carved steps on top of tomb--ascend to
heaven. Carved top down.
Abdullah (our guard's name) means servant of the gods.
Abdullah (our guard's name) means servant of the gods.
We see the recreators marching. Flash floods were diverted to
a man made tunnel. The gorge is natural.
They sell frankensense but never saw a snow globe they
liked. (Darn.) Romans paved the gorge. Built dams to stop floods and made crude
valves to release pressure .
There's a photo of the Beth El carved in the stone. As we
walk through the gorgeous gorge I speak of the kids selling their trinkets and
postcards by engaging us. I remember skills I too learned at our store as a
kid. Bob says ah memory lane. But what a lane this is.
Fish turns into an elephant from another angle. All
natural.
The gorge is why Petra was defensible. Armies invading
were sitting ducks.
Treasury was a tomb of a King who ruled for 49 years at the time of
Christ. Became a god. Hired architects from Alexandria. It took 15 years to
build.
We see the upper middle class tombs and the waterways
along the cliffs.
 |
| THE TREASURY |
Theatre for funeral ceremonies. Mtn is high place of
sacrifices. 1000 steps. Sacrificed animals.
I tell Roger that he's been much married this morning.
They've all been saying you're too old not to be married. He enjoys the
interactions with the vendors. And he does create amused mayhem wherever he
goes.
We stop to rest in the sun amidst all the beauty. The
weather has changed dramatically. It was uncomfortably cold earlier, now it's
warm.
Looking at the royal tombs. Tallest one is called the urn
tomb. Then silk tomb. Then left Corintheum tomb. Then Palace tomb. A beduins
lad calls out to us. "Nature with donkey? On the way back. Think about it.
My name Abdullah." We walk through
the cardo--the heart of the city. Imagine what this road must have been like
then, all that bustle amidst all this beauty. We are reminded of the excavated
library and Roman streets in Turkey that we visited.
2:30 visitors center. 2nd bus 4:45. ]
Facing a potentially long walk back, we settle into The Basin restaurant at the foot of the Monastery walk which we opt out of--Bob's Achilles heal not ready for the 800 step climb and Reuel not certain of the agoraphobic catastrophe that would ensue walking along the side of a cliff. Our lunch companions are HJ and Kathryn from San Diego. Quite a commodious buffet.
We walk to the Treasury, without the earlier crowds. At
the Treasury we find Abraham or, rather, he finds us. His horse is Oshraf (or
something like). He has 3 horses who have five hour shifts, two days on, one
day off. Maybe not so liberal during the winter when there are fewer tourists.
He is a Bedouin, was born in 1975 and lived 10 years in a cave when in 1985 under
King Hussain the Beduins who lived in the caves were moved to a nearby
community by the government. The ride is as promised quite bumpy, "a
massage" says Abraham who we give $30 for the ride plus $10 tip.
 |
| BUMPY RIDE, SHAKY PICTURE |
So we're nicely early back at our room--to watch the sun
setting eventually over the pool view from our windows, a glimpse of the
gorgeous mountains beyond. Then there's the problem after a pseudo naptime of
how we shall keep our luggage weight down. Ah. Drink the weighty wine we bought
in Israel. Clever boys. Then to discover that we will have no sleep the early
morning of Wednesday the 18th in order to get to our departing plane. Oh well.
Meanwhile I reserve tickets for The Present in New York, the hit limited run
Cate Blanchett play.
Dinner. "Anything on the menu". Mezzo for two:
hummus, moutabbal, tabbouleh, stuffed vine leaves, galayet bandoura. We
dine quite well and are are enormously
pleased with ourselves that we have been tasting the local cuisine consistently
on this trip.
Our mains: Reuel: Mansaf/National Dish of Jordan. Lamb
cooked in yogurt sauce, served with rice, roasted almonds, and pine nuts. I
don't detect the pine nuts. The yogurt is actually a liquid to douse the lamb
shank and it's very fine. I say it gets 15 points for being authentic. That
makes it an 85. The rice is wonderful. I'm glad these people eat awfully well.
Bob: likes all the grilled things that come with the
food.
As we lay waste to the absolutely delicious Messa
appetizer dishes and as we talk of how we are consuming the many plates the way
we don't at home, we mutually understand there is as Bob says a
"nutrisweet" plan in our future. (Well we know what he means.) A
package of abstemious foodstuff daily delivered at our doorstep.
We are pleased too with our desserts. Bob: Um Ali-- warm
Egyptian bread pudding. Very much likes though he ordered something else. R.
Gishtah bi Asal. Curdled cream with honey. Yum.
JAN 17 DAY 13, Tuesday - Wadi Rum, Amman
Overnight: Amman
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
WADI RUM
 |
| OUR DESERT CHARIOTS |
Table talk at breakfast: Tourism down 40% because of
terrorism which is why we seem to be the major game around.
We mention to HJ our idea of getting together with Beth
and them at our place when--inchala--our guest bathroom is finished. (According
to our schedule, plumbing rework is going on today. Could it be?)
Heading South, then North.
Wadi = dry river bed, valley:Sahara! Yes this is part of
the great Sahara.
(The Treasury site of yesterday is called that because
marauders mistakenly thought the Queen of Sheba had treasure in the urn atop
the building. Actually the urn is a funery symbol.)
Two sects in Islam, Sunni and Shia. Crescents have
nothing to do with religion. Their calendar is based on the lunar calendar, 29 or 30 days,
beginning and end of month when start seeing and stop seeing the moon. Full moon is the 14th.
The Lunar year is almost 20 to 12 days shorter than Gregorian. By state Omar is
34, religiously he's 35. Each year
events shift back 10-12 days. So Ramadan can be in winter or summer.
Islam vs monotheism. Conflict between both sects has lasted 1300 years. Mohammad 517 ad. 609
got prophecy. Died age 63. 40 years later the conflict started. Omar is a
Sunni. Many subsets. Isis are sunnis. Many extremes, either violent or
peaceful. There are prayers for
everything. Believe in destiny. But must be
rational. "Tie it (your camel) and then depend on god."
5 pillars on which the religion rests.
1. 1 god
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
3. Charity
5. Pilgrimage
One god. Mohammad was the "last prophet". Before him
prophets had the same message.Adam 1st prophet. Jesus is important, a human
being with a miraculous birth. He's one of 5 main prophets. Noah, Abraham,
Moses, Jesus, Mohammed. Jesus is the messiah. Waiting for 2nd coming. Mahdi is
a human being leader.
2. 5 prayers each day. No certain age to begin after the
age of puberty. Start teaching at the age of reason. Prayers: Dawn, Noontime, Afternoon, Sunset, and Evening.
Dawn prayer time is limited to between dawn and sunrise. Before
prayer there is an ablution which is not necessary unless you go to the bathroom. Men on Friday must pray
after a speech in a mosque. Same prayers. Physical movement occurs as face Mecca.
Age of reason is different as determined by the parent or
supervisor. He is the supervisor to his nephews and nieces.
When he bows in prayer his daughter jumps on him as a horsey. After
time she will realize it's praying.
Exemptions: If sick or traveling can combine prayers.
It's better praying in a group. That's why there is a call for prayer.
 |
| OMAR AND GIDDYAP GUY |
In this area, no separation of church and state. There's
pressure on individuals.
 |
| BORN TO RIDE |
Sharia law. The teachings. In Jordan there's democracy governed by civil law, sharia law, and tribal. Ex. Divorce is civil and religious. Royal
succession is tribal.
3. Fasting during Ramadan. Month # 9 in the lunar
calendar. Fast during daytime. No food. No beverage. No sex. (Intimacy.)
Discipline. Exemptions: Pregnancy, Sickness
4. Charity. 2.5% of annual savings go to the poor. Paid
personally directly. Not to Imam. Not in front of their children. Ancients said
each 40 bags you save, give one bag. Can go in family horizontally. For
example, to the brother but not to one's grandfather. By tradition the father
must provide places for his sons to live in. Daughter gets cash value of son's
home. In the constitution his money is hers. Hers is hers. The tribe and the
extended family takes care of family.
5. The hadge. The pilgrimage. Once in a lifetime you make your visit to
Mecca if you can afford it, copying Abraham and his wife Haggar. Can't borrow
the money to do it. Can do it on behalf of someone. 4-5 Days. And only at a certain time of the year.
And then for those of us who are on the camel ride ($30
each) it's quite an experience. First the unearthly beauty (perhaps why it
translates to Valley of the Moon) of the Wadi Rum desert where Lawrence of Arabia
was filmed. In fact we start out on our camels (tough on the back, a little
jolting getting on and off) at the 7 pillars mountain, inspiration for the 7
pillars of wisdom. And then the ride across the Sahara sands on these
sure-footed beasts with their long eyelashes and resigned old soul demeanor.
Authentic Bedouin tent woven from oily goat hair. Camel
for rugs. Sheep for clothing.
This we learn at a stop after our camel ride at a Beduin
camp. We assemble in a "typical" tent which ordinarily would be
divided into 4 parts for Men women children and family. In the Sheik's tent the
fire is always on--a sign of hospitality. Beduins offer tea or coffee. Arabian
coffee is sugar free mixed with cardovin. Muchar port hence mocha. Coffee pot is in the left hand. The cup is offered in the right hand. If don't take it, either intend to
insult the host or have a request.
At the next stop we experience the technique of Zarb. They will put wood inside of the
Steel. Fire. A cage hangs over it and is covered and cloth over that so sand doesn't
get in. Then they cook the meat for 3 hours.
We see them uncover the sand and dig out the cage with the gorgeous cooked meat. And once inside the tent there's a
delicious buffet meal featuring the meat we saw cooking topped off with a
scrumptious moist coconut cake. Bob abstains but my wine is $7.
Four hours of "a boring ride" as Omar himself
puts it, gets us through prime time traffic to the Amman Marriott, a perfectly
respectable Marriott hotel that we wish we could remain at and sleep the sleep
of tired angels. But no such fate befalls us since we are expected to fly out
at 2;20 am for Frankfurt and thence to New York. Funny, I am the doofus of the
tour when I tell Omar we are scheduled to fly into Paris, France . After all
the flight itinerary says FRA. Much hubbub and Omar's loudly announced corrective
that FRA is Frankfurt not, of course, France. Charles deGaule airport is CDG a
fact I'm not likely to forget.
We've only enough time before the final dinner to take
showers and pack and listen to CNN's announcement of Trump's latest indignity.
That's
about it before we line up for a fifteen minute ride to an uninhabited
restaurant where we are seated at a long table and served much too much food,
albeit excellent versions of the usual suspects efficiently served. We discuss
and complain about flight times with intense fervor, learn that the very few
smart ones have reserved another day in Amman while we Lufthansa fliers among
the majority are destined to leave for the airport almost immediately after
returning to our hotel.
Omar reveals under questioning that he lives in that big
building owned by his father in Amman, that he's never drunk alcohol although
there are some Muslims who do. The picture that emerges is of a Jordanian
society that is "tribal", where there are complicated familial and
extended familial relationships and mores that govern all aspects of life. I
don't take the opportunity to ask him if there are homosexuals in Jordan and if
there, perchance, might be, what might, perchance, happen to them. He'd probably take the
fifth. But then I'll never know. Just seemed too much (forced) gaiety
around to lob that one in.
JAN 18 DAY 14, Wednesday - Depart Jordan
Meals: Breakfast
Once at the airport Omar (who gets a 50
Jordanian--$70--tip, the driver $30) hands off to a Gate 1 representative who
gets our little group through the security hoops nicely leaving Bob and me
alone among our group to relax in the Priority Pass, Petra Lounge. It's a
lovely space whose blandishments, alcohol and munchies, we refuse in favor of
water bottles, wifi, charging and general lounging.
Our plane is small, most of the women in habibs. We are surprised to have seen women completely covered in black veils in the airport.
How can they see without bumping into the posts of this modern spacious place, a curious background I suppose for ancient practices.
Meine Damen und herren. It's Lufthansa and the business
class is pathetic, cramped seating, 3 across.
Good thing we didn't pay for an upgrade to premium economy because we'd
have been a separated aisle and window. Now we're aisles across and there's no
one in the middle seat next to me. Lucked out.
Maybe we're too damned old to travel. I find my ticket on
the floor and then can't find my passport. It's in my carry-on in the overhead.
Then Bob can't find his ticket. Frantic searching. Nice young man in the seat
behind him finds it. At which point breakfast is served which Bob, stalwart
fellow, actually refuses. I just "pick". We survived this stage of
the trip with a few hours of sleep. Next.
Amazing security at Frankfort--and we're in transit yet.
Bob gets the special exam. What is he hiding in those bags? Maybe it's a good
thing we've got multi-hours between flights.
I like watching people in the "lounges" aka the
better sort. They're interesting looking. Even in some cases sexy. In order to
book a seat in the Lufthansa lounge we're informed that we'd need to upgrade to
economy premium and pay 25 euros. We find the service desk and do that at $279
apiece. Nobody's reining in our parade. So here we sit quaffing wine and
chewing on wonderful pumpernickel-like bread with cheese. My eyelids are heavy
(wine? Lack of sleep? Both?) but at least my ass is accommodated.
Around 8:30 our beautiful solitary lounge populates.
Explosively. Bob has all he can do to get us chocolates to munch on. I find a
way of holding my head up by propping my arm under it just so.
 |
| TROUBLE IN THE FIRST ROW |
 |
| RABBI TO THE RESCUE? |
Movies. STATE OF THE UNION. A good movie directed by
George Clooney in 2011 which I have seen. He's a candidate for president. Ryan
Gosling is his opportunistic assistant campaign manager who blackmails him.
Moral. All's fair in politics. Glad to see it again.
Vodka over ice. Love premium economy. Despite the
negative connotation "economy" it's the smart way to fly Lufthansa
and let's make sure we fly Lufthansa. Bob even gets the bulkhead seat but I
also am on the aisle as we required and am well accommodated.
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND. 2004. Jim Carey.
Kate Winslet. A Charlie Kaufman production I may have seen before but find too
creepy to enjoy. Something about two lovers attempting to erase their mutual
past. Blech.
HER. Another film I wanted to see. A very peculiar film that caused a sensation
and well deserved accolades for Joaquin Phoenix a sensitive man who falls in
love with an OS (operating system). She becomes all too human. A rumination on
the nature of relationships. Scarlett Johansson as the OS's voice. Finally she
surpasses him. Directed by the estimable Spike Jones (not the '40's era
burlesque band leader I'm old enough to remember).
JAN 18-25 NEW YORK NEW YORK!
Traffic terribly slow so that we add 45 minutes to our
cab ride into town. But we are glad to be here at our now favorite place to
stay in theatre district NYC, Bill Schoen's pretty glam 1 bedroom condo at 1600
Broadway between 48th and 49th street with its pano view over Broadway.
It's
only one block to the TKTS booth in Times Square which I head toward to buy
tickets (no line at 4 pm) to the Front Page for $160.
Next order of business, we're gatherers not hunters now,
is to gather booze and food so that we toast to our revisit with martinis and
then munch hot pizza from the local.
THE FRONT PAGE. @ The Broadhust Theatre. Starring Nathan
Lane, John Goodman, John Slattery, Jefferson Mays, Holland Taylor, Sherie Rene
Scott. Even the lesser parts are names like my old colleague from Last Sweet
Days of Isaac, Lewis Stadlen.
Alas we are both nodding off. After Act 1 ( two
intermissions may be appropriately old fashioned for a 1928 revival of the
Hecht McCarther potboiler farce about the newspaper business) I ask Bob if it's
any good and what's it about--questions subsequent watching this evening will
not answer despite that we saw this not so long ago at the LaJolla Playhouse.
We are occasionally but barely awake, however, for glimpses of the great Mr.
Lane outrageously playing to the crowd. But he once again underscores his bona
fides as a great clown. And, mea culpa, in future I'll consider the toll of a
pretty much sleepless 22 hours of air travel before purchasing theatre tickets
on the day of landing.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19.
Toasted sandwich thins are a breakfast prelude to our
cold but not too cold walk to get some prosecco and appetizers for Hugh's
impending visit. 
A breezy pass-by from the doorman for Hugh who was
accustomed in years past to more rigorous inspections before gaining entrance
to wherever we've parked ourselves in New York.
Tales of our lives since last we met are energetically related over the
prosecco.
The conversation continues at Thalia which blessedly
thins out shortly after we arrive so that we can hear the further adventures of
Hugh's life on the upper west side with boyfriend Louie who he shares with
Louie's wife Nellie and Hugh's eventual plans to move to the condo he owns on
Riverside Drive. Of course The cloud of tomorrow's imminent Trump presidency
hangs over us as does, as oldsters, our mutual experience of physical
dissolution and the prospect of . . .
Candor is our hallmark but might as well move on and enjoy the wine and
pri fixed salad and cheeseburgers.
How wonderful to see him.
We don't win today's lottery to purchase tickets to Dear
Evan Hansen so we get 1/2 price tickets (astoundingly $86 each) to Waitress
playing a block from us at the Brooks Atkinson (remember him? He who could make
or break any white way offering).
WAITRESS. BROOKS ATKINSON THEATRE. 7:30. Giant hulk sits
in front of me so sight impaired but not mortally wounded 3rd row left from the
stage. Curtain festooned with cherry pies bordered by floor to ceiling pie
savers.
At intermission I think this could be an audience for
Aladdin. Bob notes that it looks like
these people have never seen a musical before.
Reuel. "it's s lot better
than I thought it would be." Bob.
"It's a lot stranger . . . I don't think I like it. Maybe I just don't
like musicals about crackers." True
the contretemps at first act curtain of Jesse, the "waitress" having
sex with her gynecologist is a bit jarring but I'm riding on this particular
wave of music and charm. Even though the supporting characters are cartoonish,
their interpreters are all terrific--all vying for that best supporting Tony.
Second act falters inevitably when it
tries to tie up the tale not only of Jena whose giving birth allows her
to leave her mean husband (Men!) and
succeed with her pies but also the
complications of her fellow waitresses in arms. Passable music and kudos to the
lead, Jesse. B/B+. Sandwiches and wine and annoying news of that damned
inauguration and sleep.
FRIDAY JANUARY 20.
Today is supposed to be a day of celebration but for some
it is a day of dread, when the reality smashes us in the face--Obama out, Trump
in. Nevertheless we will watch all morning this strange pageant, the bizarre
reality of 2016 electoral democracy.
Drinking starts at 10:30 am. "To the U.S."
"And US." I tell Bob that if he were president I'd be Dr. Olin just as Jill Biden is called
Dr. Biden. The Clintons don't look happy. "Honey, get up. We've got to do
this."
Interesting how sparse crowds are. 1/4 million protesting.
The Trump children looking constipated.
HILLARY'S FACE SAYS IT ALL
When Obama and Biden enter I start to cry. "My heart
is breaking."
And then "the dark prince" as Bob puts it
enters.
Who is the "you' Trump says he's advocating for?
Outrageous speech. Bob. "We're not going to be part of the
world." Not at all a healing
speech.
What a remarkably desultory day! Bob goes out to forage for food (wonderful
barbecued chicken and string beans from the Emporium). And I don't leave the
condo (much napping and catching drifts of excited commentary about the
inauguration, the protests in the streets, the artificial smiles of the
opposition at forced ritual gatherings. It's painful to watch the Clintons and
the Obamas as Trump recites a litany of catastrophes he will inherit and he
will most assuredly vanquish.
GOD HELP US
CAGNEY. WESTSIDE THEATRE UPSTAIRS. Garnered good but not
rave notices (those seem to be a rarity this particular season). Got the tickets
through TDF: cheap. Robert Creighton as Cagney is boffo. Looks and acts like
him, dances like a dream. Hard working multi-role supporting cast. As in most
bioplays, it's "and then I wrote. . . "
Bob. "I didn't like it enough. Dancing was great.
Thought it was boring." The frame is a SAG ceremony honoring Cagney that
his nemesis Jack Warner introduces. What follows is chronology. Not bad. But a
2 1/2 hour light musical theatre evening is a stretch. B
A short detour to the ubiquitous Duane Reade (and who was
he?) for reading glasses--(mine are in the Brooks Atkinson's Lost but not
Found) only to find the Trumps still grinding salt in our wounds by dancing (to
My Way) atop Obama's significant achievements. Sad.
SATURDAY JANUARY 21.
Another lazy day except for a short foray to the Swatch
shop where we are treated like the aristocrats we are by charming young men
under the tutelage of a manager who has a good eye. Also for watches.
(Chuckle.) So I wind up with a custom lovely plus a limited edition New York
map watch that entitles me to be a
Schwatch premium club member. Oh frabjous day. Must build my strength up for
lunch (I sound like a 29th century Russian princess). Actually Bob cooks up
some meatloaf with a glass of red. Can't consume more. We're going to a
matinee.
NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. IMPERIAL
THEATRE. With Josh Groban as Pierre. The theatre has been entirely reconfigured
for this environmental theatre musical and it's a wonder. We are trapped in an
aisle bounded by ramps for the actors-/what we sacrifice for theatre. The
others in our peninsula of a row are seated when we arrive. "We were
waiting for you," one says. "I hope we are worth the wait," I
reply somewhat saucily. I am seated next to a pleasant gentleman who tells me
he and his, I presume, wife saw the play when it was in a pop up tent downtown
and if this is half as good it will be wonderful. He read War and Peace twice
when he was young and had to read it again after seeing this. Later he will regale
me with the differences between the book's Pierre and Andre etc. and the play's
counterparts. I explain that I'm at a loss since the classic comic is no longer
available. This he finds immensely funny. Later Bob says that the Olin charm
carries through the ages. I reply that it limps along through the decades.
(Rather full of myself.) Actually the play (it's really an opera--with no
recitative) is a wonder. Josh Groban
still with wonderful voice is transformed as the plump, ungainly Pierre who
finally comes to the compassionate rescue of the lovely but reckless Natasha
who would jilt her betrothed for a young vain roue. This piece does Broadway
proud. A/A-
Now to do our makeup (brush our teeth?) for our guests,
dear Brian (whose hotel room at the W looks at our condo--small world) and his
new beau Frank, distinguished U of P professor and charming guy who calls Brian
Buck. Buck? Who knew? We feel a little like a suitor's potential in-laws at the
first visit. So we sotto voce give Brian our blessings as we head to Becco for
dinner at 8:45 (how urban sophisticated!) and get on with it. This time it's an
upper floor room. My antipasto was fabulous (how can octopus be anything
less?). The others enjoy their salads. Frank has swordfish which we think he likes.
Remaining three enjoy the multipasta family style servings for which Becco is
famous. The conversation is effervesent, nice discovering Frank as dedicated
teacher and expert consultant to governments interested in caring for their
ancient past, enjoying tales of his 70 acre farm outside of Durango, naturally
an archaeological haven. (Fellow Israel traveler gal archaeologist also lived
in Durango.) Great evening and we make a date to meet for brunch on the morrow.
SUNDAY JANUARY 22.
Getting the Sunday news shows all (well maybe not Fox) in
a tizzy about The Donald's Anti-press performance at inappropriate venues. It's 11 0'clock, time for me to buy matinee
tickets for A Bronx Tale (at $114 per ticket plus service charge? It's no bargain)
which as a "fast pass" previous ticket buyer I do in 2 minutes.
Thalia won't give us a 12 pm reservation for brunch
(1:45?) so we find a local place listed in 10 best brunches, Hourglass Tavern
on Restaurant Row 46th St, that will accommodate us. It's a brownstone next
door to The Ritz, a drag restaurant--oh god thank you for saving us from that
brunch fate. We once had one of our most miserable restaurant experiences at a drag place, Lips, in San Diego. The drags had the mistaken
impression that they were entertaining. Then again, as proprietors of a gay
resort in Palm Springs, we presented an obscene drag act monthly. At least they
were gender bending farceurs with a modicum of wit.
Anyway back to the Hourglass and there's Brian and Frank
coming down the street to meet us there. We are marched up 3 flights to a small
room set up, aside from our table for four, with group tables soon to be filled
with noisy groups of diners. We're still able to hear one another though and
Frank, who is a nimble raconteur, shares funny anecdotes from his life.
Yesterday, for example, it was as a youth following his escaping pug dogs into
a heavy leather bar which required he shed his twinkie clothes to retrieve
them. Today it's about his grandmother's parrot's inconvenient verbiage.
Except for Frank, who enjoys his swordfish, we are not
thrilled with our food. The poached eggs are barely warm for example. R &
B's $5 bloodies, however, are spiced and a good deal. Afterward we walk B &
F to the youth-centric, garish, dystopian (futuristic seating pods, disturbing
lighting fixtures) lobby of the W the skyscraper hotel where they've spent the
night and we say our goodbyes. 
A Bronx Tale. Musical at the Longacre based on Chazz Palminteri's one-man show about his youth as a gangster protege in the Bronx. Tuneful (Menken after all) but forgetable retro West Side Story shmaltz.
MONDAY JANUARY 23. NYC
The intensity on Morning Joe is palpable. Both Joe and
Mica are calling for the firing of Trump's advisers who did not edit his
frightening inaugural speech and did not prevent him from being the vindictive,
petty Trump thereafter.
In a sparse theatre season there are even fewer
possibilities on this dark Monday so I purchase $30 tickets for "Not That
Jewish", a solo act. Then we map out our day. A walk to Apple on the east
side to see if they can recommend an extender battery and a selfie stick both
of which have failed to work well with my iPhone 7 plus. Looks like I'll need to buy this stuff when I
get home. Did get the charming and efficient Apple gal to change my Siri to a
British accented male voice. (Shades of dystopian Operating System depicted
sexily and saucily in film "Her" seen in the air on this trip.)
It's 11:30 and we are the first customers at
Porterhouse--annual pilgrimage--which merits us Porterhouse's best duce table
looking out at Trump International Hotel
(on our way we pass 5th Avenue's Trump Tower and another Trump place on 59th
St. Prexy prick is everywhere!) Our server, Tara, is charming noting the wind
chill blessedly outside which was indeed daunting, and we order a Virginia
wine, their least expensive on the list for $50; it's "damned good" once
it breathes a bit. The pris fixe $35 offers Bob a delicious Caesar salad and me
a mushroom broth our server describes as "wintry" and it's
spectacular. She places very imposing knives down and we await the 2nd course
of the filet (we're attempting to reproduce last April's Monday lunch here
which was perfection). Of the filets Bob whispers "so tender" his
eyes rolling into his head in ecstasy. Cheesecake moi and molten chocolate Bob
meet very high expectations. 
The wind is whipping up and Trump's trees in the Tower's
plaza are yielding to its force.
Bob won't let me buy anything at H&M citing that
hackneyed "age inappropriate" prohibition. Doesn't expressly use that
phrase but later acknowledges he meant it.
We're in Whole Foods downstairs. Bob says we're not
buying anything. "We'll get it at Food Empotium where I know how to work
the system" and that we do braving winds that almost fly us downtown--glad
at least it's raging in that direction.
Obligatory old-guy naps and watching the weather outside
from our immense windows on the Great White Way (pretty multi-ethnic non White
in reality but the people trudging here and there are barely distinguishable
ants below). 
We cocoon ourselves for the cold and rainy trek to the
theatre complex a few blocks (thank god) North.
NOT THAT JEWISH @ The New Works Theatre is the surprise
of the week. A default pick because there is nothing else we hadn't seen (or
wanted to see--Bob refuses to see the well reviewed "School of Rock"
because he will avoid all musicals featuring "moppets" on principle
and it's true the much heralded Matilda was a muppet bomb by our lights). 
Bob says this show is "the best value" of all
of our selections this week. I agree and in fact believe it to be the best
performance (though we're seeing Kate Blanchett in "The Present"
tomorrow).
The show is a joy. The brilliant comedienne and comedy
writer Monica Piper details her life as a Jewish woman who seeks to find her
identity as a Jew while living an
unconventional life, marrying non-Jews, raising an adopted child as a single
mother, referring back to her quirky, funny family as touchstones. Her life
experience tells her finally that Jewishness is in deeds, compassion and
charity, "what's in your heart" not in the trappings of tradition.
There were tears in my eyes because it's funny and touching (and also because
I'm coming down with a cold).
We forge out into the wind and rain and a few blocks out
Bob discovers he's left his scarf in the theatre. Back we go. He describes it
to the doorman as blackwatch. Doorman and I do a riff on "what's
that?" and Bob needs to climb the theatre's many stairs (we've been
getting some sorely needed exercise this week climbing stairs in old theatres)
to be reunited with the beloved scarf he purchased 40 years ago at Brooks
Brothers. Advising the pleasant door guy that he's got to see the show, its
back out to fight the winds and feeling, once home, that some martinis; pizza
slice and meatballs are a lovely antidote and comfort.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24 NYC
MOMA.
Cafe on the 5th floor. 25 foot ceilings. Absolutely
unadorned White walls one of which is glass looking out over the sculpture
garden to the street which appears very Paree with its row of mansard roofs.
Sean Michael Chardonnay is woody, quite nice. Our curried chicken salad is well
prepared, excellent in fact.
We recall dining at the expensive first floor
restaurant some years back and finding the food good but the seating
uncomfortable.
The Picabia retrospective is fascinating. Always as an
innovator and a squirt in the eye of conventional art he moved through many
different styles in his long career. Cubist? Dadaist? Expressionist?
We are taken with Edward Munch's The Storm. It would look
great in our hall gallery.
And then we bravely split to explore independently and
then to meet at 2:30 with our troublesome but ultimately helpful audio tour
implements. Many galleries highlighting different decades of modern art. And
then I sit in on an installation featuring that grotesque music accompanied by
images of pretty women humping the floor. Oy.
Now it's shopping time though all the great MOMA store
yields are some rubber coasters that will look great on our Eileen Gray tables
and unlike our mid-century chair coasters might hold martini glasses safely in
place. (Of such concerns a happily superficial life are built.) Nap time and
then the evening event.
THE PRESENT @ The Ethel Barrymore Theatre. 7 pm. This is
a modernized version of Checkov's very early play, Platinov. It centers around
the Blanchett character's 40th birthday gathering and the various guests most
of the women of whom try to bed her old flame played by Richard Rouchberg.
Afterwards, after 3 hours of this, overheard: "Too
much funny. They had to balance the tragic with the funny." 
Back, it's confronting truly modern issues. The American
public is anesthetized to the ongoing scandal that is Pres Trump. He'll be
announcing his Great Wall. He'll appoint a justice who'll turn back the clock
of equality. The new normal will destroy us. I'm wondering if money can be made supplying services to
protest sites; they'll be a new one every day after all. There'd better be!
WEDNESDAY, JAN 25. NYC TO SAN DIEGO.
We tip the front of the house men $5 each. This year we're
using NYC Executive Limousine. Gabriel's on time; our vehicle's a huge Cadillac
Escalade SUV. Next year try the standard car. Takes about 15 minutes to get to the east side and out
of the city to Long Island City (where I taught at Laguardia Community
College) onto the Long Island Expressway
toward JFK. 
The Delta Sky Lounge is amazing. At 12 pm it's
practically empty as was the TSA security pre check. But even though we are
first class passengers we still have to pay a fee because our flight isn't
international. Lunch as they call it--it's actually a dinner buffet--is served
all day. I try the Thai soup, spicy and delish. Excellent salad choices and the
chicken breast is quite good. Now getting quietly "plotzed" [trans.
Inebriated] "A quite satisfying lunch," B sums up. And Mozart is
playing throughout. Jeez. And the place is so huge that when I go for a walk, I
get lost.
Tiny plane which does triple duty for Delta and for
Czechk and China Airlines but it's quite serviceable 1st class on the 1st
row--vodka and ice and Chardonnay aplenty for the comparatively short haul to
Detroit. (Not a destination!)
And a first for us at least in recent memory we're first
off the plane. And into a very futuristic airport in Detroit no less. It
features an updated version of Detroit's Eastern Market. It's really a wonder,
out of the box design. Huge TV screens everywhere. Plentiful iPad stations in
marble.
1st seat again. Difficult moral choices, Choose 1st aisle
or 2nd in the future? Lesson learned: drink your welcome drink quickly because
the assistants grab it before takeoff. Interesting that Delta domestic 1st is
not quite up to premium economy on Lufthansa international. But it's pretty
cool nonetheless. 
DEEPWATER HORIZON. Heard it was up for an Oscar in
something [wrong] so choose it. Mark Walburg doing his guy thing on an oil rig,
Everyman being a hero In a catastrophe. BP is sure the villain in this piece. Looks
like John Malkovich seems to personify it. Fudging on safety tests for the
money on behalf of the corporation. Technical achievement reproducing the
"spill". But hardly mesmerizing.
Meanwhile Bob is watching something that seems to be
genteel. Is it a romcom? Frankly I think I'd prefer that. There's the
explosion. I don't know if I'm riveted by the action but appreciate the
indictment of BP. I wake up to the closing credits. Me? Asleep on a plane?
Bob's having the cold plate, me the hot plate.
We disembark into San Diego's new extension--similar
design to the last new addition but more vast. Now all we need is more than one
runway and true status as an international hub. Won't happen.
We're home to find it expectedly in disarray.
NOT READY FOR PRIMETIME
Miss
Faversham's lair--in this case plastic screening in a feeble attempt to mask
out the dust from the ongoing remodel of our guest bathroom. Patience will be
required. All good things have their price. And this trip was a good thing
indeed.
Traffic terribly slow so that we add 45 minutes to our
cab ride into town. But we are glad to be here at our now favorite place to
stay in theatre district NYC, Bill Schoen's pretty glam 1 bedroom condo at 1600
Broadway between 48th and 49th street with its pano view over Broadway.
It's only one block to the TKTS booth in Times Square which I head toward to buy tickets (no line at 4 pm) to the Front Page for $160.
It's only one block to the TKTS booth in Times Square which I head toward to buy tickets (no line at 4 pm) to the Front Page for $160.
Next order of business, we're gatherers not hunters now,
is to gather booze and food so that we toast to our revisit with martinis and
then munch hot pizza from the local.
THE FRONT PAGE. @ The Broadhust Theatre. Starring Nathan
Lane, John Goodman, John Slattery, Jefferson Mays, Holland Taylor, Sherie Rene
Scott. Even the lesser parts are names like my old colleague from Last Sweet
Days of Isaac, Lewis Stadlen.
Alas we are both nodding off. After Act 1 ( two
intermissions may be appropriately old fashioned for a 1928 revival of the
Hecht McCarther potboiler farce about the newspaper business) I ask Bob if it's
any good and what's it about--questions subsequent watching this evening will
not answer despite that we saw this not so long ago at the LaJolla Playhouse.
We are occasionally but barely awake, however, for glimpses of the great Mr.
Lane outrageously playing to the crowd. But he once again underscores his bona
fides as a great clown. And, mea culpa, in future I'll consider the toll of a
pretty much sleepless 22 hours of air travel before purchasing theatre tickets
on the day of landing.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19.
Yes, we're in New York. Are we? It's 8 am. I'm abed but
have had only 4 1/2 hours of sleep. My internet clock such as it is will not
permit me more. Bob tells me that when he got up earlier and staggered to the
Marble bathroom of our condo here he thought he was in "a sand
palace" in Jordan where he must not drink the water, tribute no doubt to
the sand sand everywhere that he experienced in the Sahara of Jordan.
Toasted sandwich thins are a breakfast prelude to our
cold but not too cold walk to get some prosecco and appetizers for Hugh's
impending visit.
A breezy pass-by from the doorman for Hugh who was
accustomed in years past to more rigorous inspections before gaining entrance
to wherever we've parked ourselves in New York.
Tales of our lives since last we met are energetically related over the
prosecco.
The conversation continues at Thalia which blessedly
thins out shortly after we arrive so that we can hear the further adventures of
Hugh's life on the upper west side with boyfriend Louie who he shares with
Louie's wife Nellie and Hugh's eventual plans to move to the condo he owns on
Riverside Drive. Of course The cloud of tomorrow's imminent Trump presidency
hangs over us as does, as oldsters, our mutual experience of physical
dissolution and the prospect of . . .
Candor is our hallmark but might as well move on and enjoy the wine and
pri fixed salad and cheeseburgers.
How wonderful to see him.
We don't win today's lottery to purchase tickets to Dear
Evan Hansen so we get 1/2 price tickets (astoundingly $86 each) to Waitress
playing a block from us at the Brooks Atkinson (remember him? He who could make
or break any white way offering).
Just time enough to catch a needed nap.
WAITRESS. BROOKS ATKINSON THEATRE. 7:30. Giant hulk sits
in front of me so sight impaired but not mortally wounded 3rd row left from the
stage. Curtain festooned with cherry pies bordered by floor to ceiling pie
savers.
At intermission I think this could be an audience for
Aladdin. Bob notes that it looks like
these people have never seen a musical before.
Reuel. "it's s lot better
than I thought it would be." Bob.
"It's a lot stranger . . . I don't think I like it. Maybe I just don't
like musicals about crackers." True
the contretemps at first act curtain of Jesse, the "waitress" having
sex with her gynecologist is a bit jarring but I'm riding on this particular
wave of music and charm. Even though the supporting characters are cartoonish,
their interpreters are all terrific--all vying for that best supporting Tony.
Second act falters inevitably when it
tries to tie up the tale not only of Jena whose giving birth allows her
to leave her mean husband (Men!) and
succeed with her pies but also the
complications of her fellow waitresses in arms. Passable music and kudos to the
lead, Jesse. B/B+. Sandwiches and wine and annoying news of that damned
inauguration and sleep.
FRIDAY JANUARY 20.
Today is supposed to be a day of celebration but for some
it is a day of dread, when the reality smashes us in the face--Obama out, Trump
in. Nevertheless we will watch all morning this strange pageant, the bizarre
reality of 2016 electoral democracy.
Drinking starts at 10:30 am. "To the U.S." "And US." I tell Bob that if he were president I'd be Dr. Olin just as Jill Biden is called Dr. Biden. The Clintons don't look happy. "Honey, get up. We've got to do this."
Interesting how sparse crowds are. 1/4 million protesting.
The Trump children looking constipated.  |
| HILLARY'S FACE SAYS IT ALL |
And then "the dark prince" as Bob puts it
enters.
Who is the "you' Trump says he's advocating for?
Outrageous speech. Bob. "We're not going to be part of the
world." Not at all a healing
speech.
What a remarkably desultory day! Bob goes out to forage for food (wonderful
barbecued chicken and string beans from the Emporium). And I don't leave the
condo (much napping and catching drifts of excited commentary about the
inauguration, the protests in the streets, the artificial smiles of the
opposition at forced ritual gatherings. It's painful to watch the Clintons and
the Obamas as Trump recites a litany of catastrophes he will inherit and he
will most assuredly vanquish.
 |
| GOD HELP US |
CAGNEY. WESTSIDE THEATRE UPSTAIRS. Garnered good but not
rave notices (those seem to be a rarity this particular season). Got the tickets
through TDF: cheap. Robert Creighton as Cagney is boffo. Looks and acts like
him, dances like a dream. Hard working multi-role supporting cast. As in most
bioplays, it's "and then I wrote. . . "
Bob. "I didn't like it enough. Dancing was great.
Thought it was boring." The frame is a SAG ceremony honoring Cagney that
his nemesis Jack Warner introduces. What follows is chronology. Not bad. But a
2 1/2 hour light musical theatre evening is a stretch. B
A short detour to the ubiquitous Duane Reade (and who was he?) for reading glasses--(mine are in the Brooks Atkinson's Lost but not Found) only to find the Trumps still grinding salt in our wounds by dancing (to My Way) atop Obama's significant achievements. Sad.
SATURDAY JANUARY 21.
3 1/2 hours of sleep will have consequences. Though up
since 3:30 am, I don't bestir from bed until 6. Bob still sleeping the sleep of
the angels he prances amongst. Then battling the tv controls (we haven't
mastered this thing) until it finally conks on.
Another lazy day except for a short foray to the Swatch
shop where we are treated like the aristocrats we are by charming young men
under the tutelage of a manager who has a good eye. Also for watches.
(Chuckle.) So I wind up with a custom lovely plus a limited edition New York
map watch that entitles me to be a
Schwatch premium club member. Oh frabjous day. Must build my strength up for
lunch (I sound like a 29th century Russian princess). Actually Bob cooks up
some meatloaf with a glass of red. Can't consume more. We're going to a
matinee. 
NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. IMPERIAL
THEATRE. With Josh Groban as Pierre. The theatre has been entirely reconfigured
for this environmental theatre musical and it's a wonder. We are trapped in an
aisle bounded by ramps for the actors-/what we sacrifice for theatre. The
others in our peninsula of a row are seated when we arrive. "We were
waiting for you," one says. "I hope we are worth the wait," I
reply somewhat saucily. I am seated next to a pleasant gentleman who tells me
he and his, I presume, wife saw the play when it was in a pop up tent downtown
and if this is half as good it will be wonderful. He read War and Peace twice
when he was young and had to read it again after seeing this. Later he will regale
me with the differences between the book's Pierre and Andre etc. and the play's
counterparts. I explain that I'm at a loss since the classic comic is no longer
available. This he finds immensely funny. Later Bob says that the Olin charm
carries through the ages. I reply that it limps along through the decades.
(Rather full of myself.) Actually the play (it's really an opera--with no
recitative) is a wonder. Josh Groban
still with wonderful voice is transformed as the plump, ungainly Pierre who
finally comes to the compassionate rescue of the lovely but reckless Natasha
who would jilt her betrothed for a young vain roue. This piece does Broadway
proud. A/A-
Now to do our makeup (brush our teeth?) for our guests,
dear Brian (whose hotel room at the W looks at our condo--small world) and his
new beau Frank, distinguished U of P professor and charming guy who calls Brian
Buck. Buck? Who knew? We feel a little like a suitor's potential in-laws at the
first visit. So we sotto voce give Brian our blessings as we head to Becco for
dinner at 8:45 (how urban sophisticated!) and get on with it. This time it's an
upper floor room. My antipasto was fabulous (how can octopus be anything
less?). The others enjoy their salads. Frank has swordfish which we think he likes.
Remaining three enjoy the multipasta family style servings for which Becco is
famous. The conversation is effervesent, nice discovering Frank as dedicated
teacher and expert consultant to governments interested in caring for their
ancient past, enjoying tales of his 70 acre farm outside of Durango, naturally
an archaeological haven. (Fellow Israel traveler gal archaeologist also lived
in Durango.) Great evening and we make a date to meet for brunch on the morrow.
SUNDAY JANUARY 22.
I don't mean to whine dear diary but with 4 hours of
sleep (again) oy. Apparently my brain is somewhere in a cave in Petra. No
chance of being witty at brunch or staying awake for two productions. Ok I've
whined. Moving on.
Getting the Sunday news shows all (well maybe not Fox) in
a tizzy about The Donald's Anti-press performance at inappropriate venues. It's 11 0'clock, time for me to buy matinee
tickets for A Bronx Tale (at $114 per ticket plus service charge? It's no bargain)
which as a "fast pass" previous ticket buyer I do in 2 minutes. 
Thalia won't give us a 12 pm reservation for brunch
(1:45?) so we find a local place listed in 10 best brunches, Hourglass Tavern
on Restaurant Row 46th St, that will accommodate us. It's a brownstone next
door to The Ritz, a drag restaurant--oh god thank you for saving us from that
brunch fate. We once had one of our most miserable restaurant experiences at a drag place, Lips, in San Diego. The drags had the mistaken
impression that they were entertaining. Then again, as proprietors of a gay
resort in Palm Springs, we presented an obscene drag act monthly. At least they
were gender bending farceurs with a modicum of wit.
Anyway back to the Hourglass and there's Brian and Frank
coming down the street to meet us there. We are marched up 3 flights to a small
room set up, aside from our table for four, with group tables soon to be filled
with noisy groups of diners. We're still able to hear one another though and
Frank, who is a nimble raconteur, shares funny anecdotes from his life.
Yesterday, for example, it was as a youth following his escaping pug dogs into
a heavy leather bar which required he shed his twinkie clothes to retrieve
them. Today it's about his grandmother's parrot's inconvenient verbiage.
Except for Frank, who enjoys his swordfish, we are not
thrilled with our food. The poached eggs are barely warm for example. R &
B's $5 bloodies, however, are spiced and a good deal. Afterward we walk B &
F to the youth-centric, garish, dystopian (futuristic seating pods, disturbing
lighting fixtures) lobby of the W the skyscraper hotel where they've spent the
night and we say our goodbyes.
A Bronx Tale. Musical at the Longacre based on Chazz Palminteri's one-man show about his youth as a gangster protege in the Bronx. Tuneful (Menken after all) but forgetable retro West Side Story shmaltz.
MONDAY JANUARY 23. NYC
Early to bed, early to rise . . . And thus it is so.
Someday I'd like to travel to Tibet if only to say "Early Tibet."
((Watch for it.)
The intensity on Morning Joe is palpable. Both Joe and
Mica are calling for the firing of Trump's advisers who did not edit his
frightening inaugural speech and did not prevent him from being the vindictive,
petty Trump thereafter. 
In a sparse theatre season there are even fewer
possibilities on this dark Monday so I purchase $30 tickets for "Not That
Jewish", a solo act. Then we map out our day. A walk to Apple on the east
side to see if they can recommend an extender battery and a selfie stick both
of which have failed to work well with my iPhone 7 plus. Looks like I'll need to buy this stuff when I
get home. Did get the charming and efficient Apple gal to change my Siri to a
British accented male voice. (Shades of dystopian Operating System depicted
sexily and saucily in film "Her" seen in the air on this trip.)
It's 11:30 and we are the first customers at
Porterhouse--annual pilgrimage--which merits us Porterhouse's best duce table
looking out at Trump International Hotel
(on our way we pass 5th Avenue's Trump Tower and another Trump place on 59th
St. Prexy prick is everywhere!) Our server, Tara, is charming noting the wind
chill blessedly outside which was indeed daunting, and we order a Virginia
wine, their least expensive on the list for $50; it's "damned good" once
it breathes a bit. The pris fixe $35 offers Bob a delicious Caesar salad and me
a mushroom broth our server describes as "wintry" and it's
spectacular. She places very imposing knives down and we await the 2nd course
of the filet (we're attempting to reproduce last April's Monday lunch here
which was perfection). Of the filets Bob whispers "so tender" his
eyes rolling into his head in ecstasy. Cheesecake moi and molten chocolate Bob
meet very high expectations. 
The wind is whipping up and Trump's trees in the Tower's
plaza are yielding to its force.
Note: Next time you don't need to order tea just enjoy
your wine. Bob, on the other hands, requires his coffee.
Bob won't let me buy anything at H&M citing that
hackneyed "age inappropriate" prohibition. Doesn't expressly use that
phrase but later acknowledges he meant it.
We're in Whole Foods downstairs. Bob says we're not
buying anything. "We'll get it at Food Empotium where I know how to work
the system" and that we do braving winds that almost fly us downtown--glad
at least it's raging in that direction.
Obligatory old-guy naps and watching the weather outside
from our immense windows on the Great White Way (pretty multi-ethnic non White
in reality but the people trudging here and there are barely distinguishable
ants below).
We cocoon ourselves for the cold and rainy trek to the
theatre complex a few blocks (thank god) North.
NOT THAT JEWISH @ The New Works Theatre is the surprise
of the week. A default pick because there is nothing else we hadn't seen (or
wanted to see--Bob refuses to see the well reviewed "School of Rock"
because he will avoid all musicals featuring "moppets" on principle
and it's true the much heralded Matilda was a muppet bomb by our lights).
Bob says this show is "the best value" of all
of our selections this week. I agree and in fact believe it to be the best
performance (though we're seeing Kate Blanchett in "The Present"
tomorrow).
The show is a joy. The brilliant comedienne and comedy
writer Monica Piper details her life as a Jewish woman who seeks to find her
identity as a Jew while living an
unconventional life, marrying non-Jews, raising an adopted child as a single
mother, referring back to her quirky, funny family as touchstones. Her life
experience tells her finally that Jewishness is in deeds, compassion and
charity, "what's in your heart" not in the trappings of tradition.
There were tears in my eyes because it's funny and touching (and also because
I'm coming down with a cold).
We forge out into the wind and rain and a few blocks out
Bob discovers he's left his scarf in the theatre. Back we go. He describes it
to the doorman as blackwatch. Doorman and I do a riff on "what's
that?" and Bob needs to climb the theatre's many stairs (we've been
getting some sorely needed exercise this week climbing stairs in old theatres)
to be reunited with the beloved scarf he purchased 40 years ago at Brooks
Brothers. Advising the pleasant door guy that he's got to see the show, its
back out to fight the winds and feeling, once home, that some martinis; pizza
slice and meatballs are a lovely antidote and comfort.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24 NYC
A weather-battering walk to MOMA past ever-picturesque
New York sights.
MOMA.
Horrible purposefully (could it be else?) distressful
organ music piped throughout.
Cafe on the 5th floor. 25 foot ceilings. Absolutely unadorned White walls one of which is glass looking out over the sculpture garden to the street which appears very Paree with its row of mansard roofs. Sean Michael Chardonnay is woody, quite nice. Our curried chicken salad is well prepared, excellent in fact.
The Picabia retrospective is fascinating. Always as an innovator and a squirt in the eye of conventional art he moved through many different styles in his long career. Cubist? Dadaist? Expressionist?
We are taken with Edward Munch's The Storm. It would look
great in our hall gallery.
And then we bravely split to explore independently and
then to meet at 2:30 with our troublesome but ultimately helpful audio tour
implements. Many galleries highlighting different decades of modern art. And
then I sit in on an installation featuring that grotesque music accompanied by
images of pretty women humping the floor. Oy.
THE PRESENT @ The Ethel Barrymore Theatre. 7 pm. This is
a modernized version of Checkov's very early play, Platinov. It centers around
the Blanchett character's 40th birthday gathering and the various guests most
of the women of whom try to bed her old flame played by Richard Rouchberg.
So at intermission Bob says "I don't know why she wasted
her time on this play. A vanity production." "There's nothing vanity
about it," I reply. We've climbed down the long stairs from our
too-expensive rear mezzanine seats (I thought it would be a hot ticket before
it opened) to thus disparage this messy, overlong production. Overheard.
"At least we've got good seats." I mumble "We don't even have
that." Overheard. "Everything they're saying is bullshit." I
say, "So you're a director confronted by a very early boring Checkov play.
So you have to make it jarringly
contemporary, throw in gunshots and fireworks and the greatest actress of her
generation shouting and pulling up her skirt." We take empty seats behind
ours--terribly attractive seat mates who belong in the play are disruptive--I
say it's very hard to modernize Checkov. His was a special time, a sensibility
we don't have--these were the landed gentry caught in social change.
Afterwards, after 3 hours of this, overheard: "Too
much funny. They had to balance the tragic with the funny."
And a contrary voice. "So complex. So human."
Huh? Well Chekhov does level the self-serious with the quirky but here it is
stretched to farce.
Back, it's confronting truly modern issues. The American
public is anesthetized to the ongoing scandal that is Pres Trump. He'll be
announcing his Great Wall. He'll appoint a justice who'll turn back the clock
of equality. The new normal will destroy us. I'm wondering if money can be made supplying services to
protest sites; they'll be a new one every day after all. There'd better be!
WEDNESDAY, JAN 25. NYC TO SAN DIEGO.
Its packing day. Bob says it's so much easier packing for
going home, just throw it in. I take a photo from our window of the skyscraper
being erected last time we were in NYC, still unfinished, to compare when next
we visit. We think after all that this condo is a keeper after all those
brownstones and condos we've stayed in over the years. It's best located in the
theatre district, is respectable, and serves our needs well.
We tip the front of the house men $5 each. This year we're
using NYC Executive Limousine. Gabriel's on time; our vehicle's a huge Cadillac
Escalade SUV. Next year try the standard car. Takes about 15 minutes to get to the east side and out
of the city to Long Island City (where I taught at Laguardia Community
College) onto the Long Island Expressway
toward JFK.
The Delta Sky Lounge is amazing. At 12 pm it's
practically empty as was the TSA security pre check. But even though we are
first class passengers we still have to pay a fee because our flight isn't
international. Lunch as they call it--it's actually a dinner buffet--is served
all day. I try the Thai soup, spicy and delish. Excellent salad choices and the
chicken breast is quite good. Now getting quietly "plotzed" [trans.
Inebriated] "A quite satisfying lunch," B sums up. And Mozart is
playing throughout. Jeez. And the place is so huge that when I go for a walk, I
get lost.
Tiny plane which does triple duty for Delta and for
Czechk and China Airlines but it's quite serviceable 1st class on the 1st
row--vodka and ice and Chardonnay aplenty for the comparatively short haul to
Detroit. (Not a destination!)
And a first for us at least in recent memory we're first
off the plane. And into a very futuristic airport in Detroit no less. It
features an updated version of Detroit's Eastern Market. It's really a wonder,
out of the box design. Huge TV screens everywhere. Plentiful iPad stations in
marble.
1st seat again. Difficult moral choices, Choose 1st aisle
or 2nd in the future? Lesson learned: drink your welcome drink quickly because
the assistants grab it before takeoff. Interesting that Delta domestic 1st is
not quite up to premium economy on Lufthansa international. But it's pretty
cool nonetheless.
DEEPWATER HORIZON. Heard it was up for an Oscar in
something [wrong] so choose it. Mark Walburg doing his guy thing on an oil rig,
Everyman being a hero In a catastrophe. BP is sure the villain in this piece. Looks
like John Malkovich seems to personify it. Fudging on safety tests for the
money on behalf of the corporation. Technical achievement reproducing the
"spill". But hardly mesmerizing.
Meanwhile Bob is watching something that seems to be
genteel. Is it a romcom? Frankly I think I'd prefer that. There's the
explosion. I don't know if I'm riveted by the action but appreciate the
indictment of BP. I wake up to the closing credits. Me? Asleep on a plane?
Bob's having the cold plate, me the hot plate.
We disembark into San Diego's new extension--similar
design to the last new addition but more vast. Now all we need is more than one
runway and true status as an international hub. Won't happen.
We're home to find it expectedly in disarray.
Miss
Faversham's lair--in this case plastic screening in a feeble attempt to mask
out the dust from the ongoing remodel of our guest bathroom. Patience will be
required. All good things have their price. And this trip was a good thing
indeed.
 |
| NOT READY FOR PRIMETIME |
AH, HOME.
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| AH, HOME. |
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