Mom's First Trip
I can never quite decide if it's better to go back to the beginning, or to talk about the latest events. The advantage of the former is that everything will be in chronological order; the disadvantage is that I might never get caught up. So today I think I'm going for the latest news.
This morning Mom and I woke up at the very reasonable hour (for a Saturday) of 8:00 am. We called Julien, Mrinal and his wife, and Jared, to coordinate, and it was agreed that Mrinal and his wife would sit out and the rest of us would share Julien's car on a day-long exploration of the Galilee region. On a previous trip to the area, Jared, Julien, and I had discovered the restaurant Sahara, and so in anticipation of an enormous dinner there, Mom and I intended to skip lunch, and in anticipation of that, we had a large breakfast of French toast with the leftover plum syrup I had still in the refrigerator from my last weekend French toast breakfast.
When Julien arrived we realized that none of us knew how to get to Jared's house; I had promised that we would pick him up, and as he wasn't answering his home phone, we suspected he had already gone outside to wait for us. I was the only one who had been to Jared's house, and that had been in June, but I managed to find his address in my email archives just as he finally called us back. Without further ado, we proceeded to his place and began the hour or so drive to Belvoir.
Julien and I are avid fans of Crusader fortresses, and this was a particular favorite of Julien's, as he had proposed it several times for our tour days, but for some reason or another, we had never gotten around to it. Neither Jared or of course Mom had been, so it seemed a good choice. We were a bit concerned about the hazy weather, and the view was somewhat murky when we first arrived, but it cleared as the morning and the afternoon progressed, and by the time we left at 1:30, the lakes had transformed from a dusky brown to a glittering blue, and the fields from a dowdy green to emerald fecundity.
As always here, we were free to wander our way around the fortress as we pleased, but we chose to follow (mostly) the suggested route so that we could read about what we were seeing in the brochure. Much of the structure was intact, including even the roof in some areas, and the water cistern was completely undisturbed except for the opening that had probably been made by tourists. The vaulted arches and the concentric rectangular plan of the fortress made for some stunning views of arches within arches within arches, and the increasingly brilliant sky made for improving contrasts with the basalt and limestone as the day progressed.
I was particularly impressed by how clear the purpose of many of the rooms remained. In the center of the fortress, we could clearly observe the basins and carved water channels intended for the kitchen and laundry room. The walls of the fortress had also held up particularly well, which was dramatized by the deep (eternally arid) moat.
All four of us approached the site with a similar style -- we liked to wander about, catching unusual views with our cameras, and generally taking things slowly enough to absorb the ambience. It is a luxury afforded to few tourists; with an open vista of weeks, months, and perhaps years ahead of us, there is no urge to rush to the next site in a vain attempt to squeeze them all in. We know we will always make it eventually to the places that interest us most.
For the afternoon, we agreed to go to Bet She'an instead of Mount Tabor, where Julien, Jared, and I had already been previously. We let Mom choose, and I thought this was a particularly gracious decision on her part. I split the three oranges I had bought among the four of us as Julien wrestled with the Hebrew map, but he brought us to the National Park without a hitch. Julien and I gleefully drew out our annual National Park passes for the second time -- that makes for a total of 42 NIS out of the 220 for the pass in just this one day, and when we bought the passes originally in June, we went to two sites as well, so all in all we're optimistic that we'll get our money's worth.
I had taken an interest in Bet She'an after hearing it described by the Eyewitness Guide to Jerusalem and the Holy Land (heretofore know as the Eyewitness Guide) as the finest example of Roman ruins in Israel. The extensive site certainly deserved this praise. It had been devastated in 7th century AD by an earthquake that had ravaged the entire region, but it was almost as though a snapshot in time had been made from that very moment. In many places were were able to see the enormous columns as they had fallen.
Much of the site remained in remarkably good condition in spite of Mother Nature's contrariness. For instance, the lower tier of three of the amphitheatre, which had originally seated 7000, still remained, including two stunning pink marble columns that had been imported from Europe. A careless thespian had left the trapdoor to under the stage open, so we clambered down the latter and enjoyed the darkened views of the arched "backstage".
Another particular highlight was the bathhouse, with its stunning mosaics. I was a bit shocked that most of the mosaics were not roped off and we were free to wander all over of them. Several included phrases lettered in Greek, which were still perfectly legible after over a millenium. The bath had also been partially excavated, so we were able to view the heating mechanism, much as in Masada.
A nearby Tel offered, after a mere hundred or two steps, a sweeping aerial panorama that must certainly set Bet She'an aside from any other Roman site I have visited. The sun was setting behind that site, which didn't make for very favorable conditions for pictures, but the backlit columns, paved roads, and knee high foundations looked radiant in the twilight.
Perched at the top, we enjoyed a reconstruction of an Egyptian house predating the Roman ruins by many centuries. The confluence of abundant water, strategic views from the top of the Tel, and acres of arable land nearby had apparently made the site popular throughout the ages, for we could also see ruins dated to the time of Kings David and Soloman. The Old Testament had never felt so close, and so dramatic, set in a place of such remarkable beauty.
By five we were all getting hungry and a bit tired, and only the enticement of the public latrines delayed us from returning to Julien's car (looking ever so much nicer, being freshly washed (perhaps in honor of Mom's visit?)). We then set off back toward Afula and Sahara, with the three passangers almost nodding off along the way. The hour was so early for lunch and so late for dinner, that we nursed some apprehensions that the restaurant might not be serving, but the parking lot was in fact bulging as a testament to the quality of the food.
We ended up ordering exactly the same dish as last time, and it was completely and in every way worth a repeat. The fare began with an excellent selection of fresh salads, and the owner of the restaurant even brought us a bonus mushroom salad, for he remembered Jared's striking frame from our last visit. As the main course arrived and I placed the first forkful of lamb in my mouth, I thought I had died and ended up in heaven. As before, the lamb was the most tender I had ever eaten; the flesh literally melted in my mouth and I didn't even resist eating the bits of fat, which sunk into the rice and infused it with the richest, most warming and filling flavor imaginable. For once, I truly felt that becoming a vegetarian would be a tremendous sacrifice.
Afterward, we moved to a lounge of low couches and tables to rest our stomachs, and to take Arabic coffee (in the case of Julien and I) and chai ve nana (tea with mint) (in the case of Mom and Jared). I also succumbed to temptation and ate my 2x2cm square of achingly sweet baklava, which made even the coffee seem mild. Mom whole-heartedly agreed that in leaving this area, the food would certainly be sorely missed.
It was fully dark by the time we emerged, at about 7:30, and we enjoyed the sparkling lights and the soft murmer of Galgalat (the local army radio station, which offers the best musical selection to our humble ears). I could see Mom's eyes closing, and I felt completely satisfied with my full belly, slightly sore muscles from kick-boxing the day before, and comfortable warmth.
Having Mom here is like a resurrection of my first few weeks in the country, when everything was an adventure and a little urgent in my doubt that I would be able to return. I really have to make an effort to make these things happen even without Mom, for this is one of the finest offerings Israel has -- it's rich sense of history, embedded deep in the stunning scenery.
This morning Mom and I woke up at the very reasonable hour (for a Saturday) of 8:00 am. We called Julien, Mrinal and his wife, and Jared, to coordinate, and it was agreed that Mrinal and his wife would sit out and the rest of us would share Julien's car on a day-long exploration of the Galilee region. On a previous trip to the area, Jared, Julien, and I had discovered the restaurant Sahara, and so in anticipation of an enormous dinner there, Mom and I intended to skip lunch, and in anticipation of that, we had a large breakfast of French toast with the leftover plum syrup I had still in the refrigerator from my last weekend French toast breakfast.
When Julien arrived we realized that none of us knew how to get to Jared's house; I had promised that we would pick him up, and as he wasn't answering his home phone, we suspected he had already gone outside to wait for us. I was the only one who had been to Jared's house, and that had been in June, but I managed to find his address in my email archives just as he finally called us back. Without further ado, we proceeded to his place and began the hour or so drive to Belvoir.
Julien and I are avid fans of Crusader fortresses, and this was a particular favorite of Julien's, as he had proposed it several times for our tour days, but for some reason or another, we had never gotten around to it. Neither Jared or of course Mom had been, so it seemed a good choice. We were a bit concerned about the hazy weather, and the view was somewhat murky when we first arrived, but it cleared as the morning and the afternoon progressed, and by the time we left at 1:30, the lakes had transformed from a dusky brown to a glittering blue, and the fields from a dowdy green to emerald fecundity.
As always here, we were free to wander our way around the fortress as we pleased, but we chose to follow (mostly) the suggested route so that we could read about what we were seeing in the brochure. Much of the structure was intact, including even the roof in some areas, and the water cistern was completely undisturbed except for the opening that had probably been made by tourists. The vaulted arches and the concentric rectangular plan of the fortress made for some stunning views of arches within arches within arches, and the increasingly brilliant sky made for improving contrasts with the basalt and limestone as the day progressed.
I was particularly impressed by how clear the purpose of many of the rooms remained. In the center of the fortress, we could clearly observe the basins and carved water channels intended for the kitchen and laundry room. The walls of the fortress had also held up particularly well, which was dramatized by the deep (eternally arid) moat.
All four of us approached the site with a similar style -- we liked to wander about, catching unusual views with our cameras, and generally taking things slowly enough to absorb the ambience. It is a luxury afforded to few tourists; with an open vista of weeks, months, and perhaps years ahead of us, there is no urge to rush to the next site in a vain attempt to squeeze them all in. We know we will always make it eventually to the places that interest us most.
For the afternoon, we agreed to go to Bet She'an instead of Mount Tabor, where Julien, Jared, and I had already been previously. We let Mom choose, and I thought this was a particularly gracious decision on her part. I split the three oranges I had bought among the four of us as Julien wrestled with the Hebrew map, but he brought us to the National Park without a hitch. Julien and I gleefully drew out our annual National Park passes for the second time -- that makes for a total of 42 NIS out of the 220 for the pass in just this one day, and when we bought the passes originally in June, we went to two sites as well, so all in all we're optimistic that we'll get our money's worth.
I had taken an interest in Bet She'an after hearing it described by the Eyewitness Guide to Jerusalem and the Holy Land (heretofore know as the Eyewitness Guide) as the finest example of Roman ruins in Israel. The extensive site certainly deserved this praise. It had been devastated in 7th century AD by an earthquake that had ravaged the entire region, but it was almost as though a snapshot in time had been made from that very moment. In many places were were able to see the enormous columns as they had fallen.
Much of the site remained in remarkably good condition in spite of Mother Nature's contrariness. For instance, the lower tier of three of the amphitheatre, which had originally seated 7000, still remained, including two stunning pink marble columns that had been imported from Europe. A careless thespian had left the trapdoor to under the stage open, so we clambered down the latter and enjoyed the darkened views of the arched "backstage".
Another particular highlight was the bathhouse, with its stunning mosaics. I was a bit shocked that most of the mosaics were not roped off and we were free to wander all over of them. Several included phrases lettered in Greek, which were still perfectly legible after over a millenium. The bath had also been partially excavated, so we were able to view the heating mechanism, much as in Masada.
A nearby Tel offered, after a mere hundred or two steps, a sweeping aerial panorama that must certainly set Bet She'an aside from any other Roman site I have visited. The sun was setting behind that site, which didn't make for very favorable conditions for pictures, but the backlit columns, paved roads, and knee high foundations looked radiant in the twilight.
Perched at the top, we enjoyed a reconstruction of an Egyptian house predating the Roman ruins by many centuries. The confluence of abundant water, strategic views from the top of the Tel, and acres of arable land nearby had apparently made the site popular throughout the ages, for we could also see ruins dated to the time of Kings David and Soloman. The Old Testament had never felt so close, and so dramatic, set in a place of such remarkable beauty.
By five we were all getting hungry and a bit tired, and only the enticement of the public latrines delayed us from returning to Julien's car (looking ever so much nicer, being freshly washed (perhaps in honor of Mom's visit?)). We then set off back toward Afula and Sahara, with the three passangers almost nodding off along the way. The hour was so early for lunch and so late for dinner, that we nursed some apprehensions that the restaurant might not be serving, but the parking lot was in fact bulging as a testament to the quality of the food.
We ended up ordering exactly the same dish as last time, and it was completely and in every way worth a repeat. The fare began with an excellent selection of fresh salads, and the owner of the restaurant even brought us a bonus mushroom salad, for he remembered Jared's striking frame from our last visit. As the main course arrived and I placed the first forkful of lamb in my mouth, I thought I had died and ended up in heaven. As before, the lamb was the most tender I had ever eaten; the flesh literally melted in my mouth and I didn't even resist eating the bits of fat, which sunk into the rice and infused it with the richest, most warming and filling flavor imaginable. For once, I truly felt that becoming a vegetarian would be a tremendous sacrifice.
Afterward, we moved to a lounge of low couches and tables to rest our stomachs, and to take Arabic coffee (in the case of Julien and I) and chai ve nana (tea with mint) (in the case of Mom and Jared). I also succumbed to temptation and ate my 2x2cm square of achingly sweet baklava, which made even the coffee seem mild. Mom whole-heartedly agreed that in leaving this area, the food would certainly be sorely missed.
It was fully dark by the time we emerged, at about 7:30, and we enjoyed the sparkling lights and the soft murmer of Galgalat (the local army radio station, which offers the best musical selection to our humble ears). I could see Mom's eyes closing, and I felt completely satisfied with my full belly, slightly sore muscles from kick-boxing the day before, and comfortable warmth.
Having Mom here is like a resurrection of my first few weeks in the country, when everything was an adventure and a little urgent in my doubt that I would be able to return. I really have to make an effort to make these things happen even without Mom, for this is one of the finest offerings Israel has -- it's rich sense of history, embedded deep in the stunning scenery.