Sunday, December 17, 2006
How to View Site
Hi Everyone! To view this blog from the beginning, scroll to the bottom and read up. Enjoy!
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Home At Last
Well all, Melissa and Melanie are home in Denver after a wonderful, crazy trip. Thanks to all for reading and commenting about our adventures!!! We will be posting some underwater pics of the diving in the Red Sea and hope to soon have a shutterfly album up as well!!!
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Visiting Giza, Memphis and Saqqara
Today we finally saw the Pyramids, Sphinx and the most ancient step pyramid. We started our day at Memphis, founded in 3100 BC. It was once the capital of Egypt. We then headed to Saqqara where the first pyramid was built. There are other tombs around the area as well. The first glimpse of a pyramid was so fun! After Saqqara we went to a rug manufacturer where we saw people weaving rugs of cotton, silk and wool.
Onto the Giza plateau where the most famous pyramids and the Sphinx are located. Wow was this amazing! We walked around the Great Pyramid first and took lots of photos. It was so overwhelming to be there. You can't imagine the size of these things! We couldn't get far enough away for awhile to get the whole pyramid in the photo. We then went to an area where we could overlook the whole plateau and see all the pyramids.
After that we entered the second pyramid. Ok, so we walked into the entrance, down a little and then we had to bend in half to go down an angled shaft. It was very closed in and of course there is no air circulation. Melissa almost couldn't do it, but then she took a deep breath and kept going. We got to the bottom of the shaft and had a place where you could stand straight. We walked down a corridor that was only a couple inches above our heads and we could walk side by side with our arms brushing the walls. Then came another shaft going up where we had to bend over and climb - going up was easier. At the end of that we came to a large open space where the granite sarcophagus is located. Of course the pharaoh was long ago stolen from his tomb. It was so strange being in the middle of a pyramid!
When then went to where the Sphinx was and took many photos. This was such a great day and the best way to wind up our trip! We plan to do some shopping and a little more site-seeing tomorrow and then we head home on Tuesday.
Onto the Giza plateau where the most famous pyramids and the Sphinx are located. Wow was this amazing! We walked around the Great Pyramid first and took lots of photos. It was so overwhelming to be there. You can't imagine the size of these things! We couldn't get far enough away for awhile to get the whole pyramid in the photo. We then went to an area where we could overlook the whole plateau and see all the pyramids.
After that we entered the second pyramid. Ok, so we walked into the entrance, down a little and then we had to bend in half to go down an angled shaft. It was very closed in and of course there is no air circulation. Melissa almost couldn't do it, but then she took a deep breath and kept going. We got to the bottom of the shaft and had a place where you could stand straight. We walked down a corridor that was only a couple inches above our heads and we could walk side by side with our arms brushing the walls. Then came another shaft going up where we had to bend over and climb - going up was easier. At the end of that we came to a large open space where the granite sarcophagus is located. Of course the pharaoh was long ago stolen from his tomb. It was so strange being in the middle of a pyramid!
When then went to where the Sphinx was and took many photos. This was such a great day and the best way to wind up our trip! We plan to do some shopping and a little more site-seeing tomorrow and then we head home on Tuesday.
Pyramids and Sphinx
The pyramids!
The Great Pyramid was the first pyramid in this area. It is the largest of the pyramids. Built in 2589 - 2566 BC. It's huge!
The Sphinx with the Pyramid of Khafri behind it. We went into that pyramid.
The Sphinx!
Saqqara Site
The stepped pyramid of Djoser. This is the first pyramid which is the prototype for all others.
In this photo you can see the stepped pyramid in the foreground and two previous attempts at pyramids in the background. Those two were failed attempts and the third is where the pharaoh was buried.
Memphis Site
This is a large offering mug for liquids given to the king - including beer! That's one big beer mug!
Very big statue of Ramses II.Saturday, July 22, 2006
Arrival in Cairo
Well we are in our last city in Egypt. We took an overnight train from Luxor to Cairo on Thursday night. We had our own compartment with 2 bunks. The beds weren't that comfortable - imagine that! Also very hard to sleep on a loud moving train. We were fed a light dinner and breakfast which consisted of 4 different types of bread, none very appetizing, and butter and jam. We were glad to arrive in Cairo and get to our hotel to take a nap!
We have learned the true meaning of Inshallah (If God is willing) everytime we step off a curb to cross the street. The traffic is crazy! They don't follow any traffic laws, including stop lights, they don't stay in lanes, they honk at everything and it is INSANE! Melanie and I are in the center of Cairo within in walking distance of the Museum and lots of other sites. Of course even walking on the sidewalks brings it's own problems - street hawkers! They ask you where you are from and try to start conversations to get you into their shops. We've actually become pretty adept at getting around them. But even with the crazy traffic and people on the streets, it's a fascinating city, such a mixture of modern and old.
The museum was great - see photo below for more details. Of course Melanie was proposed to yet again and her beau was disappointed when we left the museum. (Melissa has taken to wearing a silver ring on her ring finger!) Tomorrow we head to the pyramids - at last! We will see the pyramids, the Sphinx, Memphis and Saqqura where the oldest step pyramid is. Looking forward to it and will post more tomorrow.
We have learned the true meaning of Inshallah (If God is willing) everytime we step off a curb to cross the street. The traffic is crazy! They don't follow any traffic laws, including stop lights, they don't stay in lanes, they honk at everything and it is INSANE! Melanie and I are in the center of Cairo within in walking distance of the Museum and lots of other sites. Of course even walking on the sidewalks brings it's own problems - street hawkers! They ask you where you are from and try to start conversations to get you into their shops. We've actually become pretty adept at getting around them. But even with the crazy traffic and people on the streets, it's a fascinating city, such a mixture of modern and old.
The museum was great - see photo below for more details. Of course Melanie was proposed to yet again and her beau was disappointed when we left the museum. (Melissa has taken to wearing a silver ring on her ring finger!) Tomorrow we head to the pyramids - at last! We will see the pyramids, the Sphinx, Memphis and Saqqura where the oldest step pyramid is. Looking forward to it and will post more tomorrow.
A day in Cairo
The Egyptian Museum. We weren't allowed to take photos inside. We visited for 5 hours wandering the corridors. There was stuff everywhere. Fascinating to see, but frustrating as well as half the stuff wasn't labeled. We did see all the treasures from King Tutankhamun (Tut) tomb and that was amazing.
We ate here for dinner tonight. We were craving some homestyle food so we found a Chili's. They tried and it was good - but not quite like the Chili's at home. We did have the molten chocolate cake and it was good! The scene was nice as we dined overlooking the Nile.
A view of the Nile.Thursday, July 20, 2006
Adventures in Luxor
When we last updated we were still in Sharm el-Sheikh. Sharm is on the Sinai peninsula and we took a ferry to Hurghada which is on the African continent. The ferry took about 90 minutes and then we took a taxi to Luxor which took about 4 hours. We didn't arrive until about 2 a.m. but our hotel is 24-hours so that was nice.
Our hotel is about 2 blocks from the Nile on the main street of Luxor. On our first day we visited the temple of Karnak and we took a horse carriage, or an Egyptian ferrari, to the temple. The next day we took a tour to the West Bank to see the Valley of the Kings and many other temples - see the photos below. Last night we went to the sound and light show at Karnak temple which was interesting. Today we visited the Luxor Temple and rode on a felucca on the Nile.
Tonight we board an overnight train to Cairo where we will be until we leave on Tuesday morning. We have been having a great time. The food has been ok, but we are really enjoying the karkade juice - an infusion of boiled hibiscus leaves. Glad to hear from all of you. Hope you are keeping cool - it's been about 100 - 110 here!
Our hotel is about 2 blocks from the Nile on the main street of Luxor. On our first day we visited the temple of Karnak and we took a horse carriage, or an Egyptian ferrari, to the temple. The next day we took a tour to the West Bank to see the Valley of the Kings and many other temples - see the photos below. Last night we went to the sound and light show at Karnak temple which was interesting. Today we visited the Luxor Temple and rode on a felucca on the Nile.
Tonight we board an overnight train to Cairo where we will be until we leave on Tuesday morning. We have been having a great time. The food has been ok, but we are really enjoying the karkade juice - an infusion of boiled hibiscus leaves. Glad to hear from all of you. Hope you are keeping cool - it's been about 100 - 110 here!
Luxor Temple
Abu al-Haggag mosque which was built on top of the Luxor Temple in the 13th century AD. The temple was covered by sand. You can see that the mosque is built at a higher level.
Entrance to Luxor Temple with statues of Ramses II flanking the pylon.A felucca
This picture was taken from our hotel balcony. We are about 2 blocks from the Nile. We took a ride on a felucca for an hour. It was very peaceful. We saw lots of cranes and kingfisher birds.
Medinat Habu
The entrance to Medinat Habu, a temple built by Ramses III. You can see a large relief on the left side depicting him in a military campaign - that of course he won.
Those Egyptians sure had a lot to say! This picture is sideways, but almost all the walls we see are just covered in hieroglyphics. Valley of the Kings
This is a natural formation in a pyramid shape which is why the Pharaoh's choose to place their tombs in this valley. There are 63 tombs in the valley. The admission to the area allows you to enter 3 tombs. You can't take pictures in the tombs. We visited the tombs of Ramses the I, III and IV. The colors on the walls were just amazing. It looks like the hieroglyphics were carved and painted yesterday.
Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
The entrance to Queen Hatshepsut's temple. This building dates from the 18th Dynasty about 3000 BC. It has been heavily restored to the point of almost being rebuilt.
A statue of Queen Hatshepsut with her false beard.
This is a relief of Tuthmosis III making offerings to the Sun God Ra-Harakhty. This is in the Chapel of Anubis in Hatshepusut's Temple.
Colossi of Memnon
60 ft. tall statues of Amenhotep III. These were just out on the side of the road as we were going to the Valley of the Kings. Very big!Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Temple of Karnak
Statue of Ramses II
Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut - a queen who took over ruling after her husband died. She dressed in men's clothing, wore a false beard and made herself a tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
Row of sphinxes at the entrance of Karnak temple.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
The Red Sea
Melissa climbing very awkwardly back in to the boat.
A view from the boat. The light green by the sand is a reef. Tons of stuff! Diving in Sharm
We have been diving for the last 3 days and it has been great. So much to see underwater - it's a beautiful garden of coral and there are fish as far as the eye can see. For those of you who have seen Finding Nemo, picture all the fish on the reef where Nemo lived and you can get the idea of what we saw. We saw a blue spotted sting ray and some big tuna as well. Also, today we saw some dolphins while we were on the boat.
The diving has been brilliant and the snorkeling pretty amazing too. We have really enjoyed our time in Sharm. The people have been very nice. Of course the other day Melanie got another proposal. She was told she was worth more then all the camels in Egypt. She also has a nickname - Hey American! Melissa was told she was also worth many camels by another person. It's been quite amusing.
Sharm is a nice resort town. We've found great restaurants and the prices haven't been too bad. The Egyptian pound is about 5 to 1 here. The average meal has cost about 150 Egyptian pounds which equates to about 25 dollars.
Thank you to all of you for your thoughts and comments. We are aware of what is going on and have been very careful. At this time, Egypt is not a problem.
Grandma the witch - it was about the same driving as Greece. The nice thing was that on the open road the traffic wasn't too bad. The camel was interesting - but kinda uncomfortable. They are very large and bulky and move like that. I'm sure if we rode horses we'd feel more comfortable on them, but as it was, the getting on and off was scary!
We head to Luxor tomorrow. Keep you updated as we can.
The diving has been brilliant and the snorkeling pretty amazing too. We have really enjoyed our time in Sharm. The people have been very nice. Of course the other day Melanie got another proposal. She was told she was worth more then all the camels in Egypt. She also has a nickname - Hey American! Melissa was told she was also worth many camels by another person. It's been quite amusing.
Sharm is a nice resort town. We've found great restaurants and the prices haven't been too bad. The Egyptian pound is about 5 to 1 here. The average meal has cost about 150 Egyptian pounds which equates to about 25 dollars.
Thank you to all of you for your thoughts and comments. We are aware of what is going on and have been very careful. At this time, Egypt is not a problem.
Grandma the witch - it was about the same driving as Greece. The nice thing was that on the open road the traffic wasn't too bad. The camel was interesting - but kinda uncomfortable. They are very large and bulky and move like that. I'm sure if we rode horses we'd feel more comfortable on them, but as it was, the getting on and off was scary!
We head to Luxor tomorrow. Keep you updated as we can.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Sharm el Sheikh
A couple notes first. There are titles to each picture that sometimes don't show up. Just use your cursor to highlight the area to show the title. Also, we posted a ton of photos so if they don't look like they are all there, click on the archives. The first photo posted in this set is of Tel Aviv beach and they go in order from the bottom to the top.
We had a refresher dive course this morning in the pool at our hotel and then went on a reef dive this afternoon. It was great! We touched a moray eel and saw lots of interesting fish, including a Napoleon fish.
We are heading out to dinner now and will be diving again tomorrow. We are really liking Sharm!
Karen - great to hear from you, it's funny because Melanie and I mentioned you earlier today then we logged on and saw your post! Send photos of Kian! Miss you.
We had a refresher dive course this morning in the pool at our hotel and then went on a reef dive this afternoon. It was great! We touched a moray eel and saw lots of interesting fish, including a Napoleon fish.
We are heading out to dinner now and will be diving again tomorrow. We are really liking Sharm!
Karen - great to hear from you, it's funny because Melanie and I mentioned you earlier today then we logged on and saw your post! Send photos of Kian! Miss you.
Petra
The Siq path through the canyon to get to the interior of Petra.
The famous treasury.
M&M in front of the treasury.
Funeral areas in Petra.
Another funeral temple.
Melanie on a camel.
Melissa on a horse with the Bedouin who asked if Melanie was looking for a husband. He actually was nice looking under that scarf.
Masada
The Hanging Palace of King Herod. We hiked down (in the heat!) to get to this spot.
Mosaic floor in Masada.
Bath anyone?
Random pictures
YaYa- here is our trusty car. Small, but it took us everywhere we needed to go!
Grandma the witch - this one is for you. Melanie's in the shower at the YMCA and there was barely enough room to turn without hitting the wall. Also there was no lip at the bottom, so the entire bathroom was wet. By the way, where I was taking this picture was as far back as I could get because the entire bathroom was tiny!
Thursday, July 13, 2006
We're in Egypt - here is an account of the last few days.
This will be a really long post followed by pictures of our last few days. Sorry it's been awhile since we could get online!
First of all, we drove from Tel Aviv to Akko (Acre) a Crusader town on the coast of Israel. We saw some interesting Crusader buildings and had some really good falafel sandwiches. We then headed toward the Sea of Galilee. We stayed in Tiberias (it's fun to stay at the YMCA!) and we ranged out from there. As you heard from our parents, we visited Tel Dan, a nature reserve with many archeological sites, and really enjoyed the hiking. We also visited the church of the Multiplication, Tabgha. We also went to the Galilee boat so Melissa could see this preserved boat from about the 1st century AD. We went "crusader-like" castle Nimrod which Melanie had been to already. It was cool and it was built by an Arab king in the 12th century. There was a great "secret" passage that we went through.
We went back to Tiberias and met a couple from Canada. We took them to town and then later swam in the sea with them. They were very nice and we hope to hear from them when they get home.
Next we drove to the Dead Sea - so awesome. And Pam - thanks for the advice - many people said the same thing so we were careful! We had so much fun floating around like corks. It was actually kind of difficult to keep our feet under us - they just wanted to float! The sea is kind of oily feeling - but in a good bath oil type of way. We were there very early and didn't see many people, so that was nice.
Onto Masada. This was one of the most amazing things Melissa had seen thus far. We rode the cable car to the top of this ancient palace/fortress built by King Herod. Melanie was right - it was hot as hell!!! We had great views of the Dead Sea and the town is amazingly well-preserved from an archeological sense. We spent a few hours wandering around up there and then got back in the car to finish our drive from the top of the country to the bottom in Eliat.
Once in Eliat we passed out after our long day. But not before eating at the "London Underground" restaurant - pizza and beer! The next day we went into Jordan to go to Petra. It is very hard to describe Petra - so we will post pictures! We drove a jeep to the border crossing, where we met our guide, Ali. We had only 3 people in our group and Ali kept a running commentary for the 2 hour drive to Petra. He gave us a great history of Jordan and of Petra. He reminded us that the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusader was filmed there. He then asked if we had seen the movie Titanic. He said that Titanic was NOT filmed at Petra. He was a funny guy. Later in the day he sold Melanie and I to a Bedouin shopkeeper for 100 camels each.
Petra is a rose-red city carved of sandstone. Most of what is preserved are funeral areas of the city. You start by walking down the Siq - a canyon carved in the sandstone. It is very narrow in some places where you can stand with just about 3 people and touch the sides. From the Siq we got our first view of the Treasury building through the canyon. It was breathtaking. We walked about 3 miles this day and went from the Treasury down to a Roman area where we had lunch. It's impossible to see all of Petra in one day. We had lunch and rode camels up to the Siq. We walked back through the canyon and were met by horses, part of the entry price. The horses take you back to the visitors center. Melissa was asked by her horseman if Melanie was looking for a husband - she said no! We then drove back to the border and did laundry - so exciting for us! We crashed after such a long day.
This morning we woke up and headed to Egypt. Three countries in two days. We went about 10 minutes to Taba where we crossed the border. We took a 3 hour taxi ride to Sharm el-Sheikh, on the Red Sea coast. Our hotel is great, just a couple blocks from the ocean with a dive center attached. We have a room on the pool and have scheduled our refresher and first dives for tomorrow.
Hope you are all doing well. Allison - Melanie misses you already! Glad to hear from you. I'll send a CD to you as soon as I get back (ha ha). YaYa - we saw a crane from the balcony of our hotel in Tiberias and thought of you. Grandma the witch - every shower brings much laughter and thoughts of you and Greece. This one is actually fairly nice and has a curtain! Danielle - thanks again for the kitty watching! Glad they are warming up to you.
First of all, we drove from Tel Aviv to Akko (Acre) a Crusader town on the coast of Israel. We saw some interesting Crusader buildings and had some really good falafel sandwiches. We then headed toward the Sea of Galilee. We stayed in Tiberias (it's fun to stay at the YMCA!) and we ranged out from there. As you heard from our parents, we visited Tel Dan, a nature reserve with many archeological sites, and really enjoyed the hiking. We also visited the church of the Multiplication, Tabgha. We also went to the Galilee boat so Melissa could see this preserved boat from about the 1st century AD. We went "crusader-like" castle Nimrod which Melanie had been to already. It was cool and it was built by an Arab king in the 12th century. There was a great "secret" passage that we went through.
We went back to Tiberias and met a couple from Canada. We took them to town and then later swam in the sea with them. They were very nice and we hope to hear from them when they get home.
Next we drove to the Dead Sea - so awesome. And Pam - thanks for the advice - many people said the same thing so we were careful! We had so much fun floating around like corks. It was actually kind of difficult to keep our feet under us - they just wanted to float! The sea is kind of oily feeling - but in a good bath oil type of way. We were there very early and didn't see many people, so that was nice.
Onto Masada. This was one of the most amazing things Melissa had seen thus far. We rode the cable car to the top of this ancient palace/fortress built by King Herod. Melanie was right - it was hot as hell!!! We had great views of the Dead Sea and the town is amazingly well-preserved from an archeological sense. We spent a few hours wandering around up there and then got back in the car to finish our drive from the top of the country to the bottom in Eliat.
Once in Eliat we passed out after our long day. But not before eating at the "London Underground" restaurant - pizza and beer! The next day we went into Jordan to go to Petra. It is very hard to describe Petra - so we will post pictures! We drove a jeep to the border crossing, where we met our guide, Ali. We had only 3 people in our group and Ali kept a running commentary for the 2 hour drive to Petra. He gave us a great history of Jordan and of Petra. He reminded us that the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusader was filmed there. He then asked if we had seen the movie Titanic. He said that Titanic was NOT filmed at Petra. He was a funny guy. Later in the day he sold Melanie and I to a Bedouin shopkeeper for 100 camels each.
Petra is a rose-red city carved of sandstone. Most of what is preserved are funeral areas of the city. You start by walking down the Siq - a canyon carved in the sandstone. It is very narrow in some places where you can stand with just about 3 people and touch the sides. From the Siq we got our first view of the Treasury building through the canyon. It was breathtaking. We walked about 3 miles this day and went from the Treasury down to a Roman area where we had lunch. It's impossible to see all of Petra in one day. We had lunch and rode camels up to the Siq. We walked back through the canyon and were met by horses, part of the entry price. The horses take you back to the visitors center. Melissa was asked by her horseman if Melanie was looking for a husband - she said no! We then drove back to the border and did laundry - so exciting for us! We crashed after such a long day.
This morning we woke up and headed to Egypt. Three countries in two days. We went about 10 minutes to Taba where we crossed the border. We took a 3 hour taxi ride to Sharm el-Sheikh, on the Red Sea coast. Our hotel is great, just a couple blocks from the ocean with a dive center attached. We have a room on the pool and have scheduled our refresher and first dives for tomorrow.
Hope you are all doing well. Allison - Melanie misses you already! Glad to hear from you. I'll send a CD to you as soon as I get back (ha ha). YaYa - we saw a crane from the balcony of our hotel in Tiberias and thought of you. Grandma the witch - every shower brings much laughter and thoughts of you and Greece. This one is actually fairly nice and has a curtain! Danielle - thanks again for the kitty watching! Glad they are warming up to you.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
What the parents ”heard” about the Excellent Adventure on Monday…
We had a cell phone call to ask us to call them back…lots cheaper. Tel Aviv was so great to enjoy the Mediterranean Sea warm and sandy. The Sea of Galilee is different; it is a lake that is cool and very rocky.
From Tel Aviv, they made a few stops but “ding dong mom” can remember a hike through some beautiful preserve and archaeological stop and seeing The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. The church has a beautiful tile floor depicting the scene.
Melissa & Melanie sound great, very enthusiastic, and enjoying every minute of the adventure. They had to fill up the “very little vehicle” after many kilometers for $60 – we cannot complain. The car holds one suitcase in trunk and one in backseat!
In Galilee they met a nice Canadian couple at the hotel asking for a taxi to the main city. The girls offered them a ride. They met up later to get back to the hotel and then enjoyed an evening swim in the Sea of Galilee together.
Monday in Galilee found them staying and singing …”we’re in Israel at the Y…M…C…A!! The Y room had a patio and they could look right over the water. They have been so lucky with hotels and having some very good food. In Galilee the restaurant residence cats where right at the table begging for some of Melanie’s large, fresh and delicious trout (missing the kitties at home she willingly shared!).
Tuesday was a long travel day. They will stop at the Red Sea - do NOT shave legs BEFORE swimming, ouch with that salt water!! Eilat is a resort town on the Red Sea. The hostel has arranged their tour to Petra in Jordan for Wednesday.
Some hotels have computers, but they haven’t found one in a few days. The Internet café in Galilee had lost their connection. Melissa and Melanie wanted to keep up their blog adventure, so you’ve heard a different version of their trip. They miss everyone (well just sort of because they are having so much fun); I think they miss the kitties most!
From Tel Aviv, they made a few stops but “ding dong mom” can remember a hike through some beautiful preserve and archaeological stop and seeing The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. The church has a beautiful tile floor depicting the scene.
Melissa & Melanie sound great, very enthusiastic, and enjoying every minute of the adventure. They had to fill up the “very little vehicle” after many kilometers for $60 – we cannot complain. The car holds one suitcase in trunk and one in backseat!
In Galilee they met a nice Canadian couple at the hotel asking for a taxi to the main city. The girls offered them a ride. They met up later to get back to the hotel and then enjoyed an evening swim in the Sea of Galilee together.
Monday in Galilee found them staying and singing …”we’re in Israel at the Y…M…C…A!! The Y room had a patio and they could look right over the water. They have been so lucky with hotels and having some very good food. In Galilee the restaurant residence cats where right at the table begging for some of Melanie’s large, fresh and delicious trout (missing the kitties at home she willingly shared!).
Tuesday was a long travel day. They will stop at the Red Sea - do NOT shave legs BEFORE swimming, ouch with that salt water!! Eilat is a resort town on the Red Sea. The hostel has arranged their tour to Petra in Jordan for Wednesday.
Some hotels have computers, but they haven’t found one in a few days. The Internet café in Galilee had lost their connection. Melissa and Melanie wanted to keep up their blog adventure, so you’ve heard a different version of their trip. They miss everyone (well just sort of because they are having so much fun); I think they miss the kitties most!
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Tel Aviv - Yea for beaches!
Well we survived our adventures in driving. On Friday we picked up the car and drove through Jerusalem to Yad Vashim (the Holocaust Museum). It was a very moving place. You can't help but be emotional while looking at all the records of this moment in time.
We did pretty good at the driving thing, only got turned around 2 times in Jerusalem. Then we headed out of town to Tel Aviv and the beaches! We made it to our hotel, checked in and hit the beach. We were so excited about getting to the beach that we ran out without any supplies - food, water, books, music, anything! We hung out for a couple hours and swam as well. The water is a great temperature and very blue. It was wonderful just to float on the waves.
Today we did the same thing, only this time we went prepared. We hit the beach at about 10 a.m., found a couple chairs and umbrellas, and had a grand time. We stayed out for about 6 hours. By that time Melissa was a bit pink and Melanie had a few pink spots too. It was just so nice to lay on a beach all day and not have to do anything.
Tomorrow we head to Acre, a Crusader town, and then on to the Sea of Galilee to stay Sunday and Monday. Hope to update with more pictures soon (the place we are tonight doesn't have a USB port).
Miss you all!
We did pretty good at the driving thing, only got turned around 2 times in Jerusalem. Then we headed out of town to Tel Aviv and the beaches! We made it to our hotel, checked in and hit the beach. We were so excited about getting to the beach that we ran out without any supplies - food, water, books, music, anything! We hung out for a couple hours and swam as well. The water is a great temperature and very blue. It was wonderful just to float on the waves.
Today we did the same thing, only this time we went prepared. We hit the beach at about 10 a.m., found a couple chairs and umbrellas, and had a grand time. We stayed out for about 6 hours. By that time Melissa was a bit pink and Melanie had a few pink spots too. It was just so nice to lay on a beach all day and not have to do anything.
Tomorrow we head to Acre, a Crusader town, and then on to the Sea of Galilee to stay Sunday and Monday. Hope to update with more pictures soon (the place we are tonight doesn't have a USB port).
Miss you all!
Thursday, July 06, 2006
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