Final Videos

Well, it has been quite a while since my last post! That being said, it was definitely nice taking a well deserved break after the hectic - mile-a-minute - pace I'd kept while in Israel. One person who was still working however was trip videographer, Steve Kushner, who after taking a brief detour into Jordan, returned home and pulled together two final videos chronicling our program. These videos capture the essence of our last three weeks in Israel - both in terms of the activities we participated in and the places we visited. Enjoy!

Out In The Desert

On Tuesday morning the team left Mitzpe Ramon for the drive north to Masada and the Dead Sea. Our first stop of the day was Avdat, the well preserved ruins of an ancient Nabatean city. Altogether, Avdat covers a wide area and includes a huge series of buildings - surrounded by an enormous rock wall. It is hard to believe that anyone would choose to live out in this hot and desolate area - especially in an era before A/C. To combat these difficulties, the ingenious Nabateans created unique water tech and other innovations.

"The team exploring the ruins of the Avdat site"
Photo by Kristin Thompson

Our second stop of the day was at Ein Avdat - a nearby nature reserve and park - for a short (but strenuous) hike. Carved into the desert floor, the canyons of Ein Avdat are really very beautiful. After walking in from the drop off point we reached a fork in the path where we quickly ascended about 100 meters in less than 10 minutes. By the top we were all sweating pretty profusely. Nearby to Ein Avdat is the burial site of David Ben-Gurion, the George Washington of Israel and the great statesman who helped guide the country to independence in 1948. Interestingly, it's very quiet site, despite its significance.

"Our museum guide explaining the history behind some old aircraft"

Photo by Christopher Rajashekar

Following this visit, we traveled to the Israeli Air Force Museum at Hatzerim Airbase. Over the next two hours we toured the site, looking at a whole variety of combat aircraft spanning the entire period of Israeli history from independence to the current day.  This visit was of keen interest to a few of the plane junkies on our trip (i.e. Don Mayer and Sean Luke). Honestly, Don and Sean were like kids in a candy store. That being said, I think everyone thought it was a cool museum - though a bit heavy handed at times with patriotic vitriol.

"Don's camel - up close and personal"

Photo by Kristin Thompson

After another hour on the road we arrived at our home for the night - a Bedouin camp in the desert - with Masada in the distant background. Our first activity upon arrival was a 20 minute camel ride. Believe it or not, camels are not as smelly or ill tempered as they are often portrayed. It was not the most comfortable ride, but no one had any real complaints. After the ride, we were welcomed in a traditional Bedouin ceremony. Our host provided us with fresh bread, tea and bitter coffee - as well as music.

"Our Bedouin host - fire roasting some coffee beans"

Photo by Kristin Thompson

In the evening we went to a laser light and music show at Masada. The show was short, but interesting. Upon returning to the Bedouin camp, we had time for some nargila around the fire before retiring to our tent. Many of us had camped numerous times in our lives. That being said, this was probably the least comfortable night of the trip. It was hot and loud. Plus, the camp was overrun by a particularly virulent plague upon the land - not locusts - actually much worse than locusts - Birthrighters. Sadly, not the first time we'd seen them this summer. Ugh.

Makhtesh Ramon

This past Sunday - after leaving Eilat and then touring the Bahad 1 military base - the team arrived in the town of Mitzpe Ramon - the most remote settlement in Israel - on the edge of the Makhtesh Ramon or Ramon Crater. You can go 25 miles in every direction before finding another settlement. The Ramon Crater in a natural crater formed - not from a meteor - but rather from erosion over thousands of years. In many respects the area reminded me of the Southwestern United States - and in particular the Grand Canyon. Very, very beautiful!

"Our jeep tour guide discusses the history of the crater"

Photo by Kristin Thompson

Monday was a lazy morning. After a few early mornings over the previous week, we slept in bit. Our first activity of the day was rappelling along the side of the Ramon Crater. For those that had never rappelled it was fairly cool - while for the old hands (myself included) it was a little anticlimactic. No matter, it was still a lot of fun. After that a few of us took a brief hike back to the hotel. Along the way we saw some Nubian ibex, which was pretty cool!

"The lead jeep passes around the next bend"
Photo by Brad Husser

Later in the afternoon, we had a two hour tour of the crater. Driving in two beat-to-hell - but ridiculously awesome - Land Rovers, the group was taken all around the crater - seeing various geological and historical sites. At one point we stopped to see Khan Saharonim - which are the remains of a Nabatean way station used on the Incense Route from Petra to Gaza over 2,000 years ago. in another instance, we walked a dry river that only flows for 1-2 months per year. Our guide showed us that water can be found right under the surface.

"The 2,000 year old remains of a Nabatean way station"
Photo by Kelley Harris

In the evening, a few people went to star gaze up an overlook of the crater. Altogether, the Makhtesh Ramon is definitely one of the coolest natural geological sites I've ever visited.

Israeli Defense Force

This past Sunday the group had the opportunity to visit Bahad 1 - the officer training school for the entire Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) - essentially the West Point for Israel. Our Israeli teammate, Gil Sharon, took the initiative and contacted the base the prior week to arrange a tour - and despite the short notice - the people he talked with at the base were extremely excited to host us for a tour of the facility and arrange meetings with cadets, as well as a one-on-one meeting with the base commander Col. Yehuda Fuchs.

"Q&A session with three officer candidates at Bahad 1"

Photo by Kristin Thompson

The base is located very near to the Ramon Crater - so after driving up from Eilat - we arrived at the base around 5pm in the evening. After clearing the gate, Gil went to find our hosts, both officers and trainers at the base. For about an hour they guided us on a tour of the facility - walking the grounds and pointing out the key landmarks. From there we went to a brief video presentation on the history of the IDF and the Bahad 1 base. This was followed by a Q&A session with three current cadets. Very interesting - especially in that the soldiers all had fairly different backgrounds prior to beginning military service.

"The team listens in as Col. Fuchs discusses the IDF"

Photo by Kristin Thompson

Our final meeting was with Col. Fuchs (aka "The Fox"), the commander of the base. This was quite an experience - and though the conversation was relegated to what I imagine is a fairly standard script - Col. Fuchs seemed incredibly candid and open about the military and its mission. After talking for a while, he asked for questions and wasn't hesitant to answer any of our queries. Hearing his opinions - especially in regards to the IDF's changing role in dealing with asymmetrical warfare against terrorists - was very enlightening. Very cool!

Fun In The Sun, pt2

On Saturday, the team awoke early again for another hike, this time to the Red Canyon. For Chris and I, this day was an opportunity to travel to Jordan and see Petra - which is about a three hour journey from Eilat. Quite a few members of the group will be traveling on to Jordan after then trip concludes later this week, but since I don't have that option I took advantage of the chance. I'll cover this trip in a later post. Anyway, back to the main group.

"The team explores the Red Canyon"
Photo by Kristin Thompson

The Red Canyon is a gorgeous narrow passageway carved into the desert mountains not far from Eilat. Unlike the hike the previous day, this trek  (at least according to the group) was much more relaxed, and also significantly cooler, since a lot of it is in the shade. After a little over an hour, the team had made it through and were back on the road to the hotel in Eilat. Following breakfast, the team had some time for the pool and then headed to a beach area for snorkeling by the coral reef - very near to where I'd scuba dived the day before.

"Gil climbs up from the canyon floor"
Photo by Kristin Thompson

In the evening, many in the group got ready for some late night partying in Eilat. The party started early in the hotel and then migrated out into the city - eventually to the Three Monkeys Pub - a real staple of the Eilat scene. Gil and I both called it a night early (before everyone left the hotel) since we wanted to get up early for some more scuba before leaving Eilat the next afternoon. It's a good thing we did - since people didn't make it back to the hotel until almost four in the morning. What a night they had!

"Anne leads the group in the Wakka Wakka dance"
Photo by Brad Husser

Bright and early on Sunday morning, I returned for two final dives at Marina Divers. Both dives were wreck dives - the first to a small pleasure yacht and the second to the missile boat I'd already seen on Friday. At one point in the dive we saw an octopus (we'd seen him previously) which was pretty cool! I returned to the hotel after diving where the rest of the group was ready to go. Once we'd all gotten our stuff together and checked out of the hotel, we departed for Eilat's underwater observatory and aquarium. They had some really interesting sea life, including sea turtles and sharks, as well as tons of cool fish.

"Anne and Sean look on in awe at some very cool jelly fish"
Photo by Kristin Thompson

Eilat was a great place to see at the end of the trip. It was hot, but very chill, and some of the sights we experienced were definitely one of a kind. With the trip now quickly wrapping up - we have only a few days left. We're now heading back to the north with stops at the Ramon Crater, Masada, and the Dead Sea, before one final night in Tel Aviv.