Round and round

I had friends coming and - the weather turned cold. Last weekend i promised to take them to the north, and sure enough the forecast predicted the coldest day in 2012: "Chance of light snow over the Negev mountain".
Two days earlier my friends had tried to go to Eilat, but had to turn around because of a sandstorm. I'm still a bit jealous for missing that adventure - all we had was lots of rain and hail.
Anyway, we went to Cesarea and had our first cold shower. But the scenery was amazing. The black clouds were pierced by the sun every now and then and you got blinded by the light and blind in the dark...











These days they are selling everything to tourists.



We went on to Akko and had a great lunch - a flat meatloaf baked in a pan, covered with tehina. i didn't find it anywhere else yet, i get it every time i go to Akko (Abu Christo is the place).

We stayed in Tiberias overnight and had a great view of the snow covered Golan on the way.





Golan heights were all covered in clouds - the tanks left their bases and were parking next to the road in the green. I guess someone has to take them out for a walk every now and then. Sry no picture, i was driving, and i didn't want Simba to play with them. He always gets dirty when playing in the mud.



Belvoir





Beit She'an





The Gang



Sunset



On the way home i had the fun experience to drive downhill from Jerusalem in heavy rain, road under water and crazy drivers around me jumping on the breaks as if they were enjoying the prospect of aquaplaning.

Ein Bokek

This weekend it was supposed to be rainy again - fortunately there was only very little rain - although we were driving through clouds in the desert. We chose a hike with a wide wadi that was supposed to be safe anyway.
The hike started from the road 31 and led pretty straight down to Ein Bokek. The trail was quite easy, we met lots of children groups on the way, but there were two spots with a spectacular view. Totally worth it.
Oh - and don't park your car in the dessert - you never know who comes along...


Zoom

Yarkon ve Jaffo

The yarkon national park is nice - there is a fortress close to the source of the yarkon river in an area that was already inhabited in the bronce age. But you are done with the visit after 2h max if you don't intend to have a barbecue...
So afterwards we went to jaffo to have a nice shakshuka.













A sunbeam caught in the ear-ring...



Anybody knows the story of the donkey on the top of the minarett?

Small Crater II

Last weekend it was sunny again after a long period again. So I visited the small crater again. But this time we made it to the devils gate - amazing, you can actually see the layers of rock forming the crater.

















and here is the picture, the guy on the floor just set up...

Noya

Another visitor came to israel - not especially for me, but still nice to have her here. I met her in NY in 2009. The other girl in the pic is one of my collegues now, who i first met in india 2010. The world is small - love it.
Oh and I also brought my new girl to israel. She is replacing Michelle who got robbed and didn't find back to me. Noya is a new model and did very well on her first hike.



hopping rocks or "שָּׁפָן" are close relatives to elephants.


green beauty