Sorry, I havent written about it yet, we have had company back to back since I returned! I still have a plastic bag full of business cards and a little notebook that I dutifully took notes everyday.

Real quick: Petra is amazing and worth it! Movenpick Zara Spa (Jordan side of Dead Sea)is incredible!! I am going back there soon!

We flew from Tel Aviv (our base) to Amman and then slowly made our way down Jordan and ended at Aqaba, crossed at Elat and taxied back home to Tel Aviv. We spent 5 days in Jordan and 5 in Israel.

Yes, I went to the West Bank.
No, I was not scared ever. Ok, once, weird taxi driver that had been in prison for murder (but you can get that in NYC any day).
Tel Aviv was hot and sticky and gross. Petra was do-able in the early day time (middle of July). Masada is great (do that at 6am also) Jerusalem was the BEST! Dead Sea is something that everyone should experience once in their lives (go quickly since its drying up from Industries sucking up the water to get the minerals to use in Fertilizers)

Everyone was so nice: Arab and Israeli.

I wrote hotel reviews for Jordan and will write the ones for Israel and then submit a trip report soon!!!

Salam!!! (ps there are some photos in my blog)

Thanks, Riana, for your mini-report.
I enjoyed your blog.

Charity

Hi Riana
Glad to read you enjoyed your trip to our region and that with all the security we have here in Israel you felt so safe. Because of the security I feel safer here as regards muggings, pickpocketing etc. than I do in other countries.
Shalom and come again, but next time come in the Spring or the Autumn. Much better weather for sightseeing!!!

Its true Jabo, Israel is probably the safest country that there is! I am much more scared to go to Los Angeles (where I lived for 6 years). The security there is incredible, but its there because of fear.

I wish that I had a hidden mic, because I had so many interesting conversations with locals, from far right extreme israelis (who were against the gaza pullout wearing orange bands) to the crazy muslim murdered ex-convict. My guide in Jerusalem was a retired Israeli police officer nicknamed Columbo (he knew everyone!) and oddly enough he was Lebanese by birth.

In Jordan I asked a beduoin guide what he thought about the Israelis and he said, "you mean my cousins? There is good and bad in everyone."

As for the security and future I really hope that some kind of peace can be reached there between 'family'. Everyone has a right to that land and it should be free (and not ruled by fear and checkpoints as it is now).

ps..a lot of the landscapes looked like Idaho and the Snake River

Ugh so jealous. Really want to travel that entire area.

Thanks the thoughts from your trip, French Toast. I miss travelling on business in Israel. I haven't been on this board in a while because my travel has been primarily for business and primarily to China. When I went to Haifa for business, i was impressed by the friendly people and the great food, especially the vegetable dishes and salads.

Most people, when I told them I was travelling to Israel, had a terrified look on their faces. These are people who are on a steady diet of CNN, so all they know about the world is what they see in video clips. Such a shame, because there are so many nice people in the world.