How did that happen? I only decided on this vacation a few weeks ago, and now it's fast approaching.
Well, the weather will be warm and sunny, I'm staying only in Jerusalem, and I have no particular agenda. Except visit with some family, have dinner with some friends, go to my cousin's Independence Day brunch, visit the Yad laKashish (Lifeline for the Old) gift shop, visit whatever Jerusalem digs that have been worked on since my last visit (summer 2000). And of course my original desire ----- get up to the north and see the flowers in bloom.
Whoops, better check my SIM card and put it in my phone, and arrange a ride to the airport for myself.
Hello Marian - are you familiar with the Sataf spring, just outside of Jerusalem? If you like archeology and flowers, maybe the place would interest you. Might be too warm in this season. Here's a link :
Happy travels. We just came back from having Passover with my cousins, who were fresh from two weeks in Israel. Having been once, in college, and longing to go back, I look forward to hearing about your trip.
AND: TADA! The best news is that I suddenly noticed yesterday that upgrades were available. Even the agent was amazed. So I ponied up my miles (and a few bucks) and am now scheduled to fly business-first. It's such a long and miserable trip (flight back is about 12 hours) that I am now really looking forward to it. I've never flown anything but coach, except for one business trip to Phoenix on Ma Bell.
Have a great trip. Wonderful news about your upgrade on such a long flight! We really want to get to Israel one of these days. One of my best friends, who's a widow, wants my husband and I to go with her and she's been trying to get something organized through her temple,as she thought there might be some advantages (e.g., discounted group rates). If getting a small group together doesn't work, we're going to try to organize a trip for just the three of us. (Maybe you can give us advice when you return.)
Ann
Posts: 172 | Location: Bangor, Maine | Registered: 02 March 2006
Anne, my advice will probably not help your friend, as I am planning to do VERY LITTLE this trip except hang out and visit some family. My little apartment (very, very, little, I think) is in the Baka neighborhood, which is the neighborhood where every Jerusalemite I know lives (I think it's a really Anglo neighborhood, probably). There are lots of new coffee shops and restaurants there, and I plan to try them.
Also there are a few new museums since I've last been, and some major changes to the Israel Museum.
As for group trips, my synagogue has two or three a year, and your friend should be able to hook up with SOME group or other. I think a larger percentage of people who visit Israel go with groups than is true for most other destinations. (Except for my husband and me. When we went on our first trip, in 1969, we had to stop in at a travel agent's for some vouchers we needed. They started to refer to us, good-humoredly, as "The Americans that don't need any tours..." )
And now to REALLY pack. I've checked in for my flight, updated my IPod, ....
Again, I wish you the best of trips, Marian, and hope that you have that wonderfully relaxing with friends and the fields of spring flowers you have been talking about. And now that the matzah season is over . . . .
I'm here, at an internet cafe on Emek Refaim, and all is great, including weather. Don't get me started about the amazingness of flying first class!
Turns out my landlady (friend's SIL) even knows my Jerusalem cousin rather well,,,, small world and all that.
I'm not close to any internet point that I know of, so do not expect to be checking in a lot. Oh, and I lost my camera battery charger, and although I got a spare from my brother, I may not be able to take many photos. (Unless I can buy one, which is not likely.) Take care all.
?
