We had a four hour layover in Istanbul and caught the two hour flight to Tel Aviv. Not too bad, and, being a two hour flight, was rather like a Kalula flight to Cape Town.
We all celebrated our arrival in Tel Aviv, as all the baggage arrived too - great way to start a tour. After meeting our guide, Jehuda, and bus-driver, Bichara, we loaded ourselves and all the luggage onto the bus and set off south for Beersheva. This first part of the tour is designed to take us into the Negev Desert and to follow the footsteps of Abraham. The journey was filled with Jehuda telling us the basics of Israel and a bit of its modern history. The dates to remember in recent history are 29th April 1947 when the United Nations agreed that a separate Jewish state should be formed, and the 14th May 1948 when thee Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, proclaimed the Stae of Israel. The following day the armies of the seven Arab nations rose up with the stated intention of pushing the Jews into the sea. Israel not only defended its borders, but fought off the armies set against it.
After a stop for lunch at a fast-food outlet (photo of menu above - go figure) we drove down to the home of the late David Ben Gurion, which is now a National Park and the place where he and his wife were buried. The remarkable story of the founder of modern Israel is that, after serving his term a Prime Minister, he retired into the Negev Desert where he and his wife Paula lived in a small hut and worked at making the desert bloom. The desert is a torrid, wild place and very dry, but he succeeded and started to make things grow.
Here is an example of the road signs - Hebrew, Arabic and English.
Once we had paid our respects at the twin graves our next stop was at the Carmay Avdot Farm which is a little winery in a valley in the Negev. We were welcomed by the owner's eldest son who told us the story of how his parents had responded to an appeal from the government 20 years ago to move into the Negev and create farms. There were two reasons for this project - 1) The local Beduin tribesmen considered the Negev as theirs as they had been a nomadic people in the region for generations, and the Israeli Government decided that as the land fell in the State of Israel, it should be 'grabbed back' from the Beduin. Accordingly parcels of land were given to farmers willing 2) to try to make the desert bloom. At first it w tough going as the Beduin tried to get their land back, but in the end working on a win-win solutions all parties are working happily together. The farm produces about 5000 bottles a year and produces a rather good wine.
When I asked where the water came from in the middle of the arid Negev, I was told that the water is supplied by the Israel Water Authority from a massive pipe line which runs from the north down to the south! So much for farming the way the farmers of old did their farming.
At last the Ramon Inn appeared and we were able to get off the bus, find our rooms and have a shower, a quick meal and head for bed.
The end of a very long day!
No comments:
Post a Comment