Thorn Tree - Israel

Thorn Tree - Israel
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

We visited this park where our guide said David trimmed down the number of men in his army by how they drank at the stream. Does that sound familiar? Now I am going to have to look it up - later, I mean. It was near Ein Gedi. So as the guide is talking and explaining the significance of this place - I was feeling pretty toured out - this unusual tree caught my eye, and I wandered off a bit to photograph it. Next time, less tour, more time to relax and enjoy. This park would be great in season - see the empty swimming pool in the background? I wandered away from my sewing room for a minute to post this. I am pretty excited about the new bags I am working on. The great thing is I don't have a boss (or a tour guide) cracking the whip (or saying "Let's go folks!")

Sunrise on (and in) the Dead Sea

Sunrise on (and in) the Dead Sea
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

The sun rose from behind the mountains of Jordan and shone on the Dead Sea. As I watched from my balcony, I thought - what would Rory do? If my husband had been with me, he would have been on the beach to greet the sunrise with his camera. I pondered that for a moment, and since this luxury hotel room had no hot pot for instant coffee, I slipped on my shoes and headed for the beach. I was surprised by the number of sunrise bathers already floating in the sea. This is the only photo I took. I am not usually such a miserly photographer. I must have needed that coffee... The experience of floating in the dead sea was interesting - we did it the night before. The best way I have of describing it is that you have to let your body become a boat. You can not swim or kick. If you do, your "boat" will capsize. I thought lifeguards on this beach were the silliest idea, until I saw a man who kicked his way into a mess of trouble and had to be saved. That is another story.

Yad Vashem - The Name and The Place

Yad Vashem - The Name and The Place
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

Our guide told us that Yad Vashem is translated The Name and the Place. Taken from Isaiah 56:1-8. This holocaust heros and martyrs museum is much more than I expected. I would put this on the must-see list. I especially appreciated the video interviews with survivors. There are places to sit and watch an interview while you are surrounded by pertinent artifacts. One could easily spend 4 hours there. I think we only spent 2, and it felt like I had to rush through the last half. There is no photography allowed inside. This photo shows a hero martyr: I don't remember his name - maybe someone on the trip got a photo of the caption for this monument. The man was a school teacher who chose to stay with his boys and be killed with them rather than abandon them to the Nazis. I spent some time today at the Yad Vashem website reading from the Righteous Among the Nations stories. What a valuable experience.

Thank you Olsun, for the info on this photo: This man - named Janusz Korczak
- was polish Jude, teacher and writer. He has wrote books for children and for teachers and parents. Sorry for my English :-)

From Western Stairs at Dome of the Rock

From Western Stairs at Dome of the Rock
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

Correct me if I am wrong. Maybe there is a better name for this location. (I am sure that invitation opens a can of worms.) This may be one of the most controversial places on the planet. Believed by both Jews and Muslims to be the location of the creation of Adam, and the location of the sacrifice of Abraham, this spot stirs the heart of both faiths. Jews still refer to it as the temple mount, the site of their only temple, destroyed in 70A.D. Currently, it is the site of a golden dome memorializing a mystical visit by the muslim prophet to this place. The heart of Jerusalem for Muslims is the famous golden dome (my back is to it in this photo,) while Jews seek the heart of Jerusalem underground (literally below my feet.) We walked through the tunnel that is under the Western wall of the city (some of you know it as the wailing wall,) and witnessed devout women fervently praying underground, as close as they can get to the Ark of the Covenant, buried in the Holy of Holies beneath the temple mount. I think my word for Jerusalem is Layers. Our trip was all about geography and history (we covered a lot of both.) I would love to go back again and just have the time to be a person instead of a tourist.

Art Galleries Netanya, Israel

Art Galleries Netanya, Israel
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

My first impression of Israel was peace, the second impression - respect. The artwork hung outside the galleries which you don't really see in the US unless the watchful artist is present. I wondered, Can they really trust one another to this degree? We happened upon this place on the Sabbath, so there were only us Christians wandering about. There seems to be a genuine respect for family and tradition in Israel - so many businesses closed for an entire day every week. I was starting to feel how intimate this country is. There are so many ways I can describe Israel, yet I feel I don't really know Israel at all. The portrait in the foreground looks like the Israel I met. She is dressed for work. In fact, you can see she has been working hard, yet her hands are behind her back. She is young and fragile. Larger than her borders. Simple and beautiful. Unfinished.

Gate - Netanya, Israel

Gate - Netanya, Israel
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

My first impression of Israel was the Ben Gurion airport just outside of Tel Aviv. Quiet. No music. No TV's. No ads bombarding my senses. Even though I had been travelling for about 24 hours to get there (stupid long layover at JFK included) I had a feeling I was going to like this peaceful place. A short drive North to our first destination, Netanya, revealed this tranquil corner. This is the backside of a Mediterranean beach front home. Yes, I would Summer there. White sand, finer than sugar, small town, art galleries, restaraunts. Click on the photo link to go to Flickr where you can see it larger.