Bright and early Thursday morning I took a short flight to Tel Aviv. At the airport I was very excited to meet my father. I was so happy to see him as I have very much missed my family in the past few months. I’m very excited about the tours we are going to do in Israel and Jordan in the next couple of weeks before heading home to Canada for December.
We start off with a couple of free days in Tel Aviv and the action for our tour starts on Sunday morning. Thursday afternoon after getting settled in our hotel we went for a lovely long walk to get our bearings. Tel Aviv is located right on the Mediterranean and has a lovely long white sand beach which is lovely to walk on for tired feet.
Tel Aviv beach
Enjoying the sun
Maybe the last sand and sun before winter snows
Yesterday we took the train Haifa. The attraction there are the beautiful gardens of the Ba’hai World Center that surround the burial sight of the Ba’hai prophet known as Bab. Because this is a holy places for the Ba’hai access to the gardens is very restricted. You can only go to certain parts and at only specific times. The gardens cascade down the side of Mount Carmel in 19 terraces – 1 for the Bab shrine and 18 for his disciples. The gardens were only finished in 2001. We were lucky to get on the one daily English guided tour that allows you access to the upper terraces. They are very formal and structured but also lovely.
Ba’hai Gardens
Bab Shrine
Enjoying the gardens
Terraces of the Ba’hai gardens looking down to the Bab shrine and Haifa port
After a tiring day of trekking up and down the steep terraces and slopes we returned to Tel Aviv in the early afternoon by one of the last trains. All public transit stops by mid-afternoon on Friday and doesn’t resume until sundown on Saturday for the Sabbath.
Our reward for our efforts during the day was to enjoy a lovely glass of wine at a beach cafe, munching on yummy hummus, watching the sunset.
I’m having a lovely time with my father. I’m so happy he is here and that I get to share this experience with him.
Wow, absolutely gorgeous! Glad you and dad are having such a wonderful time together.