"25-30th Sept: Jerusalem, Dead-Sea, Wadi Rum,Petra" WorldMeet2008's Profile

shalom anashim [=hello folks],

It's the greatest pleasure and honour for me, to thank, personally, all the attendees for participation. Without you, anashim, it couldn't be amazing, extra ordinary, fascinating journey, a once in a lifetime trip, as promised. It was much more than a sole meeting or sole event. Please click 6 Day route, 2 countries to see the map.

Many VT members were and are interested in the Middle- East and its touristic attractions; these VTers browsed this account and its pages, again and again, learned about Israel & Jordan, asked questions, left comments, remarks, wishes.

Let me tell you, anashim, in short, how we spent these 6 days, experiencing the top destinations of the M.E.. Each one of the following destinations, definitely, deserves 3 days per 1 day we had:

* We explored - guided by super dedicated & knowledgeable Zvi Hillman - a wide variety of perspectives of unique Jerusalem (click!) for 2 days, meaning, history, archaeology, religion, architecture, topography, local customs, local cuisine, open markets. In Ir David (City of David) we walked in a dark - flashlights at hands - 500m long biblical water tunnel (water up to our knees). For Vere [VT: Grazina] and Julie [VT:Julie&] it was the second time to cross this tunnel with me. This time 2 sisters of Julie joined us for all 6 days. Julie promised to come with her brothers the next time.
We attended a traditional Jewish Saturday Evening Meal (=se'udat shabbat) in VTer Gila Brand's home .
We wiped our platters of oriental food & BBQ clean. Let's the pics talk for themselves: The floor is yours Katherine , angiebabe and Martin_S. .

Stayed 2 nights in Notredame de Sion monastery in tranquil Ein- Kerem neighbourhood .

* Safari Specially designed vehicle took us from Jerusalem to the Dead- Sea through Judean Desert. This 10 hours' adventure is not known to most of the local Israelis. We experienced the desert phenomena like monastery in the rock, sights of Dead Sea & Syrian African Rift (lowest point on the globe, -420m), cliffs, waddies (valleys), fauna (click!): a desert snake, night bird, camels, the special desert flora, and more.

* We climbed mighty Masada by cable car , and (most of us) went down by foot on the Snake Path. We took a dip in the extremely salty Dead Sea water and floated on the water as can be done only there.
Stayed 2 nights at Masada Guest House, on the foot of the fortress, overlooking Dead- Sea & Judean Desert. An inspirational & romantic atmosphere was enthusiastically reported. (Queen Cleopatra of Egypt and Roman Emperor Mark Anthony discovered the virtues of this area more than 2,000 years ago, as we all know from history books)

Jerusalem, Mt of Olives, Overlooking Old City

* We crossed the border to experience top Jordan's gems: Wadi Rum and Petra. Petra is one of New Seven World wonders . We explored it by foot, and on camel/ donkey's back, from sunrise to sunset. Really U-N-F-O-R-G-E-T-T-A-B-L-E , a Masterpiece of Nature & Man's ingenuity. We had a Jeep tour in magical Wadi Rum (associated with Lawrence of Arabia );also stayed in a bedouin tent in the desert, and more.

My friends will, easily, remind me more attractions I forgot to mention.

Many hundreds of shots were done. Antonio [VT: A2lopes] took hundreds of pics, documenting every moment, every meal, every detail. (trip of once in a lifetime, remember?).
I took, myself, hundreds of pics, in many of them you, the attendees, are inside the frame. Already started to send a dozen to Louisa [VT: July2].
I can't promise in the name of Antonio; I want to share my pics with all of you. Don't hesitate to email me to my external:

fruitlover007@gmail.com

Thank you unaS for helping in organizing this WorldMeet;
many thanks to Valentina [VT: MacedonianUK] for designing and producing the special WorldMeet2008 T- shirts;
and, above all, thank you, my beloved Mirjana for your support on earth. Dear God wanted you in heaven on 10th Sept. For sure you watched us from the smiling sky. You left us the task to continue your path called Love and Peace for everyone everywhere. Rest In Peace, Mirjana! You're in my heart forever!

AHAVA from Israel !
Avi FruitLover
mobile +972/50/3022333
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<--- Carmen and Jo, Julie&'s sisters on the camel

Safari, desert vehicle, Louisa (July2) in front

First pictures from unforgettable 6 days of Jerusalem, Dead- Sea, Wadi Rum, Petra

Katherine about WorldMeet2008

angiebabe's WM08

Louisa's HomePage and new Albums

unaS's 1st Day in Jerusalem

MacedonianUK's HomePage and Petra

Biblical water tunnel, Jerusalem, ph. by Julie&

The water is up to our knees.
in the pic:
Carmen (Julie&'s sister) & FruitLover

Judean Desert, a wadi & a monastery & Ekaterinburg

Click for More Pictures