Israel

Just the other day I was thinking about the time when I was sent to Israel for work to finish up a installation of a semiconductor equipment in the chemical vapor deposition process at Intel Fab18. My first reaction when my boss approach me I didn't really wanted to go because of all the hype of people not getting along in that region and killing each other. However I wanted to see that region because I just became a follower of Christ and it was a opportunity of a life time to go see the holy land.

I was so excite to go and I have planed places to see and things to do. I thought I had placed all the information into my suit case prior to leaving the states but it never happen. Twenty plus hours later when I had reach Israel and landed in Tel Aviv- Yafo airport I search for my documents. No where to be found in my suit case. So I just took the local map from the rent car, you all know how crappie those maps are? But I had no choice to continue to my destination to Dan Garden Hotel, Askelon.

The people along the way of my drive to Askelon was very helpful when I stop to ask for direction. I had past the hotel coming from the direction of my a strangers the had provided to me. The reason I missed it was that coming from that direction the writing of the hotel was written in Hebrew...lol. When I turned around about a mile later and came back to the direction I came I saw the hotel in English. Finally I was there, I was there safe and sound.

[Inside my room]

Askelon

[Drive home from work]

My work load was the same but I had to really try to understand the culture and language. I tried my best to learn a few words each day while I was there. The locals managers at my work place really like the fact that I tried to fit in instead of not accepting the culture.

Beside work on my days off, I try to hit up the areas that interested me; Jerusalem, Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, Haifa, and Red Sea.

Jerusalem --

I had met up with a Intel employee at the hotel where I was staying. He told me that a local Intel employee was going to take him to Jerusalem to do some site seeing. So on my first weekend there I went with them.

[Wishing wall]

[shopping area]

Dead Sea --

On my second weekend I went with some guys I met at the bar in the hotel that I was staying at and drinking one night. We decided to go the Dead Sea.

Sea of Galilee, and Haifa --

On my third week I decided to go on my own to tour the place myself. I woke up one morning and I just drove north toward the Sea of Galilee. That lead me to Haifa along my drive back to Askelon.

 [Standing in the Jordon river]

 [The view of the Sea of Galilee from the highway]

When I came back that evening to the hotel. I had stop at the front desk and notice a business lounge in the front of the lobby. I asked what that was about. The receptionist told me to go talk to the manager regarding the service they provide. So I went to talk to her (the manger) I proceed to ask what kinda of service they provide. She told me that the hotel charter buses to certain places in Israel. I didn't know the hotel had done this, otherwise I would had taken the charter every week so it would have been more informative and a guide would answer questions for me if I had question.

Jerusalem --
On my forth week I decided to go back to Jerusalem because I didn't get to see everything.

When the five and six week came I was too busy to go anywhere else. I wish I could had made it to the Red Sea. I heard many good things about it. Maybe next time when I visit again it will be the first place I would like to go see.