Desert disasters... and other stories (part 1)

I'm breaking with the chronological order of our Israel trip to recount some hilarious escapades from our brief time in the Negev Desert, southern Israel.

When you look on the map, the northern end of the Dead Sea is only a few km from Jerusalem, but our 3-hour journey, to the south of it, had to negotiate around the West Bank, the area of Judea and Samaria which is controlled by the Arabs.

Since the Palestinian seige in the Church of the Nativity in 2002, and the building of the controvertial West Bank barrier, Bethlehem has been off limits to tourists. Our coach paused to overlook the Bethlehem valley...

...and follow the line of the West Bank barrier as it snakes its way across the land.

We also saw another barrier, errected by local people living on the overlooking road, who had been subject to sniper attacks during the recent conflict. The view has been painted onto the concrete slabs, probably to make it less intimidating to walk past and also remind them of what the view looks like.

As we travelled further and further south, the land became more barren and eventually recognisable desert. We pulled into the Bedouin village just before sunset and just had time for a camel ride.

A few of my very close friends will know that I'm not keen on horses (or similar creatures). I once was bitten on the backside by a wild donkey and pushed a few steps forward by a camel. My horse-riding trips have all been rather traumatic experiences, so much so that I refuse to go on one now.

However, I had decided to have a go on the camel and I was determined to be in the first group, so that I wouldn't loose my nerve watching the others. Our rather ugly beast was sitting on the ground ready for us to mount and I must say he did look rather harmless.

The double seat, was very uncomfortable, and the rising up to full height a bit scary (I think hysteria was setting in).

On a camel ride your body moves in a slow vertical circular movement, spiralling forward. When the beast rises from its scabby knees and then sinks again for you to get off, you lunge forward precariously. My knuckles were white from gripping so tightly.

But we were soon distracted by some very funny antics, taking place a few camels in front.

Poor Marielouise (Cape Town) was almost thrown off every few steps as her camel did a little jig, throwing its leg out, first one side and then the other. Andy took this, rather blurred photo (I was hanging on for dear life!), and was doubled up, he almost fell off! Everyone travelling behind was helpless with laughter for the short ride.

I can't say I enjoyed the ride, but it certainly was an interesting and hilarious experience. I must have been reeling from bravado, because I suddenly decided to clamber onto the back of a donkey for the return ride. They say 'pride comes before a fall' and I very nearly did...

Please notice two things about this photo: the first is the clean, white trainer in the foreground, and the second, the way my donkey is trying to overtake the donkey to the left. You can't actually see one other thing, that the saddle has slipped round his flank and I am leaning to the left to keep my balance.

My left leg was becoming trapped between the donkeys, so the handler moved the lead to the other side, but...

...now notice that my donkey is trying to overtake on the other side, hysteria is setting in again, and I am pushing away from that donkey.

I was becoming increasingly aware that my right leg was coming dangerously close to the tail of that donkey - with predictable consequences...

Zilneia (East Timor) and I after the trip! Oh dear! Actually, it doesn't look half as bad as it felt and smelt!!

The Southern most tip of Africa

Recently, we visited the most southerly place on the African continent. It is called Cape Argulhas and marks the point where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean.

The lighthouse rises out of fishermen cottages, which are now a visitor centre and shop.

At the top is this warning notice - spot the deliberate spelling mistake (hint-which word needs a prefix?).

It was very windy, but it didn't stop us beachcombing. Our friend Hannes offered to help...

I washed my 'treasures', including some wonderful sponges and pieces of seaweed, placing them round the bath to dry, but the fishy smell lingered for days!

Here's something I didn't bring home - a dead baby shark.

A rare picture of Andy sporting the latest in holiday gear...

He must have been feeling paticularly jovial that day...

In Cape Argulhas motorists swerve to avoid tortoises...

We also visited this cave, but as you can see the tide had already turned.

Rememberance Day Birthday

Today is Rememberance Day, often called Poppy Day, by school children, remembering the 11th hour of the 11th Day of the 11th month of 1918, when the First World War ended. The poppy was chosen as the symbol of the Royal British Legion, who raise funds to care for those injured during war and the families of the bereaved by war. Now, Rememberance Day is used to remember all those who have been injured or who lost their lives in all wars since the First World War.

Today is also the 13th birthday of a special lady. Helena is the daughter of Hannes and Hendriette, friends of ours, so in tribute of her becoming a teenager, here are a few photos.

That gorgeous smile...

a hardworker...

the adventurer...

the comic...

a beautiful young lady.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HELENA, love from Andy and Lynda.

Spring in Cape Town

When we arrived back in Cape Town a couple of weeks ago, it was definitely much warmer than when we had left at the beginning of October, so we thought that Summer was just around the corner. The evenings were a little chilly, but most days the sun shone, and temperatures were in the 20's. Just as the days are shortening in the northern hemisphere, so they are lengthening in the southern hermisphere, and we have had some beautiful evenings.

This photo is just one of several stunning sunsets.

On the first weekend we decided to take a final trip to Hermanus to see the whales, following the coast road, rather than the motorway. It was a beautiful trip. We stopped in a small town, called Gordon's Bay, sat on the sea front, and ate some of the freshest fish, that we've ever tasted.

Then, we followed the coast road round an area known as the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. This is a UNESCO designated site having three specific zones: core, buffer and transition. Every biosphere also has three special functions: the conservation of landscapes, eco-systems and species; development which is socio-culturally sustainable; and logistical support related to local, national and global issues of conservation.

This all sounds very grand, but basically it is an area where there are no fences keeping nature in and people out! Biosphere reserves are commitments by communities to conservation, to ensure their children and grandchildren will enjoy a healthy environment and sustainable lifestyle (taken from the brochure).

Well, we think it is working. The area is certainly one of the most beautiful in the Western Cape.

This is Cape Hangklip, a rocky outcrop, forming a cliff face with the beach. The road diverted behind it and then continued along the coast again.

We needed a cup of tea, rooibos, of course (rooibos means red bush, in Afrikaans, and only grows in the Western Cape. It is a popular and healthy tea), so we stopped at a protea farm.

Protea's are native to South Africa. They are most exquisite and detailed flowers. We bought a bunch of proteas grown on the farm.

Although the journey to Hermanus is much longer, via the coast road, we were not disappointed. We had just parked and started walking along the cliff path when we saw lots of whales in the bay. Many of them were breaching and it made a spectacular display.

We were so glad we had made the effort to travel to Hermanus. I think it is our favourite place - so far!. The following day there was an announcement in church that summer had arrived.

On 31st October it was very hot and humid, with temperatures in the low 30's, and we really thought that summer had arrived.

However, November has been much cooler, with quite a lot of rain and some very strong winds. I had put away our quilt, as we hadn't used it for a few nights, but this week I got it out again, as we were piling blankets on the bed to keep warm. Also, I took most of my warm clothes back to England, thinking that I wouldn't need them again, so my wardrobe is very limited at present.

It seems that summer is a bit further away than we thought.

Mount of Olives to Garden Tomb

The Mount of Olives is now a Jewish graveyard and the location which once marked the place where Jesus ascended to Heaven, is now a Moslem minaret. Nevertheless, the Mount has one of the best views of Jerusalem.

This is just a small portion of the view, focussing on the Temple Mount. It is on Mount Moriah that Abraham took his son Isaac to be sacrificed, and where God stopped him at the last moment, supplying a ram, caught in a thicket, as the sacrifice. Mount Moriah is where Solomon built the first temple, which was destroyed and rebuilt around 500BC.

In this photo, the eastern and southern sections of the old city wall are visible, just beyond the road which cuts to the picture in two. On the Temple Mount the Moslem shrine to the Prophet Mohammed, called the Golden Dome of the Rock, can be seen.

In the foreground are Jewish tombs on the Mount of Olives.

You may be wondering what the stones on top, the small window and cans are for. Each time the grave is visited a stone is placed on top - flowers would soon wither in the heat. The window is for a lighted candle - maybe the cans contain small candles, like tee-lights.

There are few tress and hardly any olive trees on the Mount of Olives - these were the only two we could see at the top.

This man was offering a 'donkey taxi' down the steep 'Palm Sunday' route to Gethsemane. I was disappointed we were not waving palm branches.

On the night Jesus was betrayed he met with his disciples in an upper room. They shared a Passover Meal together and Jesus explained how he was to become the sacrificial lamb, the meal was remembering. He took the bread and broke it saying "This is my body, broken for each one of you". Then he took the Cup of Redemption at the meal and said "This is my blood, poured out for you." He spoke of what was about to happen, telling them to remember his sacrifice each time they shared the meal from then on. Today, Christians celebrate the meal and call it 'communion', 'breaking bread' or the 'eucharist', depending on their prefered denomination.

The site now regarded as this room is in Mount Zion, directly above where King David's Tomb is located.

This is the exit from the Upper Room. From here Jesus and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane - the word means 'olive press'. In those days the Mount of Olives would have been covered with olive orchards, and the fruit would have been brought to Gethsemane for pressing to make olive oil.

Today, visitors cannot enter the garden, but in places you get fairly close to some of the olive trees.

Some of the trees have most unusual trunks, sprouting fruiting branches at odd angles.

Some have enormous trunks and have been dated over 2000 years old. They still produce olives.

Returning to the narrative about Jesus... After he was arrested, tried and sentenced to death, he carried his cross outside the city to a place called Golgotha, the 'Place of the Skull', also called 'Calvary' which means 'bald place', for crucifixion.

It was a quarry where stones for the construction of Herod's Palace and extensions to the city wall were mined. It still retains a skull-like image on its crumbling surface. Today the cliff face overlooks a busy bus station, but can be seen from a viewing platform in the Garden Tomb, close by.

When the Roman soldiers had confirmed that Jesus was dead, his body was taken down and laid in a tomb hewn out of the rock. It is easy to see that this tomb could well have been the place where Jesus was laid. There is so much credible evidence, relating to the tomb and its location, which convinces me.

You enter through a small opening, which has a channel running in front for the sealing stone to be rolled in front. There is a small window, which throws light onto the place where Jesus was laid, although it is still very dark inside.

The place is not a raised platform but a hollow, showing the end for the feet. The head end (behind the wall to the left) has a slightly raised area, as a pillow.

A plan of the tomb helps to make things clearer, with the body laid in section 4.

On the Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead, as he told his disciples, and appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden.

This sign on the door states the angel's declaration to Peter and the other disciples who ran to the tomb to see for themselves.

This is the heart of the Gospel in John chapter 3, verse 16,

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. "

Photos from Israel Trip

I have, at long last, sorted out my photos and put them in a flickr web page. click here They are mostly photos of people on the trip in various settings.I still have plenty to talk about on the blog!

Unfortunately, I wrote about each photo in the wrong place (in the comment box), so if you want to read about them you will have to click on the comment for each one. As you can immagine I was quite disappointed to realise my mistake, as it took several hours to work. I will try to correct it, over the next week. I'll also put a link to the photos at the top of the page.

Back to blogging

I was quite shocked to see that I've only written one blog entry in the last month. I also realise that the previous entry about Israel, may seem to a little strange to the people who don't receive my e.newsletters.

I started blogging, back in February as a way of posting my photos, which up to then, I had usually send as an attachment to my newsletters. However, the Internet in Cape Town and Zambia is rather slow and sometimes unpredictable, and I had huge diffculties attaching any document to an email. Hence the blog. It was also a great way of writing more frequently, more of a diary, which is what I understand a blog to be: a log on the internet, which can be shared with other users. I had toyed with the idea of stopping my newsletters, but when I mentioned the thought, I was asked to keep writing the weekly emails, as they both provide more of a summary of recent events and can be printed off for those without internet to read.

So, I have kept both going for that last nine months. Sometimes I feel it has been successful, as I have chosen different topics to highlight in each, or I have used the blog to focus on one particular events, and of course match to photos. It has also provided an opportunity to talk about the photos. I enjoy that part, especially finding unusual things to photograph and chat about.

The sixth of the month is a little late to join National Blogging Month, but I certainly intend to post more regularly from now on.

So what about the Israel thing?

We travelled to England on 7th October and joined others from Christian Vision, from around the world, in Israel on 11th October. It was the two-yearly International Conference, but also a sight-seeing tour of the Holy Land. We returned to UK on 21st October, and then flew back to Cape Town on 25th October. Our time in UK was useful to catch up with family, although it was very brief and rather too hectic.

In Israel I took far too many photographs, and over the past week have been sorting through them, trying to decide which ones to put on a Flickr account. I did try posting some the other night, but they crashed and Andy has been too busy to help me out, so far. So, at present I am dithering, somewhat, not sure what to post here and what to post on Flickr.

In the meantime, life moves on and I am wondering whether to just get back to talking about life here in Cape Town - after all the blog title is "Adventures in Africa"!

So after all that rambling, you'll have to wait and see what I post tomorrow!