Day Trip Up North in Israel

So it is time for a distracting blog as opposed to one about  the  ongoing political situation or the battle with the Covid virus and its mutations.  After quite a long time of not travelling very much in the country, I thought I would write about a day trip that we took this past Sunday and a few of the highlights.  Call it a bit of a distraction - but maybe also some ideas for next time you are in Israel.  We had tickets for an evening concert up north, so we decided to make a day of it.

We set out in the morning to the Dalyat Al Carmel market, outside of Haifa. That is about and hour and 20 mintues from Ra'anana in decent traffic conditions  Apparently, the big day for the market is Saturday but that is not something that we would do on Shabbat - so we went on a Sunday.  This market is a market run by Druze Israelis.  The Druze are an Arab speaking minority group in Israel, who number about 100,000.  They do not identify as Muslims.  They serve in the IDF and participate in all facets of Israeli public life.  The market is quite similar to other Arab markets in Israeli including the market in the Old City of Jerusalem.   We wandered around in a variety of shops in the market area.  The shopkeepers were very friendly and welcoming.  We were offered coffee. We chatted with them.  They spoke about how difficult it has been over the past year and a half with the lack tourism.  We felt like we should buy something but weren't really looking for anything in particular.  In the end, we bought a few seat cushions that we could take to the concert we were going to later at a Roman ampitheatre.  More about that shortly.  

We went to another place about twenty minutes away called the Bethlehem Spice Farm.  We were hoping for a bit of a tour and explanation but these days, with the lack of tourists, that is only available for tour groups of at least 10 or so that book in advance.  Instead, we wandered around the enormous spice store which featured bulk spices of every possible kind, mostly grown on site, apparently.  We sat and had a coffee at the coffee bar, which was quite tasty, accompanied by a pecan pie that was reasonably good - not overly sweet like many can be.  

After that, we decided to look for someplace to eat that would be reasonably close to our eventual destination the "Shoni Ampitheatre in Benyamina."  We found a restaurant called Taj - a Kosher Indian restaurant in Or Akiva (under the supervision of the Or Akiva Rabbinate).

Taj is not exactly gourmet dining.  It is a small, family run Indian restaurant with a relatively short menu.  But the food was quite good and tasted quite authentic.  There was outdoor seating with a capacity of, perhaps, 15.  I understand that they do quite a bit of takeout business.  There was a mildly operational fan cooling us off a bit - though I have to say it was still quite warm.  

We ordered a vegetable Thali dish which came with a roti, a curried zucchini dish, dal (in this case, yellow lentils), rice and a variety of chutneys.  We also ordered a curried salmon dish and some large samosas.  The roti was quite good and really not too far off from the delicious rotis that I used to enjoy at the home of one of my very good friends, growing up in Toronto.  The prices were moderate.  The service was friendly and  prompt.  This was much more like one of the fairly fast storefront Indian restaurants, so abundant in Toronto, especially in the Leslieville area (Gerrard and Greenwood) than a sit-down full-service restaurant.  But then again, there really aren't that many options for Indian food in Israel and even fewer for Kosher Indian food.  A one-time Kosher Indian restaurant  in Jerusalem, that was situated in the Crown Plaza Hotel, has since closed.  The Tandoori chain, with a branch in Herzliah, is not particularly authentic tasting and is not Kosher.  There is a decent restaurant in Ashdod, called Namaste that is Kosher and serves good food.  It is a bit out of the way for those in central Israel but we have been there a few times.  All things considered, we enjoyed Taj and would be happy to go back at some point, especially if we are in the area. 

Caesaria, Israel

We were quite full when we left, which is usually the case when you leave an Indian restaurant (in my experience) even though we really didn't order that many dishes.  We still had a few hours until our concert so we decided to head over to the ancient ruins at Caesaria and wander around there for a bit.  It was only about 10 minutes away from the restaurant.  We have been there many times and it is a great place to visit.  This time we were looking to take a short walk at the beach and then sit somewhere, have a drink and watch the sea for a bit.  We decided on the Beach Bar where we found just what we were looking for.  

Beach Bar, Caesaria

The Beach Bar is an aptly named spot that spans a fairly large area with some seats very close to the water and others further away but with a nice view.  We found some seats in the shade and looked for something very cold to drink.  Unfortunately, we were told, it was "too early" for the ice drinks - which only come out at  night.  Go figure.  So we went for some lemonade.  My highlight of the day was the drink menu, which featured a drink called  a "Crazy Trump" made with mango and passion fruit juice.  It was tempting but we took a pass.  We sat and enjoyed the  sounds of waves crashing against the shore barrier and watching the  sun slowly set, though we were still an hour or two away from actual sunset time.

Our last stop was the concert venue itself.  We were off to the Shoni Ampitheatre in Binyamina, which is about 15 minutes away from Caesaria.   We were going to see Idan Raichel, a popular Israeli performer.  He often performs with a full 7-9 piece group but he is now doing a series of concerts by himself over the next few months at this outdoor ampitheatre.  He plays  piano, guitar, accordian (though he didn't play any accordian this time) and a variety of other instruments.  Many of his songs are fairly sombre, soulful and emotional.  

The venue was first come first serve seating.  We thought we were going to be seated on the stone seats that fill the ampitheatre (hence the need for the pillows that we bought at the market). Instead, we

Idan Raichel

wound  up with second row seats on uncomfortable plastic chairs.  Raichel was great.  He told lots of stories in between songs, some of them were quite interesting.  For example, he said his 5 year old daughter asks him why so many people want to take a picture of him so often when they are walking around in the city.  He told his daughter that it is because he writes songs that people like to listen to.  So his daughter answered - if it is the music that people like - what use would they have for a picture?

He played for about an hour and a half with a couple of encore songs.  It was the first time that I had seen him live.  From the live videos I have seen, it would probably be better to see him with his full band - the "Idan Raichel Project" but this was still quite enjoyable.

I am going to save most of the political comments for another blog.  I don't have that much to say at this point.  The nascent Israeli government is still working out the kinks and the Bibi-led opposition is trying everything that it can to topple the government and re-install Bibi.  I have a reasonable level of confidence that this current Bennett-led government, as precarious as it is, will ride things out and stick around for a reasonable time period.

I have been staying up late (or getting up early, if you prefer) to watch  the NHL hockey playoffs.  It was a shocking but welcome surprise to see the Montreal Canadiens make it to the Stanley Cup finals, in a bid to become the first Canadian team to win the Cup since 1993 (when Montreal last won it).  Montreal barely squeezed its way into the playoffs and was a heavy underdog in every series it played.  Somehow it won the first three series and made it to the finals against the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.  I didn't have very high hopes - but maybe there would be another miracle.  Well, after the first three games, Montreal was down 3-0 and I couldn't bring myself to stay up all night last night with the prospect of watching Tampa take the Cup.  So I woke up this morning with the pleasant  news that Montreal had managed to extend the series.  I think only 2 or  3 teams in the history of the NHL (that spans more than 100 years) have managed to come back from a 3-0 deficit so the odds are heavily stacked  against Montreal.   But maybe I'll take my chances and see if they can extend the series once more on Wednesday night.  Miracles sometimes happen, don't they?

Israel is wrestling with a rapid spread of the Delta variant of Covid and the government is contemplating different restrictions, including bringing back the use of a "vaccination passport."  For now it is all talk as the government waits to see how many of the "positive" people actually become very sick.  For now, fortunately, the numbers of people  who have become very ill are still quite low and that is a positive sign, not only for Israel, but for every country that has managed to vaccinate a high percentage of the population as well as for those countries that are still hoping to do so.

Wishing everyone the best of health and enjoyment of the hot summer weather.  

  

Trip from Toronto to Tel-Aviv During Covid

Leaving Toronto

In an earlier blog, I wrote about my trip from Tel-Aviv, Israel to Toronto, Canada during Covid-19 and the various requirements.  I returned to Israel on June 23, 2021 so I thought I would write about  some of the details of travelling this route  in case you are thinking of trying it - we love  visitors!

First of all, Israel is still generally closed to "tourists" right now - other than certain group tours.  So in order to come  to Israel, you either need an Israeli passport, a work visa, or an advance authorization from the Israeli Ministry of the Interior - for example to visit a parent, child or other close relative.  I am really not sure about all of the requirements for non-Israeli visitors - so you would have to look that up.  I'm also not sure when this might change.  Israel has seen a recent surge in the Delta variant of Covid-19, which has even infected some people who had been vaccinated.  So there is some real concern about the need to take proper  measures to contain it.  

I chose to fly Air Canada.  I usually fly Star Alliance since I can collect  and  use the Aeroplan points.  I don't think El Al has resumed direct flights to Toronto in any event, so Air Canada was the only option for a direct flight.  The prices were still "reasonable" by comparison to other years.  You could get a round trip flight for between $850 and $1,100 Cdn.  which is still fairly low for this time of year due, of course, to the current situation.  The flights have been leaving at about 8 p.m. which means they arrive in Israel about 1:30 p.m. local  time.   I actually like that timing quite a bit.  Over the past few years -  Air Canada had been leaving Toronto at 5:30 p.m. and arriving in Israel at about 11 a.m.  I didn't mind that  timing - but  the return  flights were leaving Israel at  about noon - and getting  in to Toronto at 6 p.m. EST.  I really dislike those all day flights especially since the flight from Israel to Toronto, against the wind, can take close to 12 hours if not longer sometimes.

Inside FHS Labs

Anyways, the first order of business was to get a PCR test done in Toronto.  PCR tests are not being provided for free unless you meet one of the conditions for requiring one.   For example, if you have symptoms or you have been exposed to someone with Covid.  Otherwise, you have to arrange a private
test.  These seem to range in price from about  $159 plus tax to about  $300.  I used FHS labs.  I was able to book it on line for 8 a.m. two days before my flight.   The cost was $159 plus tax - about $180 total.  FHS was prompt, quick and easy and the results came  quickly as promised.  I would happily recommend using  them  unless you can find something much cheaper.  No one was there early on a Sunday morning as you can see from the photo.

Next came the Israeli government's "permission" form.  Within 24 hours of a flight  to Israel,  you have to fill in and submit an online form called a "Request to Entry Form." I have included the link in case you need it.  Here you have to provide  personal details - passport information etc.,  You  also have to indicate which countries you have visited while out of Israel and whether you have any symptoms.  Of course you also have to acknowledge that you can face severe fines for answering falsely.  Once you fill in the form and submit it online - you get a response back from the Israeli government fairly quickly.   You must print out the "approval" and bring it to the airport.  You will need it on check in at the counter in Canada and then again in Israel when you land.

I also had to book an arrival Covid test through the Israeli company Check2Fly - which administers these tests in Israel at the airport.  It is cheaper to book in advance and you avoid extra line-ups.  I think it was 80 Shequels (about $32 Cdn).  Much more reasonable  than the cost of leaving Canada - but I have heard that  Israel is planning on increasing the costs  shortly.  So I booked the test and printed that  out and had that with me for the airport as well.  I think Check2Fly also has an app that you can install on your  phone.

Then I checked  in with Air Canada.  There was another form to complete before checking in - a health attestation - that I didn't have any symptoms, wasn't with someone who had Covid etc.,  This form didn't take too long but I completed that and then I was finally ready for the regular check in process.

The online check in was  then simply the normal process.

On flight day, I was worried that things would take longer than usual  so I got to the airport fairly early.  As it turns out, it wasn't that crowded.  I guess there aren't that many people flying, which makes sense in the circumstances.  I normally go to the priority check-in counter because  of my Aeroplan status - which is at the front end of the terminal.  This time, I was offered the services of the concierge.  The concierge was super friendly.  He  went  through all of the different paperwork and requirements, checked everything and then told me I could leave everything with him.   He gave  me the baggage tags and wished me a good  flight.  That was the easiest and most helpful  check-in I have had in years.  Sorry that I don't  have the concierge's name but he was terrific.

Since the flight load is so much smaller these days, all of the security for international and domestic  flights is being done in the same place.  This means that once you get through security, you have about a twenty minute walk over to the international departures section.  There are shuttles for people who need them.   This area is normally closed off but they have set up a path to go from one area to the other.  The international lounge is also closed - but you can use the domestic lounge if you have access.  The lounge is operating on an "order-only" basis meaning you have to ask for food items  and they provide them to you directly to ensure that you aren't picking up food items that have been touched by hundreds of other lounge-goers.  There wasn't much of a selection.  I just had a bottle of water  and caught up on some emails.  I had to leave the lounge early enough to allow for the 20 minute walk over the international gates.

Boarding was pretty standard and on-time and I was off  for my 10 1/2 hour flight to Israel.  Fortunately, I was able to get an upgrade and sit in Business Class. Most of the business class services have been depleted these days  due to Covid.  There is much less food, a smaller selection of drinks,  fewer snacks etc.,  But of course the main attraction of the Business Class section on Air Canada for this type of flight (on a 787) is that the seats fold back completely to beds.  You are provided with a newly  cleaned sheet and blanket in a sealed, inspected bag along with a special sealed bag of personal and cleaning supplies.  In non-Covid  times, the staff members come around and  set up your  sheet and  blanket etc.,  These days, you are on your own but it is still all the same stuff once you get  it out of the sealed plastic bag.

Frozen Kosher Food

I ordered the Kosher meal in advance.  The hot part of the meal was okay - a less than memorable dish of chicken thighs in sauce.  But it also came with a sealed "cold tray" which included fruit that was too frozen to eat, frozen couscous and some other frozen items.  I probably didn't need to eat most of that anyways - but is is not very nice to be served a frozen meal - especially for the people who are paying real money for these  business class seats.

I picked out one movie and watched "Across the Universe" a vehicle for Beatles music from a few years ago.  I enjoyed it.  Tried to sleep after that and next thing I knew, it was time for breakfast.

The breakfast was a bit strange.  It  was an omelette but made with chick peas  in a cumin sauce.  I guess  the caterer figured that since we are on the way to Israel, we might as well start eating Mideastern spices early on.  I don't think  I have ever had a cumin-chick pea omelette in Israel - the breakfast food is usually more  influenced  by Greek or Italian flavours.  Mushrooms, tomatoes and feta?  Sure.  Chick peas? Not usually.   The "cold" part of the meal was  either stale or  frozen so I stayed away from it.   Air Canada is not serving real milk  with the breakfast coffee due to  Covid (don't ask...).  I'm not really sure how that is related and I didn't really feel like ingesting  some of that non-dairy creamer.  So the coffee was going to have to wait until after I landed.

Israel from Above

Once we arrived in Israel, things seemed reasonably normal.  No one came on to the plane or stood at the gate checking people as they got off.  However, they had set up an early passport check area.  So I was able to go through passport security quite quickly.  I believe that the Request to Entry Form had already been connected to my passport - so that whole system allowed for a quick  entry process.

After that, it was off to collect luggage, which was also quite normal.  Once I had collected my bags, and walked through the Green  customs line-up (nothing to declare, of course), I then had to get in line for a Covid test.   There was  line-up for those who hadn't yet  paid and a much shorter line up for those who had.  I  really didn't have to wait more than 5 minutes and probably even less than that.  My test was administered, I was given  a wrist band  to wear while in the airport and that was that.  I was free to go.  My test results came the next day, and thankfully, I was negative once again.

It was quite a bit easier to arrive in Israel than it was to arrive in Toronto and frankly, the process made much more  sense.  

Montreal Hockey Fans

Israel is now dealing with a wave of the Delta variant and the new government is trying to determine the best measures to take.  I guess we will see shortly whether Israel imposes new restrictions.

And so I was back in Israel - just in time to get up in the middle of the night a few times and watch the Montreal Canadiens miraculously defeat the heavily favoured  Las Vegas Golden Knights - for the Habs' first berth in a Stanley Cup final since 1993.  I am very excited about that - which will mean a definitely crazy sleep pattern over the next two weeks (or until the series ends).  Tonight is game one - about 3 a.m. Israel time.

That's about it for  now - no politics in this article - perhaps I'll write some more soon.  Wishing everyone the best of health.