This past summer in the end of May, I visited Prague, Czech Republic with my University of Denver Daniels MBA program class. This was right after my trip to Saudi Arabia and Austria, and was the start of our MBA Program International Business Segment. We had a great time meeting with local businesses and exploring the town. Prague is an incredibly well preserved, beautiful town, with rich history, incredible architecture, and interesting culture. Although it’s very touristy, it’s that way for a reason – it really is worth visiting, and should be on everybody’s list. After Prague, we continued onto Israel…
Innovation to Impact is a one-day roundtable event that was hosted by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEA) and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), on May 19, 2017. The event in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia on the campus of KAUST, brought together academic institutions and private industry thought leaders from the United States and Saudi Arabia to discuss innovative academic and strategic commercial opportunities for both countries, in addition to new methods of collaboration and a deepened commitment to partnership.
Landing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The city is chaotic, but divided by major avenues.Religious pilgrims arriving in Jeddah, on their way to MeccaA billboard in downtown Jeddah announcing the meeting of King Salman and President Trump.KAUST is a beautiful and architectually striking campus.KAUST is a beautiful and architectually striking campus.KAUST is a beautiful and architectually striking campus.The Beacon at KAUSTInside the beacon at KAUST.People from all over the globe arriving at King Abdullaziz University of Science and Technology.Discussing innovation, entrepreneurship, funding, and mentorship between US and Saudi startups at Innovation to Impact at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. I spoke to the group about the importance of building community, engaging with involved mentors, and “big idea” thinking.Extravagant food was the norm at the conference.The floating mosque in Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaExploring the Old City of Jedda, Saudi ArabiaExploring the Old City of Jedda, Saudi ArabiaExploring the Old City of Jedda, Saudi ArabiaExploring the Old City of Jedda, Saudi ArabiaDates while exploring the Old City of Jedda, Saudi ArabiaExploring the Old City of Jedda, Saudi ArabiaExploring the Old City of Jedda, Saudi ArabiaA textile vendor in the old city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
This summer, I spent a few months trekking solo across Eastern Asia. On this trek, I visited New Zealand, Australia, The Philippines, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, and the US State of Hawaii. Here’s what I wrote during my trek:
The outdoor mall in downtown Kuala Lumpur. I’d been here before, but since I only had a few hours and the airport train goes straight here, I decided to stop by.
Clay pots are heated up on charcoal. Dry rice and water are put in first, and the rice is cooked up fresh.
Touring in Macau.
Looking out over Shenzhen, China from the top of the KK100 Building.
Dressed in anti-static gowns. Trendy!
Connectors of every shape and size, sold on-site by the bundle, or shipped anywhere in the world.
Each stall represents a different electronic supplier, factory, or component manufacturer. They’re divided up into sections and floors, depending on what they make or sell.
Every Wednesday during the hot summer in Hong Kong is Happy Wednesday down at the Happy Valley horse racing track. I went with a group of friends from the Check Inn Hostel, where I stayed during my time in Hong Kong. Owner Wincent is great!
Running at night in Hong Kong.
Learning to play Chinese poker with my friends on the train to Hong Kong. This family was traveling to Hong Kong to buy baby formula.
Riding the overnight train from Shanghai into Hong Kong, I made friends with my cabinmates, and ended up hanging out with them quite a bit during the long train ride. Lots of fun!
Man Mo Temple
Exploring the legendary Man Mo Temple, with coils of incense burning everywhere.
Fish are displayed in large tanks, with dramatic lighting throughout the many many many stalls.
Admiring modern architecture in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
Volkswagen has a major plant on the outskirts of Shanghai. Although I didn’t have an appointment or any contact there, I showed up and managed to talk my way into a private tour of the factory.
On Sundays, a portion of the central park in Shanghai becomes matchmaking central. Here, parents post advertisements for their kids, with hopes that another passing parent will see the ad and connect their kids. Personal ads are put on cards which are pasted to umbrellas for higher visibility, and assembled into large boards. The practice is so huge that there are now even brokers who manage listings for lots of people.
A hopeful parent holds up information about his kid, hoping that another parent will have a suitable match.
I got addicted to this pounded, breaded, fried chicken, simply called “big chicken”.
My timing in Shanghai was perfect for the Shanghai Auto Show -which was horribly overcrowded. I lasted about an hour, and then had to leave – it was madness pushing through the masses to stand in line to see a random crappy car. And no models!
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town. How many couples can you count?
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town.
After being the more traditional cities of Beijing and Xi’an for a bit, I was ready to step into the more modern world of Shanghai. In the last few decades, like much of China, Shanghai has been on a building spree, with new buildings popping up everywhere. I took about a week to walk the city, and explore as many interesting places as I could. Arriving in Shanghai, this is the classic shot from the Bund, looking into the main financial district.
As the sun fades on The Bund of Shanghai, orange lights illuminate the classicically styled buildings. It’s a beautiful sight, enjoyed by masses and masses of people strolling up and down the curved walkway. The bund is beautiful now, but given the speed at which things are being knocked down and rebuilt in China, I’d be surprised if the skyscrapers of Pudong didn;t start to creep into the Bund area and the Concession areas in short time. The Chinese seem to be on such a fast and determined building spree that they’re fine with buldozing away beauty, culture, and history in favor of new soulless office buildings and factories. It’s a sad reality of the new China.
In the business center of Pudong, skyscrapers are huge, and being built as fast as possible. Looming in the back of this photo is the Shanghai tower, the tallest building in China and the second tallest in the world.
The warriors are in various states of repair, and each face is unique.
The main hall of Terracotta Warriors. There are actually three excavation sites, but this one was by far the most impressive. The entire site is ringed by a tourist walkway, with lots of photos being taken at all times.
Terracotta horses, preserved in the musem.
Girls in the crowd all wearing the same uniforms, with matching allegiance pins.
A group of kids, with their supposed coaches, about to enter the stadium. These kids had a great energy, and I think they were more interested in my camera than they were interested in me. Everybody in the background is staring in my direction because I was on the side of the tourists – we were all checking each other out.
Here I am coming around a corner during my run of the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon. Both tourists and professional Korean athletes ran at the same time – so the entire time I was running, I was being passed by the pros!
With about a week of training, I finished the 2015 Pyongyang Marathon (26.2 Miles) in 3:34:47.
At the Pyongyang Victorious War Museum, I was led around by a well dressed tour woman, wearing a military-inspired uniform. She gave a tour to my entire group, including a walk through some relics from various wars, and of the US Navy Ship Pueblo.
AGER-2, the USS Pueblo. From Wikipedia: USS Pueblo (AGER-2) is a Banner-class Environmental Research Ship, attached to Navy intelligence, which was attacked and captured by North Korean forces on 23 January 1968, in what is known today as the Pueblo incident or alternatively, as the Pueblo crisis. The seizure of the U.S. Navy ship and its 83 crew members, one of whom was killed in the attack, came less than a week after President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “State of the Union” address to the United States Congress, just a week before the start of the “Tet Offensive” in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and only three days after 31 men of North Korea’s “KPA Unit 12” had crossed the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and killed 26 South Koreans in an attempt to attack the South Korean “Blue House” (executive mansion) in the capital Seoul. The taking of Pueblo and the abuse and torture of its crew during the subsequent 11-month prisoner drama became a major Cold War incident, raising tensions between the western democracies and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and People’s Republic of China. North Korea stated that the Pueblo deliberately entered their territorial waters 7.6 miles away from Ryo Island, and the logbook shows that they intruded several times.[1] However, the United States maintains that the vessel was in international waters at the time of the incident and that any purported evidence supplied by North Korea to support its statements was fabricated.[2] Pueblo, still held by North Korea today, officially remains a commissioned vessel of the United States Navy.[3] Since early 2013, the ship has been moored along the Botong River in Pyongyang, and used there as a museum ship.[4] Pueblo is the only ship of the U.S. Navy still on the commissioned roster currently being held captive.[5]
Inside the Pyongyang Military Museum, a giant statue of Kim Jong Un.
Before going to the the actual line, a guide explains the layout of the “Joint Security Area”, which is the neutral zone which surrounds a particular section of the “Military Demarcation Line” that is the actual border between the north and the south.
Another interesting propaganda poster, found in the DMZ gift shop.
Walking back from the MDL back to the north. The two guards facing each other in the background are standing right next to the actual line, a raised concrete strip.
This photo is of the North Korean guards inside one of the blue buildings. I had been in this exact room a few weeks prior, and in addition to the South Korean guards, there were also North Korean guards. However, the tone was completely different from the Northern guards. When I visited from the south, the North Korean guards wore completely different uniforms, with large korean letters on their helmets, imposing dark RayBan sunglasses, and an extremely stern, tense pose. This time, the guards were upbeat and friendly, and there was no sign of any guards from the south.
Strolling around the Koryo History Museum.
These epic paintings of the leaders were everywhere, and displayed proudly.
A mosaic in the Pyongyang metro of Kim Jong Il standing in a grassy field. Epic.
Each station has its fare share of epic mosaics, depicting the leaders in a variety of triumphant poses. This one of Kim Il Sung with common people was particularly grand.
Of course on each train car is the portrait of the dear leaders. Friend Justin Martell poses with them.
Riding the Pyongyang metro was a great opportunity to interact with some of the locals. Here, I’m sitting next to a group of school girls, who are getting nervous while practicing their english skills.
A typical scene on the streets in western North Korea. Of note in this picture is a the woman on the right hand side selling flowers on top of a cardboard box. This is a small example of the illegal North Korean Black Market – and although innocuous looking, there’s been lots of talk about private enterprises like this recently.
Another lunch. This time, after our servers were finished bringing out food, they all went to change into costumes, and then performed a very sweet, very weird song and dance karaoke routine. Entertaining for sure.
Inside the Nampho Dam (P’i Do) Lighthouse is another great portrait of Kim Jong Il, posing in front of the dam.
In Pyongyang, I made a stop with my group for lunch at a restaurant right across the street from the giant Ryugyong Hotel. I was scolded for having this picture taken of me, because it shows the shanty village that surrounds the giant uninhabited building.
Women wait for their bus in front of the iconic Pyongyang Ice Rink.
In the alleyway where my friend’s apartmen was, there were always these fun kids playing around. Fun making friends! Beijing housing subdivisions, although some more rundown than others, almost always seem like safe, fun, community-oriented places.
Arriving in Beijing was certianly a wakeup. As soon as I stepped out of the terminal, I was hit with dense, choking smog that could be seen from as little as 20 feet away. The air smelled like burning, and I could taste a fine grit. Certainly not great – but this was a 200 AQI day – mid-levels of pollution for Beijing.
Hiking all day up and down. Good thing I havd my Salomon XA-Pro-3D-Ultra2-GTX trailrunning shoes, Darn Tough socks, and Black Diamond Modernist Rock Jeans!
Playing cards in a public park.
Springtime means lots of beautiful blooming trees.
Folks playing in the central hutong area of beijing.
These meat skewers were really great! I’m still not sure what kind of meat, though..
Orange tiles protecting the roofs of the Forbidden City fro m the afternoon sun.
Finally, I made it inside the Forbidden City! I remember watching the film “The Last Emperor” in middle school, and seeing shots of this space. (as well as learning about it in history class) Cool to finally be there.
Entering the Forbidden City
Biking through the Hutongs of central Beijing. Entire families own blocks of these traditional styled homes. Some of them are actually very old, but lots of other subdivisions, like the one pictured, have been built in recent years to emulate the traditional style. They’re really brand new.
Descending the steps from the viewing deck of the Seongsan Ilchulbong. Dissapointed, but still had a good early morning hike.
A lighthouse on the way to Udo Island
Making it to the end of Gimnyeong Maze Park, Jeju
The cave is truly amazing. From UNESCO: “The Geomunoreum lava tube system, which is regarded as the finest such cave system in the world, has an outstanding visual impact even for those experienced with such phenomena. It displays the unique spectacle of multi-coloured carbonate decorations adorning the roofs and floors, and dark-coloured lava walls, partially covered by a mural of carbonate deposits. The fortress-like Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, with its walls rising out of the ocean, is a dramatic landscape feature, and Mount Halla, with its array of textures and colours through the changing seasons, waterfalls, display of multi-shaped rock formations and columnar-jointed cliffs, and the towering summit with its lake-filled crater, further adds to the scenic and aesthetic appeal.”
The top of Mt. Halasan.
Inside the meeting room on the MDL Military Demarcation Line, the border officially separating North Korea from South Korea. In this photo I’m physically within the North Korean border, however the entire space of the room is considered a neutral zone, so I’m not officially in either Korea. Next to me is a north korea border guard. Interestingly, during my return visit to this exact room a few weeks later, coming from the North side, the North Korean guards were dressed completely differently, in more standard military outfits, and were much more relaxed and personable. They only put on this steely dress and demeanor when tours from the south are present. Photos of this exact room while i was on my tour of North Korea are coming soon. I would also sit in the seat pictured here during my subsequent tour from the north.
Hiking up Mt. Halasan, the well-worn trail gives way to slick snow on the higher half of the mountain. Avid Korean hikers are quick to strap on metal mesh grips to their hiking shoes in order to navigate the snowpack.
Of course, Korean BBQ is a must.
Walking around Hongdae, Seoul. There are lots and lots of areas in Seoul filled with shops, restaurants, and nightlife. Hongdae is one of the more youthful ones.
Seoul has magnificent and dramatic architecture. Buildings come in every shape and size, and modern masterpieces are squished right next to ancient heritage sights.
Lights and shopping everywhere. Never a dull moment in Seoul.
Seoul at night, seen from the N Seoul Tower. Seoul is electric, with colorful lights stretching off into the smog.
The statue of King Sejong, sitting outside of the seoul palace.
Yi Sun-sin looks into modern-day Seoul.
Saori and I were introduced by a mutual friend, and met up in Tokyo at the main Tokyo train station. To save on time, and have an awesome ride, we took a Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Nagano – fast and comfortable!
Arrival in Nagano, site of the 1998 Olympic Games. From here, we got another slower train up to Yudanaka, and then walked about 30 minutes to Shibu Onsen.
Starting the hike up the snowy path leading to the Snow Monkey Onsen.
Macaque Snow Monkeys relaxing in the snow.
Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though!
Snow monkeys love hanging out in the warm onsen. Only for monkeys though!
Stamping my 1st onsen.
After snow monkeys, we went back to our homestay and changed into comfy robes and not so comfy wooden flip flops, grabbed our keys, and went out to hit all 9 Shibu Onsen Onsens. The red pouch I’m holding has my onsen cloth, which has the names of all 9 onesns, and is stamped at each one. Saori is holding her key, attached to a piece of wood with a map of town.
Vending machines are everywhere, and this one brews fresh coffee on demand.
What to do after a long day of snow monkeys, onsens, sushi, meat skewers, and beer? Karaoke.
Coins and papers tied to a tree for luck at the Zenkoji Temple, Nagano, Japan
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken
I finished in 4:31. It wasn’t my best marathon time, but it felt great to run, and was fun to see lots of neighborhoods of Tokyo.
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken
Photo courtesy of Photocreate Co.,Ltd at https://tm15eng.allsports.jp/photo/photo_list_tag_search.php?page_id=238626&tag=81479&tag_code=zekken
I joined the Tokyo Gaijins group on my trip to Shiga Kogen. The group is a snow club, which runs amazing trips to the mountains every weekend in the winter. Bus transportation, lodging, meals, and great times are provided on each trip! Since our group was fairly large, we had an entire hotel to ourselves – complete with dining hall, onsen, and our own rental and gear shop. The base of the mountain was right across the street – perfect!
Getting ready to go down the mountain on my rental snowboard. Although the terrain at Shiga Kogen is nowhere near as challenging as in Colorado, the snow is great, and runs are wide open.
Snow Monkey Beer – tasty, especially after a day of snowboarding.
Making friends on the mountain!
One of the steeper sections of the mountain – still nothing compared to Colorado, but a fun time nonetheless – snow conditions were absolutely perfect.
A few of us got together before lunch for some big group runs. Skiing as a group is fun for a run or two, but gets annoying quickly as you spend half your time waiting for everybody.
With the mascot Okamin!
Brad, Talitha, and I flew from Manila to El Nido, Palawan on a charters ATR-72 with ITI Air, booked by El Nido Boutique & Artcaf
Naturally, we had to relax in the pool at the Mahogany Resort, where Brad and Talitha were staying.
After a day of diving, we decided to get some fresh air on the jeepney ride back to town.
Getting ready to dive Barracuda Lake, Philippines.
We had a great dive!
Triking around Coron.
Small fish swim in the shallow tidal pools of the hidden coves in El NIdo.
One of the hidden beaches – this beach is only accessible by swimming through a small underwater tunnel.
Local kids playing on a dry docked boat on the beach.
In Coron, we dove with Neptune Dive Center, which was great. Highly recommended!
Fish at the local market
The cutest little girl ever, riding with her father as he biked us around El Nido.
Ready for a day of sailing!
Sunset in El Nido, with outrigger dive boats anchored in the shallows.
The tides in Palawan Island are dramatic, and the area outside of where we were staying drained completely during low tide.
Brad and Talitha strolling on local beach at sundown. The small waves were perfect for bodysurfing.
Passing through local villages as we discover waterfalls, jungle farmlands, and hidden beaches.
Shenzhen, China – where all of the electronics are made. Or at least it feels like it. For this trip, I was lucky enough to be hosted by an old friend from NYC, and got a view of work life within Shenzhen.
At SEEED Studio, small custom electronicsn are developed, prototyped, and ushered into mass manufacturing. Here are a few recent products made at Seeed.
The prototyping and small-run factory production schedule at Seeed.
A worker monitors a pick-and-place machine at Seeed Studio. This machine automates the production of circuit boards and other electronics.
A worker hand-solders a circuit board for a small run of eletronics.
Dressed in anti-static gowns. Trendy!
Lunch with the gang from Seeed Studio
Outsize of the Huaqiangbei electronics markets, vendors take a break with some snacks.
Each stall represents a different electronic supplier, factory, or component manufacturer. They’re divided up into sections and floors, depending on what they make or sell.
Connectors of every shape and size, sold on-site by the bundle, or shipped anywhere in the world.
Every imaginable style of flashlight – all available in Shenzhen in quantities from 1 to a million.
This is where the cases for your hard drives come from.
LED Lights of any shape and size at Huaqiangbei.
If you’ve ever ordered small electronics from China, this is probably where it ships from.
Checking out the Shenzhen 22 art district.
Checking out the still under construction Pingan Finance Center – when it’s complete, it will be 118 floors and 660m high. When it’s complete, it will be the 4th tallest building in the world.
Going for a drink at the KK100 Building – Currently the tallest building in Shenzhen.
Looking out over Shenzhen, China from the top of the KK100 Building.
After spending a few weeks in Shanghai, I took the overnight train straight to Hong Kong. And I loved it. It was refreshing to be out of China, comforting to be back in a city that felt a lot like NYC, and wonderful to connect with new and old friends. I’m certainly looking forward to returning to Hong Kong as soon as possible. A few photos of my time there.
Learning to play Chinese poker with my friends on the train to Hong Kong. This family was traveling to Hong Kong to buy baby formula.Riding the overnight train from Shanghai into Hong Kong, I made friends with my cabinmates, and ended up hanging out with them quite a bit during the long train ride. Lots of fun!
China is certainly weird. On the outskirts of Shanghai, China they’ve built a number of knockoff towns, copying styles from around the world. I explored a few of them, and was thoroughly weirded out.
Lots of cars are made in China, including Volkswagen and Skoda. Showing up in a suit unannounced, I managed to talk my way into an unscheduled private tour of Volkswagen Shanghai Car Plant #3. Here’s how it all works:
After being the more traditional cities of Beijing and Xi’an for a bit, I was ready to step into the more modern world of Shanghai. In the last few decades, like much of China, Shanghai has been on a building spree, with new buildings popping up everywhere. I took about a week to walk the city, and explore as many interesting places as I could.
Videos:
Arriving in Shanghai, this is the classic shot from the Bund, looking into the main financial district.
As the sun fades on The Bund of Shanghai, orange lights illuminate the classicically styled buildings. It’s a beautiful sight, enjoyed by masses and masses of people strolling up and down the curved walkway. The bund is beautiful now, but given the speed at which things are being knocked down and rebuilt in China, I’d be surprised if the skyscrapers of Pudong didn;t start to creep into the Bund area and the Concession areas in short time. The Chinese seem to be on such a fast and determined building spree that they’re fine with buldozing away beauty, culture, and history in favor of new soulless office buildings and factories. It’s a sad reality of the new China.
In the business center of Pudong, skyscrapers are huge, and being built as fast as possible. Looming in the back of this photo is the Shanghai tower, the tallest building in China and the second tallest in the world.
The Shanghai Tower, world’s second tallest building, rises to the sky.
The three supertall buildings of Shanghai – Clockwise from left: The Jin Mao Tower at 420.5 meters making it the 17th tallest building in the world. The Shanghai Tower at 632 meters making it the 2nd tallest building in the world. The Shanghai World Financial Center at 494.3 meters making it the 7th tallest building in the world, and the highest observation deck of 474 meters.
The view from the worlds highest observation deck – 474 meters in the Shanghai World Financial Center.
Rampant building in Shanghai seen from the worlds highest observation deck – 474 meters in the Shanghai World Financial Center.
Shanghai’s Knockoff Ghost Towns
A number of years ago, Shanghai started a program called “One City Nine Towns”, in which they sought to build nine smaller townes on the outskirts of Shanghai that emulated towns from around the world.
Thames town is a ghost town now – the town was built, and there are a few inhabitants, but it’s largely empty. The main use of Thames Town is as a backdrop for engagement and wedding photos. Everywhere you look, couples are snapping wedding photos.
Thames town is a ghost town now – the town was built, and there are a few inhabitants, but it’s largely empty. The main use of Thames Town is as a backdrop for engagement and wedding photos.
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town.
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town.
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town.
Inside a Chinese copy of a typical British pub.
Couples taking wedding engagement photos are everywhere in Thames Town, a Chinese copy of a traditional British town. How many couples can you count?
Despite the classic looking exteriors, Thames Town is mostly deserted, with the insides of many of the buildings bare concrete.
The british motif extends outward, into huge oversized Chinese apartment buildings.
Selfie Sticks are sold everywhere – there’s no escaping.
Lots and lots of tourist traps in Shanghai.
At the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, a scale model of the entire city. Huge!
My timing in Shanghai was perfect for the Shanghai Auto Show -which was horribly overcrowded. I lasted about an hour, and then had to leave – it was madness pushing through the masses to stand in line to see a random crappy car. And no models!
Masses at the Shanghai Auto Show.
A typical Chinese view – massive scale construction happening everywhere.
I got addicted to this pounded, breaded, fried chicken, simply called “big chicken”.
They sprinkle the chicken with chile and garlic powder. So good.
Anting is a Chinese copy of a typical modern German town. I strolled around there for an afternoon, and was completely weirded out. The town is laid out like a european town, but none of the charm, flare, or people are there – it’s almost completely deserted.
Housing areas are huge, and while there is lots of vegitation, there’s little activity.
A bar in Anting setup with German wares – but no patrons.
Anting, outside of Shanghai
Walking down the street in Shanghai, this is a common scene – building going on everywhere. In order for buildings to be buit faster, they house workers directly on site, to cut out the commute, and maximize working hours.
On Sundays, a portion of the central park in Shanghai becomes matchmaking central. Here, parents post advertisements for their kids, with hopes that another passing parent will see the ad and connect their kids. Personal ads are put on cards which are pasted to umbrellas for higher visibility, and assembled into large boards. The practice is so huge that there are now even brokers who manage listings for lots of people.
Parents trading matchmaking details about their single kids.
A hopeful parent holds up information about his kid, hoping that another parent will have a suitable match.
Personal ads in the Shanghai matchmaking market.
Weddings are a big deal, and it seemed like this ceremony was a huge disco party!
Volkswagen has a major plant on the outskirts of Shanghai. Although I didn’t have an appointment or any contact there, I showed up and managed to talk my way into a private tour of the factory.
My two tourr guides at the Shanghai Volkswagen were super fun!
I had the good fortune of Couchsurfing with Suskita – an awesome person who is kicking ass in Shanghai as she shoots photos, rides bikes, and hosts travelers from all over the world. Suskita is the best!
Suskita’s apartment is in a massive apartment complex.
Pujiang, a Chinese copy of a modern Italian town. Strange for sure.
Shanghai has the world’s fastest Maglev train, which I rode twice, for fun – 501 km/h!
A Baidu street view car! Cool!
On my way from Shanghai to Hong Kong, the Chinese smog is terrible.
After my week in North Korea, I returned to Beijing, China for a day, and then continued on to Xi’an on 2015-04-20. My friend Emily is currently living there, which made for a perfect opportunity to drop by to see a friend, and to check out the Terracotta Warriors. I only spent 3 days there, but in those few days, I saw a bit of the local expat scene, got to know a small bit of town, and saw for myself the legendary Terracotta Army.
I took a train from Beijing to Xi’an, and during the journey, the pollution and smog from Chinese industry was incredible. Visibility barely extended to the buildings next to the train track, and as I stared out the window in disgust, I could see individual clouds of pollution washing over China.
Entering the Terracotta Warriors excavation and exhibition area, I was immediately hit by a barrage of Chinese tourist concessions, vendors, and crowds – which I had come to expect. The tourist concession area was newly built, but most of the vendor stalls were half occupied or empty – another case of grand building without the business, or culture really, to fill it.
Before entering the main excavation, I saw a quick intro film – in the round! Notably, this system still used old 8mm projectors, all setup to run in synchronized loops.
The main hall of Terracotta Warriors. There are actually three excavation sites, but this one was by far the most impressive. The entire site is ringed by a tourist walkway, with lots of photos being taken at all times.
The warriors are in various states of repair, and each face is unique.
Lines and lines of warriors.
Terracotta horses, preserved in the musem.
An incredible amount of the asian tourists there had selfie sticks, which the used continuously, even for non-selfies. It very much looked like they were being led around by their selfie sticks.
The Kehillat Beijing Jewish Community, in the Forbidden City, Beijing, circa 1999.My first stop in China was the capital city, Beijing. Visiting China was a big moment for me – it’s size, population, and ever increasing role in global affairs make it a force to reckon with. I felt like it was essential to give a good chunk of time to develop an understanding at a basic level at least of China. I wanted to understand the people, the politics, the industry, and the culture.
Coming from South Korea, a flight into Beijing was the logical first step. Additionally, this put me in a good position to visit North Korea in the coming weeks. I ended up staying at combination of CS Friends places and hostels, in a number of different neighborhoods.
I split my time in Beijing between training lightly for the upcoming Pyongyang Marathon, shopping and exploring “modern” beijing, and checking off most of the major tourist attractions. I was in Beijing for Passover, and had the good fortune of connecting with the Kehillat Beijing Jewish Community group for two very very awesome Seders, as well as good new friends. Connecting with the Jewish community in Beijing made me feel so much more at home, and inspired that communities like this exist around the world. My people! :)
Got my flight to China.. AND my visa. Based on some recent renewed tourism and cooperation stimulation, Americans can now get 10-year visas for China. I can stay for 60 days at a time. Pretty good.. and it only took me 4 days waiting in Seoul to get it.
Arriving in Beijing was certianly a wakeup. As soon as I stepped out of the terminal, I was hit with dense, choking smog that could be seen from as little as 20 feet away. The air smelled like burning, and I could taste a fine grit. Certainly not great – but this was a 200 AQI day – mid-levels of pollution for Beijing.
During my first week in Beijing I stayed with a friend near Renmin University. On a clear day, the area was relatively clean and nice. Still lots of traffic, and large everything, but livable. My friend lives right across from Renmin University and next to a high end luxury mall. However, her subdivision is comprised mostly of 5-6 story apartment buildings and low single floor shacks strewn about. The area is generally fairly rundown and sort of resembles a shanty-town – but people living there seem happy. Immediately after stepping away from the gate of the housing area, high end restaurants, chain coffee joints, and luxury boutiques spring up. The contrast is striking and immediate.
Biking through the Hutongs of central Beijing. Entire families own blocks of these traditional styled homes. Some of them are actually very old, but lots of other subdivisions, like the one pictured, have been built in recent years to emulate the traditional style. They’re really brand new.
The luxry section of the expat-packed Sanlitun area. This mega mall zone has every kind of shopping convenence, including an Apple store, dark and loud Hollister, and the usual selection of mall stores.
Entering the Beijing Arts District. This wonderful area is packed with progressive galleries, public art installations, cafes, restaurants, street performers, and trendy hipsters everywhere. Strolling around is a pure pleasure, and i made multiple visits. Di and I even found a trendy sushi restaurant to stop by!
In the alleyway where my friend’s apartmen was, there were always these fun kids playing around. Fun making friends! Beijing housing subdivisions, although some more rundown than others, almost always seem like safe, fun, community-oriented places.
More fake electronics, including routers, headphones, radios, and of course, selfie sticks.
Even before the release, knockoff Apple Watches are readily available in Beijing. These cost about USD$60 a piece, and had fully functional OLED displays. THey felt cheesy, but did have a working screen that at least told the time.
Checking out fake watches at the Beijing Silk Market. This market caters mostly to Tourists, and has floors packed with knockoff clothing, jewlery, electronics, and textiles. Most of these watches they have on display are low-mid range fakes, but they’re quick to bring out briefcases of high-end fakes on request.
I love these rickshaw mopeds. They come in lots of varieties, ranging from crappy home-made ones like this, to pre-manufactured slick metal ones that resemble am airstream trailer. A friend of mine and I play an iOS game called “Pako”, and this one looks exactly like the one that can be driven in that game. Cool!
On our bikes cruising along the outer wall of the Forbidden City.
I took a bike tour around Beijing with Bike Beijing. I was joined by a very nice German family, who lived in Beijing. Our tour guide was a local girl who was super nice and enthusiastic about showing us her city. What a great time biking through the large and small streets of Beijing!
Folks playing in the central hutong area of beijing.
Playing cards in a public park.
Entering the Forbidden City
Finally, I made it inside the Forbidden City! I remember watching the film “The Last Emperor” in middle school, and seeing shots of this space. (as well as learning about it in history class) Cool to finally be there.
Orange tiles protecting the roofs of the Forbidden City fro m the afternoon sun.
I was fortunate to join up with the Keiliat Beijing community, and had a great Passover Seder with a group of 150. I love celebrating the holidays with different groups, and it’s a joy to be able to be amongst immediate friends with a similar background. Although I do love traveling and meeting new and different people, sometimes it’s nice to feel like I’m home for a minute.
Exploring the great wall. I hiked for a few hours, up and down and up and down.
A very sweet Italian couple. I took this picture of them, and then caught up to them a few minute later and traded email addresses, and sent it to them. Hope they had a great trip!
Hiking all day up and down. Good thing I havd my Salomon XA-Pro-3D-Ultra2-GTX trailrunning shoes, Darn Tough socks, and Black Diamond Modernist Rock Jeans!
Beautiful flowers bloom at the great wall.
Springtime means lots of beautiful blooming trees.
These meat skewers were really great! I’m still not sure what kind of meat, though..
Israel Outdoors BlogRecently I had the opportunity to staff a cultural tour and adventure trek with Birthright/Taglit tour operator Israel Outdoors (Part of Authentic Israel) – their popular “Israel Quest” itinerary. This was my second time working with Israel Outdoors, and they’ve been consistently great to work with – fantastic trips, fantastic staffers, and fantastic participants! Here’s my first time working with them. I worked as one of two field staff members, and managed day-to-day group logistics and planning as well as conducted daily educational seminars and discussions. Israel Outdoors also covered the trip on their own blog.
The triangular memorial at the Gadot Overlook, Golan Heights, Israel.
Hiking in the beautiful mountains in the Golan Heights, Israel. Despite the hot climate, there were plenty of marshes, springs, and swimming holes.
Cooling off in one of the swimming holes along the Yehudiya Canyon Trail, Golan Heights, Israel. This is one of many beautiful swimming holes in the area, flanked by hexagon-shaped basalt columns.
Cooling off in one of the swimming holes along the Yehudiya Canyon Trail, Golan Heights, Israel. This is one of many beautiful swimming holes in the area, flanked by hexagon-shaped basalt columns.
Light streaming through the stained glass windows inside the Abuhav Synagogue, Tzfat, Israel. Wikipedia: The Abuhav Synagogue is a 15th-century synagogue in Safed, Israel, named after 15th-century Spanish rabbi and kabbalist, Isaac Abuhav. Its design is said to be based upon kabbalistic teachings.
We meet and greet our soldier companions!
Crowds at the Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem
Every hebrew beer imaginable, available at the Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem
A moment of reflection at the Kotel, Old City, Jerusalem.
Construction looms closeby the holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem.
Graves at Mt. Hertzl Cemetery.
Sunrise burns through early morning clouds over the Dead Sea, as seen from Mt. Massada.
Balls of salt wash ashore at the Dead Sea.
Hiking witin half a mile of the Egyptian border in Eilat, Israel. The desert blooms brilliantly after each rare rain.
Dust and sand accompany a soul-cleansing hike through the southern Israeli desert.
Beautiful swimming in the Red Sea.
Desert flowers color the landscape in the Negev Desert.
Waterfalls are a rare treat in the desert canyons of Southern Israel.
Thanks to Ezra Siegel for creating this awesome video of the trip!
Sunday, November 9 – Departure
Depart JFK Int’l Airport at 5:55 PM
Arrive at the airport four hours early
Monday, November 10 – Arrival & The North
Landing at Ben Gurion Airport at 3:00 PM
Meet Israeli Staff
Depart for The North
Program Introductions & Ice Breakers
Overnight: Kibbutz Gonen, Golan Heights / Tel: 972-4-695-5286
Tuesday, November 11 – The North
Gadot Lookout & Memorial
Nahal Zavitan – Canyon Hike in the Golan
Mount Bental – View of the Golan Heights Depart for Netanya
Hamei Tveria – Relax in natural hot springs
Cultural Activity
Overnight: Kibbutz Gonen, Golan Heights / Tel: 972-4-695-5286
Wednesday, November 12 – The North & Tel Aviv
Tzfat – Birthplace of Jewish Mysticism
Depart for Tel Aviv
Group Night Out
Prepare for Mifgash
Overnight: Blue Bay Hotel, Netanya / Tel: 972-9-860-0123
Thursday, November 13 – Tel Aviv & Jerusalem
Welcome & Ice Breakers with Israeli Peers
Rabin Square – Memorial to Yitzhak Rabin
Independence Hall – Declaration of The Modern State of Israel
Shenkin Street
Depart for Jerusalem
Haas Promenade – Panoramic View of Jerusalem
Group Activity
Overnight: Maale Hachamisha Hotel, Jerusalem / Tel: 972-2-533-1331
Friday, November 14 – Jerusalem
Jewish Quarter – Old City Walking Tour
The Kotel – Reflections at the Western Wall
Mahane Yehuda – Colorful Jerusalem Marketplace
Prepare for Shabbat
Start of Shabbat – Candle Lighting Ceremony
Festive Shabbat Dinner
Group Activity
Oneg Shabbat – Celebrating Shabbat
Overnight: Maale Hachamisha Hotel, Jerusalem / Tel: 972-2-533-1331
Saturday, November 15 – Shabbat
Shabbat Programming
Prepare for Yad Vashem
Havdallah Ceremony – Conclusion of Shabbat
Political Seminar with Neil Lazarus– The Situation Today in Israel
Overnight: Maale Hachamisha Hotel, Jerusalem / Tel: 972-2-533-1331
Sunday, November 16 – Jerusalem & The Negev
Yad Vashem – Holocaust Memorial & Museum
Har Herzl –National Memorial
Depart for The Negev
Mifgash Activity with Israeli Peers
Overnight: Inbar Hotel, Arad / Tel: 972-8-997-3303
Monday, November 17 – The Negev & Eilat
Ascend Masada – Via the Roman Ramp
Masada – Ancient Mountaintop Fortress
Descend Masada – Via the Snake Path
Dead Sea – Floating at Ein Bokek Beach
Wrap Up & Depart with Israelis
Depart for Eilat
Group Night Out
Overnight: Astral Coral Hotel, Eilat / Tel: 972-8-638-8888
Tuesday, November 18 – Eilat & The Negev
Mount Tzfahot – Canyon Hike
Snorkeling in the Red Sea
Depart for the Bedouin Tent
Enjoy Traditional Bedouin Dinner and Hospitality
Overnight: Chan Shayarot, Bedouin Tent, Negev Desert / Tel: 972-8-653-5777
Wednesday, November 19 – The Negev & Tel Aviv
Camel trekking – Travel the Negev Desert in Style!
Ein Ovdat – Canyon Hike
Sde Boker – Desert Outpost & Grave of Ben Gurion
Depart for Tel Aviv
Jaffa – Ancient Seaport & Artist Colony
Israel Pathways – Learn More about Opportunities in Israel
Closing Dinner & Wrap-up Session
Depart for Airport
Thursday, November 20 – Departure & Arrival
Depart Ben Gurion Airport at 1:20 AM
Arrive at JFK Int’l Airport at 1:05 PM
Israel Outdoors participant alumn Jeffrey Donenfeld, recently came back from his first time staffing an Israel Outdoors Bike trip. Oh how we love keeping it in the Israel Outdoors family! When he is not staffing trips to Israel, Jeffrey […]
I never expected to travel to Lebanon, but after being dropped off at the Amman Airport by a friend I met at the Bedouin Camp, I decided to buy a same-day ticket from Amman to Beirut, and see what happened.
Overall, I was extremely impressed with Lebanon. The country and people were absolutely wonderful, and despite the reputation with war and conflict in the region, I found it peaceful, comfortable, and beautiful.
Beirut stood out as a hip, cosmopolitan capital with a distinct French colonial vibe, happening nightlife, vibrant arts and entertainment scene, and thriving international culture.
After a brief 10 days of guiding in Israel, I joined up with two new friends to trek from Israel into Jordan.
I felt like traveling to Jordan, as well as other Arab nations, was a very important bit of travel to do after touring Israel. With such a heated political situation between many different groups in the area, everybody has their own opinion on what’s going on, who’s wrong and right, and what should be done. I was eager to experience more of the Arab view of the conflict in Israel, as well as experience the culture and country in general. Luckily for me, two of the participants I had been guiding the previous 10 days on Birthright decided to come along with me for the first few days of my trip.
Starting out, we had a basic plan, but left most of our specific itinerary to chance – we all traveled with a small backpack and minimal gear, making it easy to move around and adjust our itinerary. Also of note, during this trip I was shooting photos with my iPhone 5 and Sony RX100M2
Starting out, Chelsea, Hannah and I met up at the Florentine Backpackers Hostel in Tel Aviv, Israel – a fantastic hostel, with good basic accommodations, a lively and social rooftop, and within easy walking distance to the old town of Jaffa. Of note, Jaffa has some great street art, and a lively bar and shopping district.
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To get to Jordan, we took a Taxi on a Saturday all the way to the Sheik Hussein northern border crossing, which was uneventful and easy to get across.
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Finally, in Jordan!
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After crossing over into Jordan, we hopped another taxi into Amman, with a quick lunch stop. Even stopping at a roadside restaurant, we were immediately impressed with the awesome food in Jordan – definitely a step above the Israeli fare we’d been eating the weeks prior.
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Once in Amman, we found the Farrah Hotel, a basic, but comfortable accommodation, where we had our own 4-bunk room.
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The first two days Chelsea, Hannah and I spent exploring Amman. Sites visited included the Citadel, Roman theater, various shops and tea spots, the mosque, and the world’s largest (freestanding) flagpole. Additionally, we found a bar or two on Rainbow street that served beer – which is quite a rare thing in Jordan. After two days exploring, the three of us felt comfortable walking around, and generally knew our way around the few neighborhoods we explored.
Chelsea checking out some books
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Selling dyed chicks and chickens
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An Egyptian weaver, making a rug while watching camel racing in Abu Dabi on TV
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On our way to the roof for sunset, we saw this guy
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Sunset in Amman
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Black tea with mint, all the time.
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Roman Theater
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World’s Largest Flagpole! (on left)
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Temple of Hercules
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After two days of exploring Amman, and with our new friend Sarah, I rented a car and the four of us took a road trip east on Route 10, into Jordan’s eastern desert. We would have driven all the way to Iraq if we could have, but unfortunately didn’t have the time or security detail. Instead, we did an incredible loop through the desert, stopping at epic desert castles and a tranquil desert oasis.
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This tea was made from sage and other stuff from a nearby tree, and we were told it would cure Hannah’s headache.
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The harsh eastern desert – but we had fun!
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After day three, Hannah and Chelsea traveled back to Israel, and I traveled solo down to explore Petra. Petra was an incredible experience, and the rock formations were truly incredible. In Petra, I stayed a night at the Valentine Hotel, and then moved further south to live with a group of Bedoiun at the Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp.
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Exploring Petra
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Tea break, looking to the south.
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Petra by night was a great experience – a bit crowded, but sneaking away from the crowd and exploring the Siq in the dark was mystifying.
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After a week of exploring Jordan, I got a little antsy to get out of the desert, and hitched a ride with with a guy from the Bedouin camp back up to the Amman airport. Next stop, Beirut, Lebanon.
Over the past two weeks, I had the opportunity to work as a staff guide for Israel Outdoors during the Israel By Bike cultural trek, part of Taglit Birthright Israel. Years ago, I actually participated as a guest in this exact same trip, and it was an exciting honor to now have the opportunity to lead it. Israel Outdoors calls this itinerary “Israel By Bike“, but it’s a lot more than just that. Overall, staffing this trip was an incredible experience. I had two co-leaders, and a group of about 40 participants 18-22 years old. The group was great, and I sincerely enjoyed meeting everybody, and the opportunity to contribute my enthusiasm and views on the region as we traveled through the entire country.
During the trip, I took about 1400 photos, and edited down to a small set. View the full set on Flickr, as well as on my Instagram feed. I shot on my iPhone 5, and Sony RX-100ii cameras, allowing me to both post photos throughout the day, and shoot in raw for later editing. The full set is displayed here, and I’ll also be publishing a series of theme-specific posts in coming weeks.
Meet Israeli guide and group intros at Haas Promanade
Transfer to Jerusalem
Checkin to Hotel Accommodations -Jerusalem Gold Hotel
Day 2
Visit to Davidson Center, Jerusalem
Tour of Old City Jerusalem Jewish Quarter
Visit to Kotel, reflection at Western Wall
Explore Mahane Yehuda market and lunch
Afternoon relaxation on Ben Yehuda Street
Overnight at Jerusalem Gold Hotel
Day 3
Travel North
Scenic stop at Steia Maris Lookout and education about the Bahai Faith and Bahai Gardens
Visit to Arbel and Lunch
Checkin to hotel Savyonei Hagalil
Preparation for Shabbat and festive Shabbat Dinner
Day 4
Shabbat learning opportunities
Hike to lookout point
Havdallah Ceremony and cultural activity
Overnight at Savyonei Hagalil
Day 5
Hike up Mt. Meiron
Cultural tour of Tzfat, including dip in Mikve
Return to Hotel
Day 6
Visit to Banias and lunch
Rafting the Jordan River and relaxing on the water
Camping in desert near Masada
Day 7
Early morning wakeup in desert
Sunrise ascent of Mt. Masada
Breakfast at Masada Visitors Center
Floating in the Dead Sea
Camel Trekking with Bedouin
Sleeping at Negev Bedouin Camp and Campfire
Day 8
Biking at Nahal ZIn
Visit to Sde Boker
Shvil Hasalat
Dinner at Blue Bay Hotel
Day 9
Drive to Tel Aviv
Visit Rabin Square
Visit Independence Hall
Swim at Tel Aviv beach
Wrap up session and departure
A selection of photos taken during the trip – many were posted on Instagram during the trip.
Initial assembly of the group at JFK Airport – this was our initial meetup, and the first time my co-staffer Allie and I made group introductions.
Let’s jet!
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We connected through Zurich, Switzerland
Zurich Airport – great piece of architecture
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Ice Breakers at the Old City, Jerusalem
Tour of the Old City’s Jewish Quarter
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Visit to the Kotel
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More exploring
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The trip’s first bike trip
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Sunrise hiking up Mt. Masda
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Swimming in the Dead Sea
Camel Riding and Desert Living with the Bedouin
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Second Biking Trip
Exploring the Market in Tel Aviv
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Coming up starting on May 19th, 2014 I’ll be guiding a ten day adventure across Israel with Birthright Israel and Israel Outdoors. During the trip, I’ll be working with two other expert staff members – Allison Bell and Asher Drimmer, traveling with a group of 40 guests. Years ago, I actually participated as a guest in this exact same trip, and it’s an exciting honor to now have the opportunity to lead it. Israel Outdoors calls this itinerary “Israel By Bike“, but it’s a lot more than just that. We’ll be biking, hiking, swimming, sightseeing, and relaxing all throughout Israel, experience as much as the country has to offer. In addition to the many activities and locations we’ll be discovering, we’ll also be developing our own personal relationships with both the land and the people of Israel. During our trip, we’ll be joined by a few members of the Israeli Defense Force, to learn firsthand what their lives are like living in Israel and serving in the military – a unique opportunity to make deep connections.
Here’s a quick outline of what we’ll be up to during our ten day itinerary:
Meet and greet at Tel Aviv’s Caesarea – The beachside amphitheater
Traditional vibes while staying at a Kibbutz Guest House in the Galilee
Exploring the mystical city of Tzfat
Biking along the winding banks of the Jordan River
Rafting the upper Jordan River
Ascend the Golan Heights
Hike down the lush Nahal El Al Canyon on the Golan
Winetasting at the Golan Heights Winery
Exploring the Jordan Valley
Tour of the Old City’s legendary Jewish Quarter
Personally experiencing The Western Wall
Shopping at the Mahane Yehuda market
A group night out on Jerusalem’s Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall
Secluded stay at the Dead Sea Hotel
Sunrise ascent to Masada via the Snake Path
Hike to the desert waterfalls at Ein Gedi
Bike along the chalky desert trails of Mount Sodom
Floating time along the beaches of the Dead Sea
Camel trekking and traditional Bedouin hafla dinner feast
Explore Nahalat Binyamin artists market and street festival
Bike the Burma Road trail in the Jerusalem foothills
Crawl through the archeological caves at Hirbet Midras
Walking tour of historic Jaffa on the Mediterranean shores
…. and much much more.
We’ll be able to squeeze all of this into a quick ten day timespan with a bit of crafy planning, a dedicated transportation and security team, and our expert and experienced Israeli liasion. Israel Outdoors has been running this trip for years, and they’re the absolute best in the business – a pleasure to work with them.
Next up in preparing for the trip now that the itierary is set, everybody’s airline tickets have been locked in, and everything is in motion is to pack! Shortly I’ll be posting my quick packing list of what I’m brining with me on the adventure. I’ll be traveling ultralight, and ultraversatile to adapt to the variety of situations we’ll encounter while traveling. Stay tuned!
Interested in your own adventure in Israel and the Middle East?
After a fantastic two weeks hiking around New Zealand, I made the hop over to Australia. Although my time in Australia was limited to really just a transit through Sydney and Brisbane, I still managed to see a bit. Additionally, Australia was a good opportunity to chill sit and relax and get some work done – and combined with crappy weather and a bit of a cold, I certainly did that. Staying in Kings Cross, I spend a bunch of time laptopping, uploading photos and videos from Antarctica, and genrally catching up with friends and family.
Additionally, in Sydney I met up with a friend for a drink or two, and took a great walking tour of the city. And of course, I took the requisite tour of the Opera House.
Here’s a quick shot of more than a Martin Thomas Hill’s “Forgotten Songs” installation.
In January, after traveling through Turkey in December with Kirk Henderson and Stephanie Safdi, I went to spend a few days in Israel. I didn’t shoot much video, but here’s one good one, from the roof of the Austrian Hospice, in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City.