More Steve Crout photos

[stevecrout]

If anyone is interested in seeing a bit more of Palestine, Israel and Jordan here's some links to my Gmail albums. 

If you open the Word document then pick the one you want to view (the name is embedded in the link) use Control/right click it should bring you to the albums. 

Always happy to answer any questions about the photos or the country.

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[Dennis]

Geez ... this is part of your job?

Lauri and I had a trip planned to Egypt and Isreal all booked up in the fall before the Arab Spring.  It was going to be a two week trip in the spring.  The Arab Spring broke out in Egypt about a month before our trip so we thought it wise to take a rain cheque.  From your photos, it looks like Bible Land is alive and well for tourist.

Latest news on Isreal is not so comforting.  Some commentators are predicting another bloody conflict between the Israelies and the Palastinians.  So much discord over land they both love and worship.  You'd think that was common ground enough to try some alternatives to the current state of affairs (note to moderator: I'm being neutral here I hope).

I'd still like some photos of what the locals ride.  Even better is when you find a bike that is influenced by the biker culture in some far off place.  I saw Arlen Ness and Swedish styled choppers in Iceland, and the coolest rat bike bobbed step-through Honda clones in Greece.  In Mexico I've seen the local chopper boys cutting up every Jap bike made in the last two decades.  "Chop What Ya Got" is worldwide.

Peace & Grease in the Holy Land, Dennis

[fj1200]

Interesting photos, but not a place I would like to go. I really don't care for hot and beige/brown. On the other hand I'm not all that fond of snow either. But at least there are lots of trees around.  I think there is a reason they call it Beautiful B.C.

[stevecrout]

I accepted this posting because it was geographically in the middle of things, sort of like what Prince George is to the rest of BC. We can drive 40 min to the Tel Aviv airport and be in Athens in 70 minutes or Cyprus in 30. The drive from Ramallah to Amman, Jordan is only 60 kms and the drive to the south of Jordan and Aqaba is only 270 kms. From Ramallah to Nazareth is about 50 kms and Tel Aviv is about 60  kms.  I have a car so we can do some serious sightseeing almost every weekend.

Anyone interested in coming this way is welcome to contact me for up to date information and possible trip planning.

Almost all the scooters (the only bikes you'll see here ) are in Israeli cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. I'll snag some photos and send them along. Life expectancy of these drivers is short.







 

[MaximX]

The middle east is heating up as can happen, it is a place I'd like to visit.  Israel has been around as long as any other nation I know of today and it will be the center of events at the end of time (Rev. 19 & 20).  How is the recent activity affecting you?  Do you still travel freely?  Pictures of military would be interesting, forget the bikes, haha.

[fast1]

  Looks a lot warmer than Whitehorse. -20 here without the wind chill. Can't wait to get home. Did  you know the windsock at the airport here is a DC 3  balanced on a pole with bearings so it turns with the slightest wind? Pretty cool. Health and hapiness.

[stevecrout]

Everywhere is a lot warmer than Whitehorse most days but I can remember one January afternoon when there was no snow on the roads and a fellow came palunking down Main Street on his Harley. it was chilly but a determined type and carried on down to Moose and had lunch I guess.

As for heating up here - nope, we're away from it all in sunny Ramallah.  Seems like we're going to have some high flying company tonight though.

No military equipment in Ramallah or WestBank for that matter. Not allowed under Paris Protocols.

Stick around for November 29th when Palestine requests member status at the UN. Then we'll see who our friends are.