Robin Montufar: 01/01/2011

Last Post.... Reflections on a great adventure

So now I am back in Winnipeg, safe and sound with my friends and family. When I set out on this adventure I had no idea what to expect, all I knew was that I was going to a different part of the world that seemed exotic and mysterious to me. I had a desire of getting to know a culture that is very different to mine and that has sadly been misrepresented in our media.

Throughout the journey I made several new friends, saw wonderful places, heartbreaking things, and reconnected in a small way with my spiritual side. I experienced cultures that I had only read about or that I didn't even know existed. I was saddened to see how chaotic Egypt is and how little they care for the cultural patrimony they have been blessed with. I was not impressed with the way people in Cairo pressure you all the time and try to rip you off. But in a city of 20 million people with few opportunities, I gradually understood the desperation that drives people to do whatever they can to make a living.

I was pleasantly surprised by Jordan and how nice the Bedouin people were. I had the greatest time of my journey with the friends I made and the good times we had. I felt like Indiana Jones exploring incredible sites and climbing steep mountains in this incredible land.

I was deeply moved by the religious fervor I saw in people throughout the holy sites of Jerusalem. I even cried when I walked through the solemn halls of the Holocaust Museum and felt connected to the people who suffered that great injustice in human history. All in all, I had an experience that moved me very deeply and that made me understand why this land has been fought over for thousands of years.

Throughout my entire journey one thing remained constant, the desire of people from all walks of life to share good times with me and to make me feel welcomed in their land. Although my journey only lasted 3 weeks, I know it will remain with me for the rest of my life. So now I bring to an end this incredible adventure, and the only thing left for me to do now....... start planning my next great adventure!

Hasta la proxima!

End of an Adventure

My adventure has ended and I find myself back in my normal world at the Toronto Airport waiting to board a flight back to Winnipeg.

Early this morning I arrived at the Tel Avid airport four hours ahead of my flight as I had been advised that the security procedures at the airport were very strict and time consuming... and understatement for sure. You can't even check in with your airline without having to go through a huge security lineup where you are interviewed and selected for further screening... I, being a single guy in my thirties and traveling alone, was the perfect candidate for further screening. As I waited to have my backpack scanned I was promptly interviewed by an Israeli security agent. Never in my life had I had to explain my family last name and the background it came from. As the agent looked at my passport, flipped through the pages, and read my name, she quickly called a second agent who then proceeded to ask me to pronounce my last name, what it was its ethnic background, and if it I was sure it was Spanish once I informed her it came from Spain. The line of questioning continued before I was selected to go into a second round of questioning and supervision of my backpack after the x-ray scanning. After having had all my stuff taken out of my bag and swabbed some 10 times, I was finally allowed to go check in at the AirCanada Counter.

After checking in, I was taken to a second lineup where I would be scanned and my carry on luggage put through what looked like a supercollider, not an x-ray machine. The only positive I saw of this extra scrutiny on me was that I got to skip the very long lineups where most people were, I had my very special security section.... I felt important :-)

So after what seemed like an eternal 11 hour flight I find myself at Toronto's airport, just waiting to finally get back to Winnipeg late in the night.

My Last Day in Israel

The Walling Wall

Today is my last day in Jerusalem before I fly back to Canada. I've decided to spend it exploring the different quarters of Old Jerusalem. Unfortunately because it is the Sabbath, only Muslim and Christian businesses are open today, but I am sure I'll still find a lot of things to see and do.

Old Jerusalem is an incredible city full of ancient streets, synagogues, churches, and mosques. The narrow cobblestone streets are packed with tourists and merchants selling a variety of religious paraphernalia. As expected, most of the tourists here are pilgrims who have come to visit all the holy sites and to walk the land where Jesus walked. Everywhere I turn I see people praying, singing hymns, or tour guides explaining the religious significance of everything around us.

I decided to buy some souvenirs to take back home, but I am quickly put off by the pressure put on me by every merchant I talk to. The prices they give me are outrageous, such as $75 for a Bible, $50 for a box of Israeli candy, etc., etc. Like everywhere else I have traveled in the Middle East, these merchants seem to think that tourists are gullible and made out of money. When I walked away from the guy selling me the Bible he lowered his price to $30, I still didn't buy it, even if it had dirt from the holy land in a glass container attached to the cover. :-) I even could have bought holy water, olive oil, and holy dirt, all within a convenient 3 flask case... hmmm.. might have come in handy if I crossed paths with Dracula, but I think I can do without that particular souvenir too.

I have to admit that I was hoping for some kind of religious awakening here, or perhaps, to rekindle my faith, but everyplace I saw just seemed like ancient buildings, nothing spiritual about them. However, I was greatly moved by the passionate devotion I saw from all the pilgrims praying in the churches and holy sites such as the stone table where Jesus was laid down to be wrapped before his burial. The devotion with which people cried, knelt, touched the table, and wiped pieces of cloth on it was just overwhelming. The huge line ups to be blessed at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was incredible, seeing that kind of devotion and faith really touched me and got me misty eyed.... I wish I could believe like that on something, anything at all, but that is not the case.

Mount of Olives

I continued my wanderings throughout the old city, exploring the relatively new Jewish Quarter which was nearly destroyed during the 1969 war. I also explored the Armenian and Christian Quarters. My hotel was in the Muslim Quarter, so I was always wondering through amazing bazaars and restaurants near my hotel.

I think I could easily spend a week just in the old city, not to mention the rest of Jerusalem and Israel. I know that I will be returning to Israel in the near future, this land is too wonderful and full of history to be contempt with just one trip to it.

Last day of my trip. Jerusalem in the background

Made it to Israel

Jerusalem as seen from the Mount of Olives

Nick and I left Amman early in the morning by renting a car that drove us to the King Hussein Bridge border crossing with Israel (about an hour drive). The border crossing is time consuming, but not very complicated. You have to go through a lot of security checks on both sides of the border, but the Jordanian side is markedly simpler to navigate.

Once you get to the Israeli side, handlers quickly take your luggage and place it into conveyor belts for security screening, you then proceed through what seems like an endless number of checks and lineups. Israelis are very particular with their screening, they even check ask you what is your background based on your last name.

After a 3 or 4 hour process to get through the border, we finally made it out and promptly took a shared taxi to Jerusalem. Needless to say, the difference from one country to the other was remarkable as it seemed like I was in a western country and no longer in the East.

The Dome of the Rock

Once we got to Jerusalem, Nick and I spent the rest of the day just wondering the streets of the new part of the city. I loved how cosmopolitan and classy the city seems. Full of fancy sidewalk cafes, wonderful stores and restaurants everywhere.

Our second day in Jerusalem we decided to go visit the Holocaust Museum. Nick was taking off for Tel Avid in the afternoon before taking off to Cyprus so we just had enough time to make a visit to the museum.

At the Holocaust Museum

Words can not describe how heart-wrenching the experience is. Every little detail has been taking into account to make the observer come out with a great understanding of the suffering the People of Israel went through. It is hard to hold back the tears as you see personal mementos of people who never made it out alive. Even the architecture of the museum was wonderfully throughout, as the whole exhibit is housed within a tunnel-like building that at the end takes you into the light and an incredible view of Jerusalem and the valleys beyond it... a reminder to people that even after great darkness, there is light and beauty at the end.

Nick caught the bus to Tel Avid soon after we were done at the museum, and once again I was left alone to wonder and explore with just my thoughts for company. I decided to make my way to the Mount of Olives that afternoon and watch the sunset over Jerusalem. The walk was long and hard as I made my way up the mount, but it was more than worth it at the end. I was literally standing where Jesus had walked. I thought that I would have time to myself and my thoughts as I watched the sun set over the beautiful city before me.. but alas, that was not to be. I was soon approached by an American traveler who took an interest in my camera and was soon chewing my ear off about his trips, his interest in photography, religious awakening, etc etc. I watched the sun set behind Jerusalem as the peace and quiet I was looking for eluded me once again. It was interesting chatting with Tim though, he pointed out to me a lot of the points of interest that were on the Mount of Olives and at the walls of Old Jerusalem.

Jewish cemetery at the Mount of Olives

Mount of Olives as seen from the Lions Gate

Looking down from the Mount of Olives

My day In Amman

Today I left for Amman with the intention of taking a taxi from there to the Israeli border and then making it Jerusalem by the late afternoon. I made it as far as Amman (the capital city of Jordan) and decided to just chill and relax here and cross the border tomorrow. My friends Nick and Ernesto were also headed this way, so we all set out together and have been hanging out for one last day before we all go our separate ways tomorrow.

The ride from Wadi Musa to Amman was only a short 3 hour bus ride. The city of Amman is a welcome change from the craziness and sprawl that was Cairo. Even though Amman is a big city, it has a pleasant somewhat peaceful feel to it.

Ernesto, Nick, and I spent most of the afternoon and evening exploring the streets of downtown Amman. It’s a cool city, reminds me a lot of La Paz, Bolivia. Lots of low rise, high density buildings covering the hills around a central valley. Amman has some very cool Roman and Byzantine ruins in its downtown area. We were able to sneak into the ruin complex where we got some great views of the city below us.

I’ve had some great times traveling with Nick and Ernesto, but as our journey continues we must all head out own separate ways. Today Ernesto headed off to the Dead Sea, something I will have to see on a future trip as I intend to spend the rest of my days exploring Jerusalem and its holy sites.

Two Days in petra

I’ve spent the last two days exploring the ancient city of Petra. Getting there is relatively easy once you are in Wadi Musa, the entrance to the site is pretty much within the town, so I could pretty much walk there from the hostel.

The fee into the Park is relatively expensive, I am sure there is a scale for foreigners and for locals. For a two day entry pass I had to pay 50 Jordanian dinars, or about $70 Canadian!!! Yesterday I spent the whole day exploring the main attractions with my Aussie friend Nck. Today I spent the day exploring less popular paths with Nick and Ernesto. Although today was an overcast and very cold day, we still had a great time hiking the endless paths that seem to go on forever and wind up and down the red and pink sandstone cliffs.

The natural beauty of the area is indescribable, add to that the archaeological wonder that is Petra, and you truly have a wonder of the world. It is hard to believe that all of this was carved out of the rock when looking at the intricate detail of the buildings, the columns and beautiful facades. Wind erosion has taken its toll on many of the buildings, and I can only imagine how amazing they might have been at their zenith. I try to imagine this city at its glory, with the streets full of people, water flowing, markets packed with people, the smell of incense in the air, and camel caravans coming and going to the far corners of the know world at the time.

Petra itself is a gigantic complex, you simply need more than a day to see it, two is good, but three days would be even better. Every rock you climb and every path you take surprise you with a view more amazing than the last one. I don’t think I have ever taken so many pictures in one place, my camera must have been smoking at the end of the day, I found an infinite amount of inspirational sights for me to photograph.

In addition to the incredible experience that is Petra, spending the end of the day at the Valentine Inn hostel was a wonderful experience all by itself. I got a chance to meet lots and lots of travelers from all over the world. We all talked about out trips, our plans, and our lives back in the world we were all so desperately trying to get away from. The sense of adventure is alive in the type that stays at this hostel, I wish I didn’t have to leave... but tomorrow I plan to make it to the holiest city on Earth... Jerusalem!

Made to it Jordan

Today I finally decided to leave Egypt and head out to Jordan. As seductive as Dahab was with its laid back atmosphere and deep blue waters, I had other places to explore and new friends to make. I had planed to make it into Jordan via a ferry from Nuweiba and then somehow hopefully make it all the way to Wadi Musa, at the entrance to Petra. little did I know that a great adventure awaited me for this day.

I left Dahab at 10:30 on the bus heading to Nuweiba, only about 85 km away but still a 2 hour bus ride. This was the first time I took a public bus in Egypt, and after this experience I was counting my lucky starts for having forgone the 8 hour bus ride from Cairo to Aqaba and having opted for the flight there instead.

I finally got to Nuweiba at around 1:30. As I was clueless as to where to go to catch the ferry, I asked a Korean guy who was also getting off of the bus... he was as clueless as I was, but we were both heading the same way so we decided to stick together, and this is how I met Kim. After our initial confusion with the chaos around us, we finally managed to head in the right direction for the ticket office to the ferry. At the ticket office we met Ernesto, a Mexican guy who just like us, was also traveling alone. His adventures are taking him to Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and he had just spent the night sleeping at top of Mt. Sinai with the Bedouins living at top of the mountain... it really made me feel like a spoiled child when he entertained us with his tales of hardship and survival along the way. After paying the outrageous price of $80 US for the ferry, we headed to the area where you went through security, customs, and waited for the ferry to arrive in a few hours. As we waited for the ferry in a dirty and dark hall, we got to know each other as we entertained ourselves with our tales of woe and fun.

As we waited for 2 hours, we eventually met Hue Sun, a Korean girl traveling alone and hauling the biggest pink suitcase I had ever seen... it was just too comical and cute. Once we got going and were in our 2 hour journey across the Aqaba gulf, we met Nick, an 18 year old Australian free spirit who was also traveling alone and had just spent 2 months in Ghana, followed by a few weeks in Jerusalem and in the Sinai Peninsula. Nick came to complete or ragtag team of oddballs as we decided to stick together since we were all headed the same way and there was strength in numbers.

We had some great conversations as we got to know each other and planed out next move once we got to Jordan. Once in Aqaba, we all stuck together through customs and inspections... something that took a good 2 to 3 hours because there was nobody working the security scanners for a good hour and a half. We all decided to head to Wadi Musa that same night, even though it was 2 hours away by car and it was already night time. By sticking together we figured that we could get a good deal on a taxi all the way to Wadi Musa (Petra).

The taxi drivers outside the ferry terminal were tough, but us, as a group, had the upper hand since we were the only tourist that had gotten off the boat that night. After a lot of bargaining, refusals to budge, and a lot of huddling in a circle like a football team discussing our next play, we finally managed to get ourselves two taxis to take us all across the desert in the dead of night for just 12 Dinars each (about $16 each for a 150 km ride). The night was cold, the road desolate, the drive was long, but the memories unforgettable as we became the best of friends for that single night.

Once in Wadi Musa, we all headed to the Valentine hostel, a popular stop with backpackers and highly recommended in the Lonely Planet travel guide. The rooms are cheap, the accommodations basic, but the friends are priceless.

I'll be spending three nights here, as we all head out to explore Petra for the next two days and the the desert wonderland of Wadi Rum, immortalized by Lawrence of Arabia in his tales of his epic Arab rebellions against the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century.

The adventure continues!

Visitin Saint Catherine's Monastery and Climbing Mt. Sinai

Looking over the Sinai desert

Today was the day I visited Saint Catherine's Monastery and climbed Mount Sinai.

The monastery is nearly 1500 years old and was built at the foot of Mount Sinai and right at the site where Moses is believed to have seen the burning bush.