Israel is such a fascinating land. The desert is vast, there is such an ancient feel to it. When we traveled there in the spring, we signed up for an English speaking tour of The Dead Sea and Masada. Our guide was Emmanuel, a gentle blue eyed, white haired man who must have been in his seventies and had given tours for decades. We hiked all around after riding to the top of Masada in an enormous gondola. We looking down from the mesa top to the flats and hills below, seeking out the sites the Romans set up for their campsites from which they would begin their campaigns to drive the Jews from Masada. As we walked around, I noticed that the birds seemed to own this place. There were many Israeli school groups, a number of other tour groups, such as ourselves, and then those birds, sitting on the rock walls as if they were waiting for you to come to them and take their photographs. Naturally, I did just that! They were willing subjects, posing as if they were paid to do so.
As we traveled about from spot to spot on our tour, my thirst increased. I gulped my water and refilled the bottle a couple of times. At one point, several of the other tourists and I noticed that Emmanuel had not broken a sweat nor had he drunk anything. I approached him about this, asking how he managed to get through an hour without any fluids. His reply: "I am a man of the desert". I was amazed by this man and his knowledge of his desert and the Holy Land. What a thrill it was to be there and I would encourage any and all to travel to Israel if you possibly can.
"Winged Residents of Masada, Israel", unframed 5"x7" palette and brush oil painting on canvas, $70 includes s/h in the continental U.S., Paypal, write me at KarlaNolan@gmail.com for more information
As always, thanks for looking!
Greetings from Fort Collins, Colorado!
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