Kitties in Israel

OK, I have to do this! I do love dogs, but we have had a few cats in our lives that have also made me a cat person. (If you're a cat hater, just try and do your best to survive this post, and while you're at it be sure and pet the cat that has found its way into your lap, just as cats do to all those who say they hate cats!) :-)


I lead this post with one of those amazingly cool signs that I have found all over the world. I have NO idea what the Hebrew says, but when you look at the graphic, who needs a translation?! I'm sure this will make all the kitties happy, as who in the world has to have a sign saying to clean up after your cat?

This next kitty was following me around Vered Hagalil, greeting us as we came to Israel!

This kitty looks like it took a wrong turn in Egypt, and that it is right out of Pharoah's palace!
This kitty was passed out in the shade of the stones of ancient Israel... wish I could have joined him at the time! This little guy looks kind of scary, but I had to share the picture because he reminds me of my little rescued ragamuffin of a cat that my daughter brought home many years ago. ...rotten cat...And here are a few more miscellaneous kitties that found us during our travels. Did you know that Israeli cats like french fries?!?

OK, now last, but not least, Cindy found this "Israeli Fire Cat" at Yad Vashem. Not to be outdone by Dalmatians, even 101 of them, here is an official "Fire Cat"!

Our group and Cindy on the Mt. of Olives

Naomi Street

One of the fun things we've done over the years is collect names of streets, lakes, etc. with the names of our kids on them! A few days ago we found Naomi Street in Jerusalem!

Floating In Clouds Of Gold

How do I describe the water here and the life underneath it? Perhaps if you're used to the tropics and the Caribbean this would be "old hat", but some how I don't think so. I find myself relaxing deeply on each dive, and even on a relatively small aluminum 80 I'm getting 50 minute dives, ended by the instructor's insistent call that it is time to go up. The life is amazing, and I keep wishing that I had a more powerful strobe to capture images in better color.

Then, finally, I stop thinking technicalities, air consumption, and even picture taking. My breathing slows and I just float. I slowly come up to coral mounds in the middle of sand flats... essentially islands of life in the sand. Most of them are surrounded by fish, some of them in the hundreds. Small glass fish school in shimmering curtains. Different types of anthias school in clouds of gold and crimson, and as I control my breathing I drift into the middle of them, floating in clouds of gold.

Petra, Jordan - July 14

The people of Jordan are very kind. The border crossing was good. They asked us to come back.

Do you see an elephant's head?

Petra City - July 14

It would take days to see this city. It is beyond anything that I imagined. I can't even begin to think how awesome heaven will be - when man can create something so grand. There is so much more than you can show in pictures or words.

This man said Tom could take his picture.

This is looking down at the porch of the treasury. See how far down it is still going?

There is still a lot of the city buried.