Coffee Anan

The Golan Heights was actually part of Syria until the 1973 war and boundary is still in dispute with no officially recognized border by either side. The area to the south of Tel Aviv is complete desert. And it is rocky hills and desert from the sea to the Jordan Valley. But the north is very green right now and there are olive and almond tree farms along with date palms and fields of wheat and vineyards. So it makes sense that Israel wanted to keep some fertile ground. 

So the inn is a bit of a home stay with the two apartments separated by a wall and a gate from the owners space - two kids and a cat included. Breakfast is served on the patio across from the other guests. An omelette and toast and the Israel staple salad - tomato and cucumber. It's nice and I have a nice chat with the two American guys next door - mostly about Nantucket. 

So it is Friday morning and Shabbat begins at sundown. The Strauss family and all of Tzfat are observant so there will be no dinner options in town and they will stock breakaway in out fridges. And since Shabbat doesn't end until dusk Saturday. We can actually stay all day as they do not do check ins until after sunset. 

Before I head out for the day I must ask my innkeeper about the couple that I bet in Fes. I gave them my info but they never contacted me. She was Jeanne and he was Roger and they were into Kabbalah so this gas to be the place but I couldn't find there place. So of course there all next door. She is away in Moscow for the weekend and he - Ronnie is running the inn but. With the sabbath I am not sure if I should stop by or not. (I get the distinct impression there is not a lot of love between the neighbors)

So the gps works quite well so I gave laid out a plan for the day. 

The Church of the Multiplication. Or the Bread and Fish Church, where Jesus took two fish and a loaf of bread and fed the masses. The church is not much but the original mosaics are cool and it is right on the Sea of Galilee. 

I have to say that the vast majority of tourists I have encountered are some sort of church group or pilgrims. The only possible exception were the few tourists I saw in Tel Aviv and the residents at the Jerusalem hostel. There was an entire second group that mirrored us to Petra that were an a assembly of something from Montana. And so the beat goes on on the Jesus trail from Bethlehem to Nazareth and now to Galilee. 

So I blame the good Rev Wyant for skipping this part of Sunday school - Capharnaum. Apparently where Jesus lived and taught. Just a bit further along the shores of the Galilee. There are some Roman ruins and the first I've ever seen of a an ancient synagogue. (Although I don't visit just up the hill is Mt. Beatitudes    where the sermon on the mount was delivered)

Ok, I must admit my theology is waning so you know what is next right? Wine! Golan winery. Nicer folks but nothing special. Unfortunately I missed there was no tour in English. 

Next stop, Mt Bental. So if you know me at all, I'm doing the photo op but not putting myself in danger. This is the remnant of an extinct volcano and it makes a great vantage point to view over into Syria. There are old bunkers from the 1973 war - when the farmer plowed behind tanks - that are currently occupied by two bored UN soldiers. And there is a restaurant. 

On clear say you can see the suburbs of Damascus but mostly you see the DMZ the two disputed borders. According to the UN guys - one Canadien and a Slovenian - everyone can go about there business in peace so long as they don't observe military activity. 

The coffee shop is called - in English Coffee Anan - which come from Coffee and the Hebrew word for "cloud" which roughly translates to Anan. So Coffee Anan or Kofi Annan (former UN Secretary General) - get it?

I actually have a small pizza and a beer (carlsberg and turborg are big here - must find out why) I save some pizza for dinner. 

The next scheduled stop is a nature reserve but it seems deserted and it is after 4 so I decide just to head to this famous trout farm for a bite to eat. 

It doesn't really live up to the hype but the farm is interesting - trout and these giant creatures that turn out to be sturgeon! They are in roundish pools with these paddle machines that aerate as well provide a current. 

 

I was excited to eat here but it turned out to only be 430. But the view of the steam was nicer during the day so I decided to eat (Tzfat would be closed by the time o got home too) I just ordered the smoked trout and it came with rice and salad. So if course it was the mezzah salad course of like 10 dishes with some beautiful bread. Main came quickly and it was two small trout. Apparently they didn't have a nice sized so they gave me two. Don't get me wrong - delicious and moist - but perhaps as a party of 4! So I powered through and made up a little sandwich for later. Rich food and I really crave a sweet finish so a chocolate cheese cake cookie and a coffee and I an good to head back - at 630! I am back by 730 and even the roads are empty. 

I have some pizza, a smoked trout sandwich, a 375 of cab sav, some cashews and whatever I choose to scavenge from breakfast. I open the wine and pour out some cashews but with no tv and my iPod already played out all day, it doesn't take long for sleep to take hold.  (Ps: it is really strange but even with Netflix and DirecTV online it is really difficult to even stream content out if the USA due to copywrite laws. 

I wake thinking it is about 1030 only to find it 130. So the contact comes out and the light go out and I am officially Shabbat observant. Oy!