I knew we'd reached the desert when I started seeing all the signs warning drivers to watch out for stray camels!
And before long I did indeed see camels, though they were fenced in on the edges of the shanty Bedouin villages, along with sheep, goats, and donkeys. And once we reached town, a remote hiking center called Mitzpe Ramon, we saw ibex (ibexes?) assessing the prospect of getting or stealing snacks from tourists at the Visitor's Center. (One guy with a minivan quickly closed the doors and back hatch as an ibex moved in for a meal.)
Mitzpe Ramon overlooks the so-called Israeli Grand Canyon, a huge eroded crater that's truly the desert. We have a very nice view of it from our apartment.
The crater is shared by hikers, bikers, rock climbers--and the Israeli military. This end of Israel is a sliver between Egypt and Jordan, the the military presence is everywhere. We drove through the crater, past observation posts, bunkers, firing ranges, etc. And armed soldiers are everywhere.
Security is serious here. You have to pass through a metal detector and have your bags searched to enter the mall.
Kibbutzes are everywhere, too, and the local market has some amazing fruit and vegetables. Bob scored some wonderful fresh dates and figs to serve as snacks.
And, finally, no post would be complete without our latest accomplishment: Bob got his feet in the Gulf of Aqaba in Eilat, a bustling resort town across the water from Jordan. From the beach, we could see the city of Aqaba, where I once looked at Israel from the other side. Who knew that I'd one day be on the other shore!
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