We've been home for a few days now, which means that it's about time to update the blog with some of our Eilat activities. It was nearly impossible to write at the hotel; the few computers there were staked out by children early in the morning, and even when I did get the chance to use one, it was impossible to concentrate. Thus my use was mainly confined to seeing what would be broadcast on tv - including the 1956 version of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers".
On Sunday, we went to the "Kings' City", an activities centre which apparently cost $70 million. The entrance fee went a long way to recovering this investment. The advance publicity had us understanding that caves had been dug deep under Eilat, and that in these caves the story of the bible was told. Well, as Robert Heinlein once wrote, the best way to lie is to tell the truth ... just not all of the truth. Yes, the exhibit did take place in caves dug under the city, but the story was told in several friezes, which ended abruptly with the building of the pyramids (in other words, not much of the bible).
Other than that, there was a "hall of mirrors" exhibit which was very entertaining (albeit crowded) and one about optical illusions (ditto) - although I may have confused them slightly. The trip normally ends with a boat ride apparently around more biblical exhibits followed by a fifty (sixty? forty?) foot drop; as I have problems with my inner ear and balance, I never go on such circus rides, so I can't say anything about it.
Interesting? Yes. Worth the money? Definitely not.
The next day my son and I went sea diving, not with a snorkel but real diving with air tanks strapped on our backs. The diving centre was about 200 metres from the hotel which of course made access easy. The famous coral reef of Eilat lies just across the road from the hotel and the diving centre, so after receiving instruction and crossing the road, we saw coral and multicolour fish immediately upon entering the water.
This is really two experiences at once: diving and observing the fish. The latter experience was spectacular, although we had seen a 3D film of coral reefs and fish the previous day at the Eilat IMax cinema so it wasn't unexpected. But really being there, watching the fish swim around one's head whilst kneeling on the sea floor is definitely something else. The diving, on the other hand, was definitely unusual and unexpected. I don't know how far down we went - the instructor said that we might go down to 6 metres below sea level - but my ears definitely popped on the way down. There wasn't an airtight seal on my mask because of my moustache, so water frequently trickled in. After maybe 20 minutes I was quite tired of the experience, and my mouth was exceedingly dry, so I was quite pleased when the instructor signalled that it was time to rise to the surface and be unflippered. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of us dressed for the sea.
On Tuesday afternoon we went on a trip to the Eilat hills, driven by a very competent guide in an open jeep. On the way we saw a certain amount of desert fauna and flora, each adapting to the very special conditions that exist (like rainfall once every six years, in which 700 mm rain could fall in two hours - that's about our average annual rainfall). The guide showed us a shrub which basically hibernates all the time until it senses that there is water, whereupon pods open and expose seeds. The guide put one seed on my son's finger and poured a few drops onto the seed. Within seconds, the seed sprouted and began to germinate! This has to be seen to be believed. Talk about making hay while the sun shines - this is one of the most extreme cases of adaptation that I have ever seen.
We ascended a hill which is 750 metres above sea level; from this spot one can see four different countries (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel - der). The guide might have said that this is the only place in the world from which four countries can be seen - anyone care to contradict him?
The trip ended by the guide taking wood from the jeep and making two fires; on one he boiled tea in a kettle, and on the other he baked pita bread which was then consumed with olive oil, zatar and cream cheese. This also has to be experienced to be believed!
This was definitely worth the money!
No comments:
Post a Comment