The Off Topic Topic

[Caliga]

That news came out a few days back.

He practices medicine in Hicktown... I mean E-town.

[mongers]

[derspiess]

I like Chinese.

Even when they're taller than you?

Sure.  I almost bought a Yao jersey a few years back-- TRUE STORY.

[Zanza]

I consider to go to Israel in May.    Has anybody here been there? Any tips what to see? I would probably go from the 22nd May to 3rd June or so and then have 2 days in Istanbul on my flight back.

I am currently looking at:
Jerusalem (Old town, Yad Vashem etc.)
Tel Aviv-Jaffa
Haifa and Akko
Dead Sea, Masada

Possibilities:
2 or 3 day trip to Petra in Jordan (probably need a Jordanian visa for a land border though)
Eilat for some snorkeling
Sea of Galilee?
Timna Park?
Nazareth?
Bethlehem/Jericho/Mar Saba Monastery in the Westbank

[Josquius]

Prices are low after today's stabbing?

[alfred russel]

I consider to go to Israel in May.    Has anybody here been there? Any tips what to see? I would probably go from the 22nd May to 3rd June or so and then have 2 days in Istanbul on my flight back.

I am currently looking at:
Jerusalem (Old town, Yad Vashem etc.)
Tel Aviv-Jaffa
Haifa and Akko
Dead Sea, Masada

Possibilities:
2 or 3 day trip to Petra in Jordan (probably need a Jordanian visa for a land border though)
Eilat for some snorkeling
Sea of Galilee?
Timna Park?
Nazareth?
Bethlehem/Jericho/Mar Saba Monastery in the Westbank

I have. I went there for a week, hung out in Jerusalem for a few days, then drove to the north, then went south to the dead sea/masada.

I hate guides, but you may want one in jerusalem because I tried to see stuff just wandering around and had no clue what I was looking at. I got a guide to bethleham--it seems that is the thing to do.

Something to keep in mind - that i wasn't ready for - the country shuts down on Friday afternoon. I was planning to hike on a Friday, and was told I had to be out of the parking lot by like 2 or 3 in the afternoon. So I had nothing to do that afternoon--but saw the jordan river was nearby on my map so I drove over and washed my face in the river. So when I die I have that going for me.

[Zanza]

Did you rent a car? I read that they have very good public transport.

And I read about the shabbat and everything shutting down. I'll probably try to fly out the second Friday (international airport is open) and might try to go to Petra or the Westbank on the first Friday.

[CountDeMoney]

Are you going for work related reasons for a specific...event? One of the guys here is, just curious if that is in your field.  

[Zanza]

Nah, I am a boring office drone working in IT. No business related stuff in Israel.

I would just go there for tourism as the country seems very interesting and the climate seems to be good in the timeslot I have.

[grumbler]

So I had nothing to do that afternoon--but saw the jordan river was nearby on my map so I drove over and washed my face in the river. So when I die I have that going for me.

Is it true that the Jordan River is chilly and wide?

[alfred russel]

Did you rent a car? I read that they have very good public transport.

And I read about the shabbat and everything shutting down. I'll probably try to fly out the second Friday (international airport is open) and might try to go to Petra or the Westbank on the first Friday.

I rented a car. In Jerusalem I took public transport, but that isn't practical if you are outside of cities. You really need to rent a car.

[alfred russel]

Is it true that the Jordan River is chilly and wide?

No, it is not true at all. It is more like a stream from what I saw.

As I mentioned, I didn't really have plans to visit it--I just couldn't do what I planned and saw it on a map. The place I saw it was in Golan. So they have a tourist area to see the river, and you have to pay $20 to get access. When I pulled up, I was like, "fuck that, I'm not paying $20 just to see a river". So I kept going down the road, and found a dirt road going in the right direction a couple miles later, which led to a cowfield and a short walk to the river. In hindsight, it may not have been the best idea to wander around like that since supposedly there are landmines in the area, but there were cows so it was probably okay.

I was really disappointed in the river--but from what I later read it was much more forceful in ancient times--irrigation has reduced the flow quite a bit.

Interestingly--on the drive out of Golan I went over a bridge that noted we were crossing was the jordan river. I stopped the car and walked back to verify--going into Golan--there is no sign marking the river. So tourists going in will cross the river unaware and proceed to the $20 viewing area. Had there been a sign marking the river, I just would have parked on the side of the road and walked down.

[Admiral Yi]

So they tried to Jew you on the Jordan.

[jimmy olsen]

So, the security personal that dragged the guy off the plane were impersonating police

https://youtu.be/pNHh4eE4EQM?t=135

[CountDeMoney]

So, the security personal that dragged the guy off the plane were impersonating police

https://youtu.be/pNHh4eE4EQM?t=135

They were not impersonating police, they're security officers with police powers.