A year ago – Eilat, Israel – December 2009

It’s December right now and I’ve been in my hometown Toronto, Canada for just over a month.  I must say that I’ve lucked out and the temperatures haven’t too bad – it’s just started getting cold and the snow has just begun to arrive.

As I sit on the bus coughing with a case of the sniffles I think back to where I was this time last year. Well, definitely not somewhere cold, that’s for sure.

Cruisin on the Red Sea

At the end of November 2009, I arrived in Israel and by the 1st of December, I was already down south staying on Kibbutz Ketura.  This was also the time where I first took a trip even further south – 45 minutes to Eilat.

Eilat, as I’ve mentioned before is on the Red Sea and borders Jordan and Egypt.  Although Eilat is not my favourite place in the glorious country that is Israel, it is definitely a great place to be at this time of year.  Looking out at all the white fluffy stuff surrounding me here in Canada, I think a daydream to warmer temperatures is in order.

Eilat is a hot spot for many.  Tourists love it as it’s on the Red Sea with beautiful water for swimming and I’ve heard some of the  best scuba diving in the world.  It’s also a place for Israeli’s to head to when they want a bit of fun and warm weather. It’s essentially a local resort city.

Eilat, in my opinion has a lot of potential.  For me, someone who enjoys untouched lands, it doesn’t exactly fit the bill due to all the hotels and restaurants that occupy the landscape in front of the beautiful sea.  However, it is an incredible spot with gorgeous scenery and – my favourite – sunsets.

Eilat

There are a number of top notch hotels in Eilat.  A couple friends of mine from the Kibbutz used to go to Eilat on weekends sometimes for a mini-break.  A bit of a dash away from the communal life and to get a bit of pampering.  When I return to Israel in a couple of weeks (I’m so excited by the way), I’m considering the very same thing.

When I came back to Canada and spoke to my dad about Israel and my time down south, he showed me a map of Israel from when he was there in the early 1970s.  It was so interesting to see that Israel was a lot bigger on the map when he was there.

You see, areas to the south of Eilat were recaptured by Israel in the Six-day war in 1967.  This included Sharm el-Sheikh (which is a big attraction for tourists around the world).  This area remained under Israeli control until the Sinai peninsula was restored again to Egypt in 1982 after the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979.

So my dad’s map shows Sharm as apart of Israel – not the Israel that I have gotten to know on all my visits.  It is a reminder of all the changes this amazing country has seen over the years.  Eilat is definitely Israeli and I’m curious to visit Sharm to see if there is Israeli and Egyptian influences there.  Maybe another trip?  Hmmm…you never know…keep watching to find out.

For now, I have my memories and my dreams of planning trips back to this area – hopefully sooner than later.

Bye for now, Travelling Starfish x