A Delicious Little Corner

Paul flew out early Sunday morning for a conference in the Hague.  And while I was very jealous that he was off to a week in a beautiful country, I didn't sit around the house.  I went with some friends to the northern most tip of Israel to this delicious little corner.  I don't know exactly what the population of the town is (if it is even big enough to be a town), but they are on to something!  They have two wineries (one of which is my new favorite), a gourmet chocolate factory, and a small little restaurant that is raved about.   Oh...and fresh goat cheese made by the winemakers wife.  What a life!

First five wines we tasted at Pelter.

As we left Tel Aviv in the morning we picked out our wineries.  A well informed group we were.  We had recommendations (and driving directions) from friends, the most popular guide book, and the guide to Israeli wines. We had access to everything you could want to know about the wines....driving directions...well that was another story.  I successfully pointed out a shortcut absent from our directions.  But the second time I knew of an alternate route I kept my mouth shut, thinking the directions were a short-cut.  I should have spoken up.  We up the steepest curvy (poorly banked) roads.  I'd have taken a picture, but the military fence alongside the road said no photography.  Note to self - don't go that way ever again.

I'd been to the first winery before after a camping trip.  They weren't so nice to us, but I chalked that up to us making a reservation from the parking lot (they are big on reservations here) and showing up after a night of camping.  The second trip was as...lacking in hospitality and pleasantry.  A quick tour (the only cool part is their cellar) was followed by tasting 3 red wines.  I don't really care for their wine and two of the four wanted to buy whites.  Boo...

Then we headed up, up and up (to the highest elevation in that region) and as north as possible.  Finally, we came to a dead end:  right through a crossing or left to the winery.  Left Please!

Near the border...

The winery - Pelter Winery - could not have been more enjoyable!  First, the wine was delicious!  And instead of the three skimpy tastings at the previous winery, we tasted like 12 wines!  Second - he had fresh goat cheese laid out (which his wife made...they have 10 goats).  Third, it was so laid back.  He was tasting with us and wasn't tapping his foot waiting for us to finish. Fourth - the winemaker himself was hanging out with us!  Fifth, I don't really remember - but we did ask if there was a bed and breakfast in that town also, or at least a good (safe) camping spot.  It is like 30 minutes above the Sea of Galilee, so I think we'll be heading up there in a few weeks for a culinary camping trip! :)

Bags of Pelter Wine in the trunk on the way home.

Where in the world are...jen and paul vaca? (You're supposed to sing that)

I knew when we signed up for the foreign service that we would be doing a lot of traveling, but I didn’t think we’d be doing this much!  Paul especially!  As of two weeks ago, we are counting down our time in Israel by trips and visits.  When I was little and wanted to know when mass would be over, I’d ask my mom how many more songs they were going to sing.  That was a fun way to count, but this even more fun! 

Two weeks ago we unexpectedly made a trip back to the States for Paul’s grandmother’s funeral (she was 104 years old!).  While it is a sad reason for travel, we are always so happy to be back in the U.S. and especially when we get to spend time with family.  (Funny side story:  as soon as we get out of the airport, I sit on a bench next to a stranger who is also waiting for a ride and he is speaking on the phone….in Hebrew.  He lives just 15 miles from us here.)  The trip was so short, but we so enjoyed every minute (and fought the jetlag for every waking moment) that it felt like much longer.   

On the way home we had a lovely 15 hour layover in Amsterdam!  At least it sounded lovely.  We landed at about 6am and after washing up in the airport bathroom, we headed out into the city…which was still asleep.  Luckily we didn’t see anyone we knew there because I’m sure we were a pair of walking zombies.  Three nights before we were flying to the States (and slept about 5 hours each).  The next two nights we were jetlagged, but managed to sleep for about 7 hours out of pure exhaustion.  The third night we were flying back and the poorly timed dinner and early breakfast made for at most 4 hours of sleep. Listen to me, complaining about an international trip and chance to see Amsterdam!  It was lovely.  We went back to the Van Gough Museum, took a nap in the park, had a delicious traditional meal, and walked a few miles around the city.  This has become normal for us.

Now we’re back in Israel.  But not for long.  Paul is heading out to the Hague this weekend (which is a 20 minute metro ride from Amsterdam).  Two weeks after he returns we’ll be heading to Brazil for Greg and Mafe’s wedding, stopping in London for long layers on each leg of the trip!  (I’ve wanted to go here since I was 10 years old!  Time to brush up on that Portuguese.)  A few weeks after that trip we’ll hopefully start our U.S. tour (California and Connecticut…and maybe Ohio and New York?).  If all goes well the first visitors will arrive the day we get back.  Jill and Mitch have tickets! And then hopefully two or three more visitors…then we’ll be packing up our house and we’re done with Israel. 

We heard a joke a while ago that now seems so true: “You know you’re in the Foreign Service when your favorite coffee shop is in the Amsterdam airport.”  (When I read that now I don’t think it will be funny for you.  But it is for us, because it is so true.  We know the departure times and flight plans by heart, and we either know the layover cities or know someone who knows them well, so we become experts at the 8 hour vacation/tour – Newark, Philly, Amsterdam, London and Frankfurt.  Any one of them could be inserted into that joke.  We even know which terminal the flights go into and out of in Newark.  It is really weird.)