Traveling North (Part 1)

Cows, herbs, vistas on Mt. Gilboa

Heading north on a two-day car trip in mid-April with Pat and Norman, our first stop (not counting a brief 2-shekel pit stop at the public sherutim (facilities) on the promenade in downtown Afula) was Mt. Gilboa. At the restaurant of the local herb farm on the northern slopes overlooking the Jezreel Valley, we enjoyed a noteworthy and leisurely lunch topped off with an array of exquisite desserts— my favorite: scoops of halvah and vanilla ice cream drizzled with tehina and date sauces and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios--leading Pat to conclude that this is truly “the Promised Land.” Waddling back to the car, we continued on the narrow and winding scenic route along the mountainous ridge. The drive reminded me of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It took us past magnificent vistas, pine groves and, at this time of year, wildflower-strewn hillsides among which grazing cows wandered freely. Stopping at a summit point with 360- degree visibility, we enjoyed the view of Beit She’an and Jordan to the east, Mt. Tabor and Nazareth to the north and Jenin, with the ribbon of security wall, to the southwest. On this peak there is a very tall outlook platform accessed by a metal stairway. A sign on the side of the tower forbade climbing to the top, while another at the foot of the stairs--perhaps acknowledging the futility of enforcing the other edict—limited the number of occupants on the platform to eight persons. Since a large religious family had already claimed the birds’ nest view, we climbed only climbed part way up, but that was sufficient to experience the tranquil and vast view.