30 San Diego Reader February 9, 2017
Gather No Moss TRAVEL STORIES AND TIPS FROM OUR READERS
Read before you go
SDReader.com/Travel
Valley of the Hajib Dolls... outside a shop in Nazareth Intrepidly visiting
hotspot Israel By Tamar Fleishman
Just as I last left Israel, the bodies of three missing young men had turned up. The week before I was to return, there were two young men murdered in front of Old Jerusalem’s Jaffa Gate. My mom had just canceled a cruise going there. There were two people murdered at a café in Tel Aviv while we were in the city.
There’s no doubt that I was plenty anxious in heading back, this time with my husband for our tenth anniversary. I notified the U.S. embassy of our intended whereabouts because we were going to be driving around by ourselves, heading off the beaten track. We figured we would go while we were still young (enough) to get around nimbly.
On my first visit to Israel, I ate very traditional foods served in traditional ways. This time, I branched out into fusion, chef-driven, innovative cuisine. Israeli restaurants can be vibrant and exciting.
The Intercontinental David Tel Aviv is a large hotel on the Mediterranean, but it has a great layout: no taking tunnels, alternate elevators, stairways to your room. It is a perfect place to start your trip, as it’s got superb amenities and is easy to find. Their suites are quite luxuri- ous, complete with mini fridge, long and deep bathtubs. And for the local touch, Dead Sea bath salts. I had a fantastic view of the sea and a historic mosque’s minaret. We stayed at a whole range of accommodations in Israel, each of which worked out perfectly for differ- ent points in our trip and contract- ing/expanding need for familiarity versus adventure.
Can a boutique hotel be both “secret” and a hip place to be seen? Yes, at Hotel Montefiore in Tel Aviv. It’s location in a chic little neighbor- hood within a bit of a labyrinth of
one-way streets gives the gorgeously restored 1922 building a layer of built-in privacy. The lobby bar is fairly packed at all hours with the city’s Beautiful People. The rooms are like glamorous apartments, with super- high ceilings, built-in bookcases, decks, and Oriental rugs. As far as dining options go, Rothschild Boulevard is Tel Aviv’s happening place. Shulchan has young foodie owners who attract people of all ages to their restaurant that feels like a glass-enclosed, wooded garden with Edison lights. A long bagel was served with a rich, buttery eggplant cream, garnished with big, crunchy gray sea salt. Gorgeous red tuna sashimi was served on taboule salad with radish.
The restaurant at the Montefiore is a chic fusion of French and Vietnamese recipes with an Israeli touch...but it’s definitely not kosher. Bacon-wrapped pork chops are decadent. One of their most haunt- ingly delicious creations is goose liver ravioli with broth: it’s like chicken, but more so.
As we began to get a feel for the lay of the land, we wanted to explore some places off the tourist track. Airbnb had some interesting options. One was in a real settlement over- looking the hills of the Haifa Bay. It was a little cabin with a jacuzzi and citrus trees. We even got to check out a settlement vote over whether the genders should be separate at their synagogue.
The really cool part, though, was a chance to sit with the property own- ers and talk about what day-to-day relations were like between Israelis and Arabs — what that meant on a personal level.
Other Adventures
ROAM-O-RAMA San Diego Outdoors with the Museum Canyoneers
DESCANSO SWEETWATER RIVER LOOP A lasso-shaped hike with options for distance and terrain
Distance from downtown San Diego: 40 miles (Descanso). Allow 45 minutes driving time. Take I-8 east, then exit onto SR-79 north for 2.7 miles before turning left to stay on SR-79 (and off Old Highway 80). Take first left (0.2 mile) onto Viejas Boulevard and drive approximately 1.1 miles before turning right into the Merigan Fire Road parking lot. This is a large parking lot with room for horse trailers and port- a-potties. The trailhead is on the northwest end of the parking lot. Note: A day-use permit is required. Hike Length: Approximately 7.5 miles. Difficulty: Difficult, with elevation gai n/loss of 700 feet.
Sweetwater Trail horse path. Step to one side and no sudden movements while horses and riders pass — comprende? T
he Descanso Sweetwater River Loop is a lasso- shaped hike that follows the Merigan Fire Road
and then turns left onto the Saddleback Trail to start the loop. Make right turns onto the Califor- nia Riding & Hiking Trail (CRHT), South Boundary Fire Road, and the Sweetwater Trail. The loop is completed where the Sweetwater Trail ends at the
intersection of Saddleback Trail and the Merigan Fire Road. Take the Merigan Fire Road southwest, which initially follows the Sweetwater River, to return to the parking lot. The hike starts at the northwest end of the park-
heather2881: Yosemite National Park. Looking at Half Dome.
Win $25 for your travel tips or a Reader T-Shirt or hat for the best travel photo of the week. Go to SDReader
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ing lot. Keep to the left past the houses on the Mer- igan Fire Road on the eastern edge of a sunny moun- tain meadow, making a gradual climb into the oak forest that shows the impact of recent fires on some of the oaks. Along trailside are baccharis bushes and chamise with an abundance of poison oak waiting for the unwary hiker. At about 0.7-mile, continue on the Merigan Fire Road, bypassing Dead Horse Trail on the left. The Sweetwater River Gorge should now be coming into view west of the road. The lighter green vegetation of the riparian habitat is obvious, as alders, willows, cottonwoods, and sycamores grow near the river. There is a continual incline for about 1.9 miles from the parking lot, making this section before starting the loop moderately strenuous. The top of the fire trail opens up into
Find maps for the hikes and more Roam-O-Rama columns online at
SDReader.com/roam continued on page 32
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