«leftbraned

(full trip photos here)

Just returned from Israel and Ä°stanbul, and things are finally getting back to “normal.”

This was our best trip ever, and I hope to have time to write up some of our stories. For now, here’s a quick A-to-Z to commemorate some of the things we saw and did.

Israel: A to Z

1. Amos’ GPS
2. Bogus parking ticket at the Zion Gate
3. Cellphones everywhere (and what the hell is a Pelephone???)
4. Dodi’s cookies
5. Elana’s birthday present
6. Farochi hospitality
7. Golan Heights bunkers
8. Holy Sepulchre
9. Immigration/Passport Control trouble
10. Jesus Was Here
11. Katan Ve’Kalah
12. Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian borders
13. Moti Giladi was at Noah & Yishai’s wedding!
14. Neon green mosque lighting
15. OUCH! Sabra thorns!
16. Penthouse on the Mediterranean
17. Qute soldiers
18. Rimonim
19. Super hummus in Jerusalem (Old City–Mulsim Quarter)
20. Terrible Israeli drivers
21. Ugly rock rabbits
22. Via Dolorosa
23. Western Wall tunnels
24. Xtra-rich Dead Sea mud
25. Yakov’s cherry liquer
26. Zafed (or is it Sefad? or Tzfat??) and Acco

Ä°stanbul: A to Z

1. Ani Be’Shock
2. Blue Mosque‘s call to prayer
3. Cat pee on backpack
4. Digital photography by Dennis
5. Extortion by musicians at touristy Gözleme restaurant (Cennet)
6. Farsi works in lieu of Turkish
7. Gals bellydancing at Henna party
8. Haggling at the Grand Bazaar
9. Iznik tiles
10. Juiced pomegranates
11. Kitty city
12. Lokhum from Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir
13. Michael Jordan waiting tables in Havuzulu
14. Nicole Weds Kartal
15. Ottomans, Ottomans everywhere!
16. Pudding store was closed :(
17. Q‘oran
18. Rakı
19. Suzani hunt
20. Tree of Life
21. Ãœsküdar “tour”
22. Very close shave
23. What is sahlep???
24. Xfoliating at the hamam
25. Yummy simis
26. Zee best table: Dennis, Ronni, Andrew, Mariela, Zara, Elana, Sara and Ron