Sunday was the last full day of the tour and optional day-trips were provided. Glen, Dion, both Bens and I chose the northern coastline tour, taking in Caesarea, Haifa and a winery, while Simon and Julian went to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee.
We were all feeling a little worse for wear; Dion the champion of the lot. Getting on a bus was not what any of us really wanted to do but there you have it. We left at 8am, and head to Caesarea first.
Once an ancient Hebrew city built in the time of the Romans, it was the site of many different cultures seeking to control the port and have a foothold in the Holy Land. When we arrived we watched a video presentation about it, which ended, rather strangely, with the story of one of the Rothschilds’ buying the land and building replicas of some of the ruins but also turning it into an industrial complex and housing estate. By the end, we all expected to be offered land-and-home packed.
There are some ruins left, some excavations, too. The theatre is a reconstruction and not as big as the original. There were the hippodrome and the bathhouse and the pools. We wandered underneath the sun, beside the Mediterranean, and had an icypole.
Gardens Galore
Back on the bus, we then journeyed to Haifa, hearing about the Bahai and that if an Israeli Jew converts to Bahaism they lose their citizenship. It’s been quite something on this trip to hear how little separation between Church and State really is. In Haifa we went to the top of the Bahai Gardens, which are stunning, well manicured and look nothing like our garden at home.
We took our photos, and played around with some of the hedges which wobble like jelly – or pannacotta, as Ben called it. Glen took a video of Ben and I doing it which is ridiculously hilarious. Back on the bus, we went to the bottom into the town, had lunch, which took longer than expected, then got back on the bus to go to Amphorae winery.
We had wine tastings with nibbles. Dion and I sat down the end with the Icelandics (actually one Icelandic and two Americans (one from Puerto Rico, the other from Virginia), and had a roaring good time, meanwhile Glen and Ben D were down the end looking a bit worse for wear. We had a tour of the winery and then clambered onto the bus for the hour drive back. I napped on the back seat. I wasn’t sorry about it.
Gay Beach and Farewell Dinner
Because we were all a bit hot, the Bens, Dion and I went down to the gay beach for a swim. It. Was. Packed. There were so many gorgeous men with amazing bodies there that I instantly felt bad about myself. I just can’t understand how that many men have abs and perfect bodies. It’s like people buy them from the shop or something (though in some cases I’m sure they’re chemically enhanced).
Anyway, we had a swim, accompanied with a lot of ogling, then returned to the hotel in time to get ready for the tour group farewell dinner.
The bus took us to an apartment building where a lesbian couple have a rooftop that they hire out to people and cook for them too. It was an interesting setup but a nice location with a lot of traditional and delicious food.
We sat and chat to some of the other guys on the tour, but then people started leaving and a feeling of sadness crept in. Even though it had only been eight days, it was a bit depressing to be saying goodbye to people, most of whom we’ll probably never see again, other than via Facebook.
Also sad was saying goodbye to our friends as we all go our separate ways now. We’ll see Julian and Simon in Toronto in a few weeks, and then Dion and the Bens back in Perth when we’re back in July, so though it’s not like we’ll never see them again, it’s been great to share this experience with them.
As for the tour itself, it’s been much easier going with a gay-owned and themed tour group. There’s no worry about being excluded because of our orientation, and having that shared gay experience means it’s easier to break the ice. It’s also been a great way to see Israel (and Jordan), places we felt less comfortable about visiting under our own steam. Though because of the tour, I definitely feel I could visit Israel (not sure about Jordan yet) on my own, booking our own stuff.
Glen did a great job in finding out about it all and deciding to book it; and it was awesome that five of our friends got to do it with us.
Travels with Dan 
What do you say, eh?