The best way to describe Tel Aviv is to imagine a somewhat warmer Vancouver with very few minorities, and where every 18-year-old is presented with an M-16 along with their high school diploma. Fresh IDF recruits patrol the largely secular city, many of whom have successfully integrated their combat fatigues into their own casual [...]
Leaving Tbilisi was easy enough. Arriving in Israel, however, was an altogether different experience. Being the only Westerner on a Tel Aviv boung flight full of Georgians, I figured that I would have a relatively easy time upon arrival. Now, while I certainly expected some degree of interrogation by the Israeli hypersecurity [...]
Following the first solid shuteye I had in days, I greeted Tbilisi with my touque in hand — or rather on my freshly shaved head — and set out to explore the freezing boulevards of Georgia’s capital. While much of the culture is similar to that of it’s caucasian neighbour, Armenia, Tbilisi has very [...]
At least Stalin kept the trains on time…
One hour late. Considering the dilapidated state the Soviet-era train arrived in, one would hardly expect it to arrive at all. I jumped on board, and found myself sitting in a diminutive cabin with three multilingual Georgians. The cabin smelled of the usual [...]
Today, exactly four months since I landed in Yerevan, I will board a rusting Soviet passenger train bound for Tbilisi, Georgia and begin what promises to be a fascinating mid-winter journey. Over the next five weeks I will travel from Georgia to Israel, Palestine and Egypt. While the primary purpose is holiday pleasure [...]