Middle East

The Israel Ministry of Tourism has released the iSrael iPhone and iPad application, which provides detailed, regularly updated information on tours, accommodations, leisure activities and events in Israel and includes mapped directions to heritage sites, archaeological sites, museums and nature reserves.

To download it in English or Hebrew, type “Israel tourism” in the Apps search bar on an iPhone or iPad or visit http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/israel-tourism/id393773314?mt=8. For info on travel to Israel, visit www.goisrael.com.

by Sandra Scott

by Larry Hughes, Houston, TX

Long cruises have a certain appeal, and Holland America Line offers several. Labeled “grand,” these voyages are in excess of a month in length — some lasting as long as 100 days.

I was in Israel for a conference and had three days afterward (Sept. 11-14, 2009) to revisit Jerusalem. In particular, I wanted to visit the Herodium, a conical hill near Jerusalem where the tomb of King Herod the Great was identified only in 2008, and Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a very interesting relic of Biblical times that wends 500 meters through solid rock, with running water on the floor the entire way. Hezekiah’s Tunnel is near the Area G excavations of the City of David, just outside the Dung Gate.

by Yvonne Horn

My wife, Jeanne, and I took a 10-day tour of Tunisia with TunisUSA (Wayne, PA; 888/474-5502, www.tunisusa.com), Dec. 20-30, 2009. It cost $3,770 each (excluding air).

My wife, Paula, and I stayed at the Mövenpick Resort Cairo - Pyramids (Alexandria Road, Pyramids, P.O. Box 1, Giza, Egypt; phone +202 3377 2555, fax 3377 5006, www.moevenpick-hotels.com) for five days in April ’10 (Aug. ’10, pg. 12).

The week-long independent tour of Jordan that my son, Eirik, and I took, July 1-7, 2010, was very enjoyable due to the kind cooperation of Ali Al-Hasanat, who runs Jordan Beauty Tours (Box 8, Petra 71810, Jordan; phone/fax +962 3 215 4 999, www.jordanbeauty.com).

by Julie Skurdenis (Third of three parts)

by Julie Skurdenis (Second of three parts)