Owner books entire business class cabin for scared pooch

by Scott Carmichael on

Buying more than one seat for yourself on your flight is nothing special – some people are even forced to do it. But to book an entire cabin just for yourself and your pooch – that is one I’d never heard of before.

That is exactly how a lady dealt with her scared dog last week.

Apparently her boxer is scared of flying, and fellow passengers freak the little four legged friend out a bit – so his owner purchased all 16 business class seats on her Tel Aviv – Paris flight (and back). At $2000 per round trip, that equals a “mere” $32,000, or about the same as a decent size family car.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not against a little extra love for pets, and I can understand that some people will go to extreme lengths to keep their poodles happy, but to fork over an additional $30,000 just to keep the poor thing from freaking out, is just too much.

Me? I’d be more interested in knowing whether I can get the frequent flier points for all 32 seats.

Leftover notes from an Israeli press trip

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Back in March, I was invited on a press trip to Israel and wrote about the experience in the should-have-been-award-winning series “Heathen in the Holy Land.” But the trip yielded more notes, quotes, and quips than I could ever hope to fit into a series of blog posts. After looking over my notes from the trip, I wanted to share a couple leftover gems with Gadling readers, whom, incidentally, I often refer to as my own “Chosen People.“

  • A quote from one of our new Israeli friends: “There are really no celebrities in Israel since we’re such a small country. Last week I went to the market and saw three contestants on Israel’s Amazing Race.”
  • Our guide Ziv Cohen discussing the 2006 rocket attacks by Hezbollah on the Israeli town of Haifa: “We trust in God that it won’t happen again. And we trust in the Israeli army.“
  • Ziv Cohen explaining the importance of tradition: “Sometimes ‘tradition’ is just a nice way of saying it’s bullshit.”
  • The Mitzpe Hayamim in the Golan Heights region was one of the nicest hotels I’ve stayed at. In an attempt to make my friends at home jealous, I tried to take a photo of myself enjoying a bubble bath. From my notes: “I just learned that it’s impossible for a man to take a picture of himself in a bubble bath without either looking extremely dainty or looking like he’s about to pleasure himself. There is no middle ground.“
  • According to our guide, the town of Caesarea is a “new” place in that it’s only 2,000 years old.
  • From my journal: “Possible title for blog post — ‘Tel Aviv: The City That Never Schleps'”


Museum Junkie: Museum of the Good Samaritan opens in Israel

by Sean McLachlan on

One of the world’s largest mosaic museums recently opened in Israel.

The Museum of the Good Samaritan displays artifacts from the many cultures that lived in the region. The main attractions are the intricate mosaics found in synagogues in the West Bank and Gaza.

The museum is located on the highway between Jerusalem and Jericho near the ancient town of Ma’ale Adumim in the West Bank, believed to be the site of the inn where the parable of the Good Samaritan took place. According to the story, told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37) a man is beaten up by robbers and left for dead on the side of the road. Nobody will help him but a Samaritan, a member of a rival Jewish sect that was persecuted in ancient times. His act of mercy has become synonymous with the kindness of strangers and the ability of goodness to reach across social boundaries.

This being Israel, history is politics, and officials were quick to put a spin on the museum’s opening. In an article in the Jerusalem Post, Knesset Speaker Reuvlen Rivlin said the museum underscores Israel’s historic ties to the West Bank and Gaza and its devotion to keeping a presence in them. The Knesset is the Israeli parliament, and Rivlin is one of the most powerful members of the ruling Likud party, so his words carry significant political weight.

Some of the mosaics come from Samaritan synagogues, offering a rare look at a faith that few people know still exists.

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Sinkhole travel: The Dead Sea isn’t the only place to see where the earth has caved in

by Jamie Rhein on

The story about Eli Raz who fell into a sinkhole at the Dead Sea and wasn’t found for 14 hours–alive, thank goodness, about environmental changes and the traveler’s experience. In the case of Raz, the message is look, but be alert for heaven’s sake when out in the natural world.

The Dead Sea, at the lowest point on earth, has 3,000 sinkholes along the coast and more coming. Raz is on a mission to map out those in existence in an effort to warn others where not to tread. Obviously, 14 hours in a sinkhole had an impact.

Caused by the earth dissolving underground, and the surface eventually collapsing inward, sinkholes are landmarks that attract people for a variety of reasons.

In the United States, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania are the states where sinkholes are most prevalent. There are hiking trails that lead to some of them and others are in cave country. Sinkholes have also created a place to get a bite to eat and watch bats.

Florida has the most sinkholes of any state in the U.S. There are several state parks where they play an important part in the balance of the environment. One such place is Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park in Gainsville, Florida. The sinkhole where waterfalls create an environment of lush vegetation has been a geographical curiousity since the 1800s.

Camdenton, Missouri, Ha Ha Tonka State Park– Has numerous sinkholes, caves, natural bridges and soaring bridges.

Cave City, Kentucky, Onyx Cave and Outlaw Cave–Not far from Mammouth Cave, these two caves are located in a sinkhole plain. I’m sure if you ask the locals where to find sinkholes, they can tell you. According to the descriptions of the area, sinkholes abound.

Morristown, Tennessee, Sink Holes Trail in Panther Creek State Park, Morristown, Tennessee. The trail leads past seven limestone sinkholes.

Rockspring, Texas. Devil’s Sinkhole– The 360-foot deep sinkhole is Texas’s 3rd largest cave and summer home to a slew of bats. At dusk you can watch them come out in droves. Join a tour at the Rockspring Visitor’s Center.

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, 17 miles from Heber, Arizona. Sinkhole Trail-The trail leads to a sinkhole and then down into it where the landscape makes a dramatic change.

In Pennsylvania, where sinkholes create disturbances along roadways and construction sites, Palmyra has the Sinkhole Saloon. In January, a possible sinkhole in Palmyra caused a road closure pending investigation. It looked like the road was falling inward.

Beach party in Central Park!

by Annie Scott on


Tel Aviv (pictured) is bringing a beach party to Central Park in New York City!

Sunday, June 21st (Father’s Day), the Naumburg Bandshell will be converted into one of Israel’s world-famous Mediterranean beaches for an all-day party. It might not look exactly like the above, but we’re hoping it’s gonna be close.

The party, sponsored by the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Centennial Administration, the Foreign and Tourism ministries, and El Al Israel Airways is to celebrate Tel Aviv’s 100th birthday. And how much does it cost to build a beach in Central Park? $200,000. Worth. It.

So, whether you’re looking for a quirky way to surprise your Dad or just in need of some sand between your toes, head to Central Park on Father’s Day and check it out! There will be backgammon and matkot (beach paddle ball), a dance party, and performances by Hatikva 6, Israel’s most famous reggae band, and FLOW, a multilingual Israeli rock ‘n’ roll band. It’s gonna be nuts.

Click here for more info, and we’ll see you in the park — rain or shine!