Thank You All.

My trip was a wonderful experience and the quest I set out to seek answers for, has been completed beyond my own expectations. I am amazed and very pleased this blog has had over 3000 hits in just over 7 weeks. Your interest has been an inspiration to me to ensure I kept it upto date with information and photos. I still have enquiries to follow up and I will post them when I get the answers. I can not express my gratitude enough to everyone who I met on this trip. I have been humbled by the generosity in both time and recourses from family, friends, acquaintances and people I met for the first time. Thank you everyone for your assistance in helping me research the Izmirian Genealogy and the family’s past movements during my travels from Istanbul Turkey, thru Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. I look forward to returning this generosity to all of you and my home is always open to you all at any time. شكرا لك, Teşekkürler, Shenorhagalem, Thank You

Home

Vahe dropped me off at the Airport in Amman at 9.30am and 33 degrees Celsius and 24 hours later I exit customs in Melbourne, Australia at 6.pm and 15 degrees Celsius, where Lisa is waiting for me with a big smile and a long warm hug. We were both very pleased to see one another which was evident as we held one another all the way to the car, talking and laughing together. It was great to see her and be home after a 7 week absence.

Dead Sea

Vahe, Varant, and I spent my last full day in Jordan down at the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on the earth. Well below sea level and very hot. The water at the Dead Sea is so salty and dense it keeps you afloat. I was told not to let the water get into your eyes as it stings like acid. Upon entering the water your skin tingles. Apparently if you have any cuts it stings. I can imagine it would. The bottom is rocks and mud. This mud is apparently very good for the skin and people were down at the waters edge covered in black mud and standing in the hot sun baking. It is an unusual experience being so buoyant and floating on top of the water as apposed to floating in the water. It was a wonderful experience.

From Jordan

From Jordan

Once out of the water Varant and I gave the waterslides in the resort a go finishing on Kamikaze. Kamikaze is effectively a slide that is straight down and very fast. We spent a couple of hours here before heading back home. It was a relaxing way to finish the trip and my stay here in Jordan

Mail in Amman

It has come to my attention there is no mail delivery to houses in Amman and for that matter the same applies in Lebanon. Everyone has a Post Office Box as there is no deliveries to the houses. Vahe told me the street he lives in has only recently been given a name. If Fedex or DHL were to make a delivery to the home (as they are the only ones to do this), the delivery address would be taken from the last street with a name followed by "First turn right, second street on the left, 5th house on the right.

Road to Amman with Habibi

I had a four hour plus drive back to Amman. I was picked up by my taxi driver who I have been with for the last day or so. As we were travelling back he was not feeling well So I told him to pull over and provided the solution

Wadi Rum Camping in the Desert

After leaving Petra I was driven 200km to Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum is a National Park and again run by the Bedouin. I was camping under a Bedouin tent for the night out in the Desert.

From Jordan

As we approached the area the landscape changed and all these large rocks just came up out of the sand.

From Jordan

Again it was very hot. As the sun went down the temperature did drop but it was not cold. It was very mild. I shared the tent with two American guys who were spending 2 nights here and hiking during the day. I would have loved to stay here another night. It looks fascinating.

From Jordan

From Jordan

After Bedouin dinner of Chicken and rice, I found a moment to look at all the photos I had taken. No power out here so it was a brief look and off to bed early. I needed a rest.

From Jordan

From Jordan

In the morning the sun made the place look different. For me it was breakfast at 7.30am and then taken back to the local village to be picked up by my Taxi driver.

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Petra Jordan

I headed off to a place out in the Jordan desert called Petra. It is a place run by the Bedouins who still live in the region. It is very hot and was about 37degrees Celsius when I was there. There is alot of climbing and was well worth the effort. The place is a real tourist attraction and is well known around the world. Petra has been carved out of the rock face after you go thru some tight canyons.

From Jordan

From Jordan

From Jordan

From Jordan

The Bedouins have little souvenir shops thru out the region. This guy sat on one of the high spots in the valley floor.

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We started to climb off the valley floor to the Monastery at the top of the ridges. It is very hot in this region.

From Jordan

From Jordan

Rollerblading Bedouin style

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I got to the top and saw this huge carved out Monastery. They are people in the bottom right hand corner. This place is huge.

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The long walk back begins with Bedouins offering constantly "Taxi" ride, which is a ride on the Donkey. Many took it as the heat was taking its toll on the Tourists.

From Jordan

From Jordan

Petra was worth the visit and effort.

Caroline's Graduation

Caroline graduated from the Modern American School in Amman. The family arranged an extravagant party for everyone and 60 people were invited to a restaurant on the top floor of a hotel. Many of the family had arrived from Lebanon to join in the festivities. It was red carpet treatment from the moment you arrived. Of course I did not have the clothing appropriate for this event in my backpack. After a new shirt and a suit coat borrowed from Garo I was just passable.

From Jordan

From Jordan

I took the opportunity to have a photo with the lady of the moment.

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The party was fantastic and as an observer the family and friends let their hair down and partied well into the night.

From Jordan

From Jordan

From Jordan

From Jordan

From Jordan

The proud parents were joining in the fun as much as anybody.

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The arrival of the cake for cutting was a fireworks spectacular in itself

From Jordan

From Jordan

Caroline made a wonderful and emotional speech. Most people were covered in champagne after cutting of the cake. The dance floor was cleaned and the partying continued on again. It was a wonderful night that many people will remember for a long time.

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From Jordan

From Jordan

From Jordan

From Jordan

Party in Jordan

Vahe took us out to an Armenian Independence Day function organised by the Homenetmen Club.

From Jordan

From Jordan

From Jordan

There was an Armenian band and the music was loud. Vahe, Haig and myself were deep in the process of demolishing a bottle of whiskey when Vahe leans over an whispers in my ear “You are the person I love the most,” I thought this was a bit strange so I decided to give him a kiss on the cheek. Vahe looks at me very strangely and says “Is this usual in Australia?” I said, “Is it usual in Jordan to tell another man you love him the most?” Vehe said “No I was translating the song for you.” I was heartbroken.

Goose Bumps

Jerusalem is a very large International city. It has hundreds if not thousands of Hotels and many more guest houses. You may recall I met two people as I passed the border into Israel who assisted me in getting accommodation.

From Israel

Richard was a teacher here in Israel for many years and he took me to a guest house at the school where he taught. I stayed at this guest house for 1 night. It is not in the old city and I would never have stayed there or given it a second thought if not for Richard and Rhonde. Whilst Ophilia was telling me her Fathers story, she told me Anania was taken from Egypt to Jerusalem and brought up in the St.George Cathedral Orphanage. Exactly the same building I stayed in. I stayed in the building that Anania lived in for many years. I still can not believe it. From all the accommodation possibilities there is, I stayed in Ananias home.

Ophilia

I arrived in Nazareth and could not see Ophilia for a couple of hours as she was working. I took a tour of the city and the Surrounding area with an Israelii who spent 15 years in Canada. We went to most of the significant sites here in Nazareth. Church of the Annunciation, Sermon on the Mount, Sea of Galilee, Mary’s Well, Sites of Water into Wine, and the Bread and Fish.

From Israel

From Israel

From Israel

Once this was finished it was time to meet Ophilia and Habib. Habib picked me up and I was taken back to their apartment. It is in a very nice part of the city and has a very big balcony with great views of the surrounding area.

From Israel

Ophilia and Habib were wonderful hosts and told me many times my stay was too short. I agree. Ophelia’s daughter Areej her husband Ihab and their two children Emir and Aline came over for dinner. I had a great discussion with Ihab who is thinking of leaving Israel and finding somewhere else to live. They MAY come to Australia for a visit to see if it will suit them, otherwise it could be the USA or Canada.

From Israel

After dinner the kids needed to go home to sleep and I sat down with Ophilia and heard her story. She thinks I am too much like a detective. We pulled apart the years from her father’s birth to him leaving for the USA. Ophilia told me, Anania told her, ‘Hapet was teaching Anania how to use a gun on the mountain.’ I asked her many times this question and she was very firm Anania told her this. William had told me this earlier but there was some doubt as Anania also said he was shot twice on the Mountain. Ophilia told me Anania was shot once in the leg whilst on the mountain.

From Israel

I stayed the night a Ophilias and had breakfast on the large balcony before they drove me to the Border.

Washing

The lady who did my washing was not home when I was leaving. So I needed to get my washing in from the line. The line is outside the window 4 storeys up. So I am leaning out the window collecting my washing when I accidentally dropped a peg. It fell into the rear court yard of someone else’s house below. I was now under pressure and my concentration level increased dramatically as I had this vision of me knocking on her door trying to explain that I needed to go into her courtyard to get my jocks back.

Dinner in Haifa

I caught up with Areen and her two girls Mira and Leen. Areen is an Interior Designer and works close to Tel Aviv. Areen is Daugher of Ophillia who inturn is Daughter of Anania. For her next overseas trip she is contemplating China. I tried to convince her to come to Australia and sweetened the deal with some free Accommodation at our house, plus I hear her Uncle William may be in Australia also. We will have to wait and see.

From Israel

The Temple looked spectacular at night all lit up. The main street of Haifa runs up to the beginning of the temple so it looks like it is Kilometres long.

From Israel

Haifa

I have arrived in Haifa today to catch up with Areen and her two girls. I have arranged my accommodation at a private home. These people are new at letting visitors stay with them. It is like staying at your mums. The lady has got all my washing and always wants to know if I want something. I have to eat. She makes food for the local restaurants in her kitchen and delivers it to them. She is proud of her cooking and has her friend Janet comes over to help. I am the official sampler even if I don’t want to be. Fig and Dates in pastry. Jam filled biscuits, and other sweets.

From Israel

From Israel

From Israel

Haifa has the main temple for the Bahia religion. It is an Iranian Christian religion. The main temple is here in Haifa because their founder died here. It causes the faithful all sorts of trouble. Iranians coming to Israel. This week is the main celebration of their religion and all the accommodation is taken. The temple is very spectacular and visible from all angles around the city.

From Israel

From Israel