Masada

When you travel a lot as I do, sometimes you can get pretty jaded about what you see, even complacent – things are fun or interesting but not inspiring or overwhelmingly beautiful. Hence, it was especially nice on a recent, albeit brief, trip to Israel to have the amazing experience of seeing Masada, high above the Dead Sea, on a beautiful, clear January day. The travel time from Tel Aviv is about 90 minutes, but the journey is well worth it, even as you descend downwards in altitude and feel the change as you enter into the West Bank. 

Along the way, the settlements, the date trees, and vineyards provide a view that prepares you for the amazing sight of Masada from a distance. Up close, however, it’s even more striking as you consider what it represents for the Jewish people. The story of the choice between freedom and slavery, and the history of the conflicts that have marked this place are powerful.

Not everyone considers Masada to be worth the time it takes – a full day is best, given the travel that is required – but I highly recommend it and would not have missed seeing it for anything.  One of the highlights of my travel life!

New York

I travel a lot to New York for business but very seldom have the opportunity to enjoy the “tourist” things that others do.  Too often, my trips are quick up-in-the-morning and back-in-the-evening to DC – a one-day turnaround.  Occasionally, I stay overnight but not very often.

This year, during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, however, Chris, the kids and I went to New York for a week without work.  It was that rare time of the year when the emails are slow and the office is all but closed.  That gave us the chance to really see New York, and enjoy the places we know we love – The Modern, MOMA, Candle 79, and the Strand – as well as some places that the kids were interested in – Dylan’s Candy Bar, Forbidden Planet, the Lego store, dim sum in Chinatown, and the Whitney (yes, the kids were keen to see the Whitney, especially the Frank Stella exhibit).

Chris is a big foodie, as is one of the boys, so food was a major focus – Junoon is a terrific Indian place that we tried on a previous trip and loved, so we returned for another meal.  Dirty French and Serafina were new to us – and those were hits as well.  Of course, there was the absolute must of dining out in New York – hot dogs on the street – followed by the absolutely must of dining in – Chinese food delivery on New Year’s Eve in the hotel to avoid the craziness of Times Square and also to maximize our viewing in front of the TV for the Cotton Bowl.

A few pictures below – courtesy of Chris – that capture a wonderful week.

- Laura Flippin