Sorry the last to posts are back to back...The last few days in Israel were pretty hectic.
I finally made it home! It was a rough flight back. It's kind of like when you have to pee really bad and the closer you get to the bathroom...the worse it gets! The first flight was about 14hrs...I slept for a while so it wasn't too bad. When I woke up, I watched a couple of movies and we were in Atlanta. The flight from Atlanta to Phoenix was agonizing! Those 4 hrs were terrible! I couldn't wait to get off of that plane! When I hear someone say they love to travel...sheesh!
Paige and Payton picked me up at the airport which was very sweet. They came in and were waiting for me. I think Payton was pretty excited to see me come home...he was pulling one of my suitcases and headed for the door!
I had to cut my hair and take a shower as soon as I got home. I had been going for about 40 hours and I couldn't wait for a shower. We got settled in and went to the park for a bit. Payton was showing off his throwing and batting skills.
It's definitely nice to be home!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The home stretch!
This past weekend should be our last in Israel. We are scheduled to head home in a couple of days and are anxious to get back home. Things have kind of wound down now. We haven't been doing all the running around we were doing before. This weekend was mellow. I went up to Haifa by myself to check it out.
Haifa is a working city. It looks like the main port for things in and out of Israel. The majority of the city is up on a large hill. It's pretty much the same as Tel Aviv except up on a hill. I didn't take a lot of pictures because it seemed all the same to me. The weather was hazy and it looked like it was going to rain any minute...Neither make for nice pictures. Check them out here.
This has been a trip of a lifetime and I thank everyone that I have met here, for the positive experience. I really didn't know what I was getting into when I found out that I was heading this way...I was happy to find out the worrying was all for nothing.
I definitely recommend, if anyone has a chance or is interested in going...Don't hesitate!
I definitely recommend, if anyone has a chance or is interested in going...Don't hesitate!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Another road trip....
Well, I'm still here! I was supposed to fly home on the 29th, but due to customer delays in the US, I will need to stay a little longer and complete a little more training here.
So this weekend was a little off the hip. We had some of our counter parts leave this weekend. We were talking about the possibility of going down to Elat and heading over to Petra this weekend. With all the last minute changes and the up in the air schedule...We had to wing it.
Yesterday we headed up to the sea of Galilee to see the boat of Galilee and Tiberias. We also made a stop at Capharnaum and The Church of the Beatitudes. All stops were pretty cool. I wish we had a little more time at each.
Today was pretty mellow. I am pretty sure that we are all getting worn out and want to go home. I did go out and walk around for a few hours today. Not much is going on due to Shabbat. The weather has been really windy which makes it very nice for the Kitesurfers. That looks like a lot of fun but I think it needs a motor!
One of the many things that I have realized on this trip...I am so glad I can read! Trying to buy things in the store when you have no idea of what is in the box, bottle, or can is a bitch! There have been many things that I have picked up that looked really good and not being able to read the label, to know what it is, can be a real bummer. As we drove around yesterday the English started to disappear the further we moved out of Tel Aviv. There were multiple times where we wish that we were able to read the signs. The same goes for menus at a restaurant. You will start feeling pretty silly after ordering a few meals by pointing to the picture. We have been making it though!
By the way...It's been 5 weeks and I haven't seen a single set of wheels bigger than 18"! No perfectly clean lifted trucks...No 3ct faux diamond earrings...No significant sources of bling! Its quite nice!
Things here are a lot more simple than back home. It is quite refreshing. It makes you think about things and where we are heading.
Till next time!
So this weekend was a little off the hip. We had some of our counter parts leave this weekend. We were talking about the possibility of going down to Elat and heading over to Petra this weekend. With all the last minute changes and the up in the air schedule...We had to wing it.
Yesterday we headed up to the sea of Galilee to see the boat of Galilee and Tiberias. We also made a stop at Capharnaum and The Church of the Beatitudes. All stops were pretty cool. I wish we had a little more time at each.
Today was pretty mellow. I am pretty sure that we are all getting worn out and want to go home. I did go out and walk around for a few hours today. Not much is going on due to Shabbat. The weather has been really windy which makes it very nice for the Kitesurfers. That looks like a lot of fun but I think it needs a motor!
One of the many things that I have realized on this trip...I am so glad I can read! Trying to buy things in the store when you have no idea of what is in the box, bottle, or can is a bitch! There have been many things that I have picked up that looked really good and not being able to read the label, to know what it is, can be a real bummer. As we drove around yesterday the English started to disappear the further we moved out of Tel Aviv. There were multiple times where we wish that we were able to read the signs. The same goes for menus at a restaurant. You will start feeling pretty silly after ordering a few meals by pointing to the picture. We have been making it though!
By the way...It's been 5 weeks and I haven't seen a single set of wheels bigger than 18"! No perfectly clean lifted trucks...No 3ct faux diamond earrings...No significant sources of bling! Its quite nice!
Things here are a lot more simple than back home. It is quite refreshing. It makes you think about things and where we are heading.
Till next time!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Humbled....
This weekend was experience that is hard to put into words! Some of things were of movies others made one feel insignificant in the scheme of things. Our plan was to take a guided tour of Jerusalem which we did. On the way the guide asked if we wanted to go to Bethlehem...Everyone said that we shouldn't do it, but we couldn't say no!
Going to Bethlehem is a little different that going to the Dead Sea or Jerusalem. Bethlehem is in the West Bank and under Palestinian control. Our tour guide could not go with us into Bethlehem because she was an Israeli citizen. She explained how things would work and I don't think it brought much comfort to any of us.
Since she could not go in...We would have to go with another person that we have not met, in a place we were told not to go! Hmmm...Not sounding like a real good idea so far.
We had to go through a security checkpoint and walk down this long caged in walkway to get in. Once in we were shuffled into cars and whisked off. As we were driving through Bethlehem we ran into a truck that was stopped in the middle of a hill by police. They were arguing about something in Arabic. We were told to get out the car and start walking. At this point the comfort level is zero or less. We finally got to the top of the hill and regrouped. Now we meeting another person that was going to give us a tour of Bethlehem.
Our first stop was the center of Bethlehem. Usually this is the area they show in the movies. In the center of town is the Church of the Nativity. This is where it is believed that Jesus was born. In the center of 3 churches is a grotto that has the birth place and manger location of Jesus.
We walked through the three churches and listened to the history of each. We walked around Bethlehem a bit and ended up at the guides shop where they sold items made out of olive wood. The whole situation was a little weird.
As we walked in the shop...They started talking and apparently told everyone to leave. The place cleared out and we all looked at each other trying to figure out what was going on. We got a pitch about the wood and were being persuaded into buying things. After the whole deal we were put back into cars and brought back to the boarder. We went back through security and met our original guide.
I don't think we were really prepared for the trip into Bethlehem. Everything was OK...I just think we were a little sensitive to things. We were now headed off to Jerusalem.
Our first stop with the top of Mt. Olive. It was amazing to here how each area was important to each religion and how each thing varied with each religion. It would take a lifetime to get everything on everything. A quick trip around Jerusalem and we headed for the "Old City". The city is surrounded by a wall and split into 4 quadrants and each argues about who is right.
We went though the stations of the cross and walked the Via Dolorosa, getting the history of each site. We got everything from the history of the wars to the current excavation going on near the western wall.
One day is not enough to get through everything thoroughly in the "Old City". If anyone is thinking about going over...Make sure you have a couple of days to spend. Also be sure to hit Bethlehem! Don't worry about crossing into the west bank it's not a big deal. I think we were a little on edge because everyone was telling us that we should not go. They welcome tourists...Their economy depends on it.
The trip was the most interesting of my life...Without a doubt! My biggest regret was not researching more about the history and ideas of the other religions before my trip. I found the disputes and arguments the most interesting. Building one thing on top of the other, to prove that the other was right, seemed to be the norm. Things are still being discovered proving how far each one went to prove their cause.
If you have a chance to go...Don't hesitate!
This coming weekend is our last in Israel. I'm not sure where it is going to take us.
Talk to you soon and be sure to check out all the pictures on my Picasa!
Going to Bethlehem is a little different that going to the Dead Sea or Jerusalem. Bethlehem is in the West Bank and under Palestinian control. Our tour guide could not go with us into Bethlehem because she was an Israeli citizen. She explained how things would work and I don't think it brought much comfort to any of us.
Since she could not go in...We would have to go with another person that we have not met, in a place we were told not to go! Hmmm...Not sounding like a real good idea so far.
We had to go through a security checkpoint and walk down this long caged in walkway to get in. Once in we were shuffled into cars and whisked off. As we were driving through Bethlehem we ran into a truck that was stopped in the middle of a hill by police. They were arguing about something in Arabic. We were told to get out the car and start walking. At this point the comfort level is zero or less. We finally got to the top of the hill and regrouped. Now we meeting another person that was going to give us a tour of Bethlehem.
Our first stop was the center of Bethlehem. Usually this is the area they show in the movies. In the center of town is the Church of the Nativity. This is where it is believed that Jesus was born. In the center of 3 churches is a grotto that has the birth place and manger location of Jesus.
We walked through the three churches and listened to the history of each. We walked around Bethlehem a bit and ended up at the guides shop where they sold items made out of olive wood. The whole situation was a little weird.
As we walked in the shop...They started talking and apparently told everyone to leave. The place cleared out and we all looked at each other trying to figure out what was going on. We got a pitch about the wood and were being persuaded into buying things. After the whole deal we were put back into cars and brought back to the boarder. We went back through security and met our original guide.
I don't think we were really prepared for the trip into Bethlehem. Everything was OK...I just think we were a little sensitive to things. We were now headed off to Jerusalem.
Our first stop with the top of Mt. Olive. It was amazing to here how each area was important to each religion and how each thing varied with each religion. It would take a lifetime to get everything on everything. A quick trip around Jerusalem and we headed for the "Old City". The city is surrounded by a wall and split into 4 quadrants and each argues about who is right.
We went though the stations of the cross and walked the Via Dolorosa, getting the history of each site. We got everything from the history of the wars to the current excavation going on near the western wall.
One day is not enough to get through everything thoroughly in the "Old City". If anyone is thinking about going over...Make sure you have a couple of days to spend. Also be sure to hit Bethlehem! Don't worry about crossing into the west bank it's not a big deal. I think we were a little on edge because everyone was telling us that we should not go. They welcome tourists...Their economy depends on it.
The trip was the most interesting of my life...Without a doubt! My biggest regret was not researching more about the history and ideas of the other religions before my trip. I found the disputes and arguments the most interesting. Building one thing on top of the other, to prove that the other was right, seemed to be the norm. Things are still being discovered proving how far each one went to prove their cause.
If you have a chance to go...Don't hesitate!
This coming weekend is our last in Israel. I'm not sure where it is going to take us.
Talk to you soon and be sure to check out all the pictures on my Picasa!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
I think my brain is full....
So for the past couple of days we have been hitting the training hard. The problem is that we can learn all about it...But we can't touch it! The tools that we have are for R&D and tool time is pretty limited. We are fighting for time with the engineers that are trying to make the tool operate better.
The equipment is very precise. Resolution of movement is down to less than a micron! That's one millionth of a meter! A red blood cell is about 7 micron wide! We will be measuring things in the nano meter range. That's a billionth of a meter! This thing is basically an over grown microscope with cameras and lasers that are very sensitive. Everything is mounted on a 4 ton granite block that floats on air shocks to minimize any induced or outside vibration. Quite a sight to see!
The equipment is very new and so is the training. Everyone is still trying to figure out what is going on. That in turn has caused mental overload. We are trying to learn how it works as well as how it is being changed. Not being able to crawl around the thing and check it out is tough too. Theory can only get ya so far....Then ya have to look at it and play with it.
One interesting thing is that the stage floats on "air bearings". Air is used to allow everything to float as it moves. The whole stage is made by Aerotech then sent here for installation into the tool. If ya click on the site...Check out where they are built!
So far everything has been very interesting. Everything is computer based. VERY computer based. The tool will pull in 1 terabyte of data during a single read. A single terabyte would let you take about 200,000 pictures on a 10 mega pixel camera. This is done with 64 quad core computers in a server system...that's like having 256 computers tied together! Geek central!!!! Wait...The computer racks are water cooled! That ups the geek factor!!!
This thing is going to take a lot of time to get comfortable with. It's a lot different from what I am used to. The lasers are interesting. We have to wear glasses that block out the laser light wavelength which is kind of funny. We have to see the light to calibrate the laser. If you have your glasses on for the calibration...You can't see the light! Talk about a catch 22!
Guess I should get back to it!
We are planning on a trip to the pier to the north as well as a trip to Jerusalem this weekend. I will update the blog and pics as soon as I can.
Talk to ya later!!!!
The equipment is very precise. Resolution of movement is down to less than a micron! That's one millionth of a meter! A red blood cell is about 7 micron wide! We will be measuring things in the nano meter range. That's a billionth of a meter! This thing is basically an over grown microscope with cameras and lasers that are very sensitive. Everything is mounted on a 4 ton granite block that floats on air shocks to minimize any induced or outside vibration. Quite a sight to see!
The equipment is very new and so is the training. Everyone is still trying to figure out what is going on. That in turn has caused mental overload. We are trying to learn how it works as well as how it is being changed. Not being able to crawl around the thing and check it out is tough too. Theory can only get ya so far....Then ya have to look at it and play with it.
One interesting thing is that the stage floats on "air bearings". Air is used to allow everything to float as it moves. The whole stage is made by Aerotech then sent here for installation into the tool. If ya click on the site...Check out where they are built!
So far everything has been very interesting. Everything is computer based. VERY computer based. The tool will pull in 1 terabyte of data during a single read. A single terabyte would let you take about 200,000 pictures on a 10 mega pixel camera. This is done with 64 quad core computers in a server system...that's like having 256 computers tied together! Geek central!!!! Wait...The computer racks are water cooled! That ups the geek factor!!!
This thing is going to take a lot of time to get comfortable with. It's a lot different from what I am used to. The lasers are interesting. We have to wear glasses that block out the laser light wavelength which is kind of funny. We have to see the light to calibrate the laser. If you have your glasses on for the calibration...You can't see the light! Talk about a catch 22!
Guess I should get back to it!
We are planning on a trip to the pier to the north as well as a trip to Jerusalem this weekend. I will update the blog and pics as soon as I can.
Talk to ya later!!!!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Old Jaffa and a road trip!!!!
Sorry...It's been a while since I posted an update. We had a few days where we were working at midnight and our schedules were all backwards.
We managed to get out and make it through Old Jaffa on Friday. We walked through the old churches and along the port. Everything was amazing. Jaffa also had a market that we walked through. We took in the sights at this old port town. It is just south of Tel Aviv. A google search will give you all the history you could ever want. Old Jaffa
On Saturday we took a road trip to the Dead Sea. We decided to drive and checked in to the safest way to go. Most said that it was safe to go through the west bank with the "as long as you don't get off the highway" clause. We decided to avoid it. Our goal was to make it to Masada. However we made a wrong turn at Albuquerque! Wow! Ya want to talk about getting nervous! There was no one else really on the road we ended up taking on our attempt to get to Masada. As we traveled down the road through the twists and turns...I couldn't help but think of every movie that I have watched where the tourists run into armed road block. We ended up driving 20 kilometers on this twisty desolate road, to find out that it was a dead end. We ended up on the back side of Masada and couldn't see the Dead Sea. We had to drive all the way out and go around the south side of the Judean Desert to get back around to the east side of Masada. There is a cable car that will take you all the way up to Masada. You can see on the Google map where we went on the road to no where! Oh well! It was definitely an experience!
We managed to get out and make it through Old Jaffa on Friday. We walked through the old churches and along the port. Everything was amazing. Jaffa also had a market that we walked through. We took in the sights at this old port town. It is just south of Tel Aviv. A google search will give you all the history you could ever want. Old Jaffa
On Saturday we took a road trip to the Dead Sea. We decided to drive and checked in to the safest way to go. Most said that it was safe to go through the west bank with the "as long as you don't get off the highway" clause. We decided to avoid it. Our goal was to make it to Masada. However we made a wrong turn at Albuquerque! Wow! Ya want to talk about getting nervous! There was no one else really on the road we ended up taking on our attempt to get to Masada. As we traveled down the road through the twists and turns...I couldn't help but think of every movie that I have watched where the tourists run into armed road block. We ended up driving 20 kilometers on this twisty desolate road, to find out that it was a dead end. We ended up on the back side of Masada and couldn't see the Dead Sea. We had to drive all the way out and go around the south side of the Judean Desert to get back around to the east side of Masada. There is a cable car that will take you all the way up to Masada. You can see on the Google map where we went on the road to no where! Oh well! It was definitely an experience!
You can see where we had to back track just above the "B" marker. We could also see smoke coming from the Gaza area as we drove south.
The Dead Sea was amazing. If you ever have a chance to check it out...Don't hesitate! It is the lowest place on earth as well as having the highest concentration of salt of any body of water. Nick and Kary actually went swimming. I had no desire to get in there! The view was beautiful but it smelled like rotten eggs!!! We managed to time it about right and had the chance to see the sun set. It was a nice romantic moment for 5 guys to experience together!
The Dead Sea is split down the middle by Israel and Jordan. The mountains you see across the water is Jordan. It was a cool experience. I wish the pics would have come out a little better. The day was hazy and made the pictures a little difficult.
Check out the pics on my Picasa when you get a chance!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A walk through Tel Aviv
We had plenty of time to kill today due to our class schedule change. We walked around Tel Aviv and found a market that was huge. They had everything from clothes to bread to candy to meat. I don't think I have ever been to something that size.
The place seemed packed for a Wednesday afternoon. There were people everywhere just bustling around. We walked back to the hotel along the beach and took a few pictures of a mosque. All of the pics have been uploaded to Picasa. Doesn't that iPhone take good pictures? Dang!
It was nice to go out and about today to see what the city is like during the day.
Oh yeah....By the way, If you take pictures of the U.S. embassy...You will be introduced to the security guards automaticly! You don't even have to ask!
I am going to try to get a little sleep in before we have to leave for class.
I will talk to you soon!
The place seemed packed for a Wednesday afternoon. There were people everywhere just bustling around. We walked back to the hotel along the beach and took a few pictures of a mosque. All of the pics have been uploaded to Picasa. Doesn't that iPhone take good pictures? Dang!
It was nice to go out and about today to see what the city is like during the day.
Oh yeah....By the way, If you take pictures of the U.S. embassy...You will be introduced to the security guards automaticly! You don't even have to ask!
I am going to try to get a little sleep in before we have to leave for class.
I will talk to you soon!
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