We have never stayed in a hostel, until now. (Oops—Kathy said we did once in an earlier time in life.) Our Jordan Tour left from a hostel and ended there. We were supposed to arrive after midnight, and we had to leave for our flight to  Basel, Switzerland, early the next morning, so we decided, “Let’s stay there and not worry about a cab to a hotel at that time of night.”

So what was it like? Actually, a very pleasant experience. It was simple and we did have our own room with a restroom. No common facilities. The place had a great vibe, lots of millennial back packers having fun. The bar was abuzz and food was available. The lobby had a large print mural which stated: “Abraham was the Original Backpacker.” The dining area had a mural which said, “Abraham Always Shared his Food.” I wonder if Abraham made his guests wash their dishes? The Abraham Hostel did! Hot water was on a timer; no long showers here. The staff was most helpful and kind. At breakfast we found two couples who had been to Jordan with us. We had a great time together before Kathy and I needed to leave for the airport.

New friends with whom we shared the Petra journey

We were proud of ourselves. We took the tram in front of the hostel to the train and the train to the shuttle. All along the way there were helpful and kind people. All in all an hour’s journey. Then the security started. We went through four security checks. “Why were you in Jordan? Who do you know in Jordan? Why are you flying to Basel?” Thankfully, we made it through security rather quickly. We were told it could take three hours, but it was less than an hour.

Before we leave Israel for Europe, I want say that the country is impressive. To think that it was built from scratch from the 1950’s onward—infrastructure, cities, farms, industry, nationhood! It is beautiful and welcoming. It is peaceful—our fears are highly exaggerated by the media!!!!! I am impressed with the tenacity of the people who overcame negative odds to build such a society.

We arrived in Basel and made our way to the central train station for our short ride to Strasbourg, France. We are meeting up with our friends, Randy and Melisa. They arrived in Paris yesterday and traveled to Metz, France,I to visit the Christmas Market and see the cathedral. We look forward to our adventure for Christmas Markets and Concerts in France, Germany and the Czech Republic. WEG