Schools out 4/17: Ascent to power

Of all the pictures of Israel I could have posted today, this may seem the most unlikely; but it made me smile and represents a lighter and more creative side of the country than the stereotypes sometimes present. This is one of a number of rusty people silhouettes climbing an electricity pylon on route 99 up to the Golan.

This is unlike any other place I've been before. When you go up to the far north you realise just how long and deep the conflicts have been. The beautiful park with waterfalls (The Banias) is littered with the debris of war, a Jeep twisted into a pile of rusting metal sitting alongside a picturesque scenic viewpoint. The Golan Heights are covered in small fortifications and roadside canvass stopovers for the Israeli Defence Force.

As well as the Banias we went to the Nimrod Fortress, a medieval defence full of tunnels and fallen arches, half ruined. It was like Ben Hur and the set of the last Harry Potter all mixed up.

Found a lovely place to eat in a shopping centre of all places - had shashuska, a favourite dish, look the recipe up on Google. It's easy to make but I've never had it in its country of origin before. The sense of conflict was close at home even here however. I watched a female soldier in the IDF skimming clothes rails, her M4 automatic rifle slung casually over her shoulder. Bet she didn't get that in Accessorise ......