March 23 - Orientation day.

	To the left, the view from the window. Not much. But the hotel or rather hostel, lies in the middle of town, close to the main shopping centers. To the right, air-conditions are required all over the place.
	The pruning of palm trees that are ever present in tropical areas, occur here as well. At the beachfront on our way to the orientation meeting the first day.
	Ponton restaurant out on a pier. And the restaurant was on a rocky road laid out into the sea.
	View of the harbor in Eilat. Before the intifada, there was a massive tourism industry that dried up some 5 years ago. A massive hotel at the beach front.
	A lone fisherman having a go at some fish. Does he get any? Doubt that. Hal and I. Hal is working for Hilton and business is very bleak due to downturn in business, especiallly from the Scandinavian countries.
	King's City, Eilat's answer on Disney World. Traffic jam on the way to the Egyptian border.
	On the border to Egypt, the military presence was felt all the time. They really don't trust each other. This boat is there to catch any terrorist coming in to Israel via the sea. The lone soldier at the border has a boring job. Not allowed to speak to any one with his Gail rifle in .223 and red dot sight. Originally invented by the Israelis and used on rifles and pistols in the form of C-more sights.
	The last hotel on the Israeli border. Mostly empty due to the political situation. And the ever present Israeli flag. Very much like the American after 8/11.
	Then it was off to the famous stone factory at Eilat. And here they make jewelry out of a special kind of stone only found here.
	The stone is green and blue and very nice with gold. And I bought a necklace for Tanya from Sara, a clever saleslady.
	And overview of the sales area of the factory. And since it was no soap in the hostel, we had to buy one from the dead sea.
	And the back to our fancy hotel, the Spring.