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Jordan Carriages
Tamar Wisemon
(February 28, 2000) Uri Sharett, our cowboy-hatted wagon driver, is shyly singing Naomi Shemer songs as we jolt along the dirt path beside the Jordan River, where it flows out of Lake Kinneret. His bulldog, Chick, dashes frenetically around the vehicle, which has pneumatic tires and a covered-wagon-style canvas top. Our clattering approach frightens gulls into flight and turtles slip back silently into the water. It�s a guided hike through nature, minus the walking.
During the ride Uri, an entrepreneurial ex-kibbutznik, explains the history, ecology and wildlife of the area. In the three years since starting Jordan Carriages, he has expanded to four horse-drawn wagons. The hour-and-a-half long rides follow different trails; in summer you can stop for a dip in the river, but Uri says February to May is the best time.
We pause to pick wild apple-tasting berries, until Simhah, the horse, loses patience and insists on trotting on to his resting point in a glade across a stream. Uri chivalrously guides my trepidant mother-in-law across shaky stepping-stones and then wanders off to gather twigs. Kindling a small fire, he brews a vivid green tea made from riverside plants and wild mint, accompanied by local dried dates - and bluntly suggests I stop taking notes and enjoy the natural beauty. From my seat on a fallen log, I can see Simhah munching grass. If not for the overhead electrical lines, we could easily have gone back a century.
Jordan Carriages is open daily, and night rides are also possible. Advance booking is required, and English-speaking guides are available. Cost: 140-200 shekels ($33-48) per carriage, depending on the number of occupants. A wagon can hold two average families (four adults and six kids), and Uri doesn�t mind if two compatible families share the fare. Follow the signs from the entrance of Kvutzat Kinneret, 10 minutes south of Tiberias; Tel: (053) 701-662
Good Taste
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