Eat.

One of the things that I most love about going home is the food. Falafel, shwarma, baklava . . . all these street-side favorites are what I usually crave in The Land. This time, however, I didn't. It was a good thing, too, because then I would have missed out on what seemed to me to be a revolution in Land restaurant kitchens. Gone were the watered-down local versions of world-food (think odd pasta sauces, lots of fried food, rubbery calamari) and in came quality fish, innovative flavors and creative vegetable pairings.

 This was taken at a fairly popular fish restaurant on the lake.

 Sesame seed crusted salmon. Not the biggest success (I'd tried a divine sesame coated red tuna dish days before) but it was a new addition to the menu since my last visit and nicely presented. Note how these were NOT European portions! 

This country has some good vineyards tucked up in those mountains!

One coffee shop sign that made me laugh out loud was the "Coffee Anan". Reportedly the highest coffee shop in the country, it supposedly takes its name from the fact that "anan" means "cloud" and not because of a certain former U.N. leader.

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This next restaurant was situated near the northern border, in an inconspicuous "restaurant strip-mall" that offered pasta, bistro, fast-food and McDonald's options to intrepid voyagers heading up into the mountains. While there are some dining options once you're up on the plateau, you'd rather get some supplies and a meal before you start as the villages are few and far between. 

We chose the bistro, as it had the most customers in it and yes, that is a tell-tale sign.  The food was delicious. Simple, fresh ingredients and lots of flavor.

Gooooooooood wine.

Roast beef bruschetta topped with mustard, apple and celery. Odd combo, surprisingly good. 

Homemade ravioli filled with Jerusalem artichoke, served with crisp vegetables, dollops of créme fraiche, olive oil and fresh Parmesan cheese.

Vacation.