Tag: Ahlan Palestine

Swim in the Lemon Valley

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo
The Lemon Valley Garden and Pool. (Photo by: Alena Jabarine)

They say the best destination is not on any map yet.

It is on trips like these that we truly feel and appreciate the spirit of Ahlan Palestine, that aims to discover and find the best destinations in Palestine that are not heavily advertised or talked about.

A hidden treasure in Aboud

Malak takes a photo of Bisan with a watermelon at the entrance to the Lemon Valley Garden and pool. (Photo by: Alena Jabarine)

On a very early Friday morning, Malak and I decided to discover a new trail in the village of Deir Ghassaneh, a small village north of Ramallah with many old stone-houses and palaces that stand to bear witness to the village’s rich and mesmerizing history.

After walking for few hours in Deir Ghassaneh, we decided to go back to a destination we loved and wrote about before, Ein Zarqa Spring. We drove through Beit Rima down to the Lemon Valley in Aboud village. Aboud is located 30 km northwest of Ramallah, sitting 450 meters above sea level. It is also known as the “City of Flowers” and has a beautiful mountainous landscape cultivated with olive trees.

Besides its rich natural heritage, Aboud is equally rich in its historical treasures. It has several churches, monasteries, and mosques that are built on foundations dating back to Byzantine, Ottoman, and Crusader periods.

While we were driving towards Ein Zarqa, we passed by a place surrounded with trees and a wooden fence. Being the curious beings we are, we decided to go in to find out what this place is exactly.

Malak (left) and Bisan (right) at the Lemon Valley Garden and Pool. (photo by: Mohammad Zarour)

We were surprised to find a very cozy garden filled with lemon trees and two swimming pools filled with the water of a fresh spring from the surrounding mountains.

The place is built, owned and run by Abu Radi, a very humble Palestinian man from Aboud. Abu Radi showed us around the place and we were very impressed and decided to come back during the week. 

Few days later, we prepared ourselves, put on our swim wear, packed few snacks and headed to the Limon Valley Garden and Pool. It was a special day, as two of our friends joined our adventure. Maha who came all the way from Jerusalem and Alena, a Palestinian-German journalist who works with Malak. 

Hussien Abu Eida, a Palestinian originally from Hebron but lives in Ramallah. His watermelon stand is located at the entrance of the Rihan residential compound on the way to Birzeit. (photo by: Malak Hasan)

On the way to Birzeit, we spotted a watermelon seller exactly by Jabal Al Nijme road at the entrance of the Rihan residential compound. Malak immediately asked Maha to stop so we can buy a water melon to take with us on our trip. We also bought white cheese to eat with the watermelon, because nothing beats a chilled watermelon with white cheese while swimming on a hot day.

(Side note: Malak asked Hussein to give us the best watermelon he has and she promised to visit him again and give him her feedback. Guess what? We actually went back to tell him the watermelon was amazing! He was so happy and gave Malak another watermelon as a gift. And you wonder why we love this land and its people.)

We also bought some fresh Fakous “Armenian cucumbers” on the way as this area is very well known for planting organic Fakous, a vegetable widely known in Palestine that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae gourd family. We enjoyed Alena’ss reaction trying her first Fakous ever.

Splash, Splash, Splash!

The minute we arrived at the garden Abu Radi welcomed us and led us to our table under the shade of the lemon tree. We spent our day swimming and having the best time around the pool area, making the biggest splash and playing ball in the water with children from villages around Aboud, who came that day to enjoy the chill water too. (Check our instagram for more videos and photos from the day)

The place had a different vibe every few hours. And as the sun started to go down, and the pool got empty, the place became magical and we were tempted to camp at the garden, which is also a possibility if you have the necessary camping gear!

We did not camp this time, but we promise to do that and report on it for you all. We left the valley around sunset and headed back to Ramallah.

(From left) Malak, Bisan and Abu Radi sit at the spring that feeds the pools at the Limon Valley Garden and Pool. (Photo by: Mohammad Zarour)

We Recommend:

  • Visit this place very early in the morning or later in the afternoon if you have the ability to camp to enjoy the quiet sunset or sunrise.
  • Visit this place during the week instead of the weekend, if you prefer a quiet place because it could get really loud during the weekend.
  • Take your food, snacks and drinks with you or ask Abu Radi to prepare a meal for you that day. You can also buy your snacks from his small cafeteria to support him.
  • If you are a big group, you can ask for Zarb, a meal cooked based on an ancient technique of preparing food in underground pits and is usually prepared with chicken, goat, or sheep, as well as various vegetables such as carrots, onions, potatoes, or tomatoes. If you decide on this option you will have to call Abu Radi a day before so he can prepare it.
  • Take a comfortable footwear as the beauty of the surrounding areas might tempt you to go for a walk or a hike to Ein Zarqa spring, which we wrote about before.
  •  For questions or reservations call Abu Radi at +970599281815.
  • This is the best destination for people traveling on a budget. It is cheaper than anything that you will find in the Ramallah area.

Directions:

  • Leave Ramallah through Birzeit town towards Rawabi city. At the Rawabi roundabout, keep driving straight towards the entrance of the village of Nabi Saleh.
  • Once at the intersection, take your left away from Nabi Saleh and drive straight. You will pass by Deir Abu Meshal before you see another intersection with a sign saying Aboud on the right side. 
  • Take your right and enter Aboud and drive straight until you find a sign saying Wadi Al Limon or Lemon valley, take that exit driving between the old houses and backyards of the village.
  • Keep driving down a steep hill and you will reach another intersection with another road going up the hill on the right side.
  • Keep driving straight and only few meters ahead you will see the Lemon Vally Garden and Pool on your right. 
  • The road on the right side of the intersection will take you straight to Beit Rima and Deir Ghasaneh. You can also arrive at the Lemon Valley driving through Nabi Saleh (See Map above).

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much we enjoyed the experience and writing about it! Stay tuned for more adventures and do not forget to share this with your friends.

Exploring Ein Qinya

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo

This blog post is part 1 of a longer series where we explore the beauty and richness of Ein Qinya, a village around 5 kilometers northwest of Ramallah.

Ein Qinya is known not only for its many springs but old homes and agricultural rock structures called Al Manateer. (Photo by: Malak Hasan)

The beautiful village of Ein Qiniya is bordered by the lands of Ramallah city to the east, Al-Zaytouneh town to the north, Al Janiya and Deir Ibzi’ to the west, and ‘Ein ‘Arik and Beituniya to the south. This close location to Ramallah, is an added value for people who are based in Ramallah for work or just a visit and want to immerse themselves in nature without driving long hours.

The village with its surrounding mountains is rich with natural resources and dense history. Archeological evidence shows that the village has existed since the Roman-era of rule in Palestine.

During the Ottoman era, ‘Ein Qiniya village was called ‘Al Mahatta’, literally meaning the station, as it was the station for travelers between the coast and Ramallah and Jerusalem’s cities. Later on, the village was renamed Ein Qiniya due to the many springs in the village. In the village of Ein Qinya there are 5 natural springs.

Ein Qinya is famous for its natural springs and various plants, birds, and animals. It is considered the perfect place for spending time in nature. The location offers many activities including jogging, hiking, and rock-climbing or camping. Its location has made it a very famous stop for travelers for more than 400 years.

Arriving at Ein Qinya

Driving through Al Tireh neighborhood you will end up at a cross roads either leading to Ein Qinya or on a new road to the right leading to Birzeit town.

Bisan and I drove straight until we arrived at Ein Qinya. At the village’s main junction, we took the road on our left, also known as the Betounia road. We asked a young boy to direct us to the right road and he was so kind to help in his own funny way.

He said we should drive straight until we see an electricity pole next to a speed bump. Once there, we will find an unpaved offside road and we should be able to park the car and climb up on foot.

Shockingly, it was exactly as he described and Bisan and I couldn’t be more proud of ourselves. However, what we did not know is that there was a more easy way up but instead we climbed rocky walls until we arrived at one of the two grand homes located at the side of the hill.

Bisan leads the way with confidence now that we are no longer walking through heavy green bushes and unknown territories. (Photo by: Malak Hasan).

We kept walking up through what now seemed like marked passageways and found ourselves at a second home, but this one was being renovated. But we are going to leave this story until later, because we found the most fascinating project and we plan on going back soon!

Bedouin friends and Goat Milk

Jihad tending to his source of livelihood and happiness. (photo by: Malak Hasan)

Bisan and I purchased new camping chairs and we were too excited not to put them to the test in the mountains. Therefore, we decided to hike up the hill and chill under one of the many giant oak trees.

When we arrived up the hill we found out that our chairs are not only great but that up that hill, there are any beautiful people living and working daily.

We met Jihad, a bedouin from Arab Al Jahalin bedouin community, a Palestinian locality in Jerusalem Governorate located 6.2km southeast of Jerusalem City. Jihad and his family move in the summer to Ein Qinya in search for water and green landscapes for their 500+ herd.

He said the family used to relocate entirely during the summer months, but they no longer do that because they risk being denied going back to their locality by Israel, the occupying force of Palestine. Now the family remains in Arab Al -Jahalin and only those who must leave relocate to Ein Qinya until its time to go back.

Jihad was so kind to let us chat with him, discuss bedouin life and their relationship with the locals of Ein Qinya and even added us on Instagram! We asked him if he preferred modern life over their bedouin lifestyle but he said who enjoys being locked up in cement cubes. Bedouin life for him is freedom and he enjoys spending his days tending to the family’s herd in the lush mountains of Palestine.

As a gift, Jihad gave us fresh goat milk to try and we promised to visit him soon in Ein Qinya and we even planned to visit him in his locality once its time to move back to Arab Al-Jahalin. And that is one promise we intend to keep!

Relaxing under the Oak tree

After an eventful morning meeting Jihad, playing with his herd near the Ein Qinya Spring, we said our goodbyes and found shelter under a majestic oak tree. We opened our camping chairs and spent hours drinking in the amazing view of the valley until it was time to go back to Ramallah.

Ein Qinya village and parts of the northern parts of Ramallah. (Photo by: Malak Hasan)

We recommend:

  • If you plan on spending the day in the mountains, make sure you have enough food and drinks because the climb up is long and you would not want to cut your visit short because you are thirsty.
  • Bring a blanket or a foldable chair to make yourself comfortable.
  • Go early to Ein Qinya to enjoy the morning hike when the weather is cool and breezy.
  • The hike is family friendly, especially that there is a designated path leading up to the spring.
  • If you decide to go, please respect the nature, avoid damaging trees or leaving trash behind.

Well since you made it this far, check our intsagram for more video and photos from our day at ein Qinya and check out our other destinations in the highlights section!

Spain, Turkey and a fresh salad in Till

Posted on by ahlanpalestineinfo

This blog post is very special to us because it was one of those trips that we started but never expected how surprising it would turn out to be. The initial plan that Malak and I set was to drive to Nablus and hang out a little bit in the old town in Nablus and enjoy the beauty that the city has to offer. We also wanted to visit a few places along the way, but ended up spending the bulk of our time in one small yet breathtaking village called Till (Also written as Tell). 

And while the way from Ramallah where me and Malak live is just an hour drive to Nablus, it took us more than 4 hours to actually get there, because we could not resist stopping every 10 minutes to marvel at the amazing scenery we came across. 

In our small rented red car we left Ramallah through Birzeit town and headed north on road 60 that passes through many beautiful villages such as Sinjil and Turmusaya. The landscape changed as we drove closer to Nablus and left behind the bustling city atmosphere. As I was driving, Malak was playing DJ and finding us the best 90s Arabic pop music to groove on along the way. 

Passing by Luban e-Sharkiya, Malak told me that every time she passes by this village she is just eager to stop the bus or car she is in and take a few pictures in what seems like an endless field of wildflowers and farmers’ crops. And who am I to say no to yet another opportunity to take more amazing photos?

Even Though I am terrified of green landscapes especially in the heat and what could be hiding there, such as snakes and spiders, I needed to comply with my annoying friend’s nagging for me to stand in a field of yellow flowers. And I am so happy I did, and that no creatures creeped up on me, because the peace I felt just standing there listening to birds singing and feeling the breeze on my face was definitely worth it! 

At the roundabout that leads to both Tulkarem and Nablus, we took the second exit and headed to Tulkarem. Driving for another 10 minutes, we took a small exit with unfortunately no clear sign, and headed up a very steep road that would lead us to Till. Malak was again very eager to take a photo there because the view was priceless! Finally we saw a sign that reads Till and were assisted by a very nice old man who was selling zucchinis on the side of the road (Hint: Do not shy away from asking strangers for directions!). 

Arriving to Till, I think Malak was completely speechless. We were greeted by an amazing view that reminded us instantly of European castles and the landscapes in Spain. Hills stretching for miles and dotted with lush Olive trees that looked like tiny fluffy clouds sprouting from the ground. Malak left the car with her camera and just walked ahead of me with me driving slowly next to her. Every time she looked at the monitor of her camera she would look back at me and just say WOW.

Till is an extremely gorgeous and off the grid town that is located 5 kilometers southwest of Nablus. The name comes from Syriac and it means height. The first view definitely screams height as the old houses in the village are built over a very majestic and rocky hillside. We initially intended to go up to the old houses but what we found ahead of us was as beautiful and decided to just spend the day getting to know the lovely people of Till. 

We stopped for about half an hour at a lovely place called Orjin Cafe. The cafe is built in a location that allows you to have an uninterrupted view of the entire valley of Till. It reminded us of Turkey’s amazing scenery and for a good reason.  The owner of the cafe is the biggest fan of Turkey and was inspired by its simple cafes and peoples’ desires to just sit down and enjoy a warm cup of tea and maybe smoke Shisha while enjoying the view. Nothing fancy. Urwa, the owner kindly offered us two hot cups of tea prepared on wood fire and while I enjoyed the fantastic contrasting views, Malak chatted with Urwa as she always does. I do not think she can resist the journalist in her!  

And after we sipped our tea in peaceful silence, Mohammad who works with Urwa came over with two deserts. The desert is called Madlooqa, a delicious and famous sweet made of layers of cold cream, Kunafah dough and topped with Cashew nuts. Safe to say we devoured the whole thing in a matter of minutes! 

Malak then told me that she saw a farmer walking in his farm below the cafe and that she asked him if we could stop by and of course they welcomed us with open arms. Abdul Raziq and his friend took us on a tour in their farm and were adamant to give us enough produce to prepare our own fresh lettuce salad. The farm itself is called Al Fawar, which is a reference to the spring that runs through the farm from the mountain. We were amazed at how we were transported into a forest of fresh produce that had everything you would ever need. As I was struggling to carry all the goodness Abdul Raziq was handing over to me, Malak was enjoying her little game of trying to name every plant and tree we passed by. She was able to guess some but I think she will be able to guess more on our beautiful journey discovering Palestine. 

After a long farewell and a promise of visiting them again, we took off and headed up the mountain on our way to Nablus, but of course stopped again at the hilltop to explore the most impressive location to see Till uninterrupted from east to west. 

While we feel sorry that we never knew about Till and its amazing landscapes before, we felt blessed that we had a chance to discover what it has to offer. We are so happy that we have this platform to share these experiences with you because we simply want you to get to experience the beauty and the pure magic of this amazing village.