Simon welcomed us with a goody bag of dried fruit & nuts, and his backpack seemed to have an endless supply of cold water, all included in the cost of our tour.
The tour of Zichron Ya'akov - founded in 1882 -was so interesting - we visited the Aaronsohn House, home of the leaders of the Nili Spy Ring, and discovered how important this town was in relation to the establishment of the modern State of Israel.
Brunch was at Beit Harim, a stunning cheese and wine store/restaurant in the centre of the town. The service was impeccable and the salads and cheese were fabulous. Yes, a bit early for wine, but it was wonderful anyway!
Next we visited the First Aliyah Museum - again, a really fascinating look into the lives of the pioneers from Romania who built Zichron from swampland with financial support from the Baron Rothschild.
A sad trip to the town cemetery, where we saw the graves of many of the children who died from malaria, due to the mosquito-infested swamps in the area.
The main street is filled with quaint shops & cafes and we enjoyed reading the signs outside many of them, which tell the stories of the original occupants of the buildings.
Next, we went to the main synagogue in the town, Ohel Ya'akov, named after The Baron Rothschild's father. Simon told us the fascinating story of how it was built right under the noses of the Turkish occupiers, and also about the Zichron piastre, a coin minted in secret - at the end of our tour he gave us a copy of one of these rare coins as a souvenir - a genuine one in good condition realises up to $12,000 on eBay!
Our final destination was the Carmel Winery - the biggest & oldest winery in Israel, built by The Baron Rothschild. We enjoyed a wine tour and tasting, which was accompanied with cheese, olives & wonderful bread.
I would thoroughly recommend touring with Simon. His knowledge and patience are both endless. We've already planned our next tour, to the Hula Valley in the north of Israel to see the migrating birds.