The path to serenity

A half-hour notice prior to arrival gives the owners time to fill your Jacuzzi, light candles and prepare the right atmosphere for your arrival.

By OFER ZEMACH
jacuzzi zimmer 88 298 (photo credit: Ofer Zemach)
jacuzzi zimmer 88 298
(photo credit: Ofer Zemach)
Last weekend, while hundreds of children in Jerusalem and across the country awaited the promised snow in the capital, my only worry was whether to cancel our pre-booked weekend in the North. Yes, I do love waking up to the quietness in the streets disturbed only by the sound of kids throwing snowballs at each other when everything is covered in white. In fact, I consider this one of the best attractions Jerusalem has to offer. But when it clashes with promised serenity at a wooden cabin next to flourishing fields - I prayed for the snow to hold out for at least another week. My prayers were answered when we awoke to a regular winter morning with no snow - my teenagers were sad, but I was thrilled. We were soon off to road number 6 heading north toward Nahariya. Nestled in the heart of an avocado orchard on Moshav Netiv Hashayara in the Upper Galilee, the five wooden and stone cabins of Nativ La'ohavim (lover's path) offer quiet and serenity. This upscale tzimmer, owned by Revital and Yehuda Avshalom, boasts a large room with a double-sized sunken Jacuzzi, a small kitchenette, a sitting corner with two comfortable leather chairs and a dining table. There is also the standard cable TV and DVD including a small DVD library, but the hosts have plenty of surprises available for guests. A half-hour notice prior to arrival gives the owners time to fill your Jacuzzi, light candles and prepare the right atmosphere for your arrival. The Avshaloms named the cabins after the stones of the Hoshen - the 12 stones that represent the 12 tribes of Israel. We were given a large cabin called Ahlama - which promises to expand patience, strengthen memory and connect with your spirituality. The simple d cor of the cabin is made up of a combination of wood and stone and lacks the usual kitschy ornaments that often adorn tzimmers. The owners pride themselves on spoiling their guests; from bathrobes to flowers to a bottle of wine and even chocolate bars, the cabin promises a romantic weekend for couples who want to spend leisurely time together. Guests can also use the sauna room located next to the cabins, and order spa treatments to the room (for an extra charge). A room-service menu listing sandwiches and other munchies is offered to visitors, and for those who insist on staying in the cabin, a homemade dinner can be delivered for an extra 180 shekels. A long porch overlooking the avocado trees spans the front of the cabin, where you can sit and imagine you're spending a weekend in a different country, or even a different continent. We couldn't resist taking advantage of the two bicycles parked on the porch, and explored the quiet paths of the moshav. I also recommend taking a drive in the nearby area around the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights. At this time of the year, it seems like a trip through a European countryside where fresh green hills are blazing with wild flowers; sheep graze here and there and when the sun is out, it lends the feel of a landscape painting. Nativ La'ohavim at Moshav Netiv Hashayara is located on road 70 next to the Kabri junction. A room during the week is NIS 800 per night, and over the weekend it costs NIS 900 per night with a minimum of two nights. For reservations call 057-560-0054.