When you climb into a taxi and ask to be taken to “Patio Antenna, inside”, you’re actually going to a small residential neighborhood of homes that are built with an internal patio (hence the name). There are several of these blocks, and Patio Antenna (Literally, the “Antenna Patio” in English), is known for being home to the first ever ham (amateur) radio antenna in Eilat, decades ago.
Antennas – namely TV antennas – later became commonplace over many houses in Eilat, and have long since then been replaced by satellite dishes and underground cables, but the name stuck; and what with Arie, the legendary retired English teacher of many Eilatis, having lived there for so long, pretty much everyone now knows where “Patio Antenna” is.
As you come up the main road leading from downtown, you’ll drive (or walk) past a large mural of wild horses. For the decade that Arie has lived in this neighborhood, I’ve always been amazed that this mural has remained untouched, and unvandalised. It is a testament to the close-knit sense of community that the Eilatis possess, that something so delicate is so long maintained in such pristine condition.
As food for thought, I urge you too take this appreciation of local history and folklore into consideration, as you tour the beaches and waters of the Red Sea; the large pebbles that originally lined the various beaches along the promenade have been replaced by rough sand for the convenience of local tourists, and the coral reefs and marine wildlife have suffered a lot of damage at the hands of many fascinated visitors who are unaware of how delicate and fragile this environment really is. (To fully take in the beauty of aquatic life here in Eilat, you should definitely check out our underwater nature reserve while you’re here. We’ll be telling you more about it in the upcoming Things to do in Eilat part 1 – beaches)
In the same way that the Eilatis preserve their frontier heritage, help us preserve the local wildlife for those that follow you in their travels.
Have a wonderful stay!
