Always New Adventures to be Had in the Holy Land

A summation of my latest adventures the past few weeks:
Two weeks ago I went to Old Yafo with Jess and Ari. Yafo is an ancient and strategic port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world, and is predominately Arab. Yafo is now part of Tel Aviv, which is why the city's full name is Tel Aviv-Yafo. It's just south of the city, and even though we live in the very north of Tel Aviv we decided to walk the hour and half to get there and knock out a workout also! It's a beautiful area overlooking the Mediterranean with some fabulous and ancient architecture. There is a wishing bridge, where an old legend states that wishes made while standing upon it will come true. Always exciting. Today, Yafo is very touristy with vendors setting up arts and crafts booths on most days of the week. There wasn't much to do, but we sat and enjoyed the view and the history of the place.

Clock tower at Old Yafo

That night, Ari and I decided to be adventurous and try Ethiopian cuisine, courtesy of the rather large Ethiopian community that resides in Israel. During the 1980s the entire Jewish community of Ethiopia was rescued from civil war and famine in their native country and brought to reside in Israel under Israel's Law of Return. We knew we were at an authentic place once we noticed we were the only Caucasians in the entire restaurant--no Israelis either!! With the help of our waitress, we ordered a menu item that sounded decent,  but had no idea what to expect. Ethiopian food is served on one large serving platter in the middle of the table, and everyone shares. Oh, and no need for silverware. The meat and sauce is simply scooped up using Ethiopian pancakes. Our meal was placed in front of us, and Ari and I just looked at each other and burst into laughter. It looked disgusting-a slop of brown goo with a boiled egg in the middle, sitting on top of the Ethiopian pancakes. As for the brown goo? It was some type of chicken and beans in a sauce, and actually quite good! The pancakes, on the other hand, left a little to be desired. They were thin, spongy, cold, gray-tinged, and somewhat sour tasting (like sourdough bread gone terribly wrong). Yet since we are citizens of the world, we devoured every last bite!!

How delicious does this look?

Last Thursday we went to the western Galilee. The Galilee is composed of the western part of northern Israel. We went for a terrific hike amongst green trees and babbling brooks (I guess I'm not in El Paso anymore).  It's really beautiful and completely opposite of the Negev desert that encompasses southern Israel.  We then went to Rosh Hanikra, a scenic spot bordering Lebanon. The view of the Mediterranean and the Israeli coastline was absolutely spectacular. We walked literally right up to the border with Lebanon. It was very quiet...we saw one Israeli soldier. It's hard to imagine seeing an area as beautiful and calm as that and knowing it has been a war zone during numerous times in the past few decades. We then went to Akko, a city north of Haifa and one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in Israel. We ventured only so far as the Old City in Akko, which is predominately Arab. The Old City lies right along the coast...again, more gorgeous views. As our tour guide was speaking, a chicken came running and squawking, followed by 3 young boys and a dog. Shortly after, a horse comes running though!!!!! Mind you, we weren't in open farmland-we were in the middle of a cramped little urban area. Quite funny.

Rosh Hanikra

 Today is Yom Ha'atzmaut--Israel Independence Day. Yesterday was Yom Ha'zikaron--Memorial Day. I know I wrote about these two holidays last year, but my experience was different this year in numerous ways. On Erev Yom Ha'zikaron my program all traveled to a navy base in Haifa for their ceremony. Each military base has their own ceremony. It was amazing to be at a true Israeli ceremony with hundreds of soldiers (well,sailors!). During the siren the only noise that could be heard aside from the siren were the waves lapping on the rocks. I found myself wondering what all these military personnel were thinking, knowing that, God forbid, one day the siren could be sounding for them. However, since the entire ceremony was in Hebrew I didn't get as much out of it as I did at the English ceremony I attended last year. Alas, an interesting experience. Yesterday we went outside to a busy street in Tel Aviv to hear the morning siren. As soon as the siren started at 11am, everyone completely stopped in their tracks. Cars and buses all stopped in the middle of the street, and the passengers emerged to stand and show their respect. No sounds could be heard and no movement was spotted for two full minutes in this bustling and often crazy city. I felt as though I were in a movie as everything seemed suspended in time. And to think that the entire country was like this...an entire country quiet and remembering.

At sundown, the transition from the saddest day in Israel to the happiest occurs. It's really quite a juxtaposition to go from those two extreme emotions instantaneously, but that's part of the poignancy of these two holidays. We went to Kikar Rabin, the square where Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in the center of the city, to kick off the festivities. It was packed with people of all ages. Singers and dancers were performing on stage, and fireworks lit up the sky. We then made our way to south Tel Aviv to the area around Florentine Street, which is where all the young people congregate for Purim and Yom Ha'atzmaut. The streets are blocked off to traffic, and absolute bedlam occurs!!! There are thousands and thousands of young people, every which way you turn. Music blasting from invisible speakers, everyone drinking, beer bottles littering the street...in other words, one giant party or one giant mess, depending how you look at it! We wandered the streets, stopping often to dance and take pictures with completely random groups of Israelis. Everyone was waving Israeli flags, but it is basically the least religious phenomenon one could ever witness!! Not what most people would envision Israel to be like, I'm sure. We left at 3:30 am, and the party was really just getting started. The streets and buses were packed at this time of the night...many people moving on to the next party. Today it is customary for most Israelis to BBQ in parks and on the beach. If there is one thing I've learned since living in Israel it is this: Israelis like to have fun, and they know how to party!

Shaving cream--Party time!

Pesach in Israel (second time around!)

Pesach (Passover) ends in less than one hour--in Israel at least. Jews in Israel celebrate Pesach for 7 days, while most Jews living in the Diaspora celebrate for 8 days. Even though this is the second Pesach I have been lucky enough to witness in Israel, it's still amazing. You truly feel you are in a Jewish country when everyone is eating matzah wherever you go-the zoo, the beach, the park, even restaurants! In fact, it's so easy to keep Pesach in Israel that it almost feels like cheating. It is ridiculously easy to find 'Kosher for Pesach' sandwiches, pizza, pastries, and noodles. Most of this "bread" is made out of potato flour, and the noodles are made out of eggs. We even went to Burger King and had kosher for Pesach hamburgers! (okay, for all of you that know me..I did not partake). How absurd is that?? Nowhere else in the world. The "bread" tastes alright..not horrible, but it is far from normal, wheat-based bread. The best way I can describe it is as bread that is a bit soggy. I spent a few days in Jerusalem during the holiday. In Jerusalem every restaurant (even those in the bus station food court) that is open is kosher for Pesach. Bread baskets are replaced with matzah baskets. Those that aren't kosher for Pesach are closed for the entirety of the 7 days. In Tel Aviv (aka the city of sin!) about half the restaurants are kosher for Pesach, and the others operate as normal. It actually becomes odd to see people consuming bread!

Most corporations close for the entire Pesach holiday, so people travel and relax and places tend to be packed. We went to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo,and it was absolutely packed. 90% of the people there were Haredi (ultra-Orthodox Jews), and since each Haredi couple seems to have about ten kids, there were Haredi kids galore...payot and tzitzit flying everywhere!!! Again, only in Israel. The beaches and parks in Tel Aviv have also been packed. It will actually be nice when things get back to normal and the crowds disperse somewhat.

Hanging out with Israeli zebras

 This past Friday was Good Friday, so Ari and I decided to go to the Christian Quarter of the Old City in Jerusalem and experience one of the holiest places for Christians on one of the holiest days on the Christian calender. We made our way to the Via Dolorosa, which is the road (alley) that most Christians believe to be the path that Jesus walked while carrying his cross on the way to his crucifixion. It is marked by the 14 stations of the cross. It was packed with people, all holding crosses of various sizes, slowly making their way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the church where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried. There were people from all over the world, including nuns and priests, all chanting songs in different languages. Because we were wearing huge hiking backpacks and things were starting to get somewhat claustrophobic, Ari and I didn't quite make it to the church. Yet it was another amazing event to witness and be part of...something most Christians dream of doing their entire lives. 

Small sample of the throngs of people on the Via Dolorosa

 We then made our way to the Kotel (Western Wall), where large crowds had gathered to celebrate Pesach. Also an amazing thing to witness...a large number of people of all denominations,including many Haredis, all davening (praying) furiously. There was also an American boy having a Bar Mitzvah in front of the wall. Imagining having one's Bar Mitzvah at the Kotel is just beyond belief.

There has been some unrest lately in Jerusalem..specifically the Muslim Quarters of the Old City and East Jerusalem. Thousands of Israeli security officers were dispersed throughout the Old City, but aside from this visual reminder, I really never felt scared or threatened.

I have the remainder of this week off, and then back to the grind of school!

One Month in Israel

I'm finding it somewhat difficult to write a blog this time around, because I feel as though I already blogged about so much of the Israeli culture and random "only in Israel" moments last time around! So I won't be writing nearly as much as last time, but I'll do my best to write whenever I encounter new experiences.

Last week the Masters students all went to the Dead Sea. I actually never went to the Dead Sea on Career Israel. I did go on birthright, but considering those ten days four and half years ago were such a blur, I almost felt like this was a brand new experience. We went to Ein Gedi Spa where we all put on our bathing suits and made our way to a tremendous barrel of thick, viscous, black mud. We scooped it up by the handful and slathered it all over ourselves-head to toe. The object was basically to not allow even a minute part of flesh to peek through the mud. I'm confident we all succeeded in this goal! The mud from the Dead Sea is supposed to work wonders for the skin and act as an exfoliate and emollient. We walked about a quarter mile from there to the Dead Sea, while the mud hardened and caked on our bodies. The water used to come up right to the spa, but the sea is apparently receding at a rapid pace. We walked timidly into the sea...the place where bathers are allowed only goes up to the waist or a bit higher. Yet as soon as you attempt to lower your body in the water and lift your legs off the ground, your legs immediately fly to the surface of the water and you're inadvertently floating--you have no choice in the matter! You could truly sit on the surface of the water and read a book if you were so inclined. However, beware if you have any cuts anywhere on your body. Oceans and seas are normally about 3-5% salt. The Dead Sea is 30%...so you can only imagine the pain that would result from an open cut! Not fun. Putting your face in the water is probably the worse idea imaginable. One drop of water splashed into my eye and the ten minutes of pain was interminable. But the water is also supposed to work wonders for the skin. We all know the Israelis who hustle us all to buy Dead Sea products in the malls throughout America!! But hey--everyone loves soft skin. We stayed in the sea for about 15 minutes, which was quite enough for us (and about the suggested time limit).

Look Ma, no hands!

 Yesterday I moved into what will be my permanent residence for the next year. We had previously been staying in a temporary apartment while they readied these. I'm living at the Port (called the "namal" in Hebrew) in north Tel Aviv. It's a wonderful area with upscale restaurants, stores, and nightclubs. I have an amazing, perfect view of the Mediterranean from my bedroom window. Right now I'm staring out the window at the expanse of blue ocean and dozens of sailboats cutting through the water. Every night I'll have a perfect view of the sun setting into the water. We also live about a one minute walk from Hayarkon Park-a large urban park that extends along Tel Aviv and into a neighboring suburb. The Yarkon River runs through the park and reaches the Mediterranean at the park's western edge. Runners, cyclists, rowers, playgrounds, dogs, picnickers...it doesn't get much better than that. The apartment is cute. Small kitchen, decent sized bathroom. I have my own bedroom, which I'm thrilled about!!

View from my bedroom window, not too shabby

Tomorrow is my last day of classes before I have two weeks off for Pesach break! I have no concrete plans for the break, but hopefully I'll travel a bit or find some exciting events to attend. Pesach in Israel is really special. It seems like everyone in the country is traveling and having fun, and restaurants serve matzah instead of bread! I'm going to Ari's best friends in-laws for seder. Ari actually won't be there (he is attending a seder for lone soldiers with the head general of the IDF) and these in-laws apparently speak no English. Should be interesting!

Back in Israel!!

I left Israel last July, absolutely devastated and sure that I would not be returning to Israel for quite some time...years, possibly decades. So I truly cannot believe that I am continuing my Israel blog 8 months later. This time around I am venturing into a one year graduate program through NYU Poly. NYU Poly actually has an extension campus in Tel Aviv (who would have guessed?!), so I will be graduating next March with a Master's in Organizational Behavior. It's a fantastic opportunity for me to gain a competitive edge (hopefully!) by having an advanced degree from a prominent American university. I just happen to attend class in Israel! But I think the best thing about being back in Israel is all the amazing hummus I have been eating nonstop!!!!! Americans truly have no idea what real hummus should taste like!

I arrived ten days ago. It felt so surreal to be back, and at this point, it almost feels like I never even left and the past 7 months in El Paso (never mind those weeks in Europe!) were all a dream. I've already encountered rude Israelis and the things that annoyed me about Israel last time, but all I can do is sigh and say "yep...I'm back in Israel!" Last week was all about settling in and getting acquainted with the program and the group. It is a small program...only 12 people in my particular program, but there are 25 people in the same graduate program that started this past October. I am temporarily living in a studio apartment with a roommate, but will be moving to a nicer apartment complex in 2 weeks (hopefully with our own bedrooms). Yet I'm sure everyone will be jealous to hear that I live about 20 meters from the Mediterranean. No exaggeration. It is truly unbelievable. There is a famous boardwalk that runs along the beach in Tel Aviv (called the tayelet) that is amazing for running, walking, or people watching. The apartment I will be moving to in 2 weeks is further north, but still just as close to the beach. Prime real estate.

Tayelet (famous TA boardwalk)

It has already been quite warm here and perfect beach weather. However, because of the fact that it is early March, I am already dreading the summer and the horrendously hot and humid weather the summer months will surely bring!! Although I live in an amazing location near the beach and smack in the city center where everything is happening, I'm having a bit of a hard time adjusting to Tel Aviv. It's incredibly noisy...cars, honking, sirens,people, etc can be heard at all hours of the day and night from my apartment. I'm sure it will just take some getting used to, and before I know it I won't be able to sleep if it's too quiet! But everything one could possibly need is within walking distance. I am also missing Jerusalem quite a bit, but I've already been there twice in ten days, and planning on going again this weekend! Thank goodness Israel is such a small country. Ari lives in a small community outside Jerusalem, so it's nice to have a quiet place to escape to when need be.

My first day of classes were today. Our classes are held at the Israel College of Management, which is in the top floor of a mall (yes, a mall!). So that also takes some getting used to! It is only about 12 miles away, but the ridiculous bus takes an hour! Speaking of buses, I have already navigated my way by bus to and from quite a few new and strange places. Considering the Israeli bus system is the second largest in the world, (and so confusing and annoying) I'm awfully proud of myself.

Back to school...The year is divided into 4 semesters (each season) with 6 weeks off in the fall for the high holidays. I also get 2 weeks off for Pesach in a mere 3 weeks! Israel is great sometimes. :-) This semester I'm taking Information Technology (hmmm, should be interesting considering I know nothing about computer systems!), Career Management, Entrepreneurship, and Project Management (also..no idea!!). Our classes are all taught by Israelis, but they seem to all have almost perfect English, so it shouldn't be a problem. I'm also taking a statistics tutorial course that I basically just need to get through. And I will be taking ulpan (Hebrew courses) every week for the entire year. So maybe this time I'll actually learn Hebrew! Maybe this time I'll actually try!

Hebron and Leaving Israel

Yesterday I went to Hebron with a few friends. Hebron is the largest city in the West Bank, home to 166,000 Palestinians and 500 Jewish settlers. Hebron is quite contentious...it has been the site of much violence between Jews and Arabs in the past. Because the Cave of the Patriarchs is located in Hebron, Hebron is considered the second holiest city in Judaism, after Jerusalem. Although things have been relatively quiet there since the last intifada ended, Hebron is still considered an unstable area and is thus heavily guarded. We actually had to take a bullet-proof from Jerusalem to Hebron. Definitely an "only in Israel" type thing.

The Cave of the Patriarchs is supposedly the burial place of four couples: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Leah, and Isaac and Rebekah. It is a holy site for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Even though the area is controlled by Israel, Muslims control most of the complex. Jews are forbidden from entering the tombs of Isaac or Rebekah excepting ten days of the year that hold special significance in Judaism. The area Jews are allowed to enter is basically just a few connected rooms with chairs and Arks scattered throughout to allow for prayer. The tombs are located behind steel bars--each tomb has their own little room. The tombs basically look like gigantic coffins covered in material. It was very interesting--somewhat anti-climatic, but hey--all three major world religions believe our patriarchs and matriarchs are buried there. I wandered among the burial place of the folks God entrusted with starting modern world religion; I can dig it.

Sarah's tomb

 The Jewish area of Hebron is sectioned off from the rest of Hebron by police barricades, and it was eerily quiet. It truly felt as though we were walking through a ghost town. All the shops--which had previously been run by Arabs--were closed. Israel soldiers were stationed everywhere, their guns at the ready. From a lookout point, we were able to see Hebron stretched out beneath us--a large, bustling city. A striking contrast from the Jewish section. The soldiers were all very nice to us, inquired as to what we could possibly be doing there, (they probably thought we were crazy!) and a few asked us if we were Jewish. There wasn't much to do there besides visit the Tomb of the Patriarchs, but we walked around for a while before heading home.

 Hebron, West Bank

 I am being kicked out of my apartment tomorrow and am staying at a friends house for the next three days. We have been frantically packing and cleaning the apartment all day today. My flight leaves Monday morning. I don't know where the past 5 months have gone and I have extremely mixed emotions about leaving. One minute I feel the desire to leave Israel--I'm tired of certain things here and I miss home. Yet the next minute, I dread leaving--this has been my home for the past 5 months, and I am leaving my friends and life here. Israel is such a crazy, unique, beautiful country and I'm afraid it will be years and years until I will return. But I know that I want to come back. I must come back. Israel is my homeland, and it's part of me now. These past 5 months have been the best months of my life, and coming here was the best decision I have made thus far in my life. I learned a great deal about myself, and surprised myself on many occasions. I had a great internship and gained valuable career experience, I took advantage of being here and traveled throughout the country (and to Egypt!), and did almost everything I wanted to. I really have no regrets, and I think that is the most important thing. So I'm undeniably sad, but I think it is time to leave. I also know I will appreciate so many things about home and America that I took for granted before!!

Next stop: European adventure.... (I'll be back home in El Paso August 4)

Missing Home

Today marks my last day at Ruder Finn and two weeks until I depart Israel. I'm not sure where the past almost 5 months have gone! On one hand it feels like I have been in Israel forever, and on the other hand, I feel like I just arrived. I'm feeling so conflicted about leaving. I love Israel--it it such a beautiful, unique country--and I have made a home for myself here and made incredible friends from around the world. Yet there are also some things about Israel that I am just so frustrated with and I miss many aspects of home.

Although Israel is a fantastic country, I feel like Israelis themselves leave much to be desired. I have written often about how crazy and rude they can be. Although I realize this is a huge generalization, I find Israelis as a whole to be quite rude and disrespectful.  It's true that they can be generous and warm at times and not all Israelis are complete douche bags. Yet for the most part I think they are definitely not the nicest people on the planet. They push, shove, and yell and make no apologies for it. The Israeli men are aggressive to the point of being completely inappropriate. Cashiers never smile at you, say hi, or tell you thank you. I know much of this is just cultural--they have had to toughen up because their lives are much more stressful and difficult than what we're familiar with in the US. And of course there is the sabra mentality--hard on the inside, but soft and sweet on the inside. Still, I think 5 months is enough time for me to be immersed among the sabras! I have met some Israelis who seem so nice and warm, and then I discover that one of their parents made aliyah (immigrated to Israel), so they are really only half Israeli!! Without exception, I have found this to be the case. I think it's actually quite a shame; the entire world hates Israel as is--they don't want tourists to leave thinking Israelis are inconsiderate and offensive!

Random things I miss:
*I miss my car so much. I feel like I've definitely lost some of my independence by having to rely on public transportation. It's so much more of a schlep and takes 3 times as long to go anywhere on a bus than it would with your own car. Buses are often crowded, and that is never pleasant on a hot summer day! Plus, in Israel it's that much more difficult to rely on public transportation, since nothing runs for 24 hours every week (and sometimes more when other holidays fall during the week). When I get home I will without a doubt appreciate being able to go wherever and whenever I want!!
*Walmart (especially Super Walmart!)--There is no huge supercenter here where you can buy anything and everything you could possibly want. You need to go to a million different little places. And, again, without a car--not easy! And of course Walmart's prices can't be beat..especially compared to everything in Israel!
*A gym! The gym here was much too expensive for me to join (would have been 880 shekels!) so I have just been running 5-7 days a week. As gorgeous as the views of the Old City are on my daily run, running without cross-training does get tiresome after a while. I can't wait to go back to EP Fitness!
*TV. I have basically gone almost 5 months without watching TV. I didn't watch a ton of TV at home, but I would watch it everyday, whether watching it as I ran on the treadmill, or watching Jay Leno and Conan O'Brian before bed. So it's just odd to have no access to any TV.  I have only seen CNN.com video clips and movies on my laptop here.
*A comforter! I didn't want to buy a comforter for only 5 months, so I have been sleeping with only a sheet and a small throw blanket I brought from home! It's been adequate, but I am looking forward to curling up with proper bedding.
*I really love the food here, so there isn't too much food from home I miss terribly. Of course, I miss certain American brands (some of which they have here, but importing costs are ridiculous) I can't wait to have a million different types of cereal available to me again! Something I do miss that they have none of here are frozen dinners (specifically Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, etc)
*I also miss speaking the native language of the country. Of course in El Paso, many people don't speak English (!), but English is still the predominant language in America and everything is in English. I can read the newspapers, the packaging on everything, etc. Many times at the supermarket here, I have no idea what something is because there is no English. (Is this chicken or soy??) I am sure I have also been charged wrong many times at the supermarket, but considering the entire receipt is in Hebrew, I have no idea!
And of course it goes without saying that I miss my family and friends!

After I leave here I'm going backpacking in western Europe for 3 weeks with my cousin Amanda and friend Valerie from back home. We're meeting in Amsterdam, and traveling to Belgium, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany before ending back in Amsterdam (from which we will fly home). I'm of course excited, but at the same time part of me just wants to go home now. I've essentially been traveling in a foreign country for 5 months and 3 more weeks of public transportation, not understanding the language and spending more money isn't as appealing to me as it would be if I were coming straight from home! But I'm confident it will be worth it in the end.

O'Bethlehem

This past Thursday Leora and I decided to venture to Bethlehem, the famous city just south of Jerusalem in the West Bank. It was my first time in the West Bank, so we were a little nervous, but knew quite a few people who had been and they told us it would be fine. Israelis are actually forbidden from going to Bethlehem (apparently the Israeli government does not want to have to take responsibility for Israelis in land governed by the Palestinian Authority, which I suppose is understandable) so we thought we might as well take advantage of the fact that we're not Israeli! We wore long skirts, as we were going to a predominately Muslim city and took off any jewelry that would identify us as Jews. From the Old City, Leora and I caught an Arab bus. I see Arab buses all the time (they have their own bus companies, own lines, etc), but this was my first time actually riding on one, and it was fine. Nobody looked at as strange, or questioned us at all. We sat down next to two quite good looking boys who were speaking German. We asked if they were going to Bethlehem (they were) and inquired as to what they wanted to see there (the tourist sites, as did we!) so we decided to venture together. Their English was fantastic, and we figured it would be best to travel with two men. It is only about a 15 minute ride from the Old City to the checkpoint. The security wall is quite large and winds it's way around Bethlehem. There were murals painted on all the walls on the Bethlehem side, depicting everything and anything. Getting past the checkpoint was ridiculously easy. We flashed our passports to the guards though the glass..they merely glanced at them. Once we entered Bethlehem, we found a taxi driver who was willing to drive us to many tourist sites throughout the city, and wait for us at each one for only 200 shekels. That's 50 shekels each, or $12.50, for the whole afternoon! Good deal.
First we went to Shepard's Field, identified as the scene where the Angel of the Lord visited the shepherds and informed them of Jesus' birth. It was basically just an old, beautiful church! We then went to St. Saba's Monastery, a Greek Orthodox Monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley. It is considered to be one of the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world, and still maintains many of its ancient traditions. One in particular is the restriction on women entering the main compound. The only building that women can enter is the Women's Tower, near the main entrance. The Monastery was actually closed when we were there, though, so neither us nor the men could go in. Yet it is a beautiful, striking building located on the edge of these cliffs seemingly in the middle of nowhere. You can also see the Dead Sea from there. The 11 mile drive from Bethlehem to the monastery was striking as well..beautiful desert canyons everywhere. From the road and the monastery you couldn't see Jerusalem or Bethlehem. The only sign of civilization in that stretch of road was a donkey tied to a post and standing in the middle of the road!!! I'm not sure how much of a sign of civilization that is!! But you could tell he was owned by somebody. From there we went to Herodium, a fortress palace by King Herod the Great. This ancient site in the middle of Bethlehem is actually under Israeli control. It reminded me a lot of Masada, with ancient ruins, bathhouses, columns. There was also a very cool and extensive maze of underground tunnels that were used for protection as well as for attack. From there we went to the Milky Grotto, considered sacred because tradition has it that the Holy Family took refuge here during the Slaughter of the Innocents, before their flight into Egypt. Tradition has it that while Mary was nursing Jesus here, a drop of milk fell to the ground, turning it white. The church is beautiful..beautiful flooring, architecture, and art. A short walk from the Milky Grotto is the Church of the Nativity, which is the famous church that it is said Jesus was born in. It's a large, beautiful church. (I know I'm doing a horrid job of describing all these churches!) The entrance is filled with hanging colorful lamp-type things, a beautiful altar, and more statues and paintings of Jesus. We walked downstairs to the exact place where Jesus was supposedly born. I saw what I thought was a bunch of people kissing the floor, but Leora said she thought they were just looking down a hole at something. So we proceeded to kneel down and look through this hole. Well..there was no hole..just holy water and a star on the floor saying this is where his holiness Jesus was born!! Well, Leora and I started laughing hysterically at the fact that we had just knelt down at Jesus' birthsite. This is a holy place, and obviously laughing is not appropriate! So we moved to the back, and then this whole crowd of people started chanting "O'Bethlehem" in Italian, and we were stuck behind them, literally pitching each other to keep from laughing. We were just two little Jewish girls who had no idea what we were doing! But I think it makes for a pretty great story. Following the church, the four of us went to lunch with our taxi driver. He was a very nice man, and he told us how difficult life has been in Bethlehem since Israel build the security wall in 2002. He used to work in Jerusalem, but has not been able to travel there since the wall was built--like most of his neighbors. Many people in Bethlehem still work in Jerusalem, but he told us it is $1000 for 3 months just for a permit to travel there. He explained that his entire life is to the checkpoint and back home,to the checkpoint and back home. He is only 27, but he says he knows he looks much older because of the stressful life he has led. There are no movie theaters or malls or anything of the sort for entertainment purposes. He said tourism has fallen dramatically since the wall was built as well, because they are too afraid. Considering that so many businesses rely on tourists, they have really been suffering economically there. And it is true that they were very few tourists wherever we went there. It was sweltering hot, so I'm sure that kept some people away, but I was surprised, considering that it is the height of tourist season. It's really sad, and I definitely feel for him. It's just such a problem. Israel built the wall during the 2nd Intifada when Palestinians were coming over and blowing themselves up! So what is to be done? I really appreciated hearing the other side of the story though. Once we left the checkpoint, we wanted to go visit Rachel's tomb (one of the matriarchs from the bible). Her tomb is actually located in Bethlehem, but because it is a religious site for the Jews, Israel carved it out of the PA and controls it. Even though the tomb is located literally a 5 minute walk from the checkpoint, pedestrians are not allowed to enter (not safe I suppose). We tried to hitch a ride just through the guard station area, but couldn't find anybody with enough room in their car. Alas, we were unfortunately not able to go.
That night we went out to a bar with a new German friends. They are both 25 and lawyers! They live about two hours from Amsterdam, so I'm hoping I can meet up with them at the end of my Europe trip!