This past Sunday, I went with a friend to the Hadar area of Haifa, not knowing that it included Little Russia. We were lucky to get out alive. It wasn't as great as I had heard it was and I didn't get the Israeli pants I've been searching for. However, we took the Carmelite, Israel's only subway which runs on one track up and down, more like a sideways elevator than a completely horizontal subway.

Monday was zoo day. That's right, the Haifa Zoo. The most remarkable part was a giant, enclosed exhibit with birds of prey and people walk right through it, but they looked hungry and were staring at me so I tried to not make eye contact. Also, in class that day, we went to the children's library at the University and we had lots of fun (I read “The Giving Tree” in Hebrew until I got side tracked by someone else who had the Israeli version of Where's Waldo, called “Aifo Aefi.” And just for your information, Dr. Seuss books also rhyme in Hebrew).

Tuesday was Tisha B'Av (The 9^th day of the Hebrew month of Av). Many bad things have happened in Jewish history that day, most notably the destruction of the First and Second Temples. It was my first time in Jerusalem on Tisha B'Av, and it was extremely moving to see how that day affects people praying at the Western Wall and reading Megilat Aicha (the scroll describing the graphic destruction of the Temple). That day is traditionally a fast day so it was hard to travel for so many hours and so much walking all over Jerusalem. I drank water, but only so I didn't pass out (I was completely fine the entire day). I went with three other people, two of which had never been to Jerusalem so I felt great that I was able to act as a semi-legit tour guide (a small, silly dream of mine).

Yesterday, I gave blood for the first time. I brought a friend for moral support and everyone there (the three people working and the two people getting blood drawn) kept making fun of me and making me feel better about the whole experience. They took a total of half a liter. Honestly, it really wasn't that bad and I am now entitled to some extra benefits for medical stuff in Israel for the next year. I got some food, drank a sugary drink, and in less than an hour, I was off to the bus for a trip and hike to Elijah's Cave in the French Carmel part of Haifa.

Observations:

1. Health standards are lax here, sometimes. I'm becoming very familiar with the Israeli slang term “jook,” which means cockroach. In a restaurant a couple of nights ago, there was a cockroach that people noticed and eventually a waitress attacked it on the wall with a broom (I gave her a big tip). It's not fair to say that they're just in restaurants, because they're everywhere, but that doesn't make it any better.

2. On my way back from Jerusalem, we passed many towns and villages with many, many minarets, the towers that are the trademark of a mosque. I need to look at a map to see where we passed, but it was a bit shocking to see so many in a row. I'm talking literally dozens.

3. Israeli's don't wait for people to get off elevators or buses. In the United States, people wait a second when elevator doors open to see if people are there then to let them out. Not in Israel. I guess they're afraid it will leave without anyone in it. As soon as it opens, they struggle to swim through people exiting elevators and buses. It's extremely annoying and rude, but that's just Israeli culture so perhaps it's acceptable.

The pictures are of me hiding in a archer's hole in the Tower of David in the Old City of Jerusalem, The Tower of David with other parts of the fortress, a view of the Western Wall from my perspective, me on top of a tower in the Tower of David fortress, and me giving blood (I'm very proud of myself).

-AZ