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

Nothing is What it Seems to be

So much to say, but I'll try to keep it short.

Last Tuesday, I went to Natzeret (Nazareth) for the first time ever. We saw and went inside both Churches of the Annunciation (Greek Orthodox and Catholic, one extremely impressive building). Eventually, I lost my group and wandered around Natzeret by myself for a few minutes until I found some people I knew. We went by the White Mosque but didn't go inside because they were about to do afternoon prayers. Other than those couple of things and a couple of shooks (markets), we didn't see a whole lot so I don't really know what else is there. Not sure if it's worth going back.

Thursday, after class, I went on a spontaneous trip to Rosh HaNikra, which is the border on the coast between Israel and Lebanon. Rosh HaNikra is known for the caves that have formed over thousands of years, a beautiful site where “the land falls in love with the sea.” Cable cars take visitors down to the grottoes and up above is the actual border with Lebanon, clearly marked with a massive barrier, barbed wire, soldiers, and signs that say people cannot take pictures, which I totally ignored. It was also the crossing that the two soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah in 2006 were returned through with Israeli flags covering their caskets. Leaving was very frustrating – once the bus finally came to pick us up, it took about three hours to get back to Haifa, 26 miles away. The bus went to every freakin' town in northern Israel, then we had to take a train, then the shared taxi. Took way longer than it should have, but it was a really fun experience.

The next day, many people from the International School went to Tsfat (Safed), one of the four holy cities for Jews in Israel and is considered the home of Jewish mysticism. As tradition, I went to the candle factory and bought the awesome Yemenite pizza thingy from the awesome Yemenite man, something every tourist does in Tsfat. What was new for me was hiking Har Meron (Mount Meron), which is about 20 miles from Tsfat, another important site in Jewish spirituality. We couldn't get to the top because there is an army base there, but we took a trail around the top that reminded me a bit of Spencer's Butte in Eugene. Amazing views all around and it felt good to do that mild hike (I want to find something more challenging. Weekend in the Golan Heights, anyone?).

Observations:

1. The girl that works in the falafel shop on campus was surprised to see that I am a Jew in the International School. She thought that only Natzrim (Christians) were in it. There's really nothing else to say about that other than “strange.”

2. Shkalim are dangerous. Shkalim, the currency in Israel, has an exchange rate right now of about 3.86 Shkalim to $1 USD. As a result, much of what is paid for in Shkalim seems like a lot of money. Basically, people throw 50 and 100 notes around on a daily basis, something I'm not used to. Between paying seemingly large sums of money, the brightly colored designs of the bills, and the fact that the 20 Shekel note is literally made of plastic, I can't help but think that I'm dealing with Monopoly money. On top of that, the coins are really annoying, especially the 10 Agurot, which is equivalent to about 2 – 3 cents. And yet, they're actually necessary.

3. Cans here are thicker than ones in the US. That means that when I'm done drinking my juice, soda, or beer, I get very disappointed because I feel like there's more, but it tricks me every time.

The pictures are from the glass inside the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, me in front of the Israel-Lebanon border, eating that yummy pizza thingy in Tsfat, and the coast at Rosh HaNikra.

-AZ