Haifa

Instead of spending another day on the beach in Tel Aviv I decided to take a day trip to Haifa. Our first destination was the Baha’i Gardens. We got a bit lost and arrived there shortly after 1PM. Unbeknownst to me, about 95% of the gardens closes after 12PM. There are 3 different tiers to the gardens and we were at the top of the second tier. We were able to see a little bit of that area and then decided to walk up to the very top of the gardens to get an even better view of the gardens and the city. Since the gardens were closed we had to take an indirect route to get there – up the hill and around the gardens via the roads. This would not have been as bad if I was not lugging around both a backpack and a bag that had all my clothing for 3 days. After about a 35 minute hike we finally arrived at the top and got an amazing view of the gardens, the port, and the city of Haifa.

The Baha'i Gardens: Matt, Marty, Me and Jon

From the Baha’i gardens we walked to the BodyWorks exhibit. In this exhibit they had full human bodies sliced and diced in every which way imaginable; All this was done in the name of science and art. They had full bodies, fetuses and individual organs on display. The museum did not allow pictures so the only one I could get was the sign outside. It was an interesting exhibit, but really REALLY REALLY weird and creepy.

Paintball

Today was a great day. We got to sleep in because we didn't have class in the morning and we got to go paintballing. The second bus had to wake up at 7AM to paintball, while we didn't have to leave until 11AM. Paintballing was a lot of fun. There were 3 different missions we had to do as the group was split into 2 different teams. In the last 2 minutes of the game, I had a lot of paint balls left and decided to go out in the open and go on a rampage. I ran out in front of a tree, and as I took cover, or at least thought I took cover, someone to the right of me who I did not see sprayed me with 9 bullets. It seems as though I have a lot to learn in the army :-P


After paintballing we were given the weekend off where we could travel where we want. Since paintballing was in Kfar Saba I decided to see some relatives and have Shabbat dinner there. After dinner I headed to Tel Aviv to meet up with people on the trip to party. Saturday was spent walking around – we ended up walking to Jaffa – the oldest port city in the world. After the almost 2 hour journey we headed to the beach to cool off and then spent the night partying again.

South Hike

Today we awoke at 4AM to go hiking in the desert. The ONLY things i had on the hike were my clothes, hat, sunglasses, backpack, 4 liters of water, crocks and shoes. It was heavily stressed to us that EVERYTHING gets soaked on the hike. EVERYTHING. Part of the group did the hike last week and said that it was possible but difficult to avoid getting your running shoes wet if you have crocks or sandals with you. This became my mission for the hike. We started hiking at 7AM and hiked uphill for 45 minutes before we started repelling. The remainder of the hike involved 7 repels and 3 cliffs to jump off of into water.
After the second repel there was a large pool of water (the water was disgusting because it was remnants of flood water) that we had to walk through. This pool was about 15 feet long. As I was changing out of my shoes and into crocks, my friend at the other end said the water was not that deep and only up to my thighs. The second step I took into the water I sank like a sack of bricks. Instinctively my hand that was holding the shoes shoots straight up in the air above my head. As I'm sinking and attempting to keep my head and shoes above water I can see and hear laughter at the other end. I struggled to swim with one hand as my crocks are about to slip off my feet. I survived and somehow managed to keep my shoes dry. After I caught my breath and pointed out my friends were jerks we had a good laugh as we played the same trick on the people behind us.

The next pool of sludge water we got to I was able to throw my shoes across to someone else and then leap off a 10 foot cliff into the water. After climbing out of the water soaking wet again I then had to throw my shoes off a 30 foot cliff and far enough to cross the 15 foot pool of water. As I repelled down the cliff I had to release myself in mid-air lying horizontal to the water, and fall in.

The last pool of water was about 20 feet long and again I threw my shoes across before I had to jump in. As the shoes were in the air, my heart stopped. After all my efforts to keep my shoes dry it looked like I did not throw them far enough and they would land in the water. The shoes bounced off the front face of a rock and I thought oh no, the shoes are going to bounce back into the water. Thankfully the momentum forced the shoes onto dry land and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The largest repel we had to do was over 100 feet high. Half way down the cliff, the rockface dissapeared and there was a huge cave and nowhere to put my feet. At this point I had no idea what to do. I couldn't see the instructor at the top so I couldn't as him what to do. If I released the rope further I would have lost my foothold and swing and be dangling in the air bouncing off the cliff face. There was only one person around and he was at the bottom of the cliff but he had gone down the cliff on a different rappeling line. He had no idea what to do either. The only option was to go with it and keep releasing myself and hope for the best. I ended up dangling and not holding onto anything as I lower myself the rest of the way to the ground.

After one of the repels

Jon, Matt, Me and Marty at the top of the hike overlooking the dead sea and the Jordanian mountains

It was antoher 45 minute hike until we got back tot he bottom at the bus. The hike was amazing, but we were told that we are doing a hike next week which is even better than this one. I can't wait. After the hike we went to the Ein Gedi spring. We relaxed and finally got to swim in some cleaner water.

Marty, Matt and I jumping into the water

After hanging out there for a bit we went to the dead sea to float. We finally got back to Jerusalem in the evening after a very long but awesome 15 hour day.

Coolest Shabbat EVER!

Today we met up with the AEPi board of governors who were on their own Israel trip for a photo-op ath the Western Wall. Everyone was given the 'AEPi stands with Israel' t-shirt, and all of us (approximately 90 people) congregated in the Western Wall Plaza for a picture. We also got a small tour of the new Aish building including the roof which had an incredible view. We had a few classes in the morning and spent the afternoon relaxing and hanging out before shabbat.

Before Shabbat there was a concert with this crazy hippie rabbi followed by services at the wall. For dinner we had a FEAST for all 90 of us in the Aish building overlooking the Wall. By far the coolest shabbat experience ever.

Me atop the building at Aish HaTorah

AEPi is awesome

Today we went to Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. We went to receive an award, as AEPi has raised over $100,000 for the hospital. We were met at the hospital by two clowns. The hospital uses medical clowns integrated with the rest of the medical staff to help treat patients. We got a short clowning around lesson which was very interesting.

We then had a tour of the Knesset, which was pretty boring. We were supposed to hear from a Knesset Member, who is also a brother of AEPi, but he got tied up and was only able to speak to us for about 5 minutes.

In the evening there was a nice alumni reception in Jerusalem, and the initiation of brothers into AEPi from the first school in Israel, making AEPi the first fraternity in Israel. It was awesome to be there for a historic day for AEPi!!! You can even read about it in the Jerusalem Post.

AEPi Jerusalem Road Trip

I am now on a 3 week program with AEPi. We are living (my suitcase is unpacked and not moving for 3 weeks) 100 feet outside the Zion gate of the old city of Jerusalem, which is a very cool experience. We have our own little complex with dorms and a nice courtyard. The living quarters are somewhat cramped with suitcases everywhere in the room, as there are 18 people living in my room with bunk beds (got the bottom bunk :-) ). There are 70 people on the trip from all over the US, and me - the only Canadian. The trip involves learning with Aish for a few hours in the morning, and in the afternoons we go travelling and doing fun stuff. The itinerary involves doing things that no other organized trip does. I'm not going to let the cat out of the bag, so you will have to keep reading to find out what I am doing.

The first night was the last night of a week long light show that was going on in the old city. (video to come!) They used the architecture of the buildings and incorporate it into the light show.

One Month!

So as of today, I have been in Israel for one month!!!!

This weekend was nice and relaxing after a week of traveling. I managed to find the time to upload pictures from the first month.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2246480&id=122600898&l=e91e87a18f

Saturday was my convocation. I was super excited because I didn't have to go! They can now bring my degree to me, instead of me going to get it! Whose the smarter one now! ha!

As of right now, I have managed to take a step backwards in joining the army. I had gotten my 2 year visa, which I needed to extend my stay past the 3 months allowed for tourists. Everywhere I went to deal with the army I told them that I was going to Petra for one day and if that would be OK. Would I need other documentation, or is it even allowed for someone enlisting in the army to go to Jordan. It wouldn't have been a problem had I known that I needed an exit visa!!!

I show up at 7AM at the border to Jordan, and the officer looks at my passport and asks me "where are you studying". After staring at her dumbfounded, she shows me my passport that says "student visa". My first thought was oh crap, they screwed up my visa, and now I'm going to be detained or something. So I explained my situation and she tells me either I go back to Ministry of Interior in Eilat to get an exit visa and come back a different day, or she would cancel my visa and I would have to go back and get a new one.

She cancels my visa so I could go to Petra. I ended up going to the Ministry of Interior in Rehovot on Sunday and spoke to the same lady that gave me the visa the first time. After waiting 3 hours to speak to her, she says "what do you need". I open the page to the canceled visa and say that I needed the same thing again. She looks at me and says "why did you get it canceled, what did you do?". I explain to her that it was her fault that I was back here, and that she never told me I needed an exit visa to go to Jordan. She responded "Oh, I didn't know." BULLSHIT!!

She is about to issue me the visa, when she checks the computer and it says that my visa is still valid. According to the computer, I never went to Jordan, and never came back. They hadn't processed the paperwork at the border yet. She tells me to come back on Thursday to which I respond, I can't and that I'm busy. She then says, okay come back on Wednesday. Same response. I told her I can't come back until July because I'm traveling and don't have time to come back to the Ministry of Interior and sit here all day for her to issue me something that she should have done correctly the first time! She tells me to come back when I can and that I should just go up to her, and not take a number and that she would do it right away. Lady, if your reading this you better believe I'm not waiting in line to speak to you!

Moral of the story - people here are USELESS!

SCUBA in Eilat

Today we went faux-SCUBA diving in Eilat. They put the air tank on a raft above water as we dove to swim with the fish and coral to a depth of 6 meters. It was awesome. There was lots of colourful coral and fish that were swimming all around us. After the diving, we went to the aquarium which was a major let down considering we just swam with all the fish. In this case pictures speak louder than words.

Petra

Amy and I took a bus from Masada to Eilat and the next morning we took a day tour to Petra, which is in Jordan. Petra was unbelievable and jaw dropping. There is so much to explore as the city is about 20 square km with buildings carved out of the rockface. We only went to one main area with the main attraction being the treasury.

First look at the treasury

The treasury

As described by the sign:
Al-Khazna (Pharaoh's Treasury):
It is the most perfect facade in Petra. It is situated at the end of the Siq, with a height of 39.5 meters. The lower level is decorated with six Corinthian capitals that are spanned by a frieze of griffins and vases among scolls. A vegetation goddess is carved in the central tempanon. The upper order consists of a central kiosk decorated with the relief of Isis and flanked by dancing Amazons and Victories. The kiosk is crowned by a captial supporting a funerary urn that was supposed to conceal Pharaoh's treasures according to local tradition. Although the original function is still a mystery, the Khazna is believed by many Archaeologists to be the mausoleum of King Artas IV (9BC-AD 40). Recently, three Nabataeans tombs were under covered below the Khazna. They belong to the end of the first century BC.

The Nabataeans built many of these caves for their dead in the second century. Later the Romans found the city and made additions, one of which was an amphitheater. We spent about 4 hours in Petra - It was enough for one day, but I could definitely go back for 3 or 4 full days of touring.

The Roman Amphitheater

Masada

We stayed at the hostel at the base of Masada; Aside from the hiking and the museum there is nothing to do except go to the pool. It was over 40 degrees again so after we checked out the museum we sat in the pool for the rest of the afternoon. We had an early bedtime because we were going to wake up at 4:45 AM to hike the snake path for sunrise.

Below is a warning sign at the top of masada as you are about to hike down. I did not see a similar sign on the way up!

Attention,
The difference in altitude between the bottom of the path and the top is 350 meters. There are about 700 steps along the two kilometers of winding path. The average time for descending the path is 30 minutes.

We started our hike at 5:05 AM and it only took about 5 minutes to start sweating - it was going to be another hot day of over 40 degrees.We made it 80% of the way up before the sun rose above the Jordanian mountains. It was unfortunate that it was a hazy day and we did not have the best view, but it was still great to see. Once atop the fortress we had a few hours to explore before it was time to hike back down the same way we came up.

I was able to explore some areas that I had not seen before because I was not rushed this time. The highlight was the northern part of the fortress next to the roman ramp. It was a pretty far walk so if you are in a rush it is difficult to see it, but I think it is the coolest part of masada that most probably don't get to see.

I hate the Dead Sea

My sister Amy just got to Israel the other day and now we are spending a week travelling. Our first stop was Ein Bokek; It is a little strip of land next to the dead sea with a bunch of hotels. Aside from the dead sea there is literally nothing else to do.

The majority of the afternoon was spent looking for a key that I lost to the safe. I ended up finding a key in the dead sea and gave it to the lifeguard ebcause it had a different hotel name on the key. So I kept looking but to no avail. When I was about to pay o have the safe cracked, I saw that the keys were the same one that I found. The hotel had recently changed its name, but kept the name on the safe keys the same. I was able to get the key back from the lifeguard and not have to pay for the lost key to the safe. Luckily my stupidity did not cost me this time. The key must have floated out of my bathing suit pocket.

I spent about 4 hours looking for a key that I had already found about 2 hours earlier. It also happened to be 41 degrees outside. Me floating!!!!

Random things worth mentioning

1. A sign at the hostel in Tel Aviv above the air conditioner controls reads: "In order to cool the room: check that the mode is ON. Set the temperature to 23 degrees, if it is set to less the A/C will freeze and stop working... Then you are really screwed."

Lucky (or unlucky) for me I did not have to deal with this potential problem. Only private expensive rooms get the AC, I stayed in a dorm room that only had a ceiling fan.

2. Elvis impersonator on the beach in Tel Aviv. The sad thing was that he looked more like Elvis than he sounded.

3. Does this sign make any sense to anyone?
4. Today I was bored on Shabbat, so I decided to engineer an epic domino setup. I finally decided to put my degree to work! I waited for shabbat to end so I could video tape its epicness. Just as I was about to knock over the first domino, like the fool I am, I bumped the table and ruined the whole thing.

Touring Jerusalem

I spent the remainder of the week in Jerusalem where I met up with friends in the evenings and toured during the days. On Wednesday I went to the City of David, which is adjacent to the Old City, as seen in the picture below. The city dates back over 4500 years, even before the first temple. It was David's son Solomon who was the first to build the temple. Not only does the City of David have ruins but there are currently people who still live within the city, making it hard if not impossible to continue excavations. The highlights of the tour was the walk through of two underground water systems. The first was through which water was carried from the valley up to the top of the city. it was through this tunnel that David was able to capture the city from the Jebuzites. Attacking the city from the valley did not work because the city was on higher grounds, thus he entered through the water tunnel. The second water system was created in order to transport water from one valley to the center of the city which had since expanded. Additionally, in the case of a seige the water from the valley would have been cut off without this tunnel supplying water to the city. It was a half hour walk through the pitch black tunnel that was only wide enough for one person. We walked through the water which at one point came up to my thighs, but was only as deep as my shins for 99% of the walk. The tunnel was dug from both ends and it is amazing how they somehow managed to meet in the middle. There are theories but nobody knows for sure how this was done!

Map of Jerusalem:

1 - Tower of David
2 - Temple Mount
3 - City of David

blue line - water tunnel transporting water from right to leftWednesday night I randomly bumped into one of the Israeli soldiers that was on my birthright trip 2 and a half years ago! The total is now 6 people.

Thursday I went to the Tower of David. It is the highest point of the city and provides an amazing view of bot hthe old and new city of Jerusalem. The tour explained the history of the Old City. Following the tour I still had a long time to kill before I met up with a friend in the late evening, so I decided to take a free tour of the Old City. At the halfway point of the tour, when they got to the Western Wall, I decided to stay there and ditch the tour because there was a swearing in ceremony for a group of soldiers who had just graduated from basic training. I endedu p waiting 2.5 hours for the hour long ceremony to start, but I ended up with a front row view.

Tower of David

View of the Temple Mount from the Tower of David
Grounds of the Tower of David

Swearing in ceremony

Army Testing Day

Today I had a full day of testing ahead of me - or should I say waiting. I had to go to Tel Hashomer for these tests - I was told to be there for 8AM. This meant I got to wake up at 6AM. After taking 2 buses I managed to get there just after 8. The testing involved struggling through an hour long interview about my personal information in hebrew. I had the great idea of telling the person I spoke ktzat ivrit (a little bit of hebrew) so she refused to speak to me in english. She did however make sure I understood the questions. This also included a brief oral, reading, and written hebrew test. They were asking me about my previous education all the way back to how old I was when I started grade 1. Through doing the math, I realized that I have been in school for 18 years - which is longer than the other enlistees around me have been alive! YIKES!

Throughout this week, Israel is conducting a very large home front drill. In a nutshell, this drill is to prepare the country for SIMULTANEOUS war in the north with Hizbullah, war in the south with Hamas, increased suicide bombing attempts from the West Bank, and massive protests within Israel. Today at 11AM a test siren sounded for one minute and everyone went to a designated meeting room. I had no idea what they were telling us prior to the drill, but I just followed everyone else. In the room of about 30 people, I looked around again and saw that I was probably the oldest one there by about 4 years. I have a feeling I am going to be in this situation a lot.

Following that I waited several hours to see a doctor for my physical check up. Not so surprisingly, the story of the foreign object lodged in my arm was one that this doc had never heard before. After the checkup they made me go for a lung test because of my asthma. They made me jog on a treadmill for 6 whole minutes! Afterwards I HAD to rest for 6 minutes before they took the readings. After the test I asked the soldier if I had passed. She asked why I was sent there and if I had asthma. I responded yes, and she said 'I couldn't tell' :-)

The next test was an aptitude test that was very similar to parts of an IQ test. Afterwards I felt good about myself because I thought I did quite well, then I realized the test was designed for 17 year olds. FML.

Following another interview, I was able to leave. It was 4:45! Luckily this is when the army starts to pay off. I asked them how to get to Jerusalem via public transit. I was then told that I can be reimbursed for my traveling to and from the enlistment office for the day! They gave me my money back for the bus I took to get there, and the 4 buses it took for me to get to the hostel in Jerusalem! I finally arrived at the hostel in Jerusalem at 8PM. What a long day of sitting and waiting and 6 entire minutes of jogging.

Max Freaking Brenner!!!!

On Sunday, I headed back to Tel Aviv for 2 more days of bumming around on the beach. The highlight of Tel Aviv this time was Max Brenner. It is a chocolate restaurant, and it's amaaaaaaaaaaazing. I encourage you all to book your flight to Israel NOW and go to Max Brenner. Don't even bother visiting me until you have been to the restaurant. Do not continue reading, you are wasting valuable time. The desert is well worth the cost of a flight to Israel. They had an entire chocolate desert menu, which put me in a very difficult situation. In the end I decided to go with the item on the menu that was the most densely concentrated with chocolate - the chocolate souffle. After finishing it and some of the leftovers from others I was on the biggest sugar high EVER! Sooooooooooooooo delicious.


As described by the menu: Hot Chocolate Souffle - Filled with melted white chocolate. Served with crunchy waffle balls, vanilla ice cream and warm melted chocolate sauce.