This post was meant to be much longer, full of details, and loaded with gushing about this and that, but my Surface kind of froze up on me, so I lost a good chunk of what I'd been writing before, and with our wake-up call for tomorrow coming in less than 6 1/2 hours, I'm going to have to cut this short and just give you a little taste before I serve up a full plate of Israeli delights tomorrow or the day after.
We've only been in Israel for three days, but it feels like we've been on this tour for much, much longer. Take it to be a good or bad thing, but I'm quite happy about it, because truly, I love this country!
In regards to Israel, I can't really think of anything I'd like to complain about. Not that I usually have a long list of things I don't like about a place, but you can only be questioned about how safe a place is so many times before you start to feel like you're a bit nuts for being so anxious to go there. But if I share nothing else with you in this first post about Israel, I'd like to share this, and especially dedicate it to all those who asked me upon learning where I'd be starting my summer backpacking trip, "You're going to Israel!? Isn't it a little dangerous!?" Well, let this following bit simmer on your stove for a moment. (And please pardon all the food/kitchen/cooking references. It's just that, the food here is so unbelievably good, they've got me going even cduisine-crazier than usual.) On our first night here, our tour guide, Shimon, told us this:
"Guys, really, Israel is such a safe place. You don't have to worry about anything while you are walking around. Really. There is no place in Israel we don't let our children play, and there is nowhere, not even one dark alley, that we tell our daughters not to walk down alone at night."
Granted, there were a couple missiles exchanged that same night just half-an-hour from Tel Aviv (though we were sleeping in Natanya), but they have technology to know if it's going to land where there are people, and can intercept them if they're going to kill anyone. He said it costs about $300,000 each time they intercept one, so if it's just going to land in a field or something they let it go.
But truly, Israel is an incredible place. I haven't seen a single person with a machine gun standing around, no smoke in the air from a recent explosion, and even today, when we were in the Golden Heights (which used to belong to Syria), looking at Syria and Lebanon, all was calm other than the bus loads of tourists being carted around. This country has captivated me, and I highly suggest you start planning your trip now! And I know this post maybe isn't much to convince you, but just wait till I start posting pictures of the incredible Israeli buffets I've been enjoying, the gorgeous seas and landscapes, and all the amazing historic sights. I'll even try to snap some pictures of the beautiful Israeli people to include, just in case you need some more convincing. ;)
I came into this trip expecting my mind to be blown by how different the country and culture are, or how different I assumed them to be, but instead, I'm greeting by that familiar Mediterranean vibe, and my mind is being blown by how much I love the food, culture, and everything else within this place. I promise there's more to come soon, but for now, I must go to bed. We have a big, big day tomorrow, and I don't want to be the tired grounch of the group. ^_^
Wishing you all the greatest of days or nights wherever you might be, and passing sweet vibes your way!
Blessings, Love, Light & Wonder
Allie-Sun <3