Tales from Israel, Part 1.

Every second we spent in Israel was gold.

Richard's sister Valerie and her husband Emeric were there to greet us at the airport with hugs and kisses. We rented an apartment in Tel Aviv through Airbnb for the first two nights and as it was midnight, we drove straight there.

we're apartment 4 :-)

When we got to the room, Val and Emeric surprised us with a bunch of presents--towels engraved with our names in Hebrew, skin care products from the Dead Sea, and just about all the tourist information available in the country.

Tel Aviv apparently is filled only with models. Every single person there was incredibly beautiful. The women were chic and stylish. The men were all tall, dark, handsome, and ripped. There was an entire beach for dogs! I was pretty sure we had entered heaven. Richard agreed--there was a surf spot next to the apartment and a ton of people catching waves early the next morning. He hopped on the first surfboard he found while we lazed around on the beach. I found myself in a conversation with an Israeli national basketball player who had much to tell me about where to eat, what to see, and what life in Israel was like.

Doggie Heaven

Next we went for a stroll through old Jaffa, the port city where Noah is said to have built his arc. 

We settled in for our first real Israeli meal at "Aladin," seated on their cozy terrace overlooking an ominous rock formation in the water. According to Greek mythology, these were the very rocks that Princess Andromeda was chained to, as a sacrifice to the sea monster. Luckily the poor girl was quickly resuced by Perseus. 

I have literally not stopped eating hummus since this day. Now I make my own version every Sunday!

The next day we drove to Jerusalem, where Val and Emeric live. Jerusalem is an incredible mix of culture--like nothing I've ever seen. The languages, religions, history, ideas--the ancient juxtaposed with the modern. Nothing was familiar.

We started at the souk...

And then headed to the City of David, a walled city from the Bronze Age and now a major archaeological site.

We trudged through Hezekiah's Tunnel, thought to be created around the 8th century BCE, which was used as the secret water source for Jerusalem during times of conflict.

The tunnels lead to this pool, where Jesus is said to have healed a blind man.

Our next stop was the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, one of the most sacred sites in the Jewish religion. It dates from the Second Temple Period, around 19 BCE built by Herod the Great. 

Just outside the entrance, after passing through security, we stumbled upon an indoctrination ceremony of new Israeli soldiers. The leaders in the center of the circle put something in the hands of every soldier, and they all held out this mysterious object while singing together. Proud parents snuck in between ranks to take photos of their beloved children. Everyone was smiling and happy.

Before you enter the area, men and women are separated, and someone ensures you are respectfully clothed. Men have an entrance on the left, and women to the right. Some people were touching the wall and praying quite actively, with their whole bodies constantly bowing. Others were sitting in chairs just in front of the wall. Many of the women were crying. Millions and millions of tiny pieces of paper were squeezed in between the bricks on the wall--hopeful prayer requests in languages from all over the world.

I watched this proud dad get his son ready for a very important photo.

It was a very powerful site. Even now as I'm writing and recalling this experience, I can still feel the energy from that place--heavy, serious, profound.

That night, Val and Emeric treated us to a spectacular light show at the Tower of David. Everyone was seated outside, and the walls of the ancient citadel were turned into a projector screen. The sad history of Jerusalem played out in giant shadows, surprisingly elaborate scenes, and classical melodies, ending on a unifying note with a simple plea; to pray for peace in Jerusalem.

For dinner, the island kids ate wasp babies that Richard had packed in his carry-on!! (Only in Reunion...) I stuck with my hummus and falafels.

To be continued.......