Though I continue to optimistically set my alarm for the neighborhood of 10AM, Nina and I don't seem to be very good about the whole "now it's time to get out of bed" thing.
Tuesday was no exception to this rule, as we made a long comfortable morning stretch on in room 308 at the Harmony. The only problem was my desire to get our bags packed and pick up our rental car before the traffic kept us from reaching the Galilee before sunset.
Eventually, rational thinking defeated our sleepy tendendencies and we packed our things so that we could make one last run to the Mahane Yehuda and stock up before leaving town. After a very nice coffee and snack with our friends at Mizrahi, we set out on specific missions in the market.
I in charge of fruit and breads while Nina would handle a quick stop to pick up a "few spices". Not surprisingly, by the time I returned to the stall, our trusty spice salesman, Mordechai was in the process of a thinly veiled flirtation and full press sales job with my lady. I watched in amusement as he continued to wow her with sniffs from the piles of colorful spices stacked up around the shop and I could only chuckle when she walked out with a large bag full of spices and mixes that would make even my mom drool.
"I think I over spent" says Nina.
"How much?" ask I
"a lot" She says
"How much?" ask I
"Over 200 Shekels"
Considering that this is about $70, I would say that Mordechai won!
Stocked with spices and smelling like "Cumin Beings", we scooted back to the Harmony and went to pick up our rental, a "Micra", which was probably small enough to fit in one of Nina's larger purses.
More concerned about the stayingpower than the horsepower, I reluctantly started her up as we made our way into the Jerusalem traffic and toward the Judean Hills. Though the maps seem quite clear on how to meet up with route 1 East, we had a hell of a time finding our way out of the city... but finally wound our way past a few arab villages and onto the highway.
Following the downward path toward the Jordan River Valley, we descended into the West Bank and watched as the desert once again took us over.
Turning Northward somewhere near Jericho, we put the Micra to the Metal and Shot northward as the Jordanian border loomed a few kilometers to the right. After about an hour, we reached the northern border of the West Bank (aka the Green Line) and came to a standard checkpoint. After a few questions from the guard we were asked to pull over and were soon made to empty the entire car, open every door and run all our belongings through the machines.
I was a little annoyed at first...but by the end of the process, I think we both appreciated the experience...so far the only non standard security display we have witnessed.
Driving for another 45 minutes, we finally hit the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee, or the Kinneret as the locals call it, and caught route 92 along the Eastern shore to our new home at Kibbutz Ein Gev. Quickly checking in, we dropped off our things and ran down to the beach to catch a magical sunset over these Holy shores.
In the morning, we fired up the Micra and sling shot her up the steep hills of the Golan heights. Once on level ground, we found the Yehudia nature reserve and stowed the Micra in a tiny dirt parking spot. With the ranger's strong advice, we packed up 4 large bottles of water and set out onto the plateau.
For the first hour, we trudged along the marked path as it took us through arid fields and abondoned Syrian villages. Shortly, the path began to turn downward and we suddenly came upon a lush wadi that wound straight into the heart of a deep canyon. The dense green fauna and bright red flowers clashed brightly against the dry yellow deck and we obediently followed the red marks on the rocks as it took us into the thick of the Golani jungle. Winding our way deeper into the canyon, we fought off wild branches and hop scotched our way over the rocks that provided dry footing through the shallow stream below us.
Eventually, the water picked up steam and gathered itself into a tiny waterfall that dumped directly into a system of two large natural swimming holes dubbed the "Hexagon Pools" based on the large rocks of that shape which line the pools. We sat and watched as groups of Israelis jumped of the impressive cliffs and splashed around in the first pool.
Sensing a calmer vibe at the next pool, we climbed up the mountain and found the path leading to a much less crowded but equally beautiful pool. With cold water waiting before us, we stripped down to our bathing garments and quickly jumped into the cold and refreshing pool. It was a nice sensation, especially considering the intense heat. We lingered for a while, just dog paddling in the middle of the surprisingly deep water world we had found.
After getting out of the water, we allowed the sun to do it's work and were both fairly dry in a matter of minutes. Packing up our things, we set back up the face of the canyon and found the path markers above the pool.
After another hour, we approached the parking lot and finally spotted the micra resting next to a similarly sized tree (well...a bush might be more accurate). We quickly started the car and cranked up the AC...basking in the artificial yet wonderful cool breeze.
Heading down the mountain, we drove west along the top of the Lake for a while before heading up into the Galilean hills for lunch at "Vered Ha Galil". Inside the inn's rustic main lodge, we tore into a huge basket of Southern Fried Chicken and freshly baked bread. Within minutes, I could feel my tired body starting to recover from the day's work.
To end the day, we drove back to Ein Gev and spent the early evening relaxing in the warm but refreshing waters of the Kinneret. After a long dip, we pulled a couple of chairs into shallows and watched the sun set as the water lapped at our feet.
What a great spot.
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