Day 8 1/10/11 The Desert
The morning did not have the greatest beginning. Many people had not slept well because we were sleeping on the desert floor with a mattress pad and a sleeping bag. Then we were accidentally woken up a half hour early by another group who had to leave the tent earlier than us. We were frustrated, but soon forgot all about it. The breakfast was pretty standard to what we have had all week. What was different, was being able to look out across the desert. It was beautiful, with mountains against mountains, and we saw one of the other groups on the camel ride. When it was our turn, we each got on the camels, a pair at a time. I ended up being on the front camel. It was a bit scary at first, especially since as soon as I went to get on the camel it started growling, or making some noise. Once the camel had stood up however, it was different. I lost any fear I might have had. You were able to see things all over, and looking back at the caravan was very cool. I could not help but smile as I looked at the camels with all of the people on them. Not to mention the fact that the camels’ faces make me laugh a little. The climax of the camel ride was at the top of the hill. We were able to look out at a big portion of the desert and there were rolling sand dunes and the topography changed all over. The one part of Israel’s that tends to stick out most in my mind is the amount of hills and mountains. They are all over the country, and make for some extremely interesting and fun hiking. The other amazing part of Israel is the diversity of different types of lands. You have mountains covered in forest, rivers, the Mediterranean, the Dead Sea and of course deserts. And more amazing is the fact that with a few hour car ride you can reach any of these places. In America, one would often need a few hour plane ride. After the camel ride we went to a valley and nature preserve in the Negev. As we walked through, we say many different colored rocks, and often the cliffs were stacked with the layers. We came upon a river and were able to see the water fall as it flowed down. We learned about how the Bedouin and local animals use this water for survival, and how it was damned up to create clean water free of mud. We then proceeded to climb up the side of the cliff using stairs etched into the rock. At some points however there were ladders we had to use because it was so steep. It was a lot of fun and an amazing sight as we kept going higher and higher. At the top we could see for probably miles. It was awesome. The bus met us there and we proceeded to Ben Gurion’s tomb. What I expected, was not what it ended up being. I expected it to be a solemn affair and slightly depressing. When we arrived we immediately saw the local mountain goats, I cannot remember the name of the species. Iftah took a small detour in his explanation where we were to explain about the species. I am glad he did because it helps to understand more about the land. A country is not only described by the people, but also by the flora and fauna. We ended up seeing several more of them at the memorial. When we started down the river-like path, explained to us that this was done on purpose, we stopped after a while. We were then told to get into a straight line and hold each other’s hands, and close our eyes. We were led on a blind march to where the gravesite was, but also to an amazing view. At this point you could see farther then before, and it was magnificent. At this point the mood became a little somber and Iftah explained to us the history of who David Ben-Gurion was and why he was buried where he was. We were able to pay our respects to him, but our activities at this place were not done. We moved over to the side of the courtyard, and played a game of charades. This was a special version because each group had to act out a form of leadership. It was fun and funny. Having fun and laughing next to a burial site? One might think this is disrespectful. I would have to disagree. I think it is one of the greatest honors that can be accorded to this man. A man may be only as great as his deeds, but his deeds are only as great as the legacy he leaves behind. Ben-Gurion is certainly a man whose deeds will be remembered for many many years to come. By laughing and discussing leadership next to him, he can look down and smile at taking part in creating this future for us. I believe that this is an example of exactly what he wanted. Following the visit, we went to another kibbutz for lunch and a tour. We did not realize it would include free dessert. The gentleman that led us on the tour explained to us how the different processes worked, and what they do with the limit of water. Rather than just going on, he let us see the fruits of their labor, or rather he let us taste them. We ate cherry tomatoes, and peppers, and strawberries, and oranges, and basil they had made themselves. Some people even had the guts to try the hot peppers. We also made necklaces of tiny oranges and lemons, and could release homing pigeons if we wanted. We released them all together and it was funny because they immediately got into formation to fly back rather than just flying off by themselves. This kibbutz was so much fun. We then made our way to Arad. On the bus the majority of people slept, including me. When we got to the kibbutz we received our room assignments, and had some time to ourselves. Then was dinner. It started with some standard Israeli salads, like tomato and cucumber, lettuce, and cabbage. They soon brought out soup, and there were croutons to go with it. The main course was potatoes, corn, chicken satay, chicken legs, and a pasta dish. Everything was delicious. The staff decided to give us a gift too. They saw how exhausted everyone was, and so decided to cancel the evening’s activity to allow us to sleep. Especially since we are waking up at 4:30 to climb Masada. :)
