The Negev

We woke up shivering in the Bedouin tent. Opinions were divided over whether that was the result of a massive overnight temperature drop or simply because no one turned on the heater. Regardless, everyone seemed more bright-eyed and energetic than usual--probably the desert air. Breakfast was followed by a short camel ride. The ride was pretty smooth compared to a horse. It was kind of like a gold two-seater on stilts.

After saying salaam to the Bedouins, we took a devastatingly gorgeous hike in the En Avdat Nature Preserve, south of Be’er Sheeva in the Negev Desert. En Avdat contains one of the few natural streams in the Negev, and we followed it until we came upon a waterfall. On either side were sheer, pale rock cliffs-- littered with scrub brush--upon which we occasionally spotted an Ibex. The hike took us from the bottom of the valley through a steep winding path cut into the stone. The view from the top was amazing. (Yes, there will be pictures!)

Next we went to the grave of David Ben-Gurion, the founding father, so to speak, of the State of Israel. Unlike other national leaders, like Yitzhak Rabin, who were buried in Jerusalem, Ben-Gurion chose both to live and be buried in the Negev. It was his hope that one day the desert would bloom, and that millions of people would one day settle there. Currently only about 8 percent of the 7 million people in Israel live in the Negev, which contains 60 percent of Israel’s landmass.

In the meantime, there are many innovative farms and farmers devoted to making the most of a rough climate. We ate lunch at an organic farm, and then toured the greenhouses. We were allowed to sample fruits, vegetables and herbs straight from the plants themselves. We tasted tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, parsley, white carrots, cilantro, and my personal favorite, strawberries. As we ride toward the Dead Sea, it is time to say goodbye to the Negev, but it will be hard to forget the clarity of mind that its stark beauty provided.