Bus 153 Takes on the Negev!

On Sunday afternoon, we left Jerusalem and headed for the Negev. After a quick stop for a roadside photoshoot and song session, we made our way to a replica Bedouin community. Brad pointed out a very cute mother and child camel on the side of the road. Unfortunately, this beautiful camel family turned out to be made of cardboard. Jill, who was convinced they were real camels, was thoroughly disappointed!

Our Bedouin host treated us to coffee and traditional Bedouin music as he told us about his culture, religion, and the relationship with the State of Israel. We learned that while some Bedouins still ride camels, others ride what he referred to as “automatic camels,” like Toyota, Subaru, and Mitsubishi. My favorite part of the Bedouin experience were the “traditional” Bedouin air conditioners in our tent! It’s amazing to see power lines in the middle of the desert, and our host told us how technology was changing Bedouin lifestyle.

We then went to dinner, with 4-5 of us sitting on pillows around a circular table. We ate chicken, rice, corn on the cob, pita, and potatoes, followed by more coffee, tea, and baclava. After thoroughly overeating, we enjoyed the night together, talking under the Negev sky, singing songs around a campfire, and continuing to build our community together. Eventually, we retired for the evening, all sleeping together in our tent.

In the morning, we ate handmade pita that was made right in front of us, and rode camels in the sweltering desert heat. Brandi made sure everyone drank enough water, reminding us to re-hydrate every 10 to 12 minutes. In traditional Bedouin fashion, we left our temporary dwelling shortly thereafter, and made our way to greener pastures (literally!) before the afternoon sun fully melted us away.

Hard to believe our trip is almost over!

Shalom,
Mike and Brandi