Israel, Day 8, 29 December

For the first time since 27 July 2010 I set my alarm so I could have an early morning swim.  The view of the hills in the morning (and the great smell of chlorine) made the loss of sleep well worth it.  The breakfast buffet was similar to that in Jerusalem, with the addictive addition of kasza manna, which is like the world's best cream of wheat.

Our tour started with a beautiful walk among olive and oak trees to arrive at the ancient Talmudic village of Qasrin/Katzrin.  Remains (partially reconstructed) include a synagogue with a mosaic floor, a restored house with agricultural tools, and an oil press.

While visiting a war memorial in the Golan Heights our guide shared a personal experience from his time with Israeli special forces.  The reality of the situation makes one appreciate the relative safety that exists today.

From there we crossed the street and piled into some old Jeeps for a stomach churning ride.  We decided next time we'll cycle the route.

art hanging on a door 

After lunch at the shopping mall (bypassing McDonalds for Israeli savory pastries) we headed to Safed (or Zefat, Zfat, Tzfat), which is known as being the center of Jewish mysticism.  We were told stories as we walked the narrow alleys (not so narrow that they were free from cars), saw a some art galleries, and visited an ancient synagogue where Lecha Dodi (song welcoming the Shabbat bride) was written in the 16th century.  The highlight was visiting an amazing candle store with a multi-colored traditional candles, but also candles that were entertainment and art (a chess set, wall-sized braided candles, a Noah's ark with animals from books, comic strips, and movies).

Time to head down the mountain (975m/3200 ft) and back to the hotel.  It was going to be hard to leave behind the free wifi, table tennis, early pool hours, and great meals!