Things have been great!
A quick update though b/c we never did get access in our room and I am using the very expensive terminal in the lobby (well it will be very expensive if it’s really 50 cents a minute as opposed to 50 aragot (i.e., half a shekel)).
Anyway – Saturday we let the kids sleep in while Chris and I worked out then we were off to the Israel Museum. Sammi is definitely not a museum person. We did not have a guide Saturday and it is close enough to the hotel to walk, so we did – beautiful day. Didn’t see the bread exhibit though – sorry Chris. Becky loved the garden of twisted metal – do not ask but she can be a very funny kid.
Afterwards we went to A&S for havdallah service and dinner. Two more student-friends of S joined us – very nice evening, very good dinner. Havdallah is a beautiful service. I hope Barry gives Sammi credit for it ;).
A walked us over to Ben Yehuda street afterwards and of course, we once again made our contributions to Israel’s economy. Mom, got you your chanukah present :D. Was that thinking ahead or what??
Yesterday (Sunday, though it felt like Monday) all day – very long day, was a good day. Started bad though with a typical Becky meltdown but an eventual recovery – thank god! Weather no good though – cold and rainy. We headed to Military cemetery first – paid our respects to Yitzak (sp) Rabin and Golda Meier. Then on to Yad Vashem. Sammi is a much younger ten year-old than Becky. OH, and she has trouble with bathroom stalls – don’t ask. I think YV should be left for the end of the day as it does sap your strength but we recovered.
Given the cold weather, couldn’t convince the girls to give Ezekials (or is it Hezekials) tunnel a try (the ancient tunnel – like 2800 years old, that connects Jerusalem to its spring outside the walls). You have to walk through waist high water at parts. So we regrouped and headed for lunch at some roadside place in Latrun. Our Guide is a tank commander so we couldn’t have had a better guide for the tank museum than him. Something totally not on the beaten path but we enjoyed it. They’re amazing, and luckily the rain had stopped so all that fresh air did us good.
Miniature Israel is nearby – so we might as well stop. Cheesy but heck, we were there. Then back to Jerusalem. We spent some time in the Jewish Quarter again – back to Cardo and more “contributions”. Oh Amy, that reminds me, Bible Lands was closed on Shabbat – hope you don’t mind but I made your contribution at Yad Vashem. After shopping, it was back to the Wall, where we took the 6:00pm tour of the underground tunnels that run alongside it – very interesting and amazing. So close and yet so far. Oh and hey there’s nothing that’s going to wake you up like the sound of gunfire as you enter the plaza in front of the Kotel. Actually, it was firecrackers and we were the only ones who jumped (I need a shaking head icon here) but really everything feels incredibly safe.
Dinner was at Sea Dolphin (aka Dolphin Yam). Expensive but very good – best calamari maybe ever – yeah it’s not kosher. Enjoyed a great Israeli Gewurztraminer along with it. Everyone liked it so much, we’re going back tonight.
In a short while, we’re off to Masada and the Dead Sea. Hope you all have a good day.
