Goodbye Golan

(David is doing much better - he had a gastroenteritis viral infection. It usually lasts 3 days and it just needed to run its course.He's still a little weak,but on his feet and ready to tour again. We feel so bad that he miss so much of this beautiful corner of the country.)

We just spent an incredible time with our couchsurfing family, Yaakov and Shoshi Levi, on Moshav קדמת צבי (Quidmat Tzvi). They have a beautiful home full of fruit trees, herbs and flowering trees, as well as a huge guest house they built with a bathroom and kitchen. We stayed in the guesthouse. Yaakov is a farmer and a teacher. He has owns dairy cows and orchard. Shoshi is a social worker and also still living at home is their very sweet son, Sa'ar, who has been terrific with the children. Noah just adores him. On Saturday, Yaakov took the kids and I, as well as his kids to tour the Golan Heights via dirt roads (one of them being the Petroleum Road) and then headed over to Nachal Snir. It's very cool because you can hike in the water or the trail and as you continue through, Nachal Dan joins in, just parallel for a bit and then it merges together. The Dan is much colder than the Snir which was very refreshing. It was so lush and Natalie with an eye just like her dad, was able to spot a huge crab sitting on a rock, totally camouflaged. How she (or David) is able to spot these things is beyond me. On our way home we stopped by a new memorial that honored the 73 young soldiers who died in a horrific helicopter accident in 1997. Two Israeli helicopters were going on a stealth mission and had their lights off and collided. One of the men who died was a former student of Yaakov's.

On Sunday, it was Natalie's 9th Birthday so it was her day to choose what she wanted to do. We headed over to Manara Cliff and rode the cable car, got to ride a very fun alpine ride - sorta like a roller coaster that we can control ourselves, our ticket also included swimming in their Moshav's lovely pool. Afterwards, we grab a bite to eat, met several families who either lived in Israel or were visiting, and then we headed to Kfar Blum for rafting (or they call it kayaking) down the Jordan River. That was a lot of fun. We took Sa'ar along with us and he also had a blast. Driving around wasn't bad at all. I have a great memory and navigation skills, so having already been in the area a few times before over the wknd, it was a breeze. David was very sick that morning so Yaakov took him to the local clinic and they ran some tests, gave him an IV and then diagnose him with the virus he has. Thankfully the doctor was American, so it was much easier to communicate.

By the time we got home, David was feeling much better. His fever had finally broke and though his stomach was still upset, he was ready to continue on to our next big and exciting adventure, to visit good friends of Yaakov, a Druzim Family, located very close to the Syrian border. The Druze are very loyal to Israel, but also can travel back and forth to Syria, where many of their family are based. Unlike the Druzim who live in the Galilee /Carmel Mountain area, the Golani Druzim do not go into the Israeli Army. When we got to their house, we were greeted by the whole family. They live in a very modern home and only one room had furniture per se. Most of the rooms have an area carpet and cushions on the floor. That's where we all sat to eat and to talk. In one of the other rooms, there was a TV on a stand, and the men in there were very much engaged in a hot game of sheshbesh (backgammon.) David was invited to play and he won the game to their surprise. They wanted to play me too, but poor them, we had to leave. : ) I've learned to play Middle Eastern sheshbesh from my girlfriend's father who is Iranian. David also learned from him as well, so perhaps that's why he did so well last night. It was very nice of them to have us visit with them. They brought out a huge circular tray with olives, different types of cheeses from Yaakov's farm, olive oil and Syrian Za'arta (spices), sauteed vegetable which were out of this world - it was soooo good, and a few other dishes that were also very good - all vegetarian, because they know Yaakov and Shoshi do not eat any meat. They also had Druzim pita - this huge round, thin bread, almost the size of Noah, which is all folded up and given to everyone. This was accompanied by some honey, mint tea which also was very good. Afterwards,they brought out another round tray full of different nuts and fruit.

Again, we were so thankful to Yaakov and Shoshi for making our trip so special. Not many people get the opportunity that we just had experience. It was a perfect ending to Natalie's birthday. I hope she forever remembers it.

Today, we are heading to the Northern Coast to visit the Grottoes on the border of Lebanon, and then driving to Haifa and also visiting some small museums in the area. Tonight we will be staying with another couchsurfing family and tomorrow we will be driving down towards Tel Aviv for more exciting touring, including Caesaria, Netanya and Rechovot to visit a clandestine bullet factory during the British Mandate.

Time to get on the road.

Shalom,