In the Desert
We started our day with a visit to the Ben Gurion memorial in the Negev. After taking in the view of the desert terrain we sat down to learn about the Israeli leader.
There was much to learn about his relentless work to build a home country for the Jewish people, but we will probably remember most the more personal facts; his headstand habit, the humble life he led, how his wedding was wedged between important meetings.
After the memorial we hiked a trail that was "not flat at all". Not only were there a lot of steps, but ladders! We enjoyed a waterfall early on the path, and the surrounding water was like glass, with a perfect reflection of the steep cliffs it had carved through. The trail summit offered an incredible landscape view of the canyon we had climbed.
After a lunch break we headed to a vegetation farm. In the desert. We were greeted by Peter, who long ago moved with his wife from South Africa just to farm in Israel. He was a wonderful guide to the farm, offering us fresh produce and explaining desert farming with remarkable wit and charm. Most of the food we got to pick ourselves, and was juicier and sweeter than what we're accustomed to buying on the states.
During the tour we heard sounds from training activity. While we were safe from harm, it was a strong reminder of the conflict that Israelis face everyday.
After sunset we arrived at our Bedouin host, who showed us their best in hospitality. For dinner we sat on cushions at low tables while our hosts brought us platters of couscous, veggies and meat. The chicken fell right off the bone, and there were meatballs mixed with potatoes and spices that blended perfectly. Our vegetarian friends enjoyed "meatballs" with quite good texture and rich flavor.
We finished our night with some skits we whipped up in a few minutes, poking fun at both American and Israeli culture as well as some of our cherished group members. I think it was the most we laughed so far. We all fell asleep under our one tent to prepare for our early start the next morning.
