Tuesday, May 8: Tsfat and the Golan

A packed day. We started by heading to Tsfat (aka Safed), the home of Jewish mysticism. We looked at some old synagogues, a candle store, and lots of poor people. I stopped at a visitor's centre to use their Internet connection and had a chat with the administrator, Laurie, a very nice woman from Detroit.

One of the things I learned on this trip is just what nice, genuine people Americans can be. I like ex-pats! Those open-minded olim (immigrants) are among the nicest people in Israel.

Linda sharing fruit

Quickly off. Over the Jordan River at its source—and let me say right now that the Jordan River is at no point deep or wide; it's about the size of the Thames in London—and into the Golan Heights. Lots of background from Julie along the way, for instance that the Sea of Galilee (actually a lake, about a third the size of Lake Simcoe) is Israel's only sizeable source of fresh water during the dry summer months. It's not big! and it has to feed all the water needs of a whole country for an entire year. And what's worse, there are salty springs underneath it that are kept contained by the water on top, so Israel can't drain the lake too much or the springs will erupt and that will be the end of that. Julie says that the one topic that is on the mind of all Israelis all during the rainy season is whether the Sea of Galilee is going to get enough water in it for the coming year. It doesn't always.

This little lake even meant the end of peace talks with Syria at one point: they wanted to have barbecues on the shore like the Israelis, but the Israelis would not cede even a centimetre of the shoreline. Some people say the wars of the coming century will be fought over water. I'm inclined to agree. Cost-effective desalination, we need you now! There's a whole lot of ocean out there, and a lot of thirsty people, and plants, on this planet.

Golan Heights, great views. Glad they're no longer inhabited by enemy soldiers.

Katzrin: Hollywood on the Golan

More archaeology in a place called Katzrin, then to lunch. I had a falafel, which I had been looking forward to. To my surprise, it came with french fries! Right there in the pita with everything else! What an odd country.

Went to a wine factory. Very cheesy video. And I'm not really into the wine, but now I at least know the right way to drink it. Hint: it does not involve a hat with long straws. Pretty good wine, mind you, as wine goes.

Visited a lovely waterfall in Nachal Zavitan, next to an old temple of Pan. Hyraxes there. Hyraxes are biggish fuzzy creatures, like beavers but without tails, and they can climb trees! Very cute. Closely related to the elephant, believe it or not.

Back to Kibbutz Kfar Giladi. Sauna, swim, dinner, to bed.

Woken up at 3am by my cell phone: someone in Toronto inviting me for a job interview, yay! But I not able to make it as on another continent and they in too much of a hurry to wait for my return. Nice pat on the back, though. Turned cell phone off and went back to sleep.

Next: Wednesday, May 9, Archaeology in the Galilee