13.02.2010
Hi
I have almost finished with my exams, only one left 🙂
Because that week I had only one test I took myself half day off and went hiking. I went to see the grottoes in a place called “Rosh Hanikra” (Head of the grotto). It is on the border of Israel and Lebanon, on the shore of the Mediterranean sea. It’s beautiful place. To see the rock and the sea together, all the caves and grottoes. I really liked to see the place because when the British conquered Lebanon from the Vichy regime in 1942, they decided to link the railroad between Lebanon and Israel. They built 3 tunnels so the train wouldn’t have to climb the mountains. They had to do it because in that place the rock of the mountains touch the sea (the only place in Israel). I still remember my 3rd grade teacher question about it, and my answering wrong :-).
Yesterday we had a 6th memorial for our grandfather. Yoni (my elder sister) didn’t come. My parents are mad at her, she doesn’t come to almost any family meeting. Grandfather and grandmother ZL have a apartment in Tel Aviv that Yoni and her husband really need. Aba said that before he will give her the apartment he will make sure she’ll apologize to grandfather. We were driving when he said that, Ima and I looked at each at other in a look of “What does he want?”, and Ima told him “Grandfather is dead….”.
There is a Israeli movie called “Colombian love”, in one scene they make a remarriage party because the bride insult the father of groom. We started laughing at him he is like the movie.
I also went on a hike alone in Wadi Og in the desert today, after I found out that the friend that was supposed to come with me has to go to some family launch. I went up the Wadi climbing some falls, and after that part ended, the wadi became wider and less people hiked there. After finishing hiking up I started walking down on the road. I met a Bedouin that invited me to sit down and eat. He insisted and I ate a bit and drunk coffee. We talked a bit of how they live. He is old so he sit down all day with his camel and wait to tourists to come and ride on it.
I came home. Aba asked me if I am not afraid to hike alone in the desert. In the matter of fact I changed my route of hiking because I was afraid of Palestinian village. I think of that – I could have took my father gun, but that means you afraid. I couldn’t have sit down with that Bedouin and talk with him eye to eye with a gun in my bag…
General view of Rosh Hanikra, the ridge is called Tzur ladder
The view of the shore in Rosh HaNikra reserve
First you climb up the ridge, we got to the border crossing to Lebanon
Going down to site the cable car
The flat area below – used to be the HBT railway (you can see the entrance to the tunnel) now used as a celebration garden
Looking down on the water
The railway tunnel, used now as a visitor center of the site. The black curtain is the Israeli – Lebanon border 
Looking outside of the tunnel (south), one can see the railway track.
Inside the tunnels chiseled for access to the grottoes
Sitting on the edge of the water
inside the grottoes
The Elephant leg in Rosh Hanikra
The railway tunnel of HBT (Haifa-Beirut train) line in Rosh Hanikra (from wikipedia) – around 1942.
Take Care
Gad