Rubinations…

We got an early start the next day for our first of three major hikes in Israel, Banias Falls. By all accounts it was the easiest of the three we would do and took us a fraction of the time it was supposed to. That said, it was a really pretty hike.

After the hike we jumped back in the car and headed straight to Metula to see ‘The Good Fence’. Metula is the northernmost city in Israel and is basically in Lebanon.  In fact, as you drive up the main highway to get to the town, there’s a barbed wire fence with watchtowers that could, need be, cut the rest of the country off from invading Lebanese (to the detriment of Metula’s residents).  Despite its location,  Metula was a pretty standard looking suburb, Liz actually compared it to Boca Raton and honestly she wasn’t far off.  Unable to find what all the Metuala-hype was about (Peter had added it to our itinerary) we went to the town’s massive sports complex to check out the home of the Israeli national hockey team (yes really, Israel has a ice hockey team). We then saw that the gym had a shooting range, and thought it a strangely symbolic place to get in some target practice.

Liz’s first shot was (I sh*t you not) a bullseye

This lovely day finished with a wonderful al fresco dinner near the Kibbutz with assorted wildlife.

Hey Liz, my back right tooth hurts a little bit. Weird.

Early start Saturday morning… We had to get thru the fort city of Acre (Akko), the grotto at Rosh Hanikra, the ‘mystic’ city of Tsfat before finally getting to El Hagoshrim Kibbutz were we get to spend 2 nights.

Akko was amazing and after a false start (going in the wrong entrance without tickets) we got ourselves situated and were able to really explore the ruins.

Liz was a little scared in the tunnels.

After Akko, we went to Rosh Hanikra where legend has it some woman threw herself into the ocean to escape someone evil… I think I’ve heard this story before. But the grottos were amazing and the cable car had its expected effect on Liz.

Steepest cable car in Israel.

Our last stop before making it to the Hagoshrim Kibbutz for some needed rest is Tsfat. An artistic, mystical community (highly recommended by my sister). It was a pretty place to walk around for awhile but I think we were happy to get to our final destination after a long day.

4 hours on the tarmac, a 12 hour flight, another hour in the car and we finally made it to the first destination of our Israel Teen Tour ’94 on Shabbat, June 28, 2008.

Unfortunately we are only able to spend few hours in Caeserea before we have to get back in the car and let Steve direct us to Haifa (Steve is our guide/American GPS voice).

The aqueducts are amazing. Those Romans sure knew how to build them.

Liz was pretty thirsty

We got to Haifa in the early evening and I didn’t realize it but on the Sabbath one of the elevators in the hotel runs on auto so you can get in and out on any floor without doing any ‘work’.  (Liz apparently (and smugly) already knew this).

Haifa is a beautiful city overlooking the water.

I wish we had more than a night to see the city but we are off tomorrow early to head to Acre, Rosh Hanikra, Tsfat and then we’ll end the day at El Hagoshrim Kibbutz in The Golan Heights (our first FULL busy day.)