Up the Haifa and back, to the amazing race of Tel Aviv.

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Happy weekend in Israel (Yes, it is the weekend here in Israel, the weekends start on Thursday and go to Saturday. People here start the week on Sunday. Interesting to adjust to that. Although I have yet to adjust to this because I am just traveling this whole week.)

Sooo where have I left off? I went on my way up to North Israel on the train. Finding the train station by myself was a success. I am able to walk to the train station from my apartment (just short of a half hour walk), and it's a very easy walk. I was able to buy my train ticket right away and hop on the train a half hour later. I got onto the train, and for the first time I really felt like a lone traveler in Israel because I was unable to connect to wifi for a while, and all around me was Hebrew. Big adventures and learning experience but I embraced this time 😊 I also found myself in the "reserved" seating area of the train. For the first part of the train ride I was standing with a group of people, and than a train employee said some words and motioned for us to move to a different section of the train. Later, the employee came through asking for our tickets, he told me (Starting out in Hebrew ofcourse) that I was in the reserved part of the train. I had no idea! OOPS. Fixed the small mistake with 5 sheckels and enjoyed the rest of the ride. Next time I will know to sit in the free area of the train....

So I arrived in Kiryat-Ata (where Pdudya and Moti picked me up) at about 4. It was my first time meeting them, but we had no trouble finding each other because I looked like the lost American girl I suppose. They were a delight to stay with and took very good care of me for my stay. They first took me for a drive through Haifa, and I saw some of the most beautiful scenery I have yet seen in Israel. The Bahai gardens (which I didn't learn about until this trip) is one of the most famous Bahai gardens I was told. The Bahai are a reglious group and they are all over the world...and wow, the gardens are beautiful. I was happy to be with Pdudya and Moti because they gave me an insider's view of the area, as they know it first hand.

I was also happy to be able to meet up with another Israeli friend who lives in Haifa when I was up here. Ayelet is a friend who came to Minnesota a few summers ago. She came to meet up with us at dinner....It was wonderful to see her, and I said Mazel Tov to her, as she is getting married this Tuesday. (Interesting that it is very common for people to be married on Tuesday in Israel because it is good luck.) This would rarely happen back home I am sure.

Pdudya's and Motis home was a wonderful place to stay, and Pdudya cooked up some delicious food this afternoon for lunch. Before lunch I went with them to the local market they go to for fruits and vegetables (We would call this a farmer's market back home...) I was able to sample a variety of new fruits (See video!)

And another Israeli friend comes into the picture!...My friend Snir lives near Haifa, so he came to Pdudya's and Moti's house this afternoon to pick me up, and we rode the train together back to Tel Aviv. I was very happy to have an Israeli friend with me for the train ride back to Tel Aviv! Especially because we got off at different train stop. And brace yourselves, because, now, is the time.....The Amazing Race, Israel Version starts. Snir and I needed to get to the Israeli box office to pick up our Rhianna tickets before it closed, and it closed at 7 PM. We arrived back to Tel Aviv at 5:30. The box office and our train station were....well, I'm not sure how many kilometers (they don't use miles here, I'm still adjusting to this too!) But I would estimate we walked close to 4 miles, or I should say ran. We hopped of the train, attempted to rent some bikes (found out they were too expensive), and than began running to the box office. It was a big race because we needed to pick up our Rhianna tickets! (He told me if we didn't get to the box office in time he will send me alone, I laughed.) We ran some more, and than hopped on to a sheruit (remember my photo of a sheruit from a few blogs back, like a taxi.) We took this for a few blocks, hopped off, and ran some more. We were running through a market (Hakarmel market, it's huge here in Tel Aviv.) FINALLY, after this long race of running, asking for directions (Snir asking in Hebrew ofcourse makes it faster 😊 ), we arrived to the box office IN TIME for our tickets! So, it's official, Rhianna in Israel on October 22nd.

After we got our tickets we walked some more, and finally got some dinner, falafel. I even got a free side of fries 😊

So it has been a big week of adventures and travels for me, and I have loved all of the time so far. I'm SO thankful to have some good friends in Israel who are here to support me and help me with everything, they make me feel like family (as we did with all of them in America.)

It's incredible to look back on this week...I've done a lot. And there's still a handful of adventures waiting. This weekend I am going to stay with Reuven and his family. I am very much looking forward to meeting his family. I am told his parents, and girlfriend do not speak English so everything will be translated through Reuven.

I will try my best to post a blog this weekend but I apologize in advanced if my blog homework doesn't get done! I'll have a big one on Sunday if not this weekend.

I am sending all of you followers lots of ochevot (love) from Israel. Stay happy, healthy, and L'chaim!

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Photos

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Pdyuda and I at Haifa.

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The night view. :)

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BEAUTIFUL

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Snir and I eating our dinner

Comments

[gandg]

What an amazing wonderful week you have had! We know that you will continue to enjoy many more adventures and time spent with your great friends, who are like family. Lots of ochevot to you,