Sweet and Salty--Days 2 and 3

Day 2:  hike up Mt. Meron (some spell it Maron). At almost 4,000 feet above sea level, it is the second highest mountain in Israel, behind those of the Golan. This hike was less intense than day 1, but it was a longer trek. The terrain was a lot more manageable, consisting mostly of dirt paths and a plethera of trees, which provided a lot of shade from what sun was visible through the clouds.  I lagged behind the group on purpose, wanting to have the opportunity to take photographs. The armed guard, who has to be at the very end of the line at all times, was very nice and allowed me some time to do this. There was no water to cross this day, so my feet stayed dry, thankfully.  Also, I only hit my head three times on low branches, a record low at that point in the trip.  The hike was otherwise uneventful, but not in a negative way.  It was very peaceful for me, and since I was lagging behind I listened to some music on my mp3 player.  Once I caught up to the group, it was picture time.  As you can tell in the pictures, it grew very hazy.  This was disappointing because once we reached the top, our view, though amazing, was limited.  From the top of Mt. Meron you can see the mountains of Lebanon, Mt. Hermon, the Golan Heights, Syria, etc.  I could make out some of these places, but barely.

 

 

The trees here are so fascinating

View on the ascent to the top

View from the top

Our blue dot showing us where we were...sooo close to the border, it was a shame we couldn't say hello



Starting the trek up

 

A flock of these flew overhead while we sat at the top

 

A few of the amazing people I've met here





 

More amazing people

Day 3: Day 3 was Saturday=Shabbat, so we didn't hike that day; it was our day of rest.  We were staying in Peki'in, also referred to as Bukeia by the Jewish historian Josephus.  Peki'in has a mixed population of Druze, Christian, some Muslim, and according to tradition, there has always been a Jew living there for the last 2,000 years (since the Second Temple Period).  Today, one Jew remains.  Her name is Margalit Zinati (I hope I spelled that right). She descends from one of the ancient families to have lived in the village for the last 2,000 years.  She oversees the ancient synagogue in the village, said to have two stones of the Second temple in its walls. 

Margalit Zinati

It was nice to see a U.S. flag. The striped flag is that of the Druze

To celebrate the end of Shabbat, we had a campfire/cookout.  My favorite part of the evening was lying on the rugs by the fire and watching the clouds race by the moon.  Once they passed, the sky was clear and the stars were bright.  My least favorite part of the evening was biting my tongue so hard I couldn't eat dinner.  After a few days, the numbness went away and I was back to normal.  An earlier highlight was playing chess with my friend Rob.  Even though I lost both times, it was good practice as I've only played two other times.  Our second game lasted about an hour, which I almost won.

Morning mist over the village of Peki'in