Following the Green Apprenticeship at Kibbutz Lotan, I set off on a two week backpacking adventure with Max and Adam, friends from the course. Max and I started the first week exploring the Negev with a visit to the Ramon Crator (Maktesh Ramon) and Ein Gedi.
Even after two months spent living in the Arava Desert ( the second most arid in the world ), I was still captivated by the beauty of the desert landscape. There is nothing like an expanse of rock and sand to make you appreciate life. I felt in awe of every brittle shrub which seemed to ignore the laws of nature and grow without the presumed prerequisites of soil and water.
I also felt in awe of things like Ibex chilling in this playground
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| You can do whatever you want, but for god's sake, DO NOT PICK THE FLOWERS |
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| It's views like this that make me sigh, " Damn, I love my life " |
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| Multicolored sands inside of the crater |
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| After much searching, Max and I found the famed ammonite wall, these were seriously impessive. |
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| Max being an ammonite? |
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| What is the plural of Ibex? |
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Ah the Dead Sea, a watery desert masquerading as an oasis..
We did find a real oasis though, in the form of the Ein Gedi Springs |
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| We wore sunscreen |
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| And looked cool |
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| I recall swimming in this same pool twelve or so years ago, felt good to be back |
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| Our sweet campsite at Ein Gedi |
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| sunrise over the salty sea |
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| Morning meditation |
After Ein Gedi, Max and I travelled north-bound. We met up with Adam and started hiking from Kibbutz Dan, the official start of the Shvil Israel or Israeli National Trail.
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| My studly hiking buddies |
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| Ready to hike! |
If I had trouble comprehending how any life managed to survive in the desert, the north of Israel presented the opposite problem. The ground swelled with dewy greenery and life sprang from every crack in the ecstasy of the recent rainfall. I couldn't decide whether the fluorescent green of the grass was actual or if my eyes had yet to adjust from my eight week sojourn in the desert. And amongst the overwhelming green were spread wildflowers in all the brilliance of Renior's rainbow palette; a backdrop of wild mustard in soft yellow sprinkled with hot red poppies, delicate fairy pink, and the occasional blue bonnet look-alike to complete the spectrum.
The trail hugged the edges of the Hula Valley, taking us south along the Lebanese border. We gawked at the surrounding beauty as we plodded along muddy cow paths, crossed springtime streams, and forged our way through mossy canyons.
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| We hiked along that road the whole morning, only to cross the fence and read those signs. Guess we were closer to the boarder than I thought! Silly Shvil. |
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| We found the most amazing campsites. Each one in a grassy field somehow more beautiful than the last. |
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| Sprouting! |
One particularly lovely morning found us climbing through a shady, boulder paved ravine. The emerald trees and beautiful stones were indeed so mesmerizing that we completely disregarded the fact (and Max will deny this) that we were hiking in the wrong direction.
We had somehow started the day's hike where we were intended to end the previous day's. We stood dumbfounded for a minute, and then discussed our options; someone suggested walking to the nearest highway and looking for a bus to Tsfat. "It will take forever to find a bus stop," one person complained. "There's no way we'll make it to Tsfat today," I grumbled.
Lo and behold, as we pushed our way through the last bit of weeds and stepped onto the highway, the first thing we laid eyes on was a bus stop headed to Tsfat.
We camped high atop the old city, and, after a majestic sunrise, began our descent to the Sea of Galilee through the Nahal Amud Nature Reserve.
This way by far my favorite day of our trek; the trail winded through two lush canyons, passed by turquoise lagoons, and at times narrowed to little more than metal hand-holds climbing over boulders.
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| We got a little tribal and painted our faces with purple olives.. |
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| Exploring some ruins |
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| The Amud Pillar |
As the sky turned to a periwinkle dusk, we exited the canyon and began walking along a
cow-pressed path, lazily curving its way through rolling green hills. We stopped to admire a patch of iridescent purple flowers, and my mind slowly wandered West.. I could feel myself in the pasture lands of Ireland, waiting for a shepherd and his flock to crest the hill.. Or perhaps I was back in Tuscany, sleepily meandering back to the villa after a day in the vineyards.. Certainly I was home in Upper Bidwell Park, when the winter rains turn the valley green. Max suggested that we were in Middle Earth. Alas, the sounds of army test fire from a nearby base brought me back to Israel.
It was a magical trip, and I loved being able to see such a different side of this country.
Who knew I would love it here so much?
This next week I start work at a farm in the north called Yesh Meain. Yesh Meain, which translates to "something from nothing", was actually started by a former Green Apprentice. I am greatly looking forward to getting back to work, and I'll keep ya'll posted. Errr, if I can, that is. Ya see, my computer self-destructed.. and my camera is still broken. Now, if I can only master updating my blog telepathically.
