Spoiler Alert

It's over.  I'm done.  I'm writing this post in a Starbucks in San Jose, California.  I figured that those of you reading my blog in places other than California would appreciate knowing I was no longer in Israel (or any other bizarre foreign country).

After a year, two months and a day, I made a surprise return to California, just in time for my mother's birthday party.  She didn't even know I'd left Israel.  In between Israel and California, I spent a night in Geneva, three nights in Madrid, 10 days in New York City and even three days in Indiana(!).  Unfortunately, I did not have a camera between Jerusalem and California, so there isn't much to show from that time.

There is, however,  a fair amount left to post: my return to Petra, some beautiful desert in Wadi Rum, Jordan, miscellaneous stuff from Israel, and SURPRISE! some shots from South America.  At the very least, I've got all my photos from the 5 day trek to Machu Picchu, and I might be able to get some photos from when my friend visited me in Colombia.

So sit back, relax and enjoy a quiet little epilogue to my travels.  It's been a helluva ride, and I've really enjoyed keeping this blog.  I hope you've enjoyed reading.

The Golan Heights

The second weekend of Michal's semester break we headed up north to visit one of her army buddies, Maya.

It's very pretty up in the north, particularly just after winter rains.

Elisheva, another Army buddy, tagged along.

As you might expect, things got a bit silly.

The far, far north (practically spitting distance from Lebanon) is home to the only ice skating rink in Israel.

The girls were energetic and cheerful..

..but as you might expect, Israelis ain't all that great at winter sports.  I did my best to be patient and encouraging, but every now and then I had to take off for some irresponsibly fast skating.

Oh yeah, next stop Sochi.  Sochi?  Yup.  Sochi.

I was having way too much fun.

After skating there was bowling.

It was a little weird doing such familiar things in such an unfamiliar country.

Here, Elisheva goes from hopeful..

..to saddened..

..to silly, all in about 30 seconds.

It was pretty cold at Maya's place.  Oy, so cute, so colorful..

Maya, Michal, Elisheva and a three way back rub.  A few minutes later, they all rotated 180 degrees to reciprocate.  Good planning on Michal's part, eh?

We went for a bit of a stroll.  I think this shot is an excellent metaphor for much of Israel: beautiful, but mined.  Seriously, though: in the Golan Heights you stay on the goddamn trail.  There really are mines everywhere.

"Look, it's Syria!" "Ahhhh, ohhhh."

Our stroll took us past a former Syrian observation post to some hilltop ruins.  It was actually pretty cool how undeveloped the site was.  This column was covered with legible inscriptions in Greek.  Well.  Legible to those that read ancient Greek, I suppose.

Coffee?  No?  Maybe if we all stare at it hard enough..

The sun going down over the Sea of Galilee.

Ah, excellent: coffee.

Maya is tiny and fits everywhere.

The sun having gone down over the Sea of Galilee.

Michal.

Michal and I played backgammon that night at the bar.  It wasn't even close.  After three decisive losses I finally remembered that I didn't really care about board games and that discretion is the better part of valor.

"The IDF wuz here."

The next day there was a longer hike..

..down along a river and past some waterfalls.

I am a silly little boy that likes to climb rocks.

Group shot!

The big waterfall.

After seeing so many in Central America, I find waterfalls fairly boring, but it's incredible how fascinated the Israelis were.  It makes sense, I suppose, in a largely desert country always on the edge of drought.  Still, though: it was hilarious to see whole families pile up in cars, stumble down to the viewing platform and then just stare, open mouthed and amazed at the waterfall.

Is that man wearing corduroy and plaid?  Christ almighty.

"Huh?" "Wha?" "Nuthin'."

Las tres amigas.  Ay, que preciosa!

After the hike there was an absolutely fantastic feast at a Druze restaurant.  The Druze are just another bizarre little religious sect that tends to be overlooked in the context of the larger Israeli Palestinian conflict.  Their faith is monotheistic and the men have outrageous beards and the women are fabulous cooks.  Everything else, though, is a secret.

No kidding: most of the Druze don't even know what, exactly, they believe.  It's an esoteric religion, so only the initiated are told all of the good stuff.  It says something about Israel and the Middle East in general that the Druze and their esotericism fit in so naturally.

On the way home we picked up a Druze specialty dessert called kenafi (sp?).  It's a little cheesy and a little like pastry and very sweet and it sends most Israelis into raptures.

It was a fun weekend.