Don't Go Things Are Heating Up

Things seem to be caving in behind me as I exit the Middle East. Yes, it’s getting hotter out here and not just the weather. I was probably one of the last people to go to Turkey from Israel for a while. This morning saw death in the Mediterranean as Israeli commandos attempted to board the Mavi Marmara, a boat of Gaza/Hammas activists . Today an angry mob in Istanbul smashed windows of the Israeli Embassy in Istanbul as Police tried to keep things under control. Turkeys angry response shows those anti-Israel/(anti Jewish?) feelings were present a week ago while I was there, they were just hidden. Within Israel things are heating up and tensions are rising. Hammas is aggressively mobilizing in Gaza, and near by settlements have heightened fears of attacks. Warnings are being issued and there is an immanent feeling of more conflict to come.

A week ago today I was in Istanbul on a ferry across the Bosphorus River when I heard loud explosions and saw a group of ships with Palestinian flags sail by. These were the ships beginning their voyage to Gaza, the same ones that have been all over the news this morning. The world is criticizing Israel, which was undoubtedly the goal of this voyage. People are dead and that is not OK. However, videos show the Israeli soldiers were violently attacked with metal clubs upon landing, so it would seem the citizens on board might not have been humanitarians as claimed.

I have a feeling I might be leaving before things start really getting worse. Unfortunately, I suppose this is also part of the Israel experience.

Communication

Oakland/Berkeley/Santa Cruz... anyplace or person back home I could see that same day. It really took distance to make me appreciate what a feat technology is. Even on the other side of the globe I was in touch with my life back home, with friends and family, orchestrating work and school things. Home travels with you but its nice to check in with home occasionally while traveling.

Rila Monastery

Felt like a samuri mountain dojo with the addition of a church and the lack of warriors meditating and doing difficult exercises.... 2hrs outside of Sophia

Snowtop mountains in the distance... now back in the dry holy land heat

Sophia, Bulgaria

We had decided the previous night to go to Sophia Bulgaria, so after seeing Topkapi Palace we took the metro to the bus station. After going to a few bus companies we found a $35 round trip ticket, it was a night bus so it saved the cost of the hostel. We had some time until our bus so we went to Ikea, it felt just like the Emeryville store. The bus was a struggle... not just trying to sleep on a bus but the driver took rest stops, lights on and off, and we had to wait outside in the cold for a while at the border.

6:30am get to Sophia. The hostel lady tells us check in isn't until 11am but we could sleep on the couch. Talking to other travelers that night people would say "o yeah you were the guy sleeping on the couch". The hostel was this cool artsy place in a old travelers inn, really nice staff, good common area, clean, they gave us breakfast and at dinner a beer and plate of spaghetti.

Overcast and rain in late May= a change from the middle east climate. Bulgaria was communist until 1989 and the place definitely had the slightly depressed east Euro feel. Outside of the church were street vendors selling old memorabilia with Nazi and Communist insignias, it was like being in a museum but able to touch the exhibit.

Hello Istanbul

1. Geographically, Turkey is the link between Asia and Europe. Its also a Muslim but non Arab country. From the airport the metro was clean and easy to understand. The first interaction with a Turk was sour: the metro police showed us how to buy tickets but then didnt give us all our change, it was only a few dollars but the princible was angering. While this left a bad first impression, everyone else we talked to that night was very nice and gave us directions while we were looking for our hostel. Walking in the sultanamet area at night felt like being in Disney Land after it closed. Very clean, tall towers on a magical oversized domed mosque/church/castle, closed food stands....It took a while but I saw the red Sultan Hostel sign from down the block and was asleep around 2am.
2. The complimentry breakfast was great. Musli, greek yogurt, tomatos cucumbers and tea. Breakfast aside, it would hard to be a vegetarian here. The hostel had a awesome rooftop patio. Enrolled in some classes for next fall. Saw the main atractions the Hag Sophia and Blue Mosque. The Hag Sophia was a church that the muslims conquered, so there would be big Islam symbols hung over the paintings of the apostels on the walls. It was overcast which was a nice change from the dry heat I've been used to. Also not the insane traffic/drivers honking all the time nor the aggressive street merchants. There is a Islam and Oriental flare but it defintelty feels like a European county. A beer by the boshphorus and dinner. I like Turkey.

Mark Yudof

This was actually a few weeks ago. The UCs abroad program to Israel had been closed for the last 10 yrs, since the intifada, because it was seen as to dangerous. Thankfully, the suicide bombings and civilian attacks are no longer common. However, it was the new UC president Mark Yudof who opened the Israel program up, thanks Mark. So he came to Israel (supposedly on a furlough) and took one of his afternoons to visit the UC students. After some arguing with the administration I was allowed to attend the meeting, I'm the only UCSC student in Israel. I told him not to worry that I wasn't a Community Studies major and he would be safe if we took a picture. He asked me what I missed most and I told him Mexican food, he said the Bay Area didn't have any good mexican... I told him he was wrong.

The Great Debate

I knew it was only a matter of time before this happened. In fact, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. East vs. West, meditation vs. medicine, Jasmine vs. Earl Grey, Godzilla vs. Santa Claus.... some disagreements are inevitable.

My roommates Shohei from Japan and Hillel from France present:

Chopsticks vs. The Fork, Knife, Spoon Combo

All bases were covered and I'm not sure their was a winner. Chop sticks use one hand, knifes can cut, spoons needed for soup, but soup can be slurped.... the list goes on. The conversations between/with these two have been a source of entertainment.

Kool And The Gang

I like sleeping and this all night concert for Israel Student Day at first did not sound appealing. But after dinner me and a friend decided to go by and see how it looked. Luck was on our side and we were able to slip in. We got there at midnight right in time for Kool and the Gangs set. Listening to "Get Down On it" and "Celebration" I thought wow who knew I would be seeing one of the U.S.'s famous R&B disco funk groups in Israel. Kool and the Gang would have been worth the ticket but since I didn't buy one I didn't feel at all bad about leaving after their set at 2am. I guess originally not wanting to go enabled me to get in free.

"I'm gonna take you back to the 1970's, wait you guys were just getting started then"

Ramparts Walk

My roommate invited me to go to his art show. He was going on a chartered bus there and later to the old city. For a dollar a got on the chartered bus to the art show, sometimes these last minute things work out well. Aside from one of my roommates pieces the art was not that impressive. But the buffet was great, sandwiches, apples, melon, tea, and more. I went along with the tour to the old city. It was along the top of the outside walls. The tour was in hebrew but the view wasn't.

A Weekend

I took a bus to the central bus station and from their another bus to the Aluf Sade junction where I was met by some distant family friends I'd never met. It was hot but a wore jeans and brought a dress shirt in the off chance they were religious and observed Shabot. Luckily this was not the case and I changed into shorts. It was a very nice new home where English, Hebrew and Swedish were spoken. The sons were my age and one of them showed me life as a Israeli. The real difference is they smoke lots of cigarettes, play backgammon (which they call sheshbesh=hebrew for 5 6) also they're finishing up army or social service while Americans are finishing up college, its not uncommon for girls to be tank commanders. The young really love Israel, resent the religious, and enjoy life by the Mediterranean.

Went to a B-day pool party and it turned out the parents I'd met at a Independence Day BBQ two weeks earlier---small world. The language difference added some social unease but overall a fun day. Some offroading through a field. Bus never came that night so I stayed an extra night. On the way back we went through the west bank to save time. Went on a tour of Hasharon Prison, one tour was enough.

Addition to the Menu

Toasted with humus, onion, tomato, a little parsley, garlic powder and pizza seasoning. I made the first one three days ago and have been making one a day since then. Thank you Toaster Oven.

4 Months in Review

Carmen Sandiego once tried to steal the eiffel tower and the grand canyon in the same night. While its rare that "lightening strikes twice" these last few months have had there share of big events: consider the following...

The 2010 Chilean earthquake occurred off the coast of the Maule Region of Chile on February 27, 2010, with a magnitude of 8.8 and lasting 90 seconds. Est. 15-30 billion in damage

March 21--- Obama’s Health Care Plan approved -----While it was watered down something is better than nothing. The health care bill would require most Americans to have health insurance, add 16 million people to Medicaid and subsidize private coverage for low- and middle-income people, at a cost to the government of $938 billion over 10 years.

Greece debt crisis, April 27^th following a bailout request Greece bond rating decreased to junk status. In Greek fashion the people took their anger to the streets in the true Euro post-futbol riot anger. Unlike the U.S. complex bundled security mortgage market crash, the cause of the Greek crisis is simple -Overspending on the 2004 Athens Olympics.

April 15^th Erruption of Iceland's glacier-covered Eyjafjallajokull volcano puts huge ash cloud over Europe stopping air traffic and causing the cancellation of thousands of flights.

Also "As Biden Visits, Israel Unveils Plan for New Settlements" Poor oversight on Netanyahu's part? "Day of Rage" response by Palestinians.

How to Keep your Hat Dry

This is a picture I've been wanting to take for a while. On one of my first days in Jerusalem it rained and all the Hasidics and Orthodox had plastic bags over there hats, an interesting but practical custom. I didn't have my camera that day but chance would have it that a few days ago I was on a bus through a religious neighborhood and a light rain began.

Day 101

Time moves forward, the future becomes the present. One Hundred and One days. Each day is like a brick and now I have this little tower from which I can better look at things. Being anywhere for 101 days would yield experiences and while I wish I was learning Spanish, coming to Israel was really the right choice for me in the grander scheme of things.

Feldman's Israel Branch

The other night I visited my grandfathers first cousins. I don't know the title of my relation to them, (3rd cousins twice removed?) However, its only the name of the relation that is confusing, in reality its simple---My grandpa had cousins, they're family. From them I learned some family history. Family history is one of the few things in the world that we cant find online, so I'm happy I had the chance to discover a little more of my own.

These cousins were born in the States but moved to Israel in 1969, Israel was only 13 yrs old. Hence, they were in Israel for most of its suspenseful history.

They showed me a wooden spice box that my dad had made in his wood working days. It was amazing to see one of my dads pieces so far away from home and to think that he made it when he was not to much older than I am now.

Windows broken at two Bay Area Jewish stores

Modern anti-semitism is often disguised as anti-Israel and sometimes its not. Take for example the recent vandalism of two jewish stores in Oakland. It saddens me to hear about hateful things like this especially in the Bay Area, one of the most accepting places in the world. This article was shown to me by a family member I visited yesterday, "I don't think I know anyone from Oakland, o wait, isn't this where your from?"

April 29, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO (JTA) -- Two Jewish businesses in Oakland, Calif., were vandalized within two days of each other.

The front window of the Holy Land Restaurant was broken April 16, but nothing was stolen, according to oaklandlocal.com, a neighborhood blog.

Two days later, windows at the Jewish Grand Bakery also were broken, the Jweekly reported.

Police are investigating the incidents as vandalism, Lt. Kenneth Parris, the Jewish community liaison officer with the Oakland Police Department, told Jweekly last week.

There is no blatant evidence that the vandalisms are hate crimes, Parris told the newspaper, though he expressed concern about the timing of the incidents, just days before Israel Independence Day and the anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birthday.

There are three Jewish businesses in the area. The other, a kosher supermarket, was not vandalized, nor were any other stores in the area, according to Jweekly.

The Holy Land Restaurant, opened in 1989 by Israeli immigrants, has regularly received letters protesting Israeli policies, owner Mira Levy told the blog's writers. Levy said she and her family "are not involved in politics," and she doesn't understand why they should be targeted.

A second, non-kosher restaurant owned by the family in Berkeley, also called the Holy Land, has received similar threats in recent years, including a red swastika painted on its building with the word "blood" beneath it.

Levy told reporters that when her mother was deciding what to name the first restaurant, she chose Holy Land rather than a specifically Jewish name to indicate it was for all people, not just Jews.

Summer in the Distance

I got this basket small nectarines at the market. While eating the first one I realized this just might be the first nectarine I've had since the new year (Jan 1). I look forward to the full size summer fruit...white and yellow nectarine/peaches, watermelon and lemonade. Yes Summer is a wonderful season.

These flowers are called chinese firecrackers, bubbie told me.

The Holy Sepulchre

Today is Sunday and I went to Church. The holiest church in the holy land I'm told. I took as quick a walkthrough as I could without being disrespectful by running. I would have stayed longer to examine the details and go in all the different rooms but I was on a field trip and the teacher and group were waiting for me outside. I also touched the sacred rock were Jesus was put after he was taken down from the cross so I plan not to wash my hand for the remainder of my existence.

The Dead Sea is Dying

Due to large scale water diversion from the Jordan River, the Dead Sea has been shrinking by a meter each year. The ground water dissolves the salt and the ground collapses forming sink holes. This is a huge ecological problem and poses a threat to development in the region. That being said these sink holes look really cool.

Below: Dining area of abandoned/mostly destroyed Hotel Lido, 50 years ago the water came right up to the building.

Bats in Tel Aviv

I'm not used to seeing bats flying over head. It was funny to me because I've been in caves out here but only saw bats when I went to Israel's most modern city. I was told the bats are attracted to the cities fruit trees.

62 years

Today was Israel's Independence day, celebrating the states 62nd birthday. Yesterday was memorial day, the idea is putting a happy day after a sad one. I visited some extended family who were great and welcoming and showed me a little of Tel Aviv. We watched planes, fireworks and ate on the roof.

West Bank Checkpoint & Barrier

Some people invited me to accompany them to a restaurant in Ramallah. I like food and was curious to see the West Bank so I accepted.

I would describe the Palestinians at dinner as cynical and more hateful than there Israeli counterparts. For example, “I hurt my back, no it wasn’t the Israelis, I was drunk and fell down the stairs…. But the Israelis built the stairs”?

Going back through the checkpoint felt like leaving prison: fences, bars, florescent lights, cameras, metal detectors, 3 revolving bar entrances, guards behind thick windows. This gave a little context to the Palestinian’s anger… I can see how the walls and checkpoints don’t foster feelings of love.

Dialogue in the Dark

In the exhibition, blind guides lead visitors through a completely dark environment where one learns to interact by relying on other senses.

Words from the guide:

"You are all very brave... to be on a boat with a blind captain"

"It is pitch black, accept that none of you can see.... except me"

Toy Soldiers

Look at this picture of the kid with the M-16 on the bus... how old are you? shouldn't you be in school? You look like your still in the 9th grade. Was there a school play, is that why your in a uniform?

Out here I see armed soldiers on the street every day, where as back home they tend to stay on their bases, with an occasional visit to the airport when HomeLand Security alerts are high.

A big difference between Israel and the U.S.'s military is the U.S. army tends to attract patriotic citizens with few career options. The non-college bound, right wing, less cultured, Americans end up our representatives abroad and we have problems as seen in Iraq.

In Israel everyone is required to serve in the military when there 18 (ultra religious are exempt but thats another issue). So the army gets the smartest with the stupid people.

Risk is a fun board game but the armies should not dominate the world in real life.

As with the U.S. more resources should be spent on non military social services.

The Jerusalem Syndrome

Its a holy place with a lot of history. Some people come here and think that their the Messiah. They go to the Western Wall dressed in white preaching about salvation. This is a real diagnosed illness. Sometimes the people go back home and forget all about other times they don't. Its like the homeless people on Telegraph have finally been shown up by bigger crazies. I hadn't watched The Simpsons in years but I saw the Jerusalem episode they did and they cover the syndrome.

...And don't worry if I find myself talking to God I'll take anti-biotics and listen to the radio to make double sure I don't come home preaching the meaning of scripture and the universe.

Family

My aunt and uncle were in Israel and I spent most of the last 2 days with them. They had both lived in Israel for a few years and it was fun to walk with them on their memory lane. I hope to get the chance to do this with more of my family over the upcoming years.

Koshary

I felt the restaraunt white plate didn't really portray the real dish. The real thing is good but not quite as elegant as a nice plate implies. All the ingredients are separated in different bowls for fast production and then I mix it up further in the bowl.

The result of research....

Kushari, often transliterated as koshary, kosheri or koshari, is a popular traditional Egyptian national dish. It consists of a base of rice, brown lentils, chickpeas, macaroni, and a topping of Egyptian garlic and vinegar and spicy tomato sauce (salsa). Fried onions are commonly added as a garnish. Kushari is normally a vegetarian and usually a vegan dish, possibly reflecting the meatless diet of Coptic Christians during Lent and other fasts and/or the expensive cost of meat for the lower classes.

Egypt

I was in Egypt for the last 6 days. I've decided the best way to travel is when you have an outline but fill in the adventure as you go along. Traffic is crazy, sometimes theres lane lines mostly not, people cross the street through 4 lanes of traffic. Food is super cheap. Tombs, temples, museums impressive. I wish I knew what the hierogliphics meant. Not diverse, all arab, 80% muslim. Poor country but I wouldn't say impoverished. I've been to Africa. I probably got 30 mosquito bites. The Giza pyramids are exactly how you would imagine them, just closer to the city than expected.

Food-- Koshary-- mix of maccaroni noodles, spegetti noodles, rice pilof, tomato sauce, beans, fried onions. Usually comes in these plastic top roman looking bowls but the best pic i got of it was from a resteraunt

My favorite was this juice bar, fresh squeezed OJ, smoothie type drinks and sugarcane juice for 40 cents each.