Haifa

So I lied about the no update thing, heh. Made it to the fams house where I'm staying in my cousin's room while she's away at the army (mandatory for all Israelis) so I get to use her comp, and air conditioning and bed. Sweeeeet deal. So anyway, what it means for you: an update.


So hwere we left off: Leaving for Haifa. We managed to get tickets for a bus leaving in 5 minutes and rushed on board. However, there were too many people and not enough seats. Back home this would mean people have to get off, I'm sure there's a safety law and all that. But noooot hereee, people sat on the floor, stood in the aisle, it was all good. Lol. Btw I got a seat. Thank goodness (though since then I have been an unlucky stander on a train....)

But before this I need to mention that our group had an unexpected guest that someone invited along. Normally, yeah, the more the merrier. But she brought a full sized suitcase for a 24 hour trip. One night. AND we wouldnt have anywhere to keep it, Hostel check out is 10 AM. She knew this and was told we'd be climbing stairs and walking all day and she'd have to lug it around but she insisted, because she needed outfits for taking pictures of herself in. We were in shock. Anyway, you can guess how that went over.

But onto our trip, we get off the bus at the end of the line utterly confused because its way far from the center of town and doesnt look like anywhere people would go for sightseeing. Luckily our hostel was very close since the ones in the center were all already booked so it worked out fine. We figured out the bus to get into town on the first try so it wasn't too much of an inconvenience.

The guy at the Hostel was...well a horrible receptionist. The sign above the desk said he took cash or credit but we went to pay our 95 shekel bill with a 100 bill he said he didnt have ANY CHANGE and we would have to pay exact or charge it. We didnt have exact! He gave us no choice. Now mind you 5 shekels is worth about a dollar. Can you imagine a receptionist telling you they dont have a penny and you'll need the 99 cents? Yeah it was like that. Luckily some other people had change and we were able to put together exact change. But it did NOT endear us to him. At all.

So we got a room that was "dorm style" meaning you pay for a bed and there are five beds in a room. There were three of us and luckily no one else came so we had the room to ourselves! Thankgoodness.

Then we leave to get a bite to eat. We were hungry! We got down to the center by the Ba Hai gardens and find a really cool place called Fattoush. We eat inside since outside people can smoke and are led into this really awesome room where the seats are all little middle eastern pillow type things or a bench covered in pillows! The lamps give it a really cool lighting affect and the menu is all exotic. I got mango soda and a dish called Fattoush which the place was named for. So very cool. But of course the Diva tried to substitue and swap things in her meal which the waiter was very nice about saying they couldn't do. After she tried to order a kids meal and he wouldnt give it to her explaining they were strict about only serving them to children under twelve. So she was in a huff about not getting exactly what she wanted. And later when he asked how everything was she said "It's alright" with an atitude. there was no need since the waiter was nice about it.

After we finished, the waiter was taking his time getting the check to us. I think it's just a cultural thing, people relax more there. But of course miss diva was mouthing off about it. At one point she was like damn Im about to get a manager. I tried to suggest maybe people just tended to converse after meals here and it wasn't really him being neglectful. So finally someone asked me to get up and ask for a check. I did so, very politely, mind you.

Well it still took a while and yes we were now all a little annoyed as we had to make a bus back, but really the Diva was just horrendous. It was then we realized there was more to come from the diva...

But anyway the next morning we get a early start since brekfast is only served at the hostel from 7:00- 8:30 and we HAD to have it included. Well the bread had ants crawling in it... and it was mediocre but we eat found something to fill up on (bread from an UNOPENED AND ANT FREE BAG and butter and cornflakes one of which was moldy) so it was okay. Then we headed to the famous gardens in the center of town. These gardens are built on tons and tons of terraces going up a mountain. You can either pay a taxi to go to the top or walk up. Half of us walked up, including me but Diva had to take a taxi due to her huge suitcase. Even once up there, there were stairs and all the paths were made up of pebbles so she couldnt lug her suitcase around. We didnt bother catering to her and she was getting annoyed. She had been warned and she was not the original group's guest but one invited by a few people we had invited along!

So the gardens are huge and extensive and on an effing mountain but lush and impressive, in terraces with stairs all the way up. There were fountains and spectacular views of the port below us and it was all very well kept up. Now, it's actually a Holy Place with a shrine, but I havent ever heard of the religion!!! The Ba'hai faith it's called and these gardens and the shrine (called the shrine of tha Ba'b) is their most holy site. Only I still dont know anything about this religion, how many follwers it has, where it came from. Weird. Well we couldnt speak in the shrine so that didnt help. Anyway so gardens, pretty, random religion. Cool. I guess.

Then the people who had taken the taxi up with diva decided to walk down, and she wouldn't take a cab alone so down came the suitcase and by now she was all pissy. People offered to help and she refused. She gave us looks for not waiting up for her since she was always stopping and taking pictures with her blackberry to make it worse. And I mean like long, drawn out pauses to take the picture. Point and shoot, people- it's faster.. But yeah so she was all annoyed with us, when we werent going to cater to her. If we were a bit ahead she'd live. We were in sight. Get over it. Normally I'd be sympathetic but she should have known, since she knew we were visiting the gardens and she didnt help matters with her attitude.

So then we go to find Elijah's cave. THAT was a trip. We got lost, took the same bus twice missed our stop, retraced steps and finally found this "cave" which was just a room in the side of a mountain. I'm sure it had been a cave but they had smoothed out the walls, put in fans and bookcases of holy books and it was just a place a few people were praying in. So whatever. Sorry, it was just anticlimatic after an hour of searching. And More issues with Diva who left her bag at a cable car stattion coz she was sick of rolling it around and luggin it up stairs and when we said we might not be coming back to that building she left it there anyways so we HAD to go back since she had to get it again. If you arent prepared to lug it you shouldnt have taken it.

But then, then the glorious beach time came. The beaches in Haifa are gorgeous.

The beach was my favorite part. There are free umbrellas and chairs to use and the waves were massive and the water warm. We got some pizza and settled down while the other half of the group (with DIVA) went to have a more expensive, sit down lunch. We were more interested in the beach! OH we had fun, btw we is Cary and James and I, also we had invited cory and Charrise, from our class. We really like them but dont get their decision to invite diva. They knew her from home since they all went to school together, so maybe it was an obligation, but even they were annoyed.

But Cary and James and I stuck together on the beach and it was so fun. We went in the water, bought ourselves fancy passion fuit drinks to enjoy, took a walk on the beach, had a brilliant time. Epic. We also watched Diva force everyone else to take picture, after picture after picture of her, one even mock running down the beach. That's just too much!!! I know I'm being mean right now, but yeah. It was deserved.

Luckily the train station was right next to the beach- like a five minute walk and eventually i moseyed over there to catch a train to Binyamina to stay with my family.

I got there and bought my ticket seven minutes before the train left! I hurried on and was dismayed that again there were not enough seats and this time I was standing. However the ride was sooo smooth, the train was brand new, and it was only a twenty minute ride!! Soon I was in Binyamina where my second cousin picked me up.

And here I am. For dinner we had french toast without syrup =/ Though noa suggested i put peanut butter on mine like she was doing so I tried that. And I had israeli style salad which is finely chopped and more cucumbers and tomoatoes than lettuce. It was good. Tomorrow I plan to sleep in since there will be a hand reflexology workshop going on in the living room til noonish, my cousin will be out with her friend, and my younger cousin will be asleep since he has some all night activity with his camp. In the afternoon we will go to the beach and then they are having a cookout friday night. Saturday we will visit my older cousin in the army and then go do some fun...thing Im not quite sure of. Its this weird water walk but Noa, middle cousin seems very excited so I take it as a good sign. Then sunday I will journey back to Jerusalem! Ta da!

So, that is all, I'm dead tired. When I get back to Jerusalem I will have three days left!! Crazy! This time next week I will be half way home. I cant imagine.