More wonderfulness.

So today I started my day by going to school t get a flashlight for my cave trip tomorrow. Now, there is this school store that has everything you could ever need in the entire world, if you don't believe me, here a list of examples of what it has:

Microphones
Webcams
DVD players
Headphones
Backpacks
flip flops
tshirts
Hats
Socks
Male/female underwear
school supplies (a whole lon aisle of everything you can think of)
Some food
Irons
Water filters
Lamps
Light bulbs
Nail clippers
Tweezers
Flashlights
Camping stuff
Water stuff (rafts/floaties)
Pots and pans
Cups and plates
Hygiene products (shampoo/soap/ feminine needs)
Surge protectors
Toaster ovens
Cosmetics
Batteries
Wallets

And it's not as big as you'd think, but it is the most epic store of everything and more everything and I got a flashlight there and was happy.

Then I got an iced coffee and chocolate filled crossaint, which of course was amazing. Sat down, had breakfast, got up, left campus, was halfway back to the student village when I realized my bag with my flashlight in it was not in my hand! I must have left it at my table. And do you all remember what they do to suspicious ungaurded bags? THEY BLOW THEM UP.

My poor brandy new flashlight was going to be blown up! (Just today Cary saw someone report a lone bag OF PASTA hangig on a railing at bus stop and it was taken away and inspected by a police officer!!!) I rushed back to campus bemoaning my poor bag sitting there looking like a possibly planted bomb and being taken away to be eradicted via dynamite.

When I got there, the bag was gone! Woe! I approached the counter to enquire and as soon as the guy saw me he pulled it out from where he had hidden it under the counter. I was so thankful, toda toda thank you thank you thank you! I said. And that is the story of how my flashlight avoided being blown up.

Then James, Cary and I met up to grab a cab to the rockefeller museum. The first cab driver didn't know where it was, so we waved him off. He went around the rotary and came back! He was on the phone trying to figure out where it was so he wouldnt lose the sale! Then he handed the phone to James! James told whoever was on the phone where we wanted to go but THAT guy didn't know either. While this was happeing Cary flagged down a second cab and said Rockfeller museum once and the woman knew exactly where it was. So James thrust the phone back at the driver and we hurried into the second cab. the woman quoted us a fair price and got us there without hassle or fuss. Cary and James were sure it was because it was a woman. Win!

The museum turned out to be FREE. Win again. It had amazing things in it, like skulls and whole skeletons from 10,000 years ago, when there was more than one species of human! Before homo sapien sapien had even evolved!! That's MIND BOGGLING. The oldest human remains ever found in this area were there in front of us. Crazy. And they had artifacts from then going all the way up until the 7/8th century C.E! I of course enjoyed the Egyptian remains from when Egypt ruled the area (we're talking in like 3000- 1500 BC- thats like 5,000 years ago!) and wish I could have taken pictures of all these skeletons and jewlery and really REALLY old stuff, but none were allowed.

So in a little over and hour we were done and didnt know what to do. We were rather close to the old city so I was itching to go back to that store and buy the rings and the tshirt. But we were on the other side and I ddn't want to walk by myself. Luckily the group of us (another girl, Lauren, had joined us at the museum) decided to walk towards Ben Yehuda for a drink. To get there we had to walk on the edge of the muslim section, which James said would have made Rothberg (our school) flip out, but it was just along the main road, right outside of the old city so, I didn't see any harm as long as we didnt go wander inside the neighborhood. Which we didn't!

So then we get to Jaffa gate and the group is going to Ben Yehuda. The store is so close just inside, and it's in the Jewish quarter. I feel so safe in the Jewish quarter. It's modern and bright and open with well marked streets and no market at all. No shop keepers and stalls and confusing bazaars. Crispy angel was on my shoulder saying no, stay with the group! It doesnt matter if you know where you're going! Then his mother popped on my metaphorical shoulder too adding, "You'll make Chris worry!" And I frowned, I didnt want that. But it was the jewish quarter! I decided to make the decision for myself. It was just inside the gates, straight and then a left, in an open courtyard. It was safe, it was familiar, I had ust been there with Miriam and with class and dozens of times before.

Stubborn, I know. But it was just a quick trip, a small detour. AND I employed what I call the "New York walk" all business, fast paced, looking ahead, completely confident and uninterested in surroundings. It worked BRILLIANTLY. I wove between the tourists like I had been here for months, nothing new to see. No one said anything and in moments, I was in the safety of the nice, familiar Jewish quarter. I felt fine and comfortable. In a bright sunny courtyard where the shop was, a group of Jewish guys in kippas were playing acoustic guitars, siging a lovely rendition of the Killers' "Mr. Brightside" People sat under shade and it wasnt crowded or loud. Ahh, what a relief!

I went in the store and the man helped me size the rings. They hadn't had sizes on them but he had a sizer behind the counter! So Chris' mother had told me the size of his class ring and I asked the guy if people's ring sizes change, in say, four years. He said no, so I hope it fits! I also got the t-shirt I wanted and since I had returned he gave me 15 shekels off (the first time he had given me 30 shekels off). Nice, nice man.

In moments again I was outside the gates and on my way to the bus, feeling smug. This is where you expect something bad to happen and me to regret it, but no, as I'm walking, Cary pops out of a bagel shop where they had stopped to have lunch! So I crossed the street and rejoined the group and we made our way to the bus together. Awww happy ending. At the bus stop we were standing next to this guy in civilian clothes with this massive machine gun. I mean It was so big and complicated and dangerous looking just hanging off this guy in a collered tshirt and jeans. What?! Only here folks. Cary was going to sneak a picture and tag me in it, but just as she got out her camera, our bus came! How unlucky.

Speaking of that, last night Jesse, James and I went to get these amazing waffles and there was this short girl in a tank top and jeans with an old rifle just strapped on her like nothing, on the phone waiting to order a waffle. No uniform or sign of soldier status at all, just a huge gun on her back. Crazy. And all these people in the army with these guns are younger than me! Crazy. Anyway, more importantly I had the most epic waffle, half was covered in hot chocolate with coconut shavings, the other half was vanilla cream with coconut shavings. This waffle place had every topping you could think of, and I mean that! It was PACKED. You had to be aggresive to order and I epically failed so Jesse butted in for me and told the girl to take my order.

Then Jesse left and James and I went to a cafe because he wanted a beer and so I ordered a chai milkshake. it was phenomenal! So soon we headed back on the bus and that was that. Tonight I'm going to another Rabbi/Torah talk, with free food!

Nice!

Also, on the walk to the waffle place, Jesse was talking to me about converting and he said actually Judaism isn't big on converts and their very serious about making sure you mean it. Apparently a Rabbi will turn you away like five times!! Just hearing that was discouraging, BUT I think Jesse is talking from an Orthodox point of view and i dont want to be orthodox, so I'm hoping the other sects are more welcoming IF I do choose to go down that road.

So I'm very tired and thinking a nap before the talk sounds like a brilliant idea! Off I go to nap.