Let the hiking begin!

Curse this slow internet! Curse it all the way to the Negev! I'm trying desperately to upload pictures from the last couple of days (I did succeed with a couple - go back and look), and send some pics to Ali through email, and I'm being thwarted!


But, I shouldn't complain. I'm sitting here in comfortable chair, in an air-conditioned room, having hiked only three or 4 miles today (although, they were not easy miles - darn those abundant thistles!), and also having swum in a pool to relax. I mean, really, must I complain?

Yes, I must. Because I got up early and drove that darn car back to Tiberias (and while I'm cursing things, curse that blasted GPS! It was a (second) miracle that I even got out of Nazareth!) and came back on the bus. Actually, the bus ride was totally fine. And the hiking today, while hot and truly encumbered by thistles that scratched our poor legs, was not that bad. So, I'm done with the complaining, and you'll just have to wait for the pics another day.

So, after arriving back at the Fauzi Azar (which is absolutely amazing - I'll be staying there some more, and would love to take any friends with me another time I'm in Israel), we got some lunch and got back on a bus to partially retrace our steps. We arrived at Golani Junction, about the 2/3 point of today's planned hiking adventure, and began the search for the Jesus Trail. I was very excited to begin! It was not easy to find, but we managed, and began by crossing stones across a muddy water drainage something-or-other, and then hiking up into the hot, dry hills. We were doing fine for a bit, and then somehow we lost the trail. I'm going to bring this up with David Landis (who created the trail) - it was not only not clear, but very difficult to find the trail - and we ended up tired, with very scratched legs. Anny with some mysterious bite on her hip, that apparently is rather painful. But we made it. They're both lying in bed comfortably perusing the Internet with their electronic devices.

We had to walk about an extra 2/3 mile, all up a rather steep hill, to the Kibbutz Lavi hotel - but it was worth it (although, if you've ever seen me hot and sweaty and sunburned - it's not the most picturesque sight. The guy at the reception desk had a little smirk he kept trying to hide on his face, I noticed). It is a pretty nice hotel - and very Jewish. A lot of moms in the pool with their hair covered (Orthodox Jewish custom), rather conservative atmosphere, for a hotel, and, as Anny pointed out, no Asians. But the dinner was fantastic (I ate myself silly!) and the air-conditioning very welcome. I'm off to bed - and hopefully will be able to share some fun pictures today - and more in the coming days!

Leaving the Fauzi Azar, we commenced our journey. Don't worry - we'll get back to Nazareth on Friday, so there will be lots more to tell about it! Maybe, if we manage to remember, we'll take a picture of the narrow streets to give you an idea of the feat we accomplished with the car!

Our first leg of the journey (really, a day and a half in - we cheated because we got behind). We found the first trail marker!

Walking the trail (this was BEFORE we got lost - the trail really could be better marked as some crucial junctions!).

And still we walked!

Sylvia and Anny comparing sun tattoos on their feet (from their sandals).

The view from our hotel in Kibbutz Lavi.

Sylvia purchased this dress in the market at Nazareth. I kept telling her to smile like she meant it, and this is the best she came up with.

The hotel in Kibbutz Lavi.

A tired me fell to sleep - and Anny took advantage of the photo op.