My BBB

Personally, when blogging I need to be in an atmosphere conducive to the writing process. So as I sit here in a Tel-Aviv cafe trying to come up with a catchy title to hook my readers I thought what was happening around me and hence the three Bs: Breakfast, blogging and betzim (hebrew for eggs), I was contemplating other b words such as biznatch (too much wishful thinking) bong, blintz, Budapest, blunt, breathing and on and on. I just got back from my Prague/Budapest trip and though I did not sleep much on the red-eye flight I can not sleep until I get all that happened in this past week on paper (figuratively speaking). But before I can do this I have to finish writing about the previous weeks. So without any further interruptions.

On Saturday February 16th the group that I went to Eilat with was scheduled to go to Petra, Jordan, one of the newly voted ancient world wonders, however, after a rough night of vodka and redbull two of my friends stayed behind to nurse in my mind what would be a pretty bad hangover. So four of us boarded a bus for the Israeli/Jordanian border where our Jordanian guide was waiting to pick us up. After about an hour getting through both Israeli and Jordanian border control we started our three hour bus ride to Petra. I myself was not feeling in the best of shape and the bumpy roads did not help. During the bus ride our guide talked for almost the entire duration except for the few minutes before and after we stomped at a rest stop. He talked about everything from the Jordanian economy to American wives spending all their husbands money. He had no rhyme or reason to what he talked about, he was just practicing his broken English and trying to entertain some. Once we arrived to Petra we had to walk about another hour until we saw the main monuments in Petra. Petra was a city built by Arabs around the year zero. What makes it so interesting and a sight to see is that all the buildings are carved into the mountain instead of being actually built. Additionally, it is thought that only ten percent of Petra is excavated and that the rest remains buried under tons of sediment from the flash floods that occurred throughout the past centuries. Though the treasury and the scenery itself is amazing to see the grounds of the park is filled with little kids begging you to buy their dollar postcards and pushy men trying to give you a camel or horse ride. This aspect of the trip I could have done without and it amazes me how persistent arab men are. We walked for a few hours through the mountains and saw many caves and other things of interest. I am glad I went but lets say I don't see myself back for a while, maybe ever.

The following week passed without much excitement. At the end of the week I went to Jerusalem to spend Shabbat with friends studying at Hebrew University. I took the bus Friday and got there just in time before everything in the city shut down for the day. It still stuns me that the entire city shuts down for a day. The essence of the day of rest is recognized. Around six in the evening we walked to the kotel through the Damascus gate which is where the Arab shook is located and where the Shabbat has no bearing. After making it to the kotel we did a modified service and rushed back for the food. Every Shabbat a different apartment host a dinner where everyone brings food or wine and they all sit around eating and drinking for hours. This was the scenario this shabbat and we ate until we were stuffed. The whole next day we did the same thing, sat around and ate and drank, its a rough life we are living.