Tuesday, October 5, 2010

October 5-Hiking in Judaen Mountains





Early cab today for the not so quick trip to Hadassah Hospital Dental School. Hadassah, Hospital is built high atop one of the Judean mountains, possibly for some strategic reasons. Arie showed me the Oral surgery clinic which had been designed by him about 15 years ago. Should have had him helped design our office! I also got to meet the Dean of the Dental School. He started a great program to bring dental students and residents from the Palestinian University, Al Qud to Hadassah Hospital to help to integrate the classes and promote some camaraderie between these two groups. It seems to have been so effective that Hamas is now trying to block it. I guess they are afraid this might lead to peace. After the talk, which went OK, Arie arranged a tour of the Chagall Windows for us. These ar 12 enormous windows made of stained glass that adorn the sanctuary in the hospital. Each window represents one of Jacob;s twelve sons.

A hike down the side of a mountain in the Judean Hills was next on the agenda. The hike was not difficult, but the heat was brutal. Along the way, we saw remnants of a Palestinian village that was built on the side of a hill with complex terraced gardens all near an open spring/well. We saw almond trees, fig trees, olive trees, and the Sabra cactus (where the nickname of an Israeli born in Israel comes from).ter a nice lunch,

After a nice lunch, we went to a cavern on the westernmost section of the Judean Mountains. They were accidentally discovered when blasting for a nearby quarry blew a hole in the side of the cavern. The quality and abundance of stalactites and stalagmites in such a small area was amazing.

We got back a little early to the hotel, so we decide to take a stroll. We first walked to the King David Hotel, the famous structure that housed the British officers during the British rule of the area and was involved with a bombing by the Irgun, just before statehood was declared. It was also where Arie and Kittie (in the movie Exodus) had an aborted dinner. Next part of the mission was to find ShoeGoo. Molly’s hiking boot sole separated, and we hoped to be able to glue them so she could where them temporarily. Not so lucky here. Finally, we were looking for fallafel for dinner and on over the phone directions from Jonathan, we struck paydirt. A great little glat kosher falafel stand with someone that spoke great English. Fantastic fallafels! Dave decided he wanted fresh almonds, so we started hunting and wound up back in the Old City in the Moslem section. We found an old Arab selling nuts and dried fruit. Dave got his almonds, and I got hosed for some dates. I think I paid about $9. Tomorrow, any price gets bargained!!

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