Shifting from Israel to Cyprus

Dear All

OK, its been awhile but I’m ready for the next installment, hope you are
too. I’ve been up to a lot of trouble since the last update. I hear that all
kinds of rumors have been flying, back in South Africa. Don’t believe everything you hear, as a lot of information has been blown way out of proportion by the time it reaches the ears of you who are so far away from me and what is actually transpiring here in the Holy Land.

I’ll start where I left off. Kibbutz Ketura, a kibbutz in the desert. All is
powered by their own electricity and there is air conditioning in every room. As soon as you walk outside though this still, heavy heat settles on you and you barely feel like moving. Damn, its hot. Lay a few days on the beaches in Eilat. The sun proved way too strong for my skin, and I became almost like a snake, my skin is still flaking off because of the dryness. I’m putting on
cream three times a day to no avail.  Don’t know what else I can do, as am not used to such dry conditions.

The people that I met on the kibbutz were a bit too young for me to really
get along with them, but met a guy from Holland that I might be able to stay
at when I go there. He's already asked his mom if it would be ok and she said
yes, so it’s a possibility. Met my cousin, the elder one. The family here
has four sons. The eldest two are deep in the army. In fact they are part of the secret service. They will be spending the next 10 years of their lives
working for the Israeli government. I can't really understand their patriotism
and we did not have much to talk about.

Yossi and I went to Eilat. We decided to spend the night sleeping on the
beach. A buddy we had met was friends with the lifeguards and so we were allowed to sleep in the lifeguard tower on the beach. Beautiful to sleep there with the soft waves rolling in. I asked some policemen for information on how to call South Africa. He took a liking to me and decided to watch my movements. He saw me going up and down from the lifeguard tower and because he could not figure out a better way he decided to harrass me by trying to arrest us for sleeping on the beach in a place that we were not allowed. Of course, the other cops thought it was a joke and after 15 minutes we were released and left to do as we please. This story has escalated to gigantic proportions. Please calm down guys, all is well, and I’m not in any trouble, so relax and stop making such a big deal out of nothing.

Stayed in Eilat another day or so and then caught the bus to Beer Sheva.
Picked up the stuff that we’d left at the family there and this is when
Yossi and I separated. After not living together for three years , being
together every day was grating both our nerves. So, he went to Jerusalem to visit his girlfriend and I went off to Tel Aviv.

A friend of the family gave me a place to stay there. A spot called Petach
Tikva. He picked me up from the station. His mother says she remembers my mother and her family back in Russia. Small world is it not. They were great to take me in. I got a set of keys and left to do as I pleased. Quite liked the arrangement.

Missioned around Tel Aviv a bit. I went to the market there. It was so full of
people , much worse than being in a crowded rave as people were buying and selling food and all other sorts of things and even I found it difficult to
navigate my way through so many people. I get really claustrophobic when I can’t move like that. The next day I went to the old city of Jaffa. Interesting and gorgeous spot. Its right on the beach and has an ancient history.  Walked around taking in the ruins. The streets are named according to the signs of the zodiac. A couple of really rich people actually live there. Takes a large load of cash to renovate one of the houses there into something
decent but it has been done.

Next I hit the Tel Aviv beach. The best sand I’ve found so far but the water
is too cold to swim and the waves big and dangerous. Met up with Sivan
Admon. Shes in Israel for  a bit, her boyfriend is here and shes going to
the US next for an indefinite period. We went to some boring pub in
Herzliyya. Weird to spend time with someone I know from SA. Cool, to talk to someone who actually knows me. For those who don’t know, Sivan is my sisters best bud from SA. I’ve known her for years.

I learnt something very important in Tel Aviv. For some reason I have been on the hunt for a good party. Almost to the point of obsession.I've now realized that I’ve had many excellent parties in my life and its not all
that important now,. I’m in a totally new place, I don’t know the people and
whats most important is to enjoy myself no matter where I am. So I decided to stop looking for something I’d already experienced and just flow with what is happening to me on each new day. After making this choice, I  felt like a great burden had been lifted, and I was now ready to let go of my
expectations and just be.

I feel better and happier. I must learn also to shut up every now and again and really listen to whats going on around me. I've realized that certain
behaviors of mine are unacceptable here as people do not know me and judge me based on my attitude which may be giving them a totally inaccurate impression of me. I’m learning every day though and I’m grateful for that.

Independence Day was on the 10th of May. One of the biggest parties in
Israel. Everyone just goes mad, and sprays shaving cream all over. There are fireworks and big parties all over. Paul Oakenfeld was playing here at a party which cost the equivalent of about R200. It certainly is not cheap here. I skipped all the parties and sat with some people talking most of the night. I could not sleep though. At 5:30 am I emerged and decided to see
what was happening on the streets of Tel Aviv. Also, I wanted to watch the
sunrise. The streets looked like there had been a massive rave the night
before. Litter all over. But what really surprised me was the amount of
activity. There were people all over. People on the beach already, people
going home and people just walking around checking things out. As I was
alone, had to deal with a few men trying to pick me up but I walked confidently and took no shit.

Found Apache, one of the biggest clubs there. Did not manage to sneak in
even at that time due to impenetrable Israeli security but found a spot
outside where I could hear the music and watch all the colorful people
leaving. Also, managed to catch a gorgeous sun rising over the city. It was all quite energizing. I found my way to a bus stop and returned to Petach Tikva to sleep.

Finally, was able to meet up with my aunt Neta. She's my dads sister. I have not seen her for many years but we had an instant connection. She told me interesting things that I never knew about my childhood and about my parents. Amazing to really get down to your roots. A few days later she invited me to join her for the evening. We went to a casino in Jericho. My first time in a casino and I had no idea what to do, wasted $25 very quickly. But I guess it was amusing. I could smell money in that place. In Israel gambling is illegal so the Arabs built a casino in Jericho (their territory) so they can make even more money from the Jews who are really into it. Clever are they not?

Spent the night at her place and she spoilt me with gifts and chocolates. My aunt takes no garbage from no one. I like and respect her.
From Neta I learned that I have other family in Haifa that I did not even
know about. A family with a daughter exactly my age. After speaking to her, Anat, on the phone knew I had to go back to Haifa to meet them. And so, off I went again back to the city of my birth. Maya, whose mother was cousins to my grandmother picked me up when I got there. I spent the night getting to know her and her husband Israel. After Anat finished work, she is also waitressing, we went to a pub to get to know each other. She's an extremely cool person. She has just come back from a 1 year trip in South America. Her photos are so awesome, I will have to start planning for that trip, ‘coz I really have to go now. We had plenty to talk about.

She trained people on how to use tanks and guns while she was in the army, and she learnt spanish during her year abroad. She was in the jungle and all. She went to Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Argentinia, Brazil. Wow, sounds like she had a trip of note.

The next day we woke up early and went to the Golan Heights, its the only
part of Israel I had not seen yet at all. We went to the Temple of Pan,
unfortunately not much remained. We saw a 10m strong water fall and big strong trees which made me nostalgic for the trees of the Knysna forests. We went to Mount Hermon, the highest peak in Israel which even now has bits of snow still frozen to certain peaks. Its 2814m and has a chill wind blowing at all times. We went to see Castle Nimrod, a very impressive spot on top of a mountain. Missioned around with canadian brothers for awhile. I hope the photos that I’ve been taking will come out as good as they looked in reality.

So, we had a very full day. From there we went to Tzvat or Safed. There I
felt real tranquil. The forests and the quiet gave an aura of a very
tangible Divine Presence. I can’t explain more than that. After 12 hours on
the road we returned home exhausted.  This branch of the family are so
great. They made me feel so comfortable and are just generally really nice
people. The mom is a doctor, the husband is retired and each morning made Anat and I a salad (the veggies here are sooo tasty) that I’ll never forget and probably never get right again. Real peaches, the whole family.

I decided it was time to move on. So, I bought a plane ticket to Cyprus, it cost me $200 , and its an hour long flight. I'll be visiting my friend George
there. I have not seen him for more than two years . I'm glad to have the
opportunity to see a new place and visit an old friend. I'm leaving on
Sunday.

I started missing Yossi, so I caught a bus to Jerusalem. I was told by all to give Jerusalem another chance and told there is so much to see here. I got here and ran to meet Yossi at the appointed spot. Typically, although I was late he was much later. Finally, we met up though. We went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchure, and I rested my third eye and palms on what is supposedly Jesus’s tomb. I did feel some bright energy though. The place was crawling with tourists, which somehow took away the holyness of it all. It’s a very ornate and richly decorated church. Very impressive but too commercially orientated for my taste.

We went to the Tower of David next, and looked out over the Holy city. Next Yossi and I went to where he will be living for the next long while. He is staying in an OHR Samayach Yeshiva. He is sharing a room with 2 others. He gets food, free board and an opportunity to go on tours. In return he gives six hours of his time a day to study the Jewish faith. I'm worried he will end up brainwashed and religious but it is his choice. And there is nothing I can do. He plans to study at the university of Jerusalem. I stayed there with him the whole day. I got him into trouble when just after 9pm the head rabbi came to his room to escort me out, as girls are not allowed on the premises. All the totties there looked at me like a monster just because I’m female and wandering in their midst. Really screwed up.

Went to my family in Betar.I'll be staying three days and then am off to
Cyprus. I'll experience a real religious Shabbat before I go. I'm already
getting involved in philosophical discussions with Esther, shes' the wife of
the son of the sister of my grandmother, on my mothers side. She also
happens to teach philosophy, she seems to have answers for everything but that will never convert me.

Well, I did the tourist thing in Jerusalem. Just sneaked into tour groups as
I needed background info on what I was seeing. Saw the City of David.
Walked through water knee deep for 30 minutes in a dark underground tunnel, definitely not for the claustrophobic. Saw the Temple Mount excavations, and the Western Wall tunnels. I even spent a night at Heritage House, and met some cool people. I got in trouble in Betar, as I tried to use a public phone on the Sabbath to phone my family in South Africa to say hi. I was severely reprimanded.  People take their religion very seriously.

Finally said goodbye to Yossi, I do not know when we will meet again. But we are going on our separate paths now. Got back to Tel  Aviv. The next day I caught the plane to Cyprus. It took 40 minutes.

I had a panic attack when I couldn’t get hold of George. We met up eventually. Checked out the nightlife with his sister Pepe. Cyprus is way cool. Very laid back. Am thinking of coming back here to work at a later stage. The currency is so strong and I could make really good money. I'll be travelling to the major cities here for the next week. Today, lay on the beach and worked on my tan.  Felt Ecstatic and just soaked in the atmosphere. People here are very friendly and surprisingly
there are a many South Africans here.

Well, Cyprus is totally awesome. Went partying at Ayia Nappa. Did a safari
through the mountains. George’s mad cousin Lazo, is a safari driver and he took me with the rest of the tourists. I’m sitting now at George’s
girlfriends house emailing. People here have been wonderful to me and am
seriously thinking of coming back at a later date.I'll spend the weekend in Paphos, and am going hiking in Limassol tommorrow.

The day I fly off again I’ll have the opportunity to go to a traditional
Cypriot wedding. The first wedding I’ve ever attended in my life.
I’ve attached some pictures that George took on his digital camera. Look
carefully at the wolf as its really roaming free in the wilderness.

I guess that’s what I’ve got to say for now.
Please write back and tell me whats happening with you all…
I’m just so very curious to catch up on the state of affairs back home…
Love and miss all you wonderful people so very much

Love, light and blessings
Michal