Bouncing Around Eilat
We had fantasies of Eilat: warm, sunny, comfy, spa-like, and just flat out fun. Fun it is: warm, it ain't. This is not a complaint: the sun is out shining over the Red Sea. However, it is definitely chilly at night and not balmy during the day. They are predicting 84 degrees tomorrow but I'm not holding my breath... much.
So out into the cool morning we went, splitting into 2 groups: the first one went for a hike into the mountains with our great guide, Ya'ara. The rest took a jeep excursion into the mountains of Eilat. I thought my fillings were going to pop out of my head it was so jarring. I've driven in some steep mountain country before, but never in a 4 wheel drive ancient jeep. And never with exactly the central casting choice for the Israeli jeep driver. Yosa was a grizzled guy, skinny, baked by the sun, macho, and really smart. Man, this guy knew everything about the history, geology, topography, botany, and politics of Eilat. Yosa spoke 7 languages, quoted relevant Biblical references, made us laugh, and scared us out of our minds. In other words, we loved it.
The jeep caravan dropped us off at the famous Eilat underwater observatory. Besides all of the usual cool aquarium stuff they possess, this ploace has a large building out in the Red Sea anchored to the sea floor. By going down into its base, which is all windowed, you can see the fish truly in their natural element. It's a great place.
Of course there's gotta be shtick, and there in the Coral Reef section of the aqarium is a guy in a wet suit and scuba gear right in the tank standing next to a menorah. He wants to 'light' the menorah, so he pulls out the 'candles' (plastic something or other). He then reaches in his bag and pulls out a knit kippah which he bobby pins to his head in the tank!
Ok, it gets better. He invites the crowd to join him in reciting the candle blessings. And no one joins him. In this humiliating moment, not one person, man, woman, or child, wants to participate in this bizarre activity. It is 1130 in the morning, which makes it odder still. The young beautiful Israeli woman on the other side of the tank is trying to make it work, and she is utterly humiliated, doesnt know what to do. She doesnt know the second blessing by heart (she'asa nissim), or if she does she starts to blank -- and no one comes to her aid.
I couldnt figure out if Israelis are more discerning of the ridiculous, or if they thought it was profane and slightly blasphemous or if they didnt know the words, either, or most likely a combo of them all. It was a moment...
We returned to the hotel, a good deal nicer than the Golden Tulip, and all of us pretty much collapsed after some lunch. Shabbat dinner was a huge and I mean a huge feast the likes of which I havent experienced before for a small group. As we sang Shalom Aleichem I thought of all the people singing the same shabbes song all over the world. We are all so connected in so many ways.
The TBA travellers have found that connection and it is precious indeed. SHabbat Shalom and see you soon!
So out into the cool morning we went, splitting into 2 groups: the first one went for a hike into the mountains with our great guide, Ya'ara. The rest took a jeep excursion into the mountains of Eilat. I thought my fillings were going to pop out of my head it was so jarring. I've driven in some steep mountain country before, but never in a 4 wheel drive ancient jeep. And never with exactly the central casting choice for the Israeli jeep driver. Yosa was a grizzled guy, skinny, baked by the sun, macho, and really smart. Man, this guy knew everything about the history, geology, topography, botany, and politics of Eilat. Yosa spoke 7 languages, quoted relevant Biblical references, made us laugh, and scared us out of our minds. In other words, we loved it.
The jeep caravan dropped us off at the famous Eilat underwater observatory. Besides all of the usual cool aquarium stuff they possess, this ploace has a large building out in the Red Sea anchored to the sea floor. By going down into its base, which is all windowed, you can see the fish truly in their natural element. It's a great place.
Of course there's gotta be shtick, and there in the Coral Reef section of the aqarium is a guy in a wet suit and scuba gear right in the tank standing next to a menorah. He wants to 'light' the menorah, so he pulls out the 'candles' (plastic something or other). He then reaches in his bag and pulls out a knit kippah which he bobby pins to his head in the tank!
Ok, it gets better. He invites the crowd to join him in reciting the candle blessings. And no one joins him. In this humiliating moment, not one person, man, woman, or child, wants to participate in this bizarre activity. It is 1130 in the morning, which makes it odder still. The young beautiful Israeli woman on the other side of the tank is trying to make it work, and she is utterly humiliated, doesnt know what to do. She doesnt know the second blessing by heart (she'asa nissim), or if she does she starts to blank -- and no one comes to her aid.
I couldnt figure out if Israelis are more discerning of the ridiculous, or if they thought it was profane and slightly blasphemous or if they didnt know the words, either, or most likely a combo of them all. It was a moment...
We returned to the hotel, a good deal nicer than the Golden Tulip, and all of us pretty much collapsed after some lunch. Shabbat dinner was a huge and I mean a huge feast the likes of which I havent experienced before for a small group. As we sang Shalom Aleichem I thought of all the people singing the same shabbes song all over the world. We are all so connected in so many ways.
The TBA travellers have found that connection and it is precious indeed. SHabbat Shalom and see you soon!
posted by rebhayim at 1:11 PM
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