ISRAEL - Lovely people

Before we went to Israel we were terribly flippant and made lots of poor taste jokes about the Middle east Peace process. earlier this year, devoted blog readers (tee hee) will remember that we visited Iceland. During our stay the country suffered a massive earthquake, and shortly afterwards went bankrupt... what would be the effect of our holiday to Israel we tittered... foolishly!

While we were in Israel, we had the pleasure of meeting so many people, we were welcomed warmly into Yael, Mia and Romi's home (and Kester I suppose).. we were also invited to Shabbat supper at Yael's parents (see the last photo in this section) were we were treated to dishes cooked by Yael, her mum and her sister. we met and talked to cafe owners, Souk stallholders, Kester's friends, Yael's friends, Yael's colleagues, shopkeepers and so on. Everyone was totally welcoming and immensly kind. We always felt welcome, never threatened, always safe and never insecure as to the political situation.

It was with immense sadness that we read on our return from Israel, that almost as soon as we had cleared Israeli airspace the situation between Israel and The Palestinians had deteriorated, and that today the situation is more grave than it has been for many years. We all prayed at the Wailing Wall, and I know that some of those prayers were for peace in the region... I don't know if either side can be blamed for this situation.. it just seems hopelessly entrenched, and immensely sad.

Anyway.. a few of the wonderful people that we met on our travels . . .

From L to R .... The gruesome twosome of course, then my baby brother Kester, Mia kneeling down and Romi providing the bunny ears...

Can you guess what Jamie was drinking??
On Sunday 21st December it was the first evening of Hannukah (Jews celebrate their holidays at sundown the evening before the festival...) Romi lit the first candles on the Hannukiah. . .with her dad wearing a napkin on his head in lieu of a kippa..
In Rosh Pina they went on a procession of the town with the light . . .

On Monday evening we were at the Dead Sea and lit our Hannukiah in the hotel lobby. . .


Although we weren't in Israel for Christmas, Mia had kindly decorated us a tree, and with presents underneath, the cry of 'christmas now??' became somewhat familiar!!
Romi modelling some H&M clothes!

This chap did make me smile.. dressed in his traditional robes, having picked his herbs for lunch he walked into town, and then quickly called his missus to tell her he was stopping for a quick drink! The photographs of Israelis in their traditional dress were v disappointing, as I could not quite bring myself to set the shot up without trying to hide the camera up my jumper

possibly this lady here???

and last but not least Yael's parents, who were so kind and welcoming to us . . . . . .