We Embrace Dominators, Dome Run and Domer Simposon. Dome de dome, de dome....

Week Two

Each day here is so long. We wake up around 6:00 p.m. and manage to fit so much into one day. Yesterday afternoon, I walked with a group of men from the program, our program leader to an old Arab cistern. It was a short walk to a very narrow hole. We had to lower ourselves below with careful footing and a rope. I was the second to venture down but I panicked at the confined opening. I tried once more and gingerly lowered myself below. It was so dark and cold and wonderful. A beautiful respite place from the hot sun. The cistern was large enough below to hold six or more people. Getting back out proved not so difficult and my fears were assuaged. I have since gone back only one more time but I hope to fit in more trips while the midday period is still scorching hot.

Next was partner yoga on top of the stage over the water tank. Stacking Functions. Once I overcame my trust issues, it was great and I got a deep stretch. Next we scrambled around to get to Tel Aviv. Anna and I left with two boys from our program. We were dropped off at a bus stop where we waited over an hour and half for a bus. After several bus passing us-were they full, ignoring us, should we flag them down! We did not know. All we knew is that we were somewhere on the side of the highway and we did not know how to walk back to the farm. So we splurged on a cab ride to Tel Aviv. Flat rate of course.

This was my urban trip in Israel, and thus a monumental one. We were overwhelmed and so hungry once we got there (10:00 at night or was it even later?) We checked into the first hostel we saw, even though we talked majestically of camping on the beach. We bought gelato and each it ravenously with our fingers and walked aimlessly from restaurant to restaurant. We found good falafel and a red lager and life was good. Then we walk along the shore, sipping our beers. The water was so warm, even at that time of night.

The rest of the night was a wild series of events. We played on the crazy exercise equipment that they place in busy sections of the city. They involve using your own weight as leverage which makes it more interesting. Pictures will follow soon. Next we stumbled upon a swanky nightclub with a view of the ocean where Anna was hit upon by a German who was outraged that her boyfriend is not Jewish. Outraged. We finished the night with a late night dip in the Mediterranean. The current was strong but the water was so wonderfully warm that I could not pull myself away.

That is a sum up of only day in Israel. It helps explain why it is hard to keep up with the blog. Not every day is so action filled, especially days only on the farm. Our daily scheduled consists of morning tea, chores or nature meditation which is then followed by a group breakfast. We then have class for about four hours with Yigal, our permaculture instructor. Next is group lunch under the big tree and then we got a break for a couple of hours. What happens next we never know: maybe it a group sharing circle, Jewish studies or working on our dome gardens. We have a group dinner later and later. In between all these times, there is a lot of music and laughter. Anna plays her violin, E plays his guitar, and maybe someone is playing a drum. Off in the distance, we can sometimes hear the Israeli flute player. Such is life on the farm thus far.