Sholem Aleykhem from the Inner West of the Middle East

When I last left you, I had just visited the markets and mentioned my trip to Jerusalem was quickly approaching, as well as the trip to Masada. Before I get into details of what I've done, I'd just like to make a few more observations of Israel:

Now, as I'm sure you all remember, I mentioned how generous the pouring of my Jack Daniels was by the host of a party. What you must keep in mind that I realized I have forgotten to mention, is that Israel is NOT a drinking culture at all (bloody good thing sometimes or every driver would be dead). They tend not to drink, and anything more than 2 glasses of wine tends to get them more than tipsy - it just so happens that grandma has made friends with everything English speaker she could find and thus she has evolved her own drinking culture. On a completely unrelated note, the girls here are bloody amazing. I mean honest to God, there are fewer girls I have seen in my travels who compare in beauty to these Israelis - and don't ask me what it is, that makes them grow that way, because I just don't know. On another note, I find it interesting to mention that Grandma gets incredibly frustrated here when people don't speak english - I find this more than ridiculous as it is a HERBREW and ARABIC speaking country, and nevermind them not learning English, but SHE barely knows Hebrew, how's that for hipocrisy? And honest to God, sometimes I think she just talks to fill in the silence. I would LOVE some peace and quiet every now and then, but fuck me she is ALWAYS talking about something or nothing. She has a special relationship with the words "terrible" and "impossible" and also anything you say is wrong, and if she disbelieves you and it turns out you were RIGHT she will then say she knew it all along. Also, she is the sole perpetrator of THE most annoying sound in the world, ready? Here it is - "OooooAh!". It is usually an exclamation of grief, but damned if she doesn't use it every 20 seconds. Also, though the drivers are HORRIBLE here, they tend to be incredibly more effective at getting out of the way for ambulances...I thought that was interesting. Ok, now back to the travels.

Sunday 9th (Day..6?), Jerusalem (or in Hebrew Yirusheliam): We got up at around 9 O'Clock to catch the 10am bus to Jerusalem. Of course she drove me mad trying to find the bus stop, although it was clearly indicated. The bus ride took approx. 45 mins from Tel Aviv - including horrible traffic right near the front gate of the city. First off, we went to Yad Vashem - a 60 Acre property turned Holocaust museum. This, I must admist, was an incredibly emotional experience for me. As soon as you enter the museum, there is a display case of items salvaged from burned bodies in mass graves - mainly consisting of photographs, passports and pocket watches. As you moved through, there was all the racist Nazi propaganda on display, alongside a video of the burning of books, Hitler's speech to the army and stories told by survivors of the camps. There were also scale models of the camps, diary entries and the clothes of those who had perished. It described in great detail the atrocities which took place within the walls of places such as Aushwitz. Then we entered the "Hall of Names" which is a has a conical ceiling lined with the names and photographs of all 6 Million who died in the camps - these names were also in registry files shelved in the room. When we exited this building, we moved to a smaller one where inside there was an eternal flame burning surrounded by the names of all the concentration camps - a memory to those lost. Next we moved onto the Valley of the Communities which was a giant stone quarry like area, which was really one giant, winding rock wall and carved into it were the names of the over 1000 communities which were completely wiped out during the Nazi invasion of Europe. When we had finished at Yad Vashem, we took a taxi to the Jaffa gate and walked along until we reached the Western Wall - sometimes referred to by gentiles as the Wailing Wall. It was jam-packed with Hasidim and other tourists all standing and rocking and praying. What you're supposed to do is pray, write a note of something you wish for and place it in the wall and then kiss the wall (or kiss your hand and then kiss the wall). Now, you all know me, I'm not a religious person in the slightest. When I approached the Wall, I didn't really know what to expect. I thought maybe I'd just write something petty on a note like "may the girls I meet put out" or something equally juvenile. But when I got there, something came over me. There was something about that place which was so...important. I looked around at all these people who came from MILES around just to see, touch and pray at this wall. Instead, I wrote an entirely different note which read, "I just want the world to get along. I want the hate and war and evil to END." I folded it up, put it in the wall, kissed my hand and kissed the wall. Then I just stood there for a while, and walked away. It was just so...I dunno. As we were leaving, I had my photo taken with a couple of strapping young army lads because I vowed I'd have this done before I left Israel, and then off home we went to rest. It had been a long and emotional day.

Monday 10th and Tuesday the 11th (Day 7 and 8), The Twins and the Concert and a nice Lunch: As a result of having a cold which just wouldn't go away, I decided to rest the whole day before I went and met the twins at their house to light the Hannukah candles and go out. I was staying the night at theirs, for they lived quite far in Ramat Hasharon and it would be too hard to get back to Tel Aviv - their suggestion, not mine. When we entered their house at 8pm, I was greeted by an incredibly beautiful girl named Aviv, one of the twins, who's sister's name was Leora. Short and slight of build just like their mother, with green/blue eyes and long, brown, curly hair, they were an incredibly beautiful pair. It was also quite cool to find out that they are both musicians - one is a drummer and the other a guitarist - and they both love the same music as I. So, we lit the candles and off we went to see the acoustic music gig of the Israeli musician Ronit. To say I was impressed with her music would be an understatement. We picked up another of their friends on the way (whose name I've know forgotten) and we met another one there - she named Ophir. The gig was at a pub, so, relieved, I had 2 rum and cokes and felt good, for it had been a while since that huge Jack. The girls each had a beer or 2 and then we moved down to see the concert. The rum and cokes, however, were unlike the ones we have in Aus. Whereas we fill the glass with ONE SHOT and the rest is coke, here they fill HALF THE GLASS with rum (3 shots) and then it's coke, so having had 2 Rum and Cokes, was really like having 6 Shots with coke chasers. I was indeed very happy. The concert was so very good and though I didn't understand a word of the lyrics, it hardly mattered because the music was beautiful. When this was over, we farewelled Ophir and got in the cab for home. This cab, of course, drive like an absolute nutter and I felt like I was going to die everytime he took a turn. Finally we got home to safe land and Leora went right to bed - she's the responsible twin. Aviv and I, however, stayed up until 4:30 and talked shit and making sense. And, for the first time since I arrived in Israel, I had a good night's sleep. Sure it wasn't long, but damned if it was refreshing. It was good to see the nightlife with people my own age again. It also helped that the mattress reminded me of my own and the noise levels were equal to those I had in Chatswood, and that I have now in Glebe - very minimal. When I awoke, the mother (Susie) told me that Gran. was coming to get me at 11am - it was now 10. I went outside and sat in the sun and Susie made me an omlet - and I basked in the beautiful peace and quiet. The Twins were still asleep and it was like a sanctuary in that place. It was a wonderful rest from Grandma's incessant talking - a nice escape. The repose I so desperately needed. I could finally just sit peacefully and think - but of course, like most things, this was not to last. (Oh how I envied the life of their household dog! Just eating and resting in the sun!) When Gran. arrived to get me, even Susie said, "Peace and quiet's over..." for she understood my plight. Aviv awoke and we exchanged emails. NOW I wish I was staying for longer, so that I could go out more with these new friends. Also, for the first time in a long while, I wrote a poem. It's not too good, but it's a nice start to get back in the game. When we left the Twins' place, we went back to the apartment and I changed. Within the hour we had left again and were on our way to meet Shirley and her granddaughter Tamara for a nice lunch at the pier - oh how my social life is so busy here! and the girls! The lunch went really nicely and I finally got some BACON and then we came back to the apartment and now I am sitting here, writing to you this email.

Soon we will leave once more to go meet Debbie, for she too has a strapping young lass to intorduce me to. I tell you, I am so very tired. I have this incredibly busy social life, and I'm just not sleeping. And this chest cold isn't making things any more pleasant. I am starting to miss home a little bit though, and it's amazing to think that I've only actually been here for 8 days, despite it seeming so long, and I have another full week to go! It's very strange how slow the passage of time is here...Well, I think I've berrated you with enough information for today and I shall write again after tomorrow, which is our trip to Masada which is a LONG ASS day of walking; 8am-8pm.