9th and 10th of July, 2019.
Stupid. Why I did not look somewhere for connection and check where I was and how far that would be from Elon’s house? Instead, I just take the train to there, which it supposed to be just one station after where I was (the central bus station). Supposed to be because of course I got lost. I passed the station because I was not trusting in the security guard who gave me the information. I was right about the fact that he was wrong, though. I just did not stop in the right one either.
Anyway I contact Elon and we meet very close to his apartment. I feel a good connection with him since the beginning. Like we could be good friends. His apartment it is very well located ad pretty cute. His girlfriend is not at home yet because she is studying like crazy these last few days. Both are actually. Final tests.
The night has just begun so of course I am not to explore the town. I just have a shower and relax. Elon will going to prepare dinner for the three of us and I help him a bit. His girlfriend arrives quite late. She is nice and has this exotic beauty: She is tall and skinny, with a beautiful brown skin and black hair. But there is something about her that quite does not work pretty well with me. I think she might be a little arrogant. We eat. The food is really good: some lentils and vegetables in a Israeli way. I really like it!
Next morning Elon shows me the way to the old city. He is really like a friend already and we hug before I leave to my journey.
Jerusalem is nice. It can be a little confusing inside of the Old City, with all the small streets and stuff but I think they are quite well addressed. And you can always get located by the corners and the gates. Now I m thinking about World War Z… The thing is: I am shocked with the number of soldier with heavy guns around there. Crazy! At some point I could not even cross. I could not avoid the thought – “Holy” city. The Western / Wailing Wall and this ridiculous division between Jews and Christians. Makes me sick! And of course the clothes restriction. This time I was prepare with long pants and t-shirt but why the shoulders? I just do not get. I saw basically everything in the morning then I got outside to have my lunch (the rest of past from the night I cooked in Haifa) and to have a nap during the hottest hours of the day.
After that I walk to a point view for a panoramic of the Old City, in the direction of the Mount of Olives. It is a hell of stairs! You must put yourself on the way behind the Old City, in direction of the Genthsemane. Which worth to take a look. Then keep straight to the back of it, and you will see first a small road and then the stairs. They are high! But do not give up. At the end of them, take the right (there are two churches ahead but you need to pay to visit) and you will end up on the point view. It is amazing! There is a fancy hotel there, Seven Arches, you can also take the direction to there if you prefer.
I am thinking about staying for the sunset. The view / picture it would be amazing. It is almost 4 o’clock and the sunset will not be before 7 o’clock. So two things stop me: I am very tired and just want to get home earlier, cook something to my hosts and go to sleep; plus, I would need to go back when it is already start to getting dark, and I am not quite sure about this region. Maybe I should wait. It would be a nice picture. But my travels are about what I see and learn and experience. Not just about pictures. So I leave.
On my way back, I stop in this hippy shop and buy some earrings and bracelets. Plus, I finally get the tiny elastics for my braids. They are not black though, but blue.
I also walk around the Yehuda Market a bit. And I get a wine and some nice bread for dinner. The plan is to stir some veggies and to make a nice warm brushetta.
We talk a bit but his girlfriend is very tired plus she needs to wake up early next morning so she just drinks a bit of wine and go to sleep. Later, me and Elon get hungry so I prepared the food. I do not know for sure if he really like that much or it was just being nice. But it is good. The wine too. And it was a cheap one. I even got some dessert: cookies! It was on sale. I like the joke Elon makes after we eat: “Thank you for hosting me!”.
In the morning, he prepares some nice scramble eggs plus a Israeli salad. I try the cold coffee they have every morning (which I hate) and we had a nice breakfast.
After all I decide to take the bus to the Dead Sea because the beach where my CS host is working it is the first one, quite close, so the bus is very cheap. Much easier than going out of town in a local bus and find a spot to hitchhike. I say a said goodbye to such a great new friend and I leave.
Everything it works pretty well and I arrive as expected in Kalia Beach just after lunch. You need actually walk a little bit from the road to there but it is not a problem.