Birthday at Rosh HaNikra

It was my birthday, earlier in the week. I just wanted to get out of the apartment and do something that didn't involve walking around a shopping mall. We decided that it was a perfect day to take the 40 minute drive to the Lebanese border to witness 'a love story between the rock and the sea.'  At least that is what the signs said. After years of keeping it on our family to do list, we visited Rosh HaNikra.

We called ahead to make sure it would be family friendly and Corona safe. Although they said it was best to wait until the end of the day, we decided that we would go with enough time to enjoy our day and still be home at a reasonable hour. 

We arrived to find the parking lot closed. Cars were scattered up and down the roads. We took a short drive up the road, just past the sign warning that the border was up ahead. We were able to find parking that wasn't to far away from the entrance to the parking lot. 

View of parking lot from our car

 

We knew which direction to walk. We eventually found our way to the area for purchasing tickets for the cable car. We also decided to upgrade our tickets for an extra activity quasi off the beaten path. We were told that the cable car would be limited to 7 passengers and that it would be an hour wait to get to the bottom. So we headed over to the line, which was staggered into 3 sections. Staff walked through the line at regular intervals to make sure that everyone was still wearing their masks. We also saw some police officers who would have had the authority to issue the 500 NIS fine for not wearing them correctly.

The view while waiting in line

They were not joking about the wait times. We eventually made it onto the cable car, down to our destination. By that point it was lunch time and we were all really hot. We bought a few cold drinks and found a nice quiet spot, on astroturf with umbrellas to offer us shade. 

After lunch it was time to go into the grottoes.  They were absolutely breathtaking. The only issue I had was that there were way too many people who thought they were super models. Their efforts to take the perfect picture, inconvenienced everyone else. It was well worth it. 

After we finished in the grottoes, we walked through a tunnel. The tunnel was built by the British in 1942 to connect Beirut and Haifa, to allow the transfer of military supplies. It was blown up in 1947 to prevent Arab fighters from being able to reach Haifa. 

Shlomo spent the walk telling Hoodie and anyone who would listen that trains used to be here and then they turned it into a museum.

At the other end of the tunnel, our chariot was waiting for us. OK, it wasn't a chariot, it was a golf cart. We had rented it for 45 minutes as something fun and different to do. We were allowed to drive it as far as the nearby beach.  Peri and I took turns driving around and the kids also had fun checking out the area in our slow moving vehicle. Did you know that Israel has trailer parks? We also saw a tent, set up in the kids park, near the beach. I wonder what the story was there. 

From there it was back into the much shorter line up the cable car. We stopped for ice cream at the top. We then headed back to the car to pack it in for the day.  We made it home in time for dinner. 

I had a really great birthday. It was a really fun family tiyul.

Random updates

Ok, so I have been sort of letting my online communications lag. A good part of that is because I have nothing really to say- it is amazing how nice it can be to have NOTHING worth reporting going on for a little while.

Be that as it may, there are a few things to bring up to date.

First off, the apartment hunt is on and we are planning to stay in RBS. Basically, it comes down to the fact that we are just too darn lazy to uproot ourselves a year after we did it the last time. Fortunately it looks like we will be able to do quite well and stay within 2 blocks of where we are now.

Before anyone gets all up in arms about the landlord being insane, we did sign a contract with him stating he could theoretically do what he is doing. We did not know that A) the world economy would TANK, or that B) he would be so hard-nosed about something that just does not happen here anymore. It was a good place to be for a year, we have learned something from our mistakes about the value of not tieing ANYTHING to a foriegn currency in even the losest sense of the word and about last minute changes being thrown in and being scared to walk away, but Baruch Hashem the whole thing could have ended up a lot worse.

Truthfully the whole tihng might be a bracha in disguise. Better to find out sooner rather than later/if anything were to have gone wrong) what sort of person we are dealing with. At least now we have plenty of time to find something. It is also nice that this time we are local and know a little bit more about what we want and where we want to be so we are not pressured into something we do not need/want.

We are going to look at something tonight that is right near here, a 3 bedroom with a large storage space (We are currently in a 4 bedroom with no storage space). It is a little cheaper than what we are currently in, and as it is slightly smaller the property tax will also be a little lower. I would likely put my studio into the storage space, and although the balcony is going to be smaller we should be just as functional as we are now.

We would likely move during the fist 2 weeks of August and then have 2 weeks to make sure this place is return-ready. I guess I do not get the help of the Bubbie Brigade in cleaning out this year... thankfully with not nearly as much stuff, and not having been here nearly as long, it is not going to be a difficult move. I think our plan is to hire someone for the piano, fridge, washing machine, couch and beds and do the rest of it pretty much on our own.

In other news I turned 30 last week. Yes I feel old. Yes I know I am making my family feel really old. Oh well. To be fair, although 29 got off to a rough start it turned out ot be one of the best years ever- hopefully 30 will be even better.

I was sooooo homesick leading up to my birthday. The combination of not being with my extended family and having people here basically all but do nothing made me really lonely. B'H Jason (with Lorien and Avri's help) managed to pull oversized bunnies out of hats and turned it into a really nice day.

I got home to find a huge thing of baloons on my doorstep from my parents that thrilled me to no end. (Yes of course I got teary- this is me we are talking about!).

In other news,

I got an award!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=Uo3z0MBj4cQOfqrFoM1.sDkwMzgxNTQ-&referred_by=16340819-_kvPkBx&p=moveon

Pictures from mom's trip- from mom.

The three of us at Kever Rachel.


Channah being Channah

Ballet





Channah and I at Migdal David


channah in her "Birthday suit" (thanks Abba- she really loves the jacket!)


Us

Happy birthday Mom!

A mom like you
Brings joy to my life
Year after wonderful year
The love that you give
Brightens my days
Even when you're not here

Love is what this greeting brings
To you on your special day
A love with depth beyond compare
A love that will never sway

Birthday Party

The Birthday girl
The Cake

The Table


The "centrepiece" and the birthday girl making her crown.


Princess making bracelets

After this there was princess bingo, and pin the crown on the princess. No pictures as I was a little busy! Then

Snack time!



Presents






8 little princesses


Gratuitous cute pics :)

Channah's Birthday at Gan

This is one of those cases where a video says so much more than a regular post. suffice it to say that seeing my daughter this happy, and this loved, this excited about life(!), is the biggest reason we decided that we needed to move.

I have NEVER seen Channah as happy as she was today.

Happy Birthday Mom/Bubbie

Happy birthday, Mom! I hope everyone can see, What a great mom you’ve always been, And how much you mean to me. I always think about you, In times both good and bad, For the things you taught are with me, In happy times and sad. So on this day I wish you joy, Just like you pass around. May all your good times multiply, And happiness abound.

Karl Fuchs

Channah, Rachel and I are thinking about you and are sorry we could not be closer today. We will celebrate belatedly when you are here. Wishing you every joy and happiness, every success and acievement in the year to come. I love you.

Happy Birthday Abba!

Happy birthday to Jason!

Ok, I know I am a couple days late, but I have not pulled pictures off my camera since I took this. Our first "simcha" in Israel.

See the candles? 3 and 1 and 1 for good luck!