Joining the Heavens

It was a beach day.  

I have to say that one thing I really love about Israel is the variety of landscapes here.  You can start in Jerusalem (hill country) and within a couple hours be at the ocean, or the Dead Sea, or Galilee, or the Golan heights.  It would be like starting on the California coast, passing through Death Valley, driving through mid-west farm land, pausing at the Great Lakes, and ending in the Rockies.  All in one tiny, hotly contested piece of land.  I think that there must be something here (land-wise) that would remind anyone of the land of their nativity.  

So today six of us took the day and went to the beach by Tel Aviv.  Most of us took a car that one of the students here has rented for a while.  Some of us were thinking about visiting a museum, but that (unfortunately) didn't happen.  Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable, and mostly relaxing, day.  I was glad I wasn't driving - the traffic and twisting, convoluted mass of one-way or taxi-only roads would have surely frazzled my nerves.  Eventually, though, we always managed to get where we wanted to go.

We spent most of our time on the beach, sitting, laying, reading, talking, sleeping, walking, taking pictures, getting sand blown in our eyes, watching wind-surfers, laughing, dancing in the waves, trying to leave footprints in the sand.  I was even inspired to write a poem of sorts (it's rough, I know, but I'm too tired to put effort into editting it):

Footprints in the sand, some shells, a rock,

All quickly washed away.

The roving waves come wandering in each hour

To seize their rightful pay.

And in their wake the beach is renewed,

Purified each day.

Perhaps we need some days like these

To clarify our minds.

To sweep from them the cares and thoughts

With which our lives are lined.

To grow closer to one another and build

Some friendships that will bind.

And as we grow to better know the One who made this shore,

We'll continually come to know the plans for us He has in store.  

Anyway, it was an enjoyable day.  Given the  choice between Dahab and Tel Aviv...yeah, I'd definitley pick Dahab.  But for a short trip, Tel Aviv was fun.  

...and now I'm going to live in the library for the next two weeks before the end of the semester.  See you then. ;)