9/4/2016 It’s been 35 years since I was last in Israel; 40 years since the first time when I spent 3 months as a volunteer on Kibbutz Bet Nir. Now I’m headed back to visit friends and explore. The plan was to fly all night then meet my dear friend, Naomi, former kibbutznik, now naturalized American citizen, in Tel Aviv.
My first day was a bit of a blur due to jet lag and sleep deprivation but I was surrounded by loving friends and lots of Hebrew. Then came the night. Due to a 7-hour time difference from Virginia, I was awake until about 6:00 AM (11:00 PM at home) which gave me a total of an hour and a half sleep. Rise & Shine! So much to do…
After delicious Arabic coffee and breakfast, we drove to Kibbutz Glil Yam just north of Tel Aviv where Naomi’s sister, Mira, lives with her husband and children. They used to be typical Israelis (not very religious) but since one daughter converted and is now Hassidic, the parents and little sister have followed. It seems the main changes for them are the women’s attire (now plain with long skirts, long sleeves, high neck and head coverings very similar to Mennonite), stricter observance of the Sabbath (no driving or working from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday), no use of birth control, and more prayers. They prefer not to be photographed.
The kibbutz has also gone through a conversion of sorts and is no longer a kibbutz but rather privatized without joint ownership of the homes and property. The former members work outside the community and keep their earnings, contrary to the communal ownership of the kibbutz. I understand that a lot of the former kibbutzim have made similar conversions. There’s a political issue currently to begin taxing the kibbutzim. Formerly, they were not taxed as the concept was to settle the land. No taxation was one more way to encourage Israelis to move to certain areas where the government wanted Jewish settlements.
The food is all fresh and healthy–salad for every meal. People drink very little or no alcohol. Here’s a picture of my friend’s breakfast plate.
After leaving Mira’s we headed for the beach in Herzliya. Gorgeous white beaches with very fine sand join the Mediterranean Sea to the west coast of Israel. Near Tel Aviv, traffic was congested, parking was a problem and I was shocked by all the highways and tall buildings. Once at the beach, we found numerous restaurants right on the sand serving food and drinks. I was surprised to look up and see about a hundred young men and women in uniform running and walking by us; some carried Israeli flags and some carried rifles. People on the beach stood and applauded showing respect as they passed and many made comments of appreciation such as, “Keeping the peace.” Each Israeli citizen must complete mandatory service upon reaching 18 and graduating from high school; approximately 2 years for women and 3 years for men. When I met Naomi, she was 21 and had just completed her military service. She and her group mates were all sent to the Yom Kippur War at 18 and 19 years old. Our friend, Yehezkel, fought in the worst battles at 19 and today suffers from PTSD as a result of that experience.
The water was amazing–so clear and warm; great for body surfing. The air temperature was about 85 and the water temperature was about 82.
Never forget that this is desert. It’s very common to see both residential and commercial properties with artificial grass and silk flowers, interior and exterior, so they don’t need watering.
Beautiful palm trees are everywhere like these date palms. Olive, orange, and lemon trees are very common also. The orange blossoms put off such a sweet aroma; it’s like filling the neighborhood with perfume.
The last day of driving took us through wilderness land and the Mojave Desert. A few rest areas sell gas at more than double the price in Arizona and the signs warn of rattlesnakes. 
First stop in Los Angeles … Patrick’s apartment on Santa Monica Boulevard! We relaxed on his rooftop patio for a while before heading out to Pasadena. 
Daniel found us some cheap tickets to the Coldplay concert at the Rose Bowl Stadium. We parked at a special event parking lot then walked two miles to the stadium. It’s definitely the largest venue I’ve ever been in with a capacity of 92,542. When we entered, we were handed a wrist band to put on. It had LED lights that were controlled by the band’s tech team so 92,542 bands turned yellow when Chris Martin sang “Yellow,” and a wide array of other colors to set the tone.
Back on the road at 6:30 AM we drove out of Texas with this magnificent sunrise at our backs and New Mexico welcoming us.
The drive across I40 is straight and easy, running parallel to the iconic Route 66, so we jumped on and off the interstate whenever we wanted a break. Lunch at one of the many Mexican cantinas was delicious. Free sopapillas and honey! This must be how people feel when they come south and get free hushpuppies and cornbread. 
Shortly after lunch, we crossed into Arizona. It’s impossible to choose one state as the most beautiful but Arizona is really majestic. I so wish we had time to go hiking in Sedona. There’s something wonderful about climbing on red rocks. 
Flagstaff was delightful! Home of Northern Arizona University, it’s full of cool, coffee shops, live music, and a progressive atmosphere. 
Train tracks and Route 66 go through the middle of town giving it an eclectic mix of retro and contemporary. I’d enjoy spending a few days here before hitting the fast pace of Los Angeles but one night is all we can give it. On to California tomorrow…
Over the gate is inscribed, “We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.”
We stopped in Amarillo, Texas for the night with just 15 hours left to Los Angeles. 
About 8:00 PM a hard rain blocked visibility so we stopped for the night just short of Bristol and the TN border. Back on the road at 7:00 AM, we cruised past Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis then into Arkansas. 
It was a good day driving through Tennessee and we made up for the late start yesterday. We stopped in Little Rock, Arkansas for the night. There are 24 hours remaining (if you believe our GPS system) so that’s three solid 8-hour days. If all goes well, we’ll arrive in Los Angeles Saturday afternoon.
Adjusting to the “real world” is always a bit difficult. How can it be that a routine of repetitive interactions and activities is more real than new experiences? Perhaps it’s my desire to appreciate whatever I have at the moment, but as I write this, I think a combination of routine and adventure offers me the most fulfillment. Just as a combination of giving and receiving, work and play, old and new is better than either apart from the other.
Across the mighty Mississippi River, we entered Illinois. We stopped for lunch in Nashville, a little town of 3,148. That’s right–there’s a Nashville, Illinois as well as a Paris, Naples, Camden, Detroit, Florence, Albany, Arlington, and Topeka, Illinois…so confusing. Like most places, we enjoyed good food and good people. The owner laughed at my vegetarian diet but was happy to accommodate with mac & cheese, cole slaw and flowers. 
From Illinois we entered Indiana and drove up to branch of the Ohio River, where we came to the intersection of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. I was very impressed with the natural beauty of Kentucky. The lush green hills of Lexington with all the horse farms were especially beautiful. 
From Kentucky we entered West Virginia where we decided to stay the night. Chalk up another state capitol–Charleston, WV. This was probably our longest driving day but it went well. The weather has been consistently nice and the company is always excellent.
7/7/16 We spent the majority of the day driving through Nebraska and looking at green fields. We passed through a tiny bit of Iowa then into Missouri. As we drove further south the corn seemed to be taller but the scenery was still all green with almost no diversity except, perhaps, not so flat. 
Driving into Kansas City was exciting because it was a huge change of scenery…almost like a mirage on the horizon.
We’re quite impressed with the city. There are performing arts centers and sports arenas all over. A lot people were walking down side streets decorated with lights creating a festive atmosphere. 
It seems the Kansas City is full of all types of life–culture, business, sports, and creativity. It could be fun to stay for a couple more days but we’ll be long gone by this time tomorrow.
We spent the morning in Salt Lake City. The Mormon Temple is the focal point of downtown. The gold statue on top represents an angel heralding the return of Jesus Christ to earth.
These boots are all over the city with different artwork on each one–like the mermaids in Norfolk. 
Cheyenne is the fourth capitol we’ve been in or driven through …
