Living Israeli style

Nothing new really going on....We are still chilling at our apartment and going to the beach pretty much everyday. Tomorrow we are going to the Kinneret to do some kiting and then going to see the movie, Don't Mess With The Zohan. Should be cool to see it here as it is about an ex-Israeli Masad agent. Just thought I'd talk about some everyday things that we do and see here that are a bit different from the states. Pretty much everywhere we go we see Israeli soldiers. This is because everyone is required to serve 3 years in the army when they turn 18. So while we are graduating and getting ready for college they are beginning thier service. Most times you will see them on the bus or at a resturaunt, never without a semi-automatic rifle by thier side. When you go to malls or other crowded places there are always metal detectors and security guards. When you go to a parking garage guards check your trunk for anything (explosives). But it is not as if I ever feel this is really out of the ordinary. It is just a part of Israeli life. A friend that we met served in the intelligence department during her term. She is not allowed to go to or fly over any Arab nations for the next 3 years due to security reasons. She is "not allowed to tell us anything." Believe me, we tried : ) Most showers don't have a curtain and are small enough that we just put soap on the walls and spin around to get clean. You have to use a squeegee* ? to push the water that has gone all over the bathroom floor down the drain. Toilets have two flushes #1 and #2 . The weekend starts Friday afternoon and going through Saturday, as Saturday is the Sabbath (day of rest) for the Jewish religion. Sunday is like a work day here. Cities pretty much shut down and everyone flocks to the beaches or country-side. Hummus is eaten with many meals. Not a bad thing. Israeli citizens are not allowed to travel to 2 bordering states (Syria and Lebanon), as they do not recognize Israel as a state. Egypt, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Sinai region are all pretty much off limits. Pretty crazy....could you imagine living in Georgia and not being able to go to Alabama, well who really cares about Bama? But South Carolina, Florida, or Tennessee? No road trips to Panama City for Spring Break 09'!!!!! There are 32 political parties in Israel. The government is one area that most Israelis do not even understand. In its 60 year history one party has never had a majority vote. You thought our political system was messed up! Jerusalem has been conquered more than any other city in the world. The Dead Sea is not so dead after all....there are over 300 types of micro-organisms living in and around it...O.K., thats enough Israel facts....lol. Hope you enjoyed and I'll be sure to post some more if I think of any.