Here I am in the shuttle from SeaTac to Bellingham- the final frontier on what seemed like a never-ending-story!
Days 11-12 all happened in one long continuous adventure!
We basically had Monday to explore on our own and we definitely did! We walked to the Cat Corner again for a cup of coffee and tea. We did a little money exchange to make sure we had exact payment for the shuttle then headed back to the hotel to check out and store our luggage for our eight hours wait. We also checked in on Charlie and Madeline. They had both been sick with this cold or upper respiratory thing some of us were suffering from. We made sure the shuttle was reserved for us and them.
We found a grocery store near the hotel where Savannah was able to find packaged halva – when we got halva at the market it’s much fresher but can’t be stored well. I got dates for Mark and some halva for everyone to try. And black dried plums like we had at breakfast every day. We took all these treasures back to the hotel to store with our luggage then hit the road on foot.
We headed back to Mahane Yahuda Market. I love that place! So much color and food and things to see and smell. I had an açaí bowl I’d been craving since our first day in Tel Aviv. It is so so so delicious. 29 shekels is expensive but it’s so worth it! We walked around trying to find something for lunch and I was very glad to find a fish&chips place!! The market had a lot of soldiers this day. They look way too young to be carrying around rifles but they were having fun eating and enjoying everything together.
We then headed across town to the Israel Museum. We passed some beautiful passionflower bushes along the way and picked a couple blossoms to add to my petals as paint on Refind Creations. Also some beautiful purple blossoms we collected in a bag.
The walk to the museum took us up a very steep hill and around the Knesset building.
We had about three hours to spend at the museum so we split up and covered as much as we could. The Dead Sea scrolls would take a lot more time but it was cool to see exhibits on many of the places we had visited on our tour and to remember things Yonatan had told us about. Could spend many hours there.
We walked back to the hotel and climbed about a hundred stairs that led up through a neighborhood. It’s fun walking everywhere — you get a whole different feel for the community.
At the hotel we went into the spa area and laid in the lounge chairs. Since the Ukraine lady wasn’t there we just made ourselves at home. Made tea and talked to a guy who came to use the steam room – and it was actually working! A couple from Russia or Ukraine came as well to steam then they used the showers in the ladies locker room together! Then they went back in the steam room and then back to the shower. They ignored us laying there on the loungers! We made tea and Savannah took a shower and I changed into my travel clothes– yoga pants and baggy shirt 😉 and bushed our teeth.
We then went to catch the shuttle and meet up with Charlie and Madeline. Glad they were able to extend for a late checkout to rest up.
The drivers in Jerusalem are crazy and the shuttle driver was crazy too! Holy moly!
We had a couple hours in the airport then we were taking off at 11:30 pm heading to New York. I took a crumb of melatonin which knocked me out for half an hour. Then a couple of hours feeling unsettled as they weirdly served meals and turned on lights rather than just letting people sleep. Super annoying! The flight was 11 1/2 hours but we coped well– better than our trip over.
We had a two hour layover in New York which was spent jumping through hoops at customs. Such a goofy process. But we didn’t have to open our bags. Savannah got a little extra grilling at check in as her passport is stamped for Indonesia, Mali and other countries.
And now to home we go! I’m craving Mexican food and a hot bath — can’t wait!
Thanks to all who followed our adventure. We have been blessed!!
©Belindabotzong2018
Loved hearing every single word!! Welcome home!