Drinks on the Teammates

We’re just getting back the Kfar after a very packed day of touring (and driving) to some of Israel’s most well known (and far out) locations. A 10 a.m. departure with a midnight arrival – that is one long day by any standards. Little siestas along the way were also on the agenda (at least it was written in pencil on mine for the bus ride back to the Kfar). Now, I’m wired enough to write on my blog and check e-mail, so I guess we’re all lucking out.

The morning got started with a good practice session. Yesterday was just a day to fool around, loosen up, get used to the conditions, and just get a feel for bowling together as a team. Today, we started to get back into the competition mentality with a little five-on-five. Granted, it was friendly competition with only drinks on the line, but it was a good way to get into the mindset of competing rather than just throwing shots. Each team had three men and two women (Michelle had an excused absence this morning), and after warm-up each team rolled two games, one on each of our practice pairs. The house, for the second day, set out different shots on each of our pairs, and boy was it a dramatic difference. Though my team won both games and is looking forward to our forthcoming drinks, I was playing about six boards deeper on the short oil. From one pair to another, that is significant, but we had to play to the shot. For two games, I went 213-194 … a very respectable showing.

Then the fun began. It’s been five years since I’ve seen Yad Vashem, and as luck would have it, the Holocaust memorial in Israel opened a new exhibit about six weeks ago. So we had the honor of being one of the first groups to tour this new facility, which not only focuses on history, but also on family and personal stories. There are many screens that feature survivors sharing their stories, and the curators have connected those video vignettes to the appropriate areas of the display so that the history truly comes alive. We only had an hour to get through that one area, and I made it to about 1942, three years before the war ended. We then walked through the moving Children’s Memorial, with its mirrors and candle display and echoing sounds of names of the 1.5 million children being read in the background.

To contrast, we then drove about an hour to the Dead Sea. We saw (and felt) the elevation drop and arrived at a beautiful resort hotel right on the water where we had time to relax in the sun. Some people got festive and partook in the Mud Festival that was going on (coincidentally on the day we were there) and then wallowed around in the Dead Sea. Personally, I’ve done both and while the mud is always fun (and makes your skin feel great), I’m not a big fan of the Dead Sea. To me, it’s greasy and oily. I was content with a quick dip in the hotel pool and lying in the sun for a little while.

From there, it was off to Masada, the site of an ancient Roman Fortress and winter palace of King Herod. The archeological strides made by the Israeli Antiquities Authority are astounding … what they have been able to dig up and reveal about this unique structure located in the middle of nowhere is mind-boggling. We ended there with a brief ceremony and walked down as the sun set. The site of Team USA walking down was incredible. From there it was off to a feast at a Bedouin Hospitality Center with all the great food and entertainment. I’m still stuffed from that.

Tomorrow, we’re traveling in the north, to an army base and the Sea of Galilee for kayaking and beach time. Hopefully, I’ll get some more time to even out the tan lines I have on the back of my neck from yesterday’s adventures in the Old City.

Laila Tov.