If you don't go far, you'll be old 2

Chapter 3 Israel: Walking the Straight Line in the Middle East
After sleeping for three days in a hotel in Jordan that smelled like dead fish, I was on my way to Israel. When I got on the bus, my palms reacted so intensely that I could squeeze water out. I am so familiar with this reaction Yes, this is an instinctive reaction to a strange world.

after leaving jordan
Traveling is like falling in love with someone. You may have sex if you have love, you may cry or make trouble, and you may be tired, but no matter what the ending is, this is a predestined trip. Just like love, it will become a part of life over time. some kind of formula.

In August 2012, I bid farewell to Jordan, packed my bags, and embarked on the unknown road ahead.Not so much an unknown as an old friend on the TV news.Israel is a familiar name. As long as these three words are mentioned in the news, most of the content can be guessed without saying it. The conflict between Palestine and Israel is almost all of my stereotypes about Israel.

In Amman, the capital of Jordan, I was favored by the god of luck, and I got the cute backpacker that was once lost in the arena - the Israeli paper lottery.If you have an Israeli visa in your passport, you will not be able to enter Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Sudan and other countries unless you get a new passport.The Israeli extra paper visa is to stamp the visa on an extra piece of paper, not in the passport, and it will not affect the future entry into Israel's hostile countries. It is a good thing for long-distance backpackers.

When I applied for a visa, I saw the unprecedented strict security check at the Israeli embassy; I experienced it again when I entered Israel from the Jordanian border.After all, there are too many enemies, and the Israelis have to beware of radicals who try to break in at any time.It took a full two and a half hours before I was able to "see the light again", and I was relieved.

The scenery from the port to Jerusalem is similar to that of Jordan, and it seems that there is no difference between the two countries.Israel is a developed country, so why doesn’t it feel like it? Just as I was thinking about it, the coach drove into the tunnel through the mountain. After a short period of darkness, my eyes suddenly opened up, and a city with a perfect blend of modern and ancient times appeared in front of me.The ancient and mottled city walls, tall and short buildings, and a strong Middle Eastern style.Just passing from one side of the mountain to the other, it seems to have passed through two worlds.

Jerusalem is the holy land of the three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The origin of its name, there is a common saying that it is derived from the names of two cities in the Bible: Jebus and Salem, the latter meaning peace.The irony is that due to complex reasons such as religion and ethnicity, this city has experienced vicissitudes for thousands of years, and wars have occurred frequently. It has hardly lived a few days of peace, which seems to have nothing to do with peace.

Today is the Sabbath, let's go to the Wailing Wall, it's very lively.The Jews of Jerusalem said so to me.Shabbat is one of the most solemn holidays in Judaism, starting every Friday night and ending on Saturday night.Friday and Saturday are weekends in Israel.It sounds like this Sabbath is a weekend. There are more than 50 festivals a year, how grand it can be.

Full of questions, I walked into the Old City of Jerusalem, and was really taken aback by the crowds of people in the square in front of the Wailing Wall.The huge square was almost full, full of Jewish families who came to the Wailing Wall to chant scriptures and pray together.Many men in formal clothes look like the black suits and top hats worn by European gentlemen a hundred years ago, and they have a lot of shirts, ties and leather shoes. They are the orthodox in Judaism, and they are also the largest group in Judaism. In the hot summer, he would also wear a black top hat, covering his whole body tightly, especially when several men walked by side by side, he looked as imposing as a handsome young man, full of style.Non-ultra-orthodox Jewish men don’t dress so strictly. They dress no differently from ordinary Europeans and Americans. The only difference is that they wear a round cap on their heads to show their respect for God. Yes, separated by hats.It is said to be a hat, but it is only the size of a fist, and it is buckled on the head like a small tea coaster.Ladies dress decently, with rich and colorful clothing, most of them wear long skirts, and jeans are rarely seen, probably because their casual style does not fit the solemn and solemn occasion here.A woman in a denim skirt thoughtfully wrapped a colorful scarf around her skirt to give it a more formal look.In the Old City of Jerusalem, which is full of a strong sense of history and antiquity, looking at groups of men in black suits and top hats in front of you, it seems like you are in an old movie scene, and you have the illusion of traveling through time and space.

The Wailing Wall, that is, the Western Wall, looks like a tall and ancient stone wall from a distance.A remnant of the Second Temple, this is the holiest site in Judaism outside of the Temple Mount.For thousands of years, when the Jews living in every corner of the world returned to the holy city of Jerusalem, they would come to this stone wall to pray in a low voice and cry out the pain of exile, so it is called the Wailing Wall.The prayer area in front of the Wailing Wall is separate for men and women. The size of the men's area is about twice that of the women's area. There are many mothers pushing baby carriages to pray at the Wailing Wall in the women's area.Whether it is the men's area or the women's area, there are lively and celebrating Jews everywhere, dancing and singing hymns hand in hand in a circle.On one side is a bookshelf full of Jewish Bibles, which people read over and over again.

The closer to the Wailing Wall, the more dignified the atmosphere.The joyful songs and laughter behind them gradually faded away, and people read the Jewish Bible quietly, piously, and devotedly, with their bodies leaning forward repeatedly.The believers at the base of the wall touched the Wailing Wall with one hand, held the Bible in the other, and buried their faces completely in the wall.Some people put the folded small pieces of paper into the cracks of the Wailing Wall and dedicated them to God.Upon closer inspection, the gaps between the stone bricks have long been filled with various small pieces of paper.In the ear is the sound of chanting scriptures one after another, and occasionally a faint cry.Surrounded by the powerful force of faith, I stretched out my hand, touched the cold stone bricks of the Wailing Wall, and felt the profound religious energy contained in this stone wall through the palm of my hand.

I happened to meet two Chinese girls on the square. They accepted the invitation of a Jewish friend they just met to have the Sabbath dinner at the rabbi, so I was able to go with them.A rabbi means a rabbi, a teacher, a wise man, and a saint. More than 100 Jews gathered at the rabbi, singing hymns and praying in unison, thanking God for food and love.While enjoying the dinner prepared by the rabbi's home, he followed the rabbi to study the Jewish Bible.In addition to Hebrew, the hymn book also has the pronunciation of the lyrics and the main idea in English, which is convenient for those who do not understand Hebrew to sing.The rabbi gave lectures in English and Hebrew, encouraging everyone to actively share their feelings and spiritual experience.

Leaving the rabbi's house and walking the long stone and brick road in Jerusalem.Some vaguely understand the weight of the word holy land.

Mount of Olives
Did you know that there is an old man on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem who provides free board and lodging to travelers?When I was in Jordan, a young Chinese backpacker told me.Call Ibrahim House, he said.That was the first time I heard the name.Before leaving Jordan, when I was searching the Internet for information on land transit through Israel, I accidentally saw someone mention Ibrahim's house, with a detailed address.

Before I came here, I only knew that the owner of the Ibrahim House was a Palestinian grandfather named Ibrahim.On the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the locals showed me the way, and it took me almost no effort to find the legendary Ibrahim's house.This is a simple house in a Palestinian neighbourhood.As soon as I walked into the living room, the walls and doors were covered with magazines from various countries and newspapers' interviews and reports on the grandfather.

welcome!With a loud greeting, an old man in an Arabian robe with a kind face appeared in the living room.It was Grandpa Ibrahim.

An American uncle who has lived here for a long time and helped the Ibrahim House welcomed me and introduced me to the facilities provided by the Ibrahim House for travelers.Following the leader around, I sincerely admire the old man.Almost everything is considered here for travelers, accommodation, food, hot bath, washing machine, mobile phone card, wireless network, there are bottled drinking water in the refrigerator for travelers to carry when they go out, and juice and fresh fruit are available at any time; Prepare lunch and dinner for travelers, with meat and vegetables, taste good; soap and roll paper are prepared in the bathroom.There is no mandatory fee for the Ibrahim House, and the donation box on the wall accepts voluntary donations from tenants.I sat on the bed with a clean sheet and pillow towel, still feeling incredible.

Ibrahim House is home to travelers from all over the world.Korean youths studying in a seminary, Chinese college students studying in the United States, American uncles who live in Israel, and Japanese backpackers who travel alone but can form a group everywhere.There is a self-taught Japanese boy who can sing many old Chinese songs with standard pronunciation.Knowing that I am from China, this kid opened his mouth and said: the sea, the sea, just like my mother...

When there are many people, the Ibrahim House is more lively than the popular hotel.The beds are full, and the sofas in the basement are also full. The young travelers who are happy with the situation simply build up the floor and use old mattresses to solve the accommodation problem.

I don't have a passport, but I have traveled almost all over the world. This is my travel.Grandpa Ibrahim laughed.He is often invited by various countries as a special guest.

Welcome! Eat! Eat more! (Welcome! Come to eat! Eat more!) - These few words are the mantra of Grandpa Ibrahim, which can be heard every day.One day, my grandfather did not eat during the day due to Muslim fasting. When the travelers sat at the dining table and had lunch, the grandfather was lying on the sofa and sleeping beside him.Suddenly there was a sound at the door, and the old man mistakenly thought that a new traveler was coming, and suddenly woke up from his dream, and yelled "Welcome" at the door in a daze, which amused everyone at the table.

A Japanese aunt had a car accident and her left foot was broken.Therefore, Grandpa Ibrahim asked the Japanese aunt to live here to recuperate, and sent her to the hospital many times during the period.Auntie returned to Japan, but Grandpa insisted on sending Auntie to the airport.The Japanese aunt is not good at English, so she just held the grandfather's hand and said thank you over and over again.Auntie's eyes were red, I thought, even dozens of "Thank you" could not express her gratitude.

I asked Grandpa Ibrahim when he founded the House of Ibrahim, and Grandpa replied, 50 years ago.

"50 years? Or... 15 years?" I suspect I misheard fifty and fifteen.

"50 years, Five Zero." The old man stretched out his hands, stretched out his left hand to make a "5", and held his right hand to make a "0". "It started with my father, 50 years ago, and then I succeeded my father and continued it. Now I am 70 years old."

I looked at the old man in front of me and was too surprised to speak.This loving hut built for travelers from all over the world has been carefully cared for for half a century, and 50 years of wind, frost, rain and snow have not been able to destroy this inheritance that spans two generations.

However, this loving hut is facing an unprecedented predicament.The government collected taxes from Ibrahim's house. The grandfather held a thick stack of tax bills in his hand, looked at the white numbers on it, and sighed.

"My health is getting worse every year, and I can't move anymore." The old man said helplessly.

A sentimental atmosphere filled the room.How long can it last here?

If there is a chance to come to Jerusalem again, I really hope that the Ibrahim House is still there.

holy city jerusalem
Jerusalem, a city that has been conquered for thousands of years, is a holy place for Judaism, Christianity and Islam.When a city becomes the holy city of three major religions at the same time, it is destined to have unparalleled beauty.

What kind of place is this place? Even the air is filled with a thick sense of weight. Words like "sacred" have been overused by spectators, although it is not enough to describe one thousandth here.Just for Jerusalem, it is worth flying thousands of rivers and mountains for her.

The ancient Old City is divided into four religious and ethnic ghettos: the Jewish Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Muslim Quarter and the Armenian Quarter.Most of the Muslim quarters are Arab hawkers doing business, crowded with people, which is a lively and lively scene.The Jewish Quarter is like a Western model in an old movie.The extremely conspicuous large golden-roofed building in the old city is the Dome of the Rock, which is considered by Muslims to be the place where Muhammad climbed to the sky at night and went to heaven with the angel Gabriel to see Allah.Mosques require visitors to wear non-revealing clothes, with high collars and long trouser legs, so men from all over the world wearing summer shorts are forced to use silk scarves tied around their waists to cover their thighs. funny.Next to the mosque is Jesus' Fourteen Stations of the Cross, which is the last journey of Jesus before his life, from condemnation to crucifixion.On the streets of the old city, pilgrims often go back to the road of suffering.Bethlehem, ten kilometers away, is the birthplace of Jesus, and it is crowded with Christians from all over the world throughout the year.I remember seeing an English book "The Way of Jesus" about hiking in Ibrahim's house. On the title page was written this sentence: Jesus didn't take the bus, why did you take it?
The Weeping Church on the Mount of Olives is shaped like a teardrop, symbolizing the tears of Jesus. The Gospel of Luke mentioned that when Jesus walked to Jerusalem, he was shocked by the beauty of the Second Temple, predicted its future destruction and the separation of the Jews, and wept in public.There are stretches of cemeteries on the hillside, which are endless, and it is said that there are hundreds of thousands of them.This is the place where the Lord of the Last Days mentioned in the book of Zechariah came, so the Jews always hope to be buried on the Mount of Olives.Thinking of the suffering of the Jews that spanned thousands of years, the irrepressible sentimental emotions drifted freely.

The Church of All Nations, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Church of Mary and Magdalene... These amazing buildings are gathered in Jerusalem.Perhaps no other place has so many sacred buildings as here.The collision and integration of different cultures, religions, and nationalities, differences, disparities, and contradictions, all kinds of strong forces gather in this ancient city, showing a wonderful gesture.You can see well-dressed people sipping coffee leisurely in the Jewish Quarter of the old city, the sound of footsteps echoing on the clean old stone road, and the six-pointed star flag flying on the hill; you can also see those in the Palestinian community on the Mount of Olives Anti-Israel graffiti on the walls, littering and sewage, children wrote Israel (English for Israel) on the trash can, and drew a big cross angrily.Ironically, the Mount of Olives in the 60s and [-]s of last century was once occupied by Jordan. The Arabs used the Jewish tombstones on the mountain to build roads and military toilets, and even destroyed the thousand-year-old cemetery.Feng Shui has taken turns, and today the Mount of Olives has been firmly controlled by the Jewish army, protecting the resting place of the ancestors.When will the generational enmity between Jews and Arabs end?

Hebron, the holy city second only to Jerusalem in Judaism, is 30 kilometers away, and it is also the holy city of Christianity and Islam.After getting off the car, I was taken aback by the sight in front of me. I almost thought I had come to the wrong place: the desolate and dilapidated streets, the closed shop doors, and the paper scraps flying on the road. It was lifeless and gloomy.I took two steps forward bravely, my God, a tank drove past me, and behind me were Israeli army soldiers running with guns on their shoulders.Me, should I just run away...

If I hadn't seen a wave of Palestinian girls walking forward calmly, I can guarantee that I would definitely get on the bus and go home.Two roads away is a stone-walled city gate heavily guarded by armed soldiers.Follow the Palestinian girl into the checkpoint, pass through the dark city gate, the bright sun shines down, and it suddenly becomes clear: this is a bustling Palestinian market!The eyes are full of ordinary people who are shopping in the market, crowded with people, shoulder to shoulder; the ears are the shouts and cries of small merchants and hawkers, one after another.Just separated by a stone gate, there is a world of difference between the inside and the outside, and there is a hole in the door. Such a huge change made my jaw drop.

Hebron is a mixed city of Palestinians and Jews.The entire city is divided into two parts, one area is under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority, and the second area is controlled by the Israeli army.The two sides have friction from time to time, right and wrong.The dead city-like ruins outside the checkpoint used to be a bustling market, but it has become a "ghost town" under the isolation policy.Access is tightly controlled by the Israeli army, with tanks and troops stationed outside the area of ​​separation.However, all these cannot conceal the strong breath of life in the city.The living quarters still look peaceful and peaceful, and these vibrant scenes try to make Palestinians forget the Jewish soldiers with guns guarding outside the city gates.Although small frictions from time to time may bring sad results, ordinary people are still working hard to guard their own little happiness.

It can't help but remind people of Masada. Before Masada, the last Jewish castle, was broken by the Romans 2000 years ago, nearly a thousand Jews committed suicide in Masada with the belief that they would rather die for freedom than live as slaves.What the Romans captured after three years of painstaking efforts was nothing more than an empty dead city and 960 corpses on the ground.Since then, the footprints of the Jews have disappeared from the land of Canaan. These men, women and children performed their last scene in such a tragic form, composing a hymn of freedom with their lives.

For the Promised Land and Masada, which will never fall again, the Jews returned to this barren land without hesitation to establish their own country, making the two troubled nations unfortunately enemies.For more than half a century after that, there was an endless Palestine-Israel conflict, grievances reciprocated, and a vicious circle.If one day, the hatred between the two sides can be resolved, the person who threaded the needle must be worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize trophy-although the Nobel Peace Prize has awarded two trophies for this, true peace has not yet come.When will this day be?

live in the mediterranean

Take a break from the heavy religious atmosphere for a while, and take a look at Israel with a relaxed mood.

This is a rich developed country, prices are several times higher than in China, taxis and buses are almost all Mercedes-Benz.Large metal cages for recycling plastic bottles can be seen everywhere on the streets of Tel Aviv; in addition to men’s and women’s toilets, there are also children’s toilets specially designed for children in the mall. The toilet is small and cute, and is covered with green forest cartoon wallpaper; The advertising display screen can only be restored to a mirror after the advertisement is broadcast; the barren hills are afforested on a large scale, and more and more vegetation covers the mountains. The city is full of flowers and plants and lush trees. Israel is obviously a barren land where dripping water is as expensive as oil. .Looking down, there is a long and thin hose connected under almost all the flowers and plants, which turned out to be drip irrigation.The Israelis invented the world-famous drip irrigation technology and used it to the extreme, creating an oasis in the desert, enabling Israel, whose agricultural population is less than 5% of the total population, to solve its own food problems and export a large amount of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

No one doubts the excellent wisdom and business acumen of the Jews, and the Jerusalem Coach Station, which is perfectly integrated with shops, is also a good example.If you only visit one or two floors, this is undoubtedly an authentic department store, with bookstores, clothing stores, and food stores emerging in endlessly.But when you walk up to the third floor, the long-distance bus station platform that looks like the ticket window of a movie theater appears in front of you, and you will believe that this is indeed a long-distance bus station.The platform is located on the third floor because the parking lot is built on a slope. Walk out from the platform door on the third floor and get on the train directly. The connection is just right.The site where the long-distance bus station is built is a hillside, which is a disadvantage. The designer used his wisdom to transform it into a unique "third-floor station". By the way, it also took into account the role of a department store.

Tel Aviv, Israel's second largest city, is an out-and-out international metropolis, and even its humble corners are modernized.But this does not mean that the dense high-rise buildings blind your eyes. In fact, I even saw a large dog park around the center of Tel Aviv, which is used to walk dogs for citizens.There are large green lawns and sycamores. People lie on the grass, read books, chat, and run on the tree-lined road with headphones.Tel Aviv is both the capital of Israel and not the capital of Israel.The Israelis declared Jerusalem as the "eternal and indivisible capital", but this has not been widely recognized around the world. Most countries regard Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel and set up their embassies in Tel Aviv.

Prices in Israel were so high that I became a couchsurf and stayed in Netanya, a seaside town near Tel Aviv. The couch owner was Aaron, a Jewish guy in his early 30s.Aaron, who is a single family, originally lived in Tel Aviv, and the housing prices in the metropolis were overwhelming. Aaron moved to Netanya, a 30-minute drive from Tel Aviv, and rented a two-bedroom and one living room at one-third of Tel Aviv’s rent. I drive to and from get off work, go to the beach to relax on weekends, like to play guitar and piano, and I am also obsessed with tailoring, and I have made several fashions for friends.After being designed and renovated by him, the originally inconspicuous small house has a new look with a great sense of design.Just as I was amazed at the very personalized decoration of the small house, Aaron had already made a decent glass of drink and handed it to me, and he didn't forget to put a delicate umbrella on the goblet.

Very good at living.This is the first impression Aaron left on me.

Sitting in Aaron's car, I was surprised to see several Jewish youths in black clothes and top hats asking for money from passing drivers on the street.That's the Orthodox Judaism you see everywhere in Jerusalem.I used to think that they were so graceful, how could they be reduced to asking for money on the street.

"They don't work, they only study Judaism, and the government gives them subsidies. The money is not too much, just enough to live on, but it's not enough to spend if their hands and feet are bigger. They can only go to the street to ask for money... If they work, they can't get subsidies, so They all choose not to work," Aaron said.

Aaron told me that 30.00% of Israeli citizens are closely related to religion, while the remaining [-]% live a secular life, no different from other countries.Aaron's family also belonged to that [-]%, but years of religious influence did not affect Aaron. He firmly chose to be a secular Jew, not wearing a yarmulke, nor going to a rabbi's house.

Studying in a religious institution has many advantages, such as deferring military service.All Israeli citizens are required to perform military service, three years for men and two years for women.Most Orthodox rabbis defer military service until they exceed the legal service age. "Actually, it's not over yet." Aaron, who had already served three years in the military, added.After completing military service, you have to serve in the army for one month every year until you are 45 years old.This is protected by law so office workers cannot lose their jobs due to military service.If you evade one month of military service each year, you will be punished by law.In order to go to Germany to watch the World Cup, Aaron, who escaped his service once, had no choice but to "surrender himself" to the police station, obediently paid the fine, and was detained for a few days—otherwise, he would not leave the country because he had not completed his compulsory military service.For the sake of his beloved World Cup, Aaron had no choice but to accept it.

Speaking of military service, I thought of Kim, a Korean guy I met during my travels.Korean men have two years of compulsory military service. Kim went to the army after finishing his second year of college. He just got out of the army and planned to go back to college after a long trip to continue his studies. Kim said that too many people want to evade military service. During the medical examination, almost everyone has a certificate stating that there is something wrong with the body here or there.The doctors used all kinds of tricks, but the tricks have long since failed, and the vast majority of people still have to enlist in the army obediently.Every young boy who enlists wails: Two years!well!two years!But, we are still lucky, because North Korean men's military service is - 10 years!Almost everyone has the same nightmare after leaving the military, the nightmare of having to do military service again for some reason.When North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died, South Korean troops were on edge, everyone terrified that something might happen that would require them to go to war.At that time, there were still three months before he was discharged from the army, so Kim blamed Marshal Kim every day for why he didn't live longer, and he almost hugged Marshal Kim and cried bitterly in his dream.

A-Long's house also lives with another couch-surfer, Yifan, a backpacker from Taiwan.In the evening, Aaron drove us to swim in the Mediterranean Sea, sat on the beach drinking beer and eating snacks, and counted the stars in the night sky. The 33-year-old Yifan resigns from his job every two or three years and travels for eight or nine months. He has already traveled five or six times.I have met countless backpackers along the way, but there are not many people who travel so regularly like Yifan.There is gradually a backpack craze in the mainland, and more and more people yearn for long-distance travel.Even those who accept the concept, most of them can only accept one or two long-distance travel.The implication is: just go out once or twice, do you still expect to live such an unreliable life for a long time?If you walk a few more times, you will fall from a "backpacker who dares to go out to see the world" to a "loser who is addicted to travel and cannot return to the real world".And Yifan told me with his more than ten years of experience that this is a very simple question: Since I like this lifestyle and can coordinate the relationship between long-distance travel and work, why not continue.

Someone once asked me: Are you full of passion every day when you travel abroad? ——If you are full of passion every day, wouldn't it be like being injected with chicken blood and drugged?Traveling is just one of many ways of life.I have seen the mountains and rivers, and I have experienced the wind and waves. The longer the journey, the farther you go, the calmer you will be.Life can be very simple. When walking on the road, a backpack is all your belongings. In spring, summer, autumn and winter, it is all about this bag, and life does not feel lonely.Long-distance backpacking is probably the most direct way to reflect the weight of material desires. The things you buy will immediately become the weight on your shoulders. Once you have too many things, you will not be able to carry them, so you will start searching for things that can be thrown away.I can only bear such a little luggage, no matter how much it is, I have to throw it out in order to make up for it.It turns out that people only need such a little thing to wander outside for several years, what else do you need.

Aaron couldn't wait to rush into the Mediterranean to chase the waves. I lay on the soft sand and drank beer with Yifan to celebrate my 24th birthday.Looking at the continuous clouds in the sky that seem to be able to pick up water, they are playful and cute, and I can't wait to tear off one and squeeze two in my hands.

Live in the present, this is the consensus between Yifan and I.Well, that's fine.

Haifa
In daylight.The streets are quiet, trains and coaches have been suspended, shopping malls and supermarkets are closed, and my plan to go to Haifa can only be stranded.Because today is the Sabbath.

After leaving Jerusalem, I discovered that the Sabbath also has a great influence on the daily life of secular Jews.On the Sabbath, everything is closed and the only public transport that is still operating is private vans.Are people all staying at home?Not really.When I went to the beach, I saw a sea of ​​people, as if half of the city had gathered here.Parents and children sit on beach chairs and drink ice soda, young couples play cricket on the beach, live small concerts shake the eardrums, and the free sightseeing elevator is always full of tourists.There is an automatic bicycle rental point on Beach Avenue. You can choose the time on the screen, swipe your credit card, and you can pick up a mountain bike by yourself. The daily rental fee is 14 shekels, about 22 yuan.Such rental points are very common, and you can return the car at any rental point.

I lingered on the beach for a long time, only to see that the sun did not look back, and it dropped to the sea level, leaving only a fiery red sunset glow.

Walking on the seaside avenue with the wind blowing, I saw a tattoo stall.There are various tattoo patterns drawn on the poster. If you look closely, there are also Chinese characters.But why are some Chinese characters upside down, left and right upside down?

"Is it upside down?" Hearing what I said, the young Jewish boss poked his head out and looked left and right at the poster. "It's okay, the Jews can't understand anyway." The boss laughed and waved his arms.

Night fell, and the Sabbath was over.Trains and buses resumed operations, and a small supermarket on the corner of the street quietly opened its shop at some point.I searched for ingredients in the supermarket, and my hard work paid off. I found that the price of sliced ​​frozen ham was surprising, and I could buy one get one free.Buy a bag of sliced ​​bread and use Aaron's kitchen to make ham sandwiches.Look at the amount of ingredients, enough to eat several meals.

In a place where prices are comparable to those in Europe, backpackers always have their own way of survival.Even in expensive countries, there is always relatively cheap food.If I hadn't calculated the books carefully, I wouldn't have believed that I spent only $10 a day in Israel.This is a country where the cheapest bus costs one dollar.

Desire is an interesting guy. The steelyard in my heart determines that travel expenses and prices are not 100% corresponding.In a place where prices are high, everything feels expensive. The price of the same product is several times higher than in China, and the desire to consume is naturally greatly reduced, but almost all the money that is not spent is saved.But in places where the price is low, the opposite is true. It is so cheap that people are embarrassed not to spend the money. Besides, there is no such shop in this village. This is not my door.And the white money is spent little by little in this way, and the accumulation of less becomes more, and the rising tide raises all boats.As a result, going to places with low prices may not save money, and going to places with high prices may not necessarily cost a lot of money.If it weren't for the high prices in Israel, how could I be a couchsurf here.I still prefer staying in hotels.

The usual low-budget travel options for backpackers are hitchhiking and couchsurfing, which I do only occasionally.More than [-]% of my travel time is pure self-help: I ​​live in backpackers, eat in small local restaurants, and take public transportation.I don't want to disturb others, I don't like to take advantage of others, and I'm not used to receiving favors for no reason.I like it, pay for it yourself, choose a price that suits you according to your budget, and travel in a refreshing and self-guided way.

The comfortable intercity high-speed train runs through Israel. The carriage looks like a domestic high-speed train, with large windows and a piece of pastoral scenery, which seems to be a scenic train.I began to be full of curiosity, wanting to see what the northernmost point the train reached looked like.Sit all the way to the northern bottom station, where there are only large areas of barren land and Israeli soldiers with guns.Then I remembered my original destination and sat back to Haifa.

Haifa is the third largest city in Israel and the center of the Baha'i Faith.As a World Heritage Site, the Bahá’í Step Gardens start from the slopes of Mount Carmel, and the exquisitely designed gardens descend layer by layer. The stars surround the Báb’s Shrine on the mountainside, and then extend all the way to the bottom of the mountain to connect with the avenue. Direct access to the Mediterranean Sea.Looking down from the mountain, the stepped garden is like a hanging garden, connecting Haifa Harbor, which is a spectacle.

Let go of the nostalgia for Haifa, go back to Netanya to say goodbye to Aaron, and get on the bus to Jerusalem.On the night of the Muslim Ramadan, there are waves of people in front of Damascus Gate. The night market and food stalls are full, and stage performances are staged in turn.The bustling bar streets and shopping centers have another look. Jews live their lives as usual, go shopping and clubbing, listen to the old Jewish saxophone show on the street, and take the tram home.An ordinary life is no exception in the holy land of Jerusalem.

Half a month passed in a flash, and a few inconspicuous numbers on the visa drove me to the southern port of Eilat, and hurriedly met the big breasts and fat buttocks by the beach of the Red Sea, gently, gently Walk.My old friend Egypt is waiting for me on the other side of the port.

(End of this chapter)